Anatomy is taught in the early years of an undergraduate medical curriculum. The subject is volatile and of voluminous content, given the complex nature of the human body. Students frequently face learning constraints in these fledgling years of medical education, often resulting in a spiraling dwindling academic performance. Hence, there have been continued efforts directed at developing new curricula and incorporating new methods of teaching, learning and assessment that are aimed at logical learning and long-term retention of anatomical knowledge, which is a mainstay of all medical practice. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has gained in popularity. AI uses machine learning models to store, compute, analyze and even augment huge amounts of data to be retrieved when needed, while simultaneously the machine itself can be programmed for deep learning, improving its own efficiency through complex neural networks. There are numerous specific benefits to incorporating AI in education, which include in-depth learning, storage of large electronic data, teaching from remote locations, engagement of fewer personnel in teaching, quick feedback from responders, innovative assessment methods and user-friendly alternatives. AI has long been a part of medical diagnostics and treatment planning. Extensive literature is available on uses of AI in clinical settings, e.g., in Radiology, but to the best of our knowledge there is a paucity of published data on AI used for teaching, learning and assessment in anatomy. In the present review, we highlight recent novel and advanced AI techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), or more complex Convoluted Neural Networks (CNN) and Bayesian U-Net, which are used for teaching anatomy. We also address the main advantages and limitations of the use of AI in medical education and lessons learnt from AI application during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, studies with AI in anatomy education could be advantageous for both students to develop professional expertise and for instructors to develop improved teaching methods for this vast and complex subject, especially with the increasing paucity of cadavers in many medical schools. We also suggest some novel examples of how AI could be incorporated to deliver augmented reality experiences, especially with reference to complex regions in the human body, such as neural pathways in the brain, complex developmental processes in the embryo or in complicated miniature regions such as the middle and inner ear. AI can change the face of assessment techniques and broaden their dimensions to suit individual learners.

Background: The present study examined the effect of intermittent fasting (IF) on bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) and the markers of bone remodeling in a glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) rat model.Methods: Forty male rats were allocated to 4 groups (N=10 per group): control group of normal rats; control+IF group (normal rats subjected to IF for 16-18 hr daily for 90 days); dexamethasone (DEX) group: (DEX [0.5 mg i.p.] for 90 days); and DEX+IF group (DEX and IF for 90 days). By the end of the experiment, BMD and BMC in the right tibia were measured. Serum levels of the following were measured: glucose; insulin; triglycerides (TGs); total cholesterol; parathyroid hormone (PTH); osteoprotegerin (OPG); receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK); bone-resorbing cytokines, including bone deoxypyridinoline (DPD), N-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (NTX-1), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAP-5b); and bone-forming cytokines, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OC).Results: DEX administration for 90 days resulted in significantly increased serum levels of glucose, insulin, TGs, cholesterol, PTH, OPG, DPD, NTX-1, and TRAP-5b and significantly decreased BMD, BMC, and serum levels of RANK, OC, and ALP (all P<0.05). IF for 90 days significantly improved all these parameters (all P<0.05).Conclusions: IF corrected GIO in rats by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and PTH secretion and stimulating osteoblast activity.

Purpose: Exam blueprinting achieves valid assessment of students by defining exactly what is intended to be measured in which learning domain and defines what level of competence is required. We aimed to detect the impact of newly applied method for blueprinting that depends on total course credit hours and relate the results with item analysis reports for students’ performance. Participants and methods: A new method for blueprint construction was created. This method utilizes course credit hours for blueprint creation. Survey analysis was conducted for two groups of students (n=80); one utilized our new method (credit hours based) for blueprinting and the other used traditional method depending on exam duration and time for individual test items. Results: Results of both methods were related to item analysis of students’ achievements. No significant difference was found between both groups in terms related to test difficulty, discrimination, or reliability indices. Both achieved close degrees of test validity and reliability measures. Conclusion: We concluded that our method using credit hours system for blueprinting could be considered easy and feasible and may eventually be utilized for blueprint construction and implementation.

