bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MORPHOLOGY AND MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF RIGHT AND LEFT CORONARY ARTERIES IN HUMAN CADAVERIC HEARTS
Authors: Sarangapani S. Vinnarasie , Subramaniam Sundarapandian 
Published: November 2023

INTRODUCTIONCoronary artery disease is one of the major causes of death in developed countries. Knowledge of the normal and variant anatomy of coronary circulation is an increasingly vital component in the management of congenital and acquired cardiac diseases.AIM AND OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study is to know the normal pattern of coronary arteries with reference to its origin, course, branching pattern and variations supplemented by morphometric analysis by doing a neat dissection of the heart.MATERIALS AND METHODSA sum of 45 heart specimens were used for this study, 30 were collected from Department of Anatomy, SRM Medical College and 15 were obtained from the department of anatomy, Sri Ramachandra medical college Chennai. The right and left coronary arteries were dissected out, and findings were noted.RESULTSIn the present study, the ostium diameter of left coronary artery(LCA) is greater than the right coronary artery, the branching pattern of LCA shows trifurcation and tetrafurcation. 20% of specimen shows separate ostium for right conus artery where it is called as third coronary artery, 2.22% of specimens shows a separate ostium for SA nodal artery, 2.22% of specimens shows origin of LCA above the supravalvular ridge.CONCLUSIONA detailed study of coronary arteries and its variations would be of great use to cardiologist and interventional radiologist to predefine the abnormalities for better management in coronary artery diseases.
Contribution of macrophages to myxomatous valve disease
Authors: Hulin Alexia , Potter Sarah , Kim Andrew , DeFalco Tony , Yutzey Katherine 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveHeart valve interstitial cells (VIC) maintain mature heart valve homeostasis and mediate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling during heart valve disease. VICs are of heterogeneous origins, including hematopoietic origin. However, leukocytes remain poorly characterized in heart valves. Interestingly, recent studies reveal infiltration of leukocytes (CD45+) and increased macrophages in human myxomatous mitral valves. Nevertheless, timing and contribution of macrophages during myxomatous valve disease (MVD) are still unknown. Our study will aim to determine if macrophages are required for heart valve homeostasis and contribute to the development of MVD.Methods and resultsLeukocytes are detected in postnatal heart valves and their numbers increase during postnatal valve development. The majority of leukocytes are macrophages as confirmed by flow and lineage tracing of Cx3Cr1 expressing cells. Moreover, two different populations of macrophages with specific location inside the heart valve can be detected in 1 month‐old heart valves. We then examined leukocytes and macrophages in aortic valves of Axin2 KO mice, that exhibit increased Wnt/β‐catenin signaling and myxomatous features by 4 months. Strikingly, CD45+ cells are already increased relative to controls at post‐natal day (P)0 and progressively accumulate in Axin2 KO AoV leaflets prior to extensive ECM remodeling. Increased proinflammatory monocytes (CCR2+) are detected by flow and chemokine CCL3 and CCL7 expression is increased, along with a higher number of macrophages at 1 month indicating macrophage infiltration before disease.ConclusionsOur analysis of Axin2 KO mice reveals for the first time that increased infiltration of leukocytes and macrophages precedes major ECM remodeling during MVD. Ongoing studies involve further characterization of normal and abnormal leukocyte infiltration in AoV by flow cytometry. In addition Cx3cr1‐Cre; Rosa‐DTA mice will be used to deplete macrophages specifically in myxomatous heart valves to determine whether macrophages play a critical role in the development of MVDSupport or Funding InformationAmerican Association of Anatomists, Postdoctoral Fellowship
Ventricular Growth and Coronary Vessel Development in the Giant Danio (Devario Aequipinnatus) Heart
Authors: Shifatu Olubusola , Glasshagel Sarah , Patel Purva , Nelson Hannah , Tomamichel Wendy , Higginbotham Clay , Lafontant Pascal J 
Published: November 2023

