Possession Sound is a prominent estuary within Puget Sound. Plankton levels here are directly influenced by the water coming from the Snohomish River. To discover the healthiest places for phytoplankton to photosynthesize, and zooplankton to flourish in the Possession Sound we measured levels of phytoplankton and zooplankton at five different locations within that estuary, measuring once a month at each station for seven months. We examined the abundance of both types of plankton, and while we were only looking at the diversity of the zooplankton, we compared the abundance of phytoplankton to the limiting factor of water clarity. This not only showed us both the abundance of plankton over time, but also showed how plankton levels change and differ throughout the seasons, how limiting factors affect phytoplankton abundance, and the diversity of zooplankton compared over time. We discovered that phytoplankton levels do vary accordingly with clarity, yet there was not one area where phytoplankton levels were significantly larger. Clarity levels were higher at the station closest to Mukilteo, yet the phytoplankton levels were not significantly higher. This helps us understand that while clarity may be a limiting factor on phytoplankton abundance, it is not a significant one within the Possession Sound estuary. Zooplankton diversity was limited in our samples and while there are multiple variables that influence the diversity, further study is necessary to determine if this limited diversity is cause for alarm.

Research indicates that maternal depression, experiences of family adversity and low income each play a critical role in shaping emotion regulation in children. Previous research has shown that each of these risk factors relates to the development of temperamental vulnerabilities (e.g., more emotional reactivity) in older children (King, Molina, Chassin, 2008; Lengua, 2006). This study will extend these findings to examine how risk factors such as maternal depression, exposure to negative life events and household income relate to temperamental emotionality, specifically fear and irritability, in a sample of preschool-age children. Participants are part of a larger ongoing study focusing on children’s development of temperamental self-regulation and environmental risk. Participants represent a range of backgrounds and are primarily from low-income households, which increases the likelihood families will experience adversity. Mothers will provide self-reports of their depression symptoms within the past month, average annual income and experiences of adversity over the past 9-months. In addition, 9-months later maternal reports of children’s negative emotionality will be assessed on the Child Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart et al., 2001). Higher scores on the CBQ reflects a higher fear and irritability in preschoolers. We will use these measures to examine processes that contribute to the development of problems with emotion regulation. Further, we will be able to compare the contribution of maternal depression, income, and adversity to the development of negative emotionality. We expect to find low family income, higher maternal depression, and more exposure to family adversity will predict more emotional reactivity in children.

The Plainfin Midshipman is a seasonally breeding fish that produces acoustic signals during social behaviors. Acoustic communication plays an important role in the social behavior of these fish and is essential to their reproductive success. Parental (type I) males build nests, acoustically court females with a mate call, and care for fertilized eggs until juveniles leave the nest. Sneaker (type II) males do not build nests or acoustically court females but instead “sneak” spawn to steal fertilizations from nesting type I males. I tested the hypothesis that the auditory system of sneaker male is adapted to respond and encode the three known vocal signals (the mate call or “hum” and 2 agonistic calls, the grunt and growl). Playbacks of the vocal signals were performed at night on naïve animals in an outdoor arena at the UC Bodega Marine Laboratory. The results revealed no significant response to any of the calls. I also examined the evoked response properties of saccular hair cells in the sneaker male midshipman. Evoked saccular potentials were recorded while sound was presented using standard physiological techniques. Results indicate that the saccule of sneaker males is well suited to detect the low frequency information in the three calls. This study contributes to ongoing investigations of how hearing is influenced by gonadal steroids which may eventually lead to human application.

Holography was discovered 50 years ago, but has only recently turned digital. Thanks to holography, we have DVD burners, difficult-to-forge passports, and authentication stickers on cell phone batteries and other devices. You probably have a hologram with you right now on your debit or credit card. A hologram is like a photograph that has depth and can contain a small amount of animation. As the viewer moves left and right in front of the hologram, he or she sees the 3D scene from different angles. Every holographic pixel contains over one thousand bits of color information depending on the angle viewed at. This means that the hologram can ‘show’ the viewer two different images at once, thus creating depth. My research and experimentation is in the creation of a digital hologram from a modeled 3D scene. I have been in contact with RabbitHoles, a hologram printing company, about the limitations and restrictions that comes with printing a hologram. My role in the advancement of holography is that of the artist working in coordination with the technical staff at RabbitHoles. The final product will be a framed 7 by 10 inch hologram. The content of the piece will touch on the ideas of time, orientation, and life. Holography is still a young medium that gets little attention. I hope to be a part of the digital holography movement that brings holography to the public’s eye.

The army ant species Eciton burchellii plays an important role in the ecology of the Neotropics, a biogeographical region including Central and South America. This species contributes to the general biodiversity while also acting as an important predator. The goal of my research is to better understand relatedness and dispersal among army ant colonies through genetics. Specimens were collected in 2009 from 20 colonies in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica. I will sample nuclear DNA of 300 individual ants, 15 individuals from each of the 20 colony samples. Colony relatedness and population structure will be analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microsatellite markers (six polymorphic loci). Data gathered from the most recent collections (2009) will be compared with similar data from specimens collected in 2006 at the same locations. From this comparison I will analyze long-term colony mobility. I will test whether colonies persist at the same location across the three-year sampling interval. If colonies are found to reside in one location in a long-term fashion, this suggests there is a persistent relationship between colony and location and that they continually contribute to the diversity and ecological interactions of that region.

Aphasia is an adult neurogenic communication disorder that affects around 30% of people who have suffered a left-hemispheric stroke. People with aphasia may be impacted in language comprehension (fluent aphasias) or production (nonfluent aphasias) or some combination of the two, and verbal speaking abilities may or may not be present post-stroke. “Reliability” is a component of standardized tests dealing with how consistent their results are, and can be impacted by the test itself as well as the clinician. Test-retest reliability is one form of checking the reliability of a test, and involves two administrations of a test, separated by a determined period of time to prevent external effects on test scores. A test with high test-retest reliability should yield scores that are similar for each subject between their two test sessions. A new assessment for individuals with aphasia, the Standardized Assessment of Phonology in Aphasia (SAPA) (Kendall et al, submitted) has been created. The SAPA consists of three subtests (reading, perception, and repetition) and is administered via clinician instructions, verbal prompts through the computer program, and words appearing on the computer screen. Ten individuals with aphasia will be administered the SAPA on 2 different occasions, separated by seven days. The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and Boston Naming Test (BNT) will also be administered to subjects in order to provide an Aphasia Quotient (AQ) and information regarding their object-naming abilities. Data from the two administrations of the SAPA will be analyzed for differences. Any significant difference between the scores will be attributed to test construction. High test-retest, interjudge, and intrajudge reliability on the SAPA will further support its consistency in being administered and its potential for use in a clinical setting.

Eukaryotic DNA is packaged into chromatin to enable storage in the nucleus. The fundamental packaging unit of chromatin is the nucleosome, in which DNA wraps around the core histones, H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. Because histone-DNA interaction is stable, chromatin structure inhibits DNA-dependent processes. In order to facilitate DNA-dependent processes, eukaryotic cells utilize multiple mechanisms to counteract the inhibitory effects of chromatin. One mechanism used is the covalent modification of histones, such as acetylation. Acetylation of histones significantly affects DNA-dependent processes, including transcription and replication. DNA replication occurs during the synthesis (S) phase of the cell cycle, and is initiated at sites along the chromosome called origins. We are interested in understanding how chromatin influences DNA replication. Recent data from our lab shows that H3 and H4 histone acetylation levels increase between the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle before decreasing at the G1 phase of the cell cycle around an origin of replication in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Additional results suggest that two histone acetyltransferases (HATs), Gcn5 and NuA4, are responsible for increased acetylation at replication origins. My goal is to determine which histone deacetylases (HDACs) reduce H3 and H4 acetylation levels between G2/M and G1 phases of the cell cycle. To accomplish this task, I will knock out each of the eleven S. cerevisiae HDAC types in a HAT mutant background. Cells with decreased levels of acetylation due to HAT mutations grow poorly when treated with replication-inhibiting drugs, such as hydroxyurea. Therefore, I will look for HDAC mutations that alleviate this growth defect. Those that are identified in this manner will be considered candidate HDACs involved in DNA replication. By identifying HDACs responsible for this deacetylation, we hope to gain further insight into the global regulation of DNA replication at origins throughout the cell cycle.

My senior capstone project for the Program on the Environment focused on environmental education in low-income communities of Seattle. My internship through the Nature Consortium’s Youth Art Program at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club involved teaching young children and teens valuable environmental lessons through the creative arts. Low-income communities, many times burdened by social inequities, reflect the longstanding achievement gap in student performance between low-income students and their well-off peers. Environmental afterschool programs address this gap by providing safe and engaging classes that promote opportunities for critical thinking, complex decision-making, and community service. My work specifically, involved creating a lesson plan, children’s mural, and pre- and post-assessments of students’ critical thinking ability. Pre- and post-assessments were administered to 12 students between the ages of seven and ten during a culinary arts class. Using concept maps, I found that the majority of students could better comprehend and critically think about where certain foods come from, an important environmental and health concern. This case study and my work with Nature Consortium suggests that many environmental outreach programs, especially in low-income communities, are relatively effective but hindered by a serious lack of resources including staff support and budget limitations.

Clay minerals in sedimentary deposits are often indicative of the environmental conditions prevailing at the time of their deposition. The identification of clay minerals in stratified archaeological deposits can thus provide indicators of changes in environmental conditions during the time that people occupied the site. This study focuses on the reconstruction of Holocene climates at Tham Sua Cave in the northern Lao PDR. Clay fractions were extracted from stratigraphic units excavated at Tham Sua Cave and the clay minerals were identified by X-ray Diffraction analysis. The minerals present are interpreted as climate proxies and variation in clay mineralogy over time is concluded to result from variation in local environmental conditions. These changes are used to understand how the human inhabitants of the area were affected by differing environmental conditions.

The present study seeks to extend previous research on sexual orientation by examining sexual orientation through a self-concept framework with an Implicit Association Test (IAT). Sexual orientation self-concept is the extent to which an individual associates the concept of “self” with a sexual orientation group, such as “gay” or “straight.” Because sexual orientation is a sensitive topic and individuals may be unaware of their sexual orientation, implicit measures may improve how we measure sexual orientation. The current research seeks to validate a measure of implicit sexual orientation self-concept. Approximately 500 participants were recruited for an online study via listservs and the psychology subject pool. Participants completed self-report measures of sexual orientation, included to test the convergent validity of a sexual orientation self-concept IAT (SIAT). In order to test the predictive validity of the SIAT, participants also completed measures of sexual orientation group identification, activism within the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community, feelings of connectedness with the LGB community, and a gay-straight evaluative IAT (GSIAT). D scores were created from the IAT's using an improved scoring algorithm. SIAT D scores were correlated to questionnaire responses and D scores from the GSIAT in order to determine whether or not the SIAT can give additional, group-related, information about an individual.

HIV related fatigue (HRF) is the most common complaint of HIV patients; it contributes to deteriorated physical and mental health. We hypothesize that there are distinctly different mitochondrial proteins in fatigued (>7 on a 0-10 Piper Fatigue scale) HIV patients compared to healthy controls. We are working to identify and quantify the differences of mitochondrial proteins unique to each group using shotgun mass spectrometry. Protein databases such as Proxeon Protein Center and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes are used to identify the proteins present in each group. Thus far we have identified 15 unique mitochondrial proteins in fatigued HIV patients and 20 unique mitochondrial proteins in the healthy controls. Among the proteins we have found to be associated with positive HIV status are pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase regulatory subunit and succinyl CoA:3-oxoacid CoA transferase, both of which are involved in energy metabolism and production. Our results have provided a basis on which we will continue our study. We will expand our study to include non-fatigued HIV patients as well. This will give us a better understanding of which proteins are present in all HIV patients, and which are present in only fatigued HIV patients. Follow-up studies will show the significance of the identified proteins and their relevance to HRF.

Research has shown that playing video games can improve visual processing and spatial attention (Green & Bavelier, 2003). These improvements generalize to a variety of tasks. To determine the scope of this effect, we compare the performance of experienced video game players (VGPs) and non-video game players (NVGPs) on three tasks: a motion coherence task, a multiple object tracking task, and a map learning task. In the motion coherence task, participants view a random dot pattern where a variable percentage of dots move in a single direction. Participants respond by indicating the direction of the dot field. This task measures the threshold at which participants can perceive coherent motion. In the multiple-object tracking (MOT) task, participants are presented with a number of dots, half of which are highlighted as targets. Then the highlighting is removed and participants must track the dots as they move around the display, at one point disappearing and re-appearing for a brief moment. They then cease moving, a probe dot is highlighted, and participants must respond to whether the probe dot was one of the original targets they were tracking. In the map-learning task, participants learn the layout of a building either by studying a map or exploring a virtual simulation. Participants are then tested on a battery of tests on route knowledge, relative and absolute position knowledge and survey knowledge. VGPs performed better than NVGPs on the first two tasks, suggesting that multiple-object tracking and motion coherence discrimination are within the scope of the enhancement conferred by video game playing. Data from the third task is forthcoming.

As the sciences continue to grow in depth and complexity, the data sets accumulated by research communities continue to increase in size. In order to manage the data in an efficient and organized way, these data sets are often stored in traditional relational database management systems. However, scientists are not necessarily trained to use databases, and may struggle when attempting to utilize them or turn to potentially less-flexible alternatives. We present the SnipSuggest system as an interactive aid in the SQL development process. As a user writes a query, SnipSuggest accumulates snippets of code that are most likely to appear in the query, using snippets from past queries (written either by the user or collaborators) as reference. SnipSuggest currently supports recommendations for attibutes, tables, and predicates. In addition, SnipSuggest modifies its recommendations depending on the context of the query, or what the user has written so far, and is thus able to suggest more accurate snippets. We evaluate SnipSuggest over two query logs (one from the SDSS database, and another from an undergraduate database course), and demonstrate how SnipSuggest successfully recommends useful snippets with 83.33% accuracy (average precision), with an interactive response time. We also show that SnipSuggest performs better than naive approaches, such as popularity-based or random recommendations. Currently, we only evaluate SnipSuggest on partial queries (non-empty, unfinished queries). However, we plan to evaluate SnipSuggest on empty queries and improve SnipSuggest's user interface.

Spontaneous waves of neuronal activity propagate across many structures in the central nervous system during early development. We are studying the properties of such waves in the mouse cerebral cortex, where they occur between embryonic day 17 (E17) and postnatal day 8 (P8). The propagation patterns of these waves are measured in cultured brain slices with fluo4 calcium imaging using wide-field microscopy to image entire coronal slices through a high-speed camera. Previous work has shown that waves of activity originate in two distinct regions that act as pacemakers for the activity: the septal nucleus and the ventrolateral cortical pacemaker. In the present experiments, we studied how the propagation patterns change over early development. Our data indicate that at all stages, the septal nucleus can trigger cortical activity by activating the cortical pacemaker, but not by direct spread into other cortical regions. In addition, the cortical pacemaker can initiate waves independently of the septal pacemaker, and does so approximately 50% of the time. The primary developmental change we observed was a significant increase (> 10-fold) in the fraction of waves that exit the ventrolateral cortical pacemaker and propagate into the dorsal cortex. This could be due to the observed slowing of the frequency of activity, allowing the dorsal cortex to follow a larger fraction of waves, or to a decrease in the refractory period of the dorsal follower cortex. We are at present testing the latter hypothesis using direct stimulation of pacemaker and follower regions with focal application of high K solutions and with focal electrical stimulation.

The Green River is an approximately 65mi long river in King County, WA, sourced from the Cascade Range and draining into the Duwamish Waterway. Flow from the river was restricted by the construction of the Howard A. Hanson Dam and Reservoir in 1962, which limited the size and frequency of seasonal floods and allowed the rural downstream Kent/Auburn Valley to become a major industrial center. In order to investigate the impact of development on flood hazards for the industrial and residential areas of the valley, I will model pre- and post-dam flood scenarios of the Green River that account for anthropogenic modification of land use and the local hydrograph. The computer program Hydrologic-Engineering-Center-River-Analysis-System (HEC-RAS) employs a series of one-dimensional models to simulate the hydraulics of water flow through a channel as a function of topography, surface roughness, and the hydrograph. A digital elevation model of King County was used for topographic data. Pre- and post-dam ground roughness was calibrated using field observations and ground and areal photographs from present day and from 1957. Hydrograph data were gathered by United States Geological Survey for present day and estimated for 1957. The visible change in the Kent/Auburn Valley shows that many natural or rural areas have been converted into urban and industrial sprawl. This significantly lowers the ground roughness meaning that floodwaters experience less resistance as they flow across the floodplain. Dam construction has also altered the hydrograph significantly by restricting seasonal flooding. Using the data from this modeling, I will calculate present day and 1957 hazard values factoring in the level of inundation and the economic/personal value of specific areas in the valley. It is hypothesized that hazard values will be much higher today given that dam construction has allowed urbanization of the valley—creating a potential economic and societal catastrophe.

The incidence of asthma has risen dramatically in recent years and now represents the most common chronic condition in school-aged children and is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to a health condition. For children with asthma who attend school, the school nurse is a critical resource, helping a child to adhere to his/her asthma regimen and coordinating his/her care while at school in an effort to control asthma symptoms and improve functioning. However, to-date there has not been a single systematic evaluation of the benefits of providing school nurse services to children with asthma. The objective of this study is to evaluate the benefits of providing school nurse services to children with asthma, focusing on student outcomes. Outcomes of interest include asthma knowledge, health services usage, symptom prevalence and morbidity, medication usage, and objective measures of lung function. This study is systematic review of published articles from several databases (PubMed, CINAHIL, ERIC) and doctoral dissertations. A search strategy for each database was created in collaboration with a health sciences librarian. The database searches yielded over 400 unique articles or dissertations which are then reviewed for inclusion of intervention details and outcomes.

Smartphones comprise one of the fastest growing areas of technology, yet their usefulness is significantly hindered by the difficulty of efficient text entry. Prior attempts to address this issue, including small physical keyboards or virtual keyboards, continue to encounter major limitations. With this research, we introduce and investigate an innovative “back-of-the-device” keyboard to solve efficient smartphone text entry. Our approach differs from previous work by capitalizing on two key features: (1) “back-of-the-device” input to take advantage of non-thumb fingers; and (2) “split-keyboard-layout” to take advantage of muscle memory. The approach targets touch typists, as the back-of-the-device keyboard means that the keyboard is hidden from the user’s view. Regarding physical layout, the keyboard is split in two, with each half mounted on an opposing side enabling users to type with their non-thumb fingers while holding the device comfortably. The split keyboard layout yields a familiar typing experience as the key placement and muscle movements mimic those for touch typists on a regular keyboard. To test the “back-of-the-phone, split-keyboard” concept, we built a large-scale prototype using two regular keyboards arranged in the same manner as the concept. Results of a 10-participant user study with the large-scale prototype showed that with less than 10 minutes of training, participants were able to type on average 73% (range: 65% to 93%, with one outlier at 45%) as fast on the prototype as compared with their touch-typing performance on a standard QWERTY keyboard. Though not a direct comparison with the standard text entry methods on phones and differing in terms of physical reach, when typing on a standard keyboard using just thumbs participants only typed on average 47% (range: 37% to 55%) of their regular touch-typing speed. Taken together, these findings suggest the “back-of-the-device” approach could provide a substantially more efficient method for mobile device text input.

Exposure to chemicals and environmental stressors can lead to adverse health effects. Neurobehavioral test batteries can be used to identify populations with sub-clinical deficits associated with exposure to some chemical agent or event. Neurobehavioral test batteries consist of a series of tests that assess different functions within the nervous system. The Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) is a computerized test battery that characterizes neurobehavioral function and deficits. Initially created in the early 1990s, it was specifically designed for working populations with limited computer experience.  Aging Macintosh OS9 hardware has dictated a software upgrade. BARSpc was developed to be used on modern computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system. The goal of this study is to compare the performance of the outdated BARS version with the new BARSpc programs and determine the reliability of the BARSpc results. Additionally, it was important to evaluate BARSpc for programming errors. Two groups of individuals (similar in gender, age and education composition) completed identical tests in BARS and BARSpc; the two groups differed only in the order of the operating systems on which they were tested. Overall, the correlations of the results ranged from moderate to high, with the exception of the number of errors made during one test. We can conclude that this study demonstrated a good association between the performances on BARS and BARSpc. As a result, BARSpc can continue to be used to detect neurobehavioral deficits in exposed populations on modern hardware and commonly used operating systems. 

Stomata are microscopic pores on the epidermis of land plants. Stomata can be open and shut by changing turgor pressure of the two specialized guard cells that flank the pore. Stomata play a critical role in gas exchange with the environment, as well as helping to minimize water loss by closing during drought conditions. As a result of their key role in land plant life, stomata have strong implications in allowing plants to absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and fix it in carbohydrates during photosynthesis, as well as recycling the water in the atmosphere. In the plant Arabidopsis thaliana stomatal development occurs by several key steps of epidermal differentiation, which are regulated by the sequential actions of transcription factors including SCREAM (SCRM), which was identified originally by a dominant gain-of-function mutation named scrm-D that causes a striking phenotype: the entire epidermis becomes stomata without the non-stomatal pavement cells. In order to look for potential regulators of the SCRM gene I set up a genetic screen using chemically-mutagenized scrm-D mutants as a starting material and then looked for suppression of its all stomata phenotype. Thus far, I have screened approximately 500 mutagenized plant offspring lines (M2 generation)  and identified ten putative suppressor lines that recover a nearly normal epidermal phenotype. DNA genotyping and sequencing analysis has revealed that six contained additional secondary mutations within the scrm-D locus, indicating that I have identified new alleles of the SCRM gene. Such alleles could further elucidate the structure and function of the SCRM gene in stomatal development. In addition I have also isolated a few putative mutants resulting from mutations in genes other than SCRM.

It is a challenging task for adolescents with diabetes to maintain optimal glycemic control. Previous research has shown that personal and psychosocial factors affect diabetes outcomes. However, little is known about the role of anger and its effects on diabetes outcomes in youth. Thus, the aim of this research is to explore the association of anger with physiological, psychosocial, and demographic variables. Fifty Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients from the ages of 13 to 18 were assessed at Seattle Children’s Hospital for a research visit. Anger was assessed with two scales: the Pediatrics Anger Expression Scale, which assesses anger in, anger out and anger control, and the Spielberger Trait Anger Scale, which assesses anger temperament and anger reaction. Diabetes self-care, diabetes-related distress, family composition, and family conflict were also administered by self-report measures, as was basic demographic information. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a measure of average blood sugar control over the past 2-3 months, was recorded from medical record review. Enrollment was completed as of February 2010 and the results are being analyzed. This pilot study will provide insight as to the key variables associated with anger in adolescents with T1D. Given adolescent diabetes patients struggle to maintain optimal glycemic control, efforts are needed to explore the factors associated with diabetes management. Anger has been found to predict glycemic control in adults with diabetes (Yi et al, 2008), but no work has been reported on anger in adolescents. Therefore, these results will highlight the role of anger on factors related to diabetes management, perhaps leading the way for the development of suitable, age-appropriate education and intervention studies.

After the eruption of Mt. St. Helens on May 18th 1980, the ecosystem at Spirit Lake was changed dramatically as the lake level rose 300 feet and the surrounding watershed was significantly altered. Currently, Spirit Lake is experiencing significant primary productivity within the newly-created shallow region in the south end of the lake. The purpose of this research is to identify nutrient loads attributable to the incoming surface and ground waters in an effort to understand the enhanced productivity in the lake. Over the summer of 2009, water samples and flow rates were collected from all accessible tributary streams reaching the lake, also well head measurements and water samples were collected at six wells inserted along the south shoreline. The water samples collected were then analyzed for their nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. These measurements will be used to create a generalized nutrient budget for the contributing surface and ground waters. The result of this study will then be combined with biological monitoring and in-lake measurements carried out by other students to create a comprehensive nutrient budget for Spirit Lake.

Currently, cancer treatments use positron emission topography (PET) imaging with 3’-deoxy-3-[F-18]fluorothymidine (FLT) as a tracer to measure tumor growth. We know FLT accumulates in tumors because thymidine uptake is higher in proliferating cells due to increased DNA synthesis during S phase of the cell cycle. We want to quantify the factors that affect FLT uptake so that doctors will know how to interpret FLT-PET images to assess the effectiveness of an anti-tumor treatment and switch patients to new drugs sooner if the current treatment is shown to be ineffective. Many factors affect FLT uptake in cells. The focus here is FLT uptake via Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporters (ENTs), which are transmembrane transport proteins that facilitate the uptake of nucleotides like thymidine into the dividing cell. Previous work at the Schwartz lab has shown that drugs, radiation and growth conditions all affect FLT uptake. We are now looking at changes in ENT activity to characterize how FLT uptake changes in response to drug treatments. We will look to see if transporter quantity changes in response to treatment and whether the number of transporter sites on the cell membrane also varies. We also want to look at the localization of the transporters in the cell in response to anti-cancer treatments, such as radiation, 5-fluoruracil, and paclitaxel.

Although the number of interracial marriages in the United States has more than doubled in the last two decades, particular racial and gender patterns of intermarriage exist. Blacks and Asians marry outside their race more often than Whites do. In addition, Black men marry outside their race more frequently than Black women, and the opposite is true for Asians. These interracial marriage patterns may reflect dominant perceptions of attractiveness, which may be used to quantify the relative social standing of racial groups (Fryer, 2007). We suggest that perceptions of physical attractiveness may be due in part to gendered stereotypes about racial groups. As masculinity is attractive in males and femininity is attractive in females, we hypothesize that the stereotypes of Blacks as hypermasculine and Asians as hyperfeminine make Black men and Asian women more desirable than Black women and Asian men to Whites. Furthermore, we expect that phenotypic stereotypicality (PS) – the degree to which an individual looks like a prototypical member of his or her racial group – will predict Whites’ perceptions of Blacks’ and Asians’ attractiveness. In Study 1, 48 undergraduates listed stereotypes for Blacks, Asians, and Whites and indicated perceived masculinity and femininity of these groups. Data suggest that participants perceived Blacks to be more masculine and Asians to be more feminine than Whites. Study 2 will recruit White participants to rate Black or Asian faces on PS, masculinity and femininity, or attractiveness. Those rating faces on attractiveness will also indicate their level of endorsement for specific racial stereotypes. We expect PS to be positively correlated with attractiveness for Black males and Asian females but negatively correlated for Black females and Asian males. Finally, stereotype endorsement is expected to mediate the relationship between PS and perceived attractiveness. This research may help explain the current trends in interracial dating.