Cadaveric dissection has long been used as the main domain for teaching anatomy in medical schools. However, recently with a limited number of cadavers and time for practicing dissection, prosections and anatomical models are widely used and may replace traditional dissection. We aimed to explore the possible association between practicing dissection and test results among medical students and to determine whether there are differences in achievements between students who studied anatomy by cadaveric dissection and those who used prosections and anatomical models. The study was conducted at the University of Bisha, College of Medicine, Saudi Arabia, during the period from March to August 2017. Students were randomly assigned to one of two groups (50 in each). The first group studied anatomy (upper limb course) by practicing dissection while the other studied it by using prosections and anatomical models. Both groups were subjected to the same final assessments. Scores of both groups were compared by using the Student’s t-test. Correlation analysis between time spent in practicing dissection (carefully registered using a predesigned portfolio and an attendance logbook) and assessment grades was implemented using the rank-based Pearson correlation coefficient. Students practicing dissection achieved higher grades (169 ± 1.99) than those who studied anatomy by only using prosections and anatomical models (142 ± 1.78, p<0.001). There was an association between the time spent in practicing dissections and overall anatomy summative assessments (r²=0.841, p<0.001). Students expressed positive responses towards the effectiveness and value of practicing dissection. We concluded that practicing dissection helps students to achieve higher results than learning using only models and prosections. Time spent in practicing dissection correlated with final assessment results. Further research is required to measure not only the statistical significance of results but also their educational effectiveness and long term learning outcomes.

Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and its incidence is increasing. Despite advances in medical science, the treatment of colon cancer still poses a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Adiantum pedatum (AP) extract and/or piceatannol on colon cancer induced via phenylhydrazine (PHZ) in terms of the antioxidant and apoptotic pathways and histopathologic changes in the colons of male albino rats. The rats were randomly divided into eight groups: control, AP extract, piceatannol (P), PHZ, PHZ and AP treatments, PHZ and P treatments, PHZ and both AP and P, and PHZ and prophylaxis with both AP and P. The results demonstrated that PHZ induced oxidative damage, apoptosis, and histopathological changes compared to the control group. However, the administration of AP or P or AP + P as therapy or prophylaxis significantly ameliorated these changes and upregulated the colonic mir-145 and mRNA expression of P53 and PDCD-4 while downregulating the colonic mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT, c-Myc, CK-20, SOX-2, OCT-4, and NanoG compared to the PHZ group. These findings suggest that the candidate drugs may exert their anti-cancer effects through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant and apoptotic activities.

Introduction: Liver regeneration is a heterogeneous process involving proliferation of different cell types in response to injury. Bone marrow derived stem cells may be involved in this process, by making contribution to parenchymal restoration and cellular replacement. We aimed to investigate the correlation between level of circulating mobilized CD34+ hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) and viremia level in patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods: Blood samples were prospectively collected for assessing percentage and absolute counts of circulating CD34+ HSPCs and viral load level using flow cytometry and RT-PCR respectively. Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (n = 30), Entecavir (ETV) treated subjects (n = 30) and 20 age and gender matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Results were expressed as mean ± SD. Results and discussion: A significant increase in circulating CD34+ HSPCs level was observed in CHB patients (5 ± 3.1, 324 ± 195 × 10³/ml) as compared to ETV treated subjects (0.57 ± 0.27,1022 ± 325) and healthy controls (0.53 ± 0.37, 694 ± 254, P < 0.001) in regards to percentage and absolute counts respectively. Levels of CD34+ HSPCs strongly and positively correlated with HBV DNA viral load levels in CHB patients (r² = 0.8417, 0.649, P < 0.001).Thus, in chronic liver disorders (CHB), when reduced regenerative capacity of hepatocytes is reached, BMSCs mobilization occurs and their level increases in peripheral blood. The level of circulating CD34+ cells in peripheral blood of CHB patients paralleled with the hepatitis B viral load.