Collaborative development of the Arrowsmith two node search interface designed for laboratory investigators.

Arrowsmith is a unique computer-assisted strategy designed to assist investigators in detecting biologically-relevant connections between two disparate sets of articles in Medline. This paper describes how an inter-institutional consortium of neuroscientists used the UIC Arrowsmith web interface http://arrowsmith.psych.uic.edu in their daily work and guided the development, refinement and expansion of the system into a suite of tools intended for use by the wider scientific community

Amygdalar Modulation of the Medial Geniculate Nucleus and Cingulate Cortex in Discriminative Avoidance Training

78 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.Neurons in A29 and the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) characteristically develop maximal dTIA in late stages of DAL. Experiment II tested the hypothesis that LA nucleus is responsible for the late dTIA in A29. As hypothesized, LA nuclear excitotoxic lesions decreased dTIA in A29. Moreover, A29 theta-like neuronal activity was weaker in these subjects. Not in accord with the hypothesis, LA nuclear lesions impaired the early developing dTIA in A24. Thus, the LA nucleus may contribute to dTIA induction in A24, or the lesion may have damaged regions outside of the LA nucleus. Taken together these studies add significantly to understanding amygdalar modulation of neurons in extra-amygdalar regions of the neural circuitry for DAL.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD

Effects of Conditioning During Amygdalar Inactivation on Training-Induced Neuronal Plasticity in the Medial Geniculate Nucleus and Cingulate Cortex in Rabbits ('Oryctolagus cuniculus')

This study addressed the amygdala's role in avoidance conditioning in rabbits ('Oryctolagus cuniculus'). Intra-amygdalar muscimol infusion before 60 or 120 conditioning trials blocked training-induced neuronal activity (TIA) in the medial geniculate (MG) nucleus. One hundred twenty trials with muscimol blocked TIA permanently, during conditioning with muscimol and then later without muscimol; 60 trials with muscimol blocked TIA only when muscimol was present. Cingulate cortical TIA was blocked only when muscimol was present. Behavioral learning did not occur with muscimol, but later learning was facilitated (i.e., savings occurred) in rabbits initially given muscimol plus training. These results define the time period wherein amygdalar processes initiate TIA in the MG nucleus and suggest that distinct forms of amygdalar processes induce TIA in the MG nucleus and cingulate cortex

Simulation of three-point bending test of titanium foam for biomedical applications

Using Titanium (Ti) foam as an implant material is a new approach for biomedical applications and it is important to understand the mechanical behaviors of this new foam material. In the present study, the bending of the Ti foam has been simulated and compared against recently published data [1]. FE Analysis has been performed by Abaqus software. Stiffness and Yield strength of foams between 50% (cortical bone) to 80% (cancellous bone) porosity range were considered. This study showed that crushable foam material model in Abaqus, which has developed primarily for Aluminum (Al) foam alloys, is also valid for Ti Foam before any crack or damage occurs in the sample

Opto-electrical bimodal recording of neural activity in awake head-restrained mice

Electrical and optical monitoring of neural activity is major approaches for studying brain functions. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, such as the ability to determine cell types and temporal resolution. Although opto-electrical bimodal recording is beneficial by enabling us to exploit the strength of both approaches, it has not been widely used. In this study, we devised three methods of bimodal recording from a deep brain structure in awake head-fixed mice by chronically implanting a gradient-index (GRIN) lens and electrodes. First, we attached four stainless steel electrodes to the side of a GRIN lens and implanted them in a mouse expressing GCaMP6f in astrocytes. We simultaneously recorded local field potential (LFP) and GCaMP6f signal in astrocytes in the hippocampal CA1 area. Second, implanting a silicon probe electrode mounted on a custom-made microdrive within the focal volume of a GRIN lens, we performed bimodal recording in the CA1 area. We monitored LFP and fluorescent changes of GCaMP6s-expressing neurons in the CA1. Third, we designed a 3D-printed scaffold to serve as a microdrive for a silicon probe and a holder for a GRIN lens. This scaffold simplifies the implantation process and makes it easier to place the lens and probe accurately. Using this method, we recorded single unit activity and LFP electrically and GCaMP6f signals of single neurons optically. Thus, we show that these opto-electrical bimodal recording methods using a GRIN lens and electrodes are viable approaches in awake head-fixed mice.Ministry of Education (MOE)Ministry of Health (MOH)National Medical Research Council (NMRC)Published versionThis work was supported by National Medical Research Council, Ministry of Health Singapore (NMRC/OFIRG/0046/2017), Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE2015-T2-2-035, MOE2017-T3-1-002), and NIMBELS (NIM/02/2016)

Fracture toughness of titanium foams for medical applications

The fracture behavior of titanium open foam is characterized and the R-curves of crack propagation from pre-cracks are measured. The crack growth has been optically observed, the measured initiation toughness, JIC, has been analyzed and the effect of material morphology on the JIC is discussed. The fracture toughness was found to be dependent on the expanding crack bridging zone at the back of the crack tip. The compact tension specimens also have some plastic collapse along the ligaments and it has shown that the titanium foam with a higher relative density is tougher. The non-uniform stressing within the plastic zone at the crack tip and the plastic collapse of cell topology behind the tip was found to be the primary cause of the R-curve behavior in low relative density titanium foams

Collaborative development of the Arrowsmith two node search interface designed for laboratory investigators

Arrowsmith is a unique computer-assisted strategy designed to assist investigators in detecting biologically-relevant connections between two disparate sets of articles in Medline. This paper describes how an inter-institutional consortium of neuroscientists used the UIC Arrowsmith web interface 'http://arrowsmith.psych.uic.edu' in their daily work and guided the development, refinement and expansion of the system into a suite of tools intended for use by the wider scientific community