bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vitamin K2 Prevents Beta Amyloid Peptide and Vitamin K3‐induced Cell Death
Authors: McGarvey Terence , Ramaraj Pendurangan , Hassan Sherif S 
Published: November 2023

ObjectivePrevious reports have shown that vitamin K2 could prevent oxidative stress‐induced cell death in neuronal and glial cells in vitro (Sakaue et al., 2011; Li et al., 2003). In addition, it has also been reported that there may be a vitamin K deficiency in Alzheimer's patients (Presse et al., 2008).MethodsRat embryo hippocampal astrocytes and neurons were obtained from Brainbits, Inc (Springfield, IL) Inc. and grown on poly‐lysine coated tissue culture‐treated plastic. Neuronal cells were grown for at least eight days in NbActive media (Brainbits, Inc.). The identity of the astrocytes and neurons were confirmed by immunofluorescence using antibodies against GFAP, and synaptophysin respectively. The concentration of β‐amyloid that was used in this study was 10 μM. The concentrations of vitamin K3 and K2 ranged from 1 μM to 100 μM. Cell viability was assessed using the LIVE/DEAD cell imaging kit and lipid peroxidation using the Image‐iT lipid peroxidation kit. Apoptosis was examined via the Magic Red Caspase‐3/7 kit.ResultsAs previously reported, we confirmed that concentrations of 10 uM of vitamin K3 caused an increase in lipid peroxidation and apoptosis in rat astrocytes. On the other hand, concentrations of up to 100 μm of vitamin K2 did not induce lipid peroxidation or apoptosis in either astrocytes or neurons. While neurons treated with β‐amyloid induced apoptosis, when co‐incubated with vitamin K2, there was no apparent neuronal cell death. Co‐incubation of vitamin K2 did also appear to protect astrocytes from vitamin K3 induced damage at the 4 and 24 hour time points as well.ConclusionWe report here that vitamin K2 appears to be protective against oxidative stress induced either by beta amyloid or vitamin K3 in both rat astrocytes and neurons.Support or Funding InformationA. T. Still University
Estradiol Increases Choice of Cocaine over Food in Male Rats
Authors: Bagley Jared Robert , Bozadjian Rachel , Bubalo Lana , Adams Julia , Ghobadi Sara , Kippin Tod Edward 
Published: November 2023

Women present more severe cocaine addiction profiles than men on some measures. Similarly, female rodents display greater cocaine intake under a variety of cocaine self‐administration schedules, including a choice self‐administration procedure in which subjects can choose between cocaine and food. Estradiol has been shown to largely mediate many of these sex effects, including cocaine choice. However, the effects of estradiol on male cocaine behavior are less studied. Male brains express estrogen receptors, and estradiol has been shown to modulate behaviors that share underlying neurobiology with cocaine reinforcement. Therefore, we sought to characterize the effects of estradiol in males, on choice behavior and on motivation for both cocaine and food in single‐reinforcer progressive ratio (PR) tests.MethodsMale castrated rats were treated daily with estradiol benzoate (EB) (5ug/0.1, S.C., n=23) or vehicle (peanut oil, n=23) throughout choice testing (3 grain food pellets, 1 mg/kg/infusion I.V. cocaine) and single‐reinforcer food and cocaine PR testing. Additionally, a subset of rats were tested in a modified choice procedure, in which the “cost” of the reinforcers were manipulated by escalating the fixed‐ratio (FR) requirement of the preferred reinforcer while maintaining the FR requirement of the non‐preferred reinforcer constant.ResultsEB increased cocaine intake in the choice test. EB subjects also demonstrated greater cocaine PR breakpoints, but had similar food PR breakpoints to controls. However, after a switch from home‐cage food restriction to ad libitum feeding, EB subjects increased food PR breakpoints while food PR breakpoints dropped in the control group. In the cost escalation test, cocaine preferring rats defended their cocaine intake to a greater degree than food preferring rats. There was no effect of EB on this measure. This suggests that, although estradiol increases the proportion of cocaine preferring rats in the choice procedure, EB does not further affect this measure.ConclusionThese results indicate that the effects of estradiol on choice behavior are not sex‐specific, estradiol increases the allocation of behavior towards cocaine in both sexes. Considering this concordant effect on behavior, the underlying neurobiology of choice behavior may be similarly affected by estradiol in both sexes.Support or Funding InformationNIDA (5R01DA027525‐05)
Behavioral Resiliency of Mice to Repeated Mild Cerebral Concussion: Are there Interactions with Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs)?
