University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

17 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Keen Sung¹, Sanda Dolcos², Sophie Flor-Henry³, Crystal Zhou³, Claudia Gasior⁴, Jennifer Argo⁵, Florin Dolcos^2,6,7

¹Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, ²Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, ³Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, ⁴Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, ⁵Department of Marketing, Business Economics, and Law, University of Alberta, ⁶Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ⁷Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This article demonstrates an experimental design in which whole-body animated characters are used in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of observing virtual social interactions.

Neuroscience

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection

Ekaterina Denkova¹, Trisha Chakrabarty¹, Sanda Dolcos^1,2, Florin Dolcos^1,2,3,4

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ²Psychology Department, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, ³Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, ⁴Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

We present a protocol that allows investigation of the neural correlates of recollecting emotional autobiographical memories, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This protocol can be used with both healthy and clinical participants.

Neuroscience

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Sanda Dolcos¹, Keen Sung², Ekaterina Denkova³, Roger A. Dixon^4,5, Florin Dolcos^1,6,7

¹Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, ²Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ³Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ⁴Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ⁵Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ⁶Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, ⁷Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

We present a protocol that allows investigation of the neural correlates of deliberate and automatic emotion regulation, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This protocol can be used in healthy participants, both young and older, as well as in clinical patients.

Neuroscience

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Andrea Shafer¹, Alexandru Iordan², Roberto Cabeza³, Florin Dolcos^1,4

¹Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, ²Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, ³Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, ⁴Psychology Department, Neuroscience Program, & Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

We present a protocol that uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural correlates of the memory-enhancing effect of emotion. This protocol allows identification of brain activity specifically linked to memory-related processing, contrary to more general perceptual processing, and can be used with healthy and clinical populations.

Neuroscience

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition

Gloria Wong^1,2, Sanda Dolcos^1,3, Ekaterina Denkova¹, Rajendra Morey^4,5,6, Lihong Wang^4,5, Gregory McCarthy^6,7, Florin Dolcos^1,2,3,8,9

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, ²Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, ³Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, ⁴Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University , ⁵Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University , ⁶Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Medical Center, ⁷Department of Psychology, Yale University, ⁸Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, ⁹Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois

We present a protocol that allows investigation of the neural mechanisms mediating the detrimental impact of emotion on cognition, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This protocol can be used with both healthy and clinical participants.

Biology

Visualizing Cytoplasmic Flow During Single-cell Wound Healing in Stentor coeruleus

Mark Slabodnick^1,2, Bram Prevo^1,3, Peter Gross^1,4, Janet Sheung^1,5, Wallace Marshall^1,2

¹Physiology Course, Marine Biological Laboratory, ²Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, ³Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, ⁴Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, ⁵Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The giant ciliate Stentor coeruleus is a classical system for studying regeneration and wound healing in single cells. By imaging Stentor cells simultaneously at low and high magnification it is possible to measure cytoplasmic flows before, during, and after wounding.

Neuroscience

A Comprehensive Protocol for Manual Segmentation of the Medial Temporal Lobe Structures

Matthew Moore^*1, Yifan Hu^*1, Sarah Woo¹, Dylan O'Hearn¹, Alexandru D. Iordan^2,3, Sanda Dolcos¹, Florin Dolcos^1,2,3

¹Psychology Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ²Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ³Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The present work provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for manually tracing the medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. This protocol can be applied to research involving structural and/or combined structural-functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) investigations of the MTL, in both healthy and clinical groups.

Biology

Fluorescence Imaging with One-nanometer Accuracy (FIONA)

Yong Wang^*1,2, En Cai^*1,2, Janet Sheung^1,2, Sang Hak Lee^1,2, Kai Wen Teng^2,3, Paul R. Selvin^1,2,3

¹Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ²Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ³Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Single fluorophores can be localized with nanometer precision using FIONA. Here a summary of the FIONA technique is reported, and how to carry out FIONA experiments is described.

Neuroscience

In Vivo Imaging of Dauer-specific Neuronal Remodeling in C. elegans

Nathan E. Schroeder¹, Kristen M. Flatt¹

¹Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Following exposure to specific environmental stressors, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans undergoes extensive phenotypic plasticity to enter into a stress-resistant ‘dauer’ juvenile stage. We present methods for the controlled induction and imaging of neuroplasticity during dauer.

