As midwifery becomes widely accepted in Washington State, more Licensed Midwives (LMs), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), doulas, and other birth workers are being sought after to provide healthcare and support to women and families during the childbearing year. From 1980 to 2008, LMs attended over 30,000 Washington State births and in 2010 they attended 2.7% of the total births in the state. Most of these births occur in an out-of-hospital (OOH) setting but do sometimes result in transfers to the hospital. In 2000, about 12% of OOH births nationally required transfer, with emergency transfers claiming 3.4% of the total. This is a low, yet substantial rate primarily due to complications that may arise necessitating additional resources and emergency services, including the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. LMs call upon EMS in cases including excessive blood loss, non-reassuring fetal heart tones and rare occurrences of cord prolapse. In these situations teamwork and collaboration is crucial to ensure the best continuous care during an emergency transfer. This study, conducted by midwifery Masters students at Bastyr University, aims to explore the interactions between LMs and EMS personnel to identify the state of their inter-professional relationship and understanding of one another's scope of care. By conducting a qualitative research study, investigators intend to increase communication and cross-profession collaboration and ultimately improve the healthcare of mothers and newborns. Eligible LMs and EMS personnel participated in a structured one-on-one interview with one of the two primary investigators of this study. These interviews are in the process of being coded for themes. A facilitated group interview with both LMs and EMS participants will be held to identify additional data that may not have been represented during initial interviews. All data will aid the research team in future development of cross-profession training/collaboration.

Research indicates that alcohol consumption and sexual victimization history, separately, are related to women’s increased unprotected sex risk. An additional question is whether partner relationship potential (i.e., likelihood of having a romantic relationship) interacts with victimization history and alcohol consumption in their association with risky sexual behavior. Participants were 436 female heavy episodic drinkers, aged 21-30, at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infections. They completed background questionnaires that assessed sexual victimization and an alcohol administration protocol (control or BAC=.10). Next, they projected themselves into a hypothetical sexual scenario, which manipulated relationship potential (high or low) with the man in the story. Following the scenario, participants listed their reasons for and against having sex, knowing no condom was available, and rated the strength of these reasons on a 1 (not at all strong) to 7 (extremely strong) scale. We computed two difference scores. First, the number of reasons listed against having sex was subtracted from the number of reasons listed for sex. Second, the strength of the reasons against having sex was subtracted from the strength of the reasons for having sex. Higher scores indicated that women listed more reasons for having sex than against and perceived reasons for having sex were stronger than reasons against, respectively. We regressed both outcomes on sexual victimization severity, alcohol dose, relationship potential, and all interactions. Analyses indicated a significant 3-way interaction for reason strength, but not number of reasons listed. For women with high victimization severity who received alcohol, relationship potential was positively associated with stronger reasons for having sex, which is likely indicative of greater sexual risk. Results have implications for risk prevention programs and suggest the importance of providing risk information for women with victimization histories who consume alcohol prior to sexual encounters and perceive high relationship potential in their sexual partner.

During the Late Cretaceous (100 to 66 million years ago), most mammals were relatively small (< 200 g) and occupied very few ecological niches. Didelphodon vorax was the largest mammal of that time period (~1.7 kg). Thus, study of Didelphodon vorax is key to understanding the range of mammal evolution during the Late Cretaceous. Although a significant amount of research has been conducted on this species, it has exclusively focused on cranial elements, specifically dentition and rare skull fragments. From these elements, researchers have hypothesized Didelphodon had a semiaquatic habit and bulbous premolars for a shell-crushing diet. However, a major limitation of these hypotheses is that they have not been tested with postcranial data. I describe parts of a disarticulated but associated partial skull and skeleton of Didelphodon vorax. The fossils were excavated from a locality called Marshoupial in the Late Cretaceous-age Hell Creek Formation in McCone County, Montana. Specifically, I compared the morphology and dimensions of the hands and feet to those of extant marsupials (e.g., Didelphis virginiana). I have determined that the hand and foot elements preserved at the Marshoupial locality include two distal metacarpals, one distal metatarsal, one complete proximal phalanx (digit III or IV), one distal phalanx, one proximal phalanx (digit II or V), and three intermediate phalanges. From these elements, I infer the locomotion, habitat, and body size of Didelphodon vorax to better understand the ecology of this species. In preliminary observations, Didelphodon vorax is larger than Didelphis virginiana (1.9–6.0 kg) and the shape of its distal phalanx (ungual flexor protruding anteriorly, broad profile in dorsal view) resembles that of aquatic extant mammals. If this interpretation of Didelphodon vorax is confirmed, it would suggest some Late Cretaceous mammals were more ecologically diverse than previously thought.

Biological systems coordinate themselves through cues such as ion currents and membrane electric potentials. This communication utilizing membrane proteins such as membrane receptors, channels, and pumps allows biological systems to form hierarchies of control over their systems that have yet to be achieved in conventional electronic systems. Integrating such biological components with nanoelectronics could allow exciting new developments in the field of biomimetic energy conversion. However, this approach requires the seamless incorporation of biological structures into electronics. In order to use membrane proteins, they must be integrated with a lipid bilayer which is essential to create a cell membrane mimicking environment. Lipid bilayers have previously been integrated on solid substrates for electrophysiological measurements and the construction of organic-inorganic hybrid devices, but have yet to be formed on PdH_x. In this work, we build the foundation towards harnessing this biology-based method of control by forming a lipid bilayer composed of DPhPC/DPhPE/PI/Cholesterol on PdH_x contacts. The formation and deposition of electrochemically robust liposomes on a PdH_x surface was confirmed using dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and resistance measurements with a PdH_x proton field effect transistor (H⁺-FET). Vesicle formation was proven through DLS by determining size of the lipid structures in aqueous solutions. These vesicles were then deposited onto a PdH_x contact and formed solid-supported bilayers on PdH_x surfaces by the process of spontaneous vesicle adsorption and rupture as confirmed by AFM. Finally, the electrical stability of the bi-lipid membrane was characterized through electrical measurements with an H⁺-FET, confirming minimal H⁺ leakage across the bilayer. Future work includes embedding an ion pumping membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin, into the bi-lipid membrane to enable electrochemical gating of the PdH_x H⁺-FET through optical or other environmental cues for biomimetic energy conversion.

Early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities have emerged as a result of Part C (formerly Part H) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) beginning in 1987. Ample research supports intervening early while the brain has a high degree of plasticity, especially before age 3. Kindering is the largest early intervention center in Washington State, providing 1,600 infants and toddlers with comprehensive services in 2013. The purpose of the current research was to analyze the developmental growth rate for children enrolled in the early intervention program at Kindering. This longitudinal study utilized test scores from the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (AEPS), which includes 6 different skill areas: cognitive, social, social-communication, adaptive, fine motor, and gross motor. Using bivariate and multivariate analysis to examine the growth trajectories of 641 children ages 0-3, we expected to find that Kindering's comprehensive model improves children’s development over time. Results were further analyzed by various demographic factors including ethnicity, income, and gender. Multivariate analysis was also used to examine whether growth rate was dependent on the age that the child entered the program, expecting to see that those who entered at a younger age will have a greater growth trajectory. We anticipate that these results will enhance the existing research about the effectiveness of early intervention, and demonstrate Kindering as a persuasive program model that can be replicated in existing and new centers. This study also has the potential to inform policy and funding decisions for early intervention.

 Despite decades of research, our best attempts at formulating a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have failed. Recent work in mucosal immunology and virology has highlighted the importance of the mucosal immune system in the successful infection of a host after mucosal exposure to HIV. A vaccine formulation that effectively induces humoral and cellular immune responses in the vaginal mucosa could clear local HIV populations before the virus is able to gain a foothold in the body. The proposed project will develop a novel vaginal mucosal HIV vaccine using therapeutic cell encapsulation. Briefly, a transgenic cell line producing HIV virus-like particles (VLPs) will be entrapped within a nanoporous polycaprolactone (PCL) capsule optimized to release VLPs. Release of the VLPs and viability of entrapped cells will be studied over long periods of time and controlled by an electrospun PCL membrane. Finally, the ability of the cell-based vaccine to interact with dendritic cells will be studied through the bone marrow dendritic cell uptake assay and the mixed lymphocyte reaction assay. This work would represent the first use of cell encapsulation technology to create a vaccine. If successful, this project could generate essential data that could be used to develop novel mucosal HIV vaccine for human testing.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous clonal disorder of hematopoietic progenitor cells, also known as “blasts,” that fail to both differentiate normally and properly respond to normal proliferation regulators. The consequences include possible organ infiltration as well as impairment of normal blood cell production that can result in fatal infection or bleeding. Retention of leukemia cells within the bone marrow microenvironment enables survival from chemotherapy treatment. This retention is largely mediated by surface membrane receptors, such as the chemokine receptor CXCR4. CXCR4 facilitates cellular migration towards high concentrations of the stromal derived cell factor CXCL12 (SDF-1), a chemokine that is released from bone marrow stromal cells. A CXCR4 small molecule inhibitor, plerixafor, has been shown to improve response to chemotherapy treatment in murine leukemia models, by disrupting interactions with the microenvironment, releasing leukemia cells into the bloodstream, and conferring sensitivity to chemotherapy. Our objective was to assess the functionality of an anti-CXCR4 antibody, BMS-936564, to similarly enhance chemotherapy cytotoxicity. We assayed CXCR4 expression by the leukemia blasts and stem cells, observed the time course of mobilization of leukemic blasts and stem cells, and examined the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in patient samples through analysis for Annexin V expression. Mobilization of leukemia blasts and stem cells was monitored by flow cytometry. We found a significant correlation between CXCR4 expression by leukemic blasts and patient response to therapy, with high CXCR4 expression (≥20%) linked to complete remission (p<0.05). It is intuitive that the antibody to CXCR4 would require CXCR4 to be expressed by blasts. These data provide a method to predict outcomes for patients undergoing combination treatment with anti-CXCR4 antibody and chemotherapy. Our ultimate objective is to overcome adhesion mediated chemotherapy resistance in order to improve outcomes for patients with AML.

Diversion agreements are contracts between the courts and an offender that serve to minimize his or her exposure to the potentially harmful effects of the official adjudication processes. Not only are there multiple ways through which diversions can be applied (through mandated counseling or informational sessions, for example) but research suggests that diversion agreements in the justice system can aid in reducing system costs and recidivism rates. With this information, the Washington State legislature passed House Bill 1524 in May of 2013, which adjusted several elements of existing statute to extend diversion options to juveniles with mental health disorders. While the benefits of this bill can be inferred from previous research, there is little understanding of the policy’s statewide effects. Therefore, the purpose of the following research is to examine the effects of HB 1524. Data will be collected on youth who have been allotted a third diversion, exploring the connection between a youth’s characteristics and criminal charge, and the likelihood of being offered a third diversion and the form of obligation required. The results of this research will allow us to gain a more comprehensive understanding HB 1524’s effects across Washington State by specifying which variables affect the juvenile justice system’s discretion in employing diversion alternatives.

The Mesozoic Era (250–66 million years ago) was a significant interval in Earth’s history when the supercontinent Pangaea broke apart into the continents we know today, allowing continental biotas to evolve independently from one another. Throughout this era, vertebrates diversified into many of the major groups known today. Although there has been much research on the vertebrate fauna of this era from many parts of the world, the Mesozoic vertebrate fossil record of Africa is still poorly known. In 2008, a team of paleontologists from the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Washington, and the University of Utah collected large volumes of fossiliferous sediment (~1,000 lbs) from a Late Jurassic locality (Jema-5) near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Our team of undergraduates has begun to process, sort, and identify vertebrate microfossils from these fossiliferous sediment samples. We are in the preliminary stages of our project, but previous workers have recorded a diversity of cartilaginous and bony fish, such as hybodont sharks, guitarfish (Rhinobatos), lungfish (Asioceratodus tiguidensis), and primitive ray-finned fish (Lepidotes, Pycnodus) from nearby localities. Other aquatic vertebrates and terrestrial vertebrates have also been identified from this area, including pleurodiran and cryptodiran turtles, crocodyliforms, ornithiscian and theropod dinosaurs, and primitive mammals. We aim to (1) develop a faunal list from this locality; (2) add to our understanding of vertebrate diversity in Ethiopia during the Late Jurassic; (3) better constrain the age of the fossil locality within the latter half of the Mesozoic; and (4) shed light on vertebrate evolution from a critical area and time in Earth’s history.

 Using mice as an animal model, we are investigating the possibility that fetal ultrasound exposure in utero has contributed to the observed dramatic increase in the number of cases of autism. A leading hypothesis suggests that autism may arise through a combination of genetic predisposition and exposure to certain environmental factors during a vulnerable period of neuro-development in utero. To test this hypothesis we exposed mice to diagnostic ultrasound in utero during a specific developmental time window to check for possible post-birth induction of autistic-like behavior and neuro-anatomy. Specifically, we exposed anesthetized pregnant mice to ultrasound for 30 minutes on embryonic day 12. When mice pups were three weeks of age, we used a variety of behavioral tests to assay for autistic-like characteristics. Additionally, we performed histology on the mouse brains, analyzing them for neuroanatomical characteristics of autism. Our published results show significant social behavioral differences between ultrasound-exposed and sham-exposed mice. Also, preliminary analysis of the brains found decreased minicolumnar width and variability in the ultrasound-exposed group relative to the sham-exposed group. Both the behavioral and neuroanatomical results are consistent with the hypothesis that diagnostic ultrasound exposure in utero represents a potential risk factor for autism. Future research will target study of possible bio-physical mechanisms that may underlie our observations. Specifically, we intend to tag newborn cortical neurons via injection of BrdU in an attempt to quantify ultrasound’s effect on the migration of these neurons, anticipating a relationship between dose of ultrasound and extent of disruption of the cortical layers within the brains of ultrasound-exposed mice.

Previous research has found that social influences including descriptive norms (how much or how often a behavior is exhibited) and prototypes (images associated with individuals who engage in certain behaviors) have been shown to influence engagement in risky sexual behavior. Although these relationships are fairly well established, less is known about factors that might influence the strength of these relationships. One potential factor is sexual sensation seeking, which refers to one’s need or desire to have various, new, and complex sexual sensations and experiences. Given that individuals high in sexual sensation seeking have been shown to be more influenced by social factors, we hypothesize that sexual sensation seeking will moderate the relationship between two different forms of social influence (descriptive norms and prototypes) and sexual behavior such that the relationship between descriptive norms and behavior and prototypes and behavior will be stronger for those individuals higher in sexual sensation seeking. Data for the current study are drawn from a sample of 121 University of Washington undergraduate students, ages 21-30, (50.4% female) who completed an online survey regarding their health behaviors, with specific measures including the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, Alcohol-Related Sexual Behaviors Scale, Prototypes, and Perceived Sexual and Alcohol-Related Sexual Behaviors Scale. Moderation analyses using linear regression will be conducted in order to test whether sensation seeking moderates the social influence to behavior relationships as predicted above. Results from this study have the potential to inform methods aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and STI transmissions, lead to personalized treatment methods for those higher in sexual sensation seeking, as well as supplement current research looking at social influence and personality factors that influence risky sexual behavior.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by varying degrees of challenges with social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Specifically, children with ASD exhibit deficits in joint attention, which is thought to contribute to language and social skill development. The early identification of precursors to joint attention impairment allows for an earlier diagnosis of ASD and may suggest new or refined targets for intervention. The Seattle Children’s SPARCS study (Studying the Physiology of Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders) focuses on the attention, regulation, and development of preschool aged children with neuro-typical development (TD, N=84) and ASD (N=84), enrolled between 24- to 59- months. In the SPARCS study Orient Task, participants were presented with four social and four non-social stimuli delivered by wall-mounted speakers. Joint attention probes were delivered by the examiner via point and gaze bids. If the child showed a head and/or eye turn toward the location of the stimulus and/or verbal/non-verbal acknowledgement of the sound, s/he was given orienting credit. Credit for response to joint attention (RJA) was given if the child makes eye-contact with the examiner and followed the point or gaze to the intended target. Data collection for the SPARCS study Orient Task is ongoing. Of 168 enrolled children, 71 have completed the Joint Orient Task. Preliminary valid data was analyzed for 14 ASD and 17 TD. Preliminary results suggested that children with ASD orient significantly less than TD children. We hypothesize that social orientating behavior may relate to joint attention and that joint attention skills may be a predictor of later socio-communicative development.
 

The increasing rate of suicidality and death by suicide among military service members has gained considerable attention from the Department of Defense (DOD), members of Congress, and the civilian populace as military suicide rates have surpassed suicides in the general population. Although suicide prevention has become a national research priority, it has been difficult to identify specific and modifiable risk factors contributing to the rise of military suicides. Previous research suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying are at greater risk for suicide, but the prevalence of bullying and its impact on suicidal ideation and behaviors within military populations in unknown. The current study will explore the relationship between bullying and suicidal behaviors among military service members using baseline data from a multisite DOD-funded suicide prevention study. Participants include 125 active duty Soldiers and Marines who have engaged in recent suicidal behavior and/or reported current suicidal ideation. As part of a larger clinical interview, participants were asked about suicidal thoughts and behaviors and experiences of bullying in the military workplace. Regression analyses will be conducted to assess whether bullying constitutes a risk factor for increased suicidality. We predict that greater instances of bullying within the military context will be associated with higher rates of suicidal ideation and increased suicide attempts. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine bullying and suicidality among U.S. active duty service members. A better understanding of this risk factor may contribute to more effective suicide assessment and prevention strategies in the military.

Transcranial ultrasound can alter brain function transiently and nondestructively, offering a new tool to study brain function and inform future therapies. Previous research on neuromodulation implemented pulsed low frequency (250–700 kHz) ultrasound with spatial peak temporal average intensities (ISPTA) of 0.1–10 W/cm2. That work used transducers that either insonified relatively large volumes of mouse brain (several mL) with relatively low frequency ultrasound and produced bilateral motor responses, or relatively small volumes of brain (on the order of 0.06 mL) with relatively high frequency ultrasound that produced unilateral motor responses. Our work seeks to increase anatomical specificity to neuromodulation with modulated focused ultrasound (mFU). Here, ‘modulated’ means modifying a focused 2-MHz carrier signal dynamically with a 500-kHz signal as in vibro-acoustography, thereby creating a low frequency, but small volume (approximately 0.015 mL) source of neuromodulation. Application of transcranial mFU to lightly anesthetized mice produced various motor movements with high spatial selectivity (on the order of 1 mm) that scaled with the temporal average ultrasound intensity. Alone, mFU and focused ultrasound (FUS) each induced motor activity, including unilateral motions, though anatomical location and type of motion varied. Of interest is the exploration of potential research and clinical applications for targeted, transcranial neuromodulation created by modulated focused ultrasound, especially mFU’s ability to produce compact sources of ultrasound at the very low frequencies (10–100s of Hertz) that are commensurate with the natural frequencies of the brain. Currently, I am working to incorporate mFU with electroencephalography (EEG) to aid researchers and clinicians in localizing neural activity. Theoretically, the vibro-acoustography paradigm allows a small volume of neural tissue to be tagged with a specific difference frequency; EEG will determine the origin of this signal.

Forensic entomology uses the life cycles of insects to determine the time of death (post mortem interval, PMI) of victims of homicide and abuse. Currently, PMI is not used on bodies that have been burned with the use of an accelerant because little is known about how the accelerants affect the life cycles of insects at the scene. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether flesh flies (Sarcophaga bullata) will colonize and complete a full life cycle on charred carrion that has been burned with an accelerant. Laboratory reared adult flesh flies were provided with various substrates; one not burned, one organically burned and one burned with the accelerant, gasoline. Early results of this experiment have shown normal progression of the fly life cycle with larvae deposited on the control carrion. No progression of the life cycle of the flies has been observed on either of the charred substrates. The results of these experiments can show how carrion burned with accelerants affects the colonization and life cycle of an important forensic indicator species, the flesh fly. This pilot study can lead to further studies regarding using PMI for charred remains. The broad scope of this study is to gain insight into the use of insect life cycles to determine the time of death of victims burned with accelerants.

Maltreatment occurring early in life has been shown to cause life-long emotional and physical problems. The topic of Infant and Toddler Mental Health (ITMH) is therefore important in ensuring that infants and toddlers develop into healthy, well-adjusted children and adults. Properly trained nurses can make an immense impact in recognizing and encouraging relational health for this age group. The problem is that there is a gap in the baccalaureate nursing curriculum in regards to training nurses to recognize concepts of ITMH, subsequently affecting the way nurses are able to work with children ages 0-3 and their caregivers. This BSN honors project addressed the question: what are the key ITMH principles and concepts that should be included in baccalaureate nursing curriculum? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 2-5 Infant Mental Health Specialists from a variety of nursing backgrounds with open-ended questions about ITMH in the context of BSN curriculum. Data from the interviews was analyzed to identify themes, which comprised the essential concepts of ITMH to be included in BSN curriculum. Interviewees were notified of the identified concepts so they may endorse the results and a final literature review was conducted for validation. In addition, a survey of UW BSN nursing students, and new pediatric nurses with less than one year of experience at Seattle Children’s Hospital, was conducted to gauge their knowledge of ITMH concepts. The survey featured a short video depicting a relational health challenge followed by an opportunity for respondents to provide open-ended written reflections. Survey results were analyzed to determine which ITMH concepts the surveyees recognize and where BSN curriculum could be strengthened. The results of this two-part research project is being used to suggest potential improvements to nursing curricula, which in turn will improve the quality of life of infants, toddlers and their families.

The diaries kept by Emma B. Andrews are an undervalued resource for learning about Egyptian culture and history and many turn of the century discoveries. Andrews (1837-1922) was the mistress of Theodore Davis, an archeologist responsible for the excavations in the Valley of the Kings. Andrews accompanied Davis on his yearly trips and kept records of her life in Egypt. Her diaries provide readers with valuable insights into the social, cultural and scientific climate during her years in Egypt. However, these first hand accounts have gone virtually unnoticed for years. The Emma B. Andrews Diary Project aims to increase the availability of this source with the hope that it will become more widely recognized in the academic world. At the University of Washington, undergraduate students have the unique opportunity of working with the Andrews diaries to prepare them for online publication through the Newbook Digital Texts Project. The project allows for inexpensive publication of materials with less difficulty than traditional publication methods. Students work to translate, transcribe, edit and tag large amounts of text in order to make them universally available on the web. Students researching the diaries have a variety of tasks to complete before the diaries will be ready for publication. First, transcriptions of the diaries to an electronic textual format must be completed and edited twice for accuracy. Next, the diary transcriptions are run through an auto-tagging program to create an online format for the texts. The diaries are then converted into XML format and new content is added to them, including historical research on people mentioned in the diaries. Undergraduates working on this project are passionate and committed about making this valuable resource available to the world in a way it has never been before.

Parent engagement has been found to have direct implications in the academic success of students. Knowing the ways that parents are or are not engaged is vital to developing ways to improve parent engagement. Additionally, it is important to reveal the ways in which parent engagement is defined in current school settings. Increasingly, school, and community based organizations are in need of understanding how well they are doing in engaging parents. To help us understand ways to assess parent engagement, this study examines parent engagement measures found in literature from 1993 to the present with a focus on its representation in urban communities. Specifically, we examine how equitable and traditional forms of parent engagement are or are not represented in the constructs used to measure parent engagement in urban settings. We synthesized literature into Excel templates and then coded using MAXQDA software. This allows us to analyze the data and more easily view patterns, differences, and commonalities among the literature. Using our coding database, we found preliminary results that indicate that parent engagement studies of urban school settings were more frequent in comparison to suburban, rural, or mixed school settings. We found that within the urban setting, when studying parent-engagement behaviors, over fifty percent of the time the behaviors studied were home-based. These findings suggest that the quantitative measures and studies of parent involvement over the last twenty years largely reflect the traditional approaches that qualitative studies have found to be inhibiting, particularly for the participation of non-dominant parents such as minorities or parents from low-income background in school-based or community-based parent engagement. These findings suggest the need to examine beyond the scope of traditional measures in order to begin to understand the potential of equitable parent, school, and community collaboration for improving student learning and success.

