IUPUI Research Day 2012

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1805/6713

Browse

Now showing 1 - 10 of 253

Access to Complex Dental Treatment for Patients with an Intellectual/Developmental Disability
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) West, Darlene
Third and fourth year dental students obtain clinical experience providing dental care to intellectually and developmentally disabled community members by participating in a clinical elective course offered in the IU School of Dentistry, through a partnership with Goodwill. This partnership enables students to provide dental services in Goodwill locations. Dental students work to provide access to much needed complex dental treatments for patients with intellectual/ developmental disabilities throughout the community.
ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Bozzo, Anthony; Wilson, Jeffrey S.
My project is based on research done in the anthropology and geography departments by myself, Dr. Zimmerman and Courtney Singleton pertaining to homeless encampments in Indianapolis. This poster presentation illustrates locations of selected encampments and their access to service providers. Geographic information system (GIS) technologies were used to conduct a network analysis that visually shows access to services and quantifies travel time and network distance to selected service locations. The analysis presented is based on data collected by my colleagues from subjects in one specific camp describing preferred travel routes, distances traveled and services needed- prescription medication for example. I plan to apply this analytical method to other encampments to create a model of hypothetical routes based upon tow paths, walking trails and street networks.
ACTIVATION OF GABAA RECEPTORS AND INHIBITION OF NEUROSTEROID SYNTHESIS HAVE SEPARABLE ESTROUS-DEPENDENT EFFECTS ON BINGE DRINKING IN FEMALE MICE
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Melón, Laverne C.; Nolan, Zachary T.; Boehm, Stephen L.
Alcohol concentrations relevant to the beginning stages of binge intoxica-tion may selectively activate GABAA receptor subtypes expressing δ-subunit proteins (δ-GABAAR). Indeed, administration of agonists that interact with these δ-GABAAR prior to alcohol access, can abolish binge drinking behavior (Melon and Boehm, 2011). Unfortunately, our ability to manipulate binge drinking in females is dependent upon estrous phase. The present experi-ments were designed to clarify the estrous-dependent effects of activation of δ-GABAAR on binge drinking. Specifically, we were interested in demonstrat-ing whether females display more persistent binge drinking as a function of cycle-dependent changes in the synthesis of endogenous neurosteroids that modulate δ-GABAAR. Using the Drinking-in-the-Dark binge-drinking model, regularly cycling female mice were given 2 hours of daily access to alcohol (20%v/v). Vaginal cytology was assessed after each drinking session to track estrous status. In experiment 1, animals were administered gaboxadol (an agonist with high affinity for δ-GABAAR) prior to their 8th day of access. In experiment 2, these methods were repeated, but mice received vehicle or finasteride (a neurosteroid synthesis inhibitor) 22hr prior to their 8th day of access. Results from experiment 1 demonstrated that diestrus females were insensitive to the significant gaboxadol-induced decrease in binge drinking observed for proestrus, estrus and metestrus females. In experiment 2, ve-hicle and finasteride treated diestrus females exhibited gaboxadol-induced reduction of their binge drinking. Surprisingly, finasteride pretreatment sig-nificantly reduced binge drinking for estrus females. These studies suggest that ovarian-linked changes to extrasynaptic GABAA R and to neurosteroid activity may be important factors in the binge consumption of alcohol for females. Future studies will further explore the role that acute stress during diestrus may play in inhibiting the effects of δ-GABAA R activation on binge drinking.
Acute d-Amphetamine alters the temporal patterning of intermittent synchronized oscillations in hippocampal and prefrontal circuits of the rat
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Ahn, S.; Lapish, C.C.; RUBCHINSKY, L.L.
D-Amphetamine (d-AMPH) increases the bioavailability of numerous catecholamines, including dopamine, throughout the brain and modulates neural firing in cortical and subcortical regions. While a complex array of d-AMPH-mediated effects on firing have been reported, less is known regarding how d-AMPH affects the oscillatory properties of cortical circuits. In the current study, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials from electrode arrays implanted in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC) of awake freely moving rats treated with saline, 1.0 mg/kg, or 3.3 mg/kg d-AMPH. The fine temporal structure of synchrony in delta, theta, beta, and gamma bands between these brain regions was examined to characterize how phase synchronization was altered by each dose of d-AMPH relative to saline. Differences were observed in the average level of phase-locking and in the variation of temporal patterns of synchrony on short (sub-second) time scales (including the distribution of durations of desynchronization events. In general, treatment with d-AMPH evoked higher levels of phase-locking. While this imperfect phase-locking can be potentially attained with both large number of short desynchronization episodes and small number of long desynchronization episodes, the data are marked by the dominance of short desynchronization episodes. These results suggest that within the HC and PFC, d-AMPH acts to increase synchronized oscillatory activity. The dominance of short desynchronization episodes suggests that the synchrony can be easily destabilized, yet it can be quickly re-established. The ease with which neural circuits can transition between synchronized and desynchronized dynamics may reflect altered information transfer regimes in these circuits and contribute to the spectrum of effects on cognition frequently observed with d-AMPH.
