College Prep for Whom? The Changing Architecture of an African American School in a Gentrifying Community

This study focuses on architectural transformations to Martin Luther King High School as it transformed to Martin Luther King College Preparatory High School in a gentri- fied neighborhood on the south side of Chicago called North Kenwood. Gentrification is the renovation of low-income neighborhoods by middle-class individuals. Scholars argue that when a neighborhood undergoes gentrification, the schools are also renovated to reflect the new residents’ demands for quality education. This study also focuses on the school’s renova- tions between 1997 and 2002. In 1997, KHS was underperforming in attendance and test scores. In 1999 KHS was targeted for renovation and major changes in curriculum that would make it a selective enrollment college preparatory high school. I use data from eight in-depth interviews of students and staff to get their perspectives on King High School before the changes, King College Prep after the changes, the neighborhood during the different eras of the school, and how these changes affected staff and students. Utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT) and how it interconnects with the issue of class, I argue that King College Preparatory High School’s renovations and curriculum changes served as a signal to more affluent African American families that the refurbished high school was of good quality.Ope

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal_Fall2012_Vol.1

The TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal is the official publication of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The journal includes abstracts of the students' final paper and represents combined efforts of students and their research mentors. The views expressed in the papers and abstracts are not intended to represent the views, beliefs, interests, values, or practices of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program grant from the U.S. Department of EducationOpe

TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal_Fall2012_Vol.1

The TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal is the official publication of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The journal includes abstracts of the students' final paper and represents combined efforts of students and their research mentors. The views expressed in the papers and abstracts are not intended to represent the views, beliefs, interests, values, or practices of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program grant from the U.S. Department of EducationOpe

TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal_Spring2013_Vol.1

The TRiO McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal is the official publication of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The journal includes abstracts of the students' final paper and represents combined efforts of students and their research mentors. The views expressed in the papers and abstracts are not intended to represent the views, beliefs, interests, values, or practices of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program grant from the U.S. Department of EducationRonald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program grant from the U.S. Department of EducationOpe

Assessing histone demethylase inhibitors in cells : lessons learned

Background: Histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are of interest as drug targets due to their regulatory roles in chromatin organization and their tight associations with diseases including cancer and mental disorders. The first KDM inhibitors for KDM1 have entered clinical trials, and efforts are ongoing to develop potent, selective and cell-active ‘probe’ molecules for this target class. Robust cellular assays to assess the specific engagement of KDM inhibitors in cells as well as their cellular selectivity are a prerequisite for the development of high-quality inhibitors. Here we describe the use of a high-content cellular immunofluorescence assay as a method for demonstrating target engagement in cells. Results: A panel of assays for the Jumonji C subfamily of KDMs was developed to encompass all major branches of the JmjC phylogenetic tree. These assays compare compound activity against wild-type KDM proteins to a catalytically inactive version of the KDM, in which residues involved in the active-site iron coordination are mutated to inactivate the enzyme activity. These mutants are critical for assessing the specific effect of KDM inhibitors and for revealing indirect effects on histone methylation status. The reported assays make use of ectopically expressed demethylases, and we demonstrate their use to profile several recently identified classes of KDM inhibitors and their structurally matched inactive controls. The generated data correlate well with assay results assessing endogenous KDM inhibition and confirm the selectivity observed in biochemical assays with isolated enzymes. We find that both cellular permeability and competition with 2-oxoglutarate affect the translation of biochemical activity to cellular inhibition. Conclusions: High-content-based immunofluorescence assays have been established for eight KDM members of the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenases covering all major branches of the JmjC-KDM phylogenetic tree. The usage of both full-length, wild-type and catalytically inactive mutant ectopically expressed protein, as well as structure-matched inactive control compounds, allowed for detection of nonspecific effects causing changes in histone methylation as a result of compound toxicity. The developed assays offer a histone lysine demethylase family-wide tool for assessing KDM inhibitors for cell activity and on-target efficacy. In addition, the presented data may inform further studies to assess the cell-based activity of histone lysine methylation inhibitors

Genomic characterization of cervical lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma following the Chornobyl accident

Abstract Childhood radioactive iodine exposure from the Chornobyl accident increased papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) risk. While cervical lymph node metastases (cLNM) are well-recognized in pediatric PTC, the PTC metastatic process and potential radiation association are poorly understood. Here, we analyze cLNM occurrence among 428 PTC with genomic landscape analyses and known drivers (131I-exposed = 349, unexposed = 79; mean age = 27.9 years). We show that cLNM are more frequent in PTC with fusion (55%) versus mutation (30%) drivers, although the proportion varies by specific driver gene (RET-fusion = 71%, BRAF-mutation = 38%, RAS-mutation = 5%). cLNM frequency is not associated with other characteristics, including radiation dose. cLNM molecular profiling (N = 47) demonstrates 100% driver concordance with matched primary PTCs and highly concordant mutational spectra. Transcriptome analysis reveals 17 differentially expressed genes, particularly in the HOXC cluster and BRINP3; the strongest differentially expressed microRNA also is near HOXC10. Our findings underscore the critical role of driver alterations and provide promising candidates for elucidating the biological underpinnings of PTC cLNM