This project compares phylogenetic differences between strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) by examining sequence polymorphisms of suspected virulence genes. Vp is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of inducing gastroenteritis when ingested by humans, typically through consumption of raw shellfish. Virulent strains of the bacteria present serious economic burden for shellfish farmers in the Pacific Northwest, and an improved risk-assessment model is necessary for maintaining both viable businesses and consumer safety. Current models use the presence of the thermostable direct hemolysin gene (tdh), a virulence-associated gene used as an indicator of virulence. However, tdh negative Vp strains have been discovered in clinical cases, suggesting that tdh alone cannot predict the virulence of particular strains of Vp. Previously our group used Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) of house-keeping genes to analyze phylogenetic differences between Pacific Northwest clinical and environmental Vp strains and their relationships with the pandemic strain of Vp – a serotype that has been associated with most outbreaks found throughout the world. Through the phylogenetic tree constructed based on this effort, it was shown that the Northwest clinical strains (strains capable of causing illnesses) form distinct clonal complexes apart from environmental strains (strains not associated with illnesses), while many environmental strains are phylogenetically related to the pandemic strain of Vp. In order to further elucidate the source of virulence in Vp, we are currently conducting genetic analysis using a similar method, Virulence-Locus Sequence Typing (VLST), to characterize differences in virulence associated genes found in different Vp strains, such as the genes encoding a chitin binding protein (gbpA), a type IV pilus (mshA), and a gene involved in type IV pilus assembly (pilD).

Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is a neuropathology thought to underlie age-related cognitive impairment and dementia. It has been suggested that HS is related to other pathologic processes, specifically Alzheimer’s disease or vascular disease. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of HS within our autopsy cohort and determine whether HS correlated with other neuropathologies. 323 consecutive autopsy cases from the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, an ongoing, community-based, longitudinal study of brain aging and cognitive decline, were evaluated. Subjects were ACT participants 65 years or older who were cognitively intact at the time of enrollment in the Group Health Cooperative in King County, Washington. Hippocampi were sampled in the coronal plane at the level of the uncus and the lateral geniculate body. HS was defined as marked neuronal loss and gliosis in the CA-1 region and subiculum of the hippocampus. The sample set was evaluated for associations between clinical diagnosis of dementia and multiple neuropathological findings using pairwise correlation analysis. Complete neuropathologic evaluations were available on 309 cases. Of these cases, there were 14 (4.5%) with complete HS. Six individuals with HS were clinically diagnosed with dementia. Clinical dementia status was not significantly correlated with postmortem pathologically diagnosed HS. Seven of the cases with HS occurred in the setting of Braak stage V or VI. HS correlated with high Braak stage (p>0.05), but not with any other neuropathology. Complete HS was relatively rare in our cohort, but occurred in the setting of high Braak stage more often than would be predicted by chance alone. HS was not a strong correlate of dementia. These findings suggest that HS may be related to Alzheimer’s disease, but appears to be insufficient by itself to cause clinical dementia.

Within the field of forensics, Short-Tandem Repeats (STRs) within DNA are used as important forensic markers. The lengths of STRs vary widely at numerous loci, making many possible alleles for a genetic marker, which are ideal for individual identification. When calculating a likelihood ratio for a match between a suspect’s STR profile and a crime scene DNA sample profile, one assumes a known allele frequency distribution appropriate for the population. The likelihood ratio for an STR profile match is estimated under the assumption that each allele at each locus is independent. From this, the probability of observing a certain genotype is simply the product of the probabilities of each allele occurring at each locus. This assumption of independence between alleles implies that no two people within the population are related; rather two people may coincidentally share similar genotypes through no familial relation. This study uses available National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) data to show that when there are varying degrees of relatedness within a population, the false positive rate of a DNA sample matching a known individual due to genetic similarities will vary. With NIST data, a random sample is chosen to calculate the false positive rate within the data set. A modified data set with increased synthesized familial relations is then used to compare the relative false positive rates. A substantial change in false positive rates would necessitate the revision of current statistical methodologies more reflective of realistic population structure.

Global warming is a pressing issue worldwide and developing new ways to control excess carbon dioxide is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to develop a novel biological system which converts carbon dioxide into small sugars. To create this system, a new metabolic pathway is being constructed which employs six naturally-occurring enzymes and one computationally-designed enzyme called formolase. Formolase is derived from a naturally-occurring enzyme, benzaldehyde lyase, which ligates two benzaldehyde molecules together, while the desired reaction of formolase is to ligate three formaldehyde molecules together to create dihydroxyacetone. A computer program called Rosetta was used to create formolase, identifying four mutations to make within the active site in order to drastically alter substrate specificity. The enzyme would now catalyze the polymerization of formaldehyde over that of benzaldehyde, and when tested, these mutations altered specificity as predicted. In order to further understand this change in specificity, we determined the contribution of each mutated residue to the activity on formaldehyde. This study illuminated the key mutations necessary to maintain desired activity, as well as mutations which could be changed in the future to improve the activity of the enzyme. Although formolase demonstrates enhanced activity on formaldehyde, the activity must be increased further before it can be used in the metabolic pathway. Once sufficiently active, formolase will complete the novel metabolic pathway and provide an alternative method for converting carbon dioxide into a more useful material. In this way, global warming can be controlled and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased.

In order to determine the independence of the neural substrates engaged during the processing of syntactic and phonological features, we recorded Event-related potentials (ERPs) during online language processing. While linguistic evidence shows that these features are represented uniquely, it is a matter of debate whether these features are processed independently (Molinaro et al. 2008). ERPs sample streaming electroencephalographs (EEGs) with temporal resolution on the order of milliseconds, and allows for comparison of electrical current generated by the brain in real time. Both grammatical and phonological anomalies elicit positive deflections of the ERP waveform, peaking approximately 600ms after the onset of the stimulus, the P600 component for each anomaly type, however, exhibits a distinct morphology, which can be interpreted as indicating independence of processing. In order to further examine whether the processing of these two types of anomalies is the result of independent or overlapping neural generators, ERPs were recorded from native Italian speakers as they read sentences, a subset of which contained article-noun pairs which were ill-formed with respect to syntactic agreement (i.e. number), phonology, or both. This paradigm allows for the direct comparison of neural responses to number and phonological features within a single stimulus. The degree to which the mathematical sum of the waveforms resulting from the single violation approximates the waveform from the double violation indicates the independence of neurocognitive resources engaged in the processing of the respective feature (Valentine and Osterhout in prep). The data suggests that there is a single neural network involved in the processing of number and phonology in article-noun pairs. Phonological anomalies elicit a P600 waveform identical to that of double violations. The single anomalies each exhibited P600s with distinct amplitudes, which could be interpreted as a difference in salience.

Marine debris is a continuing threat to coastal wildlife, including marine birds, marine mammals, and sea turtles. Every year, 1000s of these charismatic marine vertebrates die from ingestion or entanglement of/in debris commonly found along Pacific Northwest beaches. This study aims to quantify the taxon-specific threats posed by marine debris commonly found along Pacific Northwest beaches. To assess threat level, we conducted a review of 141 peer-reviewed scientific articles, government reports and outreach materials, and categorized all mentioned debris as likely to produce death, injury, or distress to all referenced species. Where possible, we combined species into larger taxonomic groups (e.g., gulls). Plastics, either whole or fragmented, posed the greatest ingestion risk across all species. Entanglement in recreational and commercial fishing gear and other synthetic material was also a persistent source of mortality. We also conducted field surveys at four sties on the Washington coast and combined these data with historical surveys. Our surveys showed that plastic bags, and plastic and Styrofoam fragments were among the most common items. Fishing gear was found less frequently. We conclude that the most persistent types of litter found on Pacific Northwest beaches are also amongst the most common marine debris found on beaches worldwide, and may be particularly harmful to marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles. The final product of our research will be a threat-based guide to marine debris to help prioritize beach clean-up efforts by identifying which debris types are most threatening to local coastal wildlife, and – more broadly – to raise public awareness about coastal pollution sources and solutions.

The phylogenetic position of the Dictyostelids is somewhere between unicellularity and complex specialization. This unique placement provides valuable insight into the potential origins of multicellularity, and makes them an ideal candidate for analyzing the intricate complexities of organized multicellular transduction and development. The production of superoxide anions in multicellular eukaryotes represents a possible mechanism for differentiation exhibited by Dictyostelium discoideum throughout its reproductive life cycle. Recent bioinformatic analysis of the membrane bound Nox enzyme complex of which NADPH oxidase is a catalytic subunit suggests that the enzymes responsible for the catalysis of free radicals from oxygen and NADPH are conserved exclusively amongst those organisms capable of expressing multicellular coordination throughout their development, while being absent in those that cannot. Dictyostelium Nox null mutants grown under axenic conditions (without a bacterial nutritive) are unable to coordinate multicellular morphogenesis, and result in aberrant starvation-induced sporangia. This research investigates non-axenic wildtype strains grown in the presence of exogenous oxidant reducing agents in an attempt to reproduce the mutant phenotype chemically, under environmental conditions representative of natural growth. Vegetative amoebae will be allowed to feed and chemotax over a low-nutritive media supplemented with butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), a common antioxidant, and its effects on Dictyostelium’s morphogenesis will be monitored. Removal of the free radical should result in the inability of Dictyostelium to form synchronized aggregates, and cease morphogenesis early in development.

The purpose of this research project was to make heart health information accessible to homeless populations. This population is known to have poor health outcomes, but it is not known how health education impacts their health and how accessible heath education is for this population. Limited health education materials have been developed that target homeless populations. I researched health education websites looking for information that targets homeless populations including the King County Public Health Department’s website and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council website. I also looked for research articles in PubMed that focused on strategies to present health information to people who experience homelessness. From there, I then developed a pamphlet on heart health information and presented it at a health fair at a local transitional housing shelter in Seattle. At the health fair I was able to speak to roughly 15 people on the pamphlet I designed. These people were formerly homeless and now living at this transitional housing shelter. While I wasn’t able to assess effectiveness of the pamphlet in educating homeless people on heart health, overall evaluation via written survey of the fair by attendants addressed helpfulness and additional items to include in the health fair. It was difficult to find research that evaluated the effectiveness of teaching methods with homeless populations. Future research should be targeted towards homeless populations that evaluates the effectiveness of health education interventions in maximizing learning and changing behavior through tools designed specifically for this population.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)s generate electricity from the chemical energy of a fuel. In order to make SOFCs a commercially viable way to produce electricity, the operation costs must be minimized though maximizing cell performance and efficiency. Kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction, transport of oxygen ions, and microstructure all influence cell performance. The goal of our research is to isolate which geometric parameters of porous mixed conducting SOFC electrode microstructures have the greatest influence on overall cell performance. From understanding the various contributions of these microstructural parameters, we look to develop a generalized model for predicting electrode performance from geometric properties.To determine the influences of various geometric parameters, we have created a computer model using Comsol Multiphysics approximating the true microstructure of the porous SOFC cathode as a series of stacked spheres that can be adjusted to various degrees of overlap. This model can then be used to investigate the geometric properties of necking between particles, surface area between the electrode and electrolyte, and contact angle with the electrolyte. We also use our theoretical model to determine which kinetic and transport mechanisms are occurring in given electrodes under various operating conditions. In order to accomplish this, we take linear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and nonlinear EIS (NLEIS) measurements of actual porous electrodes over a range of oxygen environments, temperatures, and frequencies. The data obtained from this NLEIS technique allows us to characterize the rate limiting mechanism governing electrode performance as a function of timescale and extent of nonlinearity. We can then compare experimental results with our model’s numerical simulation in order to gauge the necessary complexity required to accurately model the electrode. Through this process, we can continually adjust our model to better predict optimal electrode geometries for maximized cell performance under various operating conditions.

The perception of beauty within our society is influenced by a variety of external sources. A result of advertising, marketing, and the communication of messages through visual imagery, the fashion industry has largely developed the psychological understandings of beauty that we adhere to today. The power that is being exerted by the industry upon our society has direct parallels to the structure and culture of the French Court in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. During his reign, the influence of King Louis XIV was felt, not only within the French Court, but also through reverberations amongst the European nations. This assumption of authority quickly led to King Louis XIV’s recognition as the dominant monarch of the World of Fashion. Looking to the King’s court as a model reveals that fashion has had an explicit role in the development of culture and national identity. By recognizing the influence that one man had on the external identity of Europeans, we can use the French court to develop a diagrammatic framework to understand the system of the fashion industry today and its influence upon our modern society. Through visual exploration and analysis I will reveal the ways in which our culture is largely developed by the opinions of those governing the world of fashion today. An exploration into the power of exerted influence upon societal perceptions, I will use design to visually explain the system of fashion. Within this framework I will draw parallels between the French Court, led by Louis XIV, and the fashion industry today.

In 2009, our laboratory began using a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model of stroke. During MCAO surgery, adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) strain rats underwent anesthesia and MCAO surgery, and soon after, a large proportion of SD rats began gasping and dying. To determine cause of death, we surveyed organs and found heart abnormalities. We examined whether cardiac hypertrophy (enlarged cardiomyocytes) or cardiac hyperplasia (increased number of cardiomyocytes) contributed to the high mortality seen in SD rats. Hearts were evaluated from 2003 SD (SD03), 2009 SD (SD09), and Lewis strain rats. Measures included hematoxylin and eosin staining for left ventricle (LV) wall thickness and LV chamber area, Sirius red staining for collagen content and cardiomyocyte size and number, and expression of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) immunolabeling for cardiomyocyte proliferation. Measurements were performed by blinded scorers and data were statistically evaluated. Compared to SD03 & Lewis hearts, SD09 hearts had increased LV wall thickness and corresponding decreased LV chamber area that was associated with mortality proximal to MCAO surgery. Cardiomyocyte cell sizes were larger in SD09 hearts indicating cardiac hypertrophy was present. HDAC3 expression was normal, indicating that hyperplasia was not present. Collagen differences were not clinically significant. These data indicate that cardiac hypertrophy is prevalent in SD rats from 2009 and that this condition has appeared recently because it was not evident in SD rats from 2003. Researchers using SD rats should be informed of this issue as many studies may be affected. Further research should be performed to determine whether genetic or environmental factors contribute to this condition.

Music collaboration stems from real-life interactions. Whether it be a simple jam session or the writing of a major composition; the spark of ingenuity, feelings of euphoria, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from genuine creative chemistry and a well written song are personal connections that develop between people working closely together. Contemporary solutions for bringing musicians together act simply as tools to extend the range of communication between people working together on any given project. This is not a bad thing in and of itself, but of the more than fifty websites dedicated to music collaboration online, the majority claim to bring together musicians that have never even seen one another, and yet the evidence of this kind of connection is surprisingly hard to find. In light of this discovery, I am researching and designing a system of collaboration that lets the people who walk city streets release creative energy at installed recording nodes. The recordings are then fed back into the system and broadcast via the web to give participants and audiences a completely novel way of experiencing the city they live in. In this way, the songs, stories, and thoughts of the populace become permanent daily fixtures in a curated archive online. This archive not only lets people explore a space in a new way, but allows those who work in multimedia to have open source audio to work with. The research involves exploration and identification of ideal spaces for recording nodes, exploring other publicly installed interfaces to design the ideal interface for these nodes, and doing the same for the design of the online archive. The most important piece of research involves the relationships between the parts of the system, which must be diagrammed and prototyped in order to find a good solution.

East Asian members of interdependent cultures are socialized to focus on a holistic, relation-based worldview where judgments of an individual’s emotion expressions are influenced by social and situational contexts. European American members of independent cultures learn to judge an individual’s expression based on the individual’s facial features. When using facial features as a primary source of emotion information, Japanese use the person’s eyes while European Americans use the person’s mouth. Compared to independent cultures that view emotions as expressions of fixed internal attributes, interdependent cultures see these traits as situation-dependent. In two experiments, we tested the hypothesis that cultural differences between independent and interdependent cultures should influence the situational versus dispositional attributions of individual’s emotion expression. In Study 1, 179 European American and 126 Japanese college students described happy and angry expressions. Content coding of the descriptions revealed that European Americans used specific facial features more frequently while Japanese created external contexts to explain their judgments of the faces. In Study 2, 268 European American and 173 East Asian American college students described happy and angry faces, and also completed scales on the use of facial features and external contexts in their explanations. Study 2 was a 2 x 2 design crossing culture (European American or East Asian American) with condition (situations assigned to stimuli or no situation provided) to determine if providing a situational context would influence the European American participants to use situational attributions in their responses to parallel the East Asian American participants’ preference for situational explanations.

US census data are public information collected for the common good by the government every ten years. However, this data is rarely presented to the non-technical public in a useful, accessible, and easy to understand manner. Furthermore, humans are visual beings who often make cognitive decisions and conclusions through graphical interpretations rather than through textual media. Thus creating high-fidelity visualizations of census data provides the potential to greatly benefit many non-technical users. To address this issue, we have developed an online system that visualizes census data on Google Maps. Based on a small survey (N = 40), we identified key census demographics of interest (e.g. commute time, housing costs, median income). Specifically, the system allows users to create visualizations showing census data in two cities, along with relevant news articles and Google Maps search results. Key applications include: (1) comparing cities when relocating (e.g. What is the average education level completed in Seattle vs. Portland?), (2) looking at regional news stories along with local demographic information (e.g. How does median income relate to stories about “Tea Party” protests?) and, (3) overlaying Google Maps search results with census data (e.g. Is there a correlation between age distribution and number of retirement homes?). These features differentiate this system from currently existing solutions and meet the needs of the population as identified from a thorough examination of user needs. Through our project, we seek to provide a means for census data to benefit non-technical users, as well as to demonstrate one way in which the power of information visualization can influence the cognitive and social aspects of human life.

This study focuses on the human rights abuses associated with the growth of crops for use in biofuel production. The global biofuel industry is growing rapidly, looking to quadruple within the next 15-20 years. Industrialized nations have large biofuel targets (US & EU) that they are unlikely to be able to meet domestically. To help fulfill their mandates these nations are looking to tropical counties in the developing world to grow the crops necessary to produce supplementary fuel. However, increases in biofuel crop production have perpetuated human rights violations associated with the agricultural industry in developing countries. The abuses noted include lack of water access, poor water quality, labor rights violations, and land rights abuses. Continued and increased demand for feedstock crops to be used for biofuels will only exacerbate these problems. This project, while globally focused, uses Guatemala as a case study due to the country’s history of human rights abuses and prominence as a producer of sugar cane and African palm, two of the world’s leading biofuel crops. Noting the link between biofuels and human rights abuses, our research concluded that the United States must include social standards in U.S. biofuel policy, in order to avoid incentivizing the production models associated with these abuses. These social standards should ensure labor and land rights, as well as require that biofuel projects will not negatively affect nearby communities.

Injuries or diseases that cause insufficient blood vessel formation or function in an active tissue often cause severe damage to surrounding cells. Restoration of damaged tissues begins only once sufficient nutrients can reach the injured site. This occurs by the formation of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. Therapies that promote angiogenesis are becoming more important as a there is a progressing need for new treatment options for cardiovascular related diseases, like myocardial infarction and stroke. In addition, as tissue engineered substitute organs become closer to a reality, an indwelling vasculature will be needed to provide a means to deliver nutrition and to clear waste. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a promising solution to this problem because they offer a sustainable source of endothelial cells (ECs) for therapeutic vascularization and tissue engineering. hESCs can be directed to differentiate into ECs which form vessel like structures that can transport red blood cells. Experiments have shown that implanted hESC derived ECs create vascular networks perfused with red blood cells in vivo. These exciting results, however, also indicate that these newly formed hESC-derived EC vascular structures appear to be immature since the vessels are dilated and poorly organized. This project aims to design and synthesize a novel construct that will promote the formation of organized vasculature. To accomplish this goal hESCs will undergo directed differentiation to ECs using the Keller-EB (embryoid body) protocol. The resulting EC population will be sorted using FACS into arterial and venous subpopulations using the cell markers NP1 and EphB4 respectively. The two populations will be loaded into opposite ends of a collagen gel strip using using the FlexCell Flexcell®’s Tissue Train® culture system in order to create an organized vasculature construct. Vessel density and organization of the construct will be measured in vitro.

Understanding marine invertebrate larvae mortality and their causes is important in order to help fisheries agencies to be better prepared in managing the species for survival. The main goal of the project is to use size frequency distribution of geoduck larvae in Quartermaster Harbor (QMH) to construct a life table and determine instantaneous mortality rate of the larvae. A grid of passive larval traps was launched in QMH to capture samples of larvae. Analysis will include a method called fluorescent in situ (FISH-CS) to sort and identify larvae. With data from the analysis, a life table will be constructed from the size frequency data in order to calculate the mortality rate. Geoducks are culturally and economically important to the Pacific Northwest, which means that it is important to understand their larval ecology in order to ensure continued existence for the future.

Classical "Be" stars are massive, rapidly rotating stars having gaseous circumstellar decretion disks which are known to sometimes dissipate and regenerate. Since the mechanism for forming these disks is not known, observing these stars when they transition between a "Be" phase and a normal B star phase can help constrain what causes the disks to form. We have analyzed 15 years of spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric data from the Ritter and Pine Bluff Observatories of two "Be" stars, 60 Cygni (Cyg) and Pi Aquarii (Aqr), during which such a transition phase from Be to B star occurred. The time-scale of 60 Cyg's disk loss was 1000 days, during which the disk emission declined monotonically, while Pi Aqr's disk loss episode lasted 2440 days and was interrupted by two major injection events of new disk material. We used the wavelength dependence of polarization during each stars disk-less phase to determine the interstellar polarization. Analysis of the intrinsic polarization and H-alpha equivalent width measurements show that both disks faded in an inside-out manner, with timescales much longer than the orbital periods of their binary companions. We also detect small deviations away from the overall disk position angle in our polarization data; we speculate that this might be indicative of either a warp in the inner disk region or the injection of new disk material at an inclined orbit to the plane of the pre-existing disk. We also present our initial efforts to model time dependent behavior of our spectropolarimetric data using 3D Monte Carlo Radiative transfer codes.

Extensive previous work by Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, in collaboration with the lab of Dr. Brian Kennedy, has lead to the discovery of 25 conserved aging genes in yeast and nematodes. From a basic biology standpoint, aging is commonly defined as a degenerative process that that results in increased mortality with time. Knockout of the conserved aging genes increases lifespan in both nematodes and yeast. A proposed mechanism for aging in yeast is the accumulation of extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA circles (ERCs) in cell nuclei. ERCs form during the copying of regulatory DNA sequences as a result of genomic instability due to increased homologous recombination (Park et al). Once they form they act as plasmids and undergo replication and accumulate as the cell divides. A study done by Dr. Kaeberlein found that deletion of the gene Sir2 shortens replicative lifespan and increases the rate of rDNA recombination and ERC formation. He also found that deletion of Fob1 decreases the rate of rDNA recombination and increases the replicative life span of the yeast (Kaeberlein et al). These data strongly indicate there is a correlation between lifespan and the genomic stability at the rDNA that is causally correlated to ERC formation. My project involves exploring the effects that the 25 conserved aging genes have on the formation of ERCs, in hopes of elucidating whether they modulate longevity in yeast by controlling genomic stability. The assay for recombination utilizes the W303AR S. cerevisiae strain which produces red colonies if a recombination event occured in the first cell division after plating. Preliminary data have shown that not all long lived deletions demonstrate reduced recombination rates. In fact, a few of the deletions have shown increased recombination, indicating that lifespan extension may be independent of genomic stability and the formation of ERCs.

The striatum is involved in motor control, learning and drug addiction. Within the striatum, excitatory glutamatergic projections from the cortex and dopaminergic afferents from the midbrain converge onto medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Amphetamine increases synaptic dopamine via reverse transport and depresses MSN firing via dopamine D2 receptors located on presynaptic corticostriatal terminals. We hypothesized that repeated exposure to amphetamine would reverse this presynaptic inhibition and cause excitation. Mice were injected with saline (control) and amphetamine and brain slices were prepared on withdrawal day (WD) 10 and 21. Evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs) were measured in MSNs. Glutamate release was determined by measuring the amplitude of the first eEPSC and the paired pulse ratio (PPR; the amplitude of the second pulse divided by that of the first). Miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs, with tetrodotoxin (TTX)) confirmed that the response was presynaptic. In control mice, amphetamine in vitro caused the eEPSC amplitude to decrease while the PPR increased, indicating that dopamine produced presynaptic inhibition. For amphetamine-treated mice on WD10 and WD21, amphetamine increased the amplitude of the first eEPSC while the PPR decreased, suggesting that repeated amphetamine caused presynaptic excitation. In control mice, amphetamine decreased the frequency of mEPSC, whereas the frequency of mEPSCs increased on WD10 and WD21. While dopamine depressed corticostriatal activity in control mice, it caused enduring striatal excitation following repeated amphetamine. Understanding the mechanisms involved in this plasticity will provide insight into behaviors such as habits, motor learning and addiction.

N-Methyl-D–Aspartate-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in many brain regions are important for various forms of learning and memory. Several mouse models lacking NMDARs in the medium spiny neurons have been generated. These neurons are the main neuron type in the striatum, a brain region important in mediating a large number of behaviors including motor control, sensorimotor gating, and fear learning. Mice that lack NMDA receptors in the striatum have been shown to have impaired motor learning, reduced food intake, and altered novelty responses. In our lab, we have generated a mouse that lacks NMDARs in medium spiny neurons. This medium spiny neuron- specific knockout of NMDARs was accomplished by using Cre-lox technology. Cre recombinase is an enzyme that catalyzes site-specific recombination of DNA between loxP sites. LoxP sites are specific DNA sequences that are placed around a target gene. When Cre recombinase comes in contact with the loxP sites, it excises the DNA between the sites, thereby excising the target gene. In our mice, Cre recombinase was inserted into the Gpr88 locus, which normally encodes a protein specifically expressed in the striatum. LoxP sites were placed around the Grin1 locus, which encodes the essential subunit for all NMDARs. This leads to the excision of Grin1 and inactivates the NMDA receptor specifically in medium spiny neurons. We have performed a number of behavioral tests in these mice (knockouts), and preliminary evidence suggests they have impaired rotarod performance and abnormal fear learning, but have normal 24-hour locomotion and grip strength compared to littermate controls. To follow up on these behavioral differences we plan on determining the expression levels of RNAs and proteins known to be regulated by NMDAR signaling in the striatum of our knockouts.