This research focuses on optimizing the functionalization of cationic gold nanoparticles for use in plasmonic emulsions for treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease. This condition affects approximately 12 million people in United States. Plasmonic emulsions are prepared by self-assembly through the adsorption of functionalized gold nanoparticles in deionized water on the surface of perfluorohexane oil droplets. When irradiated with a near infrared laser, the emulsion is vaporized creating a mechanical pressure wave that can be used in breaking up plaque formation in the arteries. Cationic gold nanoparticles are introduced to produce the emulsion due to opposite charge attraction between the nanoparticles and the anionic perfluorohexane-water interface. In this research, a method of synthesizing cationic gold nanoparticles is explored. First, the gold synthesis is performed in a biphasic system consisting of toluene and water. Once the particle synthesis is complete, mercaptoundecyl-trimethylammonium bromide is added to the gold nanoparticles to form a cationic thiol monolayer over the gold nanoparticles. The cationic gold nanoparticles are then separated by centrifugation and the supernatant is discharged. The nanoparticles are dried and stored until use in emulsification. Preliminary results showed that the average diameter of cationic gold nanoparticles ranged from 4nm to 6nm. The dried nanoparticles were also found to be redispersible in water or alcohol, i.e, methanol and ethanol. These advances create a pathway for the study of spontaneous emulsification with cationic gold nanoparticles and for their use in medical technologies. In future work, the particle size distribution needs to be narrowed for use in plasmonic emulsion operated in vivo where renal clearance requires sizes less than 5.5 nm.

Most bacterial infections are initiated when binding to receptors on the tissue surface via bacterial adhesive proteins. After adhesion, they form biofilms and become more resistant to the immune system and antibiotics. A novel approach to preventing infection is the use of anti-adhesive agents that inhibits bacterial adhesion to host tissues and thus blocks the infectious process. Therefore, understanding bacterial adhesion and physiology under different conditions is essential for the development of anti-adhesive drug therapies. This project involves studying the effects of pulsatile flow on Escherichia coli adhesion and testing the hypothesis that flow pulsatility enhances bacterial adhesion because bacteria are adapted to in vivo pulsatile flows caused by intestinal peristalsis, swallowing saliva, or beating of the heart. I used a programmable syringe pump to produce a pulsatile laminar flow composed of a low shear (e.g. 0.1 Pascal) and high shear (e.g. 1 Pascal) in a parallel plate flow chamber. The frequency and amplitude of this pulsatile flow was in the physiological range. Through a microscope with a digital camera, I recorded the number of E. coli that bound to the bottom plate of the flow chamber coated with the model receptor mannan. The preliminary results demonstrated that E. coli accumulation after 5 minutes under pulsatile flow was not significantly different from that under steady low shear but accumulation was more stationary with pulsatile flow. However, the difference in accumulation became significant when comparing with the steady high shear. These data suggest that E. coli initiate adhesion at low shear and they firmly maintain binding at high shear. Future work will require the adhesion assays of wide range of bacteria under various pulsatile flow conditions. This research will help us understand the bacterial physiology and advance the development of anti-adhesive drug therapies.

Women in the US are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS when they engage in sexual risk behaviors (SRB), especially failure to use a condom during sexual intercourse. Women face unique pressures when the decision whether or not to have protected sex is made, and deal with these pressures using a variety of coping strategies. This ongoing study is designed to investigate the hypothesis that women who use coping strategies based on avoidance (e.g., escaping, forgetting, ignoring stressors) in their everyday lives are more likely to have sex without a condom. The study also examines the hypothesis that women who generally use coping strategies based on problem solving (e.g., confronting, planning for, and working to resolve stressors) are less likely to have sex without a condom. We recruited women from the University of Washington Psychology Department’s Online Subjects Pool. Data have been collected from 327 women during fall 2013 and winter 2014 quarters. Participants completed an online survey including a measure of coping strategies (i.e., Coping Strategy Indicator), read a hypothetical sexual scenario, and responded to questions about their intentions to engage in unprotected sex. Data were analyzed using linear regressions and we predicted a relationship between coping strategies and intention to use a condom. We predicted that those who reported using more avoidance coping strategies would be more likely to have unprotected sex, and those who reported using more problem solving coping strategies would be less likely to have unprotected sex. If a relationship between coping strategy and failure to use a condom is established, then interventions focused on teaching new coping strategies could be implemented to help decrease sexual risk behaviors and increase women’s sexual health.

Planet earth has been experiencing droughts of devastating proportions. With these droughts becoming more frequent and widespread, many areas of the world are unequipped to deal with the economic and agricultural impacts. About 44 percent of the world’s population resides in and around coastal regions. Thus, resorting to the oceans for clean drinking water is an obvious solution. Zwitterions are environmentally friendly molecules that maintain a positive and negative charge simultaneously. Research has shown that these types of molecules possess non-fouling or fouling release capabilities in a variety of marine applications due to their hydrophilic properties. Therefore, using zwitterionic polymer coatings in an effort to eliminate the membrane fouling issue that plagues ocean water reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants is promising. Currently, harmful chemicals are added to the water to reduce membrane fouling, but this approach merely suppresses the issue. RO membrane fouling has prevented ocean desalination from emerging as a viable source of fresh water due to high maintenance and operation costs. Most commercially available RO membranes are comprised of either cellulose acetate or aromatic polyamide, and both are susceptible to fouling. I will synthesize two zwitterionic polymers, poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (pSBMA) and poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (pCBMA), that will be grafted to the membrane surface. I will then expose the coated membranes to solutions of fluorescently tagged protein and compare the non-fouling performance to an uncoated membrane by measuring the fluorescent light intensity of the surface binding proteins. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) will be used to quantify the surface protein binding. Utilizing the zwitterionic coatings to eliminate the fouling issues experienced by desalination plants will reduce the monetary and environmental costs. This action will further prevent the addition of harmful chemicals that are released into the environment.

Integration of information over time is essential in our everyday lives. But research in many domains including memory recall, decision-making, language, and motor control shows that the order in which to-be-integrated information arrives strongly affects how it’s processed. A recent set of experiments has extended these findings into the perceptual domain by showing that when estimating the mean position of a group of serially-presented dots, subjects weighted the earliest information presented much more than the rest. However, it’s an open question whether this “primacy” effect is an artifact of task strategy, or if it’s an intrinsic, unchangeable property of integrating serially-presented visual information. Do we always weight earlier visual information over later information? Feedback has been shown to effectively change behavior in a wide variety of psychological contexts, so we conducted two experiments to determine whether the primacy effect was modifiable or not. In both experiments, subjects were shown ten serially-presented white dots that varied in location and were asked to estimate the center of the dots. In Experiment 1, we provided subjects with feedback after each trial indicating their response and the actual, correct center of the dots. In Experiment 2, we attempted to further facilitate even weighting by presenting the dots in a predictable pattern, still using the same trial-by-trial feedback as before. We analyzed our data by fitting a weighted-average model to our subjects’ data, which allowed us to estimate the mathematical weight that each subject applied to each of the ten dots. The weights we obtained showed that feedback did reduce the magnitude of the primacy effect, but subjects still showed significantly larger weighting of earlier presented information. This suggests that heavy reliance on earlier visual information, though susceptible to forces like feedback, may be an intrinsic property of how humans integrate visual information over time.

The genomic RNA packing enhancer (GRPE) is an RNA element found in the HIV-1 genome that is implicated in the packing of HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA). This 140 base-pair sequence is found within the p1-p6 region of gag and is believed to fold into a structure that interacts with viral components to enhance packing, most likely by recruiting the nucleocapsid protein. Understanding this RNA structure would provide molecular understanding of the GRPE’s function in gRNA packing, which would in turn shed light on how HIV-1 assembles. Ultimately, it could also facilitate the design of new anti-HIV therapeutics. The goal of this study is to determine the structure of GRPE using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Using previously published chemical mapping data, I designed an optimal sequence to study and cloned the resulting 140 base-pair DNA sequence corresponding to the GRPE RNA into a high copy number plasmid for the purpose of generating sufficient amounts of DNA template for transcription. The transcription of GRPE was optimized, and I am in the process of synthesizing and purifying sufficient amounts of GRPE to conduct NMR spectroscopy studies using large scale gel electrophoresis and flash chromatography. Once this is done, I will use NMR spectroscopy to elucidate the GRPE structure.

The majority of the world’s population resides in the developing world where infectious diseases are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Due to the lack of affordable and accurate diagnostic tests in low-resource settings, proper treatment of patients with infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis is greatly limited. As a result, there is an urgent need for point of care (POC) diagnostic tools targeted for low-resource settings that are inexpensive, rapid, portable, accurate, and require little to no training to operate. Paper-based diagnostic tests are portable and low-cost, and have shown promise for POC diagnostics appropriate for the developing world. The Yager Laboratory is currently developing a paper-based POC diagnostic platform for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that utilizes an isothermal strand displacement amplification (iSDA) technique. The amplification method operates at a constant temperature and uses a mutant restriction endonuclease that cleaves only one strand of DNA, which is then displaced by a strand displacing DNA polymerase. While the incorporation of iSDA in the POC platform has been promising, it has been challenging to optimize performance in the paper matrix without a full understanding of its operation. The purpose of this investigation is to develop a kinetic model for iSDA. The model currently considers the major steps associated with the amplification technique and incorporates kinetic rate constants that have been selected from other published studies. Next, simulation results for various conditions will be compared to experimental results to validate the developed model. A successful kinetic model will provide a better understanding of the iSDA method and should enable optimizing the amplification technique. Ultimately, the information produced from this project could be used to improve paper-based POC devices that utilize iSDA technology.

Phonic Earth connects communities of the modern world through music, a language that is understood globally on emotional and physical levels. Melody, voice, instruments and timbre hold history within them and also redefine and transform our cultures throughout time. Through music we are able to understand each other’s communities on intimate and transcendent levels. Phonic Earth traveled to Puerto Rico, The Faroe Islands and the Northwest to produce films that depicted social and political histories through musical contexts in different regions. Each location reveals unique cultural stories and information. In Puerto Rico we investigated how the diverse blending of eighteenth century Afro-Caribbean, European and Indigenous groups led to the creation of the musical genres bomba and plena which influence Salsa and Hip Hop. Phonic Earth explored the relationships of music to land, culture and emotion through Faroese contexts. The Kingo Gregorian chant sung in the Faroe Islands preserves the history of French, Norwegian and other North American countries where this historical music has disappeared. The final part of Phonic Earth’s cinematic project, will be filmed inc collaboration with NW Native American/Indigenous communities to document the influence of historical music and storytelling on current Native American music culture. Each community in the world holds a complex identity made up of the individuals of the region. Phonic Earth focuses on empowering these individuals with resources to tell their stories, showcase their music and document local events through film. While the world is made up of an infinite amount of faces, backgrounds and cultures, music is a familiar medium that people connect to on a global scale. It is our aim to connect the viewer to the community on an intimate level which is why Phonic earth looks at the world through sound.

An inborn genetic disorder, phenylketonuria (PKU) is characterized by elevated phenylalanine (Phe) concentrations that interfere with neurodevelopment, leading to irreversible symptoms such as mental retardation and motor developmental delays if left undetected. Most countries, including the United States, implement PKU testing in newborn screening programs, in order to provide treatment to prevent the onset of irreversible damage. Current methods of detection include tandem mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, and fluorometric immunoassay. However, these methods require highly technical equipment and trained personnel that do not allow for the tests to be implemented in low resource settings. Thus there is a need for a fully disposable, easy to use, and cost-efficient device for the detection of Phe that can be implemented in areas that lack current Phe detection strategies. My project proposes to develop an enzymatic colorimetric assay for the detection of Phe in a simple paper-based disposable, such that an untrained user can perform and read the test results. Critical to this the incorporation of dry reagents on card. The assay requires a two-step reaction: 1) the conversion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to its reduced form (NADH) in the presence of Phe and catalyzed by phenylalanine dehydrogenase (PheDH), and 2) the conversion of the tetrazolium salt, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), into a purple formazan dye due to the presence of NADH and the coenzyme phenazine methozulfate (PMS). Reagent drying protocols have been evaluated for PheDH, NAD+, NBT and PMS for short-term reagent stability. Preliminary data shows NBT and PMS should be stored separately, to avoid autoproduction, while PheDH should be stored with a low concentrated sugar. NAD+ stores well without added stabilizers.

Culture may be an important factor to consider when analyzing men's help-seeking behaviors in response to a prostate cancer diagnosis. In order to explore what role culture might play when men make decisions regarding their prostate cancer, a systematic review of the literature spanning nine research databases took place. Those research databases were: PsychINFO, PubMed, Medscape, Web of Science, Google Scholar, BIOSIS Previews, JSTOR, PsychArticles and ScienceDirect. While many researchers state culture may play a role in defining a man's help-seeking behaviors after prostate cancer has been diagnosed, the literature fails to show, with convincing evidence, information that is necessary to understand this finding. Understanding how men make decisions about their health needs has to be expanded beyond men and women. Therefore, more research must be done that analyzes men's help-seeking behaviors with cancer from a cultural perspective. The lack of information in the literature leaves a potentially integral factor in men's help-seeking behavior out of the realm of consideration, and more research on the subject would be beneficial to the field. 

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Retrospective studies of children with autism suggest associations between ASD diagnosis and children’s gender, socioeconomic status (SES), race and other factors, suggesting potential ascertainment or diagnostic biases. Comparing the data collected from our study project with research results from the CDC and others is one method to discover if there are any covariates related to family demographics that need to be accounted for in future project analysis. The Seattle Children’s Study of Physiology and Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism (SPARCS), investigates how spatial and feature attention and regulatory control in preschool aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Typically Developing (TD) children ages 2-4, contributes to joint attention abilities and social-communication growth. Using data from the SPARCS study, we looked at 157 children in two dimensions, an ASD group compared to as neuro-typical (NT) group, who were 24-35 months or 36-59 months at time of enrollment. We have examined differences in gender, parental age, economic status, race, ethnicity, referral source, and number of children in family within these four groups. We have also explored differences between autism severity with 24-35 months old ASD children and 36-59 months old ASD children, by using mean cutoff scores on the ADOS and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Young children and their families who participate in research related to ASD may differ across a number of variables, which in turn may be related to later outcomes.

Currently, there is a huge waste of natural gas being vented or flared off all over the world resulting in large amounts of lost energy while the demand for liquid fuel continues to rise. This loss of energy can be reduced through the use of methanotrophs to converts natural gas to liquid fuel, also known as biological gas-to-liquid fuel conversion. This project is broken down into three areas: Strain Improvement, Process Optimization, and Recovery. My portion of the project is to help gather base-line fermentation data for the purpose of strain improvement. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop efficient fermentation process for the production of high lipid biomass. The methanotrophic bacteria strain is Methylomicrobium buryatense (5GB1). Each fermentation run is done in a 1L bioreactor (fermentor). Different mixed gases are used for each fermentation run. Optical density is used to monitor bacterial growth, and the produced gas is analyzed using a Gas Chromotography System. The different conditions tested are oxygen limited, methane limited, and methanol with a control set up of unlimited growth. Unlimited growth is found to have the fastest growth rate with a doubling time of 3 hours. Oxygen limited and lethane limited have a slower growth rate when compared to unlimited growth, which follows the expected bacteria behavior under limiting conditions. Methanol causes the bacteria to go through a longer phase of lag time and has a slower doubling time compared to unlimited growth as well. After testing the growth rates under these conditions, the produced biomass is tested for the amount of lipids in the cells. The final results are then compared to find the optimal intersection between lipid biomass production and bacteria growth rate.

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) control translation of certain proteins through degradation of the messenger RNA which code for these proteins. These non coding RNAs are often up-regulated in many forms of cancer and can inhibit the expression of tumor suppressor proteins. The goal of this project is to engineer a protein which can bind to and inhibit the biogenesis of a miRNA-21, which is overexpressed in many cancers. Previous reports have shown that the RNA recognition domain (RRM) of human splicing factor Fox-1 protein has high affinity and specificity for the UGCAUG sequence. We are engineering this RRM to target the stem-loop sequence of precursor miRNA-21. Amino acid site changes were introduced into Fox-1 to generate a protein which will inhibit production of the oncogenic miRNA-21 in cancer cells. This project involves the application of various methods in biochemistry, including PCR site-directed mutagenesis, cell transfection, DNA cloning, protein expression and purification, RNA transcription and purification as well as gel electrophoresis assays and 3-Dimensional structural analyses of protein and RNA through nuclear magnetic resonance studies. Currently, a stable protein has been expressed and the precursor species of miRNA-21 is being prepared to characterize its interaction with the engineered protein biochemically, biophysically and structurally.

 Beryllium Oxide is a ceramic material most notably used in the electronics industry due to its outstanding thermal conductivity. Because of this property it is also of interest for use as an insulator under high density plasma exposure. Post exposure the beryllium samples undergo a very specific series of characterization steps. Samples are subject to optical microscopy, in an attempt to identify noticeable surface changes when compared to a control sample. Specific spots show maximum exposure, and are further investigated via XPS. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy shows chemical changes in regions of maximum exposure. Specific depth profiling is utilized to identify possible Deuterium migration, lanthanide exposure, and oxidation effects. XPS is critical for providing detail of the depth of deuterium exposure throughout the material, along with possible deuterium implantation within the crystal lattice of the existing beryllium oxide. X-ray Diffraction comparison between irradiated and control samples shows lattice expansion and residual strain throughout the material. This is a crucial discovery when comparing the impact of the residual strain to the maximum tensile stress. Peak broadening shown on the 2ϴ XRD plot identifies the extent of intergranular strain left by possible deuterium implantation into the beryllium oxide crystal lattice identified through XPS. Thermal conductivity of irradiated samples is tested to ensure that the most redeeming quality of the material is consistent post exposure.

A species distribution model can be used to assess the effects of climate change, the impact of invasive species, and the effects of resource management decisions, however, obtaining data for a remote and rugged areas like National Parks often takes considerable resources. Luckily, our study site, Mt. Rainier National Park, has around 1.5 million visitors every year, many of which upload images of the landscape to photo sharing websites like Flickr. Each photo has a geolocation tag and a timestamp of when the photo was taken, revealing a species’ location and phenology at a given time and place. Using this data from photo sharing websites, we are developing models to predict the spatial distributions of five montane wildflowers that are located on Mt. Rainier: Arctic lupine, magenta paintbrush, American bistort, western pasqueflower, and Sitka valerian. Species distribution models are frequently used to understand the relation between environmental variables and a species range. Using environmental data from Mt. Rainier, we will be able to predict the current habitat of these five species and make predictions of how the species range will change under various climate change scenarios. Additionally, due the relative ease of accumulating data, we plan to adjust our geographic focus to other national parks where species distribution predictions could improve resource management and conservation decisions.

At the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, approximately 66 million years ago, a major mass extinction event eliminated up to 75% of all species on the planet. Considerable debate surrounds the cause of this extinction. Was the extraterrestrial bolide impact at the K-Pg boundary the sole cause? Or were ecosystems already deteriorating prior to the impact? In non-marine ecosystems, dinosaurs (except birds), lizards, metatherian mammals, and sharks and rays (Chondrichthyes) suffered the greatest levels of extinction. Chondrichthyans have received little research attention relative to other taxonomic groups. Here, I investigated the fossil record of freshwater chondrichthyans through the Hell Creek Formation in eastern Montana. The formation is ~90 meters thick, divided into lower, upper and middle parts, and spans the last two million years of the Cretaceous. I examined 12 vertebrate microfossil assemblages through the section, identifying teeth, dermal denticles, and vertebrae of freshwater sharks and rays to the genus level. I used this dataset to estimate generic richness and relative abundance trends leading up to the K-Pg boundary. My richness results show that one genus of ray occurs through the entire section. From the lower to middle parts of the section, sharks increase from one to five genera and then drop back down to one genus in the upper part of the section. This pattern temporally correlates with a minor rise and fall, respectively, in sea level of the Western Interior Seaway. Alternatively, this pattern may reflect differences in sampling intensity and site availability through the Hell Creek Formation. I will test the latter hypothesis using rarefaction analysis, which compensates for differences in sampling intensity. Results will help me determine whether these trends are a true glimpse into the shifting biogeographic ranges of non-marine cartilaginous fish communities of the latest Cretaceous or an artifact of variable sampling through the section.

Binary chromophore systems contribute to more favorable intermolecular interactions and can significantly enhance electro-optic (EO) activity of EO materials, which have potential applications for telecommunications. Optimization of EO activity of binary chromophore systems consisting of dendrimer host (i.e. PSLD-33) and guest chromophore (i.e. FTC) will be achieved by determining the ideal host to guest concentration ratio. Synthetic schemes for known dendritic systems were proposed and synthesis is currently underway. Linear optical properties, including max absorbance (λmax) and molar absorptivity (ε), of materials in solutions with chloroform will be characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy. These properties have implications in chromophore packing density, which up to a thresh hold can improve EO activity. Additional steps include making films of the materials. EO activity of the materials will be characterized using the Teng-Man method, which has proven to be a convenient way to determine the EO coefficient (r33) in the Dalton lab over the past ten years.

The Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus) and American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are difficult to distinguish using morphological or vocal characters. The Northwestern Crow is considered ecologically distinct, occupying only coastal and shoreline habitats from Central Washington, north through much of coastal Alaska. The more widely distributed American Crow occurs throughout greater North America, including Pacific coastal habitats north to Central Washington, potentially overlapping and hybridizing with Northwestern Crow in this region. Until now, no comprehensive genetic analysis has been performed to examine crows in this potential zone of overlap. This study examines Pacific Northwest Corvus species distributions with minimal spanning networks and phylogenetic analyses via the mitochondrial DNA ND2 gene. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited maternally and does not recombine giving a minimally distorted view of an individual's ancestry. Our data show that the Northwestern Crow occurs from Alaska to Southern British Columbia, and not in central Puget Sound or along the southern coast of Washington. The American Crow occurs throughout the continental U.S. and comes into contact with the Northwestern Crow in southern B.C. Further analysis is required to reveal the possible extent of this contact zone north of Vancouver and/or into northern Washington. A better understanding of this overlap zone will allow science to update natural history species distributions and further explore the effects of human impact on biogeography.

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) can be described as oscillations of large electron densities. Traditionally observed in metals, LSPRs have recently been observed in semiconductors, and have gained more attention because of their tunability over a wide range of energies. Additionally, semiconductor LSPRs could offer a cheaper alternative to plasmonic applications. Here, we aim to observe the effect of band-gap engineering on LSPRs in zinc oxide semiconductor nanocrystals by incorporating Cd^{2 +} and Mg^{2 +} ions into zinc oxide host lattices. Cd^{2 +} -and Mg^{2 +} -doped zinc oxides of different molar dopant ratios are synthesized via base-initiated hydrolysis and air-free hot injection synthesis. The size and structure of the nanocrystals are characterized via transmission electron microscope (TEM), absorption and photoluminescence. The molar dopant ratios of the samples are determined analytically via inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. In order to observe LSPRs in semiconductors, conduction-band electrons are added to the semiconductor nanocrystals via photochemical reduction to give them metallic-like properties. The number of electrons accumulated can be measured by titrating the samples with mild oxidants such as decamethylferrocenium. The LSPRs in the zinc oxide nanocrystals are studied by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. In combination with absorption and photoluminescence, EPR is used to measure the conduction-band, valence-band and overall band-gap energies. Using IR spectroscopy, we study how these energies influence the LSPR energies.

Interest in renewable energy resources has increased in recent years due to the rising demand and dwindling supply of fossil fuels. While inorganic materials, such as silicon, have traditionally dominated the solar energy market, the use of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) has grown more popular due to their potential to be low cost, light weight, and their ability to comply with flexible substrates. Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is a polymer that readily self-assembles into nanowires under proper conditions, resulting in nanowire domain sizes that are on the order of the exciton diffusion length. Directing polymer self-assembly provides an opportunity to control the structure property relationships of OPVs and can greatly improve charge transport within the active layer. The regioregularity of a polymer is a measure of the uniformity of its geometric isomers. Because individual P3HT chains begin to kink into S-like shapes during self-assembly, a correlation between the P3HT regioregularity and the frequency of resulting nanowire defects is expected. In an attempt to understand the process of self-assembly, we would like to determine if these defects are incorporated into the nanowires during self-assembly, or if they are excluded from their crystalline domains. To investigate this, P3HT nanowires were made from solutions of anisole and chloroform in varying ratios, heated at 70 °C and thoroughly mixed for 24 hours, then removed from heat and allowed to self-assemble for at least three days. These solutions were then filtered to separate the nanowires from the decanted solution, and analyzed separately. A variety of characterization methods were used to study the presence of nanowire defects as well as their effects, including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization spectroscopy.

