Journal Monthly Highlights: September 2019

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1JoVE Content Production

Evaluation of the Productivity of Social Wasp Colonies (Vespinae) and an Introduction to the Traditional Japanese Vespula Wasp Hunting Technique

Tatsuya Saga1,2
1Tajimi Senior High School, 2Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University

This methodological paper evaluates the productivity of a social wasp colony by examining the number of meconia per 100 cells of comb, to estimate the total number of adults the wasps produced. The associated video describes how to search for Vespula wasp nests, a method developed by amateur wasp chasers.

Providing Meaningful Environmental Enrichment and Measuring Saliva Cortisol in Pigs Housed on Slatted Flooring

Liat Morgan1, Tal Raz1
1Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

This protocol demonstrates how to provide practical meaningful environmental enrichment for pigs which are housed on slatted flooring during the different stages of their lives, and how to collect saliva samples in a non-invasive manner for the measurement of cortisol concentrations, as a biomarker for acute stress.

Application of Consistent Massage-Like Perturbations on Mouse Calves and Monitoring the Resulting Intramuscular Pressure Changes

Naoyoshi Sakitani*1, Takahiro Maekawa*1, Kumiko Saitou1,2, Katsuhiko Suzuki3, Shuhei Murase1,4, Masakuni Tokunaga1, Daisuke Yoshino5, Keisuke Sawada6, Atsushi Takashima7, Motoshi Nagao1, Toru Ogata1, Yasuhiro Sawada1,8
1Department of Rehabilitation for Motor Functions, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 2Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 3Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 4Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 5Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, 6University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 7Department of Assistive Technology, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 8Department of Clinical Research, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities
* These authors contributed equally

Here we describe the protocols for applying defined mechanical loads to mouse calves and for monitoring the concomitant intramuscular pressure changes. The experimental systems that we have developed can be useful for investigating the mechanism behind the beneficial effects of physical exercise and massage.

DNA Origami-Mediated Substrate Nanopatterning of Inorganic Structures for Sensing Applications

Petteri Piskunen1, Boxuan Shen1, Sofia Julin1, Heini Ijäs1,2, J. Jussi Toppari3, Mauri A. Kostiainen1,4, Veikko Linko1,4
1Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 2University of Jyväskylä, Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 3University of Jyväskylä, Nanoscience Center, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, 4HYBER Center of Excellence, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University

Here, we describe a protocol to create discrete and accurate inorganic nanostructures on substrates using DNA origami shapes as guiding templates. The method is demonstrated by creating plasmonic gold bowtie-shaped antennas on a transparent substrate (sapphire).

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