Of the 400+ extrasolar planets that have been discovered to date, the vast majority are massive gas giants. This is largely due to the inherent difficulty of detecting terrestrial planets, which are small and faint by comparison. Both NASA and ESA have proposed space-based observatories (Terrestrial Planet Finder [TPF] and Darwin, respectively) capable of detecting these planets by suppressing the light of their host stars, in order to discern the light reflected by the planetary companion. Following a successful detection, TPF/Darwin will then analyze the planet’s spectrum to determine its chemical composition, and whether it may be capable of supporting life. Prior to the launch of such missions, we will need to understand the spectral characteristics of the planets we may find, and how detectable these characteristics will be. The Virtual Planetary Laboratory (VPL) has generated synthetic spectra for a variety of possible planets, including the early and modern-day Earth, other planets in our solar system, and model planets around other stars. Using these spectra and a TPF-C simulator (provided by S. Heap and D. Lindler, GSFC), our project aims to determine the required spectral resolution and sensitivity needed to detect signs of habitability and life, such as the presence of oxygen and liquid water. The information acquired from this analysis will be helpful in determining the detectability of key spectral characteristics within the limitations of the instruments involved, and thus in carrying out these and future planet-characterizing missions.

Metallocene compounds have been widely studied since ferrocene was originally discovered in 1951. The versatility of such compounds can be found in a wide array of applications including fuel additives, pharmaceuticals, materials and catalytic chemistry. The relative catalytic activities of three nickel-complexed metallocenes on the cross-coupling of secondary Grignard reagents with primary alkylhalides were assessed via comparison to uncatalyzed reaction conditions. Initially, ferrocene and a variety of potentially catalytic derivatives were synthesized. A specific set of three nickel dichloride complexes was pursued; 1,1’-bis(diphenylphosphino)metallocene, where metallocene = ferrocene, nickelocene, or ruthenocene. Their relative effect on product formation was assessed and compared to the nickel phosphorous bond angles. We hypothesize that a larger nickel phosphorous bond angle will correspond to a greater catalytic ability, which would result from a longer ring to ring distance. The electronic structure of each metallocene-nickel complex was probed with UV/Vis spectroscopy and NMR paramagnetic susceptibility to further understand the mechanistic attributes of each potential catalyst.

The purpose of our research is to manufacture a working strain gauge using conductive polymer rather than the more common metallic foil. The hope of the research is to create a strain gauge with similar properties of reliability to the current metal strain gauges, but with a faster manufacturing process and greater strain range. The strain gauge is attached to a surface of object and as the object deforms, the gauge is also deformed. This deformation then causes a change in the resistance of the gauge. By measuring this resistance change, we can then determine the strain of the object. The current, metal gauges are not as flexible or sensitive as conductive polymer gauges. The manufacturing process begins with the development of the polymer solution. Our solution is PEDOT:PSS based. PEDOT:PSS is a conductive polymer solution that allows for high conductivity and elasticity. This solution is used to create a strain gauge with medical foam tape. One challenge in the design of a conductive polymer strain gauge is the sensitivity of PEDOT:PSS to humidity. Differences in humidity levels can affect the resistance. Current data shows that the conductive polymer strain gauge can withstand large strain while maintaining a relatively stable resistivity. Our strain gauge can be embedded in other materials or stand on its own for use in many fields. This gauge is especially useful to the medical field, as its flexibility lends itself perfectly to measuring the strain on the human body. If attached to an area of skin, the gauge can be used to measure the strain of that particular part of the body. In conclusion, the conductive polymer strain gauge is a viable competitor to the currently available metal strain gauge.

While previous studies have identified oceanographic and terrestrial sources of methane, the magnitudes of methane concentrations are less understood, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. Improving our understanding of methane sources, sinks, and fluxes is crucial because methane is a highly insulating greenhouse gas and has therefore contributed to climate change past and present. Earlier studies of the global methane cycle suggest that the ocean is a net sink for terrestrial methane from tundra, wetlands, and agriculture. In contrast, more recent research suggests that in some regions the ocean is actually a net source of due to methane seeps on the seafloor or methane-producing bacteria. By investigating the distribution and flux of methane in fjords in Southern Chile, it is possible to determine whether the ocean is a net sink or source in this region. Due to the lack of anthropogenic activity and wetlands, I expect the ocean in this region will be a methane source. I also predict higher methane concentrations in fjords with low oxygen concentrations due to the presence of methane-producing bacteria that inhabit anoxic waters. My  work aims to shed light on the methane cycle in Southern Chile. Water and air were sampled along the coast from Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt in March. At each station of 25 stations, discrete water samples were collected from a variety of depths. Surface water and atmosphere samples were continuously gathered along the way. All samples are being analyzed using a Gas Chromatograph-Flame Ionization Detector. This method can help determine the spatial, depth, and atmosphere-ocean distribution of methane concentrations along the coast.

Bacterial flagellin, a protein critical for cell motility, is known to illicit an immune response as a ligand for Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5). From recent studies, it has been demonstrated that flagellin is also recognized by another innate immune system pathway that requires the IPAF/caspase-1 inflammasome for activation. In this study, we will alter the amino acid sequence of the flagellin gene in regions that are highly conserved to generate mutant flagellin proteins that are defective in either the TLR5 or the IPAF/caspase-1 pathway activation. We will subclone these mutants into an inducible expression vector, and transform a flagellin-negative strain of Salmonella with these plasmids. We will test i) if the mutant flagellin protein is made in Salmonella, ii) if it is secreted from the cell, and iii) if it is capable of restoring motility to Salmonella. We will also determine the recognition of the mutated flagellin proteins by the innate immune system using mouse macrophages. Based on the conserved nature of the TLR5 and IPAF/caspase-1 recognition, we propose that mutations in these regions will hinder the ability of the cell to create a functional flagellum as well its ability to generate a signal that is required for a strong innate immune response. This failure to recognize flagellin by the innate immune is predicted to lead to increased virulence. Initial data show that: i) the mutant flagellin proteins are made by the cell, ii) the proteins are secreted, iii) motility is destroyed and iv) recognition by the innate immune system is abrogated. The flagellin mutants will be used in subsequent experiments to create knock-in Salmonella, and probe the role of innate immune recognition of flagellin by TLR5 and IPAF/caspase-1 during Salmonella infection in mice.

Poly-trimethylsilyl-propyne (PTMSP) is unique in that it has the highest free volume of any known glassy polymer. This high free volume leads to an extremely high gas permeability when compared to other glassy polymers. Further, PTMSP exhibits a high reverse selectivity, i.e. the polymer is more permeable to larger, sorbing, organic molecules than to smaller, permanent gases, making it an attractive candidate for the exploration of membrane separations. Additionally, it has been reported that the permeability of PTMSP is increased by the addition of nonporous nanoparticles, which is in contrast to the behavior of many conventional polymers. Polymers subjected to internal or external constraints exhibit properties different from the bulk. Specifically, PTMSP, owing to its rigid backbone and bulky pendant groups, does not pack closely at interfaces, leading to an increase in the free volume of the polymer, which in turn causes enhancements in gas permeabilities. In the current study, we analyzed the confinement effects on transport properties of PTMSP by measuring the permeabilities of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and helium (He) as a function of film thickness, since confinement in an ultrathin film is analogous to the particle-polymer interface. We found that for films of less than 500 nm thickness, the reverse selectivity (α_CO2/He) reached values of up to 12, i.e., a factor of 2 higher than for bulk PTMSP membranes. This result is encouraging, as it provides the opportunity to design thin film polymer membranes in a layer-by-layer fashion, with enhanced transport properties.

The inferior colliculus (IC) of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) receives and processes information from numerous lower brainstem auditory nuclei, transmitting this information to the auditory cortex via the medial geniculate body (MGB) and to the cerebellum (Cb) via the pontine gray (PG). We examined the patterns of efferent IC projections by placing injections of the anterograde tracer Fluoro-Ruby in the IC and plotting the locations of labeled fibers and terminals. Projections from the IC were extensive, with axon termination mainly in the ipsilateral PG and MGB. Occasionally, we observed axons projecting to the opposite IC, and the contralateral PG. These findings show that the projections from the IC to the PG and MGB of the big brown bat are approximately equal in size and density. The connectional pathways shown in this study were consistent with previous research. This research will add to the growing body of anatomical knowledge of neural auditory pathways and will be applicable to human hearing systems.

This project is a product of collaboration between the Digital Arts and Electrical Engineering departments. The goal was to devise a system of interaction between bodily movement and 3D, real-time audio performance for Nicolas Varchausky’s sound installation “Speaker Performing Kiosk.” The final product is a small, battery-powered, light-weight device that is worn by a user and can transfer sensor information (both analog and digital, including serial communication with sensors that use I2C) to the SuperCollider audio programming language run on a remote computer.The device allows Varchausky to wirelessly use an accelerometer to measure bodily movement within his installation.  The research yields an easy-to-use device that can interface with SuperCollider, has a software implementation that is easily expandable for future sensors and devices, and a hardware implementation that can be easily interfaced with many other common digital software packages used within the digital arts (i.e. MaxMSP, Processing, PureData, etc.). The final product allows digital artists and musicians to use hardware and sensory devices creatively while removing the worry of designing a wireless hardware/software framework between the sensor and the computer. This allows artists to instead focus their energy on how to use the output of the sensor quickly and easily for the given project.

Brassinosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that play a critical role in the regulation of growth and physiological responses to the environment in a diverse range of plant taxa. In particular, brassinosteroids are important in controlling the expression of genes that are involved in early seedling development and photomorphogenesis (light-regulated development). The effects of brassinosteroids are well documented, but what is not understood is when brassinosteroids are most important in controlling early seedling development. To directly test when brassinosteroids are most critical, we have engineered a number of transgenic plant lines in which we can control brassinosteroid biosynthesis or signaling. These plants contain a chemically inducible transcription factor that promotes the transcription of a target gene. This engineered transcription factor works in the presence of estradiol, so the transcription of a target gene can be initiated by application of estradiol to the seedlings. These target genes include both negative and positive elements of both the biosynthesis and signaling pathway, so the amount of brassinosteroids produced by the plant and the transcription of brassinosteroid-responsive genes can be “turned up” or “turned down” accordingly. Because brassinosteroid-responsive genes are known to affect cellular elongation, endpoint and time lapse analysis of seedling stem length and leaf morphology will be used to measure and compare the effects of these manipulations. This method provides a powerful tool for studying the role of brassinosteroids over time and developing our understanding of the temporal aspect of this important class of hormone.

Many animal species use signals to mediate conflict over breeding resources, and as a way of preventing violent physical encounters. Most birds use songs as their signal. Male Manakins (Manacus) have very simple, but highly variable calls which they use in male-male conflict. We hypothesize that this variation is correlated with the degree of aggressive intent. We measured frequency and time characteristics of multiple calls from multiple individuals engaged in an experiment that simulated a high aggression condition and a low aggression condition. So far we have not found any characteristics that correlate with aggression level, but analyses are ongoing. This is one of the first studies to look for a complex signaling system in the Sub-Oscine group, a group of birds known for relatively simple, genetically inherited calls.

The corpus callosum facilitates communication between the two cerebral hemispheres. Although it contains around two hundred axons, behavioral abnormalities are observed in controlled "split-brain" studies.  Understanding the rules that govern this striatal circuitry could aid understanding of motor learning, motor function, and neurodevelopmental disorders originating in the cortico-basal ganglia system.  Examples of such disorders are autism, mental retardation, and epilepsy.  Although selection of appropriate inputs to the striatum appeared to be a major function of dopamine, the only inputs that have been characterized were those that projected to one side of the striatum; the ipsilateral. However, roughly half of the inputs originate from the contralateral cortex. In order to explore the function of these connections, a unique two cut approach was developed to sever the corpus callosum.  This involved surgery using a stereotaxis, so that the corpus callosum could be precisely cut in mice.  After surgery, the accuracy was verified by observing brain slices. This technique contains some advantages. It avoids damaging the hippocampus and other outlying brain regions. Another advantage was that a partial callosotomy, limited to the posterior and anterior parts of the corpus callosum, can be performed. This may yield different results compared to mice with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. These callosotomy mice could be used in a variety of behaviorial tasks in order to determine any behavioral abnormalities. This data, along with converging electrophysiology data, optical FM-143 imaging, and knockout mice, can be used to further understand the function of the corpus callosum. Eventually, this could allow a more complete understanding of corticostriatal connections originating from the contralateral cortex.

As the field of nanoscience continues to grow and mature, nanostructure interest and demand is progressively increasing. The electronics industry is pushing for nanofabrication methods to sustain the trend of smaller, and faster devices. A current research focus is the accurate design and fabrication of complex heterostructures. Scanning probe lithography allows nanomanufacturing with resolution ultimately limited by the probe tip size. Recently, our research group has demonstrated localized nanostructure synthesis by reacting a liquid precursor with a moderate bias voltage applied between the tip and the surface. Having theorized that deposition occurs through precursor chemistry activated by interplay of the high electric field and the high electron flux present between tip and sample during deposition, further investigation was warranted. In this study we produced varied patterns by adjusting scanning rate, voltage, and the precursor. The corresponding line widths and thicknesses were examined and any interrelation analyzed. Here we present our model that quantifies this interdependence and allows more precise compound nanofabrication methods to be developed.

The purpose of this study is to use the Parent Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS: NICU) to identify how parents rank stressful events in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Parents rank events related to the sights and sounds of the NICU, the appearance and behavior of the infant and the parental role alteration. The NICU is known to be a stressful environment for parents due to the health status of their infant. The amount of stress parents experience while their infant is in the NICU can have long-term effects on the parent-infant relationship. Based on this principle Margaret S. Miles, RN, PhD, FAAN developed the PSS: NICU to measure parental perception of stressors that occur in the NICU. This is a descriptive study of parents conducted in the NICU at University of Washington Medical Center. The sample will consist of 15-20 parent(s) with infants in the NICU. The parent(s) must be at least18 years old, English speaking and coping well enough that this study will not increase their level of stress. The parent(s) will complete the PSS: NICU and a demographic survey. The data will be analyzed in three groups: stress occurrence level, overall stress level and the total number of PSS: NICU items the parent has experienced. The data collection started in January 2010 and will end in April 2010. Seven surveys have been collected to date. This study will identify the levels of stress parents experience in the NICU at UWMC. Identifying the stressors in the NICU will generate new knowledge about NICU parents’ experiences. This information will increase staff awareness and sensitivity to the identified stressors. Aspects of stress and key indicators as identified by the study will be recognized for further study.

Members of the cosmopolitan diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia produce a toxin called domoic acid (DA), which is responsible for Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning in humans and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. Not all species of Pseudo-nitzschia produce DA, and those that do are not always consistent in their production. Phytoplankton community composition and DA levels were analyzed from samples collected from the Benguela Current, along the southwestern coast of Africa, in December 2007. Pseudo-nitzschia cells were measured using light microscopy and assigned to one of three morphological groups. Other organisms present were identified to the genus level. Phytoplankton communities were composed of diatoms and dinoflagellates at each of the thirteen stations sampled. Pseudo-nitzschia was present at seven stations; at most of these stations, all three morphological groups were represented. Particulate DA was detected in three regions of the cruise track and ranged between 2.7 and 184 ng/L (averaging 3.0 pg/cell). The P. pseudodeli/delicatissima group was the dominant type of phytoplankton detected at the station with the highest DA level. These community composition data, in conjunction with physical and chemical parameters, could help elucidate conditions correlated with DA production in this region. Novel Pseudo-nitzschia isolates were obtained and a DA production experiment will be performed using different limiting nutrients and nitrogen sources. Sequencing of the ribosomal region and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) will help identify the Pseudo-nitzschia isolates to the species level.

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare sleep in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) to age-matched typically developing children. JIA is one of the most chronic rheumatologic conditions in childhood. Children with JIA experience joint pain, inflammation, fatigue, and limited mobility. Children also experience sleep disturbances, including difficulty falling asleep and fragmented sleep. The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) is a widely used measure of sleep, and few studies have examined the CSHQ in children with JIA compared to typically developing children. One-hundred and sixteen children 6-to-11 years-old (mean 7.3 + 3.5) participated in the study. Of the 116 children, 70 were diagnosed with JIA (74% female) and 46 were age-matched typically developing children (65% female). Parents completed the CSHQ, a 45-item retrospective measure of their child’s sleep habits over the previous week. The CSHQ yields a total sleep disturbance score (higher scores indicative of more disturbed sleep) and eight subscales: bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep duration, sleep anxiety, night awakenings, parasomnias, sleep disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness. Average total sleep disturbance score was 42.5 + 7 for the entire sample. The total sleep disturbance score differed significantly (F_(1,114)= 21.9, p<.001) between typically developing children (39.1+ 4.9) and those with JIA (44.8 + 7.2). Compared to the typically developing children, children with JIA had higher scores on sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, night awakenings, parasomnias, and sleep disordered breathing subscales. These findings suggest that children with JIA experience sleep disturbances compared to typically developing children. The CSHQ is a useful screening tool to assess sleep habits and behaviors in children with and without JIA.

When working with motor driven robotic devices, overheating is something that cannot be overlooked, since it can cause motor failure. With prior research, it was found that the coils that run a Multi Finger Haptic Device (MFHD) have a thermal limit of 130°C before coil integrity failure. If the temperature of the coil exceeds this limit, the coil will fail and will render the device useless. It is clear that some type of temperature management has to be included. Since the temperature of the coils has a relation with the current driving the device, a model of the device temperature can be monitored in software. When this value exceeds 130°C, the current output to the device can be limited. First, the current to temperature relation was modeled in the frequency domain using Matlab. After this model was compared to previous findings to verify its accuracy, it was then converted into a discrete time model using Tustin's Method. This model was then converted into a difference equation that was then easily implemented into the C code that runs the device. Using this equation, the temperature was monitored and when this value exceeded a safe coil temperature, the current output to the MFHD was limited. This current-limiting method makes the use of the MFHD much safer for people who have not had prior experience with the device. If the user is pressing too hard, it is not possible for them to overheat and damage the device.

Simian foamy virus (SFV) is a highly prevalent, nonpathogenic retrovirus found in all monkey species. Changes in the viral genome over time have resulted in similar, but distinct, SFV genomes in different species. Retroviruses mutate and recombine frequently, which can result in pathogenesis. HIV-1 was derived from recombined, nonpathogenic monkey viruses that were zoonotically transmitted, or passed from a non-human to a human host. Two regions of the SFV genome are of particular interest. The highly conserved pol gene and the less conserved gag gene are often used for phylogenetic analysis, and will yield information about SFV diversity between individuals of the same species, and between different species. We are interested in monitoring SFV sequence diversity in natural populations of monkeys. I will focus on langurs because they share habitat with macaques, whose SFV sequence is known, and recombination between macaque and langur viruses is possible. Using blood samples from Bangladeshi langurs and ELIZA, which measures antibodies to SFV, I can determine infection status. In SFV positive samples, polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify the region of interest—gag or pol—from viral DNA. Once isolated, the viral DNA fragment is inserted into a vector and transformed into cells, which are grown with an antibiotic to select for those with the vector. These colonies, or clones, harbor and replicate the DNA. The DNA is isolated from multiple clones and sequenced, and those sequences are compared. This project is part of a larger endeavor that examines the SFV sequence diversity in monkeys and in infected humans and, thus, has implications in zoonotic transmission of other viruses. This is because the changes that occur during zoonotic transmission of SFV can be applied to studies of other emerging diseases or viruses that have the potential to recombine and become pathogenic in humans.

Early interactions between mothers and their infants are important for early bonding and attachment. Since problems with attachment could improve with early intervention it is essential that nurses and other healthcare professionals receive training on how to recognize characteristics of secure and insecure infant attachment patterns. Nurses can also help mothers to interpret their babies’ cues and respond in ways that meet the babies’ needs and lead to the formation of strong attachments. In response to this issue, we created a multimedia presentation of video clips to train nursing students. The presentation was created from videos of parent-infant assessments conducted by the University of Washington’s Center on Infant Mental Health and Development (CIMHD). The video clips were used to demonstrate infant mental health principles via observation and assessment of mother-baby dyads. Our methods for this project included observation of developmental assessment sessions at the High Risk Infant Follow-Up Clinic in order to gain familiarity observation and the assessment of mother-infant attachment. Then a training video was developed using video footage from past CIMHD in-home assessment sessions. Assessment scales on mother-infant attachment and baby cues were used to code, evaluate, and extract video clips from these assessments. Clips were reviewed in terms of the scales’ parameters: facial expression, eye contact, level of activity, and ability to engage in relationships. These components were evaluated for intensity of attraction or avoidance between a mother and baby and the baby’s response. Our final project includes a discussion of the observation of baby cues and mother-infant attachment during CIMHD assessment sessions, the creation of an educational video, and the practical application of various scales to assess the quality of mother-infant interactions. Our final video presentation will be used by CIMHD to educate future students on the observation and assessment of baby cues and mother-infant attachment.

Coronary blood flow (CBF) is increased by raising adenosine concentrations, [Ado], and activating the A2 receptors on arteriolar smooth muscle. There are two strikingly different relationships between CBF versus [Ado]. (1) When Ado is released from cardiomyocytes given tuberocidin to block intracellular Ado kinase (Stepp AJP 273: H1299, 1993) and EHNA (erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine) to block interstitial adenosine deaminase, CBF increases with [Ado], with the expected Hill coefficient of 1 (typical of single site, non-cooperative receptor binding). (2) However, there is an apparent Hill coefficient of about 7 (suggesting high cooperativity) when CBF is raised by increasing levels of intra-arterially infused Ado (Kroll AJP 270: H1469,1996). The high Hill coefficient can be explained by a high level of competition from transporters (Schwartz AJP 2000) on endothelial and smooth muscle and cardiac cells, and the ISF ectodeaminases so that at low Ado infusion rates the Ado fails to reach A2 receptors, lowering the apparent sensitivity. Steeply increasing sensitivity occurs at higher [Ado] when the transporters and ectodeaminases become saturated. Thus the geometric arrangement creates competition for Ado in the micron-thick interstitium producing “receptor supersensitivity”; there is no true cooperativity. (Supported by NIH grants T15HL88516 and EB08407)

Sixty years ago, being a dancer wasn’t a decision; it was an activity that everyone participated in. Children learned how to do traditional social dances (e.g. Waltz, Swing) at a young age. The activity functioned as a way to have fun and experience music, but also as a form of etiquette and a way of communicating. Adults, whether or not they excelled, had a proper understanding of the structure of these dances: how to lead, follow, and connect with a partner. How many people in the United States today understand those same principals? Leading and following are concepts valued by a select few and social dancing has since become a specialized activity. Classes are offered in every city, and yet people are hesitant to learn. By investigating answers to “Why do/don’t you dance?” and looking at comparisons between life today and life during times when traditional dances were popular, I found that the leading reason for decreased dancing is self-consciousness. In today’s world of internet anonymity, how can social dancing – an activity that needs others in order to take place – survive against the self-conscious and a lack of confidence? What changed to evoke this problem and how can it be reversed? Today, gaming is a popular activity that many feel very comfortable with. Games also encourage confidence by uniting people with common goals. In my project, I explore dancing as well as alternate reality gaming, and propose creating a real-world dancing game.

Composites are advantageous for use in high performance applications because of their superior strength to weight ratios. Lighter, high-strength components contribute to higher fuel efficiencies for aerospace vehicles and are also very desirable for structural applications. Although continuous components are preferred, part size and geometry often prevent such parts from being manufactured. Mechanical fastening is likely to damage composite substrates, thus it is important to adhesively bond these materials. Bond quality is often assessed using fracture toughness, with a large fracture toughness value being indicative of high bond quality. The purpose of this research was to study the effect of fiber orientation on the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness (GIC) of woven carbon fiber epoxy matrix laminates. The behavior of unidirectional composites is fairly well understood. However, most applications require composites with multiple fiber orientations. Two preimpregnated lamina (prepreg) material systems were studied: Hexcel 3K70PW F155 and Toray T700S 12K PW/2510. Both materials are plain-weave fabric prepregs. However, the Hexcel prepreg is a traditional plain weave fabric, while the Toray prepreg is a flat tow plain weave fabric. Fiber orientations of 0-90 and +/- 45 were tested. Double cantilever beam (DCB) tests were performed to determine the fracture toughness in accordance with test standard ASTM D5528. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs were used to examine the failure surfaces of each laminate. The +/- 45 laminates were shown to have a higher interlaminar fracture toughness than the 0-90 laminates. For the Hexcel material, average fracture toughness values for the +/- 45 and 0-90 laminates were 1.49 and 0.97 kJ/m2, respectively. For the Toray material, average fracture toughness values for the +/- 45 and 0-90 laminates were .67 and 0.42 kJ/m2, respectively. Fracture toughness is discussed with respect to fiber orientation, weave geometry, and failure surface characteristics.

Although panic disorder (PD) is characterized in terms of memory abnormalities, evidence suggests that part of the impairment may lie in basic attentional functioning. Individuals with PD show deficits in sensory information processing and slow reaction to a dual-processing task, which involves high attentional load. Attentional blink (AB) is a paradigm used to assess deficits in attentional functioning by measuring an individual’s ability to recover from a distraction in attention. AB is observed when an individual shows deficits in identifying the second of two target stimuli after an initial stimulus is presented and followed by distractors. In the current study, participants with PD (n = 11) and participants with no psychopathology (n = 19) were administered a rapid serial visual presentation task to assess attentional deficits in both single and dual-processing paradigms. In the single-processing task, participants identified one letter presented in a stream of numbers. In the dual-processing task, AB was measured by having participants identify letters separated by numbers. Preliminary analyses show no significant difference between groups for the single-processing task, however, indicate a trend for the PD group showing less accuracy than the no psychopathology group in the dual-processing task when the second letter was separated from the first letter by two numbers, t(12.40) = 1.99, p = .07, d = .82. These data suggest those with PD had more difficulty in recovering from a distraction in attention than those with no psychopathology. Consistent with previous studies, a similar pattern was observed with poor attentional performance in the dual-processing task in those with PD, however, the current study extends the findings to poor performance accuracy. The preliminary findings suggest a deficit in basic attention for high attentional load in those with PD.

