Standardized Testing: A Case Study of Preparation for College & Work?

The following is a case study one Illinois high school’s test results using the EXPLORE® and PLAN® tests in correlation with the students’ academic history. Juniors were administered the PLAN test in tenth grade and three years of academic history were reviewed. Seniors were administered the EXPLORE test in ninth grade, the PLAN test in tenth grade, and two years of academic history were reviewed. The results of this case study analysis have lead to recommendations regarding curriculum and its correlation to these specific standardized tests

Standardized Testing: A Case Study of Preparation for College & Work?

The following is a case study one Illinois high school’s test results using the EXPLORE® and PLAN® tests in correlation with the students’ academic history. Juniors were administered the PLAN test in tenth grade and three years of academic history were reviewed. Seniors were administered the EXPLORE test in ninth grade, the PLAN test in tenth grade, and two years of academic history were reviewed. The results of this case study analysis have lead to recommendations regarding curriculum and its correlation to these specific standardized tests

Effect of nitrogen doping on the electronic and catalytic properties of carbon nanotube electrode materials

textThis dissertation discusses the influence of nitrogen doping (N-doping) on the electronic and catalytic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These properties have been studied using a variety of techniques, in order to both qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the relationship between the nitrogen concentration and observed properties. Chapter 1 provides a general overview of CNTs and N-doping and details some of the previous research from our group. Chapter 2 discusses the assembly and characterization of free-standing electrode mats, which are used in order to understand the intrinsic physicochemical properties of the material without relying on the secondary influence of another conductive support. Raman microscopy, X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning and scanning-tunneling electron microscopy, as well as electrochemical methods were all used to demonstrate the viability of the mat electrodes for further experiments. Chapter 3 addresses the examination of a range of nitrogen concentrations in order to better understand the effects of nitrogen concentration on the electrochemical and electrical properties such as the differential capacitance, density of states at the Fermi level (D(E[subscript F])), bulk conductivity and work function. These properties were studied using a variety of techniques, including UV-photoelectron spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and conductive four point probe. Chapter 4 investigates the inherent catalysis of the nitrogen doped CNTs (N-CNTs) with respect to O2 reduction, and a complex mechanism is proposed. Electrochemical methods such as cyclic and linear sweep voltammetries as well as thermo-gravimetric analysis and gasometric analysis were all employed to determine heterogeneous decomposition rates as well as to detect intermediates of the O₂ reduction reaction. Chapter 5 discusses the electrocatalytic degradation of free cyanide (CN⁻) at the N-CNT mat electrodes. These results both provide further support for the mechanism discussed in Chapter 4, and present the opportunity for a potential application of N-CNTs for environmental purposes. Specifically, spectroscopic and electrochemical methods, in conjunction with theoretical models show both that the presence of CN⁻ does not inhibit O2 reduction, and that it can be effectively converted to cyanate (OCN⁻) at the N-CNT electrodes. Future work involving the assembly and characterization of transparent N-CNT films is discussed in Chapter 6.Chemistr

Submergence Stress Alters the Expression of Clock Genes and Configures New Zeniths and Expression of Outputs in Brachypodium distachyon

Plant networks of oscillating genes coordinate internal processes with external cues, contributing to increased fitness. We hypothesized that the response to submergence stress may dynamically change during different times of the day. In this work, we determined the transcriptome (RNA sequencing) of the model monocotyledonous plant, Brachypodium distachyon, during a day of submergence stress, low light, and normal growth. Two ecotypes of differential tolerance, Bd21 (sensitive) and Bd21-3 (tolerant), were included. We submerged 15-day-old plants under a long-day diurnal cycle (16 h light/8 h dark) and collected samples after 8 h of submergence at ZT0 (dawn), ZT8 (midday), ZT16 (dusk), ZT20 (midnight), and ZT24 (dawn). Rhythmic processes were enriched both with up- and down-regulated genes, and clustering highlighted that the morning and daytime oscillator components (PRRs) show peak expression in the night, and a decrease in the amplitude of the clock genes (GI, LHY, RVE) was observed. Outputs included photosynthesis-related genes losing their known rhythmic expression. Up-regulated genes included oscillating suppressors of growth, hormone-related genes with new late zeniths (e.g., JAZ1, ZEP), and mitochondrial and carbohydrate signaling genes with shifted zeniths. The results highlighted genes up-regulated in the tolerant ecotype such as METALLOTHIONEIN3 and ATPase INHIBITOR FACTOR. Finally, we show by luciferase assays that Arabidopsis thaliana clock genes are also altered by submergence changing their amplitude and phase. This study can guide the research of chronocultural strategies and diurnal-associated tolerance mechanisms

