bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Anatomy Laboratory as a Fulcrum of Basic and Clinical‐Science Integration
Authors: Nausheen Fauzia , Al‐Eyd Ghaith , Ettarh Rajunor , Hassan Sherif , Yakub Mohsin , Suskind Robert , Tenore Alfred 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAt California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine (CalMed‐SOM) we have designed an active learning, competency‐based and Clinical Presentation (CP) driven curriculum which avails itself of current, established, best pedagogical learning methodologies collated from the world's most advanced educational institutions, all guided by adult learning strategies. With the introduction of this active‐learning, system‐based and team‐driven curriculum (tightly integrated with “Clinical Presentations” [CP]), there is a need to create laboratory sessions that support content integration with the active learning methods used. With this in mind, CalMed‐SoM has designed the anatomy lab experience as a hands‐on multidisciplinary learning adventure which emphasizes the prompt exposure of pre‐clinical students to clinical conditions integrating, from day 1 of medical school, structure and function with pathology.Methods and ResultsDuring the course “Transport and Delivery of Life's Elements” (i.e., Cardiovascular‐Pulmonary System), a lab session on thoracentesis has been designed. The laboratory session is aligned with the week's CP (dyspnea), clinical case (pleural effusion), and clinical skill session. The utilization of the appropriate learning venue containing spirometers and its interpretation software, multimedia applications, ultrasonographs, manikins and human cadavers, along with the use of student volunteers, will allow to integrate the planned learning objectives of anatomy, physiology and pathology for this clinical application session of thoracentesis. The session is designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge across disciplines.The overall learning outcomes of this particular lab session, include:

To describe the ultra‐sonographic anatomical appearance of thoracic wall, thoracic/abdominal viscera and the identification of fluid in pleural cavity.
To demonstrate the procedural skills of thoracentesis and the use of bedside ultrasonography.
To explain the principle of spirometry and estimates of different lung volumes and capacities.
To relate the effects of pneumothorax and pleural effusion on pulmonary function.
ConclusionsMultidisciplinary integrated medical education using anatomy lab will be an effective tool to improve knowledge and skills of medical students early in the curriculum to better prepare them to meet the challenging diagnostic and safe practice requirements needed in the clinical years. In addition, performance of bedside procedures, will promote spiral integration of the basic and clinical sciences.
Building Bridges Between Brazil and the US: Anatomical Sciences and Medical Education
Authors: Curcio Daniella Franco , Laitman Jeffrey T. 
Published: November 2023

Brazil and the US represent the two most populous countries in the western hemisphere with the greatest number of medical schools and students in training. Over the past decade there has been considerable cross‐fertilization among anatomists in the two countries particularly in the American Association of Anatomists / Experimental Biology Meetings. Medical schools and universities in the US generally count on excellent infrastructure; high quality, motivated faculty; and cutting edge technology. The interplay of these assets results in flexible strategies that address the needs of millennial students and a modern way of learning that is interactive, multimodal and stimuli‐dependent. In Brazil, different educational settings have particular difficulties and needs. Building Bridges is an international initiative in medical education to foster collaborations and exchange experiences in anatomical sciences among students, researchers, and educators in Brazil and the US. Here we report the results from the first endeavor of our ongoing initiative. We organized three meetings that were held in Brazil, in November 2015, hosted by private, state and federal medical universities, respectively: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences in Sao Paulo, University of Sao Paulo ‐ Ribeirão Preto, and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Each meeting consisted of lectures on both current research and educational topics in anatomy by faculty from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and local professors. In addition, there were discussions on medical curricula, and specific challenges faced by each school. Students representing academic organizations (e.g. “Anatomy Leagues”) had the opportunity to introduce their work, ask questions, and discuss subjects of particular interest, for example availability of cadaver dissection and the use of imaging technology in the gross anatomy lab. The active participation of over 300 students and professors showed a clear interest for this program. There were also meetings with the Deans and Course Coordinators in the different settings to exchange experiences, discuss current issues in medical curricula and specific difficulties in teaching anatomy from the different educational standpoints. These opportunities allowed for us to better understand specific needs of medical students in each type medical school in Brazil. Lastly, we met with Brazilian Government Officials in both Brazil and the US to give feedback. We are currently planning on student workshops visiting programs and meetings in both the US and Brazil as part of the ongoing Building Bridges initiatives.Support or Funding InformationSupport Sources: National Counsel of Technological Development – CNPq; Santa Casa School of Medicine of Sao Paulo; University of Sao Paulo ‐ Ribeirao Preto; Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; The Anatomical Record.
Medical Education Across Borders–Are You GAAAME?
Authors: Ziermann Janine M. , Curcio Daniella Franco 
Published: November 2023