The adult giant danio (GD) heart displays robust regenerative response to cardiac injury, similar to that observed in the closely related species, the zebrafish (ZF). However, unlike the ZF, little is known about cardiovascular growth and ventricular maturation of the GD. We studied over 300 GD larva, juveniles and adults using light and electron microscopy. We have documented the dynamic changes in specific anatomical and physiological growth parameters from 7 days to 32 weeks post‐fertilization (wpf) adults. While we found that the GD displayed marked variations in sizes/standard lengths (SL) and ventricular sizes/ventricular lengths (VL) in their respective age groups, GD VL were closely correlated with their SL. GD SL increased by an average of 1.2 mm from 1 to10 wpf, and VL increasing by 50 um/week from 5 to 10 wpf. We also found that GD raised at low densities (1–2/liter) experienced greater cardiac growth, and lesser SL and VL variance than fish grown at higher densities (5–10/liter). Like the ZF, the coronary vasculature emerged in the late larval stage, and both the initiation and expansion of the vasculature was dependent upon SL. The switch from an a vascular to vascularized myocardium was concomitant with the appearance and increase in thickness of the compact heart, and the formation of a junctional region occupied by a spatially organized fibroblasts network. This is the first comprehensive study of the cardiac growth and maturation in the GD heart from larval stage to adulthood. Our new findings may serve as an important baseline for comparative cardiac biology studies in fish species including the ZF.Support or Funding InformationP.J.L. is supported by NIH 1 R15 HD084262‐01, the Donald E. Town Faculty Fellowship, and Faculty Development Funds at DePauw University
Coral‐derived natural marine compound GB9 inhibits vascular development in zebrafish
Authors: Song Yi‐Chun , Wu Chang‐Yi 
Published: November 2023

Blood vessels formation is critical for vertebrates during embryogenesis. Disruption of vascular growth by chemicals or environmental hormones will cause developmental defects. Using zebrafish as a model organism to study vascular development have been intensively identified many molecules that control artery‐vein identity, intersegmental vessels (ISV) patterning and caudal vein plexus (CVP) formation because their vessels growth is stereotypical relatively simple compare to mammal. In this present study, we analyze the vascular impacts of marine compound GB9. GB9 is a potential marine drug isolated from the marine soft coral Capnella imbricate with anti‐neuroinflammatory and anti‐nociceptive activities. However, the role of GB9 in vascular function has not been reported yet.First, we test the survival rate of embryos under exogenous 5 μM, 7.5 μM and 10 μM GB9 added into medium. At sub‐lethal dosage10 μM of GB9 treatment, we found embryos showed no developmental delay but slightly pericardial edema at 25 hpf. By using transgenic Tg(fli: eGFP) fish to examine the vascular development, we found the impaired ISV growth and CVP patterning at 25 hpf and 30 hpf. We also showed GB9 treated embryo results in pericardial edema and circulation defect at 48–52 hpf, which is consistent with the defects in vessels growth. TUNEL assay and AO staining showed that vascular defects do not caused by cell death, but due to the impairment of migration and/or proliferation by examining ISV integrity and ISV cell numbers in Tg(fli:neGFP; kdrl:mCherry) fish. We further showed that GB9 treatment results in a decreased expression of vascular markers mrc1, flk, flt4 and ephrinb2, indicating the inhibition of vessel‐related genes by GB9 treatment. We next examine whether GB9 treatment cause vascular defect due to the increase of oxidative stress? We found there is an enhanced effects of vascular defects while GB9 and H2O2 co‐treatment, suggested GB9 treatment cause vascular defects is mediated by the increase of oxidative stress. Together, our study indicates that GB9 has the potential to be developed as a novel therapeutic agent as an inhibitor of angiogenesis for the treatment of cancer. Our data provide information for anti‐angiogenesis site effect caution while using GB9 treatment for anti‐neuroinflammatory and/or anti‐nociceptive therapies.
Metastatic Cancer Cells and Endothelial Cells Show Increased Expression of Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) Beta Receptors Related to Angiogenesis
Authors: Hawker James , Duffy Iain 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundTransforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) family ligands and receptors have been shown to be involved in angiogenesis and cancer. Actvin Receptor‐Like Kinase 1 (ALK 1) and ALK‐5 type I receptors, endoglin, and TGF Beta Receptor 2 have been shown to be involved in endothelial tube formation during development. ALK‐1 and endoglin have been especially shown to be involved in angiogenesis and may be involved in endothelial‐tumor cell interactions.PurposeWe have shown that TGFβ1 + Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) increase angiogenesis, thus we tested their effect on ALK‐1 vs. ALK‐5 expression by immunoassay. We also screened endothelial cells and various cancer cell lines for expression of TGFβ family receptors by quantitative RT‐PCR.Results1) TGFβ1 + FGF upregulate ALK‐1 but decrease ALK‐5 cell surface expression. While endothelial cells showed high expression of ALK‐1 and endoglin, some cancer cells (PANC1, A549, and PC3) displayed little or no expression of these receptors. Two other cancer cells, however, MCF10A and MDA‐231, showed high expression of ALK‐1, ALK‐5, endoglin, and TβR2, similar to that of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) compared to 293 control cells. These cancer cells have been reported to exhibit the property of vascular mimicry (that is form psuedo‐blood vessels made of cancer cells) that may facilitate metastasis in cancer development. This raises the possibility that these same TGβ receptor genes that are involved in endothelial tube formation may also function to promote mestastasis in cancer.Support or Funding InformationResearch support was provided by funds from Saint Leo University (ID).
Execution and assessment of a mindset intervention in an introductory biochemistry class
Authors: Hall David J 
Published: November 2023