Treatment for osteoarthritis is currently limited to pain management and surgical intervention, including arthroplasty. Long-term, these treatments fail as viable solutions as many metal implants erode bone and pain management does not address continued joint deterioration. To progress the treatment of arthritis, our group has begun to design an implantable scaffold to resurface arthritic joints. We have applied a nano architectural approach to designing a scaffold, which recapitulates the native extracellular matrix of cartilage tissue. To fabricate our scaffold we have developed a method to orient nano fibers in three-dimensional space within a hydrogel, thus allowing us to mimic the orientation of native collagen. Currently, this scaffold is undergoing mechanical and biochemical analysis to evaluate it’s potential for cartilage tissue formation. I have focused on mechanically characterizing our scaffold by determining the compression modulus across several architectural variables, and in comparison to native cartilage tissue. I have demonstrated reproducibility in our fabrication method by obtaining statistically independent groups based on varying nano fiber material, spacing and hydrogel concentration (p<.05). In comparison to native cartilage, I have identified a combination of materials and geometry (polylactic-co-glycolic acid nano fibers, Norland Optical Adhesive 76 polymer, and 200 micrometer nano fiber row spacing), which are equivalent to native cartilage tissue compression values (2-4 megapascals). I am currently following up mechanical characterization with live dead staining and confocal microscopy to evaluate the biocompatibility of the scaffold. In the near future, we hope to evaluate stem cell differentiation using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by evaluating glycosaminoglycan and collagen type II concentrations. Thus far, our mechanical characterization and methodology for synthetically engineering a mechanical construct has demonstrated potential for therapeutic use in the treatment of arthritis and joint degradation.

Among individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a delay or diminishment of the development of language and communication is a core feature of the disorder. Children with ASD also have more difficulty with tasks used to measure verbal working memory when compared to typically developing individuals, though findings have been mixed. Among typically developing children, one aspect of language that may be particularly related to verbal working memory is narrative ability. Previous work has shown that verbal working memory relates to communication skills in children with ASD. Although research has documented differences in the narrative ability of children with ASD, there have been no studies that have examined the role of working memory (WM) in the narratives of children with ASD. This study sought to explore whether parent report of narrative ability differed between children with ASD and children with typical development (TD), to evaluate whether groups differed on an observational measure of narrative ability, and to investigate whether narrative ability corresponded to WM within the group with ASD. Working memory was measured using the Children’s Memory Scale Numbers subtest and by parent report from the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Composites of individual items related to narrative ability were created for both the Expressive and Interpersonal Relationships (IR) subtests of the Vineland-II parent interview. Narrative ability was coded from a speech sample obtained during the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule using Reilly, Klima, and Bellugi’s (1991) narrative coding scheme. Preliminary results suggested differences in narrative ability between the two groups and a relation between WM and narrative ability within the ASD group. Behavioral coding provides a richer analysis of narrative ability and, therefore, may provide additional information about the relation of WM to narrative abilities.

Most treatment programs for alcohol dependence have prioritized abstinence from substances as the primary treatment goal. However, abstinence-based goals are not always considered desirable or effective by more severely affected populations, such as chronically homeless people with alcohol dependence. Because these individuals comprise a multimorbid and high-utilizing population, they are in need of more focused research attention to elucidate their preferred treatment goals. The aim of this secondary study was therefore to qualitatively and quantitatively document participant-generated treatment goals. Participants were currently or formerly chronically homeless individuals (N=31) with alcohol dependence who were participating in a pharmacobehavioral pilot of extended-release naltrexone and harm-reduction counseling. During the week 0 assessment, study interventionists elicited participants’ treatment goals and recorded them on an open-ended grid. Progress and achievement of goals was confirmed via self-report and recorded by study interventionists at the week 8 follow-up. Conventional content analysis was performed to classify participant-generated treatment goals at weeks 0 and 8. Representation of the three top categories remained stable over the course of the treatment. In the order of their frequency they included drinking-specific goals, quality-of-life goals and health-related goals. Quantitative analyses indicated participants generated an increasing number of goals over the course of treatment; however, the proportions of goals achieved and made progress towards did not increase significantly. Findings confirm hypotheses that participants can independently generate and achieve treatment goals toward alcohol harm reduction and quality-of-life improvement. Larger RCTs are necessary to confirm the role of harm-reduction treatment in helping individuals achieve these goals.

Kesterite structured semiconductors copper zinc tin sulfide, selenide and sulfoselenide semiconductors (Cu₂ZnSnS₄, Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ and Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ respectively) have great potential for the next generation of photovoltaic devices. The bandgap of the sulfoselenide can be tuned from 1.5eV to 1.0eV by varying to ratio of S/(S+Se) from pure sulfide to selenide. Contrary to crystalline silicon solar cells that have dominated the market, this family of semiconductors are made from nontoxic earth abundant elements that allow for the potential to scale up to terawatt production levels. These thin film photovoltaics have a drastically lower cost of manufacturing as they require a smaller initial energy input and less raw material. This work explores the chemistry behind the formation of these semiconductor materials. The molecular precursor solutions were made using Cu₂(tu)₆Cl₂ for the copper source, as the copper is already in the 1+ oxidation state in addition to being coordinated by thiourea. This was then dissolved using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent. Using this as a basis, a total of six solutions were made by varying both the tin and zinc compounds added including tin (II) and tin (IV) chlorides and acetates, zinc (II) chloride and a zinc thiourea complex, Zn(tu)₂Cl₂. These solutions were then spin coated onto molybdenum coated soda lime glass to form CZTS films under thermal and further annealed in selenium vapor to form CZTSSe. In some cases, a thin cadmium sulfide (CdS) layer was deposited onto the CZTSSe film via chemical bath deposition to protect the film from photoluminescence measurement. In between each step, samples were collected and characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence to determine the film’s composition and detect possible binary or ternary impurities. Results from the six solutions are compared and CZTSSe formation mechanisms are discussed.

The physiological mechanism of light-induced leaf expansion may begin with the capture of blue light by the photoreceptor phototropin. This process is responsible for growth of the plant which influences photosynthetic ability and overall productivity. Our goal was to determine whether phototropin has an affect on expansion and if so, what phototropin's role in growth is. In this study, we grew Arabidopsis thaliana WT (wild type), phot1, phot2, and phot1/2 mutants in pots in a growth chamber under continuous light. Each plant's fifth leaf was photographed every day and measured with ImageJ to obtain growth rates. This experiment was run three times. The results show that phot1 mutants do not significantly differ from WT, phot2 mutants had a similar growth rate to WT but continued growing at a fast rate for a day longer, and phot1/2 had a much slower growth rate than WT. A second experiment was done using the same growth conditions, but using only WT, phot2, and phot1/2. On the sixth day after its appearance, the fifth leaf was removed from each plant and floated in a 5 millimolar solution of KCl for 24 hours. These leaves were photographed before and after to obtain their growth rates and the results were consistent with the first experiment which used intact leaves. The second experiment demonstrates that there is a phot-mediated mechanism contained within the leaf which influences growth. Knowing the cellular mechanism regulating leaf growth rate may help to understand how environmental stresses such as drought reduce plant productivity. Our next step will be to determine the mechanism which is causing the difference between the rates. First, we will look at anatomy of the leaves to determine if cell expansion or division is most affected by phototropin.

With the fifth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world and a government dependent on oil for 90% of its annual revenue, it is difficult for the 21st century individual to imagine what Iraq’s economy looked like before petroleum was discovered in 1923. In fact, relatively little is known about Iraq’s pre-oil economy, including the methods that were used to transport and trade commodities, what commodities were traded, and the prevalence of commercial travel. My research project focuses on the historical role of steamships in Iraqi commerce and travel, and how the Joseph M. Svoboda Diaries can illuminate the patterns of 19th century commercial trade and travel along the Tigris River in the part of the Ottoman Empire that is present-day Iraq. By examining Diaries 47 and 48 and cataloguing Svoboda’s descriptions of the commercial river voyages he takes as part of his job as a clerk on British steamships, my research seeks to illuminate what goods were traded, what kind of people used steamships as a mode of travel, and what places along the Tigris River functioned as commercial hubs. I plan to create a visual map of Svoboda’s river journeys, and to identify which river ports were significant and which ports typically provided what commodities. (Example: Coot as a hub for coal.) By superimposing Svoboda’s steamship routes on a map of present-day Iraq, I hope to investigate what impact, if any, this 19th century steamship traffic had on the modern-day river ports mentioned in the text and explore whether these commercial hubs retained their historical economic significance into the 20th and 21st centuries.

The rate of preterm birth in the United States is alarmingly high. While many studies focus on the preterm infant (< 32 weeks gestation) as a patient receiving the highest quality care, very little attention has been paid to the well-being of the newly forming family, and in particular the parents. There is beginning evidence to show that the shattering experience of giving birth to a preterm infant can potentially cause unrest within a couple, furthering the distress caused by the event and laying a groundwork for future difficulties for both the partners and the infant. This study, which is a secondary analysis of existing data, aimed to explore the parents’ experience of distress following preterm birth, and in particular how they felt the distress had affected their couple relationship. Using dyadic analysis of each partner’s interviews we explored how each partner discussed their relationship following the preterm birth. We analyzed four interview transcripts, comprising two couples, one heterosexual and one lesbian, who had had a preterm infant at least six months in the past. Results thus far have demonstrated the feasibility of intra-couple data analysis and we hope to contribute to increased understanding of how the distress of preterm birth impacts each parent and the couple relationship.

 In silicon photonics, light propagation along a narrow silicon waveguide at the nanoscale produces an electromagnetic field that extends beyond the waveguide surface. Microrings can “couple” light from an incident waveguide at certain wavelengths. Silicon microring resonators can detect changes in the effective refractive index at the sensor’s surface by producing minute shifts in the peak resonance frequency. For biosensing applications, this resonance frequency shift is utilized to quantify the binding of biological analytes to the microring surface. Combined with a microfluidic platform for directing chemical and biological reagents over the microring resonators, silicon photonics offer a promising method of determining the concentrations and binding activities of analytes of interest in biological assays. However, protein fouling- the non-specific accumulation of protein molecules on a surface- in blood samples presents a significant challenge in the translation of these assays toward clinical adoption. Ongoing research has aimed to significantly reduce non-specific adsorption by coating the chip surface with polymer chains, resulting in a hydrated surface which resists protein fouling. In this study, charged polymer layers were grown on the chip surface by atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), producing a coating of polymer brushes of high density and uniform length. Microring sensors were then functionalized by conjugating biological capture elements using standard carbodiimide chemistry to the terminal carboxylic acid residues of a surface-grafted polymer. The polymerization reaction conditions were optimized to minimize the thickness of the polymer layer while maintaining the non-fouling properties of the surface as a whole. Non-fouling properties were observed in the residual resonance shift following plasma and buffer rinse flows via a microfluidic platform. By minimizing the surface polymer thickness, we increase the physical limit of analyte detection on the microring surface, thereby maximizing the sensitivity of the biosensor while reducing “biological noise” due to non-specific protein adsorption.

Local health departments (LHDs) often do not routinely collect the type of data that can be used to conduct research and provide quality evidence-based feedback to inform public health policies and practice. To address the gap in evidence, we used new data from the Multi-Network Public Health Practice and Outcome Variation Examination (MPROVE) Study and explored processes for consolidating and presenting data for the usefulness of public health leaders’ development of policies, procedures, and services. The data from this study reflects the details of services provided by 35 LHDs across Washington State. In our research, we linked LHD data with data from existing sources and will present visual representations of the data for use by LHD leaders in examining variations and change in public health service provision. Services offered by the county were compared to other counties, trends in services across the state were analyzed, and health outcomes were compared to services provided on a county-by-county level. We specifically focused on public health service data relating to obesity, immunizations, and oral health. Through these comparisons we hope to identify further questions and gain insight on a variety of public health factors and their relation to LHD services provided. Through this process we hope to better understand how best to present data that helps LHD leaders (1) improve evidence-based public health policy; (2) modify procedures and services; (3) stimulate more effective and widespread data collection by LHDs; and (4) further improve the quality of research on public health department services.

The pancreatic islet β-cell secretes insulin in response to nutrients such as glucose. In type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion by β-cells is impaired, causing hyperglycemia. Our group investigates this impairment, with the goal of identifying and understanding the underlying mechanisms. Pancreatic islets contain an extensive capillary network, including endothelial cells, which produce soluble factors that may modulate β-cell function. Specifically, our group has shown that media from islet endothelial cells cultured under control conditions (5.5 mM glucose) and subsequently incubated with islets enhances insulin secretion from those islets. In contrast, media from islet endothelial cells cultured in diabetic conditions (high glucose; 25 mM) shows no effect on insulin secretion. Thus, we hypothesize that islet endothelial cells normally secrete paracrine factor(s) – signaling molecules produced by one cell that cause particular reactions in nearby cells – that enhance glucose-stimulated insulin release but that in diabetes, production of these paracrine factor(s) is reduced. The goal of this project is to identify one or more of these paracrine factors. We cultured islet endothelial cells under control and diabetic conditions. mRNA was extracted and sent for whole transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq), creating an expression profile showing the expression amplitude for each gene. Analysis of RNA-Seq data revealed patterns of differential gene expression between control and diabetic samples. Changes in expression for genes of interest identified by RNA-Seq are being verified by quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). Subsequent protein analysis via ELISA or western blot will confirm the RNA-Seq and qPCR data. Viral vectors or siRNA will be used to either overexpress or silence respectively the gene(s) of interest in islet endothelial cells. Media will be collected from these cells and used on islets to determine its effect on glucose-stimulated insulin release. This project should reveal novel mechanisms by which islet endothelial cells influence insulin release.

With the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the rise, we conducted this study to further our understanding of this neuro-developmental disorder early in development so that children can get early access to interventions. A limited number of studies have performed research on children’s social processing in ASD; however, from them, it is apparent that social stimuli processing is atypical in children with ASD. The current study investigated preschoolers’ memory and learning in 80 participants with ASD and 80 neurotypical participants. These participants were assessed on social and non-social information processing utilizing a habituation paradigm, which measures the participant’s learning rate. Specifically, performance on social stimuli processing was examined in relation to changes in social communication symptoms in ASD overtime. First, we examined the habituation time to social stimuli in participants with ASD compared to typically developing participants. Second, we compared social stimuli processing in participants with ASD to non-social stimuli processing. Third, we explored the association of social stimuli processing in ASD with social growth overtime. The information from this study will help us better understand the developmental origins of face-processing impairments and a deeper comprehension into the progression of social communication in preschoolers with ASD overtime.

The ability to learn and perform complex motor skills varies with the time of day. One complex motor skill that oscillates daily is song produced by songbirds. The study of song is particularly useful for understanding mechanisms driving the learning of vocalizations and the cellular and morphological changes that accompany changes in song production rate and quality. In one such songbird, Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), the production of song and the underlying neural circuit that controls this song change dramatically between breeding and nonbreeding seasons. We sought to determine whether song also changed on a daily time scale. We analyzed song production rate, spectral features, and stereotypy of more than 1500 songs produced over the course of two consecutive days by sparrows maintained in breeding conditions. We identified daily patterns in song rate, frequency, entropy, power, and energy of breeding song within both individual birds and pooled bird data. The demonstration of daily oscillations in song rate and spectral features song supports both descriptions of ‘the dawn chorus’ and growing evidence on the modulation of the song control circuit by the internal circadian clock. Having shown daily changes in song production in white-crowned sparrows, we can now begin to study the relationship between song production, cellular changes like neuronal birth and death that occur within the song circuit, and the endogenous circadian clock.

Porous membrane-based lateral flow assays have become commonplace in the diagnosis of a wide range of conditions. Attributes of these assays vary greatly depending upon the application. Many commercially available lateral flow tests (LFTs) employ a 'sandwich' format, where the target molecule is effectively sandwiched between a surface anchored antibody and a labeled antibody. Because small molecules lack multiple epitopes (antibody binding sites), they cannot support the binding of two antibodies simultaneously, and thus cannot be detected using a sandwich format. Competition format assays offer a solution to this problem, but fall short in two key areas: they generally rely on a counterintuitive, inverted user read-out, where a darker signal translates to lower concentration, and are not compatible with chemical signal amplification. My work seeks to improve upon current competition methods by investigating assay formats that generate a colorimetric signal proportional to the concentration of small molecule analyte in a sample. Amplification chemistries have been utilized to improve the limit of detection for small molecules in this new format. Potential future applications of a robust small molecule assay include: rapid detection of cortisol to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder or Cushing's disease, and field-use testing for active drug components like Δ9 THC in marijuana. Such an assay would have tremendous utility at the point-of-care, and would provide an efficient and effective alternative to expensive lab-based testing.

An efficient and environmentally benign means of creating semiconducting polymers is necessary for the commercialization of organic electronics. Furthermore, it is crucial that as much control as possible be exerted over the polymerization process. To these ends, two polymerization methods are useful – C-H activation and living polymerization. First, C-H activation is a collection of synthetic techniques where C-H bonds undergo direct catalytic alteration to yield new homo- or heteroatom linkages. Whereas organometallic reagents were traditionally used to achieve these results, C-H activation allows for shorter syntheses utilizing less-hazardous reagents and broader functional group compatibility. Living polymerization is a form of addition polymerization and in our case, the number of chains is constant during the reaction and dependent on the catalyst-to-monomer ratio. This allows for much narrower mass distributions of the desired polymer and more consistent growth. To achieve this, benzoxazole-based monomers containing a C-O electrophile are to be reacted in the presence of a zero-valent nickel species with electron-rich phosphine ligands. By increasing the electron density on the metal center, we aim to facilitate a “ring-walking” mechanism at higher temperatures than previously thought possible. Monomer synthesis and polymerization results are detailed.

Placental mammals (Eutheria) are one of the most ecologically diverse and dominant groups of terrestrial vertebrates alive today. However, prior to the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event 66 million years ago (m.y.), two groups of mammals known as multituberculates and metatherians (group including marsupials) were far more successful in terms of number of species (species richness) and relative abundance. Substantial paleontological research has been conducted on the recovery of mammals immediately after the K-Pg mass extinction and their major diversification 5-10 million years later, but relatively little is known about the transition from recovery to diversification in the intervening interval. Recent research suggests that ca. 65 to 64.8 m.y. the placental radiation began, but whether this is an artifact of sampling or a meaningful evolutionary trend remains somewhat unclear. Here, I add to our knowledge of this important interval in mammalian evolution by describing and analyzing a new sample of fossils from the upper Tullock Formation of northeastern Montana, USA. The data set consists of over 70 isolated fossil teeth from the Horsethief Canyon 1 Locality, nearly doubling the size of the previously known sample. I identified each specimen to at least family level based on morphology and dimensions. Using the resulting identifications, I quantified the species richness and relative abundance of the major mammal groups: Multituberculata, Metatheria, “archaic ungulates,” Primates, “insectivorans,” Triisodontidae, Creodonta, Taeniodonta, and Pantodonta. Species richness was greatest for “archaic ungulates,” with more than 10 species, and lowest for metatherians, with 0 species. Primates had a relative abundance of ~55%, “archaic ungulates” ~27%, Multituberculates ~16%, and “insectivorans” ~1.6%. These results corroborate previous research implicating this time period as the beginning of placental radiation and takeover, and help illuminate patterns of decline and diversification during this critical chapter in mammalian history.

The purpose of this study is to improve biomass processes that utilize renewable feedstock to produce value added chemicals. While much research has been conducted into biomass processing over the last decade, the conversion to small molecules for production of fuels and value-added chemicals is not economically viable and must be improved. Chemical processing is hindered by the robust structure, composed of cellulose and lignin and its resistance to breakdown, which results in expensive treatment methods. In the last several years, ionic liquids have shown by experiment to dissolve recalcitrant biomass allowing for more efficient chemical conversion. Ionic liquids are a class of solvents composed of ions that are liquid at near room temperature. There are a countless number of solvents considered ionic liquids and many have potential to improve biomass processing. The optimal ionic liquid is unknown, and the determination of one is not inspired by molecular scale design principles. My project focuses on providing fundamental knowledge to understand the dissolution of biomass in ionic liquids by using molecular dynamics (MD) in combination with enhanced sampling techniques. Enhanced sampling allows the efficient exploration of the free energy landscape of a system by modifying MD algorithms and without such methods, MD cannot reasonably make conclusions about the effect of ionic liquids. The enhanced sampling method that I employed in this work is Parallel Tempering Metadynamics which is used to explore the conformational free energy of cellulose oligomers. The conformational free energy of short cellulose chains can provide insight to the mechanism of dissolution and eventually optimize biomass processing.

In 2012 there were an estimated 35.3 million people living with HIV globally and 2.3 million new infections. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the region of the world with the highest incidence of HIV, women are disproportionally infected with HIV. We hypothesize that the use of an electrospun polymer nanofiber vaginal drug delivery system encapsulating cyanovirin-N and etravirine can provide a method to combine two anti-HIV agents with different physiochemical properties and mechanisms of action into a signal microbicide product to improve prevention efficacy through improved potency and limiting the impact of drug resistance. Poly(vinyl) alcohol nanofibers encapsulating cyanovirin-N and poly(vinyl) pyrrolidone nanofibers encapsulating etravirine were electrospun. The cytoxicity and bioactivity of the nanofibers was determined in vitro in TZM-bl cells using the CellTitar blue assay and HIV-1 BaL assay, respectively. We found that our poly(vinyl) alcohol nanofibers encapsulating cyanovirin-N, poly(vinyl) pyrrolidone nanofibers encapsulating etravirine, and the composite nanofiber formulations showed limited cell cytotoxicity in vitro. Comparable inhibition rates of HIV infections in vitro to the free drug formulations were found, indicating that electrospinning does not impact the antiviral activity of cyanovirin-N and etravirine. Additionally, we found that the composite nanofiber formulations displayed enhanced potency compared to the single agent nanofibers, indicating a complimentary effect of combining cyanovirin-N and etravirine into a single microbicide. These results demonstrate the potential for the use of polymer nanofibers encapsulating cyanovirin-N and etravirine as a vaginal microbicide to prevent HIV infections.

This research has investigated the aggregation of surfactants in solvents with dielectric constants in the range of 20-35. These surfactant aggregates are called micelles. Previous work has focused on aqueous systems with dielectric constants on the order of 80, or on alkane systems with dielectric constants less than two. These systems give rise to normal and inverse micelles, respectively; the immediate purpose of this research has been to determine what processes occur between those extremes. For any given solvent there is a specific concentration of surfactant at which micelles begin to form, called the critical micelle concentration or CMC. Because certain system properties, like surface tension and conductivity, have clearly different functional dependencies on surfactant concentration with and without micelles, measurement of these properties provides a direct means to investigate micellization. In order to investigate solvents with a range of dielectric constants, both pure components and mixtures have been used. The data from these systems show regions at high and low solvent dielectric constants where the CMC changes with dielectric constant, as well as an intermediate region with no clear micelle formation. This data, coupled with past research, suggests that, in general, as the solvent dielectric constant increases from 0 there is an initial inverse micellization regime, followed by a range where no micelles form, followed by a normal micellization regime. This finding helps shed light on the fundamental mechanisms of micellization, as well as provide a valuable basic research starting point for practical applications.

Evaluation of cellular apoptosis and DNA damage at the single-cell level allows for highly sensitive measures pertaining to cell sample health. Apoptosis is an important constituent of the cell life cycle, and is relevant when considering tissue remodeling, cancer elimination, aging, and drug genotoxicity. Current techniques in apoptosis evaluation lack sensitivity, can be inaccurate, and require relatively expensive procedures, making them unideal for low-resource research where high accuracy is needed. The inexpensive and rapid alkaline halo assay (AHA) has recently come into more widespread use for studying DNA damage. Dr. Narendra Singh previously showed that the AHA can be used to measure apoptosis as well. The drawbacks to this assay include a labor intensive process of individually scoring thousands of cells, random variations in the height and placement of cells embedded in agarose gel, and the propensity for user error when taking measurements. Working in conjunction with researchers from Dr. Liyuan Ma’s laboratory at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, this project aims to address these shortfalls. The Ma group has developed a microfabrication technique to regularly pattern cells at uniform intervals and height for the AHA. In accordance, I am developing a program to automatically scan and find the level of apoptosis, necrosis, and DNA damage in a given sample. The program, image analysis algorithms, and GUI are written using MATLAB and its image analysis toolkit. Included in my work is the characterization of apoptotic, necrotic, and live cells by frequency spectrum analysis, and the creation of new metrics for DNA damage. The software is assessed in terms of processing speed, accuracy, and ease of use. Manual image scoring methods are used to evaluate algorithm sensitivity and false positive generation rate. In summary, we aim to reduce the cost and time required for research involving DNA damage and apoptosis.

