“Anatomy is fun” – a fact or fiction?

Students frequently utilise rote learning to study anatomy, reciting detail with little understanding of relevance. Anatomy instruction should encourage students to develop the ability to apply knowledge and use it in context. In our undergraduate human anatomy course, we recently moved from traditional instructional teaching to the development of an educational environment, which encourages active and applied learning. In practical sessions a variety of resources and activities are made available to suit a range of student learning styles. In addition to cadaveric specimens and plastic models, students can utilise blind maps and plasticine to study the relationships of anatomical structures. To foster peer-assisted learning, we engage medical students with anatomy experience as demonstrators. The medical students gain teaching skills, an important asset for any clinician, and the undergraduate students interact with peers who possess a wide range of science and health professional experience. The assessments are designed to encourage students to put anatomy in context to facilitate an appreciation of the relevance of their anatomical knowledge, to gain skills working in small groups, and to answer questions that require analytical, problem-solving skills. Student feedback has been consistently positive ‘really engaging …the activities planned for us were really helpful

Evidence for cervical muscle morphometric changes on magnetic resonance images after whiplash: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION Morphometric changes to cervical musculature in whiplash associated disorder have been reported in several studies with varying results. However, the evidence is not clear because only a limited number of cohorts have been studied and one cohort has been reported in multiple publications. The aim of this study was to assess the evidence for cervical muscle morphometric changes on magnetic resonance (MR) images after whiplash using a systematic review with meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library were searched without language restriction using combinations of the MeSH terms "muscles", "whiplash injuries", and "magnetic resonance imaging". Studies of acute and chronic whiplash were included if they compared whiplash and control cervical spine muscle morphometry measurements from MR images. The search identified 380 studies. After screening, eight studies describing five cohorts (one acute, three chronic, one both acute and chronic) met the inclusion criteria. Participant characteristics and outcome measures were extracted using a standard extraction format. Quality of eligible studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat infiltrate (MFI) for acute and chronic whiplash cohorts were compared using mean difference and 95% confidence intervals. Meta-analysis models were created when data from more than two eligible cohorts was available, using inverse-variance random-effects models (RevMan5 version 5.3.5). RESULTS Quality assessment was uniformly good but only two studies blinded the assessor. Analysis of the acute cohorts revealed no consensus with respect to CSA. MFI was not measured in the acute cohorts. Analysis of the chronic cohorts revealed CSA is probably increased in some muscles after whiplash but there is insufficient evidence to confirm whether MFI is also increased. Because the available data were limited, meta-analyses of only multifidus were performed. In chronic whiplash multifidus CSA was significantly increased at C5 (Z = 3.51, p < 0.01) and C6 (Z = 2.66, p < 0.01); and MFI was significantly increased at C7 only (Z = 2.52, p < 0.01) but the heterogeneity was unacceptably high (I2 = 83%). CONCLUSIONS The strength of the evidence for cervical muscle morphometric changes on MR images after whiplash is inconsistent for CSA and MFI. Future study designs should be standardised with quantification of three-dimensional muscle morphometry

VESPA: software to facilitate genomic annotation of prokaryotic organisms through integration of proteomic and transcriptomic data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The procedural aspects of genome sequencing and assembly have become relatively inexpensive, yet the full, accurate structural annotation of these genomes remains a challenge. Next-generation sequencing transcriptomics (RNA-Seq), global microarrays, and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based proteomics have demonstrated immense value to genome curators as individual sources of information, however, integrating these data types to validate and improve structural annotation remains a major challenge. Current visual and statistical analytic tools are focused on a single data type, or existing software tools are retrofitted to analyze new data forms. We present Visual Exploration and Statistics to Promote Annotation (VESPA) is a new interactive visual analysis software tool focused on assisting scientists with the annotation of prokaryotic genomes though the integration of proteomics and transcriptomics data with current genome location coordinates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>VESPA is a desktop Java™ application that integrates high-throughput proteomics data (peptide-centric) and transcriptomics (probe or RNA-Seq) data into a genomic context, all of which can be visualized at three levels of genomic resolution. Data is interrogated via searches linked to the genome visualizations to find regions with high likelihood of mis-annotation. Search results are linked to exports for further validation outside of VESPA or potential coding-regions can be analyzed concurrently with the software through interaction with BLAST. VESPA is demonstrated on two use cases (<it>Yersinia pestis </it>Pestoides F and <it>Synechococcus </it>sp. PCC 7002) to demonstrate the rapid manner in which mis-annotations can be found and explored in VESPA using either proteomics data alone, or in combination with transcriptomic data.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>VESPA is an interactive visual analytics tool that integrates high-throughput data into a genomic context to facilitate the discovery of structural mis-annotations in prokaryotic genomes. Data is evaluated via visual analysis across multiple levels of genomic resolution, linked searches and interaction with existing bioinformatics tools. We highlight the novel functionality of VESPA and core programming requirements for visualization of these large heterogeneous datasets for a client-side application. The software is freely available at <url>https://www.biopilot.org/docs/Software/Vespa.php</url>.</p

