Effects of a Pyrrole-Based, Microtubule-Depolymerizing Compound on RAW 264.7 Macrophages

RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were exposed to the pyrrole-based compound 3,5-Dibromo-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (JG-03-14), which is a known microtubule depolymerizing agent with antitumor activity [1,2,3]. In this study exposure to JG-03-14 reduced the production of pro-inflammatory molecules by macrophages activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Treatment with the pyrrole-based compound decreased the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) released from the macrophages. Exposure to JG-03-14 also decreased TNF-α mRNA expression levels and the protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the enzyme responsible for NO production in the activated macrophages. Furthermore, JG-03-14 treatment significantly changed the degradation profile of IκB-β, an inhibitor of the NF-κB transcription factor, which suggests that JG-03–14 may attenuate the activation of the LPS-induced NF-κB signaling pathway needed to produce the pro-inflammatory mediators. We conclude that JG-03-14 possesses anti-inflammatory properties

Challenging Disciplinary Boundaries in the First Year: A New Introductory Integrated Science Course for STEM Majors

To help undergraduates make connections among disciplines so they are able to approach, evaluate, and contribute to the solutions of important global problems, our campus has been focused on interdisciplinary research and education opportunities across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This paper describes the mobilization, planning, and implementation of a first-year interdisciplinary course for STEM majors that integrates key concepts found in traditional first-semester biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics courses. This team-taught course, Integrated Quantitative Science (IQS), is half of a first-year student’s schedule in both semesters and is composed of a double lecture and a weekly lab and workshop. Features of this first-year course, including themes and concepts covered each semester, some of the materials developed, lessons learned, challenges, and preliminary measures of success are described

Challenging Disciplinary Boundaries in the First Year: A New Introductory Integrated Science Course for STEM Majors

To help undergraduates make connections among disciplines so they are able to approach, evaluate, and contribute to the solutions of important global problems, our campus has been focused on interdisciplinary research and education opportunities across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This paper describes the mobilization, planning, and implementation of a first-year interdisciplinary course for STEM majors that integrates key concepts found in traditional first-semester biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics courses. This team-taught course, Integrated Quantitative Science (IQS), is half of a first-year student’s schedule in both semesters and is composed of a double lecture and a weekly lab and workshop. Features of this first-year course, including themes and concepts covered each semester, some of the materials developed, lessons learned, challenges, and preliminary measures of success are described