Nanoparticle delivery to specific locations within the brain requires the ability to control transport properties of the nanoparticle platform. Neurological injury or disease is not generally limited to one location or one cell type. A therapeutic or diagnostic platform must have the ability to move from the point of access in the brain to diffuse disease-related cells. Nanoparticles with no electrostatic, hydrophobic, or hydrogen bonding interactions within the brain microenvironment are classified as brain-penetrating. These brain-penetrating nanoparticles (BPN) can determine the steric limitations of nanoparticle transport within the brain microenvironment, and can characterize microrheological properties of the brain extracellular space. Therefore, adequate characterization of nanoparticle physicochemical properties in physiologically relevant solutions is critical to understanding nanoparticle behavior within the brain microenvironment. Here, we developed a methodology to assay nanoparticle size, surface charge, and polydispersity in the presence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the primary medium that nanoparticles are exposed to in the brain. Typically nanoparticles are characterized in low concentration salt solutions (i.e 10mM NaCl) or in serum, which does not contain any unbound divalent ions, unlike CSF. We demonstrated that the hydrodynamic diameter measured in CSF is 10-20 nm larger than that measured in NaCl or serum, and that surface charge is more negative in CSF. In addition, we saw a decrease in nanoparticle stability in CSF compared to NaCl or serum. This methodology for characterization of nanoparticles in CSF, with comparison to literature standards, will be useful in determining critical nanoparticle physicochemical properties for brain penetration in the presence of brain microenvironment mediums like CSF.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) can establish a persistent infection in epithelial cells through its ability to evade immune detection. HR HPV type E6 is an oncogenic protein that is known to downregulate the innate immune response in human keratinocytes. Previous studies have shown that NFX1-123, an endogenously expressed epithelial protein, acts as a novel binding a partner for HR HPV type 16 E6 (16E6). We examined whether or not NFX1-123 also plays a role in the repression of the innate immune response in human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) transduced with HR HPV type 16E6. By stimulating the immune response with Poly(I:C) or double stranded DNA in HFKs, cells with overexpressed levels of NFX1-123 (FWT), and cells with endogenous levels of NFX1-123 (LXSN), we demonstrated that stimulation occurs both at the RNA and protein levels. We found, however, that the immune response of 16E6 HFKs with overexpressed levels of NFX1-123 were more downregulated than those with endogenous levels, confirming the protein’s association with 16E6 in the repression of the innate immune response. By understanding the roles of 16E6 and NFX1-123, we will further understand how together they cause a persistent infection, which can ultimately lead to cancer.

Human stool sample collection is a non-invasive method of assessing the gut microbiome. Rapid changes in microbial composition upon defecation limit the use of fresh stool for microbial community analysis. This investigation tests the effects of stool sample storage and shipment conditions on bacterial DNA quality and microbial community structure to establish and validate a methodology for stool collection in human population-based studies. The goal is to establish a protocol that minimizes bias due to shipping conditions. Fresh stool samples were collected from three participants, homogenized, and aliquoted with or without a preservative (RNALater) within 48 hours of collection. To mimic sample transport conditions, we incubated samples from three individuals under the following conditions: -80°C without RNALater, 37°C, 22°C, 4°C, -80°C -5°C, or frozen samples packed in ice left at 22°C for 48 hours. Samples were then stored at -80°C for 48 hours after which fecal DNA was extracted. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V1-V3 region (Illumina Mi-seq) to measure the community composition. Multivariate analysis was used to test the effect of sample storage and shipping regime on the microbiome. On average, the phylum level distribution was 76% Firmicutes, 20% Bacteroidetes, 3% Actinobacteria, and <1% Lentisphaerae, Tenericutes, and Actinobacteria. A perMANOVA (F=2.25, p< 0.1) showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the phyla due to temperature and handling. Regardless of treatment, samples from each individual clustered together suggesting that between individual variation exceeds any differences due to shipping regimen. Our current protocol for stool collection and preservation shows no significant loss of bacterial DNA quality, nor does it significantly affect microbial community representation and is adequate for investigations on microbiome composition, structure and activity in human studies.

