Research-practice interaction: Building bridges, closing the gap

Previous work in the CHI community has identified and explored gaps between theory and practice in HCI research [2]. The recently formed SIGCHI Community on Research-Practice Interaction aims to help bridge the gap between research and practice, by for example supporting practitioner-­friendly dissemination of results, and serving as a conduit for feedback from practitioners to researchers. This SIG is an opportunity for interested CHI attendees to meet members of the SIGCHI RPI community, and engage in discussions on RPI issues including the CHI format, dissemination of results, and supporting practice-based research

The Bernoulli Brothers and the Brachistochrone

UMKC Honors Colleg

Inhibition of laterodorsal tegmental nucleus glutamate inputs to the ventral tegmental area blocks neurochemical sensitization in mice

The reward-seeking behavior associated with human psychostimulant drug addiction are driven by dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The ability of psychostimulants to increase mesoaccumbal DA signaling is critical for their ability to promote appetitive behaviors including exploratory behaviors (locomotion) and self-administration. Sensitization results from frequent and repeated drug use and is characterized by persistent neuroadaptations including changes in glutamate receptor signaling at the VTA. These adaptations are important for turning drug use from casual to compulsive and addictive. The VTA receives signaling from many brain regions, it is unlikely they all contribute to this potentiated glutamate signaling during cocaine exposure. The laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg) provides a source of glutamate input to the VTA that excites DA signaling. In previous studies using VGluT2::Cre transgenic mice, inhibition of LDTg glutamate inputs at the VTA using optogenetics blocks the development of cocaine locomotor sensitization. Here we tested whether inhibition of LDTg glutamate inputs at the VTA blocks the development of neurochemical sensitization of nucleus accumbens (NAc) DA which is known to accompany the development of locomotor sensitization. We show that inhibition of these inputs at the VTA blocks the neurochemical sensitization of NAc DA suggesting that LDTg glutamate inputs at the VTA may be an important target for interventions aimed at preventing the transition from casual to addictive drug use

Pluto's Light Curve in 1933-1934

We are reporting on a new accurate photographic light curve of Pluto for 1933-1934 when the heliocentric distance was 40 AU. We used 43 B-band and V-band images of Pluto on 32 plates taken on 15 nights from 19 March 1933 to 10 March 1934. Most of these plates were taken with the Mount Wilson 60" and 100" telescopes, but 7 of the plates (now at the Harvard College Observatory) were taken with the 12" and 16" Metcalf doublets at Oak Ridge. The plates were measured with an iris diaphragm photometer, which has an average one-sigma photometric error on these plates of 0.08 mag as measured by the repeatability of constant comparison stars. The modern B and V magnitudes for the comparison stars were measured with the Lowell Observatory Hall 1.1-m telescope. The magnitudes in the plate's photographic system were converted to the Johnson B- and V-system after correction with color terms, even though they are small in size. We find that the average B-band mean opposition magnitude of Pluto in 1933-1934 was 15.73 +- 0.01, and we see a roughly sinusoidal modulation on the rotational period (6.38 days) with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.11 +- 0.03 mag. With this, we show that Pluto darkened by 5% from 1933-1934 to 1953-1955. This darkening from 1933-1934 to 1953-1955 cannot be due to changing viewing geometry (as both epochs had identical sub-Earth latitudes), so our observations must record a real albedo change over the southern hemisphere. The later darkening trend from 1954 to the 1980s has been explained by changing viewing geometry (as more of the darker northern hemisphere comes into view). Thus, we now have strong evidence for albedo changes on the surface of Pluto, and these are most easily explained by the systematic sublimation of frosts from the sunward pole that led to a drop in the mean surface albedo.Comment: Icarus in press, 24 page

Impact of a Freshman Academy Versus a Traditional High School on Academic Achievement in Mathematics and Literacy

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the impact of a freshman academy versus a traditional high school on the academic achievement in mathematics and literacy. The dissertation first outlined a brief history of school reform in the United States from colonial days to present. It then presented an extensive review of the literature related to the pivotal nature of the ninth-grade year and the use of freshman academies to improve student success during the ninth-grade year. The dissertation then outlined a study between two south-central Arkansas schools: a traditional high school with 151 participants, and a freshman academy with 275 participants. The study examined participant mathematics and literacy achievement by gender and socioeconomic status. Both schools were majority-White schools; therefore, ethnicity was not a variable considered in this study. There was no significant difference by gender or by socioeconomic status in the mathematics or literacy achievement between participants in a freshman academy versus those in a traditional high school. The dissertation suggested possible reasons for the results as well as considerations for future research

Inducible scAAV2.GRE.MMP1 lowers IOP long-term in a large animal model for steroid-induced glaucoma gene therapy

Current treatment of glaucoma relies on administration of daily drops or eye surgery. A gene therapy approach to treat steroid-induced glaucoma would bring a resolution to millions of people worldwide that depend on glucocorticoid therapy for a myriad of inflammatory disorders. Previously, we had characterized a short-term Adh.GRE.MMP1 gene vector for the production of steroid-induced MMP1 in the trabecular meshwork and tested reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in a sheep model. Here we conducted a trial transferring the same transgene cassette to a clinically safe vector (scAAV2), and extended the therapeutic outcome to longer periods of times. No evidence of ocular and/or systemic toxicity was observed. Viral genome distributions showed potential re-inducible vector DNAs in the trabecular meshwork (0.4 vg/cell) and negligible copies in six major internal organs (0.00002-0.005 vg/cell). Histological sections confirmed successful transduction of scAAV2.GFP to the trabecular meshwork. Optimization of the sheep steroid–induced hypertensive model revealed that topical ophthalmic drug difluprednate 0.05% (durezol) induced the highest IOP elevation in the shortest time. This is the first efficacy/toxicity study of a feasible gene therapy treatment of steroid-induced hypertension using clinically accepted scAAV vectors in a large animal model

A Method to Constrain the Size of the Protosolar Nebula

Observations indicate that the gaseous circumstellar disks around young stars vary significantly in size, ranging from tens to thousands of AU. Models of planet formation depend critically upon the properties of these primordial disks, yet in general it is impossible to connect an existing planetary system with an observed disk. We present a method by which we can constrain the size of our own protosolar nebula using the properties of the small body reservoirs in the solar system. In standard planet formation theory, after Jupiter and Saturn formed they scattered a significant number of remnant planetesimals into highly eccentric orbits. In this paper, we show that if there had been a massive, extended protoplanetary disk at that time, then the disk would have excited Kozai oscillations in some of the scattered objects, driving them into high-inclination (i > 50 deg), low-eccentricity orbits (q > 30 AU). The dissipation of the gaseous disk would strand a subset of objects in these high-inclination orbits; orbits that are stable on Gyr time scales. To date, surveys have not detected any Kuiper Belt Objects with orbits consistent with this dynamical mechanism. Using these non-detections by the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) and the Palomar Distant Solar System Survey we are able to rule out an extended gaseous protoplanetary disk (R_D > 80 AU) in our solar system at the time of Jupiter's formation. Future deep all sky surveys such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will all us to further constrain the size of the protoplanetary disk.Comment: 10 pages, Accepted to A