Reciprocal Waves: Embodied Intersubjective Communication in Dance/Movement Therapy Practice

In this thesis project, the author proposes a framework of empathic communication in Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) practice. Based on Franz de Waal’s Russian doll model of empathy, the author explores three traditional phenomena in DMT practice that cultivate empathy and intersubjectivity: Primitive Mirroring; Shared Intention; and Movement Understanding. In each topic, the author extends the investigation into different areas of study in order to illuminate the profound connectedness of human empathic communication. The term Reciprocal Waves highlights the back and forth relationship-building process that occurs daily in dance/movement therapy practice. It is a framework derived from DMT practice that can be applied to all fields that would benefit from promoting empathic human relationships

Long Term Stability of Nanowire Nanoelectronics in Physiological Environments

Nanowire nanoelectronic devices have been exploited as highly sensitive subcellular resolution detectors for recording extracellular and intracellular signals from cells, as well as from natural and engineered/cyborg tissues, and in this capacity open many opportunities for fundamental biological research and biomedical applications. Here we demonstrate the capability to take full advantage of the attractive capabilities of nanowire nanoelectronic devices for long term physiological studies by passivating the nanowire elements with ultrathin metal oxide shells. Studies of Si and Si/aluminum oxide (Al2O3) core/shell nanowires in physiological solutions at 37 °C demonstrate long-term stability extending for at least 100 days in samples coated with 10 nm thick Al2O3 shells. In addition, investigations of nanowires configured as field-effect transistors (FETs) demonstrate that the Si/Al2O3 core/shell nanowire FETs exhibit good device performance for at least 4 months in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. The generality of this approach was also tested with in studies of Ge/Si and InAs nanowires, where Ge/Si/Al2O3 and InAs/Al2O3 core/shell materials exhibited stability for at least 100 days in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. In addition, investigations of hafnium oxide-Al2O3 nanolaminated shells indicate the potential to extend nanowire stability well beyond 1 year time scale in vivo. These studies demonstrate that straightforward core/shell nanowire nanoelectronic devices can exhibit the long term stability needed for a range of chronic in vivo studies in animals as well as powerful biomedical implants that could improve monitoring and treatment of disease

Multifunctional three-dimensional macroporous nanoelectronic networks for smart materials

Seamless and minimally-invasive integration of three-dimensional (3D) electronic circuitry within host materials could enable the development of materials systems that are self- monitoring and allow for communication with external environments. Here, we report a general strategy for preparing ordered 3D interconnected and addressable macroporous nanoelectronic networks from ordered two-dimensional (2D) nanowire nanoelectronic “precursors”, which are fabricated by conventional lithography. The 3D networks have porosities larger than 99%, contain ca. 100’s of addressable nanowire devices, and have feature sizes from the 10 micron scale (for electrical and structural interconnections) to the 10 nanometer scale (for device elements). The macroporous nanoelectronic networks were merged with organic gels and polymers to form hybrid materials in which the basic physical and chemical properties of the host were not substantially altered, and electrical measurements further show a > 90% yield of active devices in the hybrid materials. The positions of the nanowire devices were located within 3D hybrid materials with ca. 14 nm resolution through simultaneous nanowire device photocurrent/confocal microscopy imaging measurements. In addition, we explored functional properties of these hybrid materials, including (i) mapping time-dependent pH changes throughout a nanowire network/agarose gel sample during external solution pH changes, and (ii) characterizing the strain field in a hybrid nanoelectronic elastomer structures subject to uniaxial and bending forces. The seamless incorporation of active nanoelectronic networks within 3D materials opens up a powerful approach to smart materials in which the capabilities of multi- functional nanoelectronics allow for active monitoring and control of host systems.Chemistry and Chemical BiologyEngineering and Applied Science

Sub-10-nm Intracellular Bioelectronic Probes from Nanowire-Nanotube Heterostructures

