Other Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Neural Bases Of Phonological And Semantic Processing In Early Childhood, Avantika Mathur, Douglas H. Schultz, Yingying Wang Dr.

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

During the early period of reading development, children gain phonological (letter-to-sound mapping) and semantic knowledge (storage and retrieval of word meaning). Their reading ability changes rapidly, accompanied by learning-induced brain plasticity as they learn to read. This study aims at identifying the neural bases of phonological and semantic processing in early childhood by using a combination of univariate and multivariate pattern analysis. Nineteen typically developing children between the age of five and seven performed visual word-level phonological (rhyming) and semantic (related meaning) judgment tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Our multivariate analysis showed that young children with good reading …

Vibrational Spectroscopy For In Vitro Monitoring Stem Cell Differentiation, Francesca Ravera, Esen Efeoglu, Hugh Byrne

Other resources

Stem cell technology has attracted considerable attention over recent decades due to its enormous potential in regenerative medicine and disease therapeutics. Studying the underlying mechanisms of stem cell differentiation and tissue generation is critical, and robust methodologies and different technologies are required. Towards establishing improved understanding and optimised triggering and control of differentiation processes, analytical techniques such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, RNA in situ hybridisation analysis, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting have contributed much. However, progress in the field remains limited because such techniques provide only limited information, as they are only able to address specific, …

Genetic Taster Status As A Mediator Of Neural Activity And Swallowing Mechanics In Healthy Adults, Angela M. Dietsch, Ross M. Westemeyer, William G. Pearson Jr., Douglas H. Schultz

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

As part of a larger study examining relationships between taste properties and swallowing, we assessed the influence of genetic taster status (GTS) on measures of brain activity and swallowing physiology during taste stimulation in healthy men and women. Twenty-one participants underwent videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during trials of high-intensity taste stimuli. The precisely formulated mixtures included sour, sweet-sour, lemon, and orange taste profiles and unflavored controls. Swallowing physiology was characterized via computational analysis of swallowing mechanics plus other kinematic and temporal measures, all extracted from VFSS recordings. Whole-brain analysis of fMRI data assessed blood …

Chemical Epitope Targeting: Review Of A Novel Screening Technology, Qurrat Ul-Ain, Rene Kandler, Dylan Gillespie, Arundhati Nag

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Chemical Epitope Targeting is a novel technology developed for designing peptide ligands with high affinity and specificity against specific regions of a protein that may be inaccessible to small molecules or antibodies. In this review, we summarize the key steps and significant applications of this technology. Operating on the same principles as antibody-antigen interactions, this technique involves chemically synthesizing the region of interest on the protein, called the epitope, as a polypeptide with a biotin detection tag and a strategically placed alkyne or azide presenting amino acid. The constructed epitope is screened against a comprehensive linear or cyclic One Bead …

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And White Matter Microstructure In Pre-Reading Children: A Longitudinal Investigation, Ola Ozernov-Palchik, Elizabeth S. Norton, Yingying Wang, Sara D. Beach, Jennifer Zuk, Maryanne Wolf, John D.E. Gabrieli, Nadine Gaab

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Reading is a learned skill crucial for educational attainment. Children from families of lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have poorer reading performance and this gap widens across years of schooling. Reading relies on the orchestration of multiple neural systems integrated via specific white-matter pathways, but there is limited understanding about whether these pathways relate differentially to reading performance depending on SES background. Kindergarten white-matter FA and second-grade reading outcomes were investigated in an SES-diverse sample of 125 children. The three left-hemisphere white-matter tracts most associated with reading, and their right-hemisphere homologs, were examined: arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior longitudinal fasciculus …

In Vitro Evaluation Of Ovarian Cancer Tumorigenesis As A Function Of Quinone Oxidoreducatse-1 And Cell Phenotype, Milcah S. Jackson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In vitro multicellular spheroids are attractive model systems for assessing genetic and epigenetic changes that occur in diseased tissues. Understanding how such alterations in gene and subsequent protein expression affect disease progression and metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence is of great interest in cancer research. In this regard, examining expression and activity of proteins, such as those with cytoprotective ability that are overexpressed in cancer cells, in addition to cell phenotype (i.e., stem-like, epithelial, mesenchymal, or mixed), are two ways to evaluate genetic and epigenetic changes. Moreover, determining the impact that cytoprotective proteins and cell phenotype have on tumor formation …

Alterations In Cortical Activation Among Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability During Single-Limb Postural Control, Adam B. Rosen, Jennifer M. Yentes, Melanie L. Mcgrath, Arthur C. Maerlender, Sara A. Myers, Mukul Mukherjee

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Context: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is characterized by repetitive ankle sprains and perceived instability. Whereas the underlying cause of CAI is disputed, alterations in cortical motor functioning may contribute to the perceived dysfunction.