Studies in Theoretical Biology: A Collectionof Undergraduate Research

120 pages, 7 articles*Studies in Theoretical Biology: A Collectionof Undergraduate Research* (Castillo-Chavez, Carlos) 120 pages*A Model Describing the Response of the Immune System to Mycobacterium tuberculosis* (Herrera, Christian; Lima, Sharon; Munoz, Roberto; Ramos, Gloria; Rodriguez, Ariel; Salzberg, Claudia) 19 pages*Mathematical Models to Study the Outbreaks of Ebola* (Astacio, Jaime; Briere, DelMar; Guillen, Milton; Martinez, Josue; Rodriguez, Francisco; Valenzuela-Campos, Noe) 18 pages*Stochastic Simulations of a Spatial SIR Model* (Camacho, Judit; Carreon, Fernando; Castillo-Guajardo, Derik; Jimenez-Perez, Hugo; Montoya-Gallardo, Leticia; Saenz, Ricardo A.) 14 pages*HIV-1 Replication Rate* (Arias, Michelle J.; Inguez, Delmy; Camacho, Erika T.; Castillo, Rafael B.; Melon, Eliel; Parra, Luz E.) 20 pages*The Effects of Vaccination in a Core Group* (Bobadilla, Marina; Lozano, Sharon Ann; Maia, Jessica Mendes; Villarreal, Julio Casar; Wilson, Novaline Dawn; Winston, Roberta) 19 pages*A Mathematical Model of the Dynamics of Rickettsia rickettsii in Tick-Host Interaction* (Alderete, Mary E.; Castillo-Garsow, Carlos W.; Salivia, Guarionex Jordan; Lara-Moreno, Carlos F.; Ramirez, Gina F.; Yichoy, Monica F.) 18 page

Alopecia frontal fibrosante: relato de seis casos Frontal fibrosing alopecia: report of six cases

Alopecia frontal fibrosante é forma progressiva de alopecia cicatricial. Os casos iniciais foram relatados a partir 1994, na Austrália, em pacientes do sexo feminino pós-menopausa. Desde então inúmeros casos foram descritos na literatura sugerindo que ela é mais prevalente do que inicialmente se supunha. Seu curso progressivo se assemelha ao da alopecia androgenética; histologicamente, entretanto, o infiltrado liquenóide é evidente. O artigo relata seis casos brasileiros e discute a alopecia frontal fibrosante dentro do grupo das alopecias cicatriciais, como variante do líquen plano pilar.<br>Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a progressive cicatricial alopecia. The first cases were described in Australia in postmenopausal women, in 1994. Since then, numerous cases were reported, suggesting that frontal fibrosing alopecia is more prevalent than initially thought. Its progressive course in postmenopausal women, clinically resembles androgenetic alopecia; however, histologically, lichenoid infiltrate is evident. This article report six brazilian cases of frontal fibrosing alopecia and discusses them in the context of cicatricial alopecias, as a variant of lichen planopilaris

Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies risk loci for abdominal aortic aneurysm and highlights PCSK9 as a therapeutic target

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common disease with substantial heritability. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis from 14 discovery cohorts and uncovered 141 independent associations, including 97 previously unreported loci. A polygenic risk score derived from meta-analysis explained AAA risk beyond clinical risk factors. Genes at AAA risk loci indicate involvement of lipid metabolism, vascular development and remodeling, extracellular matrix dysregulation and inflammation as key mechanisms in AAA pathogenesis. These genes also indicate overlap between the development of AAA and other monogenic aortopathies, particularly via transforming growth factor β signaling. Motivated by the strong evidence for the role of lipid metabolism in AAA, we used Mendelian randomization to establish the central role of nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol in AAA and identified the opportunity for repurposing of proprotein convertase, subtilisin/kexin-type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors. This was supported by a study demonstrating that PCSK9 loss of function prevented the development of AAA in a preclinical mouse model. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of AAA identifies 121 independent risk loci and highlights potential therapeutic targets such as proprotein convertase, subtilisin/kexin-type 9 (PCSK9)