Table of Contents - UROP

Transcription

Abstracts
Individual Projects
ProfileGrids: New Visual Representation of Multiple
Sequence Alignments
Aaron Abajian
Mentor: Alberto Roca
Comparative macromolecular nanoanatomy and phylogenetic studies depend on multiple sequence alignments, but
the existing stacked-sequence representation proves cumbersome for the large number of homologs present in
modern genome sequences. We introduce ProfileGrids, a
new graphical, tabular representation of multiple alignments. JProfileGrid is a Java implementation that combines the tasks of examining amino/nucleic acid
frequencies across an entire MSA, identifying conserved
motif regions and comparing species-specific residues
against a sequence family. JProfileGrid provides additional
features for organizing residues according to established
constants and for visualizing trends in the multiple alignments.
“War for a Placket”: Montaigne’s Skepticism and
Shakespeare’s Troy
Sarah Abegglen
Mentor: Victoria Silver
In his Essais, Michel de Montaigne argues that humanity
rarely achieves its vision of the ideal, and instead defines
the ideal downwards to suit its own enormous selfregard—the narcissism of the species that has “no other
criterion of truth or right-reason than the example and
form of the opinions and customs of our own country,”
where we “always find the perfect religion, the perfect polity, the most developed and perfect way of doing anything.” What we do is ideal; what others do is barbarous,
and we call ideal anything that allows for our own selfaggrandizement and the deprecation of others. In short, we
share nothing more than the mere words “right,” “wrong,”
“good,” “bad,” “honorable,” and “dishonorable,” for human solipsism deprives them of any common meaning and
value. It is this incorrigible solipsism that Shakespeare enacts in Troilus and Cressida—the play that, besides King Lear
and The Tempest, most reflects his probable familiarity with
Montaigne’s Essais—whose skeptical parody of the “Troy”
myth effectively deprives western culture of its heroic
ideal.
Mitochondrial Function and Antioxidant Defenses in
Rhodiola rosea Fed Fruit Flies
Ani Abrahamyan
Mentor: Mahtab Jafari
Rhodiola rosea is an herbal extract that has been recently
shown to increase the life span of the fruit fly, Drosophila
melanogaster. Its mode of action is not known, and the aim
of this study is to determine if R. rosea extract extends life
span through the modulation of mitochondrial function
and/or antioxidant defenses. Mitochondrial free radicals
are thought to be one of the primary determinants of life
span, and mitochondria are increasingly implicated in agerelated diseases. Mitochondrial respiration was analyzed in
young flies and two groups of aged flies: control and
drugged. Respiration decreased significantly in the older
flies; however, there was no difference between the control
and drug groups. Furthermore, there was no significant
difference between the drug and control groups in the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase. Additionally, there was no change in aconitase enzyme
activity, which was used as a marker for mitochondrial
oxidative damage. Thus, there is no evidence supporting a
role for R. rosea as an antioxidant, or as a modulator of mitochondrial function.
The Effect of Music on Fecundity in Drosophila
melanogaster
Omar Abuzaineh
Over the past century, music has been used in hospitals,
research facilities, and classrooms to link positive elements
in the sounds to beneficial physiological and cognitive responses in the subjects. Because Drosophila auditory and
metabolic pathways are similar to those of humans, Drosophila is an excellent model organism to provide physiological implications for humans. We examined the effect of
noise pollution and classical music on fecundity in Drosophila melanogaster. A fecundity assay was conducted in sound
boxes to observe any physiological response fruit flies have
to classical music or random noise, and comparing these
results to an untreated control group. The results show
that classical music does show significance in increasing
fecundity compared to the control group. The results of
the random noise group proved to be no different than
with the untreated control group. These results can prove
to be helpful in observing future studies with music therapy on fruit flies.
Undergraduate Research: From Discovery to Application
Crystals and Compounds: Understanding an Important Acyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunit in Mycobacterium
tuberculosis
Shushmita Ahmed
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
Tuberculosis is the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. In the wake of emerging drug resistant strains, it has
become crucial to find new drug therapies to replace the
current inefficient ones. M. tuberculosis’ survival and virulence are in part due to the long fatty acids found on the
cell wall, making the cell resistant to desiccation, alcohol
and macrophages. Experiments suggest that the b subunits
of acyl-CoA carboxylases play a key role in providing extender units for fatty acid synthesis. Our study aims to
characterize these enzymes and discover potential inhibitors for development into future anti-tuberculosis therapies. Our research focused on the AccD5 subunit and its
activity in the presence of six inhibitors. Successful inhibitors were co-crystallized with the enzyme in hopes of solving the structure and understanding the mechanisms of
interaction between enzyme and inhibitor. Although our
data was inconclusive of the interaction between an inhibitor and enzyme, we have laid the preliminary steps for the
future designs of efficient TB drugs.
Comfort Women: Transnational Activism and Global
Norms
Motunrayo Akinmurele
Mentor: Claire Kim
Why has the Japanese government been more responsive
to the Comfort Women’s Movement than to other movements or redress efforts relating to its war crimes during
World War II? To answer this question, this article looks at
and analyzes the Japanese government’s actions and reactions to the various WWII redress movements. Focusing
primarily on the Comfort Women’s Movement (CWM)
and the Rape of Nanjing Redress Movement, I hypothesize
that Japan’s (relative) responsiveness to the CWM is attributed to the fact that the CWM is framed around women’s
issues of violence against women (in war times) and
women’s human rights. Women’s issues streamlined into
the global stage in the late 1980s, thus producing a new
post-Cold War global norm that forced/impacted nationstates like Japan to adopt issues on women’s human rights
and the violence committed against women. This paper
looks at the ways in which global norms impact local actions and legislations in order to understand Japan’s responsiveness to the CWM.
Does High Trait Hostility Correlate to Diets High in
Protein and Low in Carbohydrate for Young Adult
Males?
Rose Alapat
Mentor: Larry Jamner
Trait hostility has been associated with increased risk for
cardiovascular disease. Studies have linked short-term induced tryptophan depletion to increased aggression in hostile males. However, there have been no published studies
examining whether high hostile males tend to select high
protein and/or low carbohydrate diets that limit the
bioavailability of tryptophan in the central nervous system.
We hypothesized that trait hostility would be associated
with greater protein consumption and less carbohydrate
consumption. Participants were administered the CookMedley Scale to determine trait hostility. For four days,
nine participants recorded their diets into electronic diaries.
Consistent with the hypothesis, a marginally significant
negative correlation was found between hostility and carbohydrate consumption (r = -0.615; p = 0.078). Yet, the
data did not support the predicted association between
hostility and protein consumption. In exploratory analyses,
fat consumption among hostile and non-hostile participants was investigated. A significant positive correlation
was found between Cook-Medley scores and fat consumption (r = 0.665; p = 0.050). In addition, hostile and nonhostile males significantly differed with respect to carbohydrate to fat ratios, in that hostile men consumed more
fat relative to carbohydrates when compared to non-hostile
men (Fisher’s exact test p=.048). These results indicate
that trait hostility in men is related to increased fat and
decreased carbohydrate consumption. While no evidence
of higher protein consumption in hostile males was observed, the small sample size may have limited power to
detect this effect. Future research is needed to determine if
dietary intervention can be used to reduce trait hostility.
Characterization of Biomimetic Microfluidic-Based
Tactile Sensors to Be Used in Advanced Prosthetic
Arm
Geethika Alapati
Mentor: Abraham Lee
A novel biomimetic microfluidic-based tactile sensor has
been developed and tested for application in the advanced
prosthetic arm. The voltage output (sensitivity to force) of
single array Merkel sensor devices upon mechanical stimulation with a force gauge was recorded using a multimeter.