Due to the plentiful and diverse solutes found in cells, solute-solute interactions are an important part of cellular chemistry. In 2003, Zheng and Pollack observed that charged microspheres suspended in water avoided a region up to 100 µm away from a gel-water boundary. This suggests that solute-solute interactions extend for a much larger distance than previously believed. Although the mechanism of this “exclusion zone” phenomenon is unclear, one possible cause is the presence of a pH gradient around the gel-water boundary, which could have exerted a force on the charged microspheres directed away from the boundary. The Chiu lab seeks to test the viability of the pH gradient theory as an explanation of the exclusion zone phenomenon via microchips. The experiment consists of two stages: first, a pH gradient is established inside a microfluidic channel via the laminar flow of phosphate buffers with differing pH. Second, the behavior of charged microspheres is observed with respect to the pH boundary via microscopy. The preference of the charged microspheres for one side of the pH gradient would confirm pH gradients as the cause of exclusion zones, thus significantly contributing to current scientific knowledge of solute-solute interactions and cellular chemistry. Specifically, the forces caused by a pH gradient could be used to understand cellular chemotaxis: a cellular transport mechanism where the cells migrate towards areas of lower pH to escape their own metabolic waste products. Ultimately, this research could be used to create a novel microfluidic purification method which utilizes pH gradients as the basis to separate the components of extremely small chemical mixtures by charge.

Algal blooms are the swift population increase of algae in an area. Some harmful algal blooms, HABs, can result in mass mortality events in marine life, human poisoning, and hypoxia. Algal bloom occurrences are not solely due to reproduction; researchers hypothesize that these algae are transported by currents and aggregate by swimming to favorable conditions. This algal movement depends on the swimming patterns and stability of the organism. Our focus is Heterosigma akashiwo, a species of algae which develops in a variety of shapes and sizes. We aim to determine whether particular morphologies have greater success in navigating and overcoming turbulence to reach the surface of the ocean. The computer program MATLAB functions as a numerical computing environment to run a turbulence model with various dissipation rates is run with a cell of a particular chosen morphology. MATLAB determines cell movement patterns contingent on varying intensities of turbulence. The cell morphology model is determined by many variable factors including differential density, asymmetries in body structure, center of buoyancy, center of gravity, corrective torque, and steering ability. Models of variations on morphology will then be run with differing turbulence dissipation rates for a set amount of time to determine in what direction they are moving and how they are oriented in the process. This model will allow us to determine why H. akashiwo has evolved with such a diversity of morphologies, and if particular shapes and/or sizes are more beneficial in different conditions or allow more rapid aggregation to sites of favorable conditions for algal blooms. By targeting the formation patterns of HABs, our research will contribute to monitoring these algal blooms and developing preventative measures.

This study combines water property measurements of salinity, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen with water level fluctuations and macroscale stratigraphic observations to generate a physico-chemical snapshot of the current lacustrine system found on Lib Island of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (8o 18’ 48.99” N, 167o 22’ 51.90” E). Lib pond is shallow, mesosaline, polymictic, alkaline and eutrophic, and has indications of subterranean communication with the ocean. The estimated flushing time of the basin is 31-34 days. The reservoir displays considerable variability in water column chemistry over short timescales, evident following large episodic rain events. The variability observed in lake sediment stratigraphy suggests dramatically changing hydrologic conditions over time, namely changing long-term communication with the ocean. Changes in past characteristics of both the water column and basin morphometry are likely due to the pond’s sensitivity to interannual ENSO events and possibly the ITCZ’s changing position through the Holocene. This inferred sensitivity to such climate fluctuations suggests the efficacy of future paleoclimate investigations at the site. The quantitative as well as qualitative constraints placed on Lib Pond by this study serve to aid in the interpretation of lipid isotope data from collected sediments as proxies of paleohydrology

Following the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, the flow of water and nutrients into and out of Spirit Lake changed dramatically. As a result of the blast a new ecosystem in Spirit Lake emerged, which is the focus of our study. The purpose of this research is to characterize the physical, biological and chemical parameters controlling nutrient cycling in the shallower and more productive water column in the disturbed lake. Water samples and water quality measurements were collected at multiple depths in the water column of the lake over the summer and fall of 2009. The parameters collected include the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, zooplankton and phytoplankton abundance and biovolume, alkalinity, chlorophyll a, temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, pH and Secchi depth. This data will be used to quantify the pool of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column as an integral part of the larger nutrient budget being constructed for the post-eruption Spirit Lake.

In recent years, the mobile phone has become a powerful and versatile platform for computing. An iPhone or Android phone now has all the capabilities of a telephone, web-browser, camera, GPS device, mp3 player, and compass. The MobileAccessibility project aims to use these capabilities, coupled with online web-services, to create mobile applications that are usable and useful for blind, deaf-blind, and low-vision users. At present, a number of mobile assistive devices for blind people exist, and our goal is to replace most of these with a single multi-purpose mobile phone. The current work focuses on developing a blind- and deaf-blind-accessible version of OneBusAway, a tool developed at the UW that provides real-time bus arrival times and other useful information for the King County Metro transit system. OneBusAway exists in several forms: an online website, a dial-in telephone service, and applications for iPhone, Nokia, and Android mobile phones. I implement an accessible version of the application for the Android phone, a free open-source platform for mobile devices spearheaded by Google. We factor in input from blind and deaf-blind users about the usability of mobile phones and the transit system in general, and the various versions of OneBusAway specifically, as well as specific methods for communication with the user, such as large print, synthesized speech, alert sounds, and vibration patterns for output, and touchscreen gestures, accelerometer-based gestures, and the keyboard for user input. A fully accessible version of OneBusAway will enable disabled people to use the King County transit system seamlessly, especially if accessibility is factored into further work to integrate OneBusAway with Transit’s existing tools. Furthermore, the successful creation of a complex, useful, accessible application for Android demonstrates the potential for further work in MobileAccessibility, and the results of usability studies will provide useful guidelines for further accessible mobile applications.

Modern hearing aids have the ability to compress a wide range of intensities into a range suitable for a user’s hearing loss. This allows for low intensity sounds, such as consonants, to be amplified while keeping high intensity sounds, such as vowels, at a comfortable level. However, this compression also distorts signals. Two particular parameters, the attack and release time – which describe the hearing aid's capacity to modify its amplification in response to stimuli, contribute to this distortion. Up to this point, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the exact settings for these parameters. This research was focused on determining the effects of using fast and slow attack and release times when listening to two competing talkers. Two groups, hearing impaired and normal-hearing individuals, were tested with three different types of attack and release times. The attack and release times used were fast attack-fast release, slow attack-slow release, and no compression. The participants were instructed to listen to sets of sentences and indicate key words spoken by a specific male speaker in the presence of a second male speaker. The results showed that the various attack and release times had little effect on performance for either group. However, the hearing-impaired group showed better scores when compression was used, which could be due to the amplification that the compression gave to this group. The normal-hearing group seemed to do better when there was no compression, which could be attributed to the fact that compression creates distortion in the signal. These results suggest that audiologists may not have to be concerned about the attack and release times of hearing aids and may let the patient select which has a better quality or comfort level.

Hemichordates are invertebrate deuterostomes that share morphological features with echinoderms and chordates. Hemichordates are divided into three subgroups; Enteropneusta, Pterobranchia and Graptolithina. The worm-like Enteropneust is the most common of the hemichordates and most closely resembles the ancestral deuterostome. However, hemichordate enteropneust worm identification is difficult. This difficulty stems primarily from the fact that hemichordates have been largely overlooked by the scientific community. While their evolutionary history and development figure prominently in current theories of chordate origins, we have yet to establish a standardized identification procedure. Here we examine morphological characteristics that distinguish ptychoderid hemichordates from harrimaniid hemichordates using a suite of molecular, developmental and morphological characteristics. We show dramatic differences in adult central nervous system patterning between different species. Within the Ptychoderidae at least three genera have been established, Balanoglossus, Glossobalanus and Ptychodera, however our results suggest some taxonomic revision is necessary. We suggest that ptychoderid hemichordate worms are likely ancestral to deuterostomes and present a description of specific morphological characters to identify ptychoderid hemichordates.

ReSolar's objective is to design and fabricate an affordable, environmentally friendly, off-grid, electricity system capable of generating 3kW of power with minimal maintenance and post-sale costs. For the environmental innovation challenge (EIC), the goal is to lower the cost of present solar thermal units; making them affordable to low-income and third-world populations. An off-grid system benefits these consumers because their current electrical infrastructure is often inadequate. Solar thermal technology is an environmentally friendly energy solution because it derives power from solar radiation, not hydrocarbons. The proposed design uses a stirling engine heated by a highly reflective parabolic dish. The dish would track the sun by using two to four photo detectors. The stirling engine generates electricity to be stored in a battery system. A battery system was chosen because it is currently the lowest-cost storage option. A better energy system will replace the battery if it has lower life-cycle costs. Once the system is assembled, it would operate with very low maintenance and it would not have any major additional costs, such as diesel for a generator. The cost of the system is critical because the system must be affordable for low-income households and third-world countries. The main EIC deliverable is a scaled prototype of the 3kW solar thermal system. This prototype will be tested and evaluated for commercial distribution. The proposed solar thermal system is an environmentally responsible solution to the developing world's energy dilemma.

The undergraduate minor in Education, Learning and Society (ELS) at the University of Washington is a relatively new program for undergraduates interested in education. Since its inception in September of 2007, the minor has benefited students with counseling, research preparation, and interconnectivity among students, faculty and staff throughout the university community. As of March 2009, 142 students were actively declared with an ELS Minor. The program is aiming to benefit students in pursuit of academic and professional careers related to education. Our ongoing research intends to survey students and alumni about how a University of Washington education (with a minor in ELS) has helped them reach their career goals. We are currently designing a Catalyst survey to question 200 plus students and alumni. Our final analysis is interested in how the ELS Minor may have prepared students for careers or graduate school in route to teaching or educational policy and research. By surveying graduates and students preparing for graduation with an ELS minor, we hope to attain their reflections on how participation in the minor may have helped them reach a current occupation or Graduate program. This research will be used to inform the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences about the effectiveness of the new minor in Education, Learning and Society and to identify where and how our graduates may be influencing contemporary education. In addition, the findings shall help to validate the need for further funding and expansion of the program during the time of budget cuts.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Ischemic strokes are caused by the reduction of blood flow to a cerebral artery. The result is an ischemic core, a region of unviable brain tissue, surrounded by the penumbra that can still be recovered if blood flow is immediately restored. Currently, only 5% of stroke patients receive the recommended treatment of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) within the effective three hour window. As a result, the purpose of our research is to determine the efficacy of different pharmacological agents and how they affect collateral flow and extend the time window for recanalization with minimal side effects. This will be accomplished by creating a reliable model for observing focal, induced strokes in rats and determining whether hypertension and gender are important factors that affect collateral flow and vascular activity. Strokes are induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) with either a nylon filament or a blood clot. After occlusion of the MCA, 2-Chloroadenosine is administered as the treating agent. The effectiveness of the drug is determined by evaluating vasodilation and blood flow by using Laser Doppler Flow and Laser Speckle methods. Our data show that 2-Chloroadenosine application results in vasodilation and thus increases cerebral blood flow during occlusion/stroke. This study is relevant to strokes in humans by leading to a better understanding of how to enhance collateral flow in order to raise blood flow, minimize the damages in the brain and salvage tissue, and thereby improving the outcome.

People’s expectations of alcohol’s intoxicating effects based on beverage type have been shown to be correlated with drinking behavior. Recent research has indicated that people with substance-use problems tend to underestimate the effects of “softer” alcohol (beer, wine) versus “harder” alcohol (straight liquor), and report drinking more when consuming hard liquor than beer and wine. However, these studies did not specifically address discrepancies in self-report that may be precipitated by these beverage-type expectancies. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether self-reported beverage type (beer, wine or hard liquor) was associated with an overestimation of self-reported drinking on typical versus heaviest drinking occasions. Participants are formerly homeless, alcohol-dependent individuals living in a nonabstinence-based, low-barrier housing project (N = 77). A logistic regression will be used to test self-reported beverage type (beer, wine, hard liquor) as a predictor of the overestimation of drinking on typical versus heaviest drinking occasions. We hypothesize that self-reported consumption of hard liquor on a peak drinking occasion will be most strongly positively associated with participants’ overestimation. Such findings would be consistent with the literature on alcohol expectancies based on beverage type and would provide further support for the hypothesis that one’s expectations influence estimates of alcohol consumption.

The history of graphic design is mostly contained in the last century. A relatively short amount of time has passed and a concise summation of events is still possible. An even smaller microcosm can be found in the 1980s with the beginning and proliferation of computers (Mac and PC). It was this technological development that laid the groundwork for graphic design experimentation on the computer. It is the intention of this researcher to identify the revolutionary techniques associated with the growth and proliferation of the computer. In addition, respond to the transition of a predominately hand-done graphic design technique, to one using the computer as the sole tool of creation and resolution. In this way, it is hoped that there will be some prediction for future trends where humans become more connected to their technologies in a way similar to that present in the hand work through the first 100 years of graphic design history. A complete definition of the importance of a hand-made object in post-industrial society will be developed. As part of this definition, it is assumed that it has to do with the inherent history of an object created over time with certain unknown outside impacts. Some of these outside impacts could include small details that are out of the control of the creator, but instead are arrived at through the process of the hands-on manipulation of materials and how the respective material traits respond to human interaction. Are these material traits present in solutions arrived at digitally? To what extent does a 2D object created digitally reflect the aesthetic goals of the creator and does it necessarily include the same history present in a similar object created entirely out of the digital realm?

The big problem that high school runners face is injury. There are a lot of injuries that runners stumble upon which takes a long time to heal. I will design running shoes that will reduce some of the typical injuries that runners suffer. As the number of high school runners in the U.S. increases, the injuries are also increasing at a rapid rate. I was the top runner from Cascade High School and one of the top runners from the district. However, my running career was cut short because of the injuries that I suffered. Currently, there are no shoes that are designed to help runners prevent these injuries. There is a growing debate as to how running barefoot is better than running with shoes. Nevertheless, the shoe that I design is a smart shoe that will have microprocessors in it to calculate data. It stores the data in a data warehouse database which can be queried by an athlete or a coach on a weekly or monthly basis to monitor the miles, surface they ran on and calories burned. The methods that I am going to be using are a survey, questionnaire, and interview. I will be interviewing shoe companies here in the northwest to find out the current state of technology that is integrated in running shoes and what they are working on to solve this problem. I will also be interviewing the runners and coaches to get an idea of which injuries are the most common ones. After gathering all my data, I will be designing a high-fidelity prototype of the shoes. I will also create a mock database and how the data from the shoes is going to be presented and how one can query the data.

The theory surrounding representations of the symmetric group is an interesting topic to study since it can be approached from several different areas of mathematics. The symmetric group of degree n (which we call Sn) can be viewed as the set of all permutations of the ordered sequence of numbers { 1, 2, …, n}. For example, with this interpretation the symmetric group of order three is the set:(1,2,3), (1,3,2), (2,1,3), (2,3,1), (3,1,2), and (3,2,1). Looking at the representation theory of the symmetric group means that we are looking at how we might translate the action of elements of this group into the language of linear algebra. It turns out that there are a finite number of irreducible “translations” (which we call representations) and that each of these can be in turn associated with a set of numbers called characters. Most of the above is traditionally studied using an area of mathematics called abstract algebra. However, one can also approach this subject using a newer area of math called combinatorics, which among other things studies the number of ways that we may count different arrangements of objects in a set. In fact, using a combinatorial algorithm called the Murnaghan Nakayama rule, we can easily generate the character table of Sn, for any n, without reference to abstract algebra or representation theory. In my project, I have been looking at ways of using combinatorics and the Murnaghan-Nakayama rule to prove certain properties about the row sums in the character table of Sn.

In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms that lead to carcinogenesis, it is critical to identify and study the regulatory elements that contribute to abnormal gene expression. The MYC oncogene plays a significant role in cancer development. Recent studies suggest that enhancer elements, located far upstream on chromosome 8 within the “8q24 risk” region, physically interact with MYC to regulate its expression. While the exact mechanism underlying the long-distance interaction between the 8q24 risk region and MYC remains unknown, two nuclear factors -CTCF and Cohesin- are required for the formation of chromatin loops at the IGF2/H19 and the IFNG gene loci. Here we test our hypothesis that CTCF is also a critical component of the chromatin loop formation between 8q24 and MYC. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays we test binding of CTCF to the 8q24 risk region in different cell types. In addition, we investigate whether aberrant DNA methylation at CTCF binding motifs contributes to deregulation of MYC gene expression. To analyze the methylation status at 8q24, we use methylation specific primer (MSP) PCR to test bisulfite converted DNA. We examined cancer cell lines derived from breast, ovarian and prostate cancer as well as human embryonic stem cells. Our goal is to correlate DNA methylation at CTCF binding motifs with MYC gene activity. Defining the relationship between nuclear architecture and cell function in both normal and cancerous cells may have serious implications in the development of diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies of cancer prevention.

Recent research shows that microplastic particles (0.3-5 mm) are found in consumer products such as facial cleansers and toothpaste. Microplastic particles in consumer products enter the wastewater system from single consumer use. The goal of our study is to determine the concentrations and particle size distributions of microplastic particles in consumer products. Several commercial facial cleansers were analyzed to determine the microplastic concentrations and size distributions using an automated Beckman Coulter Particle Size Analyzer (PSA) and manual counts using a Sedgewick-Rafter microscope slide. The size distribution analysis showed that the particle sizes ranged from an average of 50 to 300 μm. These are smaller than the microplastic size definition, implying that methods developed to measure microplastics in environmental samples will not detect many of the identified consumer product particles. The concentrations of microplastics found in consumer products ranged from 9 to 27 mg of plastic per gram of wet product. Combining these concentrations with estimates of product and water usage rates, we estimate that up to 0.25 mg/L of microplastic particles may be found in household wastewater. A scale up calculation found that up to 25 kg/day of microplastics may be entering the Tacoma wastewater treatment plant. The fate of microplastics in the wastewater treatment process is largely unknown. These data suggest that consumer products are a contributing source of plastics pollution in Puget Sound.

It is well established that the mutualistic relationship between plant species and mycorrhizal fungi is important to the function of terrestrial ecosystems. Our study examined the effects of biosolids on ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) abundance and diversity in greenhouse-grown Douglas-fir seedlings. Fresh biosolids were obtained from the Tacoma Wastewater Treatment facility, and “historic biosolids” were obtained by sampling soils from Douglas-fir stands at UW Charles Pack Experimental Forest 26 years after biosolids amendments were applied; both were significantly elevated in heavy metals including copper and zinc. Five replicate Douglas-fir seedlings were potted in five soil mixtures (untreated control, 8% fresh biosolids, 18% fresh biosolids, 50% historic biosolids-amended soils, and 100% historic biosolids-amended soils), and grown for 50 days in a greenhouse. Forty mycorrhizal root tips were examined from each seedling’s root system and separated into distinct morphological types (morphotypes). Genomic DNA was extracted from one root tip of each morphotype from each sample and mycorrhizal fungi were identified by DNA sequence analysis using BLAST searches. A total of 11 morphotypes were encountered, with the highest species richness in the control soils and the lowest species richness in the 18% fresh biosolids soils. Surprisingly, the majority of species were ascomycetes, including Cadophora finlandica, Wilcoxina mikolai, and Tuber pacificum, although Rhizopogon species were also common. The relationship between metals contamination and mycorrhizal fungi will be discussed.

Large databases of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are available for a tremendous variety of organisms. More EST data is accumulating from sequencing projects such as the Gene Index Project at Harvard University. There are over 60 million ESTs in GenBank representing well over half of all GenBank entries. To make efficient use of EST data computational techniques have been developed to analyze and organize EST databases. ESTs have been useful in discovering new genes, understanding gene expression and regulation, and constructing genome maps. However, the utility of EST data relies upon our ability to make accurate annotations that describe the functionality of the ESTs in the source organism. Presently most approaches used to annotate ESTs rely on sequence-based comparison methods such as BLAST. This is limiting because the function of a protein is dependent on its 3D structure. Therefore, the ability to reliably predict the functionality of an EST could be improved if we were able to accurately predict the structure of the proteins that ESTs encode. We evaluate the reliability of predicting partial structures of proteins encoded by ESTs using top-performing protein structure prediction software. Evaluation will be performed on a test set containing ESTs that are homologous to solved human proteins from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The ESTs in the test set will be of varying lengths and cover different regions of the corresponding full-length PDB proteins. Random protein sequences of the same length as the ESTs in the test set will be used as negative controls. To compare which software predicts EST structures most accurately, predicted structures will be aligned against their corresponding PDB structures. Root-mean-square distances will be calculated between equivalent atom pairs among the aligned structures. The resulting analysis will illuminate the potential usefulness of EST structure predictions as well as the limitations.

The overall focus of my project is to understand the neuroendocrine mechanism of reproduction. Kisspeptin, a product of the Kiss1 gene, and its receptor (Kiss1r), are key regulators of the reproductive cycle. Kiss1 neurons are concentrated primarily in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the rodent hypothalamus. AVPV Kiss1 neurons are thought to stimulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons to generate the preovulatory GnRH surge, necessary for ovulation and fertility. Progesterone receptor (PR) expression is essential for GnRH surge induction; importantly, AVPV Kiss1 neurons express PR. My project aims to explore the potential role of PR signaling in AVPV Kiss1 neurons in generating the GnRH surge. I hypothesize that in the presence of estradiol (E₂), Kiss1 neurons in the AVPV are modulated by progesterone (P) in a biphasic fashion—initially, P stimulates PR in Kiss1 neurons, leading to a GnRH surge, but P subsequently down-regulates PR expression after prolonged exposure, blocking the GnRH surge. To test my hypothesis, I will ovariectomize female rats and insert an E₂ implant, known to induce a precisely timed GnRH surge. Half of the rats will receive a P injection, and the other half will receive oil as control. At the time of the expected GnRH surge, I will collect the brains and blood of half of the E₂ + oil-treated rats and half of the E₂ + P-treated rats. The brains and blood of the remaining animals will be collected 24 h later. Using double-label in situ hybridization, I will identify cells that express both PR and Kiss1 mRNA. I expect to see a down-regulation of PR expression in Kiss1 neurons in the P-treated group collected on day 2. Through this project I hope to better understand the molecular mechanism for GnRH surge induction.

Past cognitive development research has shown that visual preference tasks can provide information on what infants have learned about their environment. Young infants preferentially attend to stimuli that resemble those most salient in their environment, such as their mother’s face or even a face of the same ethnicity as their primary caregiver. Extensive research has characterized preference patterns in 3- and 6-month-old infants, but little is known about the developmental trajectory of these patterns in older infants. Visual preference paradigms may not be appropriate for older infants, who can explore their world through motor action in addition to visual exploration. In this study, we developed a novel ‘choice’ version of the traditional visual preference paradigm, in which we allowed infants to demonstrate their preference through both looking and reaching.12-18 month old infants are presented with a series of paired pictures displayed on either side of the table. Each pair includes one picture that was chosen to resemble stimuli in the child’s environment (‘typical’), and one picture that was chosen to be dissimilar to stimuli in the child’s environment (‘atypical’). Both social and nonsocial pairs are presented. The picture the child looks at first and reaches for are recorded during the session. The child’s parent is then given a survey covering the child’s exposure levels to various stimuli presented and the child’s handedness.Data collection is ongoing. We expect a dominant trend of handedness-dependent choice in 12-month old infants, regardless of the child’s initial visual fixation or placement of novel stimulus, then an increasing shift towards novel stimulus choice when hand dependence is no longer an issue. In the future we would like to use the same task to examine the development of preferences in clinical groups of at risk children for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In Brian Otis’s Wireless Sensing Lab (WSL), I am investigating link budgeting for a tissue implanted ultra-high frequency (UHF) remotely powered neural device. Link budgeting is a technique that takes account of all gains and losses from a transmitter chip, through a medium, to a receiver chip in a telecommunication system. Since tissue tends to have high power absorption, I am deriving a path loss model in order to specify how much power is lost from the sensor antenna to the receiver antenna. More specifically, I am determining the path loss in a short distance between two antennas within the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band at 915MHz. The first antenna connected to the receiver chip is placed below four layers of the head, which include the skin, skull, periosteum, and dura mater. The receiver will be capable of monitoring biological functions such as temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, ECG, EEG, respiration, etc. The second antenna, connected to the transmitter chip, will be placed outside of the body. The path loss model needs to be derived, so the input power for the chip could be determined along with efficient signal to noise ratio, bit error rate, and linearity specifications. This wireless device will improve the quality of life for those who constantly need to monitor their biological signals by allowing patients to move freely without the constraint of wires or even the hospital. This device will also record people under more natural situations for a longer period of time producing useful and accurate data.

We are investigating the maturation of mesodermal cells in the developing zebrafish embryo. This cell population is established during the process of gastrulation, and will give rise to such tissues as muscle, bone and blood. Much is already known about the factors that first create the mesodermal cell fate. However, after mesoderm is established the cells must migrate and reorganize within the embryo. Many details of this process, such as which proteins are responsible, have not yet been discovered. We are investigating four candidate genes that play a role in cell adhesion or cell shape change; all four genes are expressed in developing mesoderm.  Zebrafish are an ideal model organism for our research. Mesodermal cells can be directly observed, as the embryos are transparant. It is straightforward to assay the levels of gene expression by in situ hybridization with an RNA probe. Expression levels can be changed by injecting mRNA into fertilized eggs. We are taking advantage of all of these techniques and are also utilizing a mutant zebrafish line called spadetail. This mutant has a defect in mesoderm maturation and will help us understand what happens when cells are trapped at an early stage in this process.