ACUTE FUNCTIONAL TOLERANCE TO ETHANOL IN MICE SELECTIVELY BRED FOR HIGH AND LOW ALCOHOL PREFERENCE DRINKING
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Fritz, B.M.; Grahame, N.J.; Boehm II, S.L.
Propensity to develop acute functional (or within session) tolerance to alcohol (ethanol) may influence the amount of alcohol consumed, with higher drinking associated with greater acute functional tolerance (AFT). The goal of the current study was to assess this potential corre-lated response in second and third replicate lines of mice selectively bred for high (HAP2&3) and low (LAP2&3) alcohol preference drinking. We predicted that HAP mice would develop greater AFT to alcohol’s ataxic actions than LAP mice. Male and female HAP2&3 and LAP2&3 mice were tested for development of AFT on a static dowel task. This task requires that animals maintain balance on a wooden dowel in or-der to prevent falling. On test day, each mouse received one (1.75g/kg; experiment 1) or two (1.75g/kg and 2.0g/kg; experiment 2) injections of ethanol; an initial administration before being placed on the dowel and in another experiment, an additional administration after the first regain of balance on the dowel. Blood samples were tak-en immediately after loss of balance and regain in Experiment, 1 and after first and second regain in Experiment 2. It was found that HAP mice fell from the dowel significantly earlier and at lower BACs than LAP mice following the initial injection of ethanol and were therefore more sensitive. Furthermore, the single-injection experiment detected significantly greater AFT development (BAC2-BAC1) in HAP mice as compared to LAP mice, supporting our hypothesis. This study illus-trates the rapidity with which adaptive pharmacodynamic processes can take place which may contribute to excessive alcohol consumption.
ADIPOSE-DERIVED STROMAL CELLS PROMOTE SURVIVAL OF ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND KERATINOCYTES IN WOUND HEALING MODEL
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Knowles, Kellen A.; Traktuev, Dmitry; March, Keith L.
Burn wounds are a significant medical challenge today. Current treat-ment includes the use of skin grafts or wound healing scaffolds to protect the wound and promote healing. However, pre-existing conditions and fac-tors such as smoking can compromise normal healing thru decreased growth factor production, prolonged inflammation, tissue hypoxia, reduced cellular migration and ECM deposition, and impaired revascularization, making the wound more susceptible to infection. Adult pluripotent cells have been proposed as a therapy for multiple dis-orders because they have been shown to decrease inflammation and pro-mote host tissue preservation and angiogenesis. Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC) are a population of mesenchymal, pluripotent cells derived from adipose tissue. Compared to bone marrow derived MSC, ASC can be easily obtained thru minimally invasive procedures. It has been shown in previous studies that ASC improved wound closure in normal and diabetic mice and stimulated proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts, increasing the epitheli-alization of cutaneous wounds. The next challenge is to find a clinically relevant cell-delivery method. In light of this, we propose the use of current clinical wound healing scaf-folds as a delivery vehicle for ASC in combination with endothelial cell (EC) and keratinocytes. We hypothesize that that ASC will promote keratinocyte and EC survival (both are used clinically), thus promoting epithelialization and neovascularization of graft. The use of ASC, EPC and keratinocytes in combination with wound healing scaffolds currently used by physicians, such as Integra is a novel combination and will provide a faster transition to clinic if it is found to be efficacious. Our lab has shown that ASC promote survival of EC on Integra and sup-port the formation of vascular-like cord structures. Factors secreted by ASC promote keratinocytes ingrowth in a wound closure assay. Keratinocytes also showed increased survival when cultured with ASC.
ADVANCED GESTURE RECOGNIZING SURVEILANCE SYSTEMS USING MICROSOFT KINECTS
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Murray, Edward; Inman, Travis; Yang, Heng; Corbett, Benjamin; Robinson, Joshua; Chien, Stanley
This research explores the possibility of implementing an advanced ges-ture recognizing surveillance system (A.G.R.S.S.) with the capability of mon-itoring and targeting a person who performs a threatening gesture within a designated area. By networking multiple Microsoft Kinects (gesture based video game controllers) together, we hypothesize that people can be moni-tored, tracked, and targeted based on the gestures they perform. The suc-cessful development of an A.G.R.S.S. can provide significant support in spot-ting individuals who pose a threat which can have civilian and military im-plementations. Since each Kinect can provide a spatial representation for twenty joints on a person, we developed code that links the aforementioned information from each Kinect into a single program. With two Kinects run-ning, we did trials of our program to simulate a trade-off of information be-tween the two Kinects. We also used these trials to analyze the effectiveness of the gesture recognition software. We found that multiple Kinects can be linked together to monitor and target a person based on the gestures they perform. The outcome of the project is a program that uses two Kinects to observe (live video stream), target, follow, and capture a picture of a person who has simulated firing a hand gun. These results unequivocally answer the question that we set out to investigate. Therefore, we can conclude that an A.G.R.S.S. can be developed using multiple Microsoft Kinects. This research paves the way for a future A.G.R.S.S. that monitors larger areas, looks for more gestures, and implements biometrics to identify individuals of interest.