The miniaturization of bioelectronic intracellular probes with a wide dynamic frequency range can open up opportunities to study biological structures inaccessible by existing methods in a minimally invasive manner. Here, we report the design, fabrication, and demonstration of intracellular bioelectronic devices with probe sizes less than 10 nm. The devices are based on a nanowire–nanotube heterostructure in which a nanowire field-effect transistor detector is synthetically integrated with a nanotube cellular probe. Sub-10-nm nanotube probes were realized by a two-step selective etching approach that reduces the diameter of the nanotube free-end while maintaining a larger diameter at the nanowire detector necessary for mechanical strength and electrical sensitivity. Quasi-static water-gate measurements demonstrated selective device response to solution inside the nanotube, and pulsed measurements together with numerical simulations confirmed the capability to record fast electrophysiological signals. Systematic studies of the probe bandwidth in different ionic concentration solutions revealed the underlying mechanism governing the time response. In addition, the bandwidth effect of phospholipid coatings, which are important for intracellular recording, was investigated and modeled. The robustness of these sub-10-nm bioelectronics probes for intracellular interrogation was verified by optical imaging and recording the transmembrane resting potential of HL-1 cells. These ultrasmall bioelectronic probes enable direct detection of cellular electrical activity with highest spatial resolution achieved to date, and with further integration into larger chip arrays could provide a unique platform for ultra-high-resolution mapping of activity in neural networks and other systems.Chemistry and Chemical BiologyEngineering and Applied Science

Associations between Interleukin-31 Gene Polymorphisms and Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Chinese Population

To explore the role of Interkeulin-31 (IL-31) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), in our study, two SNPs of IL-31, rs4758680 (C/A) and rs7977932 (C/G), were analyzed in 331 DCM patients and 493 controls in a Chinese Han population. The frequencies of C allele and CC genotype of rs4758680 were significantly increased in DCM patients (P = 0 005, P = 0 001, resp.). Compared to CC genotype of rs4758680, the A carriers (CA/AA genotypes) were the protect factors in DCM susceptibility while the frequencies of CA/AA genotypes were decreased in the dominant model for DCM group (P < 0 001, OR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.39-0.79). Moreover, IL-31 mRNA expression level of white blood cells was increased in DCM patients (0.072 (0.044-0.144) versus 0.036 (0.020-0.052), P < 0 001). In survival analysis of 159 DCM patients, Kaplan-Meier curve revealed the correlation between CC homozygote of rs4758680 and worse prognosis for DCM group (P = 0 005). Compared to CC genotype, the CA/AA genotypes were the independent factors in both univariate (HR = 0.530, 95%CI = 0.337-0.834, P = 0 006) and multivariate analyses after age, gender, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and left ventricular ejection fraction adjusted (HR = 0.548, 95%CI = 0.345-0.869, P = 0 011). Thus, we concluded that IL-31 gene polymorphisms were tightly associated with DCM susceptibility and contributed to worse prognosis in DCM patients

Designing Artificial Two-Dimensional Landscapes via Room-Temperature Atomic-Layer Substitution

Manipulating materials with atomic-scale precision is essential for the development of next-generation material design toolbox. Tremendous efforts have been made to advance the compositional, structural, and spatial accuracy of material deposition and patterning. The family of 2D materials provides an ideal platform to realize atomic-level material architectures. The wide and rich physics of these materials have led to fabrication of heterostructures, superlattices, and twisted structures with breakthrough discoveries and applications. Here, we report a novel atomic-scale material design tool that selectively breaks and forms chemical bonds of 2D materials at room temperature, called atomic-layer substitution (ALS), through which we can substitute the top layer chalcogen atoms within the 3-atom-thick transition-metal dichalcogenides using arbitrary patterns. Flipping the layer via transfer allows us to perform the same procedure on the other side, yielding programmable in-plane multi-heterostructures with different out-of-plane crystal symmetry and electric polarization. First-principle calculations elucidate how the ALS process is overall exothermic in energy and only has a small reaction barrier, facilitating the reaction to occur at room temperature. Optical characterizations confirm the fidelity of this design approach, while TEM shows the direct evidence of Janus structure and suggests the atomic transition at the interface of designed heterostructure. Finally, transport and Kelvin probe measurements on MoXY (X,Y=S,Se; X and Y corresponding to the bottom and top layers) lateral multi-heterostructures reveal the surface potential and dipole orientation of each region, and the barrier height between them. Our approach for designing artificial 2D landscape down to a single layer of atoms can lead to unique electronic, photonic and mechanical properties previously not found in nature