Background: Chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence experience serious alcohol-related consequences (Collins et al., 2012; Hwang, Wilkins, Tjepkema, O’Campo, & Dunn, 2009). It is therefore important to identify ways to reduce alcohol-related harm, such as the use of safer drinking strategies. No studies to date have explored this topic among chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence. Aims: This study aimed to document participants’ endorsement of safer drinking strategies over the course of a longitudinal pilot study of a combined pharmacobehavioral intervention to reduce alcohol-related harm (Collins et al., 2013). Methods: Participants (N=31; 12.9% women) were currently or formerly chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence. Participants’ use of safer drinking strategies was elicited using a list of safer drinking strategies and open-ended questions (e.g., “What strategies on this list might you be willing to try over the next week?”). A qualitative methodology called conventional content analysis was used to explore, categorize and document safer drinking strategies used by this population. The safer drinking strategies that participants chose to try were recorded for weeks 0 and 8. Results: At week 0, strategies that buffered the physical effects of alcohol represented the most highly endorsed category (51.1%), such as eating more often. The next most endorsed category was altering the manner of drinking (36.17%), for example spacing drinks. The final category represented reducing alcohol use (12.76%), such as drinking to avoid withdrawal. Discussion: Preliminary findings indicate that chronically homeless individuals are interested in using safer drinking strategies to reduce harm associated with their drinking. They also indicate that the most relevant ways to reduce harm for this population might be to help individuals buffer the effects of alcohol and alter their manner of drinking.

Autism is a disorder characterized by deficits in social and communication skills and repetitive behaviors. 60% of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience a delay in language development. This data represents great diversity in the language development outcomes in individuals with ASD. Preterm birth (gestational age less than 37 weeks) has been associated with delays in language development, specifically in grammar, pronunciation, and gesture in typically developing (TD) children. Preterm birth is also associated with cognitive or neurological development. Given the higher rate of preterm birth in twins, this study used a sample of twins to examine the relationship between language development and gestational age in children with and without ASD. 24 TD twin pairs and 33ASD twin pairs between the ages of 5 and 22 participated in the study (M = 10.6, SD = 4.02). Participants’ medical history was collected. During testing, participants engaged in a 15-20 minute interview. Coders, naive to diagnosis assessed subjects’ pragmatic language using the Pragmatic Rating Scale-Modified (PRS-M) (Ruser, 2007), which assesses verbal (e.g., clarity, referencing emotions, grammar) and non-verbal (e.g., eye contact, gestures) aspects of pragmatic language.This study examined the relationship between language and gestational age. We hypothesized that lower gestational age would be associated with lower language skills, particularly on PRS items related to grammar, pronunciation, and gesturing. We then explored if the relationship between gestational age and language differs between twins with ASD and twins with typical development. The results of this study may provide insight into the impact of preterm birth on language development in individuals with ASD.

The brain is the most powerful computer in existence, possessing roughly 100 billion neurons with one-quadrillion synapse connections between them. Mimicking the synapse of a neuron could lead to increasing processing power, a better understanding of brain functions, or enhanced biomedical device integration. We have previously demonstrated proton-conducting devices with synaptic behaviors utilizing protons as charge carriers in a palladium source-drain system. Altering the design of these devices to become more useful to the biomedical field would be highly advantageous. Due to nature’s naturally curved geometry, we aim to develop flexible devices capable of matching these parameters for biomedical integrations. Flexible devices allow a much broader scope of applications, including health sensors on the human body that might require soft or curved morphologies. The mechanical engineering and processing conditions to create flexible devices is currently being investigated. I propose starting device fabrication with a pre-strained substrate. When palladium is deposited on this substrate, it will compress and exhibit wave-like patterning upon the release of the substrate’s strain. This is critical to the device flexibility, as previous palladium tension tests showed a high fracture rate. With a pre-induced compression in the palladium, tension would result in a more relaxed state and limit fracture in the devices to allow flexibility. Future works involve determining buckling strains for various palladium thicknesses to obtain wave-like patterns of compression, determining a suitable substrate material, and comparison of electrical properties to our current palladium devices.

Targeted Tutoring is a program designed by our writing center to support English language learners in reading- and writing-intensive courses. The program was first piloted in 2010-2011 in response to students’ requests and to provide a space to encourage peer conversation. Targeted Tutoring is currently offered for courses in departments including English, Philosophy, International Studies, and Political Science. In Targeted Tutoring, three to five students meet for weekly sessions in which the tutor facilitates peer discussion. Group tutoring sessions are qualitatively different from the Center’s usual one-to-one sessions and tutors need to learn and apply new skills. This project is designed to further develop training for tutors, investigate effective models of group tutoring strategies, and explore what the differences and similarities are in skills useful in one-to-one sessions vs. those useful in group discussions. This research will be conducted by observing group sessions, crafting transcripts of successful group interactions in these sessions, and interviewing tutors and students to discover which strategies are effective. The project will be presented in a poster format that will include the models, guides, and strategies found to be most useful for tutor training and group facilitation. These results have significance for all those interested in peer education models and more effective small-group, discussion-based learning.

In the past few years there have been large amounts of research done on the benefits of adding metallic nanoparticles into carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The goal of this study is to estimate the effect of nanoparticle additives on the residual stress development in a Double Box Beam carbon fiber reinforced composite structure. Carbon fiber composites are being used in many aerospace applications as a means of weight savings due to their high strength to weight ratio. If residual stress can be reduced, the carbon fiber composite will have increased strength, fatigue resistance, and allow for more precise manufacturing tolerances. The through-hole drilling method is used to test for residual stresses induced by the thermal curing process. Using ASTM Standard Test Method E 837, the test shows the strains before and after the hole was drilled which is associated with the relaxation strain. Working backwards from this relationship and using the equations associated with this method, a value for residual stress was found. Looking at the effect nanoparticles have had on previous research, we can estimate the amount of residual stress present in the Double Box Beam structure with nanoparticles. If time permits values will be validated experimentally by a Double Box Beam with nanoparticles incorporated. Compiling this data gives a clear understanding of how nanoparticles will affect the curing cycle and the residual stress.

Distal Arthrogryposis (DA) is an umbrella term for non progressive congenital skeletal muscle defect characterized by abnormal contractures of the limbs and the face. It occurs in 1 in every 3,000 live births and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Currently, there are no treatments for the disease, and the patients usually go through regular physical therapy throughout their lifetime. Severe cases require surgical intervention and amputation. One of the more common syndromes is DA 2B, or Sheldon Hall syndrome, which is caused by mutations in two genes, TNNI2 and TNNT3. I am particularly interested in studying the R63H mutation that impacts the fast skeletal troponin T (TNNT 3) subunit. The troponin subunits are critical in regulating the interaction between actin and myosin myofilaments. Mutations in the TnT can alter the way the troponin subunit interacts with the tropomyosin and have large impacts on overall muscle mechanics. I hypothesize that this mutation increases the contractility and tension in mutated proteins. To verify the hypothesis, I will compare the wildtype to the mutated version of TNNT 3 by putting a fluorescent tag on the proteins and observe the differences in calcium sensitivity, ATPase, and maximum filamented actin velocity in a sliding filament assay known as the in vitro motility assay (IVM) to piece together information about how the mutation impacts the overall muscle mechanics. My project seeks to gather information about the mechanics of the mutated muscles. Putting all of the data together will enable me to identify causes in the mechanics behind abnormal contractions. Also, it will allow me to make connections between the genotype and the phenotype of the disease to better understand it on a molecular level, and thus open up doors for therapies.

 The primary brain tumor glioblastoma (GBM) is among the most lethal of human malignancies, with a median survival of 12 to 15 months despite aggressive surgery followed by treatment with the methylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) given concurrently during radiotherapy. Tumor response to post-operative TMZ is determined in part by the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) that removes TMZ-induced O6-methylguanine adducts from DNA. While the inverse association between MGMT activity and GBM susceptibility to the tumoricidal action of TMZ is well documented, the mechanisms that determine levels of tumor MGMT expression have not been investigated. Our hypothesis is that MGMT content reflects, at least in part, the proliferative rate of GBM. The observation that increased oxygen utilization that accompanies growing tumor cells can endogenously generate reactive metabolites that can produce O6-methylguanine in DNA support our hypothesis by producing a selective pressure during tumorigenesis that favors the survival of cells expressing high levels of MGMT. We will use two approaches to address our hypothesis. In the first, we will seek correlations between MGMT activity, measured by biochemical assay in tumor extracts, and two standard histopathological measures of tumor proliferation, Ki-67 immunopositivity and quantification of fraction of mitotic cells, in no fewer than 50 newly diagnosed GBMs. We will also compare MGMT activity in GBMs that arose de novo with those that have a documented history of progressing from a lower grade glioma. These "secondary" GBMs are notable in that they are more treatment responsive and thus have a better clinical outcome than de novo tumors. These studies will yield novel insights into the basic biology of GBM and the genesis of treatment resistance.

During the 2012-2013 school year, foundational research on the diet of the Possession Sound river otter (Lontra canadensis) population was performed by students of the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA), a dual enrollment program at Everett Community College. This study included diet analysis of scat samples, visual surveys using motion-sensing game cameras, and tests for protozoa presence. The diet analysis showed the otter population to have a primarily marine crustacean diet. Further research during the 2013-2014 school year focused on gathering information about river otter abundance though camera traps and diet analysis of scat samples from communal “latrine sites.” This research aims to compare results from two latrine sites regularly studied in the Everett Marina to a new site established three miles up the Snohomish River, at Langus Riverfront Park. The highest number of river otters observed on camera simultaneously has been seven. It is hypothesized that these otters form one group which transit up and down river with the tidal cycle, resulting in the same groups of otters frequenting all the camera locations. It is assumed that otters will frequent upriver sites at high tide, following the marine species from Possession Sound with the more saline water. This will result in the upriver site having increased visitation at high tide noted in the camera trap data and no significant variation in prey types compared to the marina.

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are essential to the nitrogen cycle in the environment.  By processing ammonia into nitrite, AOA impact plant growth and other environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater chemistry- mainly leaching of mobile nitrite and nitrate.  To optimize agricultural practices and minimize ecological impacts, a better understanding of the role of these microorganisms in the environment is needed.  AOA have been identified as the dominant nitrifying group at long-term agricultural study sites in eastern Washington.  Enrichment cultures of AOA have been established from these sites.  However, the relationship of the enriched populations to other AOA remains unknown. The goal of my research is to scale-up existing AOA enrichment cultures for nucleic acids extraction and molecular analyses.  Isolated DNA will be PCR amplified for phylogenetic and functional markers, mainly the 16S rRNA and ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene, respectively.  These PCR products will then be cloned, sequenced, and compared to other AOA in public databases to assess their relationships with other populations.  These data will greatly aid in the design and interpretation of further physiology and environmental genomic surveys of AOA in the environment.

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are solar energy harvesting devices that promise to revolutionize the next generation of solar energy by separating the task of sunlight absorption from power generation. These devices use phosphors that absorb sunlight and wave-guide reemitted light to photovoltaics (PVs) to generate electricity. One promising class of phosphors is that of doped semiconducting nanocrystals (known as quantum dots) due to their intense absorption and minimal reabsorption of dopant-emitted light. In these materials the semiconductor quantum dot absorbs sunlight and transfers the energy to an emissive dopant to prevent efficiency loss by reabsorption. CdSe quantum dots are well known for their intense absorption across the visible spectrum, and doping with Ytterbium would enable their emission to be used in LSCs. Moreover, the Yb³⁺ ions emit at an energy that is nearly perfectly matched with the bandgap of a silicon PV cell, boosting its efficiency. The focus of my research is the synthesis of Yb³⁺-doped CdSe. Ytterbium is incompatible with the tetrahedral CdSe lattice with respect to its larger oxidation state and coordination preference, and introducing it as a dopant is a challenge that has yet to be solved by the chemistry field. While employing air-free Schlenck techniques, I am modifying the doping methods that have proven successful in the synthesis of other Gamelin Group materials, including a process we recently developed called nanocrystal diffusion doping. Success can be measured by detecting quantum dot sensitized ytterbium luminescence. The goal is that this approach will lead to a repeatable procedure by which to synthesize stable Yb³⁺-doped CdSe for novel characterizations as well as for eventual application in a new generation of solar devices.

Solar energy is arguably the most promising source of renewable energy because it is thought to be both the cleanest and most abundant source. Several types of photovoltaics are now available, including inorganic, organic, and hybrid organic-inorganic. While inorganic photovoltaics have high efficiencies, good charge carrier mobilities, and relatively long charge carrier times, their widespread implementation has suffered from expensive production and materials competition with the microelectronics industry. Organic photovoltaics are solution processable and applicable to flexible substrates; however, their output has been hindered by their low charge carrier mobilities and short exciton diffusion lengths. Hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaics have been introduced in an attempt to overcome the shortcomings of both organic and inorganic photovoltaics. Inorganic semiconductors are used in hybrid photovoltaics as the electron acceptor due to the ease of changing their size and shape, and therefore the bandgap, of these materials, which allows them to contribute to the photocurrent of the cell while being solution processable and potentially enhancing the conductivity. Conjugated polymers are used as electron donors due to their large absorption cross-section and solution processability. This project addresses the synthesis of hybrid cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanotetrapods, which we believe will facilitate control of the direction of electron motion in the active layer of the cell. Amines are needed for CdSe tetrapod functionalization with semiconducting polymers according to our reaction scheme. Tetrapods tend to convert into quantum dots because dots are thermodynamically favorable; our approach to have kinetic control, and thus have the tetrapods retain their shape, has involved synthesizing the tetrapods with amines as ligands. The reaction time, growth temperature, ligand type, and monomer concentration are used to control the synthesis, and the effects of each variable on the size and shape of the tetrapods will be studied via transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Possession Sound is located between the coastline of Snohomish county and Southeast of the Whidbey Island Basin within the Puget Sound. The freshwater Snohomish River is the second greatest input to the Puget Sound and greatly affects the overall health of Possession Sound. Monthly since 2009, the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students collect samples in the Possession Sound with a Niskin bottle, to send to the University of Washington Marine Chemistry Lab which provides nutrient concentrations which can fluctuate with season, weather, river discharge, marine organisms, and anthropogenic influences, specifically waste water outfall. Focal analysis of a site close to the Snohomish River were compared to other locations up river. Discharge data corresponds with fluctuating levels of nitrates, nitrites (NOx) and ammonia throughout the year. NOx data corresponds with river discharge with an exception to spring where there is a general decrease. In April of 2013, for example, the discharge is at a high 18,300 ft³/second, but the NOx concentrations are at lows, at 3.04 μm/L. The subtle changes in ammonia concentrations seem to correlate with the extremes in river discharge. For example, between May and June of 2010, the river discharge data increases from 12,550 ft³/second to 15,090 ft³/second. Ammonia concentration follows, in May the concentration is 36.8 μm/L, which increases in June to 49.8 μm/L. The hypothesis was partially supported. Ammonia data correlated with river discharge, raising as river discharge flow increases. Comparatively, the NOx data varied independently of river discharge. Further research into ammonia concentrations and waste water outfall in addition to utilization of NOx by plankton species such as Thalassiosira spp. and Copepod spp. populations is yet to be conducted.

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is a highly conserved protein in plants which promotes flowering by influencing the differentiation of shoot apex meristem cells from vegetative to floral identity. CONSTANS (CO) is a protein involved in sensing photoperiodic cues and promoting FT expression. Arabidopsis thaliana express a single evening peak of FT when placed under long-day and constant temperature conditions. Under natural conditions, temperature fluctuates throughout the course of a day. In order to determine if experimental conditions of constant temperature accurately describe flowering time mechanisms in nature, wild type Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown outside during the long days around the summer solstice of 2013. Real Time qPCR analysis of FT mRNA expression levels in 14-day-old plants over the course of 3 days revealed a morning peak of FT absent under long-day constant temperature conditions – in addition to the evening peak of FT present under long-day, constant temperature conditions. To determine what factors might induce this morning peak, Arabidopsis thaliana were grown in two sets of environmental chambers. Both sets simulated average outdoor temperature conditions over the week of original tissue collection. One set simulated average outdoor light intensity conditions over the same period, while the other used constant light intensity. Real Time qPCR analysis of plants grown under these conditions revealed that the simulation of outdoor temperature conditions is sufficient in producing the morning peak of FT. Different mutants of genes associated with flowering time were then grown under simulated temperature conditions to determine what genes might be involved in the induction of the morning peak of FT. By looking at the different expression profiles of FT and CO, we seek to determine what genes are involved in the induction of this morning FT peak.

Existing polymeric delivery systems rely heavily on non-covalent interactions between chains in order to provide reduced carrier toxicity and polymer clearance. A major side effect of this strategy is premature particle destabilization making them impractical for human treatment. Attempts to resolve this issue has included the creation of single molecule scaffolds but have suffered from a complex synthesis and inefficient degradation rates. In order to overcome these issues the design of a single molecule radical addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerized system was undertaken which included a polyethylene glycol (PEG) stealth cornea and multifunctional brush architecture. PEG corneas are essential through their proven ability to increase biocompatibility. Therefore the design of polymerization conditions of a novel PEG macromonomer (Mn ~ 950Da) (O950) were conducted and resulted in the creation of polymers with a polydispersity index (PDI, a metric for determining the uniformity of a molecular size distribution) sub 1.1 at 80% conversion with lauryl methacrylate, a hydrophobic stabilizing monomer, across a degree of polymerization (DP, number of monomer repeats per polymer) from 25-100. The developed synthesis conditions were then adapted for conjugation functionalities to additional RAFT agents through a degradable ester bond. Further polymerizations were carried out from the added RAFT agents with a positively charged amine monomer to increase polymer solubility, producing a 34 armed brush polymer with a PDI of approximately 1.2 at 70% conversion. Further alterations added a pH responsive functionality for endosomal escape. Light scattering was employed to determine the particle size followed by hemolysis studies to determine the pH responsiveness. The result was a synthesis technique that allows the facile creation of multifunctionalized polymer multi-brush with accurate PDI and DP, a feat not seen throughout the literature.

Across the United States, there is a paucity of data about food insecurity among university students. For this project, we are defining food insecurity as a lack of access to nutritious food and reduced intake due to reduced income or household demand. Currently, UWT does not know if there is an issue with food insecurity among students nor the reasons if insecurity does exist. This research used mixed methods which included a catalyst survey of the entire UWT student body to document the prevalence of food insecurity. The second method is a community mapping about food resources near UWT. Various types of food resources exist; however, we hypothesize that there are few affordable meal resources within a 10-minute walking distance of the UWT neighborhood causing barriers to accessibility. We defined a meal as hearty and filling food providing enough energy, strength, and nutrients to sustain through short periods of time (1-3 hours), an entrée (consisting of more than one food group) and beverage ranging from $6.00 - $8.00. We analyzed data to create user-friendly tools such as maps, databases, and websites for the UWT student population to access affordable food resources. By doing this research, our hope is to generate awareness of the need for more food resources and provide resource information for affordable food within the UWT community. UWT is projected to grow to 7,000 students by 2020; therefore, the availability of affordable food resources will impact the academic performance of the University of Washington Tacoma students. Each UWT student’s journey to success can be supported by the availability of affordable food resources that impacts their health (mind, body, spirit); as a result, students will not have this barrier in achieving their potential and UWT will successfully meet its mission and values.

Moving to a retirement community is a major life change, and may either be precipitated by or cause changes in health status. Different surroundings within a retirement community might also influence self-assessment of health.  We hypothesized that moving into a retirement community would, after controlling for relevant sociodemographic and health-related variables, be associated with a general decline in self-rated health.

 We analyzed data from 58,272 participants in Cohort 3 of the Medicare Health Outcome Survey.  Individuals answered questions regarding living status and health at baseline (2002) and two years later (2004). The primary outcome was change in self-rated health over the two-year period.  We developed linear regression models for change in self-rated health: Model 1 adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, and Model 2 adjusted for changes in health as well.

 2,520 (4.4%) individuals had moved into retirement communities at follow-up. There were no substantial differences in the mean change in self-rated health between those who moved and those who did not.  In neither regression model was movement into retirement communities significantly associated with changes in self-rated health.  In an analysis stratified by self-rated health, and adjusting for all covariates, those with the best self-rated health (Excellent) had a significant decline in self-rated health during the move to a retirement community. All other groups had neither improvement nor decline.

 Independent of accounting for changes in health, there was no significant global change in self-rated health when older adults moved.  Those with Excellent self-rated health experienced a slight decline in self-rated health during the move, but those with less than Excellent baseline self-rated health did not experience a significant improvement, which argues against a social comparison aspect on health status.  There was no evidence that moving into a retirement community had any consistent consequences for individuals’ self-perceptions of health.

Possession Sound is located in the northeast arm of Whidbey Basin of Puget Sound. Students at the Ocean Research College Academy, a Running Start program at Everett Community College, conduct monthly research cruises to collect oceanographic metrics in Possession Sound. Initial questions about seasonal changes, demonstrated by water temperature, influencing photosynthesis led to questions about correlations with dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll and silicate levels. We hypothesize that dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and chlorophyll concentrations will increase during the spring and summer due to increased photosynthesis with rising temperatures as a result of increased direct sunlight. Additionally, diatomaceous phytoplankton make silica shells out of the silicate nutrients absorbed from the water. Therefore, the silicate levels will decrease during the spring and summer because of an increase in the abundance of diatoms. Water chemistry data were compared seasonally at Mukilteo (MUK) during 2012-2014. The YSI 650 was deployed in meter increments, from the surface to a maximum of 20 meters, to collect temperature, D.O., and chlorophyll data. The Niskin was deployed at the surface and cline, and was used to collect silicate nutrient concentration trends with depth. For quantitative analysis of nutrient data - done by the University of Washington Marine Chemistry Laboratory - the silicate levels correspond to the depth the halocline, which varied for each deployment. Our data show that dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and chlorophyll both increased during the spring and summer, which supports our original hypothesis. Phytoplankton data samples were collected at the halocline with a 20 µm net for a three minute horizontal tow. Further studies on identifying diatom bloom events through plankton species abundance will further support seasonal trends and identify other factors that affect primary production in the local estuary system.

Pericytes are mesenchymal cells that are attached to peritubular capillaries. The activation and differentiation of progenitor pericytes to myofibroblasts leads to matrix deposition, renal scarring, and is a major contributing factor leading to chronic kidney disease after injury. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) plays an important role in fibrogenesis by promoting the production and secretion of extracellular matrix components. The goal of this project is to dissect the contribution of CTGF/Wnt signaling pathways in pericytes during the development of kidney fibrosis and to examine the effect of using the canonical Wnt extracellular regulator Dickkopf related protein-1 (DKK-1) on CTGF/Wnt signaling. In-vitro signaling studies on purified kidney pericytes, migration assays, and immunological staining were used to characterize the roles of DKK-1 and CTGF in the regulation of renal fibrosis. Results show that CTGF induces Wnt/β-catenin signaling in pericytes. DKK-1 inhibits CTGF induced fibrotic gene activation, changes the morphology, and the capability of migration of kidney pericytes through JNK MAP kinase, and canonical WNT independent pathway.

 In our research, we are focusing on Pacific Islander traditional medicine and how Pacific Islanders adapt these cultural practices when living in the mainland USA. We found that our topic relates to the Pacific Island Legends by Flood et al and Don’t Ever Whisper by Giff Johnson and the way that the stories link to the importance of land and passing on as well as preserving cultural practices. To research this subject further, we plan on utilizing the Pacific Islander community in Seattle through a combination of interviews and surveys. We will also be making participant observations by visiting local traditional medicine shops to see the demographic of people going to these stores. We hypothesize that Pacific Islanders coming to the US will use a combination of Western medicine while looking for ways to continue traditional medicine on the mainland. We hope that through our research we can show the importance of connecting Pacific Islander culture within Seattle and Washington State through medicine and showing the cultural benefits of continuing these methods.

Photothermal heating of nanoparticles by electromagnetic radiation, which has potential applications including cancer treatment, requires consideration of the the electric field produced inside the nanoparticles. For most particle geometries, the electric field cannot be solved for exactly, so numerical methods are required. One such method is the Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA), which models a target as an array of interacting point dipoles whose polarizations can be solved for. In this research, the DDA is used to simulate the electric field inside silicon and gold nanoparticles with spherical morphology. Particle sizes simulated range from 100 nm to 1000 nm, with a wavelength of 1000 nm. It is found that the particles exhibit morphology dependent resonance (MDR) at certain sizes. This is indicated by an increased electric field strength relative to the incoming wave, as well as an electric field  pattern corresponding to constructive reflection in the spheres. These resonances would lead to increased heating if the particles were used for photothermal applications.

A crucial segment of sustainable jet fuel production is the fermentation of lignocellulosic-based sugars to acetic acid. Biomass from non-food sources such as wood, switch grass, and waste materials can be fractionated into their raw sugar components (glucose, xylose, mannose, arabinose, and galactose). These sugars can later be fermented to acetic acid, reduced to ethanol, dehydrated to ethylene, then oligomerized and hydrogenated to produce jet fuel. Moorella thermoacetica is an obligate anaerobe that exclusively ferments sugars to acetic acid. Thus far, fermentation using M. thermoacetica has been achieved with synthetic glucose and xylose. It is essential to investigate the fermentation of all five sugars in order to validate lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for this process. In this work five synthetic sugars were fermented in flasks at 58°C without pH adjustment. Samples were taken every 4 to 6 hours over a period of 48 hours and were analyzed offline by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The trend of sugar consumption shows that M. thermoacetica has a substrate preference of xylose over glucose, and glucose over other sugars. The sugar consumption was 100% for xylose, 98% for glucose, and 30 - 40% for the rest of the sugars. Successful five sugar fermentation suggests a concrete potential to upscale the bioconversion process and build a feasible market for jet fuel produced from lignocellulosic biomass.