Under uniaxial loading conditions, as predicted, these devices were found to behave in the same fashion as the slow
adapting mechanoreceptors of the human hand. The working dynamic range of these sensors is from 0–2 Newton.
The loading and unloading curves of the device displayed
hysteresis due to the non-linear viscoelastic nature of these
devices, which is typical of bioviscoelastic soft tissues. Pre-
Fifteenth Annual UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium
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sent prosthetic arms worn by amputees can be thought of
as completely separate entities that help perform only a
few tasks such as lifting and holding objects. There is no
scope for the sensation of touch or feel. With only 2 or 3
degrees of freedom compared to the 23 degrees of freedom of the real arm, the prosthesis most times fails to
carry out functions such as holding objects firmly, moving
things around, and tasks such as typing. Designing upper
extremity prosthesis that can sense touch, apply various
force ranges, and perform other functions mimicking the
actual hand is the goal of a few ambitious people all
around the world. The tactile sensors that have been fabricated provide a solution to problems that amputees face,
giving them a more meaningful life.
California’s Failed Attempts at Physician-Assisted
Euthanasia Legislation
Matthew Alecock
Mentor: John Dombrink
Physician-assisted euthanasia legislation has emerged in
California during the current and previous legislative sessions as an Assembly Bill titled “The Compassionate
Choices Act.” Such legislation would seem to be responding to a 2006 Field Poll, wherein it was reported that 70%
of Californians support physician-assisted euthanasia. With
electorate majority support and a broad, bi-caucus coalition
of Assemblymembers and Senators, the CCCA was legislation that was reasonably expected to succeed. The bill introduced in the first legislative session of 2007—AB 374—
like its predecessors, failed to reach the floor of the Assembly or advance to debate in the Senate. This study
sought to determine why the Compassionate Choices Acts
failed to advance, in spite of electorate majority support
and a bi-caucus coalition. This research question is addressed by prevailing theories drawn from the interdisciplinary study of Criminology, Law and Society to the end
that we may understand the mechanisms of policy formation, how this legislation reflects on the structure of society, and how its failure challenges our concepts of
representative democracy. Data were collected through
archival research and semi-structured interviews with
stakeholders internal and external to the state apparatus.
Findings indicate the existence of powerful and divergent
collective action framing formed around the issues of
autonomy and disability rights, failure to capitalize on specific events to trigger legislative action, and incongruent
relations between spheres of public policy formation.
These findings suggest a strong capitalist and political entrepreneurial influence.
Variation of Disk Morphology in Gobiesocidae from
Two Distinct Environments
Jessica Alvarez
Mentor: Adam Summers
The family Gobiesocidae includes 153 species of marine
and freshwater fish that are unusual in having fused pelvic
fins that form a ventral suction disk. This disk is used to
hold the fish to the substrate. The many species of clingfish inhabit niches ranging from very high-energy, wave
swept, rocky coasts to the much lower energy of kelp
fronds. We are interested in whether the shape and size of
the clingfish disk and its ornamentation are influenced by
the environment. We measured the mass, standard length,
disk width, disk length and area of 52 individuals of the
northern clingfish (Gobiesox maeandricus) and 43 individuals of the kelp clingfish (Rimicola mascarum). The
samples covered a standard length size range from 32.36
mm to 90.69 mm for G. maeandricus and 10.01 mm to
32.65 mm for R. mascarum. We also measured the planform area of each individual from lateral, frontal, and dorsal aspects to calculate the scaling of the drag coefficient.
In G. maeandricus, a clingfish from high-energy environments, we found the disk grows isometrically (L^3.221). In
contrast, R. mascarum, which lives in much lower energy
environments, scales allometrically (L^2.372). This disparity may be due to the different environments of these two
species, but we need a larger comparative data set to be
conclusive.
Changes in Water Content Following Seizures
Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and
Tissue Analysis
Mariam Amini
Mentor: Devin Binder
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4), the water channel located in the
membranes of brain cells, plays a key role in the development of epilepsy. Previous studies have shown that mice
deficient in AQP4 become epileptic at a different rate than
those mice wildtype for the AQP4 water channel. To investigate the relationship between seizures and water content in the brain, seizures were induced in mice wildtype
and knockout for the AQP4 water channel. After three
hours of continuous seizing, the mice were scanned with
T2 MRI and sacrificed. Their tissue was analyzed for water
content. The same procedure was followed with mice at
the 1 day, 4 day, and 5 day time points. Although the project is not yet complete, it is evident that the knockout
mice exhibit a lower density of brain tissue. Furthermore,
the knockout mice seem to show greater change in hippocampus density over time than wildtype mice. The MRI
data have not yet been analyzed, and the project is not yet
sufficiently complete to yield any concrete conclusions.
African American Undergraduates and Academic
Persistence: A Psychosociocultural Analysis
Adisa Anderson
Mentor: Jeanett Castellanos
African American college students graduate from four-year
colleges at a rate that is 20% lower than that of their European American counterparts, and have among the lowest
graduation rates of any ethnic group. The purpose of this
study is to examine the factors that influence academic
persistence for African American undergraduates. Using a
psychosociocultural framework with a survey design, the
role of psychological (self-esteem, academic self-efficacy,
and personal attributes), social (social support, university
environment, and cultural congruity), and cultural (ethnic
identity, spirituality, and persistence decisions) variables
will be examined. Data collection and analysis is undergoing; however, potential results conclude that African
American students who experience lower self-esteem due
to the internalization of society’s negative perception of
them are less-likely to accomplish academic tasks, contributing to lower academic persistence rates. Lack of appropriate support systems, including African American
mentors, role models, and faculty who provide ideal guidance and comfort for African American students, may also
contribute to lower persistence patterns. Moreover, students with a strong sense of spirituality may have more
faith in their ability to excel academically, resulting in improved academic performance and positive persistence
responses. Findings will provide valuable insight for universities to better address issues related to academic persistence when working with African Americans. Results will
also provide direction for future research in developing
more effective retention efforts for African American undergraduates.
Correlation Function and Power Spectrum of the
Spitzer 160 Micron Source Catalog of the Lockman
Hole
Randolph Anderson
Mentor: Asantha Cooray
A correlation function can be used to measure the degree
of clustering in a spatial or angular distribution of objects;
the corresponding power spectrum indicates the amount
of clustering for a given wavelength. In the study of the
large scale structure of the universe, the mathematical description of the distribution of galaxies is highly important,
as it links empirical data to theories about how the structure of the universe was developed. However, there can be
difficulties in measuring the correlation function, depending on the technique used. To remedy this, investigations
were made into the strengths and weaknesses of several
different estimators by programming several of these estimators in C and comparing the results of running sky
maps with the known power spectrum. Once a technique
was found to be acceptable, the correlation function of the
detected sources in the 160 micron catalog for the Lockman Hole could be measured. The corresponding power
spectrum was calculated by doing a two-dimensional Fourier transform of the correlation function. A power law fit
was done to the correlation function and the power spectrum and the coefficients were compared and were found
to be in agreement with other surveys of the Lockman
Hole.
The Long-Term Effects of Learned Educational
Tools in Latino Families
Jacqueline Andrade
Mentor: Virginia Mann
Statistics show that over half of the students enrolled in
the Santa Ana Unified School District are English learners.
Past research shows that children who do not have a
strong competence in their native language have more difficulty learning a second language. This research looks at
two programs: the Home-Based Activities Building Language Acquisition (HABLA) program and the HABLASibling adaptation. Both programs work to enhance the
Spanish language development of toddlers in Santa Ana.
