Macquarie University View Institution's Website 16 articles published in JoVE Neuroscience Studying Brain Function in Children Using Magnetoencephalography Hannah Rapaport1,2, Robert A. Seymour1,2,3, Paul F. Sowman1,2, Nick Benikos1,2, Elisabeth Stylianou1,2, Blake W. Johnson1,2, Stephen Crain1,4, Wei He1,2 1ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, 2Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, 3Aston Brain Centre, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, 4Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University This article introduces a child-friendly research protocol designed to improve data quality by reducing head movement during pediatric magnetoencephalography (MEG). We familiarize families with the MEG environment, train children to remain still using an MEG simulator, and correct for residual head movement artefacts using a real-time head movement detection system. Environment Techniques for Investigating the Anatomy of the Ant Visual System Fiorella Ramirez-Esquivel1, Willi A. Ribi1, Ajay Narendra2 1Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 2Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University This article outlines a suite of techniques in light and electron microscopy to study the internal and external eye anatomy of insects. These include several traditional techniques optimized for work on ant eyes, detailed troubleshooting, and suggestions for optimization for different specimens and regions of interest. Engineering Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction Gwénaëlle Proust1, Patrick Trimby2, Sandra Piazolo3, Delphine Retraint4 1School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, 2Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, 4Charles Delaunay Institute, LASMIS, UMR STMR CNRS 6281, University of Technology of Troyes This paper provides a detailed method to characterize the microstructure of ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline materials using a scanning electron microscope equipped with a standard electron backscatter diffraction system. Metal alloys and minerals presenting refined microstructures are analyzed using this technique, showing the diversity of its possible applications. Neuroscience Triggering Cell Stress and Death Using Conventional UV Laser Confocal Microscopy Marco Morsch1, Rowan A. W. Radford1, Emily K. Don1, Albert Lee1, Elinor Hortle1, Nicholas J. Cole1, Roger S. Chung1 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University Targeted manipulations to cause directed stress or death in individual cells have been relatively difficult to accomplish. Here, a single-cell-resolution ablation approach to selectively stress and kill individual cells in cell culture and living animals is described based on a standard confocal UV laser. Neuroscience Neuropharmacological Manipulation of Restrained and Free-flying Honey Bees, Apis mellifera Eirik Søvik*1,2, Jenny A. Plath*3,4, Jean-Marc Devaud5, Andrew B. Barron3 1Department of Science and Mathematics, Volda University College, 2Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 3Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 4Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 5Research Center on Animal Cognition, CNRS, Universite de Toulouse This manuscript describes several protocols for administering pharmacological agents to honey bees, including simple noninvasive methods for free-flying bees, as well as more invasive variants that allow precise localized treatment of restrained bees. Environment Physical Isolation of Endospores from Environmental Samples by Targeted Lysis of Vegetative Cells Tina Wunderlin1, Thomas Junier2, Christophe Paul3, Nicole Jeanneret3, Pilar Junier3 1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2Vital-IT group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 3Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel A method to single out bacterial endospores from complex microbial communities was developed to perform tailored culture or molecular studies of this group of bacteria. Neuroscience Visual Evoked Potential Recording in a Rat Model of Experimental Optic Nerve Demyelination Yuyi You1,2, Vivek K. Gupta1, Nitin Chitranshi1, Brittany Reedman1, Alexander Klistorner1,2, Stuart L. Graham1,2 1Department of Ophthalmology, Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, 2Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney Focal demyelination is induced in the optic nerve using lysolecithin microinjection. Visual evoked potentials are recorded via skull electrodes implanted over the visual cortex to examine the signal conduction along the visual pathway in vivo. This protocol details the surgical procedures underlying electrode implantation and optic nerve microinjection. Environment Screening Foodstuffs for Class 1 Integrons and Gene Cassettes Liette S. Waldron1, Michael R. Gillings1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University This protocol describes the detection of class 1 integrons and their associated gene cassettes in foodstuffs. Immunology and Infection In Vivo Assessment of Rodent Plasmodium Parasitemia and Merozoite Invasion by Flow Cytometry Patrick M. Lelliott1, Brendan J. McMorran1, Simon J. Foote1,2, Gaetan Burgio1 1Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, 2John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University The malaria parasite invades and replicates within red blood cells. The accurate assessment of merozoite invasion and parasitemia is therefore crucial in assessing the course of malaria infection. Here we describe a flow cytometry based protocol for the measurement of these parameters in a mouse model of malaria. Neuroscience The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy Nigel Tse1, Marco Morsch2, Nazanin Ghazanfari1, Louise Cole3, Archunan Visvanathan1, Catherine Leamey1, William D. Phillips1 1Physiology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, 2Motor Neuron Disease Research Group, Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, 3Advanced Microscopy Facility, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is altered in a variety of conditions that can sometimes culminate in synaptic failure. This report describes fluorescence microscope-based methods to quantify such structural changes. Medicine Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound Maggie M. Kuo1, Viachaslau Barodka2, Theodore P. Abraham3, Jochen Steppan2, Artin A. Shoukas1, Mark Butlin4, Alberto Avolio4, Dan E. Berkowitz1,2, Lakshmi Santhanam1,2 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 3Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Johns Hopkins University, 4The Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University We describe a technique for measuring aortic stiffness from its pressure-diameter relationship in vivo in mice. Aortic diameter is recorded by ultrasound and aortic pressure is measured invasively with a solid-state pressure catheter. Blood pressure is changed incrementally and the resulting diameter is measured. Behavior The Crossmodal Congruency Task as a Means to Obtain an Objective Behavioral Measure in the Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm Regine Zopf1, Greg Savage2,3, Mark A. Williams1,2 1Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, 2ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, 3Department of Psychology, Macquarie University We demonstrate how an objective measure can be employed in the widely employed rubber hand illusion paradigm. This measure is obtained by modifying the well-established crossmodal congruency task. This task allows the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the rubber hand illusion. Bioengineering Fabrication and Application of Rose Bengal-chitosan Films in Laser Tissue Repair Antonio Lauto1, Marcus Stoodley2, Matthew Barton1, John W. Morley1, David A. Mahns1, Leonardo Longo3, Damia Mawad1 1Bioelectronics and Neuroscience (BENS) research group, University of Western Sydney, NSW Australia, 2Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, NSW Australia, 3School of Medicine, University of Siena, Italy Sutures are usually needed to repair tissue during surgical procedures. However, their application can be problematic as they are invasive and may damage tissue. The fabrication and application methods of a novel tissue adhesive are here reported. This adhesive film is laser-activated and does not require the use of sutures. Biology Measurement Of Neuromagnetic Brain Function In Pre-school Children With Custom Sized MEG Graciela Tesan1, Blake W. Johnson1, Melanie Reid1, Rosalind Thornton1, Stephen Crain1 1Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University The advent of MEG systems sized for young children opens important new opportunities to study brain development. The new system, together with a protocol that aligns experimental requirements with the capacities of children, can be used to study cognitive and language processes in healthy, awake children aged three to six. Biology Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli Kevin L. Woo1 1Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University Computer-generated stimuli using the Jacky dragon as a model. Biology Testing Visual Sensitivity to the Speed and Direction of Motion in Lizards Kevin L. Woo1 1Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University Testing visual sensitivity in lizards using an operant conditioning paradigm that employs video playback of random-dot kinematograms and computer-generated invertebrates.