Exposure to traffic pollution, acute inflammation and autonomic response in a panel of car commuters

Background Exposure to traffic pollution has been linked to numerous adverse health endpoints. Despite this, limited data examining traffic exposures during realistic commutes and acute response exists. Objectives: We conducted the Atlanta Commuters Exposures (ACE-1) Study, an extensive panel-based exposure and health study, to measure chemically-resolved in-vehicle exposures and corresponding changes in acute oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, pulmonary and systemic inflammation and autonomic response. Methods We recruited 42 adults (21 with and 21 without asthma) to conduct two 2-h scripted highway commutes during morning rush hour in the metropolitan Atlanta area. A suite of in-vehicle particulate components were measured in the subjects’ private vehicles. Biomarker measurements were conducted before, during, and immediately after the commutes and in 3 hourly intervals after commutes. Results At measurement time points within 3 h after the commute, we observed mild to pronounced elevations relative to baseline in exhaled nitric oxide, C-reactive-protein, and exhaled malondialdehyde, indicative of pulmonary and systemic inflammation and oxidative stress initiation, as well as decreases relative to baseline levels in the time-domain heart-rate variability parameters, SDNN and rMSSD, indicative of autonomic dysfunction. We did not observe any detectable changes in lung function measurements (FEV1, FVC), the frequency-domain heart-rate variability parameter or other systemic biomarkers of vascular injury. Water soluble organic carbon was associated with changes in eNO at all post-commute time-points (p \u3c 0.0001). Conclusions Our results point to measureable changes in pulmonary and autonomic biomarkers following a scripted 2-h highway commute

An Introduction to Statistics: An Active Learning Approach

An Introduction to Statistics is the ideal text for incorporating an active learning approach to the subject of introductory statistics. Authors Kieth A. Carlson and Jennifer R. Winquist carefully and clearly explain fundamental statistical concepts in short and easy-to-understand chapters. The workbook activities were empirically developed to both reinforce and expand on these fundamental concepts. These activities are self-correcting and allow students to discover and correct their own misunderstandings early in the learning process. This learner-centered approach enables students to take ownership of thier learning and “read with purpose.” Based on contemporary memory research (e.g., the testing effect, embedded reading questions), the text is designed to actively engage students in learning statistics while they generate explanations, which leads to better long term retention. Along with carefully developed learning objectives, realistic research scenarios, practice problems, and self-test questions throughout, this text provides the clarity necessary for a thorough understanding of statistical concepts

Sources of the discontinuity effect: Being in a group, playing against a group, and between-sides communication.

Sources of the discontinuity effect: Being in a group, playing against a group, and between-sides communication

The Effect of a Choice Mindset on Perceptions of Domestic Violence

This study explored the effect of the priming of choice on perceptions of domestic violence. The hypothesis was that people who were primed with choice would be more likely to blame the victims of domestic violence who killed their abusers than those who were not primed. The experimental and control groups were shown the same brief video clip. The experimental group (n = 18) counted choices that the character made while the control group (n = 18) counted the objects that were touched. Afterwards, all participants were given a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of 4 domestic violence scenarios. The questions inquired how justified the victim was in the murder, whether or not they were guilty, the confidence of the participants in their decisions, and the type of punishment they would impose. The results supported our hypothesis. People who were primed with choice believed the victim was less justified in their retaliation, they were more confident in their decision of guilt, and they imposed harsher penalties on the victim as opposed to those in the control group. All effect sizes were large (d \u3e 1). This suggests that a choice mindset can influence how accountable people hold victims of domestic violence

Implicit Attitudes Towards Feminism

This study employed the Implicit Association Test to assess implicit attitudes towards feminism among 68 U.S. undergraduates. On some trials, participants matched either good or bad words with a feminist or a traditionalist target person. On other trials, they matched feminine or masculine traits with these targets. We predicted (1) faster reaction times to feminist–bad pairings than to feminist–good pairings, (2) faster reactions to traditionalist–good pairings than to traditionalist–bad pairings, (3) faster reactions to traditionalist–feminine pairings than to traditionalist–masculine pairings, and (4) faster reactions to feminist–masculine pairings than to feminist–feminine pairings. The results supported the first three predictions. These results suggest an implicit negativity bias and masculinity bias towards feminists and an implicit positivity bias and femininity bias towards traditionalists

Flipped Classroom

This panel of Valpo faculty will discuss various Flipped Classroom environments recently implemented. Panelists include Alex Capaldi (Mathematics and Computer Science), Kieth Carlson (Psychology), Jennifer Winquist (Psychology), Randa Duvick (Foreign Languages and Literature), and Carol Goss (Foreign Languages and Literature)

Autologous human preclinical modeling of melanoma interpatient clinical responses to immunotherapeutics

Background Despite recent advances in immunotherapy, a substantial population of late-stage melanoma patients still fail to achieve sustained clinical benefit. Lack of translational preclinical models continues to be a major challenge in the field of immunotherapy; thus, more optimized translational models could strongly influence clinical trial development. To address this unmet need, we designed a preclinical model reflecting the heterogeneity in melanoma patients’ clinical responses that can be used to evaluate novel immunotherapies and synergistic combinatorial treatment strategies. Using our all-autologous humanized melanoma mouse model, we examined the efficacy of a novel engineered interleukin 2 (IL-2)-based cytokine variant immunotherapy.Methods To study immune responses and antitumor efficacy for human melanoma tumors, we developed an all-autologous humanized melanoma mouse model using clinically annotated, matched patient tumor cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). After inoculating immunodeficient NSG mice with patient tumors and an adoptive cell transfer of autologous PBMCs, mice were treated with anti-PD-1, a novel investigational engineered IL-2-based cytokine (nemvaleukin), or recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2). The pharmacodynamic effects and antitumor efficacy of these treatments were then evaluated. We used tumor cells and autologous PBMCs from patients with varying immunotherapy responses to both model the diversity of immunotherapy efficacy observed in the clinical setting and to recapitulate the heterogeneous nature of melanoma.Results Our model exhibited long-term survival of engrafted human PBMCs without developing graft-versus-host disease. Administration of an anti-PD-1 or nemvaleukin elicited antitumor responses in our model that were patient-specific and were found to parallel clinical responsiveness to checkpoint inhibitors. An evaluation of nemvaleukin-treated mice demonstrated increased tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, preferential expansion of non-regulatory T cell subsets in the spleen, and significant delays in tumor growth compared with vehicle-treated controls or mice treated with rhIL-2.Conclusions Our model reproduces differential effects of immunotherapy in melanoma patients, capturing the inherent heterogeneity in clinical responses. Taken together, these data demonstrate our model’s translatability for novel immunotherapies in melanoma patients. The data are also supportive for the continued clinical investigation of nemvaleukin as a novel immunotherapeutic for the treatment of melanoma