Clinical reasoning is an essential skill to learn in medicine, but multiple-choice exams may not adequately assess student errors. Case-based essay tests can provide useful information on the types of errors physicians make in clinical practice. The University of Washington Family Medicine Department proctored a case-based examination with its third-year clerkship students. This test has been administered to 343 students in family medicine clinical clerkships at 26 community and residency sites across a 5 state region. Case-based questions addressed common medical problems seen in family medicine and asked students to respond using the Subjective Objective Assessment Plan (SOAP) format for writing clinical progress notes. We are examining two SOAP notes from each of the 343 students from Autumn 2005 to Spring 2007 to determine the types of errors third year medical students make in clinical reasoning. We identified categories of error types with qualitative research methods and Atlas TI software. Students’ rationale for their assessment and plans of each patient case scenario was coded for using a template previously developed by the clerkship co-directors. Coded segments from the student SOAP notes are then reviewed by the author and one mentor, (A.K.), in order to identify common patterns in the content of coded sections and the codes usage. Investigators read through subsets of these patterns to identify student reasoning. Based on early analysis, case-based testing of student’s clinical abilities does detect student’s errors in clinical reasoning. Errors tend to be failure to identify features of cases, failure to correctly interpret meaning of those features and errors in hypothesis generation. Further analysis will help in understanding weaknesses in students’ clinical reasoning and inform the design of education interventions to improve their performance.

The p53 gene codes for a tumor suppressor protein that regulates the cell cycle. P53 plays an anti-cancer role by activating DNA repair, arresting the cell cycle at the G1/S phase transition for DNA damage recognition, and inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) if DNA damage is irreparable. The gene has a polymorphism on codon 72 that can cause an Arginine amino acid in the protein to be substituted by a Proline amino acid. Patient genotype can then either be homozygous for the Arginine variant, homozygous for the Proline variant, or heterozygous (having both Proline and Arginine variants). Our lab is working on a project to analyze the genotypes of patients who have been exposed to radiation. This involves taking cells from the blood and infecting them with Epstein-Barr virus to immortalize them so they can be stored for long periods of time. After isolating DNA from these cells, PCR is performed with primers specific for the Arginine or Proline variants. PCR mixes are separated on a gel to identify the presence or absence of products, indicating the patient genotype. We will enter this information into a database and compare their frequencies with the normal population using a chi square test. This statistical analysis allows us to determine whether or not our data is similar to the regular healthy population by measuring the variance.

Fertilization is an essential step in sexual reproduction. Its underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully known. Our goal is to discover new proteins on sperm that are crucial for different stages of fertilization in Drosophila melanogaster. Because the genome is highly conserved from D. melanogaster to humans, the knowledge we learn from our research may be useful for studying the basis of human infertility. Our starting point is a large collection of strains, each carrying a recessive male sterile mutation but able to produce motile sperm. The mutants will be characterized to determine which step of fertilization is defective: sperm-egg binding, sperm entry, pronuclei apposition, and first zygotic division. I have been characterizing and mapping the mutations in two strains. In addition, preliminary results show that the two mutations prevent sperm from fertilizing eggs most of the time, and in a minority of cases, fertilization is arrested at a very early stage. To understand how the mutations cause defective fertilization, we will identify the responsible genes then study the function of their proteins.

People with chronic kidney disease lose kidney function. The pathology leads to an increased accumulation of collagen, making the kidney fibrotic. This excessive amount of collagen causes renal function decrease and eventually renal failure. The mechanisms of this cause have not been deciphered; however, several genes that are anti-fibrotic have been characterized. The objective of these studies is to understand the mechanisms of the anit-fibrotic Endo180 gene, in the amelioration of renal fibrosis. Preliminary data shows that the absence of Endo180 increases fibrosis. Therefore, its anti-fibrotic role may be associated with trafficking and/or degradation of collagen into the cell. The major collagen producers during fibrosis are myo-fibroblasts. Hence, the overall goal of our studies is to understand the role of Endo180 in fibroblasts. To study its role, we are making gene-targeted mice using the Cre/lox approach. This approach breeds one mouse with Cre protein expressed in a specific cell type and another that contains the targeted gene flanked by loxP sites. Once bred, the cells carrying the Cre gene will cause loss of the targeted gene in those cells. The promoter of the alpha-smooth muscle gene, a marker that characterizes myo-fibroblasts, will be used to regulate the Cre expression. Another mice line we will use is the Endo180 knock out gene. This approach will allow us to have targeted deletions of the Endo180 gene in the myo-fibroblasts. We will then be able to test the role of collagen internalization by the Endo180 gene. After the collagen is internalized, its degradation may occur through the cathepsins. We will confirm gene expression changes in cathepsins by quantitative real time PCR, immunostaining and protein expression. Our results demonstrate an increase in cathepsins K, L and S during fibrosis. Further research will be done to understand if these changes are Endo180- dependent or independent.

With the development of laser technology in recent decades, photochemistry has emerged as an essential tool in synthetic chemistry. Using electromagnetic (EM) radiation, chemists can access electronic states and subsequent synthetic pathways unavailable with thermal methods. As experimental capability has improved, prediction of molecular behavior in EM fields has become critical in divining synthetic directions. Until recently, these predictive methods considered only an electric-dipole perturbation to the core Hamiltonian. This approximation improves computational efficiency and is accurate insofar that the ratio between the electric-dipole perturbation and higher order interactions is of magnitude a0/λ (Bohr radius/wavelength of light) << 1. However, a more exact solution to the EM problem requires the inclusion of magnetic-dipole and electric-quadrupole terms. The goal of this project is to develop and incorporate magnetic field interactions into an efficient ab initio Ehrenfest dynamics routine. The routine developed by Li et. al. makes use of three increasingly small time-steps, which update the energy gradient, nuclear positions, and electron density respectively. The unitary transformation used to propagate the density matrix is computed at the mid-point of each Δte step, taking into account linear changes in both the electric and magnetic fields. Addition of the magnetic-dipole perturbation term will allow more accurate analysis of electronic transitions and construction of potential energy surfaces (PES) in various model systems. In turn, the increased understanding of molecular excitations will give experimentalists support in efforts to selectively cleave bonds and control synthetic pathways via electromagnetic radiation.

Gene expression is controlled by transcription factors that bind to regulatory elements located both proximal and distal to the start of transcription. A balance between accessibility to the DNA template and the restrictive packaging of DNA, in the form of chromatin, determines which genes are ultimately expressed. Chromatin is a string of evenly distributed nucleosomes, where local disruption of a single nucleosome results in accessibility of the DNA to transcription factor binding. Deoxyribonuclease I (DNAseI) indiscriminately digests DNA in regions where chromatin has been disturbed. This digestion broadly identifies regulatory elements such as promoters, enhancers, silencers, insulators and locus control regions. In any given cell type approximately 150,000 DNAseI hypersensitivity sites (DHSs), whose function are largely unknown, have been identified. We hypothesize that all DHSs act to control gene transcription, which then determines the cellular/organismal phenotype. To assign function to these DHSs, we developed a novel approach for measuring gene enhancement using a cell-based transient transfection assay. We altered a reporter plasmid to allow cloning of DHSs into the 3’ untranslated region of the reporter gene. By incorporating the DHS-DNA sequences into the transcript, each mRNA becomes tagged with a specific DHS. The total number of tags can then be determined with next generation DNA sequencing. As a proof of principle, we utilized this new protocol to shotgun clone DHSs residing in the alpha-globin and beta-globin loci. Approximately 10 million tags were sequenced and aligned to the human genome reference sequence, which led to the identification of forty-one candidate enhancers within our test region. We are currently scaling up to perform a genome-wide screen for enhancer elements. Knowledge of enhancer function becomes valuable when considering genetic diseases resulting from mutations within regulatory elements. A comprehensive record of DHS function will provide further insight into the molecular basis of diseases.

Having a car in high school is a status symbol in many societies as it demonstrates wealth, independence, and responsibility; in contrast, public transit is often a slower, less pleasant, and sometimes difficult way to reach a destination. Yet there are many good reasons, including cost and environmental impacts, to encourage teenagers to use public transit. With this research, our goal is to understand the public transit needs of teenagers and to create technological solutions that encourage teenagers to have a more positive and practical social opinion of public transit. Our work involves OneBusAway, an online bus finder tool that improves the usability of public transit by providing real time information about when a specific bus will arrive at a particular stop. We focused in the areas of trip planning and social interactions while using public transit. To understand teenagers’ opinions and views on combining public transit and social technology to help them get connected, we distributed 61 surveys and conducted 3 focus groups with high school students in the Puget Sound area. We also interviewed one public transit expert to obtain the transportation provider perspective. Research recommends an implementation of a SMS (Short Messaging System) and an interactive smart-phone application with features that satisfy the needs of teenage public transit users. Based on these results, we have begun to create an extension to OneBusAway that allows teenagers riding on public transit to connect socially with one another. Low and medium fidelity prototypes—such as computer drawn blueprints, paper mockups, and/or computer simulated demonstration— have been completed and a usability evaluation will soon be underway. We will implement a working prototype that we hope will be integrated into the OneBusAway application. Implications include an increase in teenage public transit usage and development in creating a social aspect to public transit.

Geoarchaeology has played a vital role in helping researchers answer important questions about site formation processes through the study of soils, sediments, and geological features at archaeological sites. Geoarchaeology provides methods to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic features within sites. Cape Krusenstern is a coastal site above the Arctic Circle in Northwest Alaska that was occupied by people during the late Northern Archaic Tradition, the Arctic Small Tool Tradition, and the Northern Maritime Tradition - three major cultural traditions in Alaskan pre-history. Our goal is to use geoarchaeological methods on the archaeological soils and sediments collected from Cape Krusenstern to distinguish between specific events and locations of human activity and investigate whether people were involved in the formation of a recurring feature type that although common in archaeological sites, is not well understood by archaeologists. By determining pH levels, measuring organic content and phosphorus levels, magnetic susceptibility, particle size analysis, and determining physical properties of the sediment we have data that allows us to reconstruct site formation processes at Cape Krusenstern. By comparing these data from known anthropogenic features with the mysterious features we can determine the origins of the anomalous features. This is of special importance for Cape Krusenstern because contained within it there is 4,000 years of Alaskan pre-history. Geoarchaeology will help us and future researchers understand the complex formation processes which have occurred at Cape Krusenstern.

 Portable X-ray fluorescence is an analytical technique that is becoming increasingly popular in archaeology because of its ability to rapidly provide high volumes elemental data about the composition of artefacts and sediments with a minimum of sample preparation. We used PXRF to analyze the elemental composition and homogeneity of three earthenware sherds from Tham Sua Cave, Laos. These sherds have been directly dated by luminescence techniques to the Early Iron Age (c. 300 BC) Each sherd was measured multiple times on the exterior and interior surfaces of the vessel and homogenised powdered samples were also analysed. From these data we have characterised the clays that were used to make the vessels and described the diversity of clay sources present in the assemblage. We discuss the implications of these data on ceramic production and exchange in Iron Age Laos. Our methodological tests reveal important implications for the reliability of single point measurements versus multiple points versus a homogenized powder sample for robust elemental characterisation of a single sherd. From these conclusions we offer recommendations on the most reliable use of this instrument.

In recent years, collaborative-learning has become widespread in higher education to aid in the development of engaged, socially relevant, and integrated curricula – usually through the implementation of “learning communities”. Learning communities take several shapes and forms, ranging from cross-disciplinary projects to linked courses, all with a focus on collaborative learning in the context of community. Seattle Central Community College continues to pioneer innovations in collaborative-learning models for an increasing number of disciplines (ranging from ESL to math and science to the humanities). This exploratory study seeks to document shifts, contours, and contradictions experienced throughout the course of one collaborative-learning class as reported by Seattle Central social science students. A principal aim of the study is to examine five themes that emerged from students’ narratives and to explore how these themes (and the questions therein) are implicated in processes of social change. This project reports on an analysis of the first of three rounds of one-to-one interviews. I begin by mapping the experiences that students report as having significance within these five themes, and exploring their relationship to collaborative learning and social change. I suggest that the character of these experiences, structured by the connected nature of a collaborative learning community, contribute to social change. The exploration is illustrated by student narratives that show the interaction of conflict, creativity and change in the life of a Seattle Central sociology course. While the quantitative aspects of collaborative-learning have been well documented (increased GPA , community, and academic involvement), student narratives help shift our focus to the qualitative aspects of collaborative-learning communities: away from measurements of ability, and onto the process of growth, personal impacts, and mind-set shifts that their collaborative nature provoke. The five themes that frame this exploration are: knowledge-creation, voice, conflict, creation, and change.

While Latinos makeup 14% of the United States population, they account for 18% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. The literature suggests that adherence to traditional gender roles (e.g. machismo and mariansimo) places Latinos at an increased risk of engaging in risky sexual health behaviors. While the majority of intervention/prevention programs target Latinas, few, if any, address Latino men. This study aims to examine the following: 1) Do Mexican men identify with the characteristics of machismo?; 2) If Mexican men are adhering to traditional gender roles, what are the factors influencing their adherence?; and 3) How does adherence to machismo characteristics impact both men’s protective and risky health behaviors? Using grounded theory qualitative methodology, 20 individual interviews were conducted. The following topics were examined: attitudes and beliefs about sexual practices and safe sex; definition of machismo and marianismo and adherence to gender roles; and whether Mexican men view themselves at-risk for engaging in risky sexual behavior. Preliminary analyses suggest that men view women as the caretaker, and as a result, defer their own health care to their partners/wives. Results further suggest that gender roles play a significant role in how men view their participation in healthy behavior in that, they do not feel they are at risk for acquiring a sexually transmitted infection, specifically HIV/AIDS. Moreover, the results further indicate that Mexican men’s primary motivation for condom use is contraception. These preliminary analyses indicate a need to create public health campaigns to increase Mexican men’s awareness of their risk factors. The study further aims to use the results of the interviews to inform the creation of culturally sensitive intervention/prevention programs aimed at improving the sexual health of Mexican men.

In order to better understand site history, archaeologists will look to the sediments and soils that make up the surrounding landscape. Determining the chemical content of the stratigraphy can lead to a better understanding of the natural and cultural processes that lead to the creation of the site. One method used to gain this chemical understanding is loss on ignition (LOI) analysis, in which samples are burned first at 500C and again at 1000C. The initial burn will rid the sample of any organic content while the second burn will incinerate the carbonate content. At the Tule Creek Village site on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of Los Angeles, California, there is a general uniformity to most of the stratigraphy; a darker layer on top with a lighter layer on bottom, with the exception of Mound B. Within this mound, the stratigraphy alternates between thin layers of light and dark sediment with varying degrees of compaction. In an effort to determine whether Mound B is a cultural deposit or the outcome of natural depositional events, several samples from the mound were selected for LOI analysis. Results from this analysis showed that although there are differing amounts of organic and carbonate content between the samples, these differences were not related to the differences in their color or compaction. Therefore it is not possible to say that the mound is a cultural or environmental feature based on the LOI tests alone. Recommended future research would be X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) studies on the phosphorous concentrations between layers, and micromorphology analysis on thin sections taken from the layers. These additional tests, in conjunction with previous work, would offer a more complete understanding of the mound and its depositional history.

We are currently studying the adsorption of various gases on identical samples of carbon nanotube bundles at temperatures that range from 4K to 100K. It is known for a classical system that dimensionality reduces the vapor-liquid critical point to 40% and the solid-liquid-vapor triple point to 60% of the 3D value. In addition, quantum mechanical effects for light mass atoms and molecules reduce these numbers even further. The purpose of our research is to explore how dimensionality and quantum effects affect the actual area occupied by a single molecule or atom on a curved surface. We are in the process of building two apparatuses that will allow us to do this. The first set-up is being built around a cryogenic cooler and a vacuum system, where we are running adsorption isotherms of nitrogen, deuterium, deuterium hydride, and hydrogen gases. The second system houses another vacuum system and a helium bath to measure adsorption isotherms of nitrogen, helium-3 and helium-4 at 77.4K and 4.2K on nanotube bundles from the same batch as those that used in the cryocooler experiments. We have measured already the adsorption of nitrogen gas on the carbon nanotube bundles at 77.4K for the cryocooler setup, and we will use the data as a standard of measurement for all other isotherms. We have observed features corresponding to the formation of three lines of nitrogen molecules and to the completion of a single molecular layer on the outside surface of the bundles. We will compare these observations to adsorption measurements we have done on flat exfoliated graphite.

Recent excavations at Treasure Cave, a cave on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia have revealed a geological sequence of cave sediments dating back 13,000 years before the present. To understand the source of the sediments and the environment of deposition we analyzed these sediments with a suite of methods including loss of ignition to determine organic matter percentage, electrochemical determination of pH, high and low frequency magnetic susceptibility and particle size analysis by optical image processing and settling techniques. Our results demonstrate changes in environmental conditions in this region through the Holocene. In particular, we found two pronounced episodes of warmer conditions indicated by magnetic susceptibility data, and organic matter and phosphorus concentrations. Our data lend credence to recent theories that the Queen Charlotte and Vancouver Island areas experienced a complete deglaciation by 13,000BP, much earlier than previously supposed. This has implications for the human colonization of the Americas. The data supports the Beringia Migration theory, but also suggests the possibility that the migration took place earlier than suspected. According to the sea level changes indicated by our data, coastal areas would have been temporarily extended and then subsequently covered by sea waters, leaving perhaps the most significant traces of human activity underwater. Based on the interpretations of our data, we believe that increased underwater excavation off Canada’s coast could provide new evidence of Late Pleistocene human activity.

Homologous recombination (HR) is a DNA repair mechanism that facilitates genetic manipulations in bacteria. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, efficient HR requires in excess of 1.2 kilobase (kb) of homology making its application in the laboratory challenging. The product of the recA gene is required for recombination. Previous work has shown that the addition of a heterologous recA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa can alter recombination efficiency in Escherichia coli. In light of this work, we determined to investigate the effect of replacing the recA gene of C58 with the recA gene of Azotobacter vinelandii. In A. vinelandii, effective recombination requires less than 300 base pairs (bp) of homologous DNA suggesting that this addition may enhance recombination in C58. A recA replacement vector has been created using splicing by overlap extension (SOE) PCR. The vector was transferred to a rifampicin resistant strain of A. tumefaciens C58 where HR was used to replace the wild type recA. Single recombination events arising via Campbell integration of the vector were retained to investigate the role of multiple recA genes on recombination. Experiments are underway using deletion vectors with 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 kb regions of homology flanking a kanamycin resistance gene to indicate whether there has been a change in recombination efficiency.

Foreign immigration to Northern Italy has increased significantly in the past several decades and has instigated a fundamental shift in population dynamics. I focus on the reaction among the Northern Italian mainstream as the economic and cultural landscapes in that territory are subjected to tremendous transformations in an age of unequivocal globalization. My work examines the underlying assumptions of two small but influential movements in Northern Italy: the conservative political party called the Northern League and the Slow Food movement. Ostensibly, these two movements are completely dissimilar. I argue that in their own ways, however, the Slow Food movement and the Lega Nord have revealed their own reflexive, locally-rooted claims to an “authentic” identity in Northern Italy. These claims to locally-rooted identities have produced an intersection between the notions of food, identity, and place in a way that fundamentally excludes foreign immigrants. As a reaction to globalization’s perceived destruction of local specificities, these reflexive, locally-rooted identities are constructed by mobilizing imagined and remembered notions of tradition and locality. I maintain that these identities are not as pure, traditional, organic, or territorially-embedded as Slow Food and the Lega may purport. This thesis incorporates a significant literature review in order to situate it within the relevant scholarship about the topic. My argument is constructed by analyzing data I collected by employing ethnographic field methods during a research trip to Piedmont, Northern Italy in August and September of 2009. I collected this data through unstructured observational methods and semi-structured interviews. I use five of these interviews to substantiate my argument; I conducted four in Italian, and I recorded and subsequently transcribed them all. Additionally, my data analysis incorporates primary source interviews from Italian news publications and official publications from the Slow Food movement and the Lega Nord which I read as primary documents.

The radiotracer, [F-18]-fluoro-3'-deoxy, 3'-L-fluorothymidine (FLT), is used in positron emission tomography (PET) to detect in vivo tumor proliferation. The ability to trace tumor proliferation is a useful tool to determine the effects of cancer treatments on tumor cells. However, a better understanding of FLT efflux in cells is needed for a more accurate measure of cellular proliferation. Although it has been shown that thymidine kinase-1 (TK1) activity does not solely reflect FLT uptake in cells, it is necessary to compare the rate at which FLT is metabolized and the rate at which the native thymidine (TdR) is metabolized. The transport of FLT and other nucleotides and the concentration of free nucleotides in the cell also affect FLT efflux. Determining how TK1 activity relates to these other factors enables a better understanding of how FLT uptake is affected by various cancer treatments. FLT is very similar to TdR in structure with an addition of a fluorine isotope that does not allow it to be incorporated into DNA. TK1 is a cytosolic, cycle dependent enzyme that is active during the synthesis phase of DNA. The enzyme is part of the salvage pathway and its main function is to phosphorylate TdR to thymidine mono-phosphate (TMP) once it enters a cell. Once DNA synthesis is completed, TK1 is degraded. Thus, when cells are in a resting state, no TK1 activity should be measured. FLT metabolism also undergoes the same salvage pathway as TdR. To measure the rate at which TdR gets metabolized in vitro, TK assays were preformed. Radiolabeled TdR were added to cell lysates in order to expose the cytosolic TK1 enzyme. Then, at various time points (usually between 0 – 15 min), samples were taken in order to measure how much the radiolabeled TdR was converted into TMP.

Cancer is documented as the second most common cause of death in the US but lung cancer specifically, is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the United States. Each year, over 200,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and nearly 160,000 people will die of the disease. The research done in the Human Photonics Lab focuses on this disease by creating medical images using the ultrathin flexible Scanning Fiber Endoscope and 3D Cytological Microscope, formerly called the Optical Projection Tomography Microscope. In the diagnosis of cancer, it is not only important to detect cancerous cells but to quantify the cancerous features of these cells in order to determine the progression of the cancer. As a result, the goal of my research is to obtain calibration standards for this 3D cytological microscope. These calibration standards are created by manufacturing calibration test targets to make the 3D microscope more quantitative (both spatially and photometrically). These standards are created by minimizing the photobleaching, or fading, of embedded fluorescent polystyrene microspheres (small spherical particles that have diameters in the micrometer range). Once this process to prevent photobleaching is formulated, it is tested using a standard confocal microscope and our custom 3D Cytological Microscope to verify its results. The work of this research project will assist the team of researchers in the effort to make cancer diagnosis more quantitative, thus more accurate and sensitive to earlier cancers.

The ability of chemists to design and synthesize π -conjugated organic polymers remains the key to technological breakthroughs using polymer materials in electronic and photonic devices and the development of nanoscale devices. Traditional approaches to synthesizing these polymers lead to a step growth polymerization; therefore the molecular weight and polydispersity have rarely been controlled. In order to fully utilize the attractive qualities of π -conjugated polymers for the improvement of organic electronic devices, polymerization methods must be developed that allow for greater control over the properties of synthesized polymers.The recent discovery of Kumada catalyst transfer polymerization (KCTP) of regioregular poly-3- hexylthiophene (rr-P3HT) made by McCullough et al. and Yokozawa et al. has attracted our attention as a gateway to synthesizing more elaborate polymer structures such as block copolymers, star polymers, surface grafted polymers as well as applying this polymerization technique for the synthesis of alternative polymers besides P3HT. The objective of this research is to investigate if KCTP technique could be applied to the synthesis of other polymers besides P3HT. In this study we will take a look at three monomers 2, 5-dibromo-1-hexyl-1H-pyrrole, 2, 5-dibromo-3-hexylthiophene and 1, 4-dibromo-2, 5-di-hexylbenzene and their reactivity to the nickel catalysts, 1, 3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane nickel(II) chloride and triphenylphosphine nickel(II) chloride. Reactions that have slower reductive elimination and faster oxidative addition states should undergo predominantly chain-growth polymerization and thus successfully display controlled molecular weight and a narrow polydispersity index. Each of the monomers will be synthesized, polymerized and characterized for the potential to create favorable conditions for KCTP polymerization. The concentrations of the nickel catalysts will be varied in the polymerizations of each monomer and aliquots will be taken at various times during the polymerizations to create percent conversion plots.

Alpine glaciers are important because they contribute to sea level rise and record climate change in remote areas. A glacier’s health can be monitored by making annual mass balance measurements, which is the difference between snow accumulation and melting. A positive mass balance indicates the glacier is growing whereas a negative mass balance indicates shrinking. Blue Glacier, located on Mt Olympus, is of particular interest because it has one of the longest mass balance records in the Pacific Northwest. Blue Glacier grew slightly from the 1950’s until the mid-1970’s and has been shrinking since. Measurements of the glacier’s surface were taken by walking across the lower glacier with a GPS receiver in September 2009. The amount of thinning can then be determined by calculating the change in surface elevation between our measurements made in 2009 and three different data sets: a USGS map from 1987, laser altimetry profiles from 1996, and GPS tracks walked in 2003 and 2004. Results are expected to show a continued decrease in surface elevation.

Spontaneous waves of electrical activity propagate across many structures in the central nervous system during early development. We are studying the properties of such waves in the mouse cerebral cortex, where they occur between embryonic day 17 (E17) and postnatal day 8 (P8). We use fluo4 calcium imaging to measure waves of activity, and apply specific blockers of transmitter receptors to ask what neurotransmitter systems mediate the waves at different stages of development. At early stages of neuronal development, the normally inhibitory transmitter GABA is excitatory because of the high intracellular chloride concentrations at these stages. We investigated the hypothesis that GABA excitation drives cortical waves at the earliest stages of their occurrence, and that these waves themselves serve to trigger the maturation of glutamatergic synapses so that they could assume the function of driving waves of activity as GABA becomes increasingly inhibitory. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that the GABA receptor blocker picrotoxin blocks cortical activity by >90% at embryonic day E18 (E18), but gradually becomes less potent in blocking activity during early postnatal development until by stages later than P6 it augments activity. Conversely, the AMPA-type glutamate receptor blocker CNQX gradually increases in its ability to block activity during these same stages. These data indicate a gradual shift in the transmitter dependence of cortical spontaneous activity during early development. We are currently testing the hypothesis that early GABA-based activity is required for the later appearance of glutamate-based activity.

