Browsing by Author "Wu, Ying"

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    Assessment of the Efficacy of MRI for Detectionof Changes in Bone Morphology in a MouseModel of Bone Injury
    (Wiley, 2013-07-11) Taha, May A; Manske, Sarah; Kristensen, Erika; Taiani, Jaymi; Krawetz, Roman; Wu, Ying; Ponjevic, Dragana; Matyas, John; Boyd, Steven; Rancourt, Derrick; Dunn, Jeffrey F.
    Purpose To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be used to track changes in skeletal morphology during bone healing using high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a standard. We used a mouse model of bone injury to compare μCT with MRI. Materials and Methods Surgery was performed to induce a burr hole fracture in the mouse tibia. A selection of biomaterials was immediately implanted into the fractures. First we optimized the imaging sequences by testing different MRI pulse sequences. Then changes in bone morphology over the course of fracture repair were assessed using in vivo MRI and μCT. Histology was performed to validate the imaging outcomes. Results The rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequence provided sufficient contrast between bone and the surrounding tissues to clearly reveal the fracture. It allowed detection of the fracture clearly 1 and 14 days postsurgery and revealed soft tissue changes that were not clear on μCT. In MRI and μCT the fracture was seen at day 1 and partial healing was detected at day 14. Conclusion The RARE sequence was the most suitable for MRI bone imaging. It enabled the detection of hard and even soft tissue changes. These findings suggest that MRI could be an effective imaging modality for assessing changes in bone morphology and pathobiology.
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    Gray matter hypoxia in the brain of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of multiple sclerosis
    (2016-01-14) Johnson, Thomas W.; Dunn, Jeff F.; Wu, Ying; Nathoo, Nabeela; Rogers, James A.; Yong, V. Wee
    Background: Multiple sclerosis has a significant inflammatory component. As inflammation can induce and be modulated by hypoxia, the presence of hypoxia could provide clues about immune response regulation in MS. Objective: quantify oxygenation in gray matter (GM) of mice with the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model to determine if hypoxia exists in a demyelination model associated with chronic inflammation. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were implanted with a fiber-optic sensor in the cerebellum (n=13) and cortex (n=21). We measured PO2 in awake, unrestrained animals from baseline up to 36 days post-induction for EAE. Results: There were more days with hypoxia compared with hyperoxia (cerebellum: 13/67 vs. 7/67 days; cortex: 15/112 vs. 2/112). Cerebellum showed the largest differences between days 13-17, corresponding to high behavioral deficits. This occurred later for cortex (day 23). Hypoxia in the cortex correlated with increased behavioral deficits and increased variation (based on z-score comparisons with baseline and age-matched controls) in the cerebellum correlated with clinical deficits. Conclusions: The presence of hypoxia and increased variation in GM oxygenation indicates that oxygen may change enough to modulate the immune response. The cause may relate to increased metabolic dysfunction, disruption of neurovascular coupling or increased oxidative metabolism in activated microglia.
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    Hypoxia and Inflammation-Induced Disruptions of the Blood-Brain and Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barriers Assessed Using a Novel T1-Based MRI Method
    (Springer Verlag, 2016-01) Nathoo, Nabeela; Jalal, Hamza; Natah, Sirajedin S.; Zhang, Qiong; Wu, Ying; Dunn, Jeffery F.
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    Monitoring angiogenesis using a human compatible calibration for broadband near-infrared spectroscopy
    (Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), 2013-01) Yang, Runze; Zhang, Qiong; Wu, Ying; Dunn, Jeffery F.
    Angiogenesis is a hallmark of many conditions, including cancer, stroke, vascular disease, diabetes, and high-altitude exposure. We have previously shown that one can study angiogenesis in animal models by using total hemoglobin (tHb) as a marker of cerebral blood volume (CBV), measured using broadband near-infrared spectroscopy (bNIRS). However, the method was not suitable for patients as global anoxia was used for the calibration. Here we determine if angiogenesis could be detected using a calibration method that could be applied to patients. CBV, as a marker of angiogenesis, is quantified in a rat cortex before and after hypoxia acclimation. Rats are acclimated at 370-mmHg pressure for three weeks, while rats in the control group are housed under the same conditions, but under normal pressure. CBV increased in each animal in the acclimation group. The mean CBV (%volume∕volume) is 3.49% 0.43% (mean SD) before acclimation for the experimental group, and 4.76% 0.29% after acclimation. The CBV for the control group is 3.28% 0.75%, and 3.09% 0.48% for the two measurements. This demonstrates that angiogenesis can be monitored noninvasively over time using a bNIRS system with a calibration method that is compatible with human use and less stressful for studies using animals.
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    Training the Brain to Survive Stroke
    (Public Library of Science, 2012-09-13) Dunn, Jeffrey F.; Wu, Ying; Zhao, Zonghang; Srinivasan, Sathya; Natah, Sirajedin
    Background: Presently, little can be done to repair brain tissue after stroke damage. We hypothesized that the mammalian brain has an intrinsic capacity to adapt to low oxygen which would improve outcome from a reversible hypoxic/ischemic episode. Acclimation to chronic hypoxia causes increased capillarity and tissue oxygen levels which may improve the capacity to survive ischemia. Identification of these adaptations will lead to protocols which high risk groups could use to improve recovery and reduce costs. Methods and Findings: Rats were exposed to hypoxia (3 weeks living at K an atmosphere). After acclimation, capillary density was measured morphometrically and was increased by 30% in the cortex. Novel implantable oxygen sensors showed that partial pressure of oxygen in the brain was increased by 40% in the normal cortex. Infarcts were induced in brain with 1 h reversible middle cerebral artery occlusions. After ischemia (48 h) behavioural scores were improved and T2 weighted MRI lesion volumes were reduced by 52% in acclimated groups. There was a reduction in inflammation indicated by reduced lymphocytes (by 27–33%), and ED1 positive cells (by 35–45%). Conclusions: It is possible to stimulate a natural adaptive mechanism in the brain which will reduce damage and improve outcome for a given ischemic event. Since these adaptations occur after factors such as HIF-1a have returned to baseline, protection is likely related more to morphological changes such as angiogenesis. Such pre-conditioning, perhaps with exercise or pharmaceuticals, would not necessarily reduce the incidence of stroke, but the severity of damage could be reduced by 50%.