Through home visitors who work with the parent and
child, parents learn how to effectively use books and toys
as learning tools. Children who participate in HABLAsibling must have an older sibling who is an HABLA
graduate. Because younger siblings have benefited from
the teaching tools gained by the HABLA program at an
earlier age, this study hypothesized that the younger siblings of HABLA graduates will have higher intake assessment scores compared to their older siblings and untreated
children at large and make greater gains in one year of
treatment. Results consist of mean comparisons between
HABLA graduates and their siblings.
Role of AQP-4 on the Neuron Cell Death and
Degeneration in the Formation of Epileptic Networks
in the Brain
Janetta Arellano
Changes in neuronal circuitry in the brain can happen as a
result of cell growth, synaptic plasticity, and cell death
events. It has been known for some time that epilepsy, a
chronic neurological condition characterized by the spontaneous occurrence of seizures and the synchronized firings of neuronal networks, can cause neuronal death and
axon degeneration events. Recent research done by Binder
et al. has found that Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), a membrane
protein channel found in glial cells, which are responsible
for water transport, may be important for the formation of
epileptic seizures. A transgenic knock out mouse lacking
AQP-4 has been shown to have a higher seizure threshold
and seizures of a longer duration when compared to mice
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with the water channel. The effects of AQP-4 presence on
neuronal cell death in the epileptic brain is studied. Briefly,
adult mice of wild type (AQP-4 +/+) and knock-out
(AQP-4-/-) were injected with pilocarpine, a drug commonly used in research to generate epileptic animals, or
kainic acid, which is similar to pilocarpine. The mice were
sacrificed at different time points after pilocarpine or kainic acid injection, their brains were removed and analyzed
for the presence of degenerating and dying neurons by
staining with Fluoro-jade stain, a marker for degenerating
neurons. A trend was assessed among the time points. The
earlier the point of sacrifice, the greater the amount of degenerating neurons that were quantified whereas in the
later time points of sacrifice, the neuronal networks
showed signs of regeneration.
Walk Out! A Retrospective Study of the Motivations
for Walking Out Among Latina/o High School
Students in the Midst of HR4437 in Spring 2006
Graciela Arguelles
Mentor: Louis DeSipio
In light of the recent proposed policy changes and debates
on immigration reform, there has been a resurgence of
political involvement around the country by marginalized
immigrant groups. Latinos specifically, constituting at least
half of the undocumented population, have taken action in
the streets of urban centers such as Los Angeles. Policy
proposal such as HR 4437 have ignited high school students, as many have chosen to take political activity to the
streets. An estimated 5,000 students walked out in Orange
County. Solórzano and Bernal define walking out as a
manifestation of external transformational resistance.
These publicly identifiable actions exhibit notions of youth
who are not willing to conform to their marginalization by
engaging in transformational forms of student behavior.
This political activity illustrates both a critique of oppression and a desire for social justice. This retrospective study
draws from both quantitative and qualitative data sources
and analysis using questionnaires and interviews. This contribution brings to light the need for a more critical understanding of high school student activism and helps to
identify trends that differentiate students who walked out
of school from students who decided to stay in school.
When Good Soldiers Go Bad: Juvenile Delinquency in
the Hollywood Films of Audie Murphy
Robert Ashmore
Mentor: Jerome Christensen
Following World War II, America’s most decorated soldier, Audie Murphy, starred in a succession of Hollywood
movies, most of which were low-budget B-films. A peculiar aspect of these movies is that the young veteran was
frequently, and particularly in the decade immediately after
the war, cast as characters who were, or who were analo-
gous to, juvenile delinquents. At the same time, American
society was being urged by the press and by F.B.I. director
J. Edgar Hoover to focus its attention on juvenile delinquency as an impeding crisis as youths affected by wartime
stresses reached adolescence. By interpreting these films as
attempts by Hollywood studios to attract an audience
through titillating portrayals of violent delinquent behavior
at the same time that they attempted to avoid blame for
encouraging juvenile delinquency, this paper examines how
the films reflect and attempt to influence American society’s conception of juvenile delinquency. Analysis of two
Murphy films, Bad Boy (1949) and Kansas Raiders (1950),
exhibits how the films compare the violence of the juvenile
delinquent with the violence of the soldier. Bad Boy attempts to show how the antisocial, destructive violence of
the juvenile delinquent can be transformed into the beneficial violence of the solider. Kansas Raiders uses a Civil War
backdrop to demonstrate how juvenile delinquency
emerges from the misplacing of authority, depicting youthful corruption in a guerilla army that serves as an antisocial,
oedipal family unit that usurps the proper role of the military and society.
The Reading Within Reading: Considering Tarot
Cards and Literature
Clara Asuncion
Mentor: Jayne Lewis
Tarot cards are generally perceived as occult-inspired gimmick despite their basis in archetypes inherent in fantastic
narrative; and, rather than magical convenience or guesswork, they actually involve a complex system of reading.
Literary readers may use objective foreknowledge of archetypes to navigate text, but Tarot readers interpret image
and title, as well as personal context, to frame archetypes in
a subjective, non-linear narrative. Literature involving
Tarot thus calls readers to undertake "reading within reading," dealing with Tarot cards through description. I explored the purpose and method of this complexity in the
works of twentieth-century writers including W. B. Yeats,
T. S. Eliot and John Steinbeck. The narrative significance
of the Tarot ranges from direct supernatural references to
characters exploiting the mystified idea of the cards. These
instances reflect the potential of Tarot to address reading
practices via the portrayal of cards as symbols, settings
derived from card images, and allusions to card titles,
among other devices. Usually the Tarot deck is explicitly
present, but for my own novel I was inspired by past techniques and the concept of "reading" to consider Tarot as
its own literature, set in a magical landscape. Objects and
images from the cards appear in scenes to symbolize or
foreshadow their Tarot meanings. Also, I have rendered
archetypal figures as dynamic characters identified not by
titles but by occupations, actions and attributes supporting
their symbolic meanings. Despite Tarot's aura of the an-
cient, applications in literature and other media have established its intellectual relevance in modernity.
Effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on Mortality of Drosophila melanogaster
Sahar Ataii
Lycium barbarum has been shown to have anti-aging properties, due to its anti-oxidative components. Previous studies
have shown that the polysaccharides isolated from Lycium
barbarum (LBP) have increased the maximal and average
lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. The intent of this study is
to replicate experiments that have shown positive results in
increasing the lifespan of fruit flies. It is hypothesized that
LBP supplementation will decrease the mortality of fruit
flies. Several doses (0.025, 0.050, 0.100, 0.125, 1.25, 12.5
mg/ml) of LBP were used in two mortality assays on fruit
flies. These assays allowed us to determine the fraction
dying of the LBP supplemented groups in relation to a
control. Our results demonstrated that LBP supplementation decreased mortality in only male flies at 0.1 mg/mL.
Surviving America and Striving for Higher Education:
What Happens to the Asian Children of
Undocumented Immigrants and what Policies May
Help them Succeed?
Audrey Au
Undocumented immigrant youth have been overlooked in
the political debates over immigration. This neglect has
been especially evident for Asian undocumented youth.