Initially designed by Michelangelo, Santa Maria degli Angeli e Martiri is a Roman Basilica built atop the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian and represents a collaborative relationship between science and religion. The famous meridian line that extends throughout the church was constructed by Francesco Bianchini in order to validate the Gregorian calendar and more specifically, predict the date of Easter. Meridian lines are a variation of a sundial; a hole in the wall of the church that allows an image of the sun to transit the meridian line on the floor. The location of the image corresponds to a particular day of the year, calculated by Bianchini using the geometry of the hole’s placement. Additionally, a second hole in the wall allows light from the North Star to follow a pattern of ellipses at one end of the meridian line and traces the expected long-term path of the star. During a UW study abroad trip under joint-guidance of the Astronomy and Art History departments during Spring quarter 2015, students were able to take physical measurements of the meridian line. Using videos and images of noon solar transit, the accuracy of the meridian line was calculated with respect to predictive models in astronomy, with emphasis on the historical contexts of religion and art. Our inquiry includes quantitative analysis of changes in precession of Polaris, declination of the sun, and obliquity of the ecliptic, over several centuries. Ultimately, this project intends to investigate how the meridian line can provide an insight regarding the longevity and accuracy of scientific models as well as acknowledge the implications of scientific discourse on society, art, and religion.

This research represents the culmination of my fieldwork as an anthropologist and activist in the Seattle counter-trafficking movement.The Seattle anti-trafficking movement is experiencing a transitional moment, as it reemerges from antebellum abolitionism to transform into the standard-bearer for human rights in the 21st century. Though renovated with the human rights vernacular of modern social justice, many of the mythologies found thriving within the global discussion of modern slavery are those of antebellum characters revived and renamed. Grassroots efforts have begun to instigate a culture shift in how we view ‘our role’ as bystanders to these heinous crimes, though the methodologies utilized by counter trafficking activists and volunteers in Seattle have yet to be given serious critique. While productive, it is my observation that some of the tactics utilized by both myself and fellow activists may reflect the nature of a community and culture that demands the commodification of humanitarianism – methodologies requiring by nature the depreciation of the ideal of inalienable human rights. How does this observation help us to define the 21st century abolitionist movement? While the isms of today are often discussed as contours that define and divide us, the people that I have had the privilege of working with over the past three years have found common ground not in faith, methodologies, or even priorities; rather, it has been an earnest desire to do good in addition to merely surviving. It takes great courage to overcome the paralysis triggered by the overwhelming global horrors we are confronted with everyday. I chose here to explore this space between the rhetoric of ethics and the demands of work in the field, focusing both on the trends represented in character mythologies, and how we work to move forward within and despite them.

Protein glutathionylation is a post-translational modification that can take place under mild oxidative stress. It occurs when the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) forms mixed disulfide bridges with low pKa cysteine residues on proteins. This may play a role in reversibly regulating the activity of proteins that have key cysteine residues or protecting those cysteines from further irreversible oxidation if oxidative stress worsens. GSH itself is synthesized in a two-step process, and the rate limiting step is catalyzed by glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), a heterodimer composed of the catalytic subunit (GCLC) and modifier subunit (GCLM). GCLM acts to increase the activity of GCLC. Thus, in the absence of GCLM, GCLC is less efficient in making GSH. We have generated Gclm null mice and these mice have liver GSH levels that are about 10% of normal, resulting in an oxidized thiol redox environment. An important question that has not been answered is whether Gclm null mice have different levels protein glutathionylation than Gclm wild-type mice. The oxidized thiol redox status of Gclm null mice is predicted to increase the level of protein glutathionylation. On the other hand, there may in fact be less protein glutathionylation in Gclm null mice because they have less GSH to begin with and there is a compensatory increase in sulfiredoxin and thioredoxin reductase expression, both of which are known to reverse glutathionylation. Using assays of protein glutathionylation, this project seeks to provide confirmation of the hypothesis that Gclm deficiency results in adaptive regulation of glutathionylation under different degrees of oxidative stress.

