Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses Wenqian Hu, Yung C. Shin, Galen B. KingMechanical Engineering, Purdue University An experimental method to examine the early plasma evolution induced by ultrashort laser pulses is described. Using this method, high quality images of early plasma are obtained with high temporal and spatial resolutions. A novel integrated atomistic model is used to simulate and explain the mechanisms of early plasma. Fabrication, Densification, and Replica Molding of 3D Carbon Nanotube Microstructures Davor Copic1, Sei Jin Park1, Sameh Tawfick1, Michael De Volder2, A. John Hart11Mechanosynthesis Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan , 2IMEC, Belgium We present methods for fabrication of patterned microstructures of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and their use as master molds for production of polymer microstructures with organized nanoscale surface texture. The CNT forests are densified by condensation of solvent onto the substrate, which significantly increases their packing density and enables self-directed formation of 3D shapes. NADH Fluorescence Imaging of Isolated Bi-ventricular Working Rabbit Hearts Huda Asfour1, Anastasia M. Wengrowski1, Rafael Jaimes III1, Luther M. Swift2, Matthew W. Kay11Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, The George Washington University, 2Pharmacology and Physiology Department, The George Washington University The objective is to monitor the mitochondrial redox state of isolated hearts within the context of physiologic preload and afterload pressures. A biventricular working rabbit heart model is presented. High spatiotemporal resolution fluorescence imaging of NADH is used to monitor the mitochondrial redox state of epicardial tissue. Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale Yang Hsia, Eric Gnesa, Ryan Pacheco, Kristin Kohler, Felicia Jeffery, Craig VierraDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific Despite the outstanding mechanical and biochemical properties of spider silks, this material cannot be harvested in large quantities by conventional means. Here we describe an efficient strategy to spin artificial spider silk fibers, which is an important process for investigators studying spider silk production and their use as next-generation biomaterials. Gene Transfer into Older Chicken Embryos by ex ovo Electroporation Jiankai Luo1, Xin Yan1, Juntang Lin2, Arndt Rolfs11Albrecht-Kossel-Institute for Neuroregeneration, School of Medicine University of Rostock, 2Institute of Anatomy I, School of Medicine University of Jena A method of gene transfer into chicken embryos at later incubation stages (older than Hamburger and Hamilton stage (HH) 22) is described. This method overcomes disadvantages of in ovo electroporation applied to older chicken embryos and is a useful technique to study gene function and regulation at older developmental stages. A Convenient and General Expression Platform for the Production of Secreted Proteins from Human Cells Halil Aydin*, Farshad C. Azimi*, Jonathan D. Cook*, Jeffrey E. LeeDepartment of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto* These authors contributed equally. In the post-human genomics era, the availability of recombinant proteins in native conformations is crucial to structural, functional and therapeutic research and development. Here, we describe a test- and large-scale protein expression system in human embryonic kidney 293T cells that can be used to produce a variety of recombinant proteins. Ex vivo Culturing of Whole, Developing Drosophila Brains Ranjini Prithviraj1, 2, Svetlana Trunova1, 2, Edward Giniger1, 21National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD This article describes a method by which one can mimic in vivo development of the Drosophila mushroom body in an ex vivo culture system.