Objective: To assess differences in cortical activity during single-limb stance among control, coper, and CAI groups.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Biomechanics laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants: A total of 31 individuals (10 men, 21 women; age = 22.3 ± 2.4 years, height = 169.6 ± 9.7 cm, mass = 70.6 ± 11.6 kg), who were classified into control (n = 13), coper (n = 7), and CAI …

The Relationship Between Biological And Psychosocial Risk Factors And Resting‐State Functional Connectivity In 2‐Monthold Bangladeshi Infants: A Feasibility And Pilot Study, Ted K. Turesky, Sarah K.G. Jensen, Xi Yu, Swapna Kumar, Yingying Wang, Danielle D. Sliva, Borjan Gagoski, Joseph Sanfilippo, Lilla Zöllei, Emma Boyd, Rashidul Haque, Shahria Hafiz Kakon, Nazrul Islam, William A. Petri Jr., Charles A. Nelson, Nadine Gaab

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Childhood poverty has been associated with structural and functional alterations in the developing brain. However, poverty does not alter brain development directly, but acts through associated biological or psychosocial risk factors (e.g. malnutrition, family conflict). Yet few studies have investigated risk factors in the context of infant neurodevelopment, and none have done so in low‐resource settings such as Bangladesh, where children are exposed to multiple, severe biological and psychosocial hazards. In this feasibility and pilot study, usable resting‐state fMRI data were acquired in infants from extremely poor (n = 16) and (relatively) more affluent (n = 16) families in Dhaka, …

Visual Contributions To Balance Control During Gait, Kyle Brozek

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

We propose to isolate the contributions of continuous OF to the orthogonal relationship between balance and gait control during treadmill walking using a series of conditions. Manipulating the direction of OF using a CAREN (Motek Medical, Amsterdam, Netherlands) virtual reality treadmill environment will isolate these visual contributions in human subjects as they walk. We plan to tease out the effect of OF direction on the relationship between gait and balance control by having healthy young adults perform a series of treadmill walking trials while immersed in a VR environment. This will be done by manipulating the direction of walking and …

Industry Spotlight: Medical Devices, Evan D. Poff

Marriott Student Review

Medical devices restore and even redefine health. This Industry Spotlight examines pre-market barriers, medtech business model quirks, current and future developments in the field, and the present-day move to value-based care in the medical device industry.

Dynamic Effects Of Habituation And Novelty Detection On Newborn Event Related Potentials, Cathryn S. Cortesa, Caitlin M Hudac, Dennis Molfese

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Newborns habituate to repeated auditory stimuli, and discriminate syllables, generating opportunities for early language learning. This study investigated trial-by-trial changes in newborn electrophysiological responses to auditory speech syllables as an index of habituation and novelty detection. Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 16 term newborn infants, aged 1–3 days, in response to monosyllabic speech syllables presented during habituation and novelty detection tasks. Multilevel models demonstrated that newborns habituated to repeated auditory syllables, as ERP amplitude attenuated for a late-latency component over successive trials. Subsequently, during the novelty detection task, earlyand late-latency component amplitudes decreased over successive trials for novel …

Concussion Competencies: A Training Model For School-Based Concussion Management, Arthur C. Maerlender, Jonathan D. Lichtenstein, Jennifer Parent-Nichols, Kate Higgins, Peggy Reisher

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

This study reports on the use of ten knowledge competencies related to the behavioral management of concussion in schools. Trainings using these competencies as learning objectives were delivered to school personnel. This aims of the use of competencies in this way are to streamline the education of key stakeholders, to establish clear roles and responsibilities for constituents and equip individuals working with students following a concussion with the relevant knowledge to optimize outcomes. The majority of participants, primarily speech language pathologists working as related service providers in the schoolswhere the trainings occurred, judged the use of the competencies to be …

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of Two Computerized Neuropsychological Test Batteries: Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Test (Impact) And C3 Logix, Caitlin Masterson, Julie Tuttle, Arthur C. Maerlender

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Tests of memory and speed of cognitive and motor responses have been the primary foci in sports-related concussion assessment. This study sought to assess the construct validity of neuropsychological tests within C3 Logix.