The volatile oil from the flowing tops of St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) was analyzed using two methods, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Headspace Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry. Plant samples were collected at The Evergreen State College Organic Farm, local wayside locations in the summer of 2009 and from a commercial source. Our initial goal was to isolate the essential oil of the plant for comparative analysis of the volatiles between the isolated oil and the intact plant. GC-MS analyzed the isolated liquid samples of essential oils while Headspace analyzed the volatile compounds in fresh St John’s Wort flowers and leaves. This two pronged approach allowed for a more in-depth profile of plant constituents. The different methods of analysis lead to qualitatively similar but quantitatively different results confirming the hypothesis that differing methods of analysis would give similar results. Both methods showed the volatile oil in the flowering St John’s Wort contained a variety of acyclic hydrocarbons including 2-methyloctane, nonane, and n-decane. The terpenes α- pinene and ß-pinene were detected as well as some sesquiterpenes. Neat samples injected directly into the GC-MS showed generally a greater percentage of the lower molecular weight constituents as compared to samples obtained by Headspace GC-MS analysis, which showed a greater percentage of the larger sesquiterpenes. An ornamental variety of St John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum) found little similarity between the volatile constituents.

Algae offer a promising new biofuel source that has many advantages over terrestrial plant counterparts. Most notably, algae generate a high level of oil per acre, can grow in a wide range of environments, and do not compete with the production of food. To make biofuels from algae commercially viable, the organism must grow quickly while simultaneously synthesizing a large percentage of harvestable lipids per cell. A strain of Chrysochromulina sp. has been selected as a potential candidate for algal culture because it has a high lipid content and high growth rate. However, optimal growing conditions must be determined to maximize the lipid output for this organism. We have been investigating the effects of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate supplementation on the growth and lipid production of Chrysochromulina sp. Since, Chrysochromulina sp. is both photosynthetic and phagocytotic, bacteria constitute a significant food source for this organism. Thus, we have also been exploring the bacterial population associated with this algal strain. Early results indicate that the bacterial population changes over the course of the algal growth cycle. In our studies, bacteria of interest will be isolated and fed back to the alga culture. The identity of these bacteria will be determined by PCR and sequencing of ribosomal DNA. During experiments, algae are grown in flasks under various physiological conditions and cell density is monitored over the course of the growth cycle using a Coulter Counter. Samples are regularly taken for lipid analysis, which is accomplished using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Through this work, we hope to find ways to increase the growth and lipid production of this organism.

Fascioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant myopathy characterized by a truncation of a repeat region on chromosome 4, called D4Z4. The D4Z4 repeat is also located on chromosome 10; however, truncation of this repeat does not confer the disease. The open reading frame located in the D4Z4 repeat region is called Dux4 and is toxic to muscle cells. In patients without FSHD the D4Z4 locus is heterochromatinized and Dux4 is not expressed, despite evidence for active transcription in the region. In FSHD patients, the D4Z4 repeat is not heterochromatinized and Dux4 can be detected. This project aims to test the hypothesis that a bidirectional promoter in each D4Z4 drives the expression of Dux4 within its own repeat and an antisense transcript from the previous repeat. The balance of sense and antisense transcripts may regulate Dux4 expression. To test the bidirectional transcriptional activity of the Dux4 promoter, we created a plasmid that had the Dux 4 promoter transcribe renilla luciferase in the forward direction and firefly luciferase in the reverse direction. This allowed us to measure the Dux 4 promoter activity by measuring the relative luminescence of renilla and firefly luciferase. Assays of the Dux4 promoter have shown forward transcription in differentiated cells. In undifferentiated cells; however, the Dux4 promoter activity is stronger in the reverse direction therefore showing bidirectional activity. By testing the bidirectional activity of the Dux4 promoter we are looking for differences in bidirectional activity between normal cell lines and diseased cell lines. Differences in the bidirectional activity between normal cell lines and diseased cell lines will show us that a truncation in the D4Z4 region changes the balance between sense and antisense transcripts, therefore, regulating the expression of Dux4.

Deletion of the ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) orthologs has been shown to increase lifespan in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), worms (Caenorhabditis elegans), flies (Drosophila melanogaster), and mice (Mus musculus). Studies in worms and yeast have shown that reduction of mRNA translation also promotes longevity. How S6K1 directly affects translation is of growing interest in aging research. S6K1 is downstream of mammalian Target of Rapamysin (mTOR), which is responsible for regulating cell growth in response to nutrient availability. Activation of S6K1 is one of the ways that mTOR promotes translation. S6K1 activates ribosomal protein S6 and the translation initiation factor eIF4B. Translation of 5’-terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5'TOP) mRNA is promoted by mTOR activity, while suppression of mTOR activity increases translation of stress response genes. We hypothesized that deletion of S6K1 reduces translational activity in mice. To test the hypothesis, we compared the rates of translation between mice with two functional copies of S6K1 (S6K1^+/+) and mice lacking S6K1 (S6K1^-/-). Running polysome gradients of selected tissues can separate total mRNA according to the number of ribosomes attached. Then quantitative PCR can measure translational activity of specific messages. Thus, we can examine global and specific translational activity in S6K1^-/- compared to S6K1^+/+ tissue. Our preliminary data showed an unexpected trend of increased translational activity in female, but not male, S6K1^-/- liver. Furthermore, we hypothesize that S6K1^-/- tissue has decreased translation of 5'TOP mRNAs and increased translation of stress response genes. Results of these experiments will provide further insights on role of S6K1 on translational activity.

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, features an atmosphere similar enough to that of prehistoric Earth to yield useful astrobiological comparisons between the two solar bodies. Titan’s orbit places it near the magnetopause of Saturn, which is the boundary between the magnetosphere (where the magnetic field of Saturn is the prevalent magnetic force) and the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). This orbital location may affect both the shape of Saturn’s magnetopause and the loss rate of the thick atmosphere of Titan during increased solar wind pressure. A three-dimensional multi-fluid simulation of the ionized plasmas around Saturn is run with and without Titan on the dayside of Saturn during a pulse of higher-pressure solar wind and IMF. The simulation data is visualized to allow comparisons of the magnetic field and the velocities, densities, and temperatures of the three major ion plasma groups around Titan and Saturn. Analysis focuses on the heavy ion plasmas from Titan accumulating near the magnetopause. The results indicate that Titan loses enough heavy ions in these conditions to decrease the impact of the IMF and solar wind on Saturn. This reduced impact is the result of the heavy ion plasmas corotating with Saturn and counteracting the compression of the magnetosphere by the increased IMF and solar wind. The effect of this interaction on the atmosphere of Titan demonstrates an ion loss rate large enough to have significantly altered its atmosphere throughout the multibillion-year lifespan of Titan to date. Understanding the effect of Titan on the magnetosphere of Saturn provides important information about the moon-planet interaction, and can be compared with measured data from the Cassini probe now orbiting Saturn. The determined loss rate of Titan’s atmosphere will allow a more meaningful comparison with the atmosphere of Earth.

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of parasitic infection and nutritional status, and to evaluate the extent to which the two are associated among schoolchildren in rural Ethiopia. This is a cross sectional study of 664 students aged from 6 to 19 years old from Angolela, Ethiopia. Socio-demographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken at the time of interview. Examinations of fecal samples for helminthic and protozoan parasitic infections were performed. Logistic regression procedures were employed to evaluate the association between stunting, underweightedness, and wasting with parasitic infections. It was found that one-third of the participants were found to have a protozoan infection, while 7.1% were found to have a helminthic infection. Approximately 11% of the students were stunted, 19.6% were wasted, and 20.8% were underweight. Severely underweight boys were 3.88-times more likely than boys of adequate weight (OR=3.88, 95%CI: 1.12-13.52) to be diagnosed with protozoan infections. Among girls, those who were severely stunted were approximately 12 times (OR=11.84, 95%CI: 1.72-81.62) as likely to be infected with a helminthic parasite, than those who were not. Overall, there was a deficit in normal growth patterns as indicated by lower than average anthropometric measures. Our study found that there is a high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in our study population. Stunting, wasting, and underweightedness were also prevalent, and showed patterns of associations with intestinal parasitic infections. Efforts should be made to create and expand school and community-based programs that promote inexpensive practices to prevent the spread of parasitic diseases. Initiatives aimed at improving the nutritional status of school children are also needed.

Microspheres in colloidal suspensions are excluded from the vicinity of polymeric surfaces, leaving a region absent of microspheres known as an exclusion-zone (EZ). Prior research has indicated that EZs can extend to distances of up to several hundred micrometers from the nucleating surface. This finding has led us to wonder whether a relationship exists between EZ size and characteristic dimensions of the excluding surface. The goal of this project is to examine the interaction between ion-exchange resin beads and microspheres, particularly the relationship between bead diameters and widths of EZs. We placed resin beads of varying diameters from 50 µm to 500 µm into cuvettes suffused with a microsphere solution and observed the behavior of the microspheres under microscope light. Preliminary results have shown a positive correlation between bead size and EZ size. If results remain consistent, widths of EZs could be extrapolated to diameters below visibility in an optical microscope. This potential relationship could benefit our understanding of the behavior of colloidal particles at the sub-microscopic level and further build our knowledge about the most abundant entity on Earth, water.

Cyclic aminoalcohols are a class of small molecules with diverse therapeutical activities as antibiotics, antivirals and drugs against HIV, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Our project aims to contribute to the development of fast and economical syntheses of these important precursors. Many existing synthetic pathways depend on palladium-catalyzed chemistry, but metals are expensive and potentially toxic. Our current work with metal-free oxidative cyclization of aminoalkenes has shown that various acids mediate this reaction under mild conditions. Previous data from the Michael lab has shown that racemic BINOL phosphoric acid, a mild Bronsted acid, is effective in this reaction. When racemic acid is used, the resulting cyclic aminoalcohol derivative is also racemic, meaning that it is a 50:50 mixture of its two enantiomers (or non-identical mirror images of each other, just like left and right hands.) Enantiomers are hard to separate, however, and many drugs are effective only in one of their enantiomeric forms; they may even have adverse effects in their other form. Thus, we seek to control the enantioselectivity of this reaction using enantiopure (R)- or (S)-BINOL phosphoric acid. In a plausible reaction mechanism, BINOL phosphoric acid would linger as a counterion, creating a chiral environment and directing the enantioselective closing of the ring. To optimize this reaction, we are synthesizing a variety of substituted BINOL phosphoric acids with various steric and electronic properties.

My project seeks to design and create a novel human enzyme, cytosine deaminase, for use in prodrug therapy. Cytosine deaminase catalyzes the deamination of cytosine, converting it into uracil. There is clinical need for a human cytosine deaminase for use as a prodrug activator in suicide gene therapy, where a cytosine deaminase can catalyze the reaction of the cytosine derivative 5-fiuorocytosine (a harmless chemical) into 5-fluorouracil (a cytotoxin). While there are cytosine deaminases that exist in nature, there is no human enzyme capable of catalyzing this reaction. The use of non-human enzymes in prodrug therapy often fails due to the immunogenicity issues that often arise. Therefore, by taking a human enzyme and altering its activity such that it can catalyze the deamination of cytosine, these immunogenicity issues can be avoided. In order to engineer a novel human cytosine deaminase, I will build upon previous work that successfully re-engineered the human guanine deaminase enzyme to have ammelide deaminase activity. Since there is considerable structural homology between guanine, ammelide, and cytosine, re-engineering this previously designed ammelide deaminase enzyme to have activity on cytosine should be possible. To do this, I will be using a rational design approach aided by the computational protein design tools of Rosetta and Foldit to create an active site more complementary towards cytosine and hopefully introduce novel cytosine deaminase activity.

Regions of low dissolved oxygen concentration play a major role in marine ecosystem productivity and greenhouse gas emission. For years Saanich Inlet, a steep sided fjord in British Columbia, has served as a model system for characterization of marine microbial communities that drive biogeochemical transformations in global oceans. During the stratification process, a significant concentration of methane accumulates in the deep basin waters of Saanich Inlet. This methane is consumed within intermediate waters before it can reach the surface. Microbes that perform this important biogeochemical transformation have never been isolated or identified. The major goal of my project is to identify microbial species that drive methane oxidation at the hypoxic boundary of the Saanich Inlet water column. To accomplish this goal, techniques were developed to isolate single cells from Saanich Inlet enrichments and measure changes in respiration rate in response to C1 addition. A platinum-porphyrin oxygen sensor was optimized for accurate measurement of single cell respiration rates. Cell respiration rates were used as a physiological measure to analyze how a cell responds to changes in environmental conditions. Future work identifying microbial species that responded to C1 addition could reveal novel pathways for carbon cycling in organisms not previously known to utilize methane. Knowledge of the metabolic capabilities of these microbial species will lead to a better understanding of C1 cycling in marine environments, a process strongly linked to greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem productivity.

In an event-related potential paradigm, participants view a series of rapidly presented stimuli whilst their brain activity is recorded with an electroencephalogram (EEG). When brain responses to each stimulus are averaged together, a characteristic pattern of peaks and troughs (termed components) is revealed. For example, the N170 ERP component is the first negative potential occurring at approximately 170ms after the onset of a visual stimulus. It has been strongly implicated in facial processing because it typically peaks faster and with greater amplitude to faces than other classes of stimuli (Bentin et al., 1996). Previous studies have shown that the presentation of an inverted face delays the latency and enhances the amplitude of the N170 relative to the presentation of an upright face (Gajewski, 2008; Rossion et al., 2000). Little is known about the test-retest reliability of visual responses such as the N170, information that is necessary to evaluate the potential of the N170 to characterize individual differences in clinical populations. This project investigates the test-retest reliability of ERP responses to upright and inverted faces and houses in neurotypical adults. All stimuli are presented for 300ms. The 100ms preceding each stimulus is used as a baseline, and data are collected for 1000ms after stimulus presentation. The study includes 12 neurotypical adults, tested twice using the same stimuli, at an interval of 1 week. Data collection and analysis is ongoing. Amplitude of the N170 is expected to be greater for faces than for houses. An enhanced peak and slowed latency is expected to be seen to the inverted faces relative to the upright faces while this should not be observed for houses at both timepoints. Test-retest reliability is expected to be high suggesting face processing is stable across multiple assessments.

Behavioral studies of sound localization measure the ability of subjects to point to perceived sound locations. In this study we compared two methods used in sound localization research on human listeners. In the first method, the subjects turned their heads in the perceived direction of the sound and the degree of that head turn was recorded. In the second method, subjects kept their head forward and indicated the percieved direction of the sound on a touch screen to record data. This study compared the accuracy and reliability of sound localization responses across these two methods. The stimuli were narrowband click trains centered at 4000 Hz and had a combination of interaural level differences (ILD) and interaural time differences (ITD), which control apparent sound localization. The sounds were presented over Sennheiser HD485 circumaural headphones that had a head tracker attached to the center of the headband. We measured the accuracy of both methods in experienced and inexperienced listeners, as well as how the results improved over time and the transfer of practice effects across tasks. Each subject participated in both experiments and the results were compared both within and across subjects. In using a new technology to collect data it is important to use a collection method that is accurate and easily learned by subjects. Preliminary results indicate substantial differences between individual listeners, but similar overall performance across the two methods. Research supported by NIH/NIDCD (R03-DC009482).

The Ocean Research College Academy's State of Possession Sound cruises allowed us to collect and monitor multiple indicators of ecosystem health in the Snohomish River estuary near Everett, WA. Every month between November and May various seabirds were identified, recorded and photographed to determine the abundance and diversity of avifauna within this marine ecosystem. Migratory and year around species were compared, especially diving birds, to see what habitats they were using and why. Sediments were obtained by a Van Veen Grab at four locations in Possession Sound to better understand the substrate and organisms found there. In four cruises we have identified 19 different species of birds and December 2009 had the highest abundance with 2,362 birds documented. We believe that the availability of food (bivalves, other invertebrates and fish) and available shoreline habitat (man made pier at Mukilteo) with limited human access contributes to the abundance of birds at our Mukilteo station, which reflects positively for these species.

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is an adult-onset, degenerative disease characterized by paralysis of facial and throat muscles. It is caused by an expansion of a poly-alanine tract in the protein Polyadenine Binding Protein Nuclear 1 (PABPN1). PABPN1 is a conserved protein required for the formation of the poly adenylate mRNA tails. In muscle cells mutant poly-alanine (polyA)-expanded PABPN1 forms aggregates with other normal cellular proteins. It is hypothesized that the sequestration of normal cellular proteins in PABPN1 aggregates leads to deficiencies in their function and subsequent cellular toxicity. In order to better understand how mutant PABPN1 causes cell death we have developed a model of OPMD in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a polyA-expanded Pab1, the yeast homolog of PABPN1. Our model recapitulates the polyA length-dependent protein aggregation and cell toxicity apparent in OPMD. In addition, yeast cells that express polyA-expanded Pab1 have abnormal morphology, including cell division defects. We used a proteomic-based approach to identify cellular proteins that interact with mutant but not wild type Pab1. In this screen, Cdc3 and Cdc12 were found to associate with mutant polyA-expanded Pab1 but not wild type Pab1. Interestingly, Cdc3 and Cdc12 are members of a family of proteins called septins, which are essential for cytokinesis. To verify the association of mutant Pab1 with Cdc3 and Cdc12, I will use two approaches. First, I will use fluorescence microscopy to observe co-localization of aberrant Pab1 and Cdc3 or Cdc12. Second I will determine if mutant Pab1 and Cdc3 or Cdc12 interact using co-immunoprecipitation. These results will provide evidence that mutant Pab1 associates with and sequesters Cdc3 and Cdc12, inhibiting proper function. Furthermore, this will support the hypothesis that mutant PABPN1 leads to muscle cell death by sequestration of proteins and disruption of their normal cellular processes.

Microfluidic devices have shown great potential for providing point-of-use solutions for medical diagnostics, food and environmental safety, and forensics. At the same time, their impact on these fields has been limited by their dependence on bulky and expensive laboratory equipment such as pumps, valves, and detection instruments. Eliminating a device’s dependency on this peripheral equipment is perhaps the greatest challenge in developing marketable solutions for the home or for the developing world. The current work demonstrates an on-card fluid delivery system suitable for use away from the lab. The illustrated technology is capable of directing multiple fluid delivery steps and to operate requires only an electrical input of variable frequency. Because this input can be provided by a cell phone, or some other similar piece of personal equipment, the system is practical for use in the home or in the field. The system employs fluidic oscillators, analogous to AC electrical circuits, with piezoelectric actuators to give frequency-specific flow control. Constructed in layers of plastic, the system offers the benefits of small size, low-cost manufacturing, portability, and durability. These benefits simply cannot be provided by typical laboratory fluid control systems, which employ large and expensive pumps to drive fluid and open or close on-card valves.

Falls due to impaired balance are a major health problem among older adults. Exercise in general has been shown to reduce fall risks. Popular consumer games such as the Wii Fit offers a promising approach to engaging older adults in exercise across various settings. Investigators in the UW School of Nursing are conducting a pre-post pilot study to evaluate a 3-month Wii Fit balance training intervention in older adults residing in a retirement community. The purpose of this study is to use data from this ongoing investigation to determine the pattern of improvement in exergame play with four Wii Fit games (Ski Slalom, Soccer Heading, Table Tilt, and Basic Steps) over 3 months. We hypothesize that exergame scores will improve if a steady exergaming schedule is maintained. Seven participants (>65 y/o) who were at risk for falls have been enrolled for the 3 month study and are in various stages of completion. Participants are asked to play for at least 30 minutes, three times/week and to record when they played, their scores and how they felt physically and emotionally after each session in a paper diary. Two participants have completed the study, and the remaining five participants will complete the study by March 2010. A preliminary analysis of the diary data of all participants in the first month shows a linear improvement in scores across the four exergames. Additional analyses will be conducted and presented in May when we have complete data from all participants. Analyzing the process data of participant exergame play will help us better understand the relationship between how well participants perform on the games and actual improvements in the primary study outcome of balance. In the long term, this information will help us determine how much exergame play is needed to translate to improved health outcomes.

This research examines the role cultural sustainability information plays in popular decisions that pit Native American rights against the values of the dominant culture. Specifically, this study will examine if UW students that are anti-whaling would change their perception of the issue when given more information regarding the tie between cultural sustainability and whaling for the Makah people. The methodology utilized to explore this question will be a survey of UW students to measure their opinions before and after giving them cultural sustainability information concerning the revitalization of culture as experienced by the Makah after the May 17, 1999 whale hunt. This study will help decide how impactful cultural sustainability information is in making decisions concerning issues that deal with Native Americans. This study will build toward expanding the field of sustainability to include Native Americans and their culture.

Heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. and other developing countries, is characterized by a decrease in cardiac output. Conventional methods for treating heart failure have adverse side effects, including arrhythmia due to alterations in the intracellular calcium transients. Our group has taken a novel approach to repair cardiac output by altering the Ca2+ binding efficiency of cardiac troponin C (cTnC), the calcium sensing protein complex found in the contractile myofilaments. This was accomplished with a single amino acid substitution (L48Q) that has been shown to increase the rate and extent of contraction in healthy rat cardiomyocytes without altering relaxation (diastolic function). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of L48Q in restoring post-infarction rat cardiomyocyte contractility over a range of stimulation frequencies. We hypothesized that under L48Q treatment, the rate and extent of contraction in cardiomyocytes from infarcted hearts increases to approach the contractile properties of healthy cardiomyocytes, while relaxation and Ca2+ transients would remain unaltered. Ventricles from infarcted and normal rat hearts were first harvested and digested to isolate intact cardiomyocytes and these cells were then transduced with adenoviral or lentiviral vectors carrying the cDNA L48Q insert. After 48 hours, changes in cell length, sarcomere length, and Ca2+ transients were monitored with video microscopy (IonOptix) at 0.5, 1, and 2 Hz stimulation frequencies. Preliminary evidence suggests cells from infracted hearts cannot follow higher pacing frequencies. Further results of these studies will be presented in my poster. Future studies will determine the effect of these treatments in animal models of heart disease. Optimization of these myofilament targeted gene therapy approaches may lead to the development of an effective means to increase or restore cardiac output in humans, with minimal side effects.

The use of mobile internet is quickly rising. More and more websites are creating a mobile version of their stationary site while others have yet to catch on to the phenomenon. According to “The Convenience Quotient Of Mobile Services: A Facebook Case Study”, for a mobile site to be effective it must have immediacy, simplicity, and context. “Immediacy can include the timeliness of information, such as breaking news alerts from The New York Times or a change in stock prices. Simplicity deals with how simple it is to complete a task, and context refers to incorporating what the user’s location, communication history, and past mobile internet behavior is.” To observe how sites follow these three concepts we analyzed seven social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, Foursquare, Yelp, and LinkedIn. In comparing the stationary versus mobile versions of these sites, we were able to identifty several trends. Once we learned these trends, we examined how they achieved immediacy, simplicity, and context. Through our analysis, we noted that immediacy is provided by the mobile sites through only containing the immediate aspects of the stationary site, such as news feeds and status updates. Simplicity is achieved by having the immediate aspects relatively available to the user. It is not necessary to go through many steps to write on someone’s wall or to check a friend’s status. The user’s context is also taken into account with these mobile sites. They lack the advertisements and company information that the user may not need and may not have time to look at. With this analysis, companies that have not yet produced a mobile site may benefit from our findings.

Under projected climate change scenarios, marine organisms could be exposed to multiple sources of environmental stress, in particular, ocean acidification and increased sea surface temperature. Changes in pH and temperature disrupt homeostasis, and have been found to induce a molecular stress response aimed at preventing damage to cells and tissues. Pacific oysters were used as a model organism to investigate the effect of acidification on general stress response mechanisms. Expression levels of three stress response genes: heat shock protein 70, metallothionein IV and glutathione peroxidase, were compared between oysters acclimated to normal seawater and seawater with high levels of dissolved carbon dioxide. A general stress response was induced mechanically, and the correlation between the presence of this secondary stressor and carbon dioxide concentration was observed. Significant increases in gene expression were found for metallothionein IV and glutathione peroxidase after mechanical stress under control conditions, but not in oysters exposed to high CO₂ concentrations. This could indicate that acidification reduces the magnitude of the Pacific oyster’s response to secondary stressors, or that these genes are differentially expressed according to the particular stressor. Since the ability of an organism to implement a successful molecular stress response is crucial for survival, this information could be valuable in predicting the effects of multiple environmental perturbations on individuals as well as populations.

Improving the efficiency and power of experimental plasma thrusters brings closer the time when these thrusters are used on spacecraft as a primary means of propulsion, providing efficient thrust that far outperforms conventional chemical thrusters. It is therefore the goal of the Advanced Propulsion Lab to improve the performance of its HPH2 thruster. Electromagnets are used to direct the plasma as it is propelled out of the thruster. The charged particles in a plasma travel along the field lines generated by these electromagnets. The objective is to create another electromagnetic nozzle for the HPH2 to channel the plasma into a tighter beam that travels farther downstream before diverging. The magnetic field from the magnets currently used on the HPH2 was modeled by a program written specifically for this task. The program is also used to model the field after the addition of another nozzle, showing the effects of design changes before the nozzle is constructed. The factors affecting the magnetic field strength of the new nozzle are the number of coil turns of the electromagnet, radius of the coil, and electric current flowing in the coil. Based on the capabilities of a newly constructed power supply for the nozzle and data from the program, a new nozzle will be designed to achieve a desired magnetic field strength. Installing the electromagnetic nozzle farther downstream will encourage the plasma to continue in a straight path, improving the specific impulse of the thruster. Data will be collected to quantify the improvement after the nozzle is installed.

3'-deoxy-3'-fluorothymidine (FLT) is a newly developed PET imaging tracer. As a radioactive analog of the DNA precursor thymidine, FLT was predicted to concentrate in cancerous tissues, given the high demand rapidly-dividing tumor cells have for thymidine. After preliminary tests, cancer cell-lines (A549 lung cells and TK6 B-lymphocytes) have been shown to uptake FLT through more complex mechanisms than previously believed. As part of our lab’s overall goal to understand these mechanisms I am working on a project to develop background data on the effects anti-cancer treatments have on FLT uptake in cancer cells. The first step is to construct a series of survival curves for A549 cells treated with radiation, Taxol, and 5-fluorouracil, three common agents used in cancer treatment. By adding a known number of cells to a series of growth plates, and treating each plate in the series with increasing doses of a single anti-cancer agent, the resulting surviving cells can be counted and compared to the starting population. This data is then graphed, resulting in a curve showing the thresholds for lethal and sub-lethal doses of a given treatment. Analysis of these curves is then used to determine the optimal dosage needed to affect the behavior of the cancer cells without destroying them. Test cancer cells are then treated with this optimal dosage, followed by FLT exposure. By comparing the resulting differences in FLT uptake between treated and non-treated cells, it is possible to develop a clearer understanding of how FLT uptake is regulated by the cells. From a diagnostic standpoint, this information can be used to better analyze PET images of tumors by knowing how much a given treatment will change a tumor’s FLT uptake.

