Logan Weihe\u27s Artwork

My work is non-objective and abstracted as it references the human form and also invents new forms, combining the matured physicality of the human body and our beginnings (smaller pieces i.e. cells, atoms). I am interested in the seemingly endless problems that the human body can solve as well as working towards understanding its limitations both physically and mentally. The intersection of contrary ideas and the forcing of harmony between them fuels my creative process. The idea of opposites becoming one entity both formally and conceptually is rich for me, as I want to explore those points of friction and resolution. My current work involves a process of arriving at a general concept about the body that peaks my curiosity and then working intuitively with the paint to explore this idea. As I create, I am continuously learning more about the specific scientific process that I choose to inspire each piece. I am also learning more about using color, composition and scale to connect with the viewer. Jenny Saville’s grotesque depiction of the human form and the visceral quality of her work coincides with my interest in undesirable reality and experimenting with the size and weight of my marks. Lee Bontecou’s work inspires mine in the way she creates cellular like organic forms, often dealing with space that becomes a sort of vacuum. Additionally, Frantisek Kupka’s non-objective work combines the energy and building up of shapes to create forms that I strive to achieve in my painting. From the sheer number of processes that occur each second within us to the fleshy quality of our bodies, my attraction to the human form comes from my search for the power or force that created our bodies in all of their complexity, whether it be God, chemistry, chance, or something that is not meant to be explained. I strive for my audience to be fascinated with themselves and to see their own body as something remarkable, in its intricacy and flawless execution of thousands of processes.https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/1002/thumbnail.jp

Biparental inheritance of plastidial and mitochondrial DNA and hybrid variegation in Pelargonium

Plastidial (pt) and mitochondrial (mt) genes usually show maternal inheritance. Non-Mendelian, biparental inheritance of plastids was first described by Baur (Z Indukt Abstamm Vererbungslehre 1:330–351, 1909) for crosses between Pelargonium cultivars. We have analyzed the inheritance of pt and mtDNA by examining the progeny from reciprocal crosses of Pelargoniumzonale and P. inquinans using nucleotide sequence polymorphisms of selected pt and mt genes. Sequence analysis of the progeny revealed biparental inheritance of both pt and mtDNA. Hybrid plants exhibited variegation: our data demonstrate that the inquinans chloroplasts, but not the zonale chloroplasts bleach out, presumably due to incompatibility of the former with the hybrid nuclear genome. Different distribution of maternal and paternal sequences could be observed in different sectors of the same leaf, in different leaves of the same plant, and in different plants indicating random segregation and sorting-out of maternal and paternal plastids and mitochondria in the hybrids. The substantial transmission of both maternal and paternal mitochondria to the progeny turns Pelargonium into a particular interesting subject for studies on the inheritance, segregation and recombination of mt genes

Beloved Microcosm

My current work involves a process of arriving at a general concept about the body that peaks my curiosity and then working intuitively with the paint to explore this idea. As I create, I am continuously learning more about the specific scientific process that I choose to inspire each piece. The paintings I produce are spontaneous interpretations of cellular bodily processes that include the illusion of movement as well as the manipulation of composition and color to create energetic worlds. I make oil paintings that speak about microscopic processes visualized through advancing scientific technologies to juxtapose the contemporary with a very traditional way of creating. Additionally, I am infatuated with the pieces that our bodies are made up of, and the gesture of painting and using my physical self to create is exciting for me. From the sheer number of processes that occur each second within us to the fleshy quality of our bodies, my attraction to the human form comes from my search for the power or force that created our bodies in all of their complexity, whether it be God, chemistry, chance, or something that is not meant to be explained. I strive for my audience to be fascinated with themselves and to see their own body as something remarkable, in its intricacy and flawless execution of thousands of processes

Thoughts on Similarities Between Artists and Scientists and the Benefits of Studying Visual Art in the Healthcare Field

This study assesses the many ways that artists and scientists have similar methods of abstract thinking, intuitive and experimental processes and societal impacts. The exploration of intersections between art and science led to research on how their combination may provide a more fulfilling educational experience for medical students. Furthermore, the use of visuals in healthcare, often created by medical illustrators, ties into the inspiration for my senior art exhibition, “Beloved Microcosm” demonstrating my synthesis of visual art and biological study

Kinetics modeling and occupancy studies of a novel C-11 PET tracer for VAChT in nonhuman primates

INTRODUCTION: Deficits in cholinergic function have been found in the aged brain and in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) is a reliable biomarker for the cholinergic system. We previously reported the initial in vitro and ex vivo characterization of (−)-[(11)C]TZ659 as a VAChT specific ligand. Here, we report the in vivo specificity, tracer kinetics, and dose-occupancy studies in the nonhuman primate brain are reported. METHODS: MicroPET brain imaging of (−)-[(11)C]TZ659 was performed under baseline conditions in two male macaques. Tracer kinetic modeling was carried out using a two-tissue compartment model (2TCM) and Logan plot with arterial blood input function and using a simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) and Logan plot (LoganREF) without blood input. Specificity for VAChT was demonstrated by pretreatment with (+)-pentazocine, (−)-vesamicol, or S-(−)-eticlopride. Target occupancy (Occ) was calculated following pretreatment with escalating doses of (−)-vesamicol. RESULTS: Baseline PET imaging revealed selective retention in the striatum with rapid clearance from the cerebellar hemispheres as a reference region. Total volume of distribution (V(T)) values derived from both 2TCM and Logan analysis with blood input revealed ~3-fold higher levels of (−)-[(11)C]TZ659 in the striatum than the cerebellar hemispheres. Injection of (−)-vesamicol either as a blocking or displacing agent significantly reduced striatal uptake of (−)-[(11)C]TZ659. In contrast, pretreatment with the sigma-1 ligand (+)-pentazocine had no impact. Pretreatment with the S-(−)-eticlopride, a dopamine D(2)–like receptor antagonist, increased striatal uptake of (−)-[(11)C]TZ659. Striatal binding potential (BP(ND), range of 0.33 – 1.6 with cerebellar hemispheres as the reference region) showed good correlation (r(2) = 0.97) between SRTM and LoganREF. Occupancy studies found that ~ 0.0057 mg/kg (−)-vesamicol produced 50% VAChT occupancy in the striatum. CONCLUSION: (−)-[(11)C]TZ659 demonstrated specific and reversible VAChT binding and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for assessing the density of VAChT in the living brain