Most grew up in the United States without ever truly identifying with their native country. Asian undocumented
children have completed their primary and secondary educations along with their legal immigrant and native-born
peers. However, without legal status, these students have a
difficult time furthering their education and are unable to
hold jobs legally. These barriers limit their chances of upward mobility within the education system. My analysis
discusses the hardships and specific experiences Asian undocumented immigrant students go through in order to
attain education. My findings suggest that the Asian undocumented student population is distinct from the Latino
population, the majority of undocumented students, in the
following ways: mode of immigration, dispersal and lack of
community, and role in the context of the “model minority.” What is most interesting about Asian undocumented
immigrant students is the double pressures they endure
being categorized as both a “model minority” and an “illegal immigrant.” This problem puts a strain on their high
expectations and cultural values of pursuing higher education, which makes them ultimately more alienated in society.
China’s Strange Bedfellows: How Do its Communist
Rule and Economy Affect the Nation in an
Increasingly Global World?
Audrey Au
Mentor: Feng Wang
Over the last twenty years, China’s economy has grown
rapidly within the global economy. It is now one of the top
four countries to have the highest GDP—$64,903,263 in
2007 according to the International Monetary Funds
(IMF). While there has been dispute about whether China's
growth may be at a standstill and inevitably depleting, it is
essential to understand the nature of how the politics and
economy relate with each other. My analysis discusses how
the political system has played a vital role in China's economic reform, both positively and negatively, in its gradual
transition into privatization. State owned banks, capital
investments, and energy resources are three financial institutions over which the government still has a large influence. Although there has been a surge for a modern
corporate market, China’s state-owned enterprises in these
financial institutions continue to be top competitors not
only within China’s economic system but in the world as
well. Because of China's complex and turbulent transitions
and reforms throughout history, it is unrealistic for China
to completely reduce their role within the state-owned enterprises because of its dominant position in the economy.
At the same time, continual state hold over its economy
may also present risks not only for its further economic
growth, but also for political changes.
Protection of Human Fibroblasts against Oxidatvie
Stess by Rhodiola rosea
Agnesa Avanesian
Root extract of the plant Rhodiola rosea has been used in
traditional Chinese medicine to treat a range of ailments
for thousands of years. Recent research has demonstrated
its ability to improve mental and physical stamina, to improve mood, and to help alleviate high-altitude sickness. It
has also been found capable of prolonging the life span of
the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Its mode of action is
currently unknown; however, it has been proposed that it
may act as an antioxidant. To explore this possibility, human fibroblasts were supplemented with R. rosea root extract and challenged to three different forms of oxidative
stress. Treatment with R. rosea was found to protect fibroblasts from ultra violet light, hydrogen peroxide, and
paraquat—a potent superoxide generator—relative to untreated controls. These results support the position that R.
rosea acts via an antioxidant mechanism, and provide a
plausible explanation for its benefits in humans and flies.
The combination of improving the resistance of human
fibroblasts to oxidative challenge, and the increase in the
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life span of flies, suggests that R. rosea supplementation
may be able to modulate human life span as well.
Synthesis of Novel Cross-Linking Reagents for the
Study of Protein Interactions
Malerie Ayala
Mentor: Scott Rychnovsky
The 26s proteasome is responsible for ubiquitin dependent
protein degradation, and thus plays a critical role in various
cellular processes. As disruption of the normal function of
the 26s proteasome is responsible for numerous diseases,
the proteasome is an attractive therapeutic target. To develop specific inhibitors for the proteasome, an improved
understanding of the mechanism of ubiquitin-proteasome
degradation pathways is critical. Characterization of the
dynamic interactions of the 26s proteasome complex is a
challenging endeavor because the complex interacts transiently with various other molecules within the cell.
Chemical cross-linking is commonly used in tandem with
mass spectrometry to overcome the difficulty of studying
dynamic protein complexes. This potentially powerful approach can be complicated by mixtures of cross-linked and
unmodified proteins. In collaboration with Professor Lan
Huang and associates, we have synthesized a novel amine
reactive chemical cross-linking reagent containing an azidetag that can be unutilized as a handle for enrichment of
cross-linked peptides. Copper catalyzed cycloaddition of
the azide with a solid supported or biotinylated alkyne
would allow separation of unmodified and cross-linked
peptides. Additionally, we have designed a cross-linker
with an appended fluorous tag, which will be used to explore the separation of cross linked peptides by solid phase
extraction over fluorous-functionalized silica gel. Large
quantities of the azide containing cross-linker have been
synthesized, and the enrichment strategy is being investigated. Synthesis of the fluorous cross-linker is being carried out and optimized.
A Spatial Analysis of Domestic Violence: A Study of
Santa Ana
Anet Badali
Mentor: James Meeker
Domestic violence is a societal problem that remains difficult for communities to resolve. As rates of abuse have
increased, a once private matter has now been placed on
the national agenda. This study is a continuation of the
Santa Ana Domestic Violence Project, which has examined
how socio-demographic variables affect rates of domestic
abuse in Santa Ana. The focus this year was to identify
variables that correlate with help-seeking behaviors of domestic abuse victims and to formulate predictive patterns.
Data for the project consisted of addresses of Santa Ana
residents who identified domestic abuse across three local
agencies: Santa Ana Police Department, Orange County
Courts, and Legal Aid Society of Orange County. Geographic Information System software was used to spatially
map out incidents of abuse and to track hot spots and patterns of occurrence from 2003 to 2006. Consistent with
theory and prior studies, findings concluded that there is a
positive correlation between help-seeking and variables
such as poverty, married households with children and
average family size. Findings also indicated that police data
is the best predictor of future help-seeking behavior. Furthermore, the results support the idea that forming target
teams among local agencies will aid in the collaborative
effort to effectively allocate resources. In terms of social
policy, findings suggest that, in order to predict future
help-seeking patterns, agencies should focus on the most
current domestic violence data as opposed to previous
data.
How State Sovereignty Affects Human Rights in a
State of Emergency
Samantha Balasubramanian
Mentor: Caesar Sereseres
Globalization may have enabled states to become interconnected and given the perception of blurred lines, but
when a state’s survival is threatened by an “emergency,”
the state returns to traditional ideas of sovereignty and is
willing to take actions that might otherwise be seen as unforgivable. The goal of this paper was to understand how
sovereignty affects human rights in a state of emergency.
The conclusions that were drawn show that when the existence of a threat to a state’s survival is determined, no
measure is too extreme to take. Since the definitions for
what determines an emergency are vague, states take actions to fit their personal self-interest in the name of an
emergency. In this case, Israel has taken questionable actions regarding human rights issues in the name of its “security.”
Caffeine Degradation by Pseudomonas putida in
Freshwater and Salt Water
Kimberly Balazs
Mentor: Oladele Ogunseitan
Recently, national attention focused on the discovery of
pharmaceutical products in the drinking water supply of
several cities across the United States. The public health
and ecological effects of this finding remain unclear, but it
is important to better understand the sources and environmental fate of drugs in water systems. Caffeine is
among the most widely consumed pharmaceutical products and has been shown to negatively affect corals. Much
of the caffeine that enters sewage treatment plants is released into natural water systems because current degradation methods are ineffective. Thus, determining the fate of
caffeine in the ocean and rivers, where it may affect organisms, is critical. I hypothesized that the degradation of caf-
feine by Pseudomonas putida is influenced by light in freshwater and saltwater. I collected water samples from San
Diego Creek and Corona del Mar State Beach. Microcosms
containing water samples and 0.10 mM caffeine were divided into control and experimental groups and kept under
lighting, either on a 12:12 light:dark cycle or in complete
darkness. Residual caffeine concentrations were measured
spectrophotometrically (250–750 nm) daily for 30 days.
Degradative bacteria were enumerated every five days. The
results showed that caffeine degraded in the dark in both
water types and in the light in freshwater at a reduced rate.