The basis of my research is to better understand the dissolved oxygen concentrations in the marine waters of Possession Sound near Everett, Washington. In light of low dissolved oxygen levels in Hood Canal over the last decade I am interested in seeing how dissolved oxygen levels change over three different temporal scales. I am interested in the range of dissolved oxygen concentrations between day and night, high and low tide, and between the CTD and our YSI 650 just a short distance away. Students that attend the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) collect monthly water quality data via YSI. 650 and 85. I utilize the Department of Ecology (DOE) CTD device moored off of the Boeing Pier in Mukilteo, Washington. This device collects and transmits data every fifteen minutes 24 hours a day allowing scientists to see temporal patterns. At night dissolved oxygen drops down to as low as ~4.7 mg/L and day time levels range between 4.7 mg/L and 13.5 mg/L between Nov. and January. Differences in regards to tidal variation will be explored. There is only a slight change in dissolved oxygen with the CTD and our YSI. This information can greatly help organizations in the Pacific Northwest to better understand the state of Possession Sound.

Neutrinos must have mass to explain neutrino oscillations. Current neutrino mass experiments place an upper bound on the neutrino mass of about 1 eV. A precise energy measurement of the electron emitted from tritium beta decay would lead to a measurement of the neutrino mass. One new electron energy measurement method under study involves the detection of the electron’s cyclotron radiation in a strong magnetic field. Power emitted in cyclotron radiation is very small, so it is important to maximize the gain of the receiver. We simulated electromagnetic properties of several microwave receiver configurations in order to maximize the signal to noise from a single electron. The results will be used to design prototype electron energy measurement system at the University of Washington.

Theoretical expectations are that stars between 8-25 solar masses will explode as supernovae, but there are very currently few observations actually testing this. The goal of this project is to find out if that theory is consistent with the data collected. Using Hubble Space Telescope images of the regions surrounding supernova remnants in the galaxy M33, we will be able to increase the number of progenitor mass estimates from 9 to ~70. We present the results of a pilot study. From creating a program using Interactive Data Learning (IDL), we were able to generate a Color-Magnitude Diagram (CMD) that gave the mass and age of the star that exploded in Galaxy M33. This involved going through Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image archives to find the remnants we were going to work with. Upon generating the CMD, we found that there proves to be a consistency with the theory, with the diagram giving showing the stars were between 9-11 solar masses. As a result of this data, thus far, we have seen that the theory is accurate.

Biosolids applied to forest or agricultural soils may have elevated heavy metals which could persist in soils for decades. Plants exposed to metals can produce metal-binding protective proteins. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 1) metals were elevated in currently produced biosolids from Tacoma’s Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, 2) metals were elevated in soils from Pack Forest 26 years after biosolids amendments were applied, 3) Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings potted in these “historic biosolids” soils would produce elevated levels of metal chelators, and 4) fresh or historic biosolids soils would affect seedling growth. Metals in biosolids amended soils were measured using Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ICP-MS. Six replicate Douglas-fir seedlings were potted in five soil mixtures (untreated control, 8% fresh biosolids, 18% fresh biosolids, 50% historic biosolids soils, and 100% historic biosolids soils), grown for 50 days in a greenhouse, then phytochelatins were extracted from plant material and analyzed using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC. Copper and zinc were significantly elevated in both fresh and historic biosolids soils, while lead and cadmium were significantly elevated only in historic biosolids soils. There was no significant effect of biosolids treatment on shoot concentrations of phytochelatins, glutathione, or cysteine. Phytochelatins were elevated in roots, but the difference was only significant with fresh biosolids. Seedling growth was inhibited by fresh biosolids. This research demonstrates that 1) metals are elevated in currently produced biosolids, 2) metals persist for decades in forest soils after biosolids amendments, 3) metal concentrations may not be high enough to stimulate seedlings to produce phytochelatins, possibly due to factors that affect metal bioavailability (e.g., soil pH and organic matter), and 4) fresh biosolids appear to inhibit seedling growth. Further research should be conducted to determine seedling coping mechanisms that mitigate the effect of metal exposure.

Maternal depression has been consistently linked to poorer adjustment outcomes in childhood (Goodman & Gotlib, 1999). An important pathway between maternal depression and later child outcome is through specific parenting behaviors such as rejection, inconsistent discipline and increased use of physical punishment. Maternal depression and associated parenting behaviors are often studied in samples of infants and young children, whereas limited research has been conducted in middle childhood. Middle childhood may be an important time period to study how maternal depression and its associated parenting relates to child adjustment because of children’s increasing capacity for self-regulation. To address this gap, the current study examined 214 preadolescent children (ages 8-12) and their mothers at three different time-points, each one year apart. Maternal depression was measured at Time 1, parenting behaviors at Time 2 and child adjustment at Time 3. We hypothesized that lower positive affect and acceptance levels, greater physical punishment, rejection and inconsistent discipline would mediate the relation between greater maternal depressive symptoms and later poor childhood adjustment outcomes, as indicated by child depression, anxiety and externalizing symptoms. We found that maternal depression was related to greater maternal rejection, r = .254, greater inconsistent maternal discipline, r = .318 and greater use of maternal physical punishment, r = .142. Similarly, maternal depression was also related to increased maternal reports of child depression r = .321, anxiety, r = .282, and increased externalizing problems, r = .165. Mediation analyses will be conducted prior to the symposium.  All reported correlations were significant at p <.05.

Tactile graphics are embossed images designed to be accessible to blind students through touch. There are two important issues associated with tactile images that must be resolved to further increase the accessibility of tactile images. The first issue is the limitation of the amount of textual information that can be provided by tactile images. Because the Braille characters sizes are three times the size of the Roman characters we read, text from figures transcribed into Braille must often be shortened or even removed entirely before the tactile image can be finished. The second accessibility issue of tactile images has to do with the percentage of blind students who use Braille to read. Astoundingly, less than ten percent of the blind student population in the United States use Braille as a primary reading medium. Therefore, it is critical to design tactile images without the use Braille. Both of the accessibility issues described above can be resolved through the use of digital pens. Rather than being encoded to Braille, all textual information can be converted to audio using a text-to-speech program. The digital pen will play these audio files when a specific dot pattern on the tactile graphic is tapped by the pen’s tip. Each audio file is mapped to a unique dot pattern area. The pen’s infrared camera can tell which audio file to play based on the different pattern areas. Consequently, having textual information in an audio format will allow for the complete removal of Braille from the tactile graphic. Not only can a greater amount of information be provided about a tactile image, but the audio format will give all blind students access to the image.

Male western song sparrows usually share at least part of their song repertoires with song sparrows in neighboring territories (usually 2-4 songs out of 8 songs in their repertoire). Therefore, most birds have the ability to use their shared songs in their interactions with their neighbors. In particular, when a challenger (usually a neighbor) sings a song that is shared with the opponent, the latter can reply with the same song type, which is called song-type matching. Song-type matching in song sparrow territorial interactions has long been considered a signal of aggressive intentions; however, previous studies have not conclusively shown that type matching necessarily predicts aggression. Recent studies have revealed that there are individual differences in aggression which are consistent over time (i.e. some birds are more aggressive than others). In extension of this, we asked whether type matching is a characteristic of individual birds, i.e. whether some birds will consistently type match and some will consistently not. To answer these questions, we challenged male song sparrows repeatedly by playing songs from their own repertoires from within their respective territories, allowing them to potentially type match the playback. We recorded the songs with which they replied as well as their behavior to get a measure of aggressive response. If type matching predicts aggression, type-matching males are expected to respond more aggressively than non-type-matching males. Furthermore, males that are more consistently more aggressive are expected to have a higher probability of type matching than males that are not aggressive.

How do humans evaluate others in their social world? Human adults evaluate others on the basis of both physical and psychological characteristics, and the ability to distinguish between those who may either harm or help leads humans to prefer some individuals over others. Previous work has shown that infants also prefer to interact with people who look like them, or share the same race with them. However, there are other qualities that are also significant in choosing a social partner, such as shared preferences, goals, and even a friendly demeanor. Prosocial behavior, such as helping, has been extensively studied in infants. Studies have shown that given toys from two individuals, infants choose the toy from the actor that previously displayed prosocial behavior. In the current study, ethnicity and prosocial behavior is studied to explore which is of greater importance in choosing a social partner. Twelve-month-old infants sit in front of two actors (Actor 1: Same race, hinderer and Actor 2: Different race, helper) that have difficulty opening a box. When Actor 1 shows difficulty, Actor 2 helps to open the box, while Actor 1 hinders Actor 2’s attempt by placing her hand over the lid. After several trials, the actors simultaneously offer identical toys to the infant. Infants’ preferences and looking times to each actor are analyzed to determine which of the two factors, ethnicity or prosocial behavior, plays a larger role for infants in navigating their social world. If infants do indeed prefer to interact with prosocial individuals, it may suggest that physical characteristics (ethnicity) may not be as important as psychological factors (such as prosocial behavior).

Only a fraction of the planet’s bacterial diversity has been discovered, and novel forms of bacteria continue to be found through both traditional culturing methods and by way of metagenomic, large-scale environmental sampling. 16S rRNA genetic sequencing is allowing researchers to make connections between new species and expand our understanding of bacterial phylogeny. Methylotrophic bacteria are a genus characterized by the ability to oxidize single-carbon (C1) compounds as a source for their metabolic needs, allowing them to access underutilized sources of energy and giving them an important role in the carbon cycling of their environments. In 2003, sediment samples from Lake Washington revealed new species of facultatively methylotrophic bacteria, and it is highly likely that other undiscovered C1 species may be found in similar environments. This project aims to enhance our understanding of methylotrophic diversity of the Puget Sound by enriching for methylotrophs present in water samples collected south of Whidbey Island. Upon finding and successfully cultivating colonies on methylotrophic substrates, samples will be genetically sequenced using 16S rRNA to determine phylogenetic placement and novel species will be subjected to additional characterization.

There has been minimal research concerning the informed decision making processes in family planning for women at high risk for substance abuse during pregnancy. For this reason we are conducting a multimethod study incorporating quantitative and qualitative assessments to address two areas: how do case managers provide information regarding family planning to at risk populations and what information is appropriate to use in a decision aid for women at high risk of substance abuse during pregnancy. We are assessing the appropriateness and accessibility of the existing decision making tool, designed by the Mayo Clinic, to aid in making family planning choices. Case managers in the Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP) are given a questionnaire assessing how they present family planning options. Clients in the PCAP program are given a questionnaire in regards to perceptions of their decision making processes for family planning. Clients are also shown an existing birth control decision guide and then asked to complete a questionnaire about their perceptions of the effectiveness, accessibility, and suggestions for further tool design. This study is significant for taking the first steps in understanding the decision aid design and its practical application for high risk populations, and leading to further research in support of family planning for women at high risk for substance abuse during pregnancy.

Minimal surfaces (i. e., a surface with zero mean curvature) have been a topic of interest in both pure and applied mathematics since the 18th Century. Plateau's problem, that a minimal surface can be found spanning any given boundary, is the most general problem and was solved for three spatial dimensions in the 1930s. Mathematicians continued working on the topic in higher dimensions, while physicists lost interest. Physicists once again became interested in the problem after research began in string theory and particularly in D-branes, the surfaces where strings terminate. Our research involves finding the equations for minimal area surfaces (i. e., minimal surfaces with minimal area) in an asymptotically anti-de-Sitter (AdS) space (M) crossed with an internal space (N). In the simplest terms, an AdS space is a manifold with constant negative curvature. The solutions to these equations would describe the shape that D-branes take in such a space (M x N). We have derived the general equations and have expanded them to first order. Others have solved special cases for M and N. Our generalized equations reduce to these special cases.

Below-ground carbon pools are an integral part of nutrient cycling within forest ecosystems and are poorly understood. Few studies attempt to quantify both above and below-ground carbon storage. Thus, data presenting the percentage of carbon stored below-ground relative to the total carbon stock is scarce. This review utilizes published data of forest stands to examine the quantity of below-ground carbon in relation to total ecosystem carbon. In general, higher levels of carbon are found in above-ground systems within temperate coniferous and deciduous forests. Below-ground systems in tropical forests tended to have higher levels of carbon than those of temperate forests. The soil carbon ratio to tree carbon storage is generally 1 to 1 in both temperate and tropical systems. Forest ecosystems serve as major carbon sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide, therefore more studies contributing to the knowledge of total carbon forest stocks will be beneficial in determining forest carbon sequestration potential.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to significantly increase life expectancy in HIV patients. The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor azidothymidine (AZT) is considered a backbone of ART. The clinical usefulness of AZT is limited because of its toxic effects on mitochondrial function—reduced supply of energy in the form of lower adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) production for sustained muscle activity and inhibition of mitochondrial DNA replication. Impairment of mitochondrial ATP production results in reduced muscle function. Through a set of experiments, we sought to determine the effects of AZT on gene expression of mitochondrially relevant genes in skeletal muscle of young and old mice. We additionally tested the effectiveness of AZT delivery by force-feed (gavage) and drinking water application. The purpose of this research was to use real-time PCR to compare the effect of AZT in mouse skeletal muscle. The first data set administered AZT for 8 weeks through drinking water to the mice. We compared young and old mice treated and untreated with AZT, analyzing the expression of the mitochondrially-relevant genes. We established reproducible results that these genes change with AZT administration. The second experiment tested effectiveness of AZT administration for 4 weeks in young mice—either by gavage or administration in drinking water. We analyzed gene expression of young AZT/no AZT mice for a set of mitochondrially relevant genes. In summary, AZT has a significant impact on the expression profiles of mitochondrial genes in young and old mice. Furthermore, AZT delivered by daily gavage induced greater changes in gene expression than drinking water, despite more total AZT delivered over 24 hours by drinking water. During analysis of the complete data, two genes in particular, PGC1alpha and thymidine kinase 2 (TK2), showed a consistent increase in expression in AZT-treated mice. Future research will focus on developing interventions to reduce AZT-induced toxicities.

Essential fatty acids serve as precursors for many reactions in the body and have recently been linked to improving cardiovascular health and neurological function. Because many organisms lack the desaturase enzyme required to insert a double bond at the omega-3 carbon, they must obtain these essential fatty acids from their diet and expend energy to convert some of these products into longer chain fatty acids. Chrysochromulina sp. is an alga that has highly concentrated amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are two of the important fatty acids. Chrysochromulina sp. is being tested in its effectiveness as a food source for Brachionus calyciflorus and Daphnia magna. It is being compared to a common food alga Scenedesmus obliquus. Since Chrysochromulina sp. has high levels of longer chain essential fatty acids, it presents a viable option for use in aquaculture. Organisms fed on algae containing high levels of essential fatty acids will acquire these lipids and thus not expend the energy required to synthesize them. Experiments have been performed comparing Brachionus and Daphnia length, egg production, and life cycles fed on Chrysochromulina sp., Scenedesmus,or a 50:50 mix of these two algae. Further experiments are currently being performed to test the lipid profiles of the organisms after being given these different food treatments to see if the organisms’ fatty acids mirror that of their algal food source. The experiments are being run in growth medium designed for Chrysochromulina sp. and in a growth chamber maintained at 20 ^OC on a 12 hour light: 12 hour dark photoperiod. Overall, the fatty acid makeup of the organisms in different food treatments could have a large impact on aquaculture in terms of increasing food quality of fish, livestock, and potentially humans.

Adolescents in the US have experienced a three-fold increase in obesity prevalence. Schools play a major role in youths' nutrition in that a significant portion of daily calorie intake occurs during the school day. Few studies have addressed the possible role of stipends regarding to the choices students make about what to eat. A nine-item questionnaire was administered to four classes of 9th grade students in an urban high school. Survey items assessed what foods students ate during the school day; their attitudes towards different food choices; preference for bringing lunch from home; purchasing food from the school cafeteria or from off-campus and the choice of foods. Student demographics are being calculated with the survey items using SPSS-X. Chi-Square and correlations of descriptive variables are being measured for possible relationships with the level of statistical significance set at P<.05. The policy implications of this baseline study will shed light on positive and negative dietary behavior of high school students, and aid in the development of specific interventions needed to prevent the increasing obesity rate among youths.

The prime counting function is the number of primes less than or equal to a given number. The goal of this project is to improve the prime counting function (prime_pi) and nth prime function in Sage, a free open-source computer algebra system (CAS). Various methods and trade-offs exist. Some methods are simpler, some are faster, and some use less memory or storage space. For Sage's prime_pi, where speed for numbers in a practical range is a major concern, even at the expense of greater space requirements, the table-based method is a good choice. If a sufficiently dense table of the prime counting function is available, then prime_pi can be calculated with the table-based method faster than any other method (within the range of the table). Even within this one method, many choices and trade-offs exist. For larger numbers a sieve augments the table, but for smaller numbers, a primality test is faster. Sage's table-based method is competitive with the implementation of the combinatorial method in Mathematica, the leading commercial CAS, in both the range of numbers allowed and the computation time. Although the table-based method (with a sufficiently dense table) is faster than the combinatorial method in the range of the table, the initial creation of the table is very time consuming and the table can be quite large. For values outside the range of the table, including numbers of record breaking size, the combinatorial method is the only option. With the table-based method, the distribution of primes can be studied more easily. This has implications in some of the greatest problems in mathematics and in Internet security, which is based on primes.

The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of incubators used in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a major Seattle medical center. In recent years, few studies have tested whether the temperature and humidity settings on incubators are precise and how typical nursing care affects both the humidity and temperature of incubators. Infants use a significant amount of their caloric intake on maintenance and thermoregulation. Complications of cold stress for the neonate include failure to thrive, weight loss, and respiratory distress. The heat exchanges with the environment are greater in the infant than in the adult, causing infants to be at a greater increase for hyperthermia and hypothermia. Therefore, preterm neonates are often placed in incubators to reduce heat loss. Using a comparative research design study; we placed two Caleo Neonatal incubators in a patient-care area of a NICU. One incubator was designated as “control” and one as “simulation.” Both incubators were manually set to a humidity of 50% and a temperature of 36 degree Celsius. A QUESTemp Thermal Environment monitor was placed inside each incubator. Humidity and temperature readings of both the incubators and the monitors were recorded, and the simulation incubator’s portholes were opened to simulate nursing care. With the fragile thermoregulation state of neonates, the differences in temperature and humidity readings from the Caleo incubators versus the Thermal Environment monitors are quite alarming. In both trials, the temperature and humidity readings of the monitors were consistently lower than the temperature and humidity readings of the incubators. In addition, with the significant decreases in temperature and humidity upon opening the incubator portholes, it provides a new perspective on typical caregiving activities of neonates, and the potential detrimental effects these actions may have on neonatal thermoregulation and overall health.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be a highly sensitive method for identifying breast cancer and determining the location and extent of tumor in the breast. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a new MRI technique that characterizes tissue microstructure in vivo based on the random microscopic motion of water molecules. DWI has the potential to improve the accuracy of breast MRI by providing valuable complementary information. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), a quantitative parameter calculated from DWI, reflects the degree of water mobility in the extracellular space and provides a measure of tissue cellularity. Recent studies have shown that tumor ADC values are significantly lower compared to that of normal tissues and benign lesions, likely due to a higher cellularity in malignant tumors. The objectives of this study are to validate the usefulness of ADC as a discriminator between malignant and normal tissues and to determine whether the ADC value can be a new prognostic factor for patients with invasive disease. In this study, we will evaluate differences in ADC values of cancer, benign lesions, and normal tissue calculated from pre-operative DWI scans of women with invasive breast cancer. We will also assess the prognostic value of ADC for characterizing invasive cancer by comparing ADC measures with pathologic tumor markers such as grade, hormone receptor expression, proliferation (Ki-67), and lymph node involvement. We hypothesize that DWI may provide a valuable complement to standard breast MRI to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce the number of false positives and unnecessary biopsies performed as a result of breast MRI. We also hypothesize that DWI may help to characterize invasive disease, which would be important for treatment planning and tailoring therapies for individual patients.

Imprinted as well as random monoallelic expression is thought to be an integral component of cellular programming and development. While the complex molecular mechanisms responsible for widespread monoallelic expression have not been very well established, large scale studies in human B-lymphocytes revealed that up to 10% of genes show monoallelic expression. Before stem cell differentiation, induction, and epigenetic programming can be properly understood, the nuclear factors responsible for governing chromatin structure and allele-specific expression must be further defined. Expression of the imprinted IGF2 gene locus correlates with allele-specific binding of the zinc finger CCTC-binding factor (CTCF), and association with histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 9 (H3K9me3). The co-localization of CTCF and H3K9me3 at the IGF2/H19 imprinting control region may represent a specific chromatin signature indicative of monoallelic expression. To determine the genomic distribution of this signature, we performed ChIP-chip experiments to scan the non-repetitive portion of the human genome for sites associated with both CTCF and H3K9me3. Here we present data describing the relationships between these epigenetic markings, CTCF enrichment and monoallelic expression.

Low mass stars such as M dwarfs are prime targets for exoplanet transit searches as their low luminosities and small stellar radii could enable detection of super-Earths residing in their habitable zones. While promising targets for transit searches, M dwarfs are also inherently variable and can exhibit up to 6.0 magnitude flux enhancements in the optical U-band. This is significantly higher than the predicted transit depths of super-Earths (0.005 magnitude flux decrease). The behavior of flares at infrared (IR) wavelengths, particularly those likely to be used to study and characterize M dwarf exoplanets using facilities such as the James Web Space Telescope, remains largely unknown. To address these uncertainties, we have executed a coordinated, contemporaneous monitoring program of the optical and IR flux of M dwarfs known to regularly flare. A suite of telescopes located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Apache Point Observatory were used for the observations. We present the initial results of this program and discuss how flare events could influence future exoplanet detection and characterization studies in the IR.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate perceptions of available influenza educational materials among families comprising low income, homeless, and/or insecurely housed sub-groups in King County. Additionally, a community-based hand hygiene intervention will be conducted with school-age students. Homeless and insecurely housed individuals have limited access to quality medical care and are more likely to experience sub-standard or crowded living conditions. These factors place them at higher risk for contracting influenza. The recent outbreak of H1N1 brings these disparities to the forefront, as well as introduces the challenge of discerning what information to pay attention to, and what to ignore. As the understanding of H1N1 evolves, so do health messages to the public. This volatility is problematic because it could foster distrust in a population that may already be weary of the US healthcare system. This project is an investigator designed, qualitative analysis of community understanding of current influenza education materials. A short questionnaire has been developed to send to parents of school-age children at a Seattle elementary school. Focus groups will be conducted at a local homeless shelter, where some of the students’ families live. Survey responses and focus group content will be analyzed to identify themes. In addition, a community-based participatory intervention teaching hand hygiene and proper coughing technique will be conducted with groups of school-age children. We plan to determine which messages the public finds confusing, and which are clear and helpful. We will also examine identified shortcomings regarding the dissemination and availability of information. These results will be useful to glean a general understanding of strengths and limitations of available influenza information for low income, homeless, and/or insecurely housed populations in King County. We plan to relay our findings to King County Public Health in the hope it might aid in resource development and improve dissemination.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of listening to different types of music while committing something to memory, such as studying for an exam. Research has investigated demands placed by music on cognitive processing and recall of auditory and visual information, demonstrating an effect of music on the auditory system (Alley & Greene, 2008) but providing mixed results on the demands placed on visual memory (Belsham & Harman, 1977). A correlation of genre of music and mood (Smith & Morris, 1977), as well as subjective feelings of distraction have been demonstrated (Dibben & Williamson, 2007); however there is a paucity of research which explores the effect of genre of music on visual memory. This study analyzed whether different genres of music influenced recall of novel pictures. Digital images of buildings, nature and animals were presented to 26 undergraduate psychology students at the University of Washington, while they listened to 35 seconds each of 5 different genres of instrumental music: rock/alternative, hip hop, heavy metal, classical, country and a control group of silence. After each song selection, participants indicated which images they had seen. Participants were able to recall significantly fewer pictures while listening to country music than to silence. No significant effects were found for the other 4 genres. A post study survey assessed familiarity with the 5 genres and found country music was the 3rd least familiar to the participants. Further research might focus on a more diverse population to determine if results are generalizable.

Tactile sensors used in current robotic gripper designs can measure pressure created by normal force applied perpendicular to surface. To further advance tactile sensors, shear force measurements applied parallel to the surface are needed. Our goal is to develop a 3D force sensor that can measure the shear and normal force exerted on the gripper. To develop a sensor that can measure shear and normal force, we use a parallel plate capacitor configuration to create a displacement vector in the x-y-z plane. By mapping the displacement vector to the load curve of a dielectric filler material, we can identify the amount of shear and normal force applied. We expect to develop a sensor whose accuracy and range of measurements can be varied using different dielectric filler materials. In conclusion, by developing a 3D force sensor, we can use our device to measure pressure and rubbing exerted on robotic grippers. This will provide additional information on interactions with objects.

The focus of our research is the regulation of transcription when yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the common brewing and baking yeast) are undergoing a major change in their metabolism. We have discovered an interaction between Adr1, a glucose-regulated transcriptional activator, and Bmh, a general participant in signal transduction pathways in all eukaryotes. We have focused on identifying the specific binding site(s) of Bmh to Adr1 and understanding how this interaction affects the activity of Adr1. We are investigating the Adr1-Bmh interaction using a yeast two-hybrid assay. We first generated plasmids containing the GAL4-DNA binding domain fused to ADR1 and the GAL4-activation domain fused to BMH which allowed us to perform yeast two-hybrid experiments. Reporter genes were monitored on plates as well as by solution assays for beta-galactosidase enzyme activity. These assays indicated an interaction site between Bmh and Adr1 within the 148-304 amino acid region of the Adr1 protein. Currently, we are in the process of locating the specific site(s) within this region to which Bmh binds.