Release of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Nuclear Import Block Enhances Host Transcription in Human Lung Cells

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus accessory protein ORF6 antagonizes interferon signaling by blocking karyopherin-mediated nuclear import processes. Viral nuclear import antagonists, expressed by several highly pathogenic RNA viruses, likely mediate pleiotropic effects on host gene expression, presumably interfering with transcription factors, cytokines, hormones, and/or signaling cascades that occur in response to infection. By bioinformatic and systems biology approaches, we evaluated the impact of nuclear import antagonism on host expression networks by using human lung epithelial cells infected with either wild-type virus or a mutant that does not express ORF6 protein. Microarray analysis revealed significant changes in differential gene expression, with approximately twice as many upregulated genes in the mutant virus samples by 48 h postinfection, despite identical viral titers. Our data demonstrated that ORF6 protein expression attenuates the activity of numerous karyopherin-dependent host transcription factors (VDR, CREB1, SMAD4, p53, EpasI, and Oct3/4) that are critical for establishing antiviral responses and regulating key host responses during virus infection. Results were confirmed by proteomic and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay analyses and in parallel microarray studies using infected primary human airway epithelial cell cultures. The data strongly support the hypothesis that viral antagonists of nuclear import actively manipulate host responses in specific hierarchical patterns, contributing to the viral pathogenic potential in vivo. Importantly, these studies and modeling approaches not only provide templates for evaluating virus antagonism of nuclear import processes but also can reveal candidate cellular genes and pathways that may significantly influence disease outcomes following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in vivo

When Does an Alien Become a Native Species? A Vulnerable Native Mammal Recognizes and Responds to Its Long-Term Alien Predator

The impact of alien predators on native prey populations is often attributed to prey naiveté towards a novel threat. Yet evolutionary theory predicts that alien predators cannot remain eternally novel; prey species must either become extinct or learn and adapt to the new threat. As local enemies lose their naiveté and coexistence becomes possible, an introduced species must eventually become ‘native’. But when exactly does an alien become a native species? The dingo (Canis lupus dingo) was introduced to Australia about 4000 years ago, yet its native status remains disputed. To determine whether a vulnerable native mammal (Perameles nasuta) recognizes the close relative of the dingo, the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), we surveyed local residents to determine levels of bandicoot visitation to yards with and without resident dogs. Bandicoots in this area regularly emerge from bushland to forage in residential yards at night, leaving behind tell-tale deep, conical diggings in lawns and garden beds. These diggings were less likely to appear at all, and appeared less frequently and in smaller quantities in yards with dogs than in yards with either resident cats (Felis catus) or no pets. Most dogs were kept indoors at night, meaning that bandicoots were not simply chased out of the yards or killed before they could leave diggings, but rather they recognized the threat posed by dogs and avoided those yards. Native Australian mammals have had thousands of years experience with wild dingoes, which are very closely related to domestic dogs. Our study suggests that these bandicoots may no longer be naïve towards dogs. We argue that the logical criterion for determining native status of a long-term alien species must be once its native enemies are no longer naïve

Proteomic analysis of the action of the Mycobacterium ulcerans toxin mycolactone: targeting host cells cytoskeleton and collagen