Authors: Clough Richard W , Viscomi Natalie , Rose Gregory , Hayashi Emi , Banz William , Cheatwood Joseph 
Published: November 2023

Modeling Concussive Brain Injury (CBI) in mice affords opportunities to study mechanisms of neural compromise and therapeutic strategies to promote behavioral recovery. We hypothesized that diets enriched in omega‐3 fatty acids, compared to those with omega‐6 fatty acids, would facilitate both the time and degree of behavioral recovery after mild CBI. This abstract reports the effects, over a 4‐week interval, of 3x‐repeated mild CBI in mice on several behavioral measures across 5 diet groups. Mice were pre‐fed for 5 weeks with 5 different PUFA enriched diets: soy oil; steradonic acid (SDA) enriched ‐ soy oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil and manhedren oil based diets. After week five, CBI was induced in young adult male C57BL6 mice under light isoflurane anesthesia using a cerebral contusion device (impact velocity 3.8 m/sec, dwell .200 sec, deformation 2 mm). Latencies to ‘righting reflex’ after impact clearly showed the CBI animals to be ‘concussed’ compared to shams. However, testing at 2 days post‐CBI and continuing through 4 weeks showed no differences in open field behavior/ambulation, plus‐maze testing, rotarod testing, water‐maze testing, or fear conditioning between any of the groups. This seems similar to psychological stability that is usually seen after mild concussion in humans (i.e., mice subjected to mild CBI also exhibit longer‐term behavioral stability). Thus, the CBI impact parameters used in this study may represent a sub‐threshold effect that do not render permanent CNS disability. More aggressive impact parameters do induce longer lasting CNS deficits in mice. At experiment termination, brains and livers were removed for PUFA analysis by gas chromatography (GC). Analyses did show significant differences between various PUFA concentrations in brain and liver (AA, ALA, LA, SDA, DHA, EPA and DPA) between the different diets, but these were not associated with behavioral resiliency to mild CBI using the parameters mentioned (where no chronic deficits were found). Even so, despite no significant findings with mild CBI, this work provides a baseline to further study mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction and dietary interventions after increasingly severe CBI.Support or Funding InformationSupport: SIU School of Medicine, Neuroscience Research Center, Dept. of Animal Science, Food & Nutrition, SIUC, and Monsanto Co. (St. Louis, MO) who supplied SDA oil.
Morphometry of brain longitudinal fissure and its possible clinical correlations
Authors: Camara Eduardo Poletti , de Souza Pinto Antonio José Assis Xavier , Tavares Marcelo Rodrigo , Fazan Valéria Paula Sassoli , Netto Benedito Camargo , de Paula Hebert Rodarte , de Fátima Oliveira Nadimila 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionThrough an outstanding beveling called longitudinal fissure of the brain is divided into two halves called hemispheres. On the basis of this crack is a bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum, which provides a communication link between the cerebral hemispheres and their functions.ObjectiveTo carry out the morphometry of the amplitude of brain longitudinal fissure in search of a standardization of its measurement and its possible relevant clinical relations.Materials and MethodsThe authors conducted morphometry of the longitudinal cerebral fissure through manual caliper in 30 human brains (n = 30) in the anatomical center I of University José do Rosário Vellano (Alfenas‐MG), set by local conservation methods. The pictures were taken with a camera of 8 MP and a resolution of 3264 × 2448 pixel.ResultsIt was found that there was a prevalence value of 155 mm for the total amplitude of cerebral longitudinal fissure, corresponding There 23.33% incidence.ConclusionThe study aims to carry out the standardization of the measurement of cerebral longitudinal fissure and its prevalence rate in human brains of the population, it was hypothesized a possible change of morphology in the cerebral longitudinal fissure of individuals who have suffered from injuries upper region of the parietal‐occipital lobe. Since the demand for ancient corpses guess necropsy, which generally evidenced head trauma the cranial dome and the involvement of the superior sagittal sinus accompanied by increased intracranial pressure and subdural hematoma.