Bioengineering

A Novel Method for Localizing Reporter Fluorescent Beads Near the Cell Culture Surface for Traction Force Microscopy

Samantha G. Knoll¹, M. Yakut Ali¹, M. Taher A. Saif¹

¹Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Traditional techniques for fabricating polyacrylamide (PA) gels containing fluorescent probes involve sandwiching a gel between an adherent surface and a glass slide. Here, we show that coating this slide with poly-D-lysine (PDL) and fluorescent probes localizes the probes to within 1.6 µm from the gel surface.

Neuroscience

Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging

Bernard J. Slater¹, Anthony Y. Fan², Kevin A. Stebbings¹, M. Taher A. Saif², Daniel A. Llano^1,3

¹Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ²Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ³Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Using multiple angles to cut the mouse pup brain, we improve upon a previously-described acute brain slice which captures the connections between most of the major auditory midbrain and forebrain structures.

Bioengineering

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone

Minyoung Kim^1,2, Hyunjoon Rhee^1,3, Ji Yoon Kang¹, Tae Song Kim¹, Rhokyun Kwak¹

¹Center for BioMicrosystems, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, ²Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, ³Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The protocol for a novel ion concentration polarization (ICP) platform that can stop the propagation of the ICP zone, regardless of the operating conditions is described. This unique ability of the platform lies in the use of merging ion depletion and enrichment, which are two polarities of the ICP phenomenon.

Environment

Improving Infrared Spectroscopy Characterization of Soil Organic Matter with Spectral Subtractions

Andrew J. Margenot¹, Sanjai J. Parikh², Francisco J. Calderón³

¹Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ²Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, ³Central Great Plains Resources Management Research, USDA ARS

SOM underlies many soil functions and processes, but its characterization by FTIR spectroscopy is often challenged by mineral interferences. The described method can increase the utility of SOM analysis by FTIR spectroscopy by subtracting mineral interferences in soil spectra using empirically obtained mineral reference spectra.

Chemistry

Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry

Kevin D. Clark^1,2, Stanislav S. Rubakhin^1,2, Jonathan V. Sweedler^1,2

¹Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ²Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Post-transcriptional modifications of RNA represent an understudied layer of translation regulation that has recently been linked to central nervous system plasticity. Here, sample preparation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach is described for simultaneous characterization of numerous RNA modifications in single neurons.

Neuroscience

A Visuospatial Planning Task Coupled with Eye-Tracker and Electroencephalogram Systems

Marcos Domic-Siede¹, Martín Irani², Joaquín Valdés³, María Rodríguez^4,5, Brice Follet^3,6, Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti^7,8, Tomás Ossandón³

¹Laboratorio de Neurociencia Cognitiva, Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Norte, ²Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ³Neurodynamics of Cognition Laboratory, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, ⁴Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de O’Higgins, ⁵Instituto de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad de O’Higgins, ⁶Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, ⁷Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, ⁸Institut Universitaire de France (IUF)

The study of cognitive planning combining EEG and eye-tracking systems provides a multimodal approach to investigate the neural mechanisms that mediate cognitive control and goal-directed behavior in humans. Here, we describe a protocol for investigating the role of brain oscillations and eye movements in planning performance.

Cancer Research

Application of AlDeSense to Stratify Ovarian Cancer Cells Based on Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A1 Activity

Michael C. Lee^*1,3,4, Sarah H. Gardner^*2,3,4, Rodrigo Tapia Hernandez^1,3,4, Jefferson Chan^1,2,3,4

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ²Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ³Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, ⁴Cancer Center of Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Methods to measure ALDH1A1 activity in live cells are critical in cancer research due to its status as a biomarker of stemness. In this study, we employed an isoform-selective fluorogenic probe to determine the relative levels of ALDH1A1 activity in a panel of five ovarian cancer cell lines.

Biology

Isolation and Characterization of the Murine Uterosacral Ligaments and Pelvic Floor Organs

Catalina S. Bastías¹, Lea M. Savard², Kevin N. Eckstein², Kathleen Connell³, Callan M. Luetkemeyer^2,5, Virginia L. Ferguson^1,2,4, Sarah Calve^1,2,4

¹Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, ²Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, ³Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, ⁴BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, ⁵Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This article presents a detailed protocol for dissecting uterosacral ligaments and other pelvic floor tissues, including the cervix, rectum, and bladder in mice, to expand the study of female reproductive tissues.