Cerebellar pathology has been associated with cognitive and affective deficits and cerebellar dysfunction may play a role in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Understanding how cerebellar abnormalities contribute to characteristic features of psychiatric disorders may pave the way to creating better therapies. One cerebellar output region, the lateral dentate nucleus (LDN), is associated with cognitive and affective roles in behavior. This region has reciprocal connections with the limbic system, where dopaminergic neurotransmission has been linked with psychiatric disorders. Cells expressing dopamine receptor-1 (D1R) can be found in the LDN, but their function is unknown. To determine whether D1R-expressing neurons in the LDN modulate cognitive, affective, and/or social behavior we used a pharmacogenetic approach in mice. Specifically, we conditionally expressed a yellow-florescent-protein--tagged HM4Di, the inhibitory DREADD Receptor (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) or green florescent protein (GFP) in D1R-expressing cells of the LDN by injecting mice expressing Cre recombinase, an enzyme used for precise gene expression manipulation, under control of the endogenous D1R gene (Drd1a^Cre/+) with conditional viral vectors. Systemic injection of the DREADD-specific ligand, Clozapine-N-Oxide (CNO), reversibly inhibits HM4Di-expressing cells allowing us to test their function in behavior. In the experiments I performed, in the presence of CNO, Drd1a^Cre/+; DNC-HM4 mice showed improved motor performance, decreased prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reflex (a reflexive jolt triggered by sound), increased anxiety-like behavior in an elevated plus maze, reduced cognitive performance in a spatial navigation memory task, and impaired differentiation of novel and familiar mice compared to controls. No significant differences were seen between groups in an instrumental conditioning experiment, a measure of motivation for food reward. D1R-expressing neurons in the LDN influence specific cognitive, affective, and social behaviors. Alterations in dopaminoceptive neurons within specific cerebellar nuclei may play important roles in the etiology of symptoms of mental illness.

 Stomata play a crucial role in global carbon and water cycles, and disruption of stomatal function could impact our life and sustenance. In order for stomata to function correctly, proper density and distribution of stomata need to be tightly regulated. Several family members of cysteine rich secreted peptides called Epidermal Patterning Factors(EPFs) have been discovered by the Torii Lab and other groups as important signaling molecules controlling stomatal patterning and differentiation in Arabidopsis. Within the EPF family, EPF2 is secreted from stomatal precursor cells to suppress neighboring cells from differentiating into stomata by interacting with ERECTA-family receptor kinases (RKs) and a receptor-like protein, TMM. Thus EPF2 acts as a negative signal of stomatal development. In contrast, EPFL9 (Stomagen), was discovered to enhance stomata development, therefore acting as a positive signal of stomatal development. Conversely, suppression of EPFL9 gene expression by RNA interference leads to reduction in stomatal numbers. The question I addressed was whether EPFL9 requires ERECTA-family RKs and how ERECTA-family RKs process negative signals and positive signals simultaneously. I hypothesized that EPF2 and Stomagen activate and inhibit ERECTA-family receptors and that TMM influence the receptor activity. I addressed this hypothesis through characterizing the effects of their loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutant phenotypes and genetic interactions. For loss-of-function approach, I reduced EPFL9 expression in different genetic backgrounds with respect to different combinations of erecta-family RKs and tmm mutants to analyze the stomata density and index . For gain-of-function approach, I overexpressed EPFL9 in different genetic backgrounds to analyze the stomata density and index. Through the data, I am able to delineate the mechanism by which EPFL9 interacts with ERECTA-family RKs. This will further help to understand stomatal signal regulation and interaction by antagonistic peptide hormones in Arabidopsis.

As scientific studies have been focusing on generating alternative renewable energy sources, attention has been drawn to the need to store energy from the sun. One strategy is to develop catalysts capable of producing the energy-dense molecule hydrogen from the reduction of water. This kind of solar fuels system would allow for on-demand release of the energy that is stored in the chemical bonds of hydrogen through environmentally benign, carbon-free combustion. We are interested in the potential of catalyzing proton reduction with cobalt in a diimine-dioximato ligand framework. Previous studies on cobalt diglyoxime complexes have demonstrated the viability of such catalysts for proton reduction. Our research is focused on synthesizing bimetallic complexes using the same framework and studying the effect of another metal center on catalytic activity. Our entry into this chemistry relies on the initial synthesis of a doubly-deprotonated diimine dioximate complex of cobalt as a starting material, which can be considered as a “metalloligand”. The physical and electronic properties of this cobalt metalloligand and its multimetallic derivatives are studied by X-ray crystallography, 1H- and 13C-NMR, UV-visible spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry.

Stem cell-based therapies provide new avenues to create cardiac tissues for in vitro screening and regenerative medicine applications. In order for stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to effectively recapitulate the function of native tissue, these approaches must account for the mechanical properties of the cardiac tissue extracellular matrix (ECM). Nano-fabricated scaffolds that mimic the structural and mechanical properties of the myocardium may be an effective method of deriving clinically relevant stem cell-derived cardiac tissues. It is necessary to quantitatively understand how these nano-fabricated scaffolds affect the structure and function of the cells. Focal adhesions are specialized protein complexes that enable cells to sense mechanical forces and transduce signals from the ECM. We hypothesize that stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes will form larger focal adhesions on nano-fabricated scaffolds compared to traditional flat substrates, resulting in a more mature cardiac phenotype. We designed a computational method of quantifying these focal adhesions, which bears information about the stability and adhesion of the cardiomyocyte on its substrate. The method simultaneously measures shape and size of the cardiomyocyte, which indicates its state of cell maturity and ability to integrate with host tissue. We used confocal microscopy to obtain images of fluorescently labeled focal adhesions and cell membrane. Using ImageJ and MATLAB, fluorescent intensity was used to reconstruct 3D cell shape and measure expression of focal adhesions. Using this method of quantitative analysis, we can quantify both adhesion and maturation of cardiomyocytes, which will better allow us to characterize nano-fabricated scaffolds. The ability to quantify focal adhesions and cellular morphology will be useful in analyzing how cell-ECM interactions affect maturation, and ultimately aid the development of more effective stem cell-based methods for cardiac tissue engineering. This method can also be used to better understand the mechanisms involved in focal adhesion formation and the interplay between mechanical signaling and cell function.

This report summarizes a method for constructing a Seebeck coefficient tester, the basics behind its operation as well as analyzation of SrxBa1-xNb2O6. Thermoelectric oxides have a very promising and bright future for waste heat recovery, and it is the aim of this project to learn more about them and develop some new materials. The goal of this project is to be able to analyze the Seebeck coefficient of materials at very high temperatures. Current technology is only around 1000 K, and the goal of this project is to be able to measure the Seebeck coefficient of materials to be around 1300 C. The tester is being constructed using our own designs, and a LabView program was created to enable the measurement and operation of the instrument. The setup is fairly straightforward using a 4 point probe test to measure the voltage and temperature difference. For these tests we are using R-type thermocouples instead of the usual K-type thermocouples, as it can handle the very high temperature that is desired. Through developement of a high temperature Seebeck tester there will be greater possibilities in the future for use of various thermoelectric materials.  This report summarizes mainly on constructing the tester to make it fully operational then beginning to obtain measurements, and finally the process of gathering necessary data for accurate measurements.

Premature infants are at high risk for heat loss due to immature development. For these infants heat loss immediately following birth may be significant and transport from birthing area to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) further contributes to heat loss. The purpose of this study is to examine heat loss during transport from birthing area to the NICU. We accomplish this by gathering environmental temperature data as well information on types of transport and interventions used. This is a quantitative quality improvement study that is dealing with collection of observational and measured data. “Temperature collection data sheets” are filled out by nursing staff for NICU admissions that go through the Infant Stabilization Room (ISR). This sheet incorporates general background information about the infant (birth date, time, and gestation), the temperature of the infant in the ISR, the interventions used in the ISR and during transport and the temperature of the infant upon admission to the NICU. Environmental data are gathered using a QUESTemp 34 thermal monitor to record ambient and evaporative temperatures as well as relative humidity in the ISR and along the transport path to the NICU. These data are being analyzed using simple descriptive statistics to identify trends. This study will provide support for Evidence Based Practice that leads to recommendations for specific thermoregulation interventions and environmental set up of the NICU to better prevent and control hypothermia in premature infants.

A century ago, being literate in the Korean language meant being well-versed and able to communicate in written Chinese. Expertise in Chinese Classics and hanja, Chinese characters, was a privilege and prestige of the high caste. The association of literacy and hanja was cut in Korea, or it seemed, when Gabo Reformers in 1894 declared the abolition of the caste system and proclaimed Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, to be the writing system of the people. Chinese characters lived on and were prevalent in print forms, however, until a Korean-only policy was implemented by the President’s executive order in 1970, practically obliterating hanja in public school textbooks. Just 5 years later, the order was reversed, putting hanja back in middle and high school textbooks at least in parentheses. The Ministry of Education recently proposed formally bringing hanja back into the education system as early as elementary school. After-school institutes teaching hanja are mushrooming now, influenced by oscillating education policies and campaign battles between the Korean Alphabet purists and the hanja-too-are-Korean-characters traditionalists. The purpose of our research is to investigate the historical significance of the usage of hanja and never-ending policy battles into the present. Our aim is to shed light on the interplay between linguistic policies and historical language use by revealing the true opinions and views that the Korean people hold today.

Methylotrophs are bacteria that utilize one-carbon compounds like methane, methanol or methylamine for growth, and play an important role in the carbon cycling of aquatic ecosystems. In particular, bacterial communities investigated in Lake Washington have proven the significance of methylotrophs in methane and methanol rich environments. From these communities, individual strains of bacteria are cultivated, and their genomes are sequenced. Genomic sequencing enables taxonomic classification, which differentiates these novel strains into different classes. By cultivating these strains on selective media and observing their properties under various conditions, these novel strains can be classified further by their phenotypes. Additionally, the phylogenetic relationships between these strains rely on the analysis of their shared proteins. Through the study of an array of alpha- and betaproteobacteria, we can track the divergence of each of these strains in their key methylotrophy metabolic pathways. These subtle gene differences are a testament to the metabolic variety and ingenuity of these bacteria. Phenotypic differences among these strains also imply the variety of roles each organism has within their community and alludes to partnerships between these bacteria in their natural environment.

Muscle contraction results from interactions between thick and thin-filament proteins within the sarcomere of a muscle cell. The movement of tropomyosin (Tm) over actin on the thin filament exposes myosin binding sites and is a fundamental step in the regulation of muscle contraction. Single amino acid substitutions in Tm and regulatory mechanisms such as Tm phosphorylation can greatly impact muscle function. Tm monomers link end to end over actin, so shifting of one Tm monomer to expose myosin binding sites may cause strain in neighboring monomers via end-to-end interactions, resulting in cooperative behavior. The flexibility of Tm may play a role in modulating the strain induced in neighboring monomers, thus we chose to assess the flexibility of phosphorylation-mimicking and clinically relevant Tm mutants that are known to affect contractile function. We produced and purified recombinant Tm in E. Coli and imaged it using rotary-shadowed electron microscopy. The flexibility of single molecules was determined by skeletonizing Tm to determine its persistence length, a quantity from statistical mechanics that describes the curvature of rod-like objects. Skeletonization and analysis were performed manually and with a novel automated image analysis program. Molecular dynamics simulations were also performed with the clinically relevant Tm mutant to determine structural mechanisms that could lead to the altered contractile function observed in muscle containing mutant Tm. Preliminary results show decreased flexibility near the region of phosphorylation in phosphomimetic Tm compared to wildtype Tm. This result is expected because Tm phosphorylation has been shown to increase cooperative behavior and the phosphorylation site is located in the middle of the overlapping region of each Tm monomer.

Modern frogs and toads (Anura) are environmentally sensitive vertebrates that are often viewed as bellwether taxa for the modern biodiversity crisis. As such, one would expect that they did not fare well in the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event (ca. 66 million years ago) that killed off the non-avian dinosaurs. However, relative to other taxa, little is known about Late Cretaceous and early Paleogene anurans or how they fared in the K-Pg event. I have documented temporal changes in anuran diversity leading up to and across the K-Pg boundary, based on the vertebrate microfossil assemblages in the Hell Creek and Tullock formations in Garfield County, Montana. These geologic formations span approximately the last two million years of the Cretaceous and the first one million years of the Paleogene. I have identified known anuran species and distinct morphotypes, which likely represent unnamed species, from more than 200 isolated fossil anuran jaws and hip bones. Initial results, based on maxillae, show an increase in anuran species richness from 9 morphospecies in the lower Hell Creek Formation to 17 morphospecies in the middle of the formation. Then, species richness drops before the K-Pg boundary down to 9 morphotypes in the upper Hell Creek Formation. Anuran fossils are relatively scarce after the K-Pg boundary: the lower middle Tullock Formation includes one species that locally survived the mass extinction and one apparent immigrant taxon. Later in the middle Tullock Formation, I document only one unnamed immigrant taxon. These results parallel pre-K-Pg declines in some vertebrate taxa (e.g., mammals) from this study area but contrast with the high survivorship of more fully aquatic lissamphibians (e.g., salamanders). I hypothesize that the high levels of extinction suffered by anurans at the K-Pg boundary may be due to the greater vulnerability of their more terrestrial life habit.  My research aims to bring a greater understanding to the timing and mechanisims of one of the most important events in the history of terrestrial life (the K-Pg mass extinction), and possibly give insite into the current biodiversity crisis effecting extant amphibians.

Diatoms are an important taxon of phytoplankton that contribute to both freshwater and marine ecosystem function. For example, marine diatoms are responsible for about 14% of global primary production. My research is focused on determining the ability of these algae to regulate the production of chlorophyll a- the core pigment component of photosynthetic complexes. The enzyme light-dependent NADPH protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR) is a key regulator of chlorophyll synthesis. Whereas most organisms have just one POR enzyme, diatoms have two (POR1 and POR2). The goals of this project are to understand how these enzymes are metabolically different from one another in: (a.) their enzymology and (b.) their regulation at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels. To this end, plasmids were constructed encoding the cDNAs of the por genes, adding N-terminal histidine tags to assist in affinity purification. E. coli, transformed with these plasmids, was induced to express the proteins; harvested, and lysed. Recovered POR1 and POR2 proteins were purified from the lysate by affinity chromatography. Antibodies raised against these proteins were used in Western blot protein identification and quantitation of the targeted proteins. Preliminary experiments demonstrate good affinity of generated antibodies for POR proteins, and indicate that POR 2 may be post-transcriptionally truncated. Developing an understanding of chlorophyll metabolism in diatoms has not only ecological implication, but also could prove important in commercial aspects of biofuel development- increasingly important issues driven by changing ocean conditions and the critical need for generating alternative fuel sources. Determining the properties of these enzymes and their regulation is just one step towards understanding the successful productivity of diatoms. Further studies may be required to determine if there are additional regulatory pathways and enzymes that are critical in photosynthetic production.

Thrombotic microangiopathy is featured by endothelial activation and microvascular thrombosis, and is associated with a group of life-threatening disorders, such as thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP), sepsis, and other small vascular diseases. With systemic inflammation, the vessels are often found to be obstructed by platelet rich thrombi, leading to tissue ischemia and organ failure. Understanding the mechanism behind endothelial activation and induced thrombi formation during inflammation has important clinical implications and can lead to therapeutic development. Here, I developed a novel in vitro microvascular platform that mimics the in vivo vascular architecture and function. This platform is generated based on a biocompatible polymer, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), using a soft lithographic method. A vascular network is fabricated in the PDMS mold, which is subsequently sealed with a glass coverslip to create an enclosed network. The device is lined with an extracellular matrix using type I collagen for structural support. Optimization was made to provide consistent, high-throughput testing by controlling the diameter and integrity of the vessel lumen. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded into this device and cultured for 7 days. To recapitulate the inflammation during diseases such as sepsis, lipopolysaccharide was used and perfused through the vessels to stimulate the endothelium. Granules or secretory vesicles carrying von Willebrand Factor (VWF) were observed to release its contents from the activated endothelium, forming strands of VWF along the direction of flow. On-going studies include examining changes in the transcription factors during endothelial cell activation, cleavage and self-association of VWF strands under flow, and drug screenings to prevent VWF secretion and strand formation. The study is expected to not only elucidate the fundamental mechanism of microvascular diseases, but to also provide a base platform to develop preventative or therapeutic medicine for those affected by these diseases.

Possession Sound and the Snohomish River Estuary system support a vast diversity of marine organisms and a complex biotic web sustained by nutrients introduced via upwelling and Snohomish River outflow. Over the past three years (2011-2013) the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) has gathered nutrient data on monthly State of Possession Sound (SOPS) cruises using a Niskin bottle and a YSI (a tool used to measure water chemistry). Our study explored trends in nutrient data in the surface and halocline of the Possession Sound water column over the course of a year as related to temperature and dissolved oxygen content. Water samples from our study were sent to the University of Washington Marine Chemistry Labs for nutrient analysis. We hypothesized that NOx (nitrite and nitrate) levels would be comparatively lower overall in the spring and summer than to fall and winter. Conversely, ammonium levels would be lower in the fall and winter and higher during the spring and summer. In the spring and summer months, more NOx would be utilized and therefore extracted from the system by photosynthesizing marine organisms, while in the fall and winter, decaying organic matter would release NOx without being depleted by marine organisms, allowing the NOx count to increase. With the increase in photosynthesis and marine organism counts during the spring and summer, defecation would increase, thus increasing ammonium levels. The data partially supported this hypothesis. NOx concentrations followed the predicted trends, however ammonium level variation correlated with factors beyond the original scope of the investigation. Future research will include exploration into seasonal chlorophyll levels providing evidence of phytoplankton activity, thus nutrient usage.

 Over 90% of cancer-related death is caused by metastasis of invasive cells from one organ to another. Discovering more about this proliferative capability will be influential in creating new cancer therapies that will not only diagnose cancer, but may soon eventually fight it. Cancer metastasis involves migration of cells along bundles of extracellular matrix (ECM) fibers. In this context, understanding topotaxis through various kinase pathways which regulate cell migration is essential. An example of a kinase pathway is the PI3K pathway, one of the most mutated and well-studied pathways. When this pathway is over-expressed, proliferation of cancer cells is increased, while apoptosis of the cells is decreased. Additionally, cancer cells exhibit a more rigid nature suggesting that there are durotaxis involved for metastasis. Understanding these two mechanotaxes and how a particular oncogene influences the cellular response to these factors are vital in our quest to understand the process of cancer invasion. In our experiment, we studied two specific oncogenes in this pathway: PIK3CA and PTEN. Since PIK3A and PTEN are up-regulators and down-regulators of the PI3K pathway respectively, they will be an excellent model to investigate how PI3K is regulated by oncogenes. We hypothesize that cells not containing the down-regulated PTEN oncogene (knockout) and cells containing up-regulated PIK3CA oncogene (knock-in) will result in directional cell migration and increased migration speed and persistence time. To test this hypothesis, we utilized nano-scaled platforms of increased stiffness to simulate the ECM collagen fibers found on cancer micro-environments. Coupled with polymers such as polyurethane acrylate, polydimethyl siloxane, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, these platforms can vary the stiffness of cancer microenvironments, ranging from kiloPascals of normal tissue to gigaPascals of cancerous tissue. Thus, these platforms give us the opportunity to design a cancer tissue model to study effects of oncogenes on cancer invasion.

For the past year, we have researched the contributions made by Guy Shearman Peterkin, an early pioneer urologist living in Seattle in the early 20th century. Our research focused on the life of Peterkin himself as well as his numerous scientific publications to understand his place in not only Seattle history, but the history of urology as a specialty field of medicine. We spent two quarters scouring the archives of the King County Medical located in the First Hill neighborhood to find references and publications relating to Peterkin. We also spent time in Special Collections here at UW collecting additional primary resources. We also utilized UW’s microfilm collections to search through old articles from the Seattle Times and other newspapers. The Department of Bioethics and Humanities owns a large collection of antique medical instruments. One of those exhibits is a presentation prepared by Peterkin circa 1920, “Mechanics in Developing the Cystoscope” that inspired this research to begin with. Peterkin was a pillar in Seattle society for his involvement in the King County Medical Society, the Washington State Medical Association, the American Urological Association and other professional groups. He wrote extensively on the relationship between urology and psychoanalysis of venereal diseases (i.e syphilis) with special emphasis on scientific and ethical standards. Peterkin’s legacy is overshadowed by his dramatic death in which he shot and killed his son and himself in a case of what he believed to be a mercy killing.

Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) have been reported to improve the performance of organic solar energy harvesting devices. Gold (Au) and silver (Ag) are two of the more commonly researched plasmonic nanoparticles. The plasmonic effect occurs when incident light induces a fluctuation of electron clouds within a metal. This phenomenon resonates at a specific wavelength depending on NP size, geometry and the dielectric constants of the metal and medium. Previous publications have shown that inclusion of combined Ag and Au NPs increases light absorption and can enhance the power conversion efficiency by 20 percent. This study evaluates the effect of varying concentration of Ag and Au NPs on power conversion efficiencies within a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cell, and examines the mechanisms behind the enhancement. Lumerical FDTD Solutions was used to model scattering and plasmonic resonance in OPV devices with different combinations of 40 nm Ag and Au NPs within the PEDOT:PSS charge transport layer. Light enhancement and absorption was modeled as a function of wavelength and spatial arrangement. The results indicated that the absorption profile for the mixed NP device was dominated by the contribution of the Ag NPs, which prompted the investigation into the ideal NP concentrations/ratios. OPV devices were constructed on an ITO substrate with a PTB7:PC70BM active layer. Power conversion efficiencies were determined experimentally as a function of open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor. Device morphologies were evaluated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The absorption profiles of the devices were measured using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The optimal concentrations of Ag and Au NPs were determined. Future research on this topic should focus on optimizing particle geometry, ligands, and dielectric NP coatings.

The Miocene epoch represents a hotbed of cetacean evolution; during the epoch, whales underwent a large radiation of morphological forms and ecological specialization. The superfamily Platanistoidea experienced high diversity, especially during the Miocene, with 47 extinct and extant species currently known to science. However, of these 47 species, the Ganges River Dolphin is the sole extant member of this once large clade. Here in Washington State, the University of Washington Burke Museum (UWBM) specimen 87105 is a probable representative of the Platanistoidea in the Pacific Northwest. The specimen consists of the posterior third of the skull, along with some non-diagnostic ribs and vertebrae. It is tentatively a member of the Squalodelphidae, and shares morphological similarities, namely thickened supraorbital bosses, with other members of the Platanistoidea, such as the Platanistids found in the Astoria formation in Oregon and in the Calvert Cliffs formation in Maryland. This project's goal is to describe UWBM 87105, and place it as either a member of the Squalodelphidae or the Platanistidae.  Research into the distinguishing synapomorphies of the Platanistoidea and its families is ongoing; from these synapomorphies, I am deriving a character matrix for UWBM 87105. UWBM 87105's place within the whale phylogeny will expand what we know about the cetaceans present in the Pacific Northwest during the Miocene. In addition, studying this specimen will shed light on the diversity of the Platanistoidea, diversity that is no longer present in the oceans today.

Emulsions of oil droplets decorated with gold nanoparticles can be used to enhance contrast in ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. Plasmon resonance in the gold nanoparticles enables absorption of near infra-red (NIR) light, which can penetrate two to three centimeters below the skin in the human body. Upon irradiation with a NIR laser, oil droplets with a shell of gold nanoparticles will heat and vaporize as the gold absorbs the light. The vaporization of the oil creates a microbubble, providing contrast enhancement in imaging as well as a mechanical pressure wave which could be used to deliver mechanical forces inside the body. If the gold nanoparticles are functionalized with ligands that are designed to target specific areas or threats inside the body, the process could also be used to deliver targeted therapy. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable and will coalesce over time without external stabilization. We utilize gold nanoparticle surfactants to stabilize the oil-water interface. We investigated a charge based stabilization of perfluorohexane emulsions with cationic gold nanoparticles. Size is characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Successful adsorption of the cationic gold nanoparticles to the oil-water interface is represented by zeta potential, which approximates surface charge. Emulsions of oil have a negative surface charge and the presence of cationic gold at the interface will result in a positive charge. Ultra-Violet Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis) is used to measure the NIR absorbance of the emulsions, which should be maximized to enable rapid heating of the gold nanoparticles and subsequent oil vaporization. Stability over time is determined by changes in the DLS and UV-Vis curves. The results of the investigation are analyzed in terms of size, stability, and NIR absorbance in order to determine the potential effectiveness of a charge based stabilization mechanism in creating plasmonic emulsions for contrast agents and therapeutics.

Myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of death and disability in developed nations. While current therapeutics are able to slow the progression of heart disease, there are no viable treatment options to repair damaged myocardium. As such, cardiac stem cell therapy has received much attention for its promise to repair damaged heart tissue. However, there currently is no ideal stem cell source for cardiac stem cell therapy. Cardiovascular progenitors (CVPs) are stem cells that can differentiate into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells, but CVP cell fate determination is not well understood. It is well known that stem cells respond to the physical, geometric, and chemical cues provided by the microenvironment. Herein, we report the development of a platform that allows specific design and control over the in vitro stem cell microenvironment. Polyurethane acrylate (PUA) is a synthetic polymer with tunable rigidity and can be used to form nanopatterned substrates through the use of capillary-force lithography (CFL). Bifunctional PUA-binding peptides that contain the RGD peptide sequence are used for presentation of cell adhesion sites. We report precise control over the physical rigidity, nanotopographical dimensions, and RGD peptide presentation. We anticipate that our platform will be able determine the optimal conditions required for directing CVP cell fate. Thus, by determining the conditions responsible for CVP cell fate determination, CVPs could be a viable cell source for cardiac stem cell therapies.

The amino acid tryptophan can participate in biological reactions as a reducing agent, in which it as converted to a radical. Tryptophan radicals embedded in proteins can participate in electron transfer chemistry, such as in DNA photolyase and cryptochrome enzymes, or catalytic chemistry, such as in peroxidases enzymes. The properties of tryptophan radicals are heavily dependent on the microenvironment within the protein. The objective of my research is to study how the protein environment can control the properties of tryptophan radicals. For this, I utilize the beta hairpin peptide as a model protein. This system allows for controlled changes to be made near the tryptophan, altering its microenvironment. The effect of these changes are monitored using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), a spectroscopy that is sensitive to electron radicals and can help elucidate the specific effects that the protein microenvironment has on the radical.

 Paper-based lateral flow (LF) analytical devices are the subject of growing interest for the development of low-cost platforms for point-of-care diagnostics in low-resource settings. The current foundation for LF devices is nitrocellulose, which has a short shelf life, expensive, and has varying chemical characteristics in different environments. This makes it less than optimal for use in low-resource settings where such environments are harsh. Most of all, nitrocellulose is unable to effectively bind small molecules, such as carbohydrates and oligonucleotides. The Ratner Lab has developed a new platform using cellulose and divinyl sulfone to functionalize biomolecules with nucleophilic groups to the surface of cellulose. This will enable the capture of small molecules as well as proteins and antibodies. This project entails determining the biomolecules that bind more advantageously to DVS modified cellulose compared to nitrocellulose, designing a passivating layer for cellulose to prevent protein fouling and nonspecific adsorption, and engineering procedures to prepare complex biological matrices for adequate lateral flow through cellulose.

With the ever growing global population, demand for new abundant sources of energy is on the rise. Solar power is one such source, and despite technology dating back several decades, it has failed to gain major traction due to both the cost of materials and processing of silicon semiconductors, which currently dominate the market. One promising replacement for silicon is copper tin zinc sulfide (CZTS), and its selenated derivatives, CZTSSe, and CZTSe. The bandgap of these materials is adjustable by varying the ratio of sulfur and selenium, S/(S+Se), and lies between 1.0 and 1.5 eV, an ideal range for photovolatics (PV). CZTS solar cells consist of earth abundant materials which are inexpensive to process. One such method, the molecular precursor route, involves making solutions of the precursor materials, including copper (I), zinc (II), tin (IV), thiourea (tu) as a sulfur source, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Once the solution forms, thin films are spin coated onto molybdenum (Mo) coated substrate and thermally annealed at 500°C to form the CZTS crystal structure and absorber layer before subsequent processing steps. In this solution, metal-thiourea, metal-DMSO and metal-thiourea-DMSO complexes of various geometries and constitution are formed. Using density functional theory (DFT), the stability of these complexes has been probed to determine their relative stability in order to understand the contents of the solution and to optimize the precursor solution to improve the efficiency of CZTS. By choosing precursor chemicals which form complexes of varying stability, the CZTS molecular ink formulation can be modified and CZTS absorber material quality can be improved. Complexes such as Zn(DMSO)₂Cl₂, Zn(tu)₂Cl₂, and Sn(DMSO)₆ have been investigated using DFT calculation methods within Gaussian. Both the vacuum and solvated energies have been investigated and compared to gain insight into what complexes are present in the molecular precursor solution.

Conservatively estimated, about one in every ten youth experiences severe depression during adolescence. This is concerning because depression is known to be responsive to prevention as well as to early interventions when accessible to youth. Those who experience early onset depression are at increased risk for other negative outcomes including substance use and suicidal behavior. The effects of depression carry over into young adulthood and are linked with psychiatric and medical hospitalizations, suicidal behavior, and lower educational accomplishments. Youth identified as academically at-risk are particularly susceptible to experiencing depression as well as other co-occurring health risks. Research reveals that family processes serve as a protective influence on the development of depression. Few studies, however, have examined the role of familial risk and protective factors in the development or progression of depression for academically at-risk youth. This research was designed to investigate patterns of depression across time and the influence of family-level risk (family conflict, authoritative parenting style and parental substance use) and protective factors (parental involvement/monitoring and family support) on these patterns. These factors will be compared in terms of their strength of influence on depression. This predictive study is based on survey data collected from a randomly selected, ethnically diverse sample (n=149) of students from two Washington State school districts who were subsequently followed from middle into high school (8th-10th grade). The sample includes youth randomly assigned to the control condition in a school-based prevention study. Depression is expected to be positively associated with family risk factors and negatively associated with protective factors. We anticipate distinguishing differences in the relative influence of family factors on adolescent depression. This detailed examination of key factors influencing adolescent depression will contribute to designing new interventions that are more clearly and specifically targeted, and thus more meaningful, for vulnerable youth and their families.

Blood flow plays a very important role in keeping cells and tissues alive. Many studies have been focusing on the basics of coagulation after injury. However, little is known about how blood perfusion responds to injury. Precise and real-time monitoring of the skin microvasculature before, during and after injury is required in order to understand this research question. Most of the previously reported imaging systems have either low spatial resolution or slow image acquisition, therefore fail to capture the transient microvasculature changes. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a fast technique that utilizes the backscattering of light to distinguish moving objects, such as red blood cells (RBC), from stationary objects, such as the surrounding tissue. We hypothesize that combining LSCI with localized injury to the skin can provide detailed information on the acute perfusion response after a blood vessel is occluded. In this study, a mouse ear model was used and laser speckle images were acquired continuously covering before, during and after injury. By separating the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal from the acquired images, contrast between dynamic and static speckles can be generated. We found that the downstream blood vessels were occluded immediately after injury. Flow velocity changes in nearby collaterals were observed. In summary, LSCI can be used to image skin microvasculature with high resolution and fast speed. It can also provide direct visualization on how blood perfusion responds after injury, which may provide novel insights to the field of wound healing.

At the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA), data is collected monthly at five locations in Possession Sound and is used to create a bigger picture of the health of the sound. Previous studies demonstrate that heavy metal concentrations in the sediment of Possession Sound and the Snohomish River vary with location. Upriver and point source anthropogenic influences contribute heavy metals, including zinc, lead and arsenic, to seafloor sediment and adversely affect the quality of the sediment. This study focused on bottom sediment at three different locations in Possession Sound and in the Snohomish River to investigate spatial patterns in heavy metal concentrations due to river influence. The sites, with increasing distance from the river, are three upriver samples, and three sites in Possession Sound. The river site sediment was potentially affected by the legacy of the ASARCO smelter in North Everett. Sites 1 and 2 are located near the mouth of the Snohomish River. Site 3 includes Mukilteo and Mount Baker Terminal data, both near busy ports and recreational areas. At these three sites, sediment samples were collected by utilizing a ponar grab. These samples were analyzed in the lab, and showed the heavy metal levels for each site. United States Geological Survey river flow data was also accessed to tie the high heavy metal patterns due to high river flow and greater discharge of sediments. Further research could be conducted to measure the biological impact that these metals have through bioaccumulation, based on our findings of heavy metal hot spots.

Hot flashes affect 75% of menopausal women, leaving them with recurring flushing, sweating, skin blotching, and occasional anxiety, palpitations, and sleep disturbances. Nearly 20% of those affected describe the symptoms as “intolerable”. We know that the vasomotor symptoms of hot flashes originate from circuits in the brain that become hyperactivated as a result of ovarian aging. However, we have minimal insight into the cellular and molecular basis for this phenomenon. Indirect evidence suggests a small faction of neurons in the hypothalamus, called “KNDy” neurons, may be involved because these cells express estrogen receptors and become super-activated following estrogen withdrawal. It has been difficult to study this phenomenon directly due to the lack of an animal model for hot flashes. We believe it is possible to simulate the physiological effects associated with menopause in an experimental mouse model. To develop this model, we will block ovarian production of estradiol with acyline, a drug that blocks pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion necessary for estrogen production, and will measure core body temperature (CBT) with a tiny implantable recording device called a Datalogger. Since mice are extremely sensitive to stress and handling, it is essential to record CBT in these animals without disturbing them. We will then determine changes in CBT as a function of acyline treatment (vs vehicle control alone). If we observe a drop in CBT as a result of acyline treatment, it would represent the first step towards developing an animal model to study the estrogen-sensitive circuits in the brain that regulate core temperature. The model could then be used to test the efficacy of compounds that might interfere with KNDy neuron signaling (the putative origin of hot flashes) and downstream thermoregulatory centers in the hypothalamus, ultimately serving as a platform to investigate the neurobiology of hot flashes.

As the world becomes more interconnected, health issues that may once have been considered local problems are increasingly of international concern. While a number of academic institutions have made efforts to incorporate global health topics into their curricula, the role of global health in nursing education remains relatively undefined. As one of the nation’s top nursing schools, the University of Washington’s School of Nursing (UW SON) is in a position to embrace this opportunity. The goal of our research is summarize existing practices, explore linkages between international experiences and global health educational programs, and gauge student interest in global health topics at the UW SON. A mixed methods approach will be used. Quantitative data will be obtained via a brief anonymous survey of three current 2012-2014 UW SON baccalaureate cohorts. Qualitative data will be collected through online program reviews and semi-structured interviews. Online program reviews will assess global health course offerings in the top ten US nursing schools, as well as pre- and post-Peace Corps educational opportunities including the Coverdell Fellowship and Masters International Program. Interviews will be conducted with three purposively selected global health professionals who previously served with Peace Corps. Summary statistics (frequency and percent), including 95% Confidence Intervals, will be presented. Program reviews will be presented in summary tables, and interview findings will be coded into themes with assistance of a social scientist. Results will demonstrate interest level among current nursing students in global health in general, as well as in specific topics. We also seek to identify themes linking Peace Corps experiences with awareness of global health topics, educational choices, and professional development. We will use our findings to inform the UW SON leadership of possible recruitment strategies and curriculum content to enhance global health offerings.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heritable disease in which the heart undergoes pathological remodeling and thickening, leading to sudden cardiac death, especially in young adults. I am investigating how modifications to myofilament proteins, which are responsible for muscle contractions, contribute to HCM functional characteristics. My goal is to determine how the P82S mutation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) alters the dynamic properties of cardiac troponin (cTn), such as the Ca²⁺ binding affinity to cTn and interactions between cardiac troponin C and cTnI (C-I interaction), as well as the overall effect of P82S on muscle activation and relaxation. I am testing the hypothesis that the C-I interaction serves as a critical point in contractile regulation, regulating systolic performance at basal activity and particularly during β-adrenergic stimulation. During β-adrenergic stimulation, the cardiac-specific N-terminus of cTnI is phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA), and the shifting protein conformation results in a cascade of conformational changes in regulatory proteins that promote myosin unbinding from actin, accelerating relaxation rates in cardiac muscle. This work combines state-of-the-art protein biochemistry, myofibril & cellular mechanics/kinetics and multi-scale computational modeling to study the behavior of P82S-cTnI with wild type (WT) cTnI. For each, recombinant troponin complexes containing WT-cTnI, P82S-cTnI, non-phosphorylatable cTnI (S23/24A), and phosphomimetic cTnI (S23/24D) are studied and compared. Initial results from the WT-cTnI variants show that with respect to the WT-cTnI, the S23/24A and S23/24D mutated troponin have decreased Ca²⁺ sensitivity to cTn, as well as the C-I affinity. Accompanying experiments are currently being done on the P82S variants. A better understanding of how protein structure and function is altered by mutations will bring the HAMM Lab closer to developing approaches to mitigate the impact of HCM-related mutations.

This was a study of the prevalence of post stroke fatigue in stroke survivors who participated in the larger Living Well With Stroke study in the Puget Sound area of Washington. Post stroke fatigue can delay progress of physical therapy, and interfere with activities of daily living. Within four months of a stroke, the Living Well With Stroke team approached people who had been hospitalized with a stroke to screen for eligibility to be part of the study. Questions were asked that screened for depression and fatigue. Using SPSS (Statistical Package used for Statistical analysis) we have examined screening data of the 414 patients from the larger study. We have examined the correlation of fatigue to the presence of depression, age, gender, type of stroke, severity of stroke and other variables that are in the literature. Based on existing literature, we anticipate that the presence and severity of fatigue will be correlated with age, gender, severity of stroke, depression, as well as socio-economic status. Using SPSS, data has been interpreted by the use graphs, and tables to best show the correlation between post stroke fatigue and the demographics I have just listed previously. By understanding these correlations, treatment options could be better improved or be tailored specifically to these patients.

Currently there is extensive interest in the health of honeybee colonies, both in the United States, and worldwide. A healthy and functioning agricultural system requires honeybees, and bees in turn, require nutritious, diverse forage that includes both nectar and pollen. This study involved analyzing the pollen collected by honeybee colonies maintained on the campus of Edmonds Community College, and matching that with pollen collected directly from local plants. We isolated pollen from honey collected and stored by the bees and also collected pollen directly from cells in the hive. In order to identify the different pollen species, the pollen was chemically extracted and acetolyzed to remove sugars and waxes. The treated pollen was then stained, slide-mounted and viewed by light microscopy. These pollen samples were compared to samples of pollen that were collected directly from local plants as well as to existing pollen databases. Preliminary analysis revealed the presence of pollen from brassica, salvia, and trifolium. We were unable to identify some of the extracted pollen species. During the coming foraging season we will expand our database of locally-collected pollen and will generate a local pollen identification key. This will allow us to conclusively identify all of the pollen found in the hives. Results of this study will help us track what the bees are eating and will inform decisions about what best to plant to insure healthy colonies.

The increasing rates of drug-resistant bacterial infections is a concern to the healthcare system globally. Anti-adhesive therapy has emerged as a possible alternative therapy, focusing on preventing biofilm formation that is associated with increased drug resistance and disease. The study of anti-adhesive therapy is underway, but the basic transport mechanisms are still unclear. Adhesion depends on the bacterial concentration near the surface, as these bacteria are closest to any adhesive present. Flow chambers are commonly used to study bacterial adhesion and mechanics, but the relative concentration distribution within the chamber is often overlooked. Bacterial concentration without adhesion was found to depend on time – the concentration rises until reaching a peak level. After reaching an equilibrium level, the concentration deviates from the inflow concentration differently at separate locations along the chamber. Measured at three separate points, the peak concentration is highest towards the end of the flow chamber. Bacterial concentration remains space and time dependent without any adhesive protein in the chamber. With adhesion however, the concentration differs across the entire adhesive surface, and also dramatically over a small area near the inflow where adhesion first begins. Bacterial concentration of spotted and even surfaces will be affected by these settling and transport mechanisms - using different adhesives along the chamber increases this variability. Researching anti-adhesive therapy and dynamic adhesion requires the analysis of adhesion strength to different glycans, compounds on the outside of proteins, under different flow rates. The adhesion to each glycan can then be measured relatively and compared. Our data suggests that this data could be severely impacted by the placement of these glycans, in addition to the strength of their adhesion, a factor that has not been previously considered.

For centuries, mankind has used adhesives as a means of joining materials together. A simple technology, adhesives bond materials, distribute stress, and improve flexibility. In nature, the organic-inorganice composite material nacre features very thin organic interlayers that serve as an ahdesive to hold together single platelets in a "brick and mortar" composite microstructure. This project addresses whether varying the thickness of nacre-like adhesive layers influences the mechanical properties of the composite. Typical standardized tensile tests listed in the American Society for Testing and  Materials (ASTM) will be modified to simulate nacre's structure. Our approach is to linearize the loading path, by performing the double lap shear configuration suggested in ASTM D3528 on a Shimadzu tensile tester. A digital microscope is used to focus on the interactions at the interfaces, while the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) focuses on the fibril formation in the adhesive. The adherends we will use are glass, bonded together with varying adhesive thicknesses and placed in the Shimadzu's metal grips for testing. The results display lap shear strengths as a function of lap length with constant lap width. By plotting lap shear versus lap length over adherend thickness (L/t),  we can compare the lap shear performances for the varying thicknesses. If the bond width is held constant it is expectd the bond area decrease with decreasing L/t so shear strength increases as a function of decreasing lap area. The use of transparent glass slides determines if the fracture patterns in bending would spread energy over a larger volume depending on the thickness of the adhesive. The effect of varying the adhesive thickness within the material is discussed as a function of the material's ability to transfer the load over a larger volume more readily during bending, and thereby control the energy dissipation. 

Education for sustainability is "learning that links knowledge, inquiry, and action to help students build a healthy future for their communities and the planet." Teaching sustainability is a crucial component of a healthy future society and a catalyst for change in behavior. While state and national standards are in place, the search for effective ways to teach K-12 sustainability education is constant. Project-based and place-based learning are effective methods of teaching sustainability and impacting behavior. This type of learning encourages collaboration, exploration of individual curiosities, and appreciation of the local community, leading to an eventual recognition of the global impacts of individual actions. Using a school-wide vermicomposting project at Sacajawea Elementary School in Maple Leaf as case study, the benefits and limitations of project-based learning to teach sustainability will be evaluated. Vermicomposting is the process of using worms to compost organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil supplement. The installation of a school worm bin serves as a learning tool for two classes of fourth and fifth graders. An initial open response survey was given to students to assess knowledge and environmental attitudes. The compost created is used in a plant growth experiment that caters to state science standards, and a school food waste audit serves to connect individual actions with localized effects. Students experience the direct effects of their behavior through hands-on engagement with the worm bin and issues of food waste. Preliminary results show that the students are empowered to make a positive impact in their school and community. Widespread application of the project will be assessed.

From the moment of the first cellular divisions in an embryo, a suite of genes are responsible in ensuring the proper developmental progression of an organism to adulthood. The primary tool used in identifying these genes and their biological function, is a forward genetic mutant screen. Previous mutant screens have revealed many genes required for early embryonic developmental processes, such as the critical bicoid gene in fruit flies (Drosophila). However, many critical genes, particularly those involved in regulating post-embryonic development, remain undiscovered. To identify novel genes and pathways required to execute development during post-embryonic stages, we have undertaken an ongoing forward genetic mutant screen in the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio). We used the mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) to randomly induce mutations in the genome. I am now screening the third generation progeny of the mutagenized individuals, specifically searching for larval arrest mutants that fail to develop adult traits. By mapping and cloning the affected genes, we hope to identify genetic factors required for vertebrate development. I have so far found one developmental arrest mutant, which I have named nikabrik. Nikabrik arrests development and growth after two weeks, and presumably lacks some gene product required for further development. I am now working towards mapping and cloning nikabrik to identify the underlying mutagenized gene. Identification of the nikabrik gene may provide valuable insight into what factors are required for larval development in zebrafish, and other vertebrates including humans.

The acrosome is a sperm-specific organelle which is best known for its release of digestive enzymes to degrade the egg’s outer membrane during fertilization. Interestingly, it is required for successful fertilization in Drosophila despite the absence of gamete membrane fusion. Here, we show that sperm lacking Pskl, a predicted membrane protein, display irregularly small and round acrosomes, are unable to breakdown the sperm’s plasma membrane after entry into the egg, and prevent the completion of fertilization. Although Pskl's role in acrosome biogenesis is unknown, comparative analysis indicates the pskl gene gains certain groups of exons over evolutionary time. We propose that Pskl has a modular structure and are testing which modules are necessary for subcellular localization and protein function. To determine the minimal requirements for targeting Pskl to the secretory pathway and specifically the acrosomal membrane, we constructed fluorescently tagged deletion derivatives. The results of these studies will be informative for understanding the protein’s complex evolutionary origin and its role in Drosophila-specific features of fertilization.

The distinctive pigment pattern of the adult zebrafish Danio rerio is formed by stripes made up of black pigment cells called melanophores. Melanophores are the homologue of human melanocytes, which can give rise to deadly melanomas; understanding the signals that regulate the differentiation and proliferation of these cells may be key in treating cancer. Previous work in our lab demonstrated that thyroid hormone (TH) plays an important role in limiting the number of melanophores that appear during development. I wanted to know if TH was also required to maintain appropriate numbers of melanophores after the adult pigment pattern had formed. TH is produced by thyroid follicles, and if the thyroid follicles are ablated, fish cannot produce TH. I used a line of transgenic zebrafish to ablate the thyroid at adult stages to determine if this had any effect on melanophore numbers. Indeed, after several months with no TH these thyroid ablated adults showed an increase in the number of melanophores, demonstrating that TH does play a role in inhibiting proliferation of adult melanophores.

Chitosan and alginate are widely used natural polymeric biomaterials that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Chitosan is cationic as well as hydrophobic in nature whereas alginate is anionic and hydrophilic in nature. Ionic interaction between the amine and carboxyl group causes the formation of polyelectrolyte complex in the scaffold and thus enhancing the mechanical properties of the scaffold. Mechanical properties of the scaffolds are dependent on the fabrication process, cross-linking process, and sterilization process. Similarly, porosity plays a crucial role in determining the mechanical strength of the scaffold which relates to the lyophilization process and molecular weight of the polymer used. Chitosan-Alginate (CA) scaffolds are prepared by mixing equal wt% amounts of each polymer and due to chitosan's hydrophobic nature, acetic acid was added. The solution was mixed using a Thinky mixer at 2000 rpm for five minutes. After obtaining a homogeneous mixture, pH was tested and solution  casted into desired well plates. The solution was then refrigerated at 4 degree Celsius for 12 h at 20 degree Celsius overnight, and lyophilized for 24 hours. Scaffolds were then cross-linked with 70% CaCl2, and sterilized with Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used in to image pore morphology of the scaffold. High mechanical strength and porous structure is presented in pore size ranges of 100-500 micrometers which is required for bone tissue engineering. Mechanical strength of the scaffold is obtained by performing compressive test. Samples are compressed at 4.00 mm/min using micro-tensile tester with 1N load cell. Dry samples were found to have a young's modulus (YM) of 1-2 MPa, whereas wet samples were found to have a YM of 1-2 KPa.  CA scaffolds were found to be mechanically strong with good porosity which was directly impacted by fabrication process. Mechanically strong CA scaffolds with proper porosity were achieved with the fabrication process used. Further work will allow an optimization of CA scaffolds for specific applications and cell lines.  