Developmental phenotypic plasticity can be a vital means to buffer the sudden and persistent effects of anthropogenic climate change, through facilitation of species persistence and possible facilitation of species range shifts. Integrating our understanding of plastic physiological growth mechanisms with functional traits may prove useful for interpretation of the ecological impacts of climate change. We investigated the influence of water-stress and light limitation on leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf anatomy, and leaf gas exchange of juvenile Populus tremuloides trees. Leaves that developed while water-stressed had significantly elevated LMA, due to increased leaf density from significantly higher spongy mesophyll surface area per leaf area (A_smes/A) and reduced stomatal conductance (g_s) but only marginally reduced photosynthesis (Pmax). In shade, leaves had significantly reduced LMA, due to reduced thickness, density, and combined A_mes/A, but maintained the same A_smes/A, and reduced palisade mesophyll surface area per leaf area (A_pmes/A), which was coupled with a reduction of g_s and P_max. Furthermore, water-stressed leaves had elevated intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE_i: P_max/g_s) while the shaded leaves, despite reduced g_s, maintained similar WUE_i. Our results suggest that, under water-stress and full sunlight, greater A_smes/A conferred maintenance of photosynthetic rate possibly through reduction of mesophyll resistance (r_m), at the cost of reducing expansive leaf area (and increasing density) as leaves were more dense but were 20 % the area of control leaves. In shade, suppressing A_pmes/A while maintaining A_smes/A may be a plastic strategy to increase laminar light capture, as leaves had reduced density and thickness but were still 50 % the area of control leaves . Together, in P. tremuloides saplings, these stresses induced developmental plasticity in LMA with differing plastic underlying anatomy and function; we discuss future implications specifically in the context of developmental plasticity, growth trade-offs, and the ecological impacts of climate change.

Suction feeding is a valuable process to study since most aquatic vertebrates, which make up nearly half of all vertebrates, eat this way. Having a better understanding of this may give important insight into the evolution of vertebrates as a whole. During suction feeding the cranium elevates, causing bending in the vertebral column, resulting in a rotation of the cranium and body plane about an axis of rotation located on the vertebral column. We hypothesized that the vertebral column behaves like a flexible rod and accordingly asked if axial rotation is located more posteriorly with larger degrees of cranial elevation. Using video reconstruction of moving morphology and joint coordinate systems, which use coordinates to measure the 3D motions of bones in a anatomicaly meaningful coordinate space, we compared movement of the cranium in relation to the body in striped surfperch, largemouth bass, and Pacific staghorn sculpin. We found no significant correlation between degree of cranial elevation and location of axial rotation. However, the degree of cranial elevation and location of axial rotation varied among these species in a consistent way. These species’ unique ways of performing these movements could be related to their differences in morphologies.

Despite extensive research on the evolution of adaptation and diversification, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Thus far, studies have shown conflicting results, suggesting that evolution within a particular ecological niche can both constrain or encourage an organism's ability to diversify and access other niches. Further investigation of the processes that generate specialists and generalists may shed further light on the evolutionary forces that drive organisms toward wider or narrower niche space. In order to explore these evolutionary trajectories, I utilize a well-studied experimental system involving distinct phenotypic variants of bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and its naturally associated bacteriophage SBW25Φ2. By evolving Φ2 on different, but closely related hosts, and comparing phage fitnesses in native and foreign environments (hosts), I plan to elucidate the effects of adaptation on the creation of specialists and generalists. Pilot experiments suggest that the bacterial hosts currently being used may not be different enough to produce a discernable effect. However, by using hosts with more distinct characteristics, I expect to find evolutionary tendencies towards specialization in fixed environments/hosts. The results of this project will contribute toward the knowledge of mechanisms adaptation and diversification, and more specifically, the evolutionary dynamics between hosts and parasites.

