University of Hull

9 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Medicine

Computerized Dynamic Posturography for Postural Control Assessment in Patients with Intermittent Claudication

Natalie Vanicek^1,2, Stephanie A. King², Risha Gohil^2,3, Ian C. Chetter³, Patrick A Coughlin^3,4

¹Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, ²Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, University of Hull, ³Academic Vascular Department, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals, ⁴Department of Vascular Surgery, Addenbrookes Hospital

Individuals with intermittent claudication exhibit poor balance compared to healthy controls. Computerized dynamic posturography is an objective method for measuring an individual's postural responses to balance disturbances. This provides an objective reflection of the person’s ability to respond to situations under which sensory stimuli are altered and unexpected perturbations occur.

Cancer Research

How to Study Basement Membrane Stiffness as a Biophysical Trigger in Prostate Cancer and Other Age-related Pathologies or Metabolic Diseases

Mercedes Rodriguez-Teja¹, Claudia Breit², Mitchell Clarke³, Kamil Talar³, Kai Wang³, Mohammad A. Mohammad³, Sage Pickwell³, Guillermina Etchandy¹, Graeme J. Stasiuk³, Justin Sturge³

¹Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República (UDELAR), ²Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, ³School of Biological, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences, University of Hull

Here we explain a protocol for modelling the biophysical microenvironment where crosslinking and increased stiffness of the basement membrane (BM) induced by advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) has pathological relevance.

Bioengineering

Expanding Nanopatterned Substrates Using Stitch Technique for Nanotopographical Modulation of Cell Behavior

Kai Wang¹, Kam W. Leong², Yong Yang¹

¹Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, ²Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University

A protocol for producing a large area of nanopatterned substrate from small nanopatterned molds for study of nanotopographical modulation of cell behavior is presented.

Bioengineering

Scaffold-supported Transplantation of Islets in the Epididymal Fat Pad of Diabetic Mice

Kai Wang^*1, Xi Wang^*1, Cheng-sheng Han^*2, Liang-yi Chen², Ying Luo¹

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Peking University, ²Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University

This protocol demonstrates murine islet isolation and seeding onto a decellularized scaffold. Scaffold-supported islets were transplanted into the epididymal fat pad of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Islets survived at the transplantation site and reversed the hyperglycemic condition.

Biology

Implantation of Electrospun Vascular Grafts with Optimized Structure in a Rat Model

Kang Qin¹, Yifan Wu¹, Yiwa Pan¹, Kai Wang¹, Deling Kong¹, Qiang Zhao¹

¹State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Nankai University

Here, we present a modified electrospinning method to fabricate PCL vascular grafts with thick fibers and large pores, and describe a protocol to evaluate the in vivo performance in a rat model of abdominal aorta replacement.

Engineering

Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing

Matthews M. Springer¹, Benjamin D. Strycker^1,2, Kai Wang¹, Alexei V. Sokolov^1,2, Marlan O. Scully^1,2

¹Texas A&M University, ²Baylor University

High-intensity femtosecond pulses of laser light can undergo cycles of Kerr self-focusing and plasma defocusing, propagating an intense sub-millimeter-diameter beam over long distances. We describe a technique for generating and using these filaments to perform remote imaging and sensing beyond the classical diffraction limits of linear optics.

Biology

A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana

Kai Wang¹, Kayin Law¹, Manhin Leung¹, Waishing Wong¹, Ning Li^1,2

¹Division of Life Science, Energy Institute, Institute for the Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, ²Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

A gentle touch-force loading machine is built from human hair brushes, robotic arms and a controller. The hair brushes are driven by robotic arms installed on the machine and move periodically to apply touch-force on plants. The strength of machine-driven hair touches is comparable to that of manually applied touches.

Developmental Biology

Human Ex vivo Wound Model and Whole-Mount Staining Approach to Accurately Evaluate Skin Repair

Holly Nicola Wilkinson¹, Alexandria Sarah Kidd¹, Elizabeth Rose Roberts¹, Matthew James Hardman¹

¹Centre for Atherothrombosis and Metabolic Disease, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull

Here we demonstrate an optimized technique for assessing wound repair using ex vivo human skin combined with a whole-mount staining approach. This methodology provides a pre-clinical platform for the evaluation of potential wound therapies.

Immunology and Infection

Alternative Methods for the Detection of Superoxide Anion Generation in Platelets

Dina Vara¹, Sophie Leonard², Simon Calaminus², Giordano Pula²

¹Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, South Mimms laboratories, ²Hull York Medical School, University of Hull

The generation of superoxide anion is essential for the stimulation of platelets and, if dysregulated, critical for thrombotic diseases. Here, we present three protocols for the selective detection of superoxide anions and the study of redox-dependent platelet regulation.