Academic achievement results from a growth mindset that includes learning to fail, complex thinking and hard work and does not spring simply from intelligence, spontaneity, special skills, offbeat or extremely unusual ideas and behavior, although all of these may, in particular aspects, be involved. Mindset can be cultivated through the targeted use of several interventions that are not disciplinary specific. For this study, the mindset intervention was executed in a first term biochemistry class. The intervention was based on work of Dounas‐Fazer et al and the use of associative learning exercises. Each week students did an associative learning exercise and used a self‐evaluation rubric to reflect on a series of skills important to academic success. The assessment of this intervention was done using the Berkeley Innovation Index and student assessment of learning gains. There was an improvement both in student mindset and learning gains.Support or Funding InformationMellon Foundation
Research and Writing to Promote Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Education
Authors: Rogers Ryan Patricia 
Published: November 2023

Drosophila melanogaster have a myriad of applications in biological research. However, it is the ease of maintenance and availability of their fully sequenced genomes that make them a practical and constructive tool for undergraduate experiential learning. Using these organisms allows students to apply routine laboratory techniques to develop independent protocols, rather than following a pre‐derived approach. Students receive preliminary training in Drosophila husbandry as well as molecular and genetic lab techniques early in the semester in the form of short inquiry based labs and then apply learned techniques to independently developed questions. This setting recapitulates the environment of a research‐intensive lab and provides valuable experience for scientific careers. The abstraction of such an assignment forces independent thinking and practice with multiple techniques; thus, it directly engages students in the learning process by allowing them to take ownership of the project and incorporate individuality into their approaches. Further, students are immersed in a situation where they must apply themselves, think critically, and extrapolate from limited information in order to devise an appropriate course of action. Essential components of the course include writing a mini‐grant, progress report and research paper. This not only promotes critical evaluation of the project and progression but also emphasizes the important of scientific communication and data presentation. Since there is no correct answer for this type of exercise, students are more willing to vary their approaches, take risks with techniques, and leave the lab with a better understanding for problem solving methods. Such skills are not specific to science, as all careers require critical thinking and troubleshooting. Early exposure to such conditions provides a basis for approaching challenging situations. Students that have successfully completed the course have been able to secure positions in competitive internships, co‐ops, and go on to research‐based careers.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by funds from the Department of Sciences at Wentworth Institute of Technology
Improving STEM Student Retention via Early Research Engagement: A Pilot
Authors: Bouyer Patrice G , Watters Michael 
Published: November 2023