Quantification of substance P in dorsal root ganglion neurons, after nociceptive stimulation during the neonatal period
Authors: Simões Ana Leda B , Carvalho Carolina S , Carmo Elisabete C , Machado Nathalia B , Sanada Luciana S , Fazan Valeria Paula Sassoli 
Published: November 2023

The peripheral nervous system has not been fully investigated in the neonatal pain model, despite the high neuronal plasticity present in this period of life. Also, it is well known that neonatal experiences might shape the sensory system in short and long terms [1]. This study examined the effects of nociceptive stimulation during the neonatal period in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of Wistar rats with 15 days‐old between genders. Pain groups (male (N=6) and female (N=4) Wistar rats) were stimulated with a needle on the right paw, twice a day, since birth, for 15 consecutive days. Control groups (male (N=6) and female (N=4) Wistar rats) were stimulated with a cotton swab. Final experiments were performed 15 days after birth. The animals were anesthetized, perfused with 4% buffered paraformaldehyde and had the right and left L5 DRG removed and frozen. Criossections (8 μm) were incubated in rabbit polyclonal antibody antisubstance P (1:5.000; 24hr) then transferred to biotinylated donkey anti‐rabbit immunoglobulin (1:500; 24hr) before immersion in Extravidin‐HRP (1:1.500; 24hr). Immunoreactivity in axons was revealed with a nickel‐intensified diaminobenzidine reaction. Immunostained neurons were counted and specific statistic tests were applied with differences being considered significant when p<0.05. Males showed larger number of SP positive neurons than females in all groups. Control groups did not show differences in SP positive neuron numbers between right and left sides while male pain group presented a significantly larger number of SP positive neurons on the stimulated side (pain), compared to the control side. This statistical difference was not observed on females, despite the larger number of SP positive neurons on the pain side compared to control. Our results indicate that pain in the neonatal period alters the morphology of the DRG in the acute phase, increasing the number of small neurons that are SP positive. Further investigations are being performed in order to verify if these alterations in the DRG are also present in the long term after neonatal pain.Support or Funding InformationFAPESP, CNPq, CAPES and FAEPA
HISTOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL STUDY OF LASER AND LATEX TREATMENTS ON CRUSHED SCIATIC NERVE
Authors: Dias Fernando J , Watanabe Ii‐sei , Iyomasa Mamie M , Coutinho‐Netto Joaquim , Issa Joao Paulo M , Fuentes Ramon , Borie Eduardo , Fazan Valeria Paula S 
Published: November 2023

This study evaluated the effects of low‐level laser (LLL 15J/cm2, 780nm) associated or not to natural latex (F1 protein − 0,1%) on the crushed sciatic nerve (15 kgf, axonotmesis, left nerve). We used 36 male Wistar rats (200g) divided into 6 groups (n = 6): C ‐ control; E ‐ exposed nerve; I ‐injured nerve; L – LLL; F1 ‐ F1 protein; LF1 ‐ LLL and F1. The functional analysis of mechanical allodynia (von Frey), paw pressure (forceps test) and grip strength (Grip strength meter) was performed after 1, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 180 days of nerve injury. The histological analyses were assessed after 15, 57 and 181 days.Mechanical allodyniaThe non‐injured paw (right) did not differ in all groups studied. The left paw (injured) revealed a higher initial value in Groups I, LLL, LLL + P1 and P1 compared to groups C and E these values decreased in subsequent periods. After seven days the F1 values were very close to the C and E while this effect was observed in the other groups after 14 days. Group I had the highest value for this test after 180 days.Paw pressureThe right paw (non‐injured) showed similar values during the 180 days of the experiment. The left paw (injured) showed higher initial values in groups I, LLL, F1, LLL+ F1 compared to groups C and E. Baseline values reduction was observed after 7 days in the LLL group and after 14 days in the group LLL + F1. After 180 days all groups had similar values, with F1 group presenting the lowest value.Grip