Each movement we make represents the final output of complex processes in the nervous system. Studies of motor control often attempt to minimize further complication by using controlled environments to generate repeated movements. However, in natural situations, the motor system faces the much more complicated task of interacting with an...
The rat whisker system has been a longstanding and fruitful model system for sensory neuroscience, because of its status as an œexpert active sensing system, and many open avenues of research still remain. One large-scale goal of the field is to œclose the loop from sensation to movement, modeling how...
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by the abnormal high blood glucose of patients. The defects in the hormonal regulation, including impaired insulin secretion, insulin action, or the combination of the two are usually the causes of such a disease. The elevated blood glucose also leads to a wide...
Currently, the only treatment for end stage liver disease is transplantation, of which there is a critical shortage of available donor tissue. Recent developments in 3D printing have greatly accelerated progress in the field of liver tissue engineering. A variety of 3D printing and additive manufacturing techniques show great promise...
Up to two thirds of individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke suffer life-long residual impairments to their paretic hands, affecting their independence and quality of life. These impairments stem initially from losses of direct corticospinal projections that result in an increased reliance on indirect bulbospinal pathways. This reliance on the indirect...
The rodent whisker system is a widely used model to study the sense of touch. Its neuroanatomy parallels that of the human, but its mechanics are vastly simplified compared to that of the human tactile system. Just like other modalities with complex sensor accessory structures, the geometry, mechanics, and material...
Many stroke survivors are left with residual movement impairments. Treating these impairments has proven difficult, because it is often unclear which mechanisms drive movement impairment. While the exact mechanisms are still uncertain, at present, evidence suggests that neuromuscular function is disrupted in two key domains following stroke: muscle biomechanics, and...
Humans have a remarkable ability to walk on a variety of surfaces. Compliant, uneven, or even slippery surfaces present little challenge to most people, yet are hazardous to individuals with locomotor impairments and even to bipedal robotic systems designed to mimic what we understand about human locomotion. Our ability to...
Space, time and energy are the three most fundamental elements in our intellectual understanding of the physical world. Here, I found how these same elements also contribute to a stable and coherent representation that the motor system forms by combining information from different sensory sources, such as vision, touch and...
Paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI) is devastating, dramatically reducing the independence of affected individuals. Currently, functional electrical stimulation (FES), controlled by a patient’s residual movements, is used clinically to restore a limited range of voluntary movement. However, if FES could be controlled using signals recorded from the brain,...
The brain has a remarkable ability to rapidly adapt behavior. On the scale of development, the brain learns to control the complex dynamics of our limbs by forming and pruning synaptic connections. However, the motor system also learns on much shorter timescales, such as when learning to hit the bullseye...
Step length is a common measurement taken during gait analyses. It allows one to determine asymmetries between the two legs, compare differences between subjects, and even compare intra-subject differences for changing parameters. Yet there has been little investigation of step length specifically and how it is modulated during walking. This...
The objective of this study was to investigate how brain plasticity can be expressed following injury to the nervous system. This plasticity can occur after either direct injury to the brain, such as in hemiparetic stroke, or injury to the peripheral nerves, such as in upper-limb amputation. In order to...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant liver tumor, with the highest incidence in Asia. Developed countries, including the United States, have had an 80% increase in HCC incidence over the last 15-20 years.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a promising imaging modality with superior soft tissue...
All forces applied to the human hand are transmitted through the arm to the trunk. Hence, the arm represents an important mechanical interface between the trunk and the environment. By regulating this interface in a task-appropriate manner, humans are able to interact with a wide range of tools and objects,...
Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is emerging as a promising method for noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery diseases. Nonetheless, acquisition of large-coverage high-resolution coronary artery images requires free-breathing acquisition. Accurately measuring and correcting respiratory motion has been one of the major challenges to coronary MRA. Diaphragmatic navigator (NAV), the current...
A critical challenge in improving the quality of life for spinal cord injury survivors is to restore the capacity to grasp and manipulate objects. While progress has been made to restore hand function by using functional electrical stimulation (FES) to activate muscles, providing the means to control the multiple degrees...
Articular cartilage is a type of connective tissue that protects the underlying bone from the compressive forces of daily activities. When cartilage is damaged via a traumatic event, chondral defects are formed and require medical intervention. However, current treatments are of inconsistent efficacy and only benefit a subset of patients....
Caffeine is the most widely consumed methylxanthine, primarily found in beverages. As a nonspecific antagonist to adenosine, caffeine binds to both A1 and A2A adenosine receptors to increase neural activity and decrease cerebral blood flow, which allows it to alter neurovascular coupling. However, there has been much debate about the...
The adhesive strategies of living creatures are diverse, ranging from temporary to permanent adhesions with various functions such as locomotion, self-defense, communication, colony formation, and so on. The classic example of temporary adhesion is the gecko, which is known for its ability to walk along vertical and even inverted surfaces;...