This study investigates the effects of anthropogenic pollution and mitigation efforts in Elliot Bay, Puget Sound, by analyzing the relationships between pollutants and benthic foraminiferal assemblages from 1998, 2007 and 2013. Foraminifera are single-celled microorganisms, which are typically encased within secreted shells (tests) comprised of either calcium carbonate (calcareous) or cemented sediment grains (agglutinated). Foraminifera are commonly found in marine environments and are a valuable tool for monitoring environmental conditions of the past and present. Elliot Bay has an extensive history of pollution, beginning with the European settlers establishing lumber mills in the 1850’s, and continues to have many industrial and recreational sources of pollution today. For this study, a total of 45 samples collected by the Washington State Department of Ecology in 1998, 2007 and 2013 were analyzed to identify any changes or trends in foraminiferal assemblages. From these samples, 21 species were recovered and identified, most of which are stress-tolerant species found in estuaries around the world. Some species are more tolerant of pollution and stress, and so have been more informative of the environmental conditions in Elliott Bay. For example, the agglutinate species Eggerella advena, found abundantly in some 2013 samples, is an opportunistic colonizer of industrial and sewage outfalls. In addition, the calcareous species Buliminella elegantissima and Cribroelphidium excavatum, also widely present in the bay, are tolerant of low oxygen environments. Correlations of species density and diversity with heavy metals such as copper, zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury result in a better understanding of the impacts of pollution and mitigation in Elliott Bay.

This project focused on redesigning the application and related sites for mPOWEr, a research project building a mobile post-operative wound evaluator to reduce surgical site infections. The redesign of the application’s overall aesthetic focused on improving usability and creating a more cohesive look. One of the major tasks in redesign was reimagining the patient-facing site. After brainstorming and interacting with the initial patient site, I realized the necessity of a distinct, categorized system for the website instead of a primarily single-document layout. I created basic wireframes, which turned into higher-fidelity prototypes, and eventually culminated in coding the live site. Through group critique, feedback, and continued iterations, the patient-site went through the steps of creative problem-solving to construct a cohesive identity for mPOWEr and provide compelling visuals that match the group’s purposes. After creating a new identity for the patient-facing site, similar design can be applied to the application itself, as well as other of marketing materials, to build cohesive aesthetic and distinctive design across all elements of the project.

Matrix-Associated Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a high-throughput instrument with the ability to provide rapid and accurate identification of organisms in the microbial clinical setting. This powerful instrument has greatly impacted patient care in the recent decade. It has provided physicians the identification of organisms within a shorter time frame enabling more appropriate antibiotic treatments. With a newly implemented MALDI-TOF MS system at Virginia Mason Medical Center, it was necessary to validate the claim from the Bruker MALDI Biotyper CA System® against FDA cleared library list of organisms was indeed accurate. Fifteen anaerobic and twenty-three yeast isolates were selected in order to validate the instrument’s ability to identify organisms in the claim. These organisms were plated on media best suited for their growth and were incubated at 24 hour, 48 hour, and 24-hour sub culture to validate colony age, viability, and reproducibility. The purpose of this study was to validate the performance of the Bruker MALDI Biotyper CA System® on previously sequenced strains of yeasts and anaerobes, and to reliably perform testing on these frequently isolated organisms. Of the 15 different anaerobic isolates, MALDI-TOF was able to yield an accuracy of 86.7% using direct transfer methods. On the other hand, of the 23 different yeast isolates, the instrument yielded an accuracy of 87.0% with the misidentification of only one yeast isolate, which was possibly due to the resemblance to its closely related family. The validation of yeasts and anaerobes was proven to provide accurate identification to the species level with a vast number of isolates. MALDI-TOF MS has now been proven as a powerful method to be utilized in the clinical setting in order to accurately identify pathogenic organisms from patient isolates with this high-throughput instrument.

Greek heroes have found their place in literature and art for thousands of years, each coming with their own complicated and thrilling series of stories that capture the imagination. For the average contemporary person, they are children’s stories and fiction, but for the Greeks, heroes represented so much more. They were religious figures, who received cults all over the Greek world, they were sources of entertainment and education, and they were a reflection of Greek ideas on humanity and the place of mortals in the world. It is important to look at heroes not only as individuals but also in comparison to others found elsewhere in myth, and my project is focused on particular heroes who form father-son pairs. Working with ancient texts, as well as secondary authors such as Nagy, Burkert, and Rohde, I will further examine the role of heroes in Greek myth through the relationship between fathers and sons, such as Tydeus and Diomedes or Agamemnon and Orestes. By exploring how these different pairs interact with each other in terms of their characteristics, deeds, and their fate after death, we can see an interesting interplay of different heroic attributes being carefully woven into both father and son so that one complements the other. This complementarity shows another more subtle facet of the already complex Greek hero, one that helps us better understand the full importance of heroic characters and their links to one another in myth, cult, and in Greek thought.