The results partially support my hypothesis because caffeine was mainly degraded in the dark. Bacteria putatively
identified as P. putida were detected in both types of waters. Caffeine metabolites will be identified using HPLC to
investigate degradative blockade under light conditions.
Resolving Damped Lyman Alpha Systems at High
Redshift: Probing Correlation with Quasars and
Geometric Distribution
Eric Barbour
Mentor: Elizabeth Barton
The significance of Cooke et al.'s 2003 findings, in which
they found significant clustering between damped Lyman
alpha systems (DLAs) and quasars (QSOs), is examined via
a much larger survey. Using the fifth data release from the
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), I test the spatial distribution between 702 DLAs and more than 13,000 QSOs. This
new sample (more than two orders of magnitude larger
than Cooke et. al.) provides constraints on two unknown
DLA parameters: mass and average cross-section. Though
the number of DLAs within the correlation length of
QSOs is small, the Sloan data appears to confirm earlier
findings (after considering completeness and the discrepancy in Cooke et. al’s fainter magnitude depth of R=25 and
the Sloan data’s depth of R=20.5). To look at mass, the
radial density of DLAs to QSOs is compared with QSOs
to QSOs using the conventional quasar power law func, where λ=1.6 and r0 = 8 Mpc. Also detailed here
tion
is another study comparing two classes of DLAs: proximate DLAs (DLAs near QSOs and in the line of sight) and
transverse DLAs (DLAs near QSOs detected tangentially).
Using geometric arguments one can determine average
DLA cross-section, and what fraction of proximate DLAs
(if any) are not distinct systems, as previously thought, but
parts of the QSOs themselves being blown out and blueshifted by galactic scale super-winds of up to 3000 km/s.
An Optical Approach to the Temporomandibular
Joint Disorder
Jaclyn Barrera
Mentors: Jae-Ho Baek & Petra Wilder-Smith
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) is a multifactorial
collection of conditions affecting the temporomandibular
joint (TMJ) and contiguous structures. Current diagnostic
approaches do not adequately detect early TMD to permit
effective, early intervention and prevent permanent damage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and develop
the use of optical diagnostic techniques, including Optical
Coherence Tomography (OCT), for detecting pathologic
changes in the TMJ resulting from induced malocclusion.
TMD was induced by placing orthodontic wire on the occlusal surfaces of the lower right posterior teeth of Golden
Syrian Hamsters. This wire caused occlusal interference on
the right TMJ of each hamster. The sequential changes in
the disc and articular surfaces were imaged and evaluated
using in vivo OCT at various wavelengths. Imaging data
were compared to the histological gold standard. At a
wavelength of 1310 nm, the articular disc, synovial cavity,
condylar head, and muscle attached to the disc could be
visualized using OCT with near-histological resolution (4
µm). The results of this study imply that OCT can provide
a useful clinical tool for in vivo diagnosis and monitoring of
treatment response of the TMJ in its early stages.
Barriers to Hand Hygiene Compliance Among
Healthcare Workers
Henrissa Bassey
Mentor: Behnoosh Afghani
Using proper hand-hygiene technique is extremely important, and has been shown to prevent cross infections in
hospitals. This may reduce the rate of patient dissatisfaction and duration of patient stay. Hospitals demonstrating
high hand-hygiene compliance typically have a decreased
rate of nonsocomial infections. The objective of this study
was to compare hand hygiene compliance during different
times and to investigate barriers to hand hygiene compliance at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.
Hand hygiene compliance was monitored through observation before and after patient contact among different
healthcare workers at the University of California, Irvine
from November 2007 to April 2008, using a standard
form. Hand hygiene compliance was compared during the
morning and afternoon and during 2007 and 2008. The
healthcare workers were unaware of the monitoring process. Hand hygiene compliance was better during the morning compared to the afternoon. Hand hygiene compliance
was higher during the beginning of the observation period
in 2007 compared to 2008. Factors that may have led to
decreased compliance during afternoon hours include increased workload and stress. Few healthcare workers who
wore gloves did not follow hand hygiene procedures before and after removing their gloves. Factors that were
noted to improve compliance included availability of hand
gels and good role modeling. For example, a higher compliance was observed when multiple staff entered a patient
room together, suggesting a correlation between compliance and peer influence or role modeling.
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Molecular Dynamics Study of Charge Separation in
an Electric Field and Nanoscale Environment
Patricia Bauler
Mentor: Craig Martens
Water purification is becoming an increasingly important
process. Understanding how water behaves in nanoscale
environments may provide clues at more efficient forms of
water purification. In this project, computational methods
involving the molecular dynamics programs NAnoscale
Molecular Dynamics (NAMD) and Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) were used to simulate how ionized water
behaves inside of a nanopore environment. A simulation
involving ionized water flowing through a nanopore with a
diameter of 9 Å was tested in electric fields with strengths
varying from 0.0 kcal/(mol Å e ) – 10.0 kcal/(mol Å e).
From the results it was determined that the largest flux of
ion flow occurred in the largest field strengths. It was also
noted that the water flux did not seem to depend on the
field strength. These results show how electric field
strength determines the amount of ion flow through the
nanopores.
Proposed Study of Hydrocarbon Flames Aboard the
International Space Station
Matt Bennett
Mentor: Derek Dunn-Rankin
In the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, charged chemiions are naturally formed during an exothermic release of
chemical energy. These chemi-ions serve as intermediate
species during the transformation of fuel reactants into
combustion products along a variety of chemical pathways.
While these species do not participate substantially in the
major heat release reaction pathways, it has been shown
that manipulation of these charged species with electric
fields can produce highly desirable results. In laboratory
experiments, high voltage electric fields were used to induce a body force on the flame ions to create a bulk motion known as the ionic wind. It was shown that the ionic
wind was capable of reattaching lifted flames and even
preventing the formation of soot. However, on Earth, it is
difficult to characterize the effects of the ionic wind because of the stronger buoyant force it must compete with
in a gravity environment. Thus, an experiment has been
proposed to study chemi-ionization and the effects of electric fields on small flames aboard the International Space
Station. The absence of buoyancy for an extended duration
will allow us to better understand the chemical and dynamic effects on hydrocarbon flames, and enhance chemiionization models with the experimental results. In turn,
these results can lead to a better understanding and
improvement of combustion processes here on Earth. This
presentation will discuss the science objectives, requirements, experiment design, and supporting laboratory work
that will be conducted until the experiment is launched in
2011–2012.
Detection of Bacteria in Ice Used for Consumption in
Fast Food Restaurants
Pooja Bhojak
Mentor: Sunny Jiang
Present lifestyle makes fast food restaurants a convenient
choice for the general public. Many people don’t think
twice about ordering a drink with their purchased meal,
and questioning the quality of the ice in the drink probably
never occurs to the majority. However, a study conducted
by 12-year old Jasmine Roberts in Florida found seven of
ten fast food restaurants had more bacteria in the ice then
in the toilet water and 60% of the samples contained E.
coli. This project tested ice from randomly selected fast
food restaurants for bacteria, including E. coli. Starting October 2007, ice samples were collected nearly weekly from
randomly selected restaurants near UC Irvine. The ice was
allowed to melt and then filtered onto 0.45 μm filters to
collect bacteria. The filters were placed on specific nutrient
medium plates for isolation and identification of bacteria.
The total number of bacteria and viruses were counted
using epifluorescence microscopy after staining. Results
showed that most samples did not contain E. coli. However, total viable bacteria were common among ice samples. Microscopy direct counts also indicated that total
bacterial and viruses are prevalent in ice samples. The results of this study calls attention to the awareness of public
health safety of ice that is used for consumption. Future
work will identify the link between good hygiene practice
and quality of ice in fast food restaurants.