A core tenet of the American Association of Anatomists's (AAA) mission is to strive for equality, with a continuous effort on supporting the professional development of underrepresented minorities (URMs). We believe that by fostering new and existing communication channels we can enhance the self‐confidence of young URM students and inspire them to take actions in pursuit of their professional dreams. In America, the US Department of Education lists 415 Hispanic‐Serving Institutions (HSIs), 58 Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and 105 recognized historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Between Brazil and the US, ‘Building Bridges’ is our latest international initiative: it involves the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and three major Brazilian Universities, actively promoting access to knowledge and strengthening liaisons between the AAA and the SBA (Sociedade Brasileira de Anatomia – Brazilian Society of Anatomy). Connecting American and Brazilian schools, colleges, and universities in an inclusive program would benefit thousands of students, who would have the opportunity to experience human anatomy through the AAA, obtain information and attend meetings, participate in publications and potentially become members of the AAA. Here, we present an interactive web‐based quiz‐game with the acronym GAAAME for ‘Go American Association of Anatomists for Minority Education’. Our strategy comprises the following steps to be carried on for Brazil and the US: 1) Identify target‐institutions: schools, colleges, and universities; 2) Promote the AAA and the SBA by sharing digital and print advertising material on AAA journals and activities; 3) Present the GAAAME concepts; 4) Obtain students' feedback and ideas, thus developing the initiative in solidarity with their different ethnicities and cultures; and 5) Form groups of minority students, faculty, and SBA and AAA members who will development and fundraising teams. Our vision is that this project will engage students in creating and solving challenging quizzes, foster communications with more advanced educators and researchers, facilitate interaction with peers, and contribute to increasing diversity in the AAA community.Support or Funding InformationGrant Funding Source: National Counsel of Technological Development – CNPq
Segmenting the Data Stream: Harnessing contrast‐enhanced imaging from widely available, anonymized patient data to Generate 3‐D Training Tools for Clinical Gross Anatomy
Authors: Todd Jarred T , Gignac Paul M 
Published: November 2023

Understanding the organization of the human body—particularly through cadaveric dissection— is the foundation of modern medical education. A hands‐on appreciation for the remarkable three‐dimensional (3‐D) complexity and integration of nerves, blood vessels, muscle, sinew, and bone allows students to acquire the detailed knowledge of human anatomical structures necessary to build their own conceptual maps of how the body is organized. To forward these goals, educational applications for 3‐D technology are progressively expanding and becoming entrenched in medical and non‐medical classrooms as well as in doctors' offices and surgery bays. In healthcare, 3‐D technology is expected to revolutionize several areas of medicine by providing new methods for enabling mock diagnosis of normal and pathological states during student training, practicing clinical procedures in silico and physically with 3‐D printed models, and facilitating the development of patient‐customized prosthesis for faster recoveries with fewer complications. These initiatives have resulted in a vast amount of preexisting, anonymized 3‐D radiographic datasets, such computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), that can be readily reconstructed into 3‐D models. Here we describe a pipeline to access already available contrast‐enhanced CT and MRI datasets to develop 3‐D anatomical atlases (abdominal, cardiac, and cerebral vasculature using Avizo) for augmenting classroom learning initiatives through digital hubs such as Radiopaedia.org and DiceCT.com. Granted that the datasets have sufficient contrast differences allowing for differentiation of tissues, thick‐section scans allow for rapid reconstruction but may compromise anatomical accuracy, while thin‐section scans provide greater anatomical detail but also require extensive segmentation. We discuss how decimation tools and resampling approaches can be applied to smoothing the resulting 3‐D models. In addition, we illustrate steps that must be taken when choosing both the type of scan and the amount of detail desired in the final product. As new modalities for 3‐D technology arise, teaching styles and training materials that can evolve to embrace these new tools will see expanded applications spanning from student to patient. We anticipate that physicians‐in‐training will take such applications to even loftier heights by sourcing exemplar datasets from digital hubs that provide greater opportunities to share 3‐D models and provide more resources to a wider scope of students and clinicians.Support or Funding InformationFunding was provided to Paul Gignac through the National Science Foundation (grants no. 1450850 and 1457180) and the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences.
An authentic link to the clinic: Implementation of an integrated anatomy‐radiology curriculum
Authors: Darras Kathryn , Reeves Janine , Roston Alexandra , Hu Jeff , Nicolaou Savvas , Forster Bruce , Krebs Claudia 
Published: November 2023

