University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

15 articles published in JoVE

• Medicine

  
  Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology Kevin D. Phelan¹, Mohsin Syed¹, Noor Akhter¹, Tiffany W. Huitt¹, Gregory R. Snead², Billy R. Thomas³, Karen L. Yanowitz^{4 1}Division of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ³Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ⁴Department of Psychology and Counseling, Arkansas State University This article presents an overview of how synchronous web-based virtual outreach can be used to expose 6th-12th grade students to advanced imaging technologies such as ultrasound, computerized tomography, and electroencephalography. The paper discusses the methods and equipment needed to livestream integrated educational sessions for effective student engagement in STEM.

• Neuroscience

  
  Combined Mechanical and Enzymatic Dissociation of Mouse Brain Hippocampal Tissue Madison Trujillo^1,2,3, Taylor McElroy^1,2,3, Taurean Brown^1,2,3, Pilar Simmons^1,2, Fabio Ntagwabira^1,2,3, Antiño R. Allen^{1,2,3 1}Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ³Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences This neural cell dissociation protocol is intended for samples with a low amount of starting material and yields a highly viable single-cell suspension for downstream analysis, with optional fixation and staining steps.

• Cancer Research

  
  Isolating Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and CD4+ T cells from Sézary Syndrome Patients for Transcriptomic Profiling Syed J. Mehdi¹, Andrea M. Moerman-Herzog¹, Henry K. Wong^{1 1}Department of Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences We present a simple protocol for the isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from whole blood obtained from patients diagnosed with Sézary Syndrome, followed by selection of CD4+ T cells, their stimulation with phorbol12-myristate13-acetate and A23187 ionophore, and preparation of RNA for transcriptomic profiling.

• Biochemistry

  
  Assessment of Cellular Oxidation using a Subcellular Compartment-Specific Redox-Sensitive Green Fluorescent Protein Alev Tascioglu Aliyev^1,2, Francesca LoBianco¹, Kimberly J. Krager¹, Nukhet Aykin-Burns^{1 1}Division of Radiation Health, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University This protocol describes the assessment of subcellular compartment-specific redox status within the cell. A redox-sensitive fluorescent probe allows convenient ratiometric analysis in intact cells.

• Cancer Research

  
  Preparation of Primary Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells in Different Cell Cycle Phases by Centrifugal Elutriation Magdalena Delgado*¹, Anisha Kothari*¹, Walter N. Hittelman², Timothy C. Chambers^{1 1}Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center This protocol describes the use of centrifugal elutriation to separate primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells into different cell cycle phases.

• Chemistry

  
  Extraction and Purification of Polyphenols from Freeze-dried Berry Powder for the Treatment of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro Rafaela G. Feresin¹, Shirin Pourafshar^2,3, Jingwen Huang², Yitong Zhao², Bahram H. Arjmandi^2,3, Gloria Salazar^{2,3 1}Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, ³Center for Advancing Exercise and Nutrition Research on Aging (CAENRA), Florida State University This work details a step-by-step method to prepare polyphenol-rich extracts from freeze-dried berry powder. In addition, it provides a thorough description of how to use these polyphenol-rich extracts in cell culture in the presence of the peptide hormone angiotensin II (Ang II) using Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMCs).

• Neuroscience

  
  Assessment of Hippocampal Dendritic Complexity in Aged Mice Using the Golgi-Cox Method Thomas R. Groves^1,2,3, Jing Wang^1,2, Marjan Boerma^1,2, Antiño R. Allen^{1,2,3 1}Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ³Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Here we present a Golgi-Cox protocol in extensive detail. This reliable tissue stain method allows for a high-quality assessment of the cytoarchitecture in the hippocampus, and throughout the entire brain, with minimal troubleshooting.

• Biology

  
  Clock Scan Protocol for Image Analysis: ImageJ Plugins Maxim Dobretsov¹, Georg Petkau², Abdallah Hayar³, Eugen Petkau^{1 1}Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Lymphocyte Development, Max Plank Institute for Infection Biology, ³Department of Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences This paper describes two novel ImageJ plugins for 'Clock Scan' image analysis. These plugins expand the functionality of the original visual basic 6 program and, most importantly, make the program available to a large research community by bundling it with the ImageJ free image analysis software package.

• Genetics

  
  Detection of Inter-chromosomal Stable Aberrations by Multiple Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (mFISH) and Spectral Karyotyping (SKY) in Irradiated Mice Rupak Pathak¹, Igor Koturbash², Martin Hauer-Jensen^{1,3 1}Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Environmental Health, Fay W. Boozman School of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ³Surgical Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System The present protocol describes the usefulness of multiple fluorescence in situ hybridization (mFISH) and spectral karyotyping (SKY) in identifying inter-chromosomal stable aberrations in the bone marrow cells of mice after exposure to total body irradiation.

• Genetics

  
  Analysis of the Ambient Particulate Matter-induced Chromosomal Aberrations Using an In Vitro System Isabelle R. Miousse¹, Igor Koturbash¹, Marie-Cécile Chalbot², Martin Hauer-Jensen³, Ilias Kavouras², Rupak Pathak^{3 1}Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ²Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, ³Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences This protocol describes techniques for the quantification and characterization of chromosomal aberrations in vitro in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages after treatment with ambient air particulate matter.

• Neuroscience

  
  Recording Gamma Band Oscillations in Pedunculopontine Nucleus Neurons Francisco J. Urbano¹, Brennon R. Luster², Stasia D'Onofrio², Susan Mahaffey², Edgar Garcia-Rill^{2 1}IFIBYNE-CONICET, University of Buenos Aires, ²Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is located in the brainstem and its neurons are maximally activated during waking and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep brain states. This work describes the experimental approach to record in vitro gamma band subthreshold membrane oscillation in PPN neurons.

• Medicine

  
  Image-guided Convection-enhanced Delivery into Agarose Gel Models of the Brain Karl A. Sillay^1,2, S. Gray McClatchy³, Brandon A. Shepherd¹, Garrett T. Venable¹, Tyler S. Fuehrer^{4 1}University of Tennessee Health Science Center, ²Semmes-Murphey Clinic, ³University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ⁴Restorative Neurosciences Foundation Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) has been proposed as a treatment option for a wide range of neurological diseases. In order to prepare health care professionals for adoption of CED, accessible training models are needed. We describe the use of agarose gel as such a model of the human brain for testing, research, and training.

• Biology

  
  Assessment of Mitochondrial Functions and Cell Viability in Renal Cells Overexpressing Protein Kinase C Isozymes Grażyna Nowak¹, Diana Bakajsova^{1 1}Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences The effects of activation of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes on mitochondrial functions associated with respiration and oxidative phosphorylation and on cell viability are described. The approach adapts adenoviral technique to selectively overexpress PKC isozymes in primary cell culture and a variety of assays to determine mitochondrial functions and energy status of the cell.

• Biology

  
  Application of MassSQUIRM for Quantitative Measurements of Lysine Demethylase Activity Lauren P. Blair¹, Nathan L. Avaritt¹, Alan J. Tackett^{1 1}Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences We present a method for using MALDI mass spectrometry and reductive methylation chemistry to quantify changes in lysine methylation.

• Immunology and Infection

  
  Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus Xuelian Wang¹, William W. Greenfield², Hannah N. Coleman³, Lindsey E. James³, Mayumi Nakagawa^{3 1}Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, ²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ³Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Characterizing T-cell epitopes of pathogens that cause localized infections such as human papillomavirus is a challenge because of limited number of T cells in circulation. A method is described in which rare T cells were isolated and were characterized starting with a very small number of cells.