A Drop in the Bucket?—The Analytic System of
Thinking on Donation to Identifiable and Statistical
Victims
Zheng Bi
Mentor: Peter Ditto
Research on the Identifiable Victim Effect (IVE) has shown
that people tend to be more generous towards a single,
individual victim than a group of victims (statistical victims). As a result, lives are valued inconsistently. The experiential (emotional) system of thinking has been suggested
as driving this effect, but this study tried to provide an alternative explanation for the effect by using an analytical
system of thinking. A series of studies were done in which
participants were given a chance to donate money to either
an identifiable or a statistical victim. Two interventions
designed to eliminate the IVE were introduced. Some participants received “metric” information to help them calculate the expected benefit that the victims would receive
from their donations. Others received “group effort” information designed to show people how individual effort
could be combined into group effort. First, the study failed
to replicate the IVE. Second, metric information anchored
the amount of money that people were willing to donate.
Finally, group effort information increased overall donation for both identifiable and statistical groups. The results
provide support for using analytical systems of thinking to
understand the IVE, and have implications for how charities may approach people effectively.
Predicting Recidivism from Internalizing and
Externalizing Behaviors
Jada Bittle
Mentor: Jennifer Skeem
Probationers with mental illness (PMIs) are at double the
risk of failing probation and returning to prison, compared
to their relatively healthy counterparts. This study examines the utility of internalizing and externalizing symptomology in predicting later criminal justice outcomes.
Externalizing symptoms are defined as a cluster of problem behaviors that are characterized by actions directed
towards other people (e.g., antisocial conduct). Internalizing behaviors are characterized as problems within and
affecting the individual (e.g., anxiety and depression). Using a sample of 358 PMIs interviewed at three time points
during the course of a year, we examined how internalizing
and externalizing symptomology predicted later recidivism.
Internalizing and externalizing were assessed at baseline
and were represented by composite scores of factors on
the Personality Assessment Inventory. Internalizing was a
composite of the anxiety, depression, and anxiety-related
disorders scales. Externalizing was a composite of the drug
use, alcohol use, and antisocial behavior scales. Recidivism
(as defined by technical violations, arrest, and probation
revocation) was elicited from probationer self report at six
and twelve months post-baseline. The results of this study
suggest that internalizing symptoms may be more associated with technical violations, while externalizing symptoms may be more associated with arrests. This study can
help inform treatment programs that focus on factors
linked with externalizing, such as impulsivity and substance
use. It will also assist probation officers by providing a
framework from which to assess and troubleshoot noncompliance, based on the differential degrees of internalizing and externalizing exhibited by probationers.
Assessment of Sexual Victimization and Intimate
Partner Violence at the University of California, Irvine
Ashley Boal
Mentors: Manuel Gomez & Mandy Mount
Little information is available about the impact of sexual
violence on the student community at UC Irvine. Current
methods of obtaining information about the prevalence of
these behaviors on campus have failed to reach the entire
student community and have resulted in inconsistent data.
A compilation of surveys was administered to a sample of
undergraduate and graduate students to obtain a clearer
understanding of the prevalence and types of sexual violence on the UC Irvine campus. The initial sample of 1,000
students is demographically similar to the population of
UCI students. Preliminary findings indicate that 284 of the
participants have been victims of rape or attempted rape in
their lifetime, with 140 participants reporting at least one
experience of rape or attempted rape in the last twelve
months. These results are generally consistent with national averages but are significantly different than the
number of assaults reported to the campus. The survey
additionally found that some students identified as either
victims or perpetrators of intimate partner violence and
stalking behaviors. Attitudes towards sexual assault and
rape myth acceptance were also examined, with results
indicating that while a majority of students at UCI do not
endorse rape-supportive attitudes, a significant number of
students reflect inaccurate knowledge about sexual violence and report uncertainty about decision-making in potentially dangerous situations. Implications for this study
include providing current information that will be used for
outreach efforts, clinical services, and the development and
implementation of new student programs.
Age Effects in Tranylcypromine Enhancement of
Nicotine Self-Administration
Kathryn Bordonaro
Mentor: Frances Leslie
The most prevalent time of initiation of smoking is during
adolescence. Adolescent brains are still developing, and it
has been shown that adolescents respond differently to
drugs than adults. Previous experiments have shown nicotine to be only weakly reinforcing, which does not agree
with the epidemiological data. This could be because most
studies focus on adult models and use only nicotine, even
though there are 4,000 other constituents in tobacco
smoke that may contribute to its rewarding properties. It
has been shown that both monoamine oxidase A and B
(MAO A and B) activities are reduced in the brains of
smokers, a consequence of other constituents in tobacco
smoke. To investigate the role of MAO inhibition in nicotine self-administration a 20-hour pre-treatment of tranylcypromine (TCP)—an irreversible, nonselective MAOI—
was used in adult (P90) and adolescent (P28) male rats to
investigate potential age differences in the selfadministration when animals had lower levels of MAO
activity. It was found that both age groups preferred a
nicotine dose of 7.5 µg/kg/inj. Adolescents were more
active, but when responding was normalized, no age differences were found. Adolescents acquired before adults,
but both age groups were unable to maintain responding
throughout the experiment. Breakpoint values for both
groups were not significantly different, suggesting that age
had no effect on the motivation to administer nicotine.
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Though major age differences were not found, future studies involving the self-administration of nicotine should be
designed to include both ages.
Peripheral Motion Based Stimuli: Specially
Functioning Exogenous Cues?
Reno Bowen
Mentor: Charles Wright
Previous research, using brief, stationary peripheral cues,
shows that attention can be directed extrafoveally by a bottom-up (exogenous) mechanism. We replicated that research and also investigated whether an interrupted,
moving, peripheral cue can exogenously direct attention to
the spatial location at which it might be expected to appear. After one day of practice, eight subjects ran two test
sessions in a dot size discrimination task with their eye
movements monitored. Cues were uninformative intermediate-sized dots that, in a blocked manipulation, either
flashed briefly at or moved horizontally from the periphery
to one of four possible target locations adjacent to an occluder. Targets moved horizontally from one of the four
locations towards the periphery following an interval (200
ms) coinciding with the time required by a moving cue to
traverse the occluder. Response time [RT] was measured.
The analysis compared RTs for the “expected” target location in each cueing condition with the other three locations. There was a significant cueing effect in the stationary
condition, replicating prior research, but no effect in the
moving-cue condition; the interaction of expectedunexpected location and cue condition was marginally significant. There was also an interaction of target location
and dot size attributable to the Simon effect. No other
significant effects were discovered. Further studies are
warranted regarding alternate stimulus onset asynchronies
and/or stimulus durations.
Encounters with Koreanness: Chinese Security
Concerns with the Korean Diaspora
Kent Boydston
Mentor: Robert Uriu
Different international relations theories make separate
claims on the structure of the international political system
and how the interests of different actors converge. The
purpose of this study was to analyze how these theories
pertain to China’s security concerns in its northeastern
territories adjacent to North Korea. As the potential for
China’s economically liberal reform policies gradually became apparent in Yanbian Prefecture, an autonomous,
heavily ethnic-Korean area in northeast China, both the
central and local governments faced new policy decisions
as to how it should treat South Korea, a one time foe but
also a prospective business partner. While China has drawn
on the “Koreanness” of the region to foster mutual ties
between ethnic Korean-Chinese citizens and South Korean
businesses, it faces insecurity if the unique Yanbian Korean
society becomes too influenced by South Korean culture.