Since 2011, the University of British Columbia (UBC) medical curriculum has taught anatomy in conjunction with radiology in order to give students a greater understanding of anatomical relationships and their application to clinical practice. Based on student preference, we are preparing a learning resource which encompass highly‐interactive computed tomography (CT) studies using an anatomy visualization table (Sectra, Linkoping, Sweden). Real patient CT scans are loaded into an anatomy visualization table and students can virtually cut and dissect these datasets to expose the anatomy in two and three dimensions. We would like to present a model for the integration of digital dissection with cadaveric dissection in a first year curriculum of a large medical school, with the aim of providing a direct link from the lab to the clinical application.MethodsNormal CT studies of the spine, thorax, heart, abdomen and pelvis were identified from the online case library affiliated with the anatomy visualization table and labeled to reflect specific learning objectives for first year UBC medical students. The radiological and gross anatomy objectives are closely linked. The students were provided with lab guides that specify UBC‐labeled files for study, learning objectives and relevant anatomy/clinical review questions pertinent to each lab. Students viewed both the two and three dimensional images during the lab.ResultsThis anatomy visualization table is a highly valuable learning tool as it allows students to better visualize and relate anatomical structures they learn in dissection lab with the same structures on two dimensional and three dimensional CT images. The table provides improved appreciation for anatomical relationships by allowing students to zoom, rotate and dissect 3D CT images with simple swiping hand gestures. This abstract will present lessons learned from this integration including the highlights and the challenges.ConclusionsFor medical students, who will be primarily looking at anatomy on radiology images throughout their careers, this technology allows them to become more familiar with radiological imaging early on in their training. Our radiological anatomy‐gross anatomy integrated curriculum allows students to link the clinical application of the anatomy to their dissection experience, thereby providing an authentic link to the clinic where they will be applying their knowledge throughout their careers.
Spatial Abilities and Effect of Working Memory on Drawings of Objects from Haptic Perception
Authors: Langlois Jean , Dagenais Yvan , Martin Marcel , Lemieux Renald , Lecourtois Marc , Bernick Jordan , Bellemare Christian , Yetisir Elizabeth , Bergeron Germain , Hamstra Stanley J. , Wells George A. 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveAs a basis for an application in anatomy education, vision‐based spatial abilities tests have been correlated with drawings of objects from haptic perception. Decreasing haptic perception while increasing working memory has been found to decrease performance on drawings of objects from haptic perception. The objective of the current study was to correlate spatial abilities to the effect of working memory on drawings of objects from haptic perception.MethodsA cohort of 24 medical graduates was enrolled in a prospective study. Ethics committee approval and written informed concent were obtained. Spatial abilities were measured with a redrawn Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Tests in two (MRTA) and three (MRTC) dimensions and a Surface Development Test (SDT). Experiment was done within a one‐month rotation preparing for residency. Eighteen objects constructed from 10 cubes glued together, similar to Shepard and Metzler's objects, were drawn by participants from haptic perception. Drawings were scored by one judge. Time performance was defined as the time to perform all drawings/number of correct drawing. The first and second exercise were done before and within a one‐week drawing course, respectively. In the first exercise, object could be touched by participants for up to seven minutes while drawing the object. In the second exercise, 30 seconds were allowed for haptic perception of the object, 15 seconds to memorize, and up to 375 seconds to draw the object without any further haptic access to the object. The maximum score was 24 for each of MRTA and MRTC, 60 for SDT, 18 for the drawing score, and 420 seconds for time performance. Descriptive statistics included median and lower and upper quartiles. Spearman's correlation coefficient (and associated p‐value) was used to correlate the change in drawing score and time performance to MRTA, MRTC and SDT scores.ResultsCorrelations of change in drawing score between the first and second exercice [5 (4, 8.5)] with MRTA [10.5 (7.5, 14)], MRTC [8.0 (5, 10.5)] and SDT [44 (36, 46.5)] scores were − 0.371 (p = 0.0747), −0.454 (p = 0.0257) and −0.556 (p = 0.0048), respectively. Similarly, correlations of change in time performance between the first and second exercice [106 (27, 321) seconds] with MRTA, MRTC and SDT scores were −0.288 (p = 0.1716), −0.426 (p < 0.0378) and −0.439 (p = 0.0318), respectively.ConclusionSpatial abilities tests were correlated to the effect of working memory on drawings of objects from haptic perception. These findings imply a possible neural pathway between spatial abilities in the parietal lobe and working memory in the central executive lateral prefrontal cortex of brain.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by an internal grant from the Department of Surgery, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Widespread Growth Factor Expression in the Reptilian Epidermis Indicates Roles During Homeostasis and Wound Healing
Authors: Subramaniam Noeline , Petrik James , Vickaryous Matt 
Published: November 2023