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The tissue damage characteristic of BU lesions is known to be driven by the secretion of the potent lipidic exotoxin mycolactone. However, the molecular action of mycolactone on host cell biology mediating cytopathogenesis is not fully understood. Here we applied two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) to identify the mechanisms of mycolactone's cellular action in the L929 mouse fibroblast proteome. This revealed 20 changed spots corresponding to 18 proteins which were clustered mainly into cytoskeleton-related proteins (Dync1i2, Cfl1, Crmp2, Actg1, Stmn1) and collagen biosynthesis enzymes (Plod1, Plod3, P4ha1). In line with cytoskeleton conformational disarrangements that are observed by immunofluorescence, we found several regulators and constituents of both actin- and tubulin-cytoskeleton affected upon exposure to the toxin, providing a novel molecular basis for the effect of mycolactone. Consistent with these cytoskeleton-related alterations, accumulation of autophagosomes as well as an increased protein ubiquitination were observed in mycolactone-treated cells. In vivo analyses in a BU mouse model revealed mycolactone-dependent structural changes in collagen upon infection with M. ulcerans, associated with the reduction of dermal collagen content, which is in line with our proteomic finding of mycolactone-induced down-regulation of several collagen biosynthesis enzymes. Our results unveil the mechanisms of mycolactone-induced molecular cytopathogenesis on exposed host cells, with the toxin compromising cell structure and homeostasis by inducing cytoskeleton alterations, as well as disrupting tissue structure, by impairing the extracellular matrix biosynthesis.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement Nu 241500 (BuruliVac), from Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian and from Projeto Estrategico - LA 26 - 2013-2014 (PEst-C/SAU/LA0026/2013). JBG, TGM and AGF had a personal grant from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) (SFRH/BD/33573/2009, SFRH/BD/41598/2007 and SFRH/BPD/68547/2010, respectively). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Cigarette smoking is associated with adverse survival among women with ovarian cancer: Results from a pooled analysis of 19 studies

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136359/1/ijc30600_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136359/2/ijc30600.pd

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

An AzTEC 1.1 mm survey of the GOODS-N field – II. Multiwavelength identifications and redshift distribution

We present results from a multiwavelength study of 29 sources (false detection probabilities <5 per cent) from a survey of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey-North (GOODS-N) field at 1.1 mm using the Astronomical Thermal Emission Camera (AzTEC). Comparing with existing 850 μm Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) studies in the field, we examine differences in the source populations selected at the two wavelengths. The AzTEC observations uniformly cover the entire survey field to a 1σ depth of ~1 mJy. Searching deep 1.4 GHz Very Large Array (VLA) and Spitzer 3–24 μm catalogues, we identify robust counterparts for 21 1.1 mm sources, and tentative associations for the remaining objects. The redshift distribution of AzTEC sources is inferred from available spectroscopic and photometric redshifts. We find a median redshift of z= 2.7 , somewhat higher than z= 2.0 for 850 μm selected sources in the same field, and our lowest redshift identification lies at a spectroscopic redshift z= 1.1460 . We measure the 850 μm to 1.1 mm colour of our sources and do not find evidence for '850 μm dropouts', which can be explained by the low signal-to-noise ratio of the observations. We also combine these observed colours with spectroscopic redshifts to derive the range of dust temperatures T, and dust emissivity indices β for the sample, concluding that existing estimates T ~ 30 K and β ~ 1.75 are consistent with these new data

Women's input and decision-making in agriculture are associated with diet quality in rural Tanzania

BackgroundWomen's empowerment is one critical pathway through which agriculture can impact women's nutrition; however, empirical evidence is still limited. We evaluated the associations of women's participation, input, and decision-making in key agricultural and household activities with women's diet quality.MethodsWe analyzed data from a cross-sectional study of 870 women engaged in homestead agriculture. We used food frequency questionnaires to assess women's diets and computed women's diet quality using the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) (range 0–42), which captures healthy and unhealthy foods. We evaluated women's decision-making in 8 activities, food crop farming, cash crop farming, livestock raising, non-farm economic activities, wage/salary employment, fishing, major household expenditures, and minor household expenditures. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) linear models were used to evaluate associations between (a) women's participation, (b) decision-making, (c) adequate input, (d) adequate extent of independence in decision-making in agriculture, and (e) adequate input in use of agricultural income with their PDQS. Adequate input was defined as input into some, most or all decisions compared to input into few decisions or none. Adequate extent of independence was defined as input to a medium or high extent compared to input to a small extent or none.FindingsMedian PDQS was 19 (IQR: 16–21). Women's adequate input in decision-making on wage and salary employment (estimate: 4.19, 95% CI: 2.80, 5.57) and minor expenditures were associated with higher PDQS vs. inadequate input. Women with independence in decision-making on livestock production (estimate: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.05, 1.90) and minor household expenditures, and women with adequate decision-making in the use of income from wages/salaries (estimate: 3.16, 95% CI: 2.44, 3.87) had higher PDQS. Participation in agricultural activities was positively associated with PDQS.ConclusionsWomen's participation and input in decision-making in wage and salary employment, livestock production, and minor household expenditures were strongly associated with the consumption of better-quality diets. Women participating in multiple farm activities were also likely to have better diet quality. This study adds to the growing evidence on the pathways through which women's empowerment may influence women's nutrition in rural Tanzania