 There have been major advancements in the use of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in military, medical, and educational applications. However, it is not well understood how representations of spatial memory are encoded by the bi-modal, visual and audio sensory stimulation inherent to VR interactions. Previous studies have identified the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex as structures involved in the formation of spatial memory. Because Alzheimer’s pathology affects these medial temporal structures and is characterized by deficits in memory, spatiotemporal reasoning, and route finding, better understanding of spatial representations in medial temporal areas would help create VR with potentially therapeutic effects in patients with memory deficits. Using VR, non-human primates will utilize a joystick to move a first-person avatar and perform a foraging task wherein they must collect virtual objects to obtain food rewards. We hypothesize that monkeys will use a demonstrable strategy to optimize behavior in our VR task and propose experiments and computational methods to identify unique strategies wherein memory and route planning are being used. Preliminary results indicate that the three monkeys fully trained on this task utilize unique strategies to obtain food rewards. Furthermore, the evolution of individual strategies over the training period suggests that memory and other factors may play a role in route planning. Corresponding and ongoing research is aimed at identifying neural representations of complex spaces and encoded memory and planning elicited by our task.

 Protein aggregation is implicated in many human diseases. For example, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the misfolding of the amyloid beta (abeta) protein that disrupts cellular function by accumulating into fibrils with a characteristic cross-beta sheet structure. A wide variety of computational, sequence based tools are available to predict amyloidogenic “hot spots”; the regions in proteins that cause the formation of these toxic aggregates. Recently we have performed a comprehensive mutational analysis of abeta using a high throughput method termed Deep Mutational Scanning (DMS). Four hundred and fifty abeta variants were simultaneously assayed for solubility. An aggregation score that reflects the effect on the aggregation propensity of abeta was calculated for each variant. Using these data as a gold standard, we benchmarked aggregation prediction tools and assessed the ability of each algorithm to accurately predict aggregation. In particular, we were interested in identifying methodological weaknesses in these tools and then determining how to improve aggregation propensity prediction. I measured the correlation between several tools’ aggregation predictions for abeta single mutants with the measured aggregation scores. My initial analysis revealed that these tools are often insensitive and over-predict amyloidogenic regions, indicating an opportunity to improve these methods. Having comprehensively measured the relationship between abeta sequence and aggregation propensity, we are now in a position to assess and improve current aggregation prediction tools. Improving our ability to predict this critical process will enhance our understanding of diseases of protein aggregation.

Cold seeps, like Southern Hydrate Ridge (SHR) on the Cascadia margin, are ubiquitous features along continental margins where fluids discharge from the seafloor into the water column. The chemical composition of fluid expelled at seep sites is distinct from the surrounding seawater due to sub-seafloor fluid-rock reactions and biological activity. This altered fluid is important in driving biogeochemical processes that allow diverse biological communities to thrive in these environments. Previous short-term fluid flow studies at SHR and other seep systems have observed upward flow of altered fluids concentrated in regions of bacterial mats and downward flow of seawater-like fluids in regions of vesicomyid clams. To investigate longer-term variability in the magnitude and direction of fluid flow at SHR, three continuous-measurement flowmeter/chemical samplers (MOSQUITOs) were deployed in bacterial mats to measure fluid flow rates and solute fluxes. The MOSQUITO continuously monitors three-dimensional fluid flow rates within the upper 50 cm of the sediments by injecting a point source of non-reactive tracer dye and measuring its concentration at various distances away from the point-source injection. The fluid time-series record at each depth was sampled at 4-day resolution, and from these samples, tracer concentrations were analyzed using fluorescence spectrophotometry. This two-year continuous record of fluid flow shows that the flow rate at SHR is temporally and spatially variable, however there is an annual trend of ~20-40 cm/yr of downward fluid flow in regions of bacterial mats. Chloride and sulfate concentration profiles will also be determined from MOSQUITO subsamples in order to examine their fluxes across the sediment-water interface, potential methane hydrate dynamics, and other sources of fluid. This net downward transport of seawater circulation is more constant than previously recognized, it likely plays an important role in controlling the distribution of benthic biological communities, and could be important in marine biogeochemical cycles. 