During spermatogenesis in animals, the developing male germ cell undergoes dramatic changes in nuclear morphology. This transformation of round spermatid nuclei into condensed nuclei of mature sperm is accompanied by loss of histones and enrichment of several sperm-specific chromosomal proteins. To date, the function of only a few sperm-specific chromosomal proteins has been studied. We are using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to investigate the function of a protein that is encoded by the CG14835 gene. The protein is interesting because it is small, highly enriched in positively charged amino acids and it contains a small region of similarity to other known sperm-specific chromosomal proteins. To test for the possible requirement of CG14835 for spermatogenesis and male fertility, we are generating mutations by imprecisely excising a transposable element that resides within the gene. Currently, we are molecularly analyzing independent excision lines to identify gene deletions. The phenotype of males deleted for the CG14835 should reveal whether the protein plays a role in sperm chromatin remodeling, sperm success during fertilization, or the maintenance of paternal chromosomes in the early embryo. Overall, these studies should contribute to our understanding of the possible roles that sperm-specific chromosomal proteins play in sperm function.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children is a serious health concern associated with significant adverse health outcomes and high use of health care resources. It is characterized by habitual snoring and repeated episodes of partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep. In a recent study from our laboratory, 40% of a sample of school aged children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) showed signs of SDB. JIA is an inflammatory disease with no definite known cause and one of the most common rheumatologic chronic conditions in children. The purpose of this study is to examine SDB and neurobehavioral performance in 81 children (n=40 JIA) compared to a group of age, sex matched school age children. Children underwent one night of polysomnography in the UW School of Nursing Sleep Research Laboratory and completed neurocognitive tests (WASI, CANTAB). Parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), an 86-item measure that assesses executive function behaviors at school and home. Data was analyzed using SPSS, and analyses were blocked into conceptual categories and then analyzed for group differences. Each category was considered a separate analysis with significance set at p <.05 (2-sided). The first set of analyses addressed group differences in all study variables between JIA and control children (using a Chi-square test). Second, we compared the proportion of children with SDB (apnea/hypopnea index >1.5/hr) as measured by polysomnography to those without SDB. Third, we examined relations among disease-related variables, sleep disordered breathing, and neurocognition (WASI, CANTAB, BRIEF), with a series of bivariate correlations controlling for age, medications, and disease condition. Finally, a linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential predictors of neurocognition (WASI, BRIEF, reaction time). We explored how much of the variance in neurocognition was explained by sleep disordered breathing, controlling for age, medications, and disease condition.

 The Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) is a Running Start program through Everett Community College. Monthly State of Possession Sound (SOPS) cruises are conducted that analyze the overall health of the Possession Sound ecosystem. By monitoring physical, chemical, biological, and geological parameters through these cruises, conclusions can be drawn from the data collected. Sediment samples were gathered from different locations throughout Possession Sound--a smaller portion of the Puget Sound located between Whidbey Island and Snohomish County in Washington where the Snohomish River converges with Puget Sound . These samples were analyzed for the relative concentrations of arsenic, copper, and lead by the Everett Environmental Laboratory and distribution and relative concentrations at each site were further examined. The effects of human interaction on the environment--farming, industry, transportation, and recreation--as well as natural fluctuations in tides, currents, and precipitation influence heavy metal deposition in certain locations. The impact of heavy metals spreads to the overall marine health, affecting the food chain through bioaccumulation of these metals in plankton at the basis of the food chain and concentrating further through consumption by other marine life and animals that eat marine life. From the heavy metal information produced by our study, we plan to continue mirroring similar bay studies conducted by the Department of Ecology (DOE), where we can compare heavy metal data collected from this study with water chemistry data and the overall marine health of the Possession Sound ecosystem.

Since 2006, the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) has conducted State of Possession Sound (SOPS) cruises for undergraduate research. Sediments, one of the six research focuses at ORCA, are collected and studied for their size, organic content and heavy metal abundance. The influx of water from the Snohomish River, which carries fecal matter from sewage outfalls and farm runoff upstream, raises concerns of the levels of E. coli bacteria in Possession Sound. This study included fecal coliform in sediment as an area of concern in relation to salinity and temperature over time and through varying tidal heights. Water and sediment samples were taken from the Snohomish River and a site in Possession Sound. The samples were cultured using Coliscan® Membrane Filter Method protocols. Results demonstrate that during low tide, fecal coliform bacteria were present upriver, but not at the Possession Sound site. Preliminary data suggests a correlation exists between location, the amount of river flow at that area and bacterial abundance. Further investigations at point sources upriver including sewage outfalls and drainage areas will enhance the correlation between river influx with seasonal variation and bacterial presence in the Possession Sound and Snohomish River estuary system.

The thermoacoustic effect provides many benefits compared to current cooling methods. The process can achieve stable and reliable cooling without the use of refrigerants or environmentally hazardous chemicals. Strontium Barium Niobate (SBN) is a relaxer ferroelectric ceramic material that exhibits piezoelectric properties due to its tetragonal tungsten-bronze crystal structure.  A piezoelectric is a material that when subjected to mechanical deformation, undergoes polarization which creates electricity and vice verse.  The purpose of this project was to identify piezoelectric properties of SBN, and utilize an SBN piezo crystal for fine-tuned sound generation in a thermoacoustic cooler. In order to achieve this, understanding the physical phenomena behind thermoacoustic cooling and building a prototype thermoacoustic cooler were first accomplished. From there, identifying the piezoelectric characteristics of SBN and construction of a miniaturized model was initiated. Comparisons were made between the macroscopic and miniature models to determine device properties and characteristics. Device miniaturization reveals a variety of challenges that were previously unobserved in the macroscopic device. A cooling effect was observed and a temperature gradient was achieved in both the macroscopic and miniaturized prototypes. However, the efficiency factor of the micro device was highly correlated to the device geometry and construction. Ultimately, the goal of this project was to achieve thermoacoustic cooling on the micro scale which can only be achieved by understanding the nanostructure and the relationship between grain size and domain polarization mechanisms. Piezoelectrics provide an excellent avenue to achieve this goal due to their high overall efficiency of converting lattice distortions into electrical energy, high curie temperature, their idealized frequency response time and their relative environmental stability.

The Possession Sound, located within the Puget Sound, is a diverse estuarine environment where freshwater from the Snohomish River mixes with the ocean water from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A key variable that influences fluctuations in an estuary system is tidal stage changes that result in mixing and stratification that influence water chemistry. The working hypothesis is that increased high salinity, cold water during high tide will result in decreased pH and increased dissolved oxygen (D.O.) Data from 2010 to 2013 were collected monthly at the Mukilteo and Mount Baker Terminal stations. YSI 85 and 650 data for salinity, temperature, pH, and D.O. were organized based on tidal stages. The data did not support our hypothesis; trend lines indicate that as tidal stages increase pH increases from 7.5 to 7.6. On average, D.O. decreased as tidal stages increased, from 9.1mg/L to 8.4 mg/L. Chemical levels in the water column are also influenced by phytoplankton through photosynthesis and respiration. Future research will be conducted to determine the correlation between the amount of plankton in the water and the levels of pH and D.O. in the water column.

The Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA), a Running Start program at Everett Community College, has collected local data in Possession Sound since 2006. The goal of this study was to explore water chemistry near the mouth of the Snohomish River to further understanding of the state of the Possession Sound estuary system in relation to the changing of seasons. Another impact on water chemistry fluctuations are tidally driven changes in the estuary system. Data were collected using a handheld YSI-650 probe at two stations (Buoy and MUK) between November 2011 and January 2014 for temporal and spatial variations in temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (D.O.)  We hypothesize that because Buoy is closer to the Snohomish River, the water column will have a lower temperature and a lower salinity than at Mukilteo, located to the South. As river discharge increases in the cold, wet months, we predict the Snohomish River’s effect will be compounded. In addition during winter months, we believe water temperature will drop, salinity will inversely follow, and D.O. shall increase due to increased solubility and storm mixing. Finally, with depth, we anticipate temperature will decrease while salinity increases because deeper water is denser than that found at the surface. As physical and chemical components of the water column are understood, further research can be done in the biological field.

There has been a lot of interest in fermentation processes utilizing monomeric sugars in lignocellulosic biomass to acetic acid product: a key precursor for many industrial applications such as the production of jet fuel.  The selected microorganism for this study is Moorella thermoacetica (Clostridium thermoaceticum). This strain is a thermophilic obligate anaerobe and can homoferment glucose and xylose to acetic acid using CO₂ as an electron acceptor at temperatures between 55-60°C and pH 6.5-6.8.  This study investigates the production of acetic acid by this homoacetogen from a 1:1 mixture of glucose and xylose, the two major monomeric sugars in lingnocellulosic biomass. The research is a necessary step to further study of fermenting a sugar model of lignocellulosic hydrolysates and hydrolysates. Additionally it facilitates application of Raman spectroscopy as quantitative measurements in real-time during fermentation.  This is unlike the traditional way of using High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which is used in this study. Compared with current analytical techniques, Raman Spectroscopy (RS) allows analytes in samples to be measured simultaneously. Utilization of xylose and glucose as the main sugars for producing lignocellulosic acetic acid proves useful as a foundation for building industrial applications such as jet fuel through bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass.

The somatic mutation theory of aging states that aging is the result of accumulated DNA mutations in somatic cells, which lead to loss of physiological integrity through tissue and organ level dysfunction. In mouse model systems, decreases in lifespan through high mutation rates have been documented by creating mutator phenotypes in these organisms. Mutator phenotypes are marked by increased cellular mutation rates, and are known drivers of tumor development in human cancers. Mutator-driven adaptations occur in natural microbial populations. Mutators represent a unique opportunity to test the somatic mutation accumulation theory of aging due to their sustained high mutation rates. Nutritional status, particularly carbohydrate metabolism, influences lifespan in numerous organisms. In yeast, which preferentially ferments glucose to ethanol before switching to respiratory metabolism upon glucose depletion, the induction of respiratory metabolism is associated with increased lifespan. This study examines the effects of high mutation rate on yeast replicative lifespan and whether induction of respiratory metabolism is sufficient to change lifespan in organisms with increased mutation load. To do this, yeast defective for DNA replication proofreading, mismatch repair, and base-excision repair were grown under dietary restriction (reduced glucose) and in the presence of non-fermentable carbon sources. Then, mutation rates and replicative lifespan were assayed. Our results show that increased mutation rates correlate with decreased lifespan in strong mutators and that this decrease in lifespan can be partially suppressed through growth on limited glucose and non-fermentable media. These findings suggest that the metabolic state of the cell modulates the severity of mutator phenotypes, which has important implications for the role that mutators play in carcinogenesis.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects approximately 12,000 new individuals in the United States annually and is a significant source of paralysis. Often caused by motor vehicle accidents or severe trauma, chronic SCI is increasingly a target of stem cell therapy as a means to regenerate locomotor function. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the capability of regenerating neuronal components such as astrocytes and glia, which have been proven to aid in functional recovery of paralysis. We performed a pre-clinical study to determine the effectiveness of hiPSC transplantation on cervical SCI in rats. Injury was performed on the fourth cervical vertebrae followed by transplantation of IMR90 fibroblasts at four weeks post-injury. The forelimb reaching task (FRT) was used to analyze forelimb function during the pre-injury, post-injury and post-transplant periods. FRT data showed a recovery in performance at eight weeks after transplantation followed by diminishing forelimb function that became comparable to the control group. Upon histological analysis, neurally derived masses were discovered in the site of IMR90 fibroblast transplantation. These masses indicate that previously unobserved challenges may occur during the clinical treatment of SCI that may result in a lack of improvement in locomotor function.

The Snohomish River flows through an area where anthropogenic factors may affect the water chemistry due to industry and agriculture. The lower reaches of the Snohomish River are near industrial sources. At the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) in Everett, Washington, students are encouraged to derive and conduct independent research studies in the Snohomish River estuary system on monthly State of Possession Sound (SOPS) research cruises. It is expected that data will change in relation to distance from anthropogenic influences and the mouth of the Snohomish River. The pH up river is expected to be, overall, lower than that of the salt water, and even lower with the influence of farm waste and factory runoff. The waste from these sources releases CO2 into the river causing the pH to decrease. Sampling sites for the data collection of this study were selected with consideration to farms and factories along the river. The data collected includes dissolved oxygen (D.O.), salinity, temperature, and pH. A handheld YSI 650 and YSI 85 were used. Nutrient samples were collected at approximately half a meter below the surface. From the data it can be determined how farms and other anthropogenic factors affect pH. Further research on how these factors affect the marine life in the Snohomish River estuary system and Possession Sound are planned for future studies to determine how changes in water chemistry may have a negative impact on estuarine ecosystems.
 

In this paper I attempt to shed light on an array of interacting syntactic phenomena relating to the so-called morphological passive in Swedish. Its morpheme, -s, has been assumed to be a voice morpheme, but as Julien (2007) notes has some of the interpretational characteristics of a verb argument. I argue for a remnant movement analysis of Swedish verb movement that accommodates for this morpheme’s distribution and interpretations as a verb argument. This analysis offers an interesting perspective on the nature of Object Shift in Scandinavian, which there has been practically no consensus on. Holmberg’s (1986) Generalization - that objects cannot shift leftward over phonetic content in the verb phrase - has long puzzled linguists trying to reframe the problem in terms of Minimalism. The remnant movement proposal turns the empirical problem of Object Shift on its head (similarly to Nilsen 2003). However, with remnant movement, an in-situ verb argument is expected to move all the way up with the main verb by virtue of vP-fronting. I motivate the main positions for object pronouns and DPs according their feature composition (similarly to Josefsson 1999). ----- Holmberg, Anders. 1986. Word order and syntactic features in the Scandinavian languages and English. Stockholm: University of Stockholm dissertation. Josefsson, Gunlög. 1999. On the semantics and syntax of Scandinavian pronouns and object shift. In Henk van Riemsdijk (ed.), Clitics in the Languages of Europe, 731-757. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Julien, Marit. 2007. The relation between morphology and syntax. In Gillian Ramchand & Charles Reiss (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Linguistic Interfaces, 209-238. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nilsen, Øystein. 2003. Eliminating Positions: syntax and semantics of sentence modification. Utrecht: LOT.http://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/624 (9 Dec. 2013)

Thermosensitive hydrogels have been actively investigated as a potential approach to preventing the recurrence of tumors after surgery. However, current hydrogels remain limited by their low drug retention rate and non-degradability, preventing their use in neural applications. Using a trifunctional dibromomaleimide-alkyne based cross linker, this project aims to synthesize a thermosensitive, biodegradable polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel for the delivery of anti-tumor drugs. The crosslinker is synthesized through condensation of dibromomaleic anhydride with propargylamine and substitution of bromine groups with cysteamine. Our trifunctional crosslinker will provide the following properties: (a) crosslinking of two thermosensitive, PEG based polymers, (b) reducible to allow for triggered degradation and (c) site for biologic conjugation by click chemistry. With the site for biologic conjugation, we will be able to physically attach the drug to the gel and make drug release dependent on the more sustained gel degradation rather than passive diffusion. The liquid, thermosensitive gel will be able to fully fill the neural cavity after tumor removal and release a drug over a sustained period of time. Preliminary synthesis of crosslinker using cysteamine shows the fluorescent color indicative of substituted maleimide in addition to active amine reactivity. Initial crosslinking of thermosensitive polymers indicate an increase in hydrophillicity and swelling with increased temperature. Future experiments will include increasing length of crosslinker arms with PEG spacers for more effective linking and attaching a biomolecule to the alkyne group of the crosslinker. The toxicity and release profile of the crosslinked polymers will be characterized to retune the polymers to create a hydrogel with high localization and minimal toxicity.

When considering fluctuations in temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, tides and currents are two influential factors that affect an estuary system. Monthly research cruises since the fall of 2007 to the Snohomish River delta with the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA), an early college program through Everett Community College located at the Everett waterfront, monitor the local marine system and provide a historical data set for use in analysis. Changes in the cline were first analyzed by isolating tidal and river flow variables as well as seasonal changes. The changes between different cycles of spring and neap tides as well as variations in river outflow are points of interest due to the hypothesized signature these events exhibit on the cline. The research sites of Mukilteo, Buoy, and the Snohomish River were used to analyze the impact of distance from the river, tides and currents, and river flow on salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. In addition to these sites, current flow data was primarily taken along with water column measurements along the mouth of the Snohomish River and to the north east of Jetty Island. Surface current measurements were take by GPS enabled drogue. It was initially hypothesized that spatial differences and river flow would have a greater impact than tides on the pycnocline depth. However, after initial data collection the reverse appeared to be accurate, with changes in the current speed and water column being more closely tied to tidal patterns rather than river influence.

Rachel Jeantel served as the key witness for the prosecution in the well-publicized trial of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of charges of manslaughter after the death of Jeantel’s friend, Trayvon Martin. Media coverage was highly critical of Rachel Jeantel’s testimonies, and made claims about the intelligibility of her speech and her supposed inability to adjust her speech patterns based on her audience –none of which were supported by an actual linguistic analysis. This project is a detailed linguistic analysis of Rachel Jeantel’s speech in order to critique and evaluate the claims made in media coverage during the trial. This project explores the possible effects that her underbite and multilingual status may have on her speech. This linguistic investigation includes an acoustic analysis of Jeantel’s speech in samples from her interview with Piers Morgan. By referencing relevant theoretical knowledge from existing linguistic investigations on African American English (AAE), Haitian Creole (HC), and Dominican Spanish (DS), we compared Jeantel’s vowels and deletion of plural and possessive marker “s” in the recordings with expected features of those dialects. Using this knowledge, coupled with a review of similar research on individuals with underbites, we present a more complete analysis of the factors that influence her speech and evaluate claims the media made about her. The scrutiny Jeantel was subjected to highlights the many ways in which language, race, and class are intermixed in present-day American culture. We hope that by presenting an analysis of Jeantel’s speech, we have helped inform this conversation.

The study of naturally occurring materials for use in every-day applications can result in innovative advancements in current technologies. Nacreous shell structure (nacre) is one such material. This nacre is a composite of ceramic in a tiny, organic, viscoelastic matrix meaning it exhibits time-dependent viscous and elastic behavior. This allows the normally brittle ceramic to be crack tolerant rather than to show high fracture toughness. Other complex composites have been shown to retain much of their strength after cracking, and this means high levels of energy dissipation. Because other structures with many thin organic layers have large damping abilities, it was suspected that nacre would also show such damping, but these damping abilities have not been tested. We hope to gain a better understanding of the damping effects of nacre by looking at tan (δ) through Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Tan (δ) is a measure of energy dissipation by damping. A high amount of energy dissipation would have practical applications in creating safer buildings in the case of an earthquake. The viscoelastic matrix that allows for a crack tolerant material could allow for buildings to retain some of their structural integrity while people safely evacuate the building. As viscoelastic components are not typically used in structural ceramic composites, this could provide the basis for a new class of industrial composite materials.

Methods and devices used for pressure measurement are extremely varied and typically do not offer the ability to operate accurately when subjected to pressure values outside of the standard operating range. Typical methods and devices used for pressure measurement at low levels of stress, such as those exerted by biological cells, are prohibitively expensive with quite complex manufacturing processes. This research focused on characterizing a device constructed of carbon nanotubes, paper, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), for use as a pressure sensing smart skin with exceptional sensitivity. The geometry and quantum mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes make them highly sensitive to strain. The effects of various factors such as temperature, tension, and environmental air pressure on the electrical resistance of the device were recorded over time to determine its response to its ambient surroundings. Thermal fluctuation, vacuum chamber, mechanical deflection, and control tests were carried out on the sensor to identify its gauge factor and tendency towards hysteresis. The effectiveness of spin- and dip-coating at forming a suitable PDMS layer was investigated. Tests with no PDMS on the sensor were also run. The sensors resistance is directly affected by vacuum pressure and temperature. Increasing the thickness of the PDMS layer reduces the sensitivity to temperature. By characterizing the sensors behavior at various temperatures and pressures, a calibration algorithm is recommended in order to isolate the effect that strain has on the sensors resistance. This easily manufactured, nanostructured sensor for measuring pressure at very low values is an effective tool for research in many fields due to its scalability and ease of use.

Diagnosing infectious disease in the developing world continues to be a challenge due to the lack of infrastructure and resources needed to conduct state-of-the-art methods of nucleic acid detection. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a potential alternative to current point-of-care (POC) nucleic acid tests because it could offer similar sensitivity. However, current SERS substrates that possess the reproducibility and stability needed for translation to POC applications are too expensive. Electrospinning gold nanorods (AuNR) into polymeric nanofibers was employed as a method to reduce the cost, improve reproducibility and lengthen shelf life of SERS substrates for POC applications. Electrospinning also offers a facile method of aligning anisotropic metallic nanoparticles, which can improve SERS sensitivity over non-aligned particles. AuNR size and dimension was varied alongside fiber diameter to optimize SERS enhancement. For the detection of target nucleic acid (or oligonucleotide), a sandwich-like design was used: Oligonucleotides complementary to the target strand were conjugated to SERS active fibers in a 96 well plate format, allowing for multiplex detection with different probes. After the sample was administered, probe oligonucleotides conjugated to a Raman reporter molecule were washed over the SERS substrate to complex with the bound target strand before Raman testing. Electrospinning produced homogenous fiber meshes with uniformly deposited AuNRs to create reproducible enhancement across the substrate. In addition, the SERS fibers showed prolonged shelf-life suggesting that the polymeric fibers offer stability for AuNRs. Successful conjugation of probe oligonucleotides to the polymer mesh is shown. Initial experiments showed presence of signature Raman spectra associated with the probe molecule, indicating specific binding of the target strand. However, additional experiments are necessary to improve sensitivity. Creation of this technology provides the initial framework that electrospun fibers can offer a mode of translation of SERS to sensitive detection of biologics for POC diagnostic applications.

Community health clinics and health centers provide extensive primary health services to thousands of patients in Washington State every year. Increasing numbers of these patients have chronic and acute conditions that require specialty care or follow-up care that are not available within these health clinics or centers. This research project will examine the challenges these clinics experience in making the specialty care referrals not available in their clinic. Understanding the challenges associated with specialty care referrals could help create solutions, and a more effective and efficient health care system. Our research project involves a three phase system for research. Phase one involves data collection through one-on-one semi-structured (IRB approved) interviews with clinic managers and referral coordinators from ~35 clinics across Washington State regarding challenges, perspectives and solutions for specialty care referrals. Phase two and three will include analysis of interview data, transcribing, and coding. We anticipate phase three to produce conclusive data for our study. From phase one of the study, I can predict that anticipated results will indeed be conclusive, and consistent throughout our sample and complement our hypotheses. Exploratory observations have so far shown a consistency with thematic issues in specialty care referrals across Washington State. By providing a better understanding of the challenges, issues, and perspectives regarding specialty care referrals in community health care clinics, we can better inform both public and private agencies as well as policy makers of solutions to issues which directly or indirectly affect everyone.

Circadian rhythms are daily biological processes regulated by circadian clocks, endogenous 24-hr biological clocks. Our master circadian clock, located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain, modulates the activity of circadian oscillators in peripheral organs, including the adrenal gland. While the circadian rhythm in glucocorticoid hormone production correlates with adrenal clock gene expression, the molecular mechanisms of adrenal circadian clock regulation require further investigation. Since the transcription factor phosphorylated cAMP response element binding (pCREB) protein is involved in the regulation of the clock gene PER1 in the SCN, we hypothesize that similar pathways to those found in the SCN control clock gene expression and circadian hormone production in the adrenal. Previous results from our laboratory display that the phase of PER1 circadian expression, in cultured adrenal tissue, can be shifted by drug treatments that increase cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. Since increases in cAMP lead to CREB phosphorylation, we propose that pCREB ultimately regulates adrenal expression of PER1 in vivo. We measured adrenal pCREB levels in rats housed under constant laboratory conditions and sacrificed 11 hours after starting their subjective day (circadian time 11, CT11) or 11 hours after starting their subjective night (CT23), equivalent time points of peak and trough cAMP levels in the SCN respectively. Immunohistochemical detection of pCREB showed significantly higher number of cells expressing pCREB in the adrenal medulla at CT11 than at CT23. Elevated expression of pCREB before the onset of nocturnal activity in rats is consistent with the predicted peak of glucocorticoid levels. Currently we are investigating the presence of pCREB in the adrenal cortex. Exploring the relationship between pCREB and PER1 expression in the adrenal, and the role of pCREB in phase shifting the adrenal clock, may help elucidating how the master circadian clock relays circadian time to the adrenal gland.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection remains a major global health problem but the human immune response to this bacteria has yet to be fully understood. A challenge for vaccine development is the lack of an immunological correlate of protection from MTB. We hypothesize that studying adults that were highly exposed to MTB but failed to convert their tuberculin skin tests might help us understand protective immunity to MTB. We infected monocytes in-vitro with MTB and looked for unique gene expression signatures. We discovered that Ras-responsive binding protein 1 (RREB1) was suppressed in persistently skin test negative subjects when compared to skin test positive controls. Using the human monocytic cell line, THP-1, we are studying how in-vitro stimulation with IFN-γ, Toll-like receptor ligands, and bacteria change expression of RREB1. These studies will contribute to our understanding of the role of RREB1 in MTB pathogenesis.

