University of Wollongong

6 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

High-resolution In Vivo Manual Segmentation Protocol for Human Hippocampal Subfields Using 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Julie Winterburn^1,2, Jens C. Pruessner³, Chavez Sofia^4,5, Mark M. Schira^6,7, Nancy J. Lobaugh^4,8, Aristotle N. Voineskos^5,9, M. Mallar Chakravarty^1,2

¹Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, ²Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Douglas Institute, McGill University, ³McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, ⁴MRI Unit, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, ⁵Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, ⁶School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, ⁷Neuroscience Research Australia, ⁸Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, ⁹Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Research Laboratory, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

The goal of this manuscript is to study the hippocampus and hippocampal subfields using MRI. The manuscript describes a protocol for segmenting the hippocampus and five hippocampal substructures: cornu ammonis (CA) 1, CA2/CA3, CA4/dentate gyrus, strata radiatum/lacunosum/moleculare, and subiculum.

Engineering

In Situ Neutron Powder Diffraction Using Custom-made Lithium-ion Batteries

William R. Brant¹, Siegbert Schmid¹, Guodong Du², Helen E. A. Brand³, Wei Kong Pang^2,4,5, Vanessa K. Peterson⁴, Zaiping Guo^2,5, Neeraj Sharma⁶

¹School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, ²Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, ³Australian Synchrotron, ⁴Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ⁵School of Mechanical, Materials, and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, ⁶School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales

We describe the design and construction of an electrochemical cell for the examination of electrode materials using in situ neutron powder diffraction (NPD). We briefly comment on alternate in situ NPD cell designs and discuss methods for the analysis of the corresponding in situ NPD data produced using this cell.

Neuroscience

Assessment of Neuromuscular Function Using Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Vianney Rozand¹, Sidney Grosprêtre¹, Paul J. Stapley², Romuald Lepers¹

¹INSERM U1093, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Univ. Bourgogne Franche–Comté, ²Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong

We present a protocol to assess changes in neuromuscular function. Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a non-invasive method that evokes muscular responses. Electrophysiological and mechanical properties of these responses permit the evaluation of neuromuscular function from brain to muscle (supra-spinal, spinal and peripheral levels).

Chemistry

Chemical Synthesis of Porous Barium Titanate Thin Film and Thermal Stabilization of Ferroelectric Phase by Porosity-Induced Strain

Norihiro Suzuki^1,2, Minoru Osada³, Motasim Billah^3,4, Yoshio Bando^3,4, Yusuke Yamauchi^5,6, Shahriar A. Hossain^3,4

¹Research Institute for Science and Technology (RIST), Tokyo University of Science (TUS), ²International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), ³International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), ⁴Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong, ⁵School of Chemical Engineering, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland, ⁶Department of Plant & Environmental New Resources, Kyung Hee University

Here, we present a protocol for the synthesis of porous barium titanate (BaTiO₃) thin film by a surfactant-assisted sol-gel method, in which self-assembled amphipathic surfactant micelles are used as an organic template.

Environment

A Novel Method for the Pentosan Analysis Present in Jute Biomass and Its Conversion into Sugar Monomers Using Acidic Ionic Liquid

Babasaheb M. Matsagar¹, Shahriar A. Hossain^2,3, Tofazzal Islam⁴, Yusuke Yamauchi^2,3,5,6, Kevin C.-W. Wu¹

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, ²International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), ³Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong, ⁴Department of Biotechnology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, ⁵School of Chemical Engineering & Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland, ⁶Department of Plant and Environmental New Resources, Kyung Hee University

We present a protocol for the synthesis of C5 sugars (xylose and arabinose) from a renewable non-edible lignocellulosic biomass (i.e., jute) with the presence of Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (BAILs) as the catalyst in water. The BAILs catalyst exhibited better catalytic performance than conventional mineral acid catalysts (H₂SO₄ and HCl).

Biology

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes

Nicholas Kusi-Appauh¹, Stefan H. Mueller¹, Stephen F. Ralph¹, Olga Yurieva^2,3, Michael E. O’Donnell^2,3, Jacob S. Lewis¹, Lisanne M. Spenkelink¹

¹Molecular Horizons and School of Science, University of Wollongong, ²Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rockefeller University, ³Laboratory of DNA Replication, Rockefeller University

This protocol outlines a fluorescence microscopy-based single-molecule DNA replication assay, enabling real-time visualization of interactions between DNA polymerases and obstacles such as G-quadruplex structures.