Novel engineering and characterization of sensing materials and fluidic devices for neuroscience

Many aspects of neurophysiology such as the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric illness remain unclear due to challenges in non-invasively probing the brain while considering its chemical and physical heterogeneity. Further investigation of the neurochemicals responsible for neuropsychiatric illness, as indicated by the monoamine hypothesis of depression, is therefore limited without addressing these obstacles. The Hashemi lab studies these neurotransmitters and develops translational tools to minimize challenges associated with in vivo analysis while maximizing the predicative power of in vitro models of the brain. The work in this thesis furthers our understanding of the behaviour of carbon fiber micro-electrodes for serotonin measurement and the fluid dynamics of FSCV measurements. This information is critical for the acquisition of physiologically relevant measurements from translational models of neuropsychiatric illness. In this thesis, I begin by reviewing techniques that have been developed to monitor neurotransmitters in Chapter 1. Next, in Chapter 2, I outline the specific methods used to collect measurements with FSCV/FSCAV and to construct the electrodes and fluidic devices characterized in this work. In Chapter 3, I establish a design criterion for the development of fluidic devices for FSCV measurements. I then use this criterion to design a flow cell for FSCV measurements and challenge its reproducibility and stability. This work enabled the validation of the analyte specific decay and variability of CFMEs. Chapter 4 introduced a simple and inexpensive fabrication protocol for a versatile carbon-based electrode with excellent electrochemical kinetics and sensitivity for serotonin measurements with FSCV. After characterizing the performance of this electrode, it was integrated into a simple polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based device to provide a preliminary platform for the optimization of measurements from cells using FSCV (Chapter 5). This work identified adhesion, dead space, electrode geometry, and material rigidity as key parameters in the design of a microfluidic device with an incorporated capacity for FSCV measurements. Chapter 6 concludes the thesis and highlights the future implications of the work. In sum, this work offers novel tools for characterizing sensors for FSCV measurement and a concept for a microfluidic device capable of sensor calibration and measurement from patient-specific in vitro models of the brain. This type of analytical platform would permit the characterization of neurotransmission for preclinical pharmacological screening and/or elucidation of personalized therapies for neuropsychiatric illness.Open Acces

Strong Cities, Strong Communities Fellowship Program Final Report 2012-2014

The management team of the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Fellowship Program — The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Cleveland State University (CSU), and the Virginia Tech Metropolitan Institute (MI) — is pleased to present this final report on outcomes and impacts of the program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and The Rockefeller Foundation were our primary champions in conceptualizing and funding this pilot program to build capacity in local government through embedded mid-career professionals. As a pilot initiative, the SC2 Fellowship program has proven that project-based and cohort-oriented urban fellowships can deliver tangible results in distressed cities

Strong Cities, Strong Communities Fellowship Program Final Report 2012-2014

The management team of the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Fellowship Program — The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Cleveland State University (CSU), and the Virginia Tech Metropolitan Institute (MI) — is pleased to present this final report on outcomes and impacts of the program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and The Rockefeller Foundation were our primary champions in conceptualizing and funding this pilot program to build capacity in local government through embedded mid-career professionals. As a pilot initiative, the SC2 Fellowship program has proven that project-based and cohort-oriented urban fellowships can deliver tangible results in distressed cities

Defendant\u27s Exhibit 072A: Dr. Richard Hexter Physicians Findings

Dr. Hexter\u27s examination of Sam Sheppard at 4:00pm on July 4, 1954. This Examination was performed at the request of Dr. Gerber, as part of the coroner\u27s inquest.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/defendant_exhibits_2000/1006/thumbnail.jp

Instrumentation And Data Processing -A Look To The Future

Heretofore in meteorology, automation efforts have focused on the instrumentation used for taking observations and on the use of numerical methods for predicting weather. Little effort has been spent on automating the functions of the field forecaster. Teweles (1970) describes the Data Acquisition Feedback Loop wherein messages and sequences of messages are filtered, sorted, and then relayed to various destinations via any of a dozen or more radio or teletypewriter circuits. He stated, This operation, which in the past has accounted for serious delays and countless human errors, is now a prime target for complete automation. Current efforts in automating meteorological systems will be included in a broader automation concept which encompasses the work of the forecaster. The new concept is called AFOS, for Automation of Field Operations and Services

The Role of TGFβ1 and EP Receptors in the Differentiation of Normal and Diseased Lung Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts, and their differentiation into myofibroblasts, are important in the pathology of several lung diseases including asthma and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The differentiation process is dependent on several factors, such as soluble factors like transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) and mechanical signals such as matrix stiffness. Additionally, the soluble arachidonic acid metabolite Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) prevents TGFβ1 induced differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, but the molecular mechanism is not completely understood15. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a mechanosensitive ion channel, has previously been implicated in the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts12,13. However, the role of TRPV4 in the differentiation of lung fibroblasts and its contribution to lung diseases such asthma has not been explored. Myofibroblasts express the contractile protein alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and are also distinguished by their excessive production of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as fibronectin. The expression of α-SMA and ECM proteins has been shown to be mediated by serum response factor (SRF) and its co-activator myocardin related transcription factor (MRTF-A)5,6. Therefore, in the current project, we investigate differences in differentiation state between normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF) and diseased human lung fibroblasts (DHLF). We show that DHLF have higher basal and increased α-SMA and fibronectin expression than NHLF, indicative of enhanced differentiation potential in DHLF. Additionally, we showed that lung fibroblast differentiation is regulated by TRPV4. Furthermore, we found that PGE2 inhibited TGFβ1-induced differentiation