Norovirus is one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in the world. Although the virus affects multiple populations, from passengers on cruise ships to communities lacking efficient water sanitation systems, a safe and effective vaccine is still under development. However, progress has been made in our understanding of how the body clears norovirus infection. We now understand that interferon lambda (IFNL) is associated with viral clearance in murine models by activating the JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway and inducing transcription of anti-viral genes. With this information, our current project seeks to implement a novel treatment method by using bacteria which secrete IFNL3 to cure the viral infection. We plan to use Lactococcus lactis, a probiotic, as a delivery vehicle for secreting IFNL3. We designed a plasmid construct containing a L. lactis specific promoter that secretes a codon-optimized IFNL3. Currently, cloning and transformation processes to introduce the IFNL3 gene into L. lactis are being optimized. We will then test the functional activity of IFNL3 secreted by L. lactis by incubating these bacteria on macrophage and gut epithelial cell lines infected with norovirus. These initial studies will lead to experiments in murine norovirus models. This treatment method will demonstrate the potential of innovative therapies against infectious diseases and is expected to be beneficial for its low-cost and easy administration.

 For a nanoparticle to efficiently penetrate within the brain microenvironment, it must avoid any steric limitation it would experience as it moves between cells, vessels, and extracellular matrix (ECM) components. The particle must avoid any adhesive interactions, via hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, or electrostatic interactions between the particle surface and a cell membrane, protein, or ECM component. Steric limitations are influenced by the brain’s volume fraction and the tortuosity. To maximize diffusion within the brain, it is important to have a bio-inert particle that will avoid adhesive interactions to accurately assess the steric limitations that occur due to changes in volume fraction and tortuosity. However, nanoparticles in the brain microenvironment are exposed to a 300 mM ion concentration in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), which contains multiple divalent cations. Using dynamic light scattering, we sought to characterize nanoparticle size and surface charge in the presence of CSF as a function of particle size, surface chemistry, and exposure time. We demonstrate that the presence of these divalent cations can disrupt the electrostatic double layers that provide nanoparticle stability and prevent nanoparticle aggregation in the brain. Our results demonstrate that within one hour after exposure to physiological CSF, nanoparticles that are electrostatically stabilized begin to aggregate, increasing in hydrodynamic size and polydispersity. Nanoparticles that are sterically stabilized (i.e with polyethylene glycol) aggregated in the presence of CSF, but on a much slower time scale. This aggregation behavior may be one reason why nanoparticles that are otherwise stable tend to aggregate, and therefore do not penetrate, once in the brain microenvironment. Characterizing nanoparticle behavior in the brain can have significant implications for nanoparticle design for drug delivery to brain diseases.

The period of time before, during, and after birth (the perinatal period) is associated with the greatest risk of permanent brain injury, due in large part to perinatal asphyxia, where newborn infants suffer lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Unfortunately, perinatal asphyxia, which can cause a hypoxic-ischemic insult (HI), is difficult to prevent or predict, and rates of perinatal asphyxia have remained around 2-4 per 1,000 live births, despite excellent obstetric care. Currently, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the only treatment that has been shown to provide robust improvement in newborns after moderate or severe perinatal asphyxia. Unfortunately, TH is not universally neuroprotective, and more effective therapeutic methods are necessary to reduce mortality and lead to symptom free survival of newborns with brain injury. In this study, we develop a curcumin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticle for treatment of newborn HI. Currently, we are synthesizing the nanoparticles and doing characterization tests to determine if certain parameters are within the desired ranges. After this procedure, we will continue on and measure the drug loading and release of the nanoparticle. The results of this study are important because this nanoparticle has the ability to achieve high loading, sustained release of curcumin, and rapid diffusion within the brain microenvironment. Curcumin has recently been shown to prevent reduction of omega 3 fatty acids, which are critical to brain function and recovery after injury, particularly in the newborn brain after an HI event. Enhanced delivery of curcumin to the brain via a nanoparticle platform can have significant implications for treatment of HI in the newborn brain.

