Medical Histopathology Laboratories: Remote Teaching in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic required the rapid conversion of medical school curricula to virtual instruction. Prior to the crisis, histopathology teaching laboratories at UT Health San Antonio included completion of an Individual Laboratory Quiz before the laboratory session, a Team Application Exercise released and completed during the laboratory session with guidance from faculty, and a graded Team Laboratory Quiz at the end of the laboratory session. Adaptation of this interactive, in-person activity to a fully online platform included releasing the Team Application Exercise earlier to provide ample time for students to work virtually with their teams, conducting laboratory sessions using Microsoft Teams, with 5 to 6 teams led by a single instructor, and requiring the Team Laboratory Quiz to be taken individually for ensuring quiz security and test integrity.

A Three-Dimensional Print Model of the Pterygopalatine Fossa Significantly Enhances the Learning Experience.

The pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) is a bilateral space deep within the skull that serves as a major neurovascular junction. However, its small volume and poor accessibility make it a difficult space to comprehend using two-dimensional illustrations and cadaveric dissections. A three-dimensional (3D) printed model of the PPF was developed as a visual and kinesthetic learning tool for completely visualizing the fossa, its boundaries, its communicating channels, and its neurovascular structures.

Clinical Case-Based Image Portfolios in Medical Histopathology.

This descriptive article describes the use of clinical case-based portfolios in histopathology teaching laboratories in conjunction with virtual microscopy not only to integrate histology and pathology disciplines for first and second year medical students but also to stimulate student engagement, promote self-directed and group-based learning and enhance student-to-student interaction in a structured manner. Portfolios consisted of PowerPoint files encompassing four to five clinical case studies relevant to the topics covered that week. Portfolios integrated study materials provided in the module-specific lectures, clinical skill lectures, and online interactive content.

Dehydration increases sodium-dependent glutamate uptake by hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus synaptosomes.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize Na+-dependent, high affinity glutamate transporter (GLUT) activity in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and to compare GLUT activity in PVN of euhydrated versus water-deprived rats.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were deprived of water for two days before sacrifice. Control rats received water ad libitum.

Dependence of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate--stimulated gonadotropin-releasing hormone release on intracellular calcium levels and L-type calcium channels in superfused GT1-7 neurons.

Objective: Immortalized GT1-7 neurons were used to characterize the interactive roles of adenylate cyclase-3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and L-type calcium channels on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release.

Methods: Dibutyryl (db)-cAMP was used as an active analog of endogenous cAMP, and forskolin was used to activate adenylate cyclase. Extracellular calcium was chelated using EGTA and L-type calcium channels were blocked using nimodipine.