We describe here the results of a pilot study, the goal of which was to expose freshman to an ongoing research project during the academic year to promote student growth and improve retention in the STEM disciplines. Freshmen worked with a faculty mentor and were also chaperoned by a more senior student researcher in order that they learn lab techniques and the capacity to work independently. Participants were fully engaged in a research project (performing experiments, analyzing and discussing results), not a classic classroom projects, but discovery based projects. By bringing students into the research lab at this early stage, our aim was to improve retention by allowing science students to actually act as scientists, providing an enhanced experience over the usual freshman survey course content. Of the 6 students who joined the program as freshmen, 5 are still in their major, 4 are still actively engaged in research with a faculty member and have co‐authored 11 different papers and conference presentations as of their junior year.Support or Funding InformationIndiana Space Grant Consortium
Assigning and Testing Function from Structure of Uncharacterized Proteins
Authors: Pikaart Michael , Bettag Sarah , Cunningham Mark , Da Silva Christopher , Gager Christopher , Glover Morgan , Jacobs Kylie , Kennington Lauren , Knol Jacob , Ladd Nicole , Mader Katherine , Magan Mary Margaret , Mao Yubing , Marinelli Eleanor , Miller Lyndsy , Nickels Ross , Ratliff Sarah , Rhodes Alison , Schaar Claire , Turner Meredith 
Published: November 2023

In 2000, the National Institutes of Health initiated the Protein Structure Initiative as a multi‐center structural biology program with “an initial goal to make the three‐dimensional, atomic‐level structures of most proteins easily obtainable from knowledge of their corresponding DNA sequences.” The third and final phase of this program concluded in 2015 with the publication and distribution of more than 5000 previously uncharacterized proteins.The work described here leverages the availability of high‐quality structures and pre‐cloned expression plasmids to combine forces of undergraduate biochemistry teaching lab courses across a diverse range of participating institutions. This consortium of undergraduate biochemistry faculty and students seeks to identify functional properties of a subset of these uncharacterized proteins, seeking to unify structure□ and □function relationships. Through structural and bioinformatics tools, an number of these proteins were characterized as putative hydrolases due to similarity to known hydrolase enzymes. Some appeared, by sequence homology, to possess features indicative of more specifically identifiable activity, such as halogenases and nucleases. Students in the current biochemistry laboratory class at Hope College have expressed and purified seven of these proteins, finding that structural information can guide, although not predict entirely, functional predictions regarding substrate specificity.Support or Funding InformationThis work was funded in part with support from the National Science Foundation IUSE program.
Assessing Learning Gains Through ePortfolios in an Undergraduate Biochemistry Lab
Authors: Mills Jeffrey L. , DiCola Andrew , Roberts Rebecca , Pikaart Mike , Daubner Colette , Irby Stefan , Anderson Trevor , Bernstein Herbert J. , Craig Paul A. 
Published: November 2023

The need for a significant improvement in undergraduate STEM education has been broadly recognized. We have designed and implemented a research‐driven curriculum for undergraduate biochemistry labs. The primary purposes of this project are to (1) improve understanding of the process of training students to be effective scientists, (2) test the hypothesis that “undergraduate students can characterize proteins of unknown function as the central theme of their biochemistry teaching laboratory”, and (3) that actually doing hypothesis‐driven experimental science is a useful tool in training students to become scientists. Our curriculum has been implemented at six campuses (California Polytechnic, Hope, Oral Roberts, RIT, St. Mary's, and Ursinus). Students are combining computational (in silico) and wet lab (in vitro) techniques as they characterize proteins whose three‐dimensional structures are known but to which functional annotations have not been assigned. The undergraduate biochemistry lab at RIT is designated as a “program writing intensive” course targeting discipline specific forms of writing. In addition to traditional writing exercises (lab journals and experimental reports), students are also required to maintain an eportfolio as a means of reflection, analysis, and critique of skills, protocols, and performance. The eportfolio affords the students opportunities to not only directly assess their own learning gains through reflection and self‐critique of their performance in the course, it also allows the instructor to provide more personalized feedback and support of the students development in both the course materials and scientific writing. Example eportfolios will be presented in addition to the methods of assessment and the outcomes from the course.Support or Funding InformationThis project is supported by NSF IUSE 1503811.
Improving Student Understanding of Pre‐Requisite Knowledge and Long Term Understanding of Biochemical Concepts
Authors: Taylor Ann T.S. , Novak Walter R.P. 
Published: November 2023