StrengthDuring 180 days there was an increase in the values in all groups. The initial values of groups C and E were higher compared to the other groups up to 56 days. At the end of the experiment (180 days) P1 and LLL + F1 groups showed the highest values for the test.Histological analysisGroups C and E showed normal characteristics. Injured groups (I, LLL, LLL + P1 and P1) reveal reduced number and size of nerve fibers, mainly after 15 and 56 days. In the course of time the injured nerve morphology improved with the P1 and LLL+P1 groups showing the best results among the treated groups. In the 180‐day period, P1 and LLL + P1 groups showed similar morphology to groups C and E. The functional and histological analyzes showed improvement after damage in all injured groups. The functional tests showed that the LLL was more effective in reducing pain (paw pressure) after 7 days, probably due to the anti‐inflammatory property of the laser. LLL + P1 treatment reduced pain after 14 days and improved of grip force at long‐term (180 days). F1 showed the best results for mechanical allodynia after 7 days, paw pressure after 180 days and grip force after 180 days. Histology showed promising results from the use of F1 with or without association with the LLL in accelerating nerve regeneration.Support or Funding InformationNerve injury, Low‐level laser, Latex protein, functional tests, morphologic analyses
Ependymal Cells are a Heterogeneous Population in the Spinal Cord of the Leopard Gecko
Authors: Gilbert Emily A.B. , Vickaryous Matthew K. 
Published: November 2023

The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is an emerging model for the study of spinal cord regeneration. As for many lizards, leopard geckos are able to self‐detach their tails (to escape predation) and then spontaneously regenerate a replacement. The regenerate tail is characterized by a centrally positioned spinal cord with a relatively simple morphology: a layer of ependymal cells surrounded by nerve tracts. We hypothesize that ependymal cells in the spinal cord are a heterogenous population. Prior to injury, virtually all ependymal cells of the original (uninjured) spinal cord express the neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) marker Sox2, and a subset of these cells also express the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). Neurons of the grey matter, but not ependymal cells, co‐express the neuronal markers HuCD and NeuN. During regeneration, ependymal cells remain Sox2+ and begin to express additional NSPC markers including Musashi‐1, βIII‐Tubulin and Sox9. Interestingly, a subset of ependymal cells in both the original tail stump and the newly formed regenerate spinal cord begin expressing HuCD, a protein otherwise characteristic of neuronal differentiation. These cells are negative for NeuN (a marker of neuronal nuclei) and are positionally restricted to locations bordering the central canal. A second subset of ependymal cells within the regenerating spinal cord begin to express GFAP and Vimentin but not HuCD. Our results suggest that there are at least three distinct populations of ependymal cells present during regeneration. The majority of ependymal cells are HuCD/GFAP− and display a dynamic NSPC profile following injury (Musashi‐1+/ βIII‐Tubulin+/ Sox9+). Two other populations are less widespread. HuCD+/GFAP−/NeuN− cells may represent a population of neuronal‐like central canal contacting cells, while HuCD−/GFAP+/Vimentin+ cells appear to be ependymo‐radial glia. This complex assemblage of cells may explain the remarkable regenerative abilities of the spinal cord in this species.Support or Funding InformationNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Discovery Grant (400358)
A Longitudinal Study of the Utility and Efficacy of a Peer‐based Anatomy Tutoring Program for First‐year Medical Students: 2011–2015
Authors: Schmalz Naomi A , Escovedo Cameron , Harrison Dave , Lentz Jacob , Stahl Lesley , Thakur Sarika , Parker Neil , Stark Elena 
Published: November 2023