Method: Results of both baseline C3 Logix and the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT) computerized tests from 86 Division I collegiate athletes were submitted to a two-factor confirmatory analysis using structural equation modeling. The two factors of Speed and Memory have been confirmed in previous studies of ImPACT.

Results: Results confirmed the two-factor model of ImPACT, whereas C3 Logix did not …

Functional Source Separation For Eeg-Fmri Fusion: Application To Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials, Hong Ji, Badong Chen, Nathan M. Petro, Zejian Yuan, Nanning Zheng, Andreas Keil

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Neurorobotics is one of the most ambitious fields in robotics, driving integration of interdisciplinary data and knowledge. One of the most productive areas of interdisciplinary research in this area has been the implementation of biologically-inspired mechanisms in the development of autonomous systems. Specifically, enabling such systems to display adaptive behavior such as learning from good and bad outcomes, has been achieved by quantifying and understanding the neural mechanisms of the brain networks mediating adaptive behaviors in humans and animals. For example, associative learning from aversive or dangerous outcomes is crucial for an autonomous system, to avoid dangerous situations in the …

Pharmacologic Profiling Of Novel Compounds Via Fluorometric Analyses Of Monoamine Transporter Responses, Ashkhan Hojati

Theses and Dissertations

In humans and other organisms, monoaminergic systems are crucial in neuronal function and behavior. The monoamine transporters (MATs), which can be found on the presynaptic plasma membrane of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), are crucial in the regulation of neurotransmitter concentration in the synaptic cleft. As the duration and concentration of neurotransmitters in the cleft affect further downstream signaling responses, these proteins are important targets for both understanding neuronal physiology and compounds of interest. Multiple theories exist proponing the contribution of MATs to a variety of mental and neurological disorders, including depression. This theory establishes that depression is …

Non-Contact Trapping And Stretching Of Biological Cells Using Dual-Beam Optical Stretcher On Microfluidic Platform, Aotuo Dong, Balaadithya Uppalapati, Shariful Islam, Brandon Gibbs, Ganesan Kamatchi, Sacharia Albin, Makarand Deo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Optical stretcher is a tool in which two counter-propagating, slightly diverging, and identical laser beams are used to trap and axially stretch microparticles in the path of light. In this work, we utilized the dual-beam optical stretcher setup to trap and stretch human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and mammalian breast cancer (MBC) cells. Experiments were performed by exposing the HEK cells to counter-propagating laser beams for 30 seconds at powers ranging from 100 mW to 561 mW. It was observed that the percentage of cell deformation increased from 16.7% at 100 mW to 40.5% at 561 mW optical power. The …

Non-Human Animals Providing Rescue In Medical Emergencies, Rainer Spiegel

Animal Sentience

In their target article, Chapman & Huffman challenge the quotation of Sir William Osler that the desire to take medication distinguishes humans from non-human animals. They provide examples of self-medication in non-human animals. Based on these examples, it can be inferred that non-human animals practice at least some form of medicine for symptom control. I would like to extend this view by showing that non-human animals not only provide self-medication, but also rescue others facing emergencies.

Direct Quantification Of Deubiquitinating Enzyme Activity In Single Intact Cells, Nora Safabakhsh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Challenges in drug efficacy occur during the treatment of most types of cancer due to the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment. This has led to the development of personalized medicine. Due to the clinical success of the proteasome inhibitors Bortezomib and Carfilzomib in treatment of multiple myeloma, interest has shifted towards molecularly-targeted chemotherapeutics for ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are an essential part of this pathway which have been found to promote Bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma patients. Unfortunately, there is a lack of specific, high throughput biochemical assays to characterize DUB activity in patient samples before and after …

Validity And Reliability Of The Ymca Submaximal Cycle Test Using An Electrically Braked Ergometer, Justin Kidd

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Purpose: To test the effect of using an electrically braked ergometer on the validity and reliability of the YMCA submaximal cycle test.