AFFINITY OF CHOLESTEROL FOR POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID-CONTAINING PHOSPHOLIPIDS
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Kagimbi, Maureen W.; Williams, Justin A.; Wassall, Stephen R.
A wide range of health benefits is associated with the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). One possible mechanism is that through our diet, they are incorporated into the phospholipids of the plasma membrane and disrupt the molecular organization of membrane do-mains due to the high disorder of PUFA. Our focus is the interaction of PUFA with cholesterol, a major component in plasma membranes. The objective here is to measure the affinity of cholesterol for PUFA-containing phospholip-ids by observing how cholesterol partitions between large unilamellar vesi-cles (LUVs) and Cyclodextrin (CD). Crucial to this determination, we need to be able to determine the concentration of cholesterol in LUVs and CD using an enzymatic colorimetric assay to create a standard curve of light absorb-ance (at 570nm wavelength) as a function of cholesterol concentration. The assay and its application to measuring binding coefficients for cholesterol will be described.
AFM-Based Nanofabrication: Modeling, Simulation, and Experimental Verification
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Promyoo, Rapeepan; El-Mounayri, Hazim; Varahramyan, Kody
Recent developments in science and engineering have advanced the fabrication techniques for micro/nanodevices. Among them, atomic force microscope (AFM) has already been used for nanomachining and fabrication of micro/nanodevices. In this research, a multi-scale computational model for AFM-based nanofabrication processes is being developed. Molecular Dynamics (MD) technique was used to model and simulate mechanical indentation and scratching at the nanoscale. MD simulation represents itself as a viable alternative to the expensive traditional experimental approach, which can be used to study the effects of various indentation variables in a much more cost effective way. The effects of workpiece materials, AFM-tip materials, AFM-tip radius, as well as crystal ori entations were investigated. The simulation allows for prediction of the indentation forces at the interface between an indenter and a workpiece. Also, the MD simulation was used to study the effects of speed on the indentation force. The material deformation and indentation geometry are extracted based on the final locations of atoms, which are displaced by the rigid indenter. Material properties including modulus of elasticity and friction coefficient are presented. AFM was used to conduct actual indentation and scratching at the nanoscale, and provide measurements to validate the predictions from the MD simulation. Qualitative agreement was found between the simulation and actual AFM-based nanomachining.
Age-Related Changes in Proximal Humerus Bone Health in White Males
(Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2012-04-13) Fuchs, Robyn K.; Mantila Roosa, Sara M.; Hurd, Andrea L; Warden, Stuart J.
The proximal humerus is a common site for osteoporotic fracture during aging, accounting for up to 5% of fractures to the appendicular skeleton. While falls onto an outstretched hand are usually physically responsible for proximal humerus fractures, the ability of the underlying bone to resist applied loads must also play a role. Few studies have assessed proximal humerus bone health with aging. The aim of the current study was to explore age-related bone changes at the proximal humerus in men. A cross-sectional study design was used to assess peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-derived bone properties of the proximal humerus in a cohort of 112 white males (age range = 30-85 yrs). A tomographic slice of the non-dominant upper extremity was acquired at 80% of humeral length proximal from its distal end—a location corresponding to the surgical neck of the humerus. Images were assessed for cortical (Ct.BMC) and trabecular (Tb.BMC) BMC, total (Tt.Ar), cortical (Ct.Ar) and medullary (Me.Ar) area, periosteal (Ps.Pm) and endosteal (Es.Pm) perimeter, cortical thickness (Ct.Th), and bone strength index for compression (BSIc). BSIc was calculated as the product of Tt.Ar and the square of total volumetric BMD. Data were plotted against age and linear regression lines assessed for their slope. Slopes were subsequently converted to percent change in the bone property per year. During aging, the proximal humerus expanded with Tt.Ar and Ps.Pm increasing at rates of 0.40%/yr and 0.19%/yr, respectively. However, Me.Ar (0.62%/yr) and Es.Pm (0.34%/yr) expanded at faster rates such that there was net loss of both Ct.BMC (-0.23%/yr) and Tb.BMC (-1.08%/yr). Also, the more rapid expansion of Me.Ar relative to Tt.Ar meant that Ct.Ar (-0.15%/yr) and Ct.Th (-0.34%/yr) both decreased with age. The net result of these mass and structural changes was progressive loss of bone strength with age, as indicated by a 0.44%/yr decline in BSIc. These data provide a picture of bone changes at the proximal humerus during aging. They suggest that between age 30 and 80 yrs, approximately 54% and 11% of Tb.BMC and Ct.BMC at the proximal humerus is lost, respectively. They also suggest that compressive strength of the proximal humerus declines by 22% between age 30 and 80 years. These declines in proximal humerus bone health have implications for fracture risk at this location during aging.

Browse

Browsing IUPUI Research Day 2012 by Title

Results Per Page

Sort Options