A peer‐based anatomy tutoring program was implemented at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in response to first‐year medical students’ requests for supplemental instruction in Gross Anatomy beyond the traditional dissection‐ and prosection‐based format. This abstract includes three years’ worth of data on the program's student‐perceived utility in supplementing the formal gross anatomy curriculum for the first year of medical school. Secondyear medical student tutors held two‐hour sessions with up to four first‐year student attendees per session. Tutoring sessions were made available to all first‐year students. At the end of each academic quarter, first‐year attendees were asked to provide feedback anonymously and voluntarily via an online survey regarding the tutoring sessions’ utility in enhancing their study of gross anatomy on a Likert scale. In 2011–2012, correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the number of sessions attended and the utility of sessions in (1) verifying structures (r = .480; p ≤ 0.01), (2) being quizzed by tutors (r = .420; p ≤ 0.01), and (3) overall confidence in the material (r = .460; p ≤ 0.01). In 2013–2014, correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the number of sessions attended and the utility of sessions in (1) learning content and verifying structures (r = .371; p ≤ 0.01), (2) knowing what is important (r= .272; p ≤ 0.05), and (3) improving student confidence (r = .329; p ≤ 0.01). In 2014–2015, correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the number of sessions attended and the utility of sessions in (1) integrating single structures with neighboring structures (r = .488; p ≤ 0.01), and (2) being quizzed by tutors (r = .425; p ≤ 0.05). Due to tutoring session attendees’ self‐reported increase in knowledge and improvement in confidence, we believe our students benefit from this program. Future studies will aim to elucidate the specific tutoring approaches that are perceived as most useful.Support or Funding InformationFunding for SurveyMonkey accounts, Appointment‐Plus accounts, and tutor payments came from the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and from the Student Affairs Office, Office of the Dean, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Rubric Design for Evaluating Reciprocal Peer Teaching in Gross Anatomy Impacts Student Performance and Satisfaction
Authors: Giffin Bruce Francis , Marshall Aaron , Lukin Laurah 
Published: November 2023

PURPOSEIn response to time constraints associated with a major curriculum reform, the gross anatomy course was restructured to utilize reciprocal peer teaching (RPT). To ensure the quality of the RPT experience, we compared two different assessment rubrics.METHODSSix students were assigned to each dissecting table and subdivided into two teams of three. These teams alternated dissection assignments. Both teams attended a RPT session. At this session, the teams that dissected taught the other team that did not dissect. To provide incentive for high quality teaching and learning, RPT sessions were monitored and graded by anatomy faculty with the aid of a rubric. The first rubric used evaluated the teaching for organization, conciseness, accuracy, completeness, clinical relevancy, and participation. Student feedback from course evaluations indicated dissatisfaction from the learners, due to unreliable teaching quality and methodology. A strong preference for demonstrating the dissected anatomy and the dissection procedure was voiced by the learners. In order to remedy this concern, a new RPT rubric was developed that evaluates participation of all team members, attentiveness of both the teachers and the learners, the overall quality of the dissection, a requirement that the teaching team physically demonstrate the dissected structures to the learners followed by periodic quizzing of the learners, and active participation of the learners (answering questions and identifying structures).RESULTSThe students were surveyed to provide feedback about the two different rubrics, as they utilized both throughout their gross anatomy experience.CONCLUSIONSOverall, the use of RPT is an effective strategy to maintain the quality of gross anatomy education when curriculum time constraints necessitate reducing the amount of dissection time. We further demonstrate that rubric design affects the quality of the peer teaching, and thus the performance and satisfaction of the students.