The purpose of this quality improvement study is to determine if hospital protocols regarding central line disinfection techniques are being followed. A central line is an intravenous access with a catheter leading directly to the heart, and is more permanent than a standard peripheral intravenous line. Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a serious concern within patient care settings. Improper central line maintenance techniques contribute to CLABSI incidence, which leads to significantly increased patient health burden, length of hospital stay, medical costs, and mortality risk. Observations will be performed in four intensive care units at a metropolitan level one trauma hospital in the greater Seattle area. Patients with central lines will be identified on observation days. The number of opportunities for central line lumen caps to be covered by an alcohol-impregnated cap versus the number of caps that are actually covered will be counted. Number of opportunities are identified as being: unused lumen of central line, any unused or used peripheral IV, and side ports of tubing connected to central line or peripheral IV, per institution policy. Moreover, if a RN accesses a line during observation, disinfection techniques will be observed and compared to institution policy. We anticipate our results to show a 50% compliance rate with the protocol we are observing. We also anticipate that a lack of knowledge on the protocol will play a role in this, as evidenced by nurses asking questions during our observations. It is the hope of this study to identify if disinfection practices are in compliance with central line maintenance care protocols. If not, then further interventions can be developed and put into place to increase compliance and aid further in the reduction of CLABSI.

Nationally, twenty-two percent of discharged heart failure patients are readmitted within 30 days. Readmission places the patient at increased risk for complications and has financial repercussions for the hospital due to Medicare penalties under the Affordable Care Act. Previous studies indicate a multi-level approach to the discharge process—including discharge protocols, patient education, and supported transition to home or care facility—reduces readmission rates. Teach-Back is one approach to patient education that includes an assessment of patient learning about self-care, allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding to their nurse or other healthcare professional. The purpose of this study was to understand the nurses’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers to using Teach-Back during discharge. A Quality Improvement survey was distributed to approximately 1100 nurses at University of Washington Medical Center with a 28% response rate. Nurses indicated that primary barriers to using Teach-Back were increased time requirements (58%), burden of documentation requirements (52%) and lack of knowledge on how to perform Teach-Back (36%). Preliminary content analysis of two open ended questions related to Teach-Back integration and implementation identified four themes: efficiency, support, checklists and training. We interpreted these results to suggest that increasing demands on nurses’ time requires efficiencies in other areas to rebalance the workload. Recommendations include a more efficient system of prompts and documentation of Teach-Back. In-service training should be carried out first on units with the lowest rates of Teach-Back. Additionally, we recommend streamlining discharge documentation in the electronic medical records with the aim of time reduction by way of fewer screens and fewer clicks. One limitation of this study is non-respondent bias; since we do not know why 72% of nurses did not respond, we cannot rule out the possibility that the shortage may have been due to lack of confidence with Teach-Back.

The cultivation of tomatoes is currently a 58 billion dollar industry worldwide. Over the past few years, tomato plants have been subjected to more severe and abrupt climatic fluctuations than ever before. In-depth understanding of the tomato leaf anatomy and physiology can have significant consequences in agriculture. Fluxes (fluid flow rate) in leaf water and sugar-conducting tissues, xylem and phloem, are challenging to visualize in real time. It is important to attempt this measurement using intact leaves as excision interrupts control of normal flow paths. The possibility that vein density and flux influence photosynthetic rate is being investigated here.  Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality that performs high-resolution cross-sectional imaging, allowing to visualize the structure and motion in biological samples in 3D.  In this study, we have used a state-of-the-art OCT system with 7 μm resolution, operating at 1300 nm wavelength, to investigate leaf structure, venation and vein flow in live tomato leaves for the first time. The low intensity imaging beam (3 mW) is in the near IR spectral region and imaging is performed at high speed (4 ms/frame) hence, does not interfere with the leaf’s natural physiological processes. We have used Rutgers’ tomatoes for this study. To improve the image contrast in the leaf veins, we are investigating using dye and lipid particles to be taken up by the leaves