Methods: 22 male and 13 female subjects ages 19 to 31 completed one maximal treadmill test and four submaximal cycle tests to measure and estimate VO_2max, respectively. The maximal tests involved recording heart rate and VO₂ during graded exercise until volitional fatigue; an actual max was verified when two out of the following criteria: respiratory Exchange Ratio > 1.1, VO₂ plateau (< 150 ml/min increase in VO₂ during final stage), and achievement of 90% age-predicted HR max (or completed …

Raman Spectral Analysis For Rapid Screening Of Dengue Infection, Tahir Mahmood, Haq Nawaz, A. Ditta, M.I. Majeed, M.A. Hanif, N. Rashid, H.N. Bhatti, H.F. Nargis, M. Saleem, Franck Bonnier, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Infection with the dengue virus is currently clinically detected according to different biomarkers in human blood plasma, commonly measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, including non-structural proteins (Ns1), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). However, there is little or no mutual correlation between the biomarkers, as demonstrated in this study by a comparison of their levels in samples from 17 patients. As an alternative, the label free, rapid screening technique, Raman spectroscopy has been used for the characterisation/diagnosis of healthy and dengue infected human blood plasma samples. In dengue positive samples, changes in specific Raman spectral bands associated with …

Clinical Applications Of Infrared And Raman Spectroscopy: State Of Play And Future Challenges, Matthew Baker, Hugh Byrne, John Chalmers, Peter Gardner, Royston Goodacre, Alex Henderson, Sergei Kazarian, Francis Martin, Julian Moger, Nick Stone, Josep Sule-Suso

Articles

Vibrational spectroscopies, based on Infrared absorption and/or Raman scattering provide a detailed fingerprint of a material, based on the chemical content. Diagnostic and prognostic tools based on these technologies have the potential to revolutionise our clinical systems leading to improved patient outcome, more efficient public services and significant economic savings. However, despite these strong drivers, there are many fundamental scientific and technological challenges which have limited the implementation of this technology in the clinical arena, although recent years have seen significant progress in addressing these challenges. This review examines (i) the state of the art of clinical applications of infrared …

Toxicological Assessment Of Nanomaterials: The Role Of In Vitro Raman Microspectroscopic Analysis, Esen Efeoglu, Marcus Maher, Alan Casey, Hugh Byrne

Articles

The acceleration of nanomaterials research has brought about increased demands for rapid analysis of their bioactivity, in a multi-parametric fashion, to minimise the gap between potential applications and knowledge of their toxicological properties. The potential of Raman microspectroscopy for the analysis of biological systems with the aid of multivariate analysis techniques has been demonstrated. In this study, an overview of recent efforts towards establishing a ‘label-free high content nanotoxicological assessment technique’ using Raman microspectroscopy is presented. The current state of the art for cellular toxicity assessment and the potential of Raman microspectroscopy are discussed, and the spectral markers of the …

Use Of Excel Spreadsheet Calculators In Handling Data Generated From Uv- Spectrometer, Mercy Okezue, Kari Clase, Steve Byrn

BIRS Symposium

To ease the complexities of handling data generated from different analytical procedures, validated excel spreadsheet containing relevant formulas are developed to ensure the process of data handling will consistently produce the expected results. This paper introduces the use of Excel spreadsheets in handling data generated from using a UV-Spectrometer in determination of analyte concentration in various dosage forms

Instituting Process Control Mechanisms In A Quality Control Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Mercy Okezue, Kari Lynn Clase, Stephen Byrn

BIRS Symposium

Statistical Process Control by means of using control charts was a means of monitoring performance of analytical equipment. Quality control checks on test items using these equipment generated data used for plotting X-bar charts. The charts generated had warning and control limits which helped monitor system performance

Concussion Competencies: A Framework For School-Based Concussion Management (Flyer), Arthur C. Maerlender, Jonathan Lichtenstein, Jennifer Parent-Nichols

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

This volume grew out of many years of clinical practice, research, and program projects. It is the culmination of more than 50 years of work with kids, brains, and schools. While there is research behind the Competencies and the underlying content, the intent was to create a user-friendly manual that cut across levels of responsibility and care. Concussion Competencies was not intended to be a textbook in the traditional manner; however, the Competencies have been shown to be a useful approach to teaching this material.