China’s ultimate fears stem from the potential instability
caused by significant changes to the political climate on the
Korean peninsula, especially a collapse or restructuring of
the North Korean government. In light of territorial disputes and a significant and potentially unstable Korean
diaspora in the northeast near North Korea, China is attempting to shelter the cultural identity of Korean-Chinese
and reexamining historical interpretations of the KoreanChinese relationship. In applying different international
relations theories, this study examines the direct steps
China is taking to safeguard long-term stability by drawing
on and holding back influences that threaten its national
security interests.
The Effect of Fractal Dimensions on Optical
Properties
Jakob Bredsguard
Mentor: Vasan Venugopalan
My research aims to understand the use of optical techniques to detect the development of cancer in epithelial
(e.g., skin, esophagus, colon, etc.) tissues. The focus is
studying how the complexity of the vascular structure in
the epithelial tissue affects the light absorption and scattering properties of the tissue. This is important because it is
necessary to know the optical properties of healthy tissue
and how they may vary with the density and structure of
blood vessels that change during the development of cancer. To do the research, synthetic vascular networks with
identical volume but different fractal dimensions were
made. The fractal dimension of a vascular pattern is a
measure of its complexity or “space-filling” ability. The
sample molds were placed in an apparatus one at a time
and covered with Intralipid, a fat emulsion that can be diluted to have the same scattering properties as human skin.
The submerged mold was illuminated with a laser beam
and a low-light camera was used to capture images that
measure the spatial pattern of diffused light that is backscattered by the entire sample. These images were taken
while injecting the microchannels with a fluid that is a
purely absorbing solution to mimic blood flow in the
channels. The images of all molds were compared and it
was found that as the fractal dimension goes up there is a
slight decrease in the amount of light backscattered.
Contemporary Short Fiction Through the Lens of
Literary Theory; Ethics of Creative Writing Pedagogy
(2 projects)
Joel Breuklander
Mentor: Michelle Latiolais
The two projects come from different angles at important
issues to the literary “genre” of short fiction. The first project aims at combating anti-intellectualism (and more par-
ticularly, hostility to “theory”) in the literary world through
a close look at several authors of strongly stylistic short
fiction, including Ben Marcus, Gary Lutz, and Gordon
Lish, whose works are notably resonant with theoretical
views of literature expressed by, among others, Barthes
and Derrida. The research was centered around the juxtaposition of contemporary “literary” and “theoretical” texts,
with the hope of illuminating both and finding a degree of
codependency across generic boundaries; the nature of
short fiction as a genre is also explored, whether it counts
as an “in-between” genre or as a somehow immanently
“othered” space in which new and transgressive literary
forms can be opened up. The second project explores the
link between the production of works of short fiction and
creative writing programs—complaints about the “homogeneity” of MFA graduate work force us to ask how creative writing pedagogy does or does not fulfill ethical
responsibilities to student writers, and how the space of
creative writing pedagogy runs the risk of doing more
harm than good by its students and, by extension, more
harm than good to literary writing writ large. The project
explores the pedagogic attitudes of writers and of several
writers-qua-writing teachers with the aim of suggesting that
a deeper understanding of literature itself—an understanding beginning at the level of the individual pedagogue—is
essential for the survival and success of graduate writing
programs. Together, the two projects paint a portrait of
short fiction as a critical area of contemporary literary production.
Dance and Media Performance: Interaction of the
Past and Present
Elena Briber
Mentors: John Crawford & Lisa Naugle
The worlds of dance and computer technology are widely
thought of as independent fields, seldom, if ever, melding
together. In spite of seemingly insurmountable differences
in nature, there is a wave of increasingly complex and
thrilling work being done to bring these two worlds together, which results in a type of dance and technology
never before dreamed of. With dance as an impetus, technology stretches its boundaries, often creating new programs and parameters specified to performance. Similarly,
dancers widen their vocabulary to work with camera and
computer. My goal was to, at the end of my research, be
able to independently know and execute the major aspects
going into dance and media performance, and to produce
my own dance and media piece involving the mixing of
live and pre-recorded dance. The work required much time
devoted to learning about the technology used in media
performance, comprising mainly computer programs called
Max and Jitter, which allow for live editing and visual manipulation of dance performances. It required time spent
rehearsing with dancers, time spent filming footage to be
used as pre-recorded material in my piece, and repeated
exposure to the technology needed to execute the performance. The experimental quality of the work being
done allowed for a great deal of freedom to the creation of
my piece, and resulted in the discovery that opening dance
to technology, and vice versa, results in an almost infinite
number of possibilities tied to performance. I realized
throughout the process that as media performers, we are
only starting to scrape the surface of the vast potential associated with dance and technology; as audience members,
are experiencing the beginnings of what will constitute a
new era of dance performance.
Neoliberalism and the Paradox of Equality: How
Dominant Representations of Dependency Construct
Contemptible Subjects
Heather Bridges
Mentor: Jennifer Terry
Current frameworks of neoliberal thought in the United
States ignore the history and consequences of power hierarchies structured by race, gender, and class differences.
Neoliberal ideology operates by appealing to founding
American ideals of individualism, meritocracy, and universal “equality” under the law, as if all people have the same
relationship to the structures of power, regardless of their
race, socioeconomic class, or gender. Contemporary policies such as “The Personal Responsibility Act and Work
Reconciliation Act of 1996” and California’s Proposition
209, are two pieces of legislation that remain central to the
drive of the neoliberal state towards increasing economic
and social privatization. My project analyzes the legal and
social rhetoric around welfare reform and the repeal of
affirmative action policy in California, focusing on the key
structural and discursive shifts that increasingly place the
blame of systemic inequalities onto individual subjects. The
institutionalization of punitive legislation directed towards
disenfranchised subjects depends on the construction of
such subjects as “contemptible.” The targets of social contempt are racialized, gendered, and classed subjects who
constitute the focal point of the rhetoric of race and classbased policies. The larger social credence that emerges
through increasing political and social conservatism is the
valorization of "independence" and the disdain for "dependency," particularly directed towards subjects who receive practical or imagined forms of state assistance. While
legislation represents a significant site of systemic power,
the production and circulation of the “common sense”
language of neoliberalism serves to institutionalize modes
of social contempt and maintain conditions of state embedded inequality.
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A Closer Look at the College Coaching Profession: An
Examination of Gender Equity and the Factors
Contributing to a Lack of Female College Coaches
Jessica Broadfoot
Mentors: Catherine Bolzendahl & Samuel Gilmore
Thanks to Title IX, women’s access to participation in
sports has greatly increased. However, the same cannot be
said about women as coaches, where estimates indicate
they fill only 20.6% of all collegiate coaching positions.
The goal of this study is to explore potential factors contributing to the lack of female collegiate sport coaches. Indepth interviews of both male and female coaches reveal a
combination of barriers, many of which are similar to
those found in studying women’s underrepresentation in
other fields, such as work/family conflicts. However,
women in coaching positions also face a unique doubledisadvantage due to the social construction of gender.
First, athletics is still perceived to be a masculine realm;
thus, even though coaching is a low-paid, high-time commitment career, men receive more support for remaining
in it. Second, even among women’s sports men are more
likely to be accepted as coaches, but not vice-versa. Implications for gender inequality and future changes are discussed.
Structure Determination and Analysis of Terminal
Uridylyltransferases
by
Means
of
X-Ray
Crystallography for Trypanoside Development
Jessica Bruystens
Mentor: Hartmut Luecke
The development of new lead compounds as potential
therapeutic agents for the treatment of diseases that are
caused by microorganisms comprises a major area of research in the struggle against increased drug resistance.