Biochemistry builds on many fundamental concepts from General and Organic Chemistry. However, students don't always correctly remember (or might not have ever mastered) those pre‐requisite concepts. This study tested strategies for strengthening this underlying foundational knowledge and improving long term understanding of Biochemistry. A collection of activities that explicitly link general and organic chemistry concepts to biochemistry ideas was written and either assigned as pre‐class work or as recitation activities. Student learning gains were assessed after using these activities alone, or in combination with regularly‐integrated clicker and discussion questions. Learning gains were determined from student performance on a pre‐ and post‐tests covering key prerequisite concepts, biochemistry course exams, and student self‐evaluation. Long‐term retention of the material was assessed using a comprehensive exam given to a subset of the students. Our results show that using the pre‐class exercises in combination with integrative questions was effective at improving student performance in both the short and long term. Similar results were obtained at both a large research institution with large class enrollments and at a private liberal arts college with moderate enrollments.Support or Funding InformationThis work was funded by the Haines Fund for The Study of Biochemistry at Wabash College and the National Science Foundation's Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) program under Award No. 1140711. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Integrating Human Cell Culture into Undergraduate Research Projects
Authors: Taylor Christopher Edward 
Published: November 2023

One of the most important aspects of undergraduate research is to prepare students with the conceptual knowledge and technical skills that they will need for graduate or industrial research. Projects that involve human cell culture and the biochemical methods used to evaluate cell viability, protein expression, and mRNA production are an effective way to build up both the concepts and technical skills that undergraduates will need. However, these projects also tend to require substantial investments of time and money, which are often difficult at the institutions which typically focus on undergraduates.This presentation will provide ways to adapt cell culture based projects to the resources – particularly funding, student time/expertise, and advisor time – that are realistically available at a primarily undergraduate institution. Aspects of this discussion will include: maintaining cells and running plate based experiments given relatively inexperienced undergraduate researchers, improving undergraduate familiarity with topics that typically go beyond the undergraduate curricular offerings, minimalist budgeting for cell culture based projects, and managing several undergraduate research projects on a typical PUI teaching load.
Quantitative Multi‐Parametric Microscopy Analysis of Live 3D Cell Models
Authors: Dmitriev Ruslan I. , Jenkins James , Okkelman Irina A. , O'Donnell Neil 
Published: November 2023

Three‐dimensional (3D) cell models are at the forefront of cancer cell biology and tissue engineering, providing opportunity for better in vitro mimicking of cell morphology, membrane transport, physiological O2, pH and metabolite diffusion gradients, lacked in conventional cell culture. However, studying the biochemistry of the cell in 3D demands new methods of quantitative fluorescence microscopy such as fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopies (FLIM, PLIM). Here we report development and application of imaging protocols for quantitative microscopy of molecular oxygen (O2) and temperature (T), combined with analysis of cell death in tumor spheroids from human colon carcinoma HCT116 [1, 2]. By analyzing gradients of pH, O2 and fluorescence‐based viability markers (CellTox Green, TMRM) we optimized the method of spheroid formation, providing best overall cell viability and reproducibility. By measuring T and O2 in spheroid models, we identified T as new metabolic marker, dependent on the 3D organization of cell [2]. We also thoroughly evaluated the available and introduced a number of novel nanoparticle‐based probes for high‐resolution imaging of hypoxia (O2), pH and T by FLIM method. Overall, we see the described methodology as enabling quantitative microscopy of advanced 3D cell models in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.Support or Funding InformationSupported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) grant 13/SIRG/2144.