The skin is the primary interface between an organism and its external environment. As such, it participates in the maintenance of homeostasis, as well as functions as a physical barrier, protecting against physical trauma, solar radiation, and pathogens. These functions are mediated, at least in part, by various growth factors, including members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) families. Although growth factors have long been documented in the dermis, particularly during wound healing, less is known about their expression in the overlying epidermis. Here we performed a spatio‐temporal investigation of growth factor expression within the epidermis of a representative reptile, the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius). Recent work has demonstrated that leopard gecko skin has an intrinsic capacity to heal scar‐free. Therefore, we investigated the pattern of growth factor expression before, during, and after scar‐free wound healing. We demonstrate that the gecko epidermis expresses a diverse panel of growth factor ligands and receptors, including VEGF, VEGF receptors 1 (VEGFR1) and 2 (VEGFR2), FGF‐2 and FGFR1, and TGFβ1 and activin βA. Curiously, only VEGFR1 and FGFR1 were dynamically expressed, and only during the earliest phases of re‐epithelization; otherwise all the proteins of interest were constitutively present. Using double‐immunofluorescence, we observed co‐localization and/or overlapping expression patterns of VEGF/VEGFR2/VEGFR1 and FGF‐2/FGFR1. These findings indicate that homeostatic and injury‐mediated functions of the epidermis may involve both paracrine and autocrine signalling. Furthermore, they provide compelling evidence that keratinocytes expressing these growth factors may participate in non‐angiogenic roles during homeostasis. We propose that constitutive growth factor expression by keratinocytes is associated with functions specific to reptilian biology, including body‐wide skin shedding, protection against ultraviolet photodamage, and photobiosynthesis of vitamin D.Support or Funding InformationNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grants 400358 (to MV) and 401013 (to JP), and Ontario Veterinary College Scholarship (to NS)
Sexual Dimorphism of Human Vallate Papillae – A Human Cadaveric Study of Normative Morphology
Authors: Rickards Allen A , Holmes J Scott , Ganoe Maria R , Bliss Kaitlyn N , Russell Michelle L , Lynch Hannah L , Zdilla Matthew J. , Lambert H Wayne 
Published: November 2023

The vallate papillae, or circumvallate papillae, are located at the posterior dorsum of the tongue, which form a V‐shaped row immediately anterior to the sulcus terminalis. Normally, the vallate papillae are surrounded by a vallum, a small mound of tissues, which creates a sulcus (or trench) around the papilla. The inner surface of the vallum houses approximately half of the taste buds located within the tongue, which plays an important role in bitter taste perception and biased food selection. Biased food selection and differences in eating behavior, in general, have been linked to sex differences, and numerous studies have noted differences in taste perception between males and females, especially with regard to bitter taste. Previous research within our laboratory demonstrated that females (aged 18–26) possess a higher number of vallate papillae than their male counterparts, based upon endoscopic examination of the tongues of 79 individuals (40 females, 39 males). Furthermore, males were found to have a larger mean vallate papillae diameter than their female peers, demonstrating that vallate papillae are sexually dimorphic at the gross anatomical level. To expand upon this in vivo study, 103 human cadaveric tongues were dissected at West Virginia University, with approval of the West Virginia Anatomical Board, in order to identify, photograph, count, and measure the perimeter of the 1,069 individual vallate papillae present. The resulting data has implications for the understanding of biased food selection among sexes.Support or Funding InformationWV Research Challenge Fund [HEPC.dsr.14.13]; WVU Initiation to Research Opportunities (INTRO) Summer Research program
Characterization of a non‐canonical role for Tcf3 in skin tumorigenesis
Authors: Ku Amy Tsu , Nguyen Hoang 
Published: November 2023

Skin serves as the first line of defense against pathogen and solar radiation. As DNA mutations accumulate from chronic UVB exposure, signaling network crucial for skin homeostasis is disrupted, leading to abnormal cell growth and the development of skin cancer such as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The transcription factor TCF3 (or TCF7L1) participates in canonical Wnt signaling by binding to nuclear β‐catenin and regulates the expression of Wnt‐responsive genes. Understanding how TCF3 contributes to skin tumorigenesis will help reveal the practical value of strategies targeting Wnt signaling pathway. Our lab previously presented TCF3 as a tumor promoter from the chemical‐induced model of murine cSCC. In this work, I evaluate the oncogenic potential of TCF3 in the xenograft model of human cSCC and determine how TCF3 impacts on different stages of skin tumorigenesis. To dissect TCF3's functionality, I apply separation‐of‐function mutants to TCF3‐altered cellular processes, including oncogene‐induced senescence (OIS) and cell migration. The results suggest that TCF3 utilizes alternative pathways to β‐catenin‐mediated signaling in TCF3's pro‐tumorigenic activities. Therefore, I proceed with in‐depth transcriptomic analyses to identify downstream effectors and signaling involved in TCF3‐mediated tumor growth. In conclusion, TCF3‐altered cellular processes converge into increased oncogenic potential, sustained tumor growth and enhanced invasiveness. Advanced studies will warrant the identification of novel biomarkers and targets in cSCC treatments.Support or Funding InformationSupport from 5T32GM088129‐03, 2T32HL092332‐11 and 5T32HL92332‐12 to A.K.