This volume is organized around a set of Competencies that have been shown to be …

Factor Structure And Gender Invariance Testing For The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (Sas-2), Leilani Madrigal, Vincenzo Roma, Todd Caze, Arthur C. Maerlender, Debra Hope

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

This study aimed to provide further psychometric validation of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) by assessing the factor structure, invariance across gender, and convergent and divergent validity of the SAS-2 by correlating both related (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, brief fear of negative evaluation, intolerance of uncertainty, and negative affect) and unrelated constructs (i.e., positive affect, self-confidence). A total of 542 current and former competitive athletes completed a questionnaire through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk system. All data were collected via online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to an exploratory factor analysis (n = 271) and confirmatory factor analysis group (n = 271). Results …

Accumulating Data To Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (Adopt): Recommendations From The Biological Domain, Michael Rosenbaum, Tanya Agurs-Collins, Molly S. Bray, Kevin D. Hall, Mark Hopkins, Maren Laughlin, Paul S. Maclean, Padma Maruvada, Cary R. Savage, Dana M. Small, Luke Stoeckel

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: The responses to behavioral, pharmacological, or surgical obesity treatments are highly individualized. The Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict obesity Treatment (ADOPT) project provides a framework for how obesity researchers, working collectively, can generate the evidence base needed to guide the development of tailored, and potentially more effective, strategies for obesity treatment. Objectives: The objective of the ADOPT biological domain subgroup is to create a list of high-priority biological measures for weight-loss studies that will advance the understanding of individual variability in response to adult obesity treatments. This list includes measures of body composition, energy homeostasis (energy intake and output), …

Left Lateralized Cerebral Glucose Metabolism Declines In Amyloid-Β Positive Persons With Mild Cognitive Impairment, Christopher M. Weise, Kewei Chen, Yinghua Chen, Xiaoying Kuang, Cary R. Savage, Eric M. Reiman

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: Previous publications indicate that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) related cortical atrophy may develop in asymmetric patterns, with accentuation of the left hemisphere. Since fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) measurements of the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRgl) provide a sensitive and specific marker of neurodegenerative disease progression, we sought to investigate the longitudinal pattern of rCMRgl in amyloid-positive persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, hypothesizing asymmetric declines of cerebral glucose metabolism. Methods: Using florbetapir PET and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures to define amyloid-β (Aβ) positivity, 40 Aβ negative (Aβ-) cognitively unimpaired controls (CU; 76 ± 5y), …

Novel Biomarkers Of Physical Activity Maintenance In Midlife Women: Preliminary Investigation, Kelly A. Bosak, Vlad B. Papa, Morgan G. Brucks, Cary R. Savage, Joseph E. Donnelly, Laura E. Martin

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

The precision health initiative is leading the discovery of novel biomarkers as important indicators of biological processes or responses to behavior, such as physical activity. Neural biomarkers identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hold promise to inform future research, and ultimately, for transfer to the clinical setting to optimize health outcomes. This study investigated resting-state and functional brain biomarkers between midlife women who were maintaining physical activity in accordance with the current national guidelines and previously acquired age-matched sedentary controls. Approval was obtained from the Human Subjects Committee. Participants included nondiabetic, healthy weight to overweight (body mass index 19–29.9 kg/m …

Mesotocin Influences Pinyon Jay Prosociality, J. F. Duque, W. Leichner, H. Ahmann, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Many species exhibit prosocial behavior , in which one individual’s actions benefit another individual, often without an immediate benefit to itself. The neuropeptide oxytocin is an important hormonal mechanism influencing prosociality in mammals, but it is unclear whether the avian homologue mesotocin plays a similar functional role in birds. Here, we experimentally tested prosociality in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a highly social corvid species that spontaneously shares food with others. First, we measured prosocial preferences in a prosocial choice task with two different pay-off distributions: Prosocial trials delivered food to both the subject and either an empty cage …