The 21st century has seen the emergence and re-emergence of novel infectious diseases. Following in the footsteps of its communicable predecessors, the recent emergence in Saudi Arabia of a SARS-like novel coronavirus, or Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV), since 2012 has weaved narratives of globally interdependent economic, political, and social intimacies. I will examine the contrasting narratives that reflect investigations and responses to this novel threat from Middle Eastern, European, and North American media networks, the WHO, the global biomedical community, and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health through several intersecting discourses: intellectual property rights and viral sovereignty; the deliberation on the taxonomy of the novel coronavirus; and geopolitical differences in information sharing and biosecurity in the context of emergent 21st century epidemics. Using Priscilla Wald’s concept of outbreak narratives and the imaginative hold of myths as a framework, I will explore how the stories on the global effort to investigate and respond to the MERS outbreaks continue to be revealed, repackaged, and transformed as experts around the world scramble to uncover its epidemiological pathways. I argue that the consideration of these counter-narratives are critical for rethinking underlying, potentially harmful, factors beyond dominant epidemiological and biomedical discourses surrounding the MERS epidemics. Such considerations may serve as a microcosm for biopolitical barriers in the response to past, present, and future emergent diseases. These counter-narratives should be regarded in light of uncertainties that still cloud the etiology and transmission of the virus which has since infected 243 people and claimed 93 lives in 11 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Recent experimental observations of draining colloid-laden liquid films show stepwise film thinning, as opposed to continuous thinning that occurs in films without colloid particles. The steps are also shown to propagate at a rate that depends on the diameter of the film. In this project, a mathematical model of a thin liquid film containing colloidal particles is derived from the laws of fluid dynamics in a cylindrical coordinate system. The particles in the film give rise to an oscillatory component of the disjoining pressure that is absent in particle free films. Solutions of the model show that a uniform film is unstable to layering. The overall goal of the work is to predict the stepwise thinning behavior seen in experiments, and to understand the physical reasons behind this and other observed film behaviors.

Over 25,000 undergraduates at the University of Washington register for courses each quarter using an online system. This project attempts to improve the university’s registration mechanism through theoretical and empirical analysis. Registering for college courses is an instance of the multiunit assignment problem, where heterogeneous agents are assigned combinations of different goods, in this case seats in courses. In addition to college course allocation, multiunit assignment has applications in industries ranging from aerospace (airstrip scheduling) to human resources (job shifts). Standard criteria for evaluating assignment mechanisms are efficiency, or whether there are any changes that can be made to students' allocations which leave some people better off and nobody worse off; strategyproofness, or whether students can get a better result if they lie about their preferences; and fairness, or how evenly the mechanism distributes the courses. We use simulations and theoretical analysis to evaluate the UW mechanism’s performance based on these criteria. We compare it to several prominent multiunit assignment mechanisms and provide recommendations regarding potential improvements to the university’s registration system.

Teledermatology is a clinical service program hosted by the VA Puget Sound to deliver expert dermatology care to underserved and rural veterans in the Pacific Northwest Region. During the four years since program inception, 25,830 consultations were completed on 13,249 unique Veterans resulting in the diagnosis and treatment of 23,332 conditions. The aim is to evaluate and improve Teledermatology processes and outcomes, rendering them non-inferior to face-to-face encounters with the few board-certified dermatologists in the VA healthcare system. Melanoma care is complex, requiring secure handoffs from primary care to dermatologists, general surgeons, surgical oncologists and other specialists, often in different locations. Dropped or missed handoffs risk allowing tumors to invade and spread; a system that safely focuses care in the primary care team might achieve better outcomes. The VA Teledermatology program educates and trains primary care providers to perform surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to measure the uptake of the surgical education and assess its safety and benefit in reducing the amount of travel miles and time to receive care. 185 veterans identified as having malignant melanomas or severely dysplastic nevi between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2013, met criteria for analysis. Of 361 surgical procedures performed for diagnosis and treatment 191 (53%) were performed by primary care clinicians with 1.95% biopsy complication rate compared to 3.33% for the equivalent procedure performed by dermatologists, general surgeons or specialty surgeons and a 5.41% wide-local excision complication rate compared to 12.12% and 9.38% for dermatologists and general surgeons respectively. These results show that a significant fraction of surgical procedures for diagnosis and treatment of malignant melanoma and severely dysplastic nevi can be safely performed in rural clinics by trained primary care providers. Future studies set will focus on the timelines for care and longitudinal follow up for outcomes.

Two-methoxyestradiol (2ME or 2ME2) is a highly water insoluble metabolite of estrogen, which possesses antiangiogenic activity and can upregulate death receptor 5 and interferon-signalling pathway, exhibiting anticancer effects. It is practically water insoluble and drug crystals milled to nano-size are evaluated in humans without success to date. While 2ME can inhibit tumor growth, its insolubility (<1ug/ml) may relate to low oral bioavailability. Some studies used vehicles to improve bioavailability. To address insolubility and improve antitumor activity, we evaluated 2ME’s ability to be incorporated into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that have been shown to be safe and to provide some tumor cell selectivity. To do so, we investigated different lipid compositions in their abilities to incorporate water-insoluble 2ME. The drug-lipid particles were made with solvent evaporation and hydration method. The free 2ME was removed to determine the degree of drug incorporation into LNP. Drug concentrations were determined with a high-performance chromatography (HPLC) assay. The LNP particle diameter was measured by photon correlation spectroscopy. Among tested lipid compositions, DSPC and DSPE-PEG2000 mixture provided about 80% drug incorporation at drug-to-lipid mole ratio of 1:6. The diameters of the 2ME-LNPs were 47.2±7.2nm. The anti-cancer activity was evaluated in two cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and A549. The 50% effective drug concentration to inhibit cell growth or EC50 of 2ME in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were 0.83µM and 32.4µM for free and LNP respectively. For lung cancer A5492 cells, EC50 was recorded at 2.13 and 3.35 µM respectively for free vs. LNP formulation. These results demonstrated that (1) lipid incorporation overcomes 2ME water insolubility and (2) the drug-lipid particles provide high (~80%) incorporation efficiency thus likely reducing the overall cost, (3) a stable lipid-drug formulation that can be easily scaled and (4) the antitumor cell potency may vary with different cancer cells.

Cancer diagnostic immunoassays are widely used for the detection of disease in vitro, but low antigen concentrations may not be detected in an early stage or confused for baseline noise, leading to false negative or positive diagnoses. Poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCB) is a zwitterionic polymer that strongly resists biofouling while allowing simple functionalization and effective bioconjugation to proteins. Coating this polymer on iron oxide nanoparticles via a DOPA attachment group allows for easy antibody immobilization, to realize low nonspecific binding and high signal-to-noise ratio in one platform. Methods for nanoparticle construction include synthesis of MNPs (magnetic nanoparticles) coated with PCB-DOPA and PCB-DOPA2. The coated particles are functionalized with FITC-BSA and FITC-streptavidin using EDC/NHS chemistry to optimize conjugation parameters. A model antibody (ALCAM antibody) is then conjugated to test the platform’s sensitivity for immunoassays. The functionalized nanoparticles are characterized with Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). Control groups with bare beads, functionalized beads with no polymer coating, or no functionalization are also processed in the experiment to compare with experimental groups. In preliminary tests, the functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have a high level of immobilization of each tested protein or antibody (FITC-BSA, FITC-streptavidin, and ALCAM antibody). In the plasma stability test, the PCB-coated and beads show low nonspecific binding even with high levels of functionalization. The experimental immunoassay can detect a low concentration of the ALCAM cancer biomarker in bovine serum, with less baseline noise than a commercial immunoassay (Luminex MagPlex®). The functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have a low detection limit to an early-stage cancer biomarker and a high signal-to-noise ratio due to reduced nonspecific binding. This platform could be extended to many clinical immunoassays in which either false negative or false positive diagnostic readings are problem.

Grackles are gregarious blackbirds (Icteridae) native to the New World. Our research focuses on the genetic structuring and biogeography of two sister species: the Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major), and the Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), the latter consisting of western and eastern clades. We constructed a molecular phylogeny using ND2 mitochondrial sequences that suggest the Great-tailed Grackle is paraphyletic with respect to the Boat-tailed Grackle. In other words, the Great-tailed Grackle species as currently recognized includes some, but not all, of the descendants of its most recent common ancestor. Phylogeographic analysis of the same genetic data suggests that eastern and western populations of Great-tailed Grackles are currently interbreeding freely, while Boat-tailed Grackles remain reproductively, morphologically, and ecologically isolated, despite their more recent split from the eastern Great-tailed Grackle clade.

Adolescent obesity is a growing epidemic and has tripled in the past 20 years in the United States. This is a major public health concern as we are now observing numerous health conditions commonly associated with adult obesity in the adolescent population. The goal of our study is to determine how total sleep time (TST) affects body composition, activity level, and nutrition in adolescents. Our study population consists of 100 healthy 13-17 year old adolescents. We are currently collecting and will analyze data from sleep/hunger/satiety diaries and questionnaires, a watch that records daytime/nighttime activity, 24-hour diet recalls, serum metabolic markers, appetite regulating hormones, salivary cortisol, an air displacement device, and questionnaires that assess lifestyle factors. We anticipate our results will demonstrate differences between sleep-deprived adolescents with age, BMI, sex matched control adolescents in diet, food cravings, physical/sedentary activity, and appetite regulation. Further, we anticipate our results will demonstrate an inverse correlation between TST and body composition. The intent of this study is to provide preliminary information to suggest a need for further research in this area. We hope to apply this scientific understanding to the development and testing of innovative interventions to improve sleep and decrease adolescent obesity and metabolic risk.

The fossils of the Cabbage Patch beds of western Montana record over five million years of mammalian evolution leading up to and across the Oligocene-Miocene boundary (23 million years ago [Ma]). This boundary marks the advent of many modern mammalian families. This evolutionary event may have been driven by the climatic and environmental changes of the time. Prior studies of these deposits have identified three faunal divisions occurring chronologically within the beds. To test whether faunal change was correlated with climatic or environmental change in our study area, we quantified the number of mammalian families and their relative abundance in the two oldest divisions of the Cabbage Patch beds (28-25 Ma), and compared this record with the record of habitat change and fossil preservation biases. A preliminary analysis of 495 microfossil specimens from five well-sampled different rock layers in these two divisions shows no change in the number of families throughout the time span; however, temporal shifts in relative abundances of families likely reflect differences in habitat and fossil preservation. Despite potential preservational biases, turnover in mammalian taxa occurs between the older and the younger layers. For example, mouse-deer, interpreted as forest specialists, are very abundant in the oldest layers but absent in the younger layers suggesting their local extinction. Conversely, gophers, native to more open, drier habitats, occur in the younger layers but are absent from the older ones. Together, these data provide circumstantial evidence of changing environments in our study area. These preliminary findings increase our understanding of habitat change and preservation bias in the two oldest divisions of the Cabbage Patch beds. We are currently improving the taxonomic resolution (from family to genus level) of our dataset to provide a more detailed view of changes in regional mammalian diversity during this critical interval in mammalian evolution.

Puget Sound consists of many smaller bodies of water including Possession Sound, located between the cities of Everett and Mukilteo, Washington. The Asarco Smelter, located in North Everett was active around 100 years ago, resulting in heavy pollutants such as lead into the Snohomish River leading to Possession Sound. The Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students sample Possession Sound for sediments monthly. It can be hypothesized that the lead concentration will be higher at the location Buoy, because it is closer to the fresh water outputs such as the Snohomish River. Consequently, the location Mukilteo/Mount Baker Terminal (MUK/MBT), that is further south in Possession Sound, will have a lower lead concentration since it is further away from the Snohomish River in comparison to Buoy. According to the data collected, from 2009 to 2013, Buoy had a higher amount of lead concentration in comparison to MBT/MUK. However, factors to be considered are other anthropogenic influences, river discharge, tidal stages, time such as time of day, what season and the time of year the data was collected, as well as water currents that could impact the lead concentration in Possession Sound. Future studies will consist of scrutinizing organic matter in sediments in correlation with lead concentration to analyze if biological organisms are impacted by the amount of lead present in sediment.

As global forests decline, conservation policy is becoming increasingly important. Though some progress to improve forest conservation policy has been made, there is much room for refinement. With this, a myriad of conservation methods are being created and used which seek to halt high levels of deforestation. A case study was conducted in the Manu-Tambopata (MAT) biological corridor in Madre de Dios, Peru which includes a diverse mix of resources such as intact forests, secondary forests, and gold deposits, in addition to agriculture, and logging industries. To identify leverage points, places in a system where small interventions can result in large system changes, local landowners and miners were surveyed on land-user demographics, current and future land-use practices, and preferences for conservation policies. The factors that mitigate these leverage points in practice had to be explored and evaluated. The findings on leverage point identification and influencing factors were then applied to the specific region of the case study in the proposed MAT corridor to help improve forest conservation policies and programs aiming to improve conservation designs. The survey-data shows the majority of both miners and farmers partake in some form of conservation and even more are interested in receiving external support to improve their conservation practices. There is a clear preference for technical support among farmers and conservation jobs among miners. This case study demonstrates the strength of field surveys in order to understand local conditions and plausible policy options, as well as the need to design policy instruments based on local conditions. My role in the research project includes survey-data compilation and analysis. Additionally, I am coauthoring the research paper and have written the results section, as well as participated in full copy editing and figure development.

Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) performed in the laboratory are the gold standard for pathogen detection due to single copy sensitivity, and could be a useful tool for widespread diagnostics in a global health setting. Unfortunately these assays tend to be expensive and complex, but new developments in isothermal NAATs will allow for cheaper, simpler diagnostics to be possible. Another problem is that current NAATs require a preparation step of cell lysis to release DNA, which traditionally requires bench top equipment or harsh chemicals that can interfere with the assay. My research addresses this barrier in the diagnostic ability of NAATs through development of a low-cost, cell phone based point-of-care device capable of efficiently lysing cells in through mechanical agitation. By placing a sample tube with beads and a magnet into a coil of wire and using a portable audio device to play an audio signal that feeds power through said coil, the alternating magnetic field produced in the coil spins the magnet and agitates the beads. The spinning of the magnet also produces an alternating magnetic field of its own that can be used as real-time feedback. Thus far, experiment results have had moderate variability, potentially because they are carried out with a live model organism, Staphylococcus Epidermidis: a common and moderately difficult pathogen to lyse. Conventional NAATs are used to measure success of this new methodology, and results so far have shown up to 60% efficiency from the experimental device compared to a bench top standard. This device may also be capable of DNA shearing, where larger DNA strands are broken into smaller pieces, but more research is needed to confirm and quantify the process. Additional research will also look into developing a theoretical model for lysis, isolating potential sources of variability, and reducing negative control background noise.

Unreliable freeway travel times are a growing source of frustration for drivers in metropolitan areas. Where factors prohibit the average travel times from being reduced, policy goals have shifted towards increasing reliability. Increasing reliability will allow drivers to budget their time more efficiently by reducing uncertainty. In order to characterize travel time reliability for a given roadway, research efforts are made to identify factors that cause variability in travel times and quantify their relative impacts. The factors studied include typical congestion patterns, roadway incident types and durations, and adverse weather conditions. These factors were chosen because typical congestion patterns may vary travel times over the course of a given day, while incidents and adverse weather conditions can make travel times at a given time of day difficult to predict. In order to measure the impact of these factors on reliability, this study calculated travel times using measurements from loop detectors embedded in roadways roughly every half a mile. Then, the calculated travel times were tagged with incident and weather data from existing databases, and with values for typical congestion based on the time of day. Finally, the travel time distribution for each set of conditions was determined to calculate their relative contributions to unreliability. Findings revealed that travel time reliability is the lowest during the most congested times of day, and that weather tends to decrease reliability more than incidents. In testing parallel corridors on I-5 and I-405 from Tukwila, WA to Lynnwood, WA, the study indicated that despite its higher capacity, I-5 is generally less reliable than I-405. Findings of this study will help transportation agencies identify solutions to improve travel time reliability on urban freeways.

Today, approximately 13% of the world's population is affected by chronic kidney disease, with kidney transplantation being the only functional restorative treatment. However, the significant shortage of donor kidneys leaves 100,000 Americans with limited treatment options. My project seeks a solution to generate proper human kidney extracellular matrices through decellularization and subsequent recellularization to recreate functional kidney peritubular filtration unit for the application toward therapeutic development. The efficacies of cellular material removal using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and Triton X-100 were evaluated on porcine kidney sections. SDS solution showed better cellular removal and matrix preservation. To optimize organ decellularization protocol, decellularizations on organ porcine kidneys were performed using a pumping system that perfused SDS into the renal arteries of the kidneys. Decellularized organs retained intact microarchitecture and the essential extracellular matrix components such as laminin, fibronectin, and collagen IV. Future work will be focused on human kidney organ decellularization using the protocol previously developed and decellularized scaffolds repopulation, testing the cellularity and regenerated kidney functions. If successful, this project will not only lead to recreate human kidney peritubular filtration unit in vitro for toxicity testing and therapeutic development, but also provide insights about how the microenvironment controls the structure and function of the cells and tissues.

Macrophages of our immune system can be broadly classified as pro-inflammatory M1 or anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Imbalance in the ratio of these two phenotypes has been associated with various chronic diseases, suggesting that targeting drugs to specific populations of macrophages may achieve therapeutic benefit. Phage display is one method of identifying peptides that can be used for targeting cell populations. In whole-cell peptide phage display, a library of bacteriophage, in which individual phage display a unique peptide sequence on a coat protein, is applied to target cells. Phages that preferentially bind target cells are isolated, and their peptide sequences can then be obtained by DNA sequencing. Targeting M1 macrophages has possible applications in treating arthritis, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Recently, we identified a novel phage-bound peptide sequence (hM1pep), using phage display, that exhibited selective binding to M1 macrophages. I synthesized the peptide form of hM1pep and evaluated its selectivity of M1 macrophage binding in vitro using flow cytometry; however hM1pep showed insignificant binding. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), a type of M2 macrophage, have been shown to facilitate tumor growth and are associated with decreased survival of cancer patients. Previously, we identified a peptide that preferentially bound to TAMs in mice. We demonstrated that peptide-mediated TAM elimination improved survival in mice, suggesting that an analogous strategy in humans could be a potential cancer therapy adjuvant. In this work, I attempted to identify human M1 and M2 macrophage binding peptides by panning against human M1 and M2 macrophages, while using M2 and M1 macrophages as a subtractive panning step, respectively. Targeting M2 macrophages has potential uses in treating diseases associated with increased tissue levels of M2 macrophages, including cancer, fibrosis, and asthma.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted interests and stereotyped behaviors (DSM-5). Theory suggests that the development of joint attention is part of a social cognitive process that provides a foundation for language acquisition. Joint attention is a strong predictor of language development in children with autism (Mundy, Sigman, Kasari 1990). Through the Seattle Children's SPARCS Study (Studying the Physiology of Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder), we are examining the relation of spatial and feature attention and regulatory control and growth in social communication skills over time in 2 to 4-year-old children with ASD and typical development. Using the Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS), a well-validated measure of early social interaction, joint attention, and behavioral requesting skills, we were able to classify children's behaviors into one of three categories: (1) Joint Attention: the child's use of nonverbal behaviors to share the experience of objects or events with others; (2) Behavioral Requests: the child's use of nonverbal behaviors to elicit aid in obtaining objects or events; (3) and Social Interaction: the capacity of the child to engage in playful, affectively positive turn-taking interactions with others (Mundy 2003). The aim of the current project is to examine how early social communication behaviors are influenced by both chronological and mental age as assessed by standardized measures of language and cognition. Currently we have data on 92 children, with data on 150 expected. Data will be analyzed by comparing groups (ASD versus controls) and ages (2-3year-olds versus 3-4 year-olds). The results of this study will enhance our understanding of factors that contribute to the development of social communication skills in both typical and atypical populations; and may also help to shape our interventions for children with autism.

This study investigated the effects of environmental pollution in Elliott Bay, central Puget Sound, by analyzing the microscopic biota collected from the sediment-water interface, in summer 1998 and 2007. The focus was on Foraminifera, single-cell microorganisms with shells made of calcium carbon or agglutinated sediment.  Many Foraminifera are sensitive to changes in the physical parameters of their environment and thus, they can be good indicators of pollution. Elliott Bay is surrounded by the city of Seattle with its large maritime industrial presence. City development and economic growth near Elliott Bay led to a focus on environmental concerns. On the southern shoreline of the Bay there are many heavy industries and Federal Superfund sites that had discharged large amounts of industrial pollution from the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay. In our study, sediment samples collected by the Washington State Department of Ecology were processed and the assemblage of Foraminifera species were obtained from  each of 16 samples. The species composition, species richness and density (number of individuals per sample) for each sample were analyzed.  Using this data, comparisons were made between those samples collected in 1998 and those collected from exactly the same sites in 2007. The results show that there are 12 different species found in the Bay, and the assemblages are dominated by the species Elphidiella hannai, Haplophragmoides planissimum, and the pollution-tolerant Eggerella advena. Large population of Eggerella advena in Elliott Bay, and the exclusion of other less tolerant species, indicates a physically stressed environment. By comparing foraminiferal assemblages from Elliott Bay with samples from less anthropogenically impacted locations within the Puget Sound, we can assess the degree of environmental damage to Elliott Bay.

Vascular calcification, the accumulation of calcium-phosphate salts in blood vessels, is a common complication associated with atherosclerosis and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We have shown that reprogramming of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into osteochondrogenic cells is important in T2DM vascular calcification, and endothelin-1 (ET1) and its type A receptor (ETA) were found in the reprogrammed SMCs. Along with the in vitro study that showed a substantial inhibition of the high glucose-induced SMC calcification upon ETA antagonism, we hypothesize that signaling through ET1 and ETA may play an important role in ectopic calcification of atherosclerotic blood vessels of T2DM. To test this hypothesis, we fed low-density-lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLr-/-) mice with a customized diet for 18-24 weeks to induce T2DM, atherosclerosis, and vascular calcification. Upon 5 weeks diet fed, LDLr-/- mice developed hyperglycemia with no detectable atherosclerosis and vascular cartilaginous metaplasia and calcification. Half of these mice were then treated with an ETA antagonist, atrasentan, to inhibit ET1-ETA signaling. Mice were terminated at 18 weeks under the diet for histological analysis and 24 weeks under the diet for quantification of vascular calcification. We found that atrasentan significantly reduced fasted blood glucose levels of the T2DM mice but not affecting their body weight. Surprisingly, quantitative analysis showed no difference of calcium amounts in aortic arches between the treated and untreated groups. We are currently in the process of analyzing the lesion sizes of atherosclerosis, cartilaginous metaplasia and calcification of 18-week diet-fed mice via morphometric analysis to determine whether atrasentan affects vascular calcification at an earlier time point and whether vascular calcification is correlated with atherosclerotic lesion size. Finally, our finding of ETA antagonism in the control of hyperglycemia provides a new therapeutic role of atrasentan in improving T2DM, which may be beneficial in alleviating the hyperglycemia-related complication.

This paper exanimates how the contribution of education to individual’s earning changes under economic recession. Previous economists have established the Employer Learning Model, which demonstrates that the relation between education and earning is strong at the start of one’s career but weakened through time. This paper compares this relation between education and earning during recession and non-recession periods. The study is based on the cross-sectional data from National Longitudinal Surveys that include comprehensive information about individuals’ working and educational experience. The study applies a difference in means test that builds upon a regression of individual’s education, ability (estimated by AFQT score) and years of working experience on earning. By comparing the difference in causal effects between recession and non-recession periods, this paper shows that under recession the impact of education on earning is weaker at the beginning of one’s career and diminishes faster through time. The result suggests that in economic downturn, the signal factors such as years of schooling, race and gender have less impact on individuals’ earnings. Individual’s true ability is revealed faster too. One of explanations of this result that the paper discussed is that under recession, firms have more incentives to observe employee’s productivity actively and efficiently both before and after hiring. Other inferences of the result are also included in the paper.

Thaumarchaeota are widespread in marine and terrestrial environments. Many of them are thought to carry genes coding for a putative ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), suggesting a capacity for ammonia oxidation. However, strong evidence from isotopic studies and molecular surveys, as well as direct physiological characterization shows some populations of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) have a capacity to use alternative fixed carbon for biosynthesis, and suggests their mixotrophic lifestyle. In this study, we investigate the influence of organic substrates on growth and activity of the only two available isolated representatives of marine AOA, Nitrosopumilus maritimus strain SCM1 and strain HCA1. The certain intermediates of the TCA cycle are supplemented into AOA pure cultures, and the growth response of each strain to different organic substrates are monitored by measuring nitrite production and cell counts. The calculated specific growth rate, doubling time and specific cell yields are compared between organic carbon amended cultures and organic carbon-free controls. The SCM1 and HCA1 growth rate and cell yield were greater in cultures supplemented with alpha ketoglutaric acid (from 93.4 to 112.6 x 1012 cells mol-1 NH4+ for SCM1, and no growth to 80.8 x 1012 cells mol-1 NH4+ for HCA1), which suggest that marine AOA may prefer a mixotrophic lifestyle. This data expands our knowledge of thaumarchaeal metabolic capabilities and can provide information on the competition between AOA and other microbial groups to improve our understanding of microbial ecology.