Wireless sensing technology is currently among the most rapidly developing areas of research in electrical engineering. One advantage to wireless sensing is the ability to deploy noninvasive electronics in various environments for applications ranging anywhere from macro-scale sensing, such as glacial monitoring, to micro-scale sensing, such as biomedical implants. While the sizes of integrated circuits continue to shrink due to advanced fabrication processes, device power supply dimensions have emerged as a dominating constraint, limiting technological progress. One system subject to such a constraint is Encounternet, a network of wireless transceivers capable of continuously monitoring social interactions among song sparrows that is currently in development at the University of Washington’s Wireless Sensing Laboratory. In order to capture sufficient data from which meaningful observations can be extracted, wireless device run-time duration must be maximized, which typically implies that larger batteries with higher energy densities must be used. Unfortunately a sparrow can bear only up to 1.2g of weight, thus a trade-off between run-time duration and device weight must be addressed. In an effort to satisfy both specifications, three basic wireless sensor power supply architectures have been explored through simulation and experimentation: primary cell, rechargeable cell, and cell-free. It was found that for the initial deployment of Encounternet, use of a primary cell was the only feasible way to stay beneath the firm weight threshold. However, other wireless sensing devices, including future iterations of Encounternet, may be able to employ a rechargeable or cell-free power supply dependent upon their respective dimensional constraints.

For six decades, carbaryl has been used to control burrowing shrimp within commercial oyster beds in Willapa Bay and Gray's Harbor, Washington. The shrimp reduce oyster survival and growth by destabilizing the sediments onto which young Pacific oysters are seeded. Efforts to restrict/prohibit the use of carbaryl have been driven by concerns over “sublethal” effects documented in laboratory studies with salmonids, and not actual exposure during operational applications. Carbaryl inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter, acetlycholine, leading to problems including tetany. Field studies indicate actual exposure of salmonids to carbaryl above the beds and within adjacent channels (brain AChE inhibition ~10%) is below that associated with overt effects. We quantified exposure of shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) to carbaryl (Sevin 80 WP) above oyster beds and/or within adjacent channels following aerial applications (8.9 kg ai/ha) 2 weeks apart at the south end of the mouth of the Willapa River. We expected perch would incur greater exposure to carbaryl than salmonids because of greater site fidelity and consumption of benthic invertebrates. Perch were captured at high tide in gill nets at the center of three beds sprayed at 6, 30 and 54 hours post spray, and at low tide within three adjacent channels using seines 24, 48 and 72 hours post spray; and 24 hours prior to, and 24, 48 and 72 hours after the second application. Perch captured in channels at the north end of the Bay served as negative controls. Surprisingly, brain AChE was not inhibited in perch (n=12) from the beds or adjacent channels at any of the sampling times compared to controls. In comparison, enzyme activity in juvenile Chinook captured in the channels was inhibited <14%, recovering to normal levels within 72 hours. Reasons for the differences between the two species will be discussed.

Palladium-catalyzed hydroamination is a no-waste method that has many applications in pharmaceutical development and organic synthesis. We present studies of the hydroamination reaction mechanism of an alkene bond with palladium (Pd) as the catalyst using ab initio computational methods. In this reaction, the Pd catalyzes the formation of a heterocyclic ring and allows the functional group from the solvent to attach to the final product. Using computational techniques that calculate energies of molecular structures, we investigated the structures of reactants, intermediates, transition states, and products. Energies of reactants, intermediates, and products are found while further analysis of transition state energies is anticipated. A reaction energy diagram is obtained for the associated mechanism using density functional theory. The result is compared with previous laboratory experimental results and will be applied to future designs of more efficient chemical processes for organic synthesis.

Imaginal discs are thought to be rigidly determined; each cell of the disc forms a specific leg structure in the adult. However, studies on imaginal disc regeneration have exposed a degree of developmental plasticity-the ability to change fates or revert to an earlier stage of development. Inducing disc regeneration via ubiquitous wingless (wg) expression via the hsflp; Act>>wg construct results in the formation of a regeneration blastema. Specific cells within the blastema can undergo well-defined changes of disc identity during a process termed transdetermination (TD).  In the Schubiger lab, we search for modifiers of TD.  Ubiquitous wg expression in leg discs produces TD to wing ('leg to wing TD'), identified by vestigial (vg) expression. We use this protocol to detect modifiers of leg to wing TD.  We tested distalless (dll) and dacshund (dac) because of their expression differences in leg and wing.  dll is weakly expressed in the wing primordia, and dac is absent in the wing primordia.  Ubiquitously expressing wg in heterozygous mutants of these two genes revealed that dac suppressed, and dll slightly enhanced, leg to wing TD. We found that ubiquitous wg expression eliminates Dac specifically in the dorsal aspect of the leg disc, where TD occurs, and in this region, dll is upregulated. Prior studies found reducing dac results in higher Dll levels and high Dll defines leg fate. We propose that elevated dll expression at dorsal leg sites is responsible for the suppression of leg to wing TD.

We used a standardized sampling protocol to measure species diversity and abundance of Costa Rican paper wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) across longitudinal and elevational gradients. We collected and analyzed paper wasp samples from malaise traps that were run from 1998 - 2009 in the Guanacaste Conservation Area. The samples were taken from 14 different sites that spanned lowland to montane forest across approximately 2000 m of elevation change. Species accumulation curves and species richness estimates were calculated for each site using EstimateS software. Comparison of species composition among sites and temporally across years within sites was also calculated. We discuss the possibility of seasonal effects on species densities across sites as well as behavioral factors contributing to species density variation.

 Cardiovascular disease is a chief concern for medical research as it remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The cardiac cycle of contraction and relaxation is regulated by the binding of calcium ions (Ca2+) to the regulatory protein troponin C (cTnC). Heart failure can be caused by reduced sensitivity to Ca2+ or a decreased number of active cells, which manifests as decreased contractility. Our laboratory has engineered cTnC with a single amino acid substitution, L48Q, which shows promise as an effective treatment for calcium insensitivity due to enhanced Ca2+ binding. While the ultimate goal of the research is to utilize gene therapy strategies to deliver L48Q cTnC, we currently study this protein by exchanging native troponin complex (cTn) with cTn containing L48Q within specific rat heart muscles (trabeculae). Although changes in calcium sensitivity between native and L48Q cTnC-Tn exchanged trabeculae have previously been reported, the amount of L48Q cTnC-Tn that has been incorporated within the trabeculae during our exchanges must be quantified because gene therapy will likely not replace all of the native cTnC. The main goal of my current work is to determine the fraction of native cTn left after exchange by utilizing the fact that exchanged proteins are produced by E.coli and not phosphorylated. The amount of successfully exchanged cTn is determined by western blot analysis using antibodies that specifically bind to cTnI which has been phosphorylated at serine positions 23 and 24. This quantity will be correlated to the shift seen in the Ca2+ sensitivity of force measured in the same preparations. Preliminary results indicate that this method provides the necessary sensitivity to detect a variable amount of non-exchanged cTn and that our established protocol results in approximately 90-95% exchange. This project will provide valuable data for a number of other projects within the laboratory.

Vitamin A deficiencies constitute a significant public health issue in India, resulting in preventable illnesses such as blindness and increased risk of death from severe infections. Incorporation of indigenous green leafy vegetables (Green Leafy Vegetables) into diet is a potential solution to Vitamin A and other nutrient deficiencies among undernourished populations, and a sustainable alternative to synthetic vitamin supplementation. In particular, leaves of the drumstick plant (Moringa oleifera) contain high quantities of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, and protein. In many parts of India, only the drumstick pods are eaten while the highly nutritive leaves are not commonly utilized as a food source. The purpose of this descriptive design study was to explore the perception and acceptance of using green leafy vegetables in cooked meals among undernourished populations in India, to understand barriers to incorporation of GLVs into diet, and to discover effective methodologies of increasing nutrition knowledge and dietary use of GLVs. Interviews regarding types of effective nutrition education were conducted with seven university nutrition professors involved in clinic and community-based practice. Interviews of 20 community members at a low-income clinic explored barriers to incorporation of GLVs into diet and self-reported impact of nutrition education on consumption. Findings indicate that community members increased incorporation of GLVs into daily diet after nutrition education, and the primary limiting factor prohibiting consumption was availability in the local market. Increasing nutrition education about the nutritive benefits of GLVs could have a powerful impact on the health of low-income populations in India.

Placental abruption (PA), the premature separation of the placenta from the uterus, is known to be an important cause of maternal and perinatal mortality. Few studies, however, have focused on high-risk, low income populations in South America. We sought to evaluate the risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality among infants delivered after PA. The study groups were 630 mothers with PA and 626 mothers without PA. Only mothers with singleton pregnancies were included. PA was diagnosed based on clinical examinations and data were collected using in-person interviews and from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% CI. Stillbirth (198 vs. 5 per 1,000 births), early neonatal death (71 vs. 13 per 1,000 live births), and perinatal mortality (256 vs. 18 per 1,000 births) rates were substantially higher in PA-affected pregnancies compared with non-complicated pregnancies. Among PA-pregnancies, mortality rates increased with decreasing gestational age at delivery (p-values for trend <0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the odds of stillbirth (aOR=28.2; 95%CI 8.8-90.8), early neonatal death (aOR=1.7; 95%CI 0.6-4.6), and perinatal mortality (aOR=9.8; 95%CI 4.9-19.6) were elevated in pregnancies after PA vs. non-complicated pregnancies. The odds of other adverse perinatal outcomes, including birth weight <1500g (aOR=2.8; 95%CI 1.2-6.6), preterm delivery <33 weeks (aOR=8.2; 95%CI 5.3-12.8), and fetal distress (aOR=11.8; 95%CI 6.7-20.7), were elevated among PA-affected pregnancies when compared with the comparison group. PA is an important determinant of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Improving the delivery of secondary and tertiary preventive care to patients with PA is needed to optimize the survival and outcomes of affected infants.

Gadolinium (Gd-III), chelated to diethylenetriamene pentaacetate (DTPA) is a contrast agent used to enhance the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting blood vessels defects and cancers in patients. We have recently developed a novel lipid nanoparticle expressing Gd-DTPA that greatly enhances the contrast property of Gd. Additionally, rapid clearance of Gd-nanoparticles in vivo is also observed within 24 hours, which contributes to reduced toxicity. Thus, the principle goal of this study was to investigate whether the Gd-nanoparticles conjugated with peptides—Arg-Gly-As (RGD) or Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS)—can differentiate between normal and cancer cells in vitro. The RGD or GRGDS conjugated on the nanoparticles surface was used to target cancer cell lines with the corresponding membrane integrin receptors: α2β1, α3β1, α5β4, α5β1, α6β1, and αvβ3. The Gd in free-form or in nanoparticles expressing RGD or GRGDS peptides was prepared for cell up-take studies. The cell-localization tendencies of the four Gd formulations were analyzed with the tumor cell lines BxPC-3, Caco-2, C6, and normal human dermal fibroblast cell line (HDF-1). The radioactive labeled 153Gd of Gd-nanoparticles was used as a tracer to quantify the Gd accumulation. Compared to soluble Gd-DTPA, Gd-nanoparticles significantly increase the Gd accumulation in tumor cells by 40-fold. We also noted that HDF-1 up-takes a similar amount of contrast agent in all treatments. Thus, Gd-nanoparticles are capable of differentiating between tumor and normal cells. It is also worth noting that the GRGDS and RGD modified Gd-nanoparticles with the integrin binding interaction may further enhance the efficacy of tumor cells in up-taking contrast agents and lead to enhance MRI visualization of tumor cell. The highly enhanced efficacy in delivering the contrast agent found in this study has potential application to drug delivery for cancer cells treatments while decreasing the damage of surrounding normal tissues.

Low-income, underrepresented youth from the Rainier Valley area find empowerment through sharing their digital stories in a program recently launched at Rainier Valley Community Center (RVCC). Racism, police brutality, and abusive relationships are among the range of subjects covered in video shorts produced by these youth. Currently these digital storytellers have no effective way of showcasing their work. This project designs and implements a platform sensitive to their social and community needs, enabling them to manage their works, generate greater web traffic and conversations, and ultimately spread awareness about issues experienced by oppressed youth. We examined how digital stories are currently showcased on the web. Next, we interviewed stakeholders, namely the instructor, supervisor, and digital storytellers of the program to gather their requirements on the proposed system. Their general requirements for the website include: storage and retrieval of a variety of media, social networking aspects, and protection of intellectual property. Moreover, although the instructor and supervisor focus on the system's potential for learning enhancement, the youth expressed more interest in its potential for entertainment, thus numerous tensions emerged among stakeholder values. In light of this, we have begun making website prototypes based on our findings, and will conduct iterative usability tests with stakeholders from Rainier Valley. Although the system is initially designed for showcasing only digital stories, we hope that in the future it will be extensible to accommodate other youth programs held at RVCC. This project will benefit members of RVCC and potentially other communities in the Seattle area. This project may also be of interest to those who intend to offer IT support to community-based nonprofit organizations.

Recent research in discourse processing using event-related potentials (ERPs) has uncovered an ERP component generated in response to the processing of ambiguous referents. It has been proposed that this component, the Nref component, may reflect the processing not only of referential ambiguity, but of lexical ambiguity as well. If this is the case, then it could be inferred that the Nref component reflects one generalized process for resolving linguistic ambiguity. Conversely, if the Nref is only observed in response to referential ambiguity, it could be inferred that lexical ambiguity and referential ambiguity are resolved using separate processes. The proposed study will test this theory by determining whether the Nref component is generated in response to lexically ambiguous sentences using homographs. Participants will read sentences both with and without homographs while their ERP responses are recorded via an electrode array, and the resulting waveforms will be compared to determine whether a Nref is generated in response to the lexically-ambiguous homographs. This will give us insight into how the brain processes different kinds of linguistically ambiguous stimuli.

Spirit Lake, located on the northeast flank of Mount Saint Helens, sustained significant impact from the May 1980 eruption. Prior to the eruption Spirit Lake was a typical high alpine lake with clear waters and low nutrient inputs to the lake. However, massive debris deposits added to the lake during the eruption changed the average depth of the lake and created a large shallow area along the southern shoreline. As a result the shallower depths near the shoreline became more productive than they were before the eruption. The focus of this research is on insects and their role in the nutrient cycle of Spirit Lake. Insects were collected via emergence traps for aquatic insects emerging from the lake and depositional traps for insects returning to or falling in the lake in order to identify the dominant organisms and to quantify the net mass of nitrogen and phosphorus they remove from the lake. Data from these traps were extrapolated across the littoral zone of Spirit Lake and the total mass of nitrogen and phosphorus removed from the lake was estimated. We also calculated the relative abundance and species richness (through the Shannon-Diversity Index), and determined overall ecosystem health (through the EPT-C assessment). This research was performed as part of a larger effort to quantify contributions from multiple sources to the nutrient budget of the lake system in an effort to better understand how the lake has changed since the eruption and how nutrients flow through this unique ecosystem.

The Himalayan mountain range is the result of deformation since continental collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates began roughly 50 million years ago. A series of major thrust faults have been created as a consequence of the collision to accommodate as much as 800 km of shortening in the region. The Main Central Thrust (MCT) is believed to be the dominant mechanism for shortening since Miocene time (ca. 20 million years ago). Recently it has been suggested that thrust faults located south of the MCT in the Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) could have major contributions to the shortening across the range. This project attempts to quantify the significance of the Lesser Himalayan faults (such as the Ramgarh thrust) in the vicinity of the MCT in the Modi Khola transect in central Nepal for the overall shortening of the range. Temperature increases with depth in the crust, such that rocks cool as they are brought to the surface (exhumed) via motion on faults and erosion. Thus the cooling histories of rocks collected at the surface can be combined with thermal modeling to estimate the rate at which the rocks were exhumed and document relative motion across faults. I will use 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology on muscovite and biotite mineral samples from Nepal to determine the time at which rocks in the LHS cooled below temperatures of 300-350ºC (cooling age). If the Ramgarh Thrust or other LHS faults accommodated significant shortening, rocks on either side of the faults should have significantly different cooling ages. The absolute ages will provide an estimate of the age of fault motion. The results will place constraints on the timing and kinematics of faulting in the region, shedding light on the mechanisms responsible for building the highest mountain range on Earth.

Auditory-perceptual methods are frequently used to evaluate voice disorders, but are highly prone to listener error. One method that has been used to increase the reliability of listeners’ judgments of voice is through the provision of anchor samples. Anchor samples are samples that represent mild, moderate, and severely rough and breathy qualities. They are used as reference points by listeners who are evaluating other voice samples. While listeners may exhibit wide ranges of reliability in performing voice judgments, it is unknown whether they have any self-awareness of their actual reliability. That is, it is unknown whether a listener’s confidence in his or her judgments relates to the listener’s reliability. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: 1) to determine whether anchor samples affect the reliability and confidence of listeners’ judgments of voice quality, and; 2) to determine whether listeners’ confidence ratings are related to reliability. Currently, 20 inexperienced listeners are participating in this study. Listeners are asked to judge breathiness and roughness of speech samples from individuals with a variety of voice disorders using rating scales. They are then asked to judge the confidence of their judgments using similar rating scales. The listeners make their ratings in two experimental conditions: with and without anchor samples. Based on previous literature, it is hypothesized that anchor samples will increase the reliability of listeners’ ratings for both breathiness and roughness. It also is expected that listeners will show higher confidence when making judgments of normal/mild and severe voices, but they will show reduced confidence for moderately breathy or rough voices. These results are expected if confidence ratings are found to strongly relate to reliability. The results of this study will help determine whether anchors can be used to train future voice clinicians, and whether confidence ratings can be used to gauge their performance.

Hydrogen fuel cells are one of the cleanest ways to efficiently convert fuel to electricity. In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen react to form water, producing electricity in the process. Understanding fuel cells’ aging processes is a critical step in making them cost-effective. As a fuel cell ages, water build-up in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) increase, constricting oxygen flow into the catalyst layer, where the cell’s reactions take place, reducing efficiency. Therefore, in order to make fuel cells more durable, research in GDL materials is necessary. This research focused on characterizing the wetting properties of the GDL as a function of fuel cell age. The aging process was simulated rapidly using electrochemical oxidation. For sample characterization, capillary pressure measurements quantified the wetting of the GDLs, while cyclic voltammetry determined the extent of surface oxidation. The results showed that increased surface oxidation correlated to enhanced wetting properties. Additionally, the characterization of samples from Los Alamos National Lab that had been “naturally” aged in real fuel cells indicated that factors other than surface oxidation, such as platinum contamination, were also important in changing the wetting properties of GDLs. How the graphitic content of the GDL affects its wetting properties and accelerates aging is being tested. In addition to the techniques mentioned above, Raman spectroscopy is used to determine the graphitic content of the samples. Characterizing the wetting properties of the GDL as a function of different variables, such as age and graphitic content, is key to understanding which materials are the most durable and why. This understanding will lead to improved fuel cell design and increased utility.

The Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association has been continuously publishing articles on the archaeology of mainland and island Southeast Asia since 1978. In December 2009 the editorial office of the Bulletin moved from The Australian National University to the University of Washington. In the course of putting the archives online, we collected a variety of bibliographic and metric data with the aim of characterizing the diversity of topics, cultures and time periods covered by research published in this journal. Our results reveal a number of interesting patterns. For example, Cambodia is noticeably underrepresented in the journal. This is surprising as Cambodia is home to one of the greatest archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, the civilization of Angkor. Similarly, although the stated focus is ‘Prehistory’ many of the articles focus on later historical time periods, sometimes going back only a few hundred years. Articles centered around the Pleistocene and early Holocene are well represented. Articles focusing heavily on a few prehistoric cultures, for example, Hoabinhian, Dongson and Lapita are very common in the journal. We also present data on who publishes most frequently in the journal and statistics on articles. From these findings we offer suggestions to the new editors on how they might diversify the journal and improve its coverage of less represented time periods and cultures.

With the curiosity of identifying firms’ behaviors within a market, this presentation will revisit the problems of identifying the origin of producers’ decisions by analyzing a more modernized market of MP3 players. Among the three main players within the market, Apple, SanDisk and Microsoft, each of their MP3 related products will be analyzed and compared according to the categories of design concepts, technical capability and content of settings. Comparing the characteristics of each product along with sales records, release date of each product and updates will indicate the possibility of producers replicating each other’s behaviors. Furthermore, analyzing the discussions within different types of inter-communication platforms between consumers and producers will also help identify whether the purpose of innovation or reproduction of others’ decisions is either consumer satisfaction or rivalry like competition. Recognizing Apple’s iPod series dominates the MP3 player market by owning over 70% of the market share, it is plausible that both SanDisk and Microsoft follow Apple as the market leader. The anticipation is that within the MP3 market, Apple presents the most innovations based on either consumers’ feedbacks or fresh minds within the firms. The other two players, while still innovate, their products, are expected to only innovate in response to Apple's. The expectation is that, unlike prior analysis on the markets of cement, light aircraft and diapers, the players within the MP3 market not only replicate each other’s ideas and strategies but also introduce their own innovations from time to time.

Different forms of exercise are recommended to HIV/AIDS patients to improve fatigue and functional status, manage weight, and maintain cardiovascular health. The aim of our research was to conduct a rigorous systematic review to summarize and synthesize the effects of randomized-controlled aerobic and resistance exercise studies. Our goal was to establish evidence for the effectiveness of exercise interventions in HIV adults older than 18 years, to identify areas of change in physiological function, and to develop age-appropriate exercise recommendations for older adults (age >50) with HIV. Out of 935 exercise and HIV publications, only 12 studies met all inclusion criteria. Our results show that adults between ages 18 to 55 experienced the most benefits from engaging in 20-30 minutes of any moderate form of aerobic exercise at least 3 times per week. Additionally, adults experienced the most benefits from engaging in resistance exercise, 3 times per week at a moderate level, with increased muscle strength and maintained muscle mass in both upper and lower extremities. We found that high intensity exercise did not further improve VO2max outcomes compared to moderate levels of exercise and is therefore not recommended for older adults due to higher injury risk. Neither aerobic nor resistance exercise had a measurable impact on immunological markers such as CD4 count or viral load and therefore were determined to be safe at every level of HIV disease progression, as well as age group. At this point, there are no evidence-based recommendations for the benefits or risks of either aerobic or strength exercises for HIV patients older than 50 years. However, we have tried to adapt evidence-based exercise recommendations for older adults with metabolic syndrome and frailty and adjusted them to two common situations of older HIV patients (metabolic syndrome and skeletal muscle loss).

The MobileASL project has developed real-time video conferencing that will make American Sign Language (ASL) mobile phone communication possible, but before it can be widely used, its usability and functionality must be improved. To do this, the MobileASL team will be conducting a field study of ASL users and adding many features to MobileASL in support of the field study. Deaf people text heavily, so we added the ability to send and receive SMS text messages through MobileASL,so that MobileASL users will be able to text with the same device they use to make mobile video calls. Another feature we added was the ability to make calls between MobileASL phones connected to separate networks by implementing UDP hole punching in MobileASL. We also address short battery life. Since processing video on mobile devices consumes a lot of power, we need to lower the amount of video data that needs to processed. These methods result in video that is sometimes blurry or choppy, so to learn which side effects are acceptable to users, we are conducting a web-based survey. In doing so, we had to make sure that the videos on the web survey display in the same way they would on the MobileASL phone. Also, since many of our target users are native ASL speakers and have limited English, we designed our survey to be bilingual. We will demonstrate MobileASL at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

In the United States an estimated 1.6 million youth live on the streets. With the current economic crisis and the increase in home foreclosures, this number will only continue to rise. School districts across the nation are reporting an average 25% increase in homeless students over the past three years and homeless families with children have become one of the fastest growing populations today. Additionally, young people 12-17 years old are more at risk for homelessness than adults. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to assess the availability and effectiveness of medical resources for homeless and street-involved youth. The objective of this project is to evaluate the availability and effectiveness of medical resources in King County from the perspective of homeless and street-involved youth and to learn about their own knowledge concerning their medical rights and Charity Care laws in Washington State. We administered brief one-page anonymous surveys to homeless and street-involved youth in four different areas of King County: the University District Youth Center, the Orion Center in Downtown Seattle, The Landing in Bellevue, and a shelter through Auburn Youth Services in South King County. The surveys were color coded for each location so that the results could be collected and analyzed for each geographic area. Using this information will allow us to compile crucial data into easy-to-read brochures. These brochures will then be accessible for both homeless and street-involved youth and the organizations serving this population. This information will also be used to inform local planning services in King County. Additionally, wallet-sized cards will be provided to the homeless and street involved youth with details regarding their medical rights as minors and Charity Care laws in Washington State.

Proteins are essential in carrying out almost all cellular processes. Despite this, the structure and function of many proteins is unknown. Although protein structures can be determined to great detail by experimental methods, such efforts are time consuming and costly. This is where the field of computational biology comes into play. By using amino acid sequences, computers can use energy functions to search the various possible conformations of the protein in an effort to model its structure. My project addressed a part of the computational protein structure puzzle, determining which protein conformations are closest to reality. I took a knowledge-based method as developed by Dr. Bernard and Dr. Samudrala for protein-small molecule interactions, and I modified it to apply to overall protein structure. This method takes nonbonded interatomic distances in protein conformations and compares them with distances in known protein structures. From this, the favorability of a certain protein conformation is evaluated. We found that the method compared favorably with others in the field, showing high correlations between a conformation’s ranked score and its average distance from the actual structure. From these results, we expect that this function has potential to aid the modeling protein structure, especially in concert with other methods in the field.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of an intensive insulin protocol by the nursing staff at a Burn Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The aims of the study are to determine if nursing staff initiate the protocol in a timely manner, evaluate whether or not patient blood glucose values are within the range prescribed in the protocol, and explore correlation between adherence to the range and patient characteristics and/or outcomes. Patients who experience severe burns have an alteration in metabolism, immune and cardiac function, as well as resulting inflammation and hyperglycemia. There is evidence that persistent hyperglycemia is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, and that tight glucose control (80-110 mg/DL) through intensive insulin therapy results in beneficial outcomes for critically-ill patients. The study was conducted using a retrospective review of patients’ medical and pharmacy records. The patient sample (n=75) for this study included adult patients admitted to the Burn ICU from the time period of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. The inclusion criteria were age (18-80yrs), weight of at least 40kg, and 2nd and 3rd degree burns with Total Body Surface Area of 20%. The results will show whether or not patient blood values fall within the range of the protocol, whether or not the nursing staff is properly implementing the protocol and determine the correlation between adherence to protocol and patient outcome and/or characteristics. Nurses are responsible for implementing established glucose control algorithms, watching for acute events and monitoring overall success of the therapy. The anticipated benefits of this research directly affect the nursing staff and any future patients at the Burn ICU. Evaluating the effectiveness in the nurses’ implementation of the protocol will provide a pathway and blueprint for any potential nursing education as well as professional responsibility and growth.