Such is the case for Human African trypanosomiasis
(HAT), often called sleeping sickness, which is caused by
the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. During the investigation of Trypanosomes, a new RNA editing system was
discovered in their kinetoplast-mitochondria, presenting
new possible targets for drug discoveries. We have been
structurally analyzing a set of enzymes that are involved in
the RNA-editing process or that show sequence homology
to the involved enzymes, and have previously determined
structures of UTP substrate-bound and apo forms of
TbTUT4, a minimal catalytically active RNA uridylyltransferase. To investigate the TbTUT4 reaction of U transfer
to the 3’ hydroxyl of mRNA, we have obtained a
UTP+TbTUT4+UMP prereaction complex and a postreaction complex of TbTUT4 with UpU. The search for drug
candidates has steered our TUTase investigation towards
obtaining a crystal structure of TbTUT4 bound with a
small molecule inhibitor and to elucidate the structures of
TbMEAT-1, TbTUT9, and kPAP, which represent additional potential drug targets. Here we report the progress
and challenges in their crystal-based structural investigation.
Survival Models of Bank Failure During the Great
Depression
Andrea Bui
Mentor: Gary Richardson
Just months before the Great Depression took hold of the
United States, a panic spread throughout the banks in Florida, resulting in a devastating crash. This project explores
the extent to which the Florida banking crash can teach us
about the spread of bank failure during the Great Depression. In particular, I investigate the effects of contagion on
the spread of bank failure. The theory that a contagion of
fear led depositors to withdraw their funds from banks en
masse, causing widespread failure of the banking system,
had significant effects on macroeconomic and banking
policy for the next seventy years, but economists in recent
years have disputed whether contagion can explain bank
failure at all. To investigate this claim in the context of the
Florida bank crash, I developed a survival analysis model,
which determines the effect of contagion on the survival
time of each bank. Preliminary results suggest that contagion plays a critical role in explaining the survival and demise of banks in the time of the Great Depression.
Age Differences in D1 and D2 Dopamine Receptor
Agonist-Induced Locomotion and Stereotypy
Laura Buntrock
Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by
behavioral changes and neurochemical maturation of circuitry regulating the expression of motivated behaviors and
locomotion. These circuits are based in the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia, and are critically modulated by
dopamine acting at striatal D1 and D2 receptors. The restructuring of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine
systems and their targets during late childhood and adolescence manifests in an enhanced proclivity for disorders of
dopamine imbalance (e.g. attention-deficit-hyperactivitydisorder) and a blunted response to psychcostimulants. To
further understand the basis of these behavioral differences, this study aimed to determine if the sensitivity of D1
and D2 dopamine receptors changes with age. To do so, I
administered direct D1 (SKF 83822) and D2 (quinpirole)
agonists to adult and adolescent rats and then measured
locomotor and stereotypic behaviors. My results show that
the sensitivities of both receptors do change with age, and
that there may be a shift from D2 receptor control of locomotion and stereotypy in adolescence to D1 receptor
control in adulthood.
Puppy Pictures! The Role of “Irrelevant” Visceral
Cues on Moral Decisions
Troy Campbell
Mentor: Peter Ditto
This study investigated how small visceral cues (i.e., information available to the senses) can influence moral judgments. In particular, we examined whether an incidental
picture of a puppy might influence judgments to sacrifice a
puppy in an unrelated moral scenario. Participants filled
out a packet of moral dilemmas at a graduate student’s
office desk, where available in the periphery was a picture
of a man holding either a puppy (experimental condition)
or a surfboard (control condition). Results showed that
participants in the experimental condition were less willing
to sacrifice a puppy than controls. Moreover, experimental
and control participants did not differ on any other moral
judgments included as part of the survey, suggesting that
the influence of the visceral cue was domain specific.
Lastly, participants almost unanimously stated counter to
the data, that the picture had no influence on their responses, that it was an “irrelevant” factor in their moral
decisions. These results support the increasing body of
evidence as to the deeply contextual nature of human
moral judgments, and provide evidence against traditional
rational models of moral reasoning.
Examination of the Scope of the Zincke Ring
Opening Reaction of Pyridines
Xuyen Caponera
Mentor: Christopher Vanderwal
Pyridine rings can be activated by chlorodinitrobenzene via
an SNAr reaction to give a pyridinium salt, known as a
Zincke salt. The Zincke reaction involves the reaction of
pyridinium salts with secondary amines to afford substituted 5-amino-2,4-pentadienals, highly conjugated systems
known as the Zincke aldehydes. One potential use of the
Zincke aldehydes is in thermal rearrangement chemistry.
Many natural products with potential uses have unsaturated amides with a Z configuration. There are many traditional approaches to synthesizing alkenes, but they usually
result in the thermodynamically favored E configuration.
Zincke aldehydes can be heated to undergo a pericyclic
cascade rearrangement involving alkene isomerization, 6πelectrocyclic ring closure, [1,5]-hydrogen shift, and 6πelectrocyclic ring opening to form the desired Z unsaturated amides. To fully take advantage of this reaction and
many others, it is important to have access to many Zincke
aldehydes with different substituents, through which we
can evaluate how widely applicable these new reactions are.
Although the Zincke ring opening reaction has been
known for over a century, a comprehensive study of the
ring opening of substituted pyridines has never been reported. The goal of this project is to develop functionalized Zincke aldehydes from cheap and commercially
available pyridines. The methodology will focus on reaction optimization, and analyze whether substitution at the
3 or 4 position, or both, is preferred for the ring opening
reaction. The results will give insight on which pyridines to
further explore and which conditions will enable largescale production to help facilitate the research progress of
other team members.
Court Art and Royal Patronage: An Affirming and
Ambivalent Representation of Power in Calderón’s El
sitio de Bredá
Jamie Carter
Mentor: Jane Newman
Golden Age playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–
1681), considered a quintessential baroque court artisan,
produced numerous commissioned works that overtly, and
necessarily, affirm the person of his royal patron King
Philip IV of Spain (1621–1665). Although his many dramas explicitly depict the king as a glorious sovereign entity
who by extension represents the military power of the
Spanish nation-state during the seventeenth-century, in
actuality, the complexities inherent in the events Calderón
immortalized reveal not a singular hegemonic interpretation but rather present a multiplicity of possible meanings
to his audience. I examine particularly Calderón’s commission to depict the conflict between Spain and its revolting
provinces in the Low Countries in the 1625 play entitled El
sitio de Bredá. According to the Spanish leadership in Madrid, the lengthy siege of the Dutch (1624–25) was a decisive victory in the protracted struggle between the Spanish
and Dutch during the Thirty Years’ War; however, subsequent historical scholarship has revealed the insignificance
of the actual battle. Calderón portrays the Dutch governor
Justin de Nassau’s magnanimous surrender to the Spanish
General Ambrosio Spínola while simultaneously undermining this particular exaltation of the victors with moments of ambiguity and even ambivalence regarding the
supposed grand triumph at Breda. Calderón uses his role
as court artist to speak to a diverse audience, creating a
multifaceted work that subtly succeeds in both pleasing his
royal patron and revealing the obvious incongruities of
Spain’s power, specifically in relation to its disintegrating
world empire.
Bead Rafts Under Transverse Linear Oscillations
Michael Champion
Mentor: Michael Dennin
Complex fluids are distinct in their ability to act both as a
solid (being rigid under oscillations) and as a fluid (they can
flow). Under oscillations, one can observe both the fluidlike and solid-like behaviors, and often observe transitions
between the two. To gain an understanding of the behavior of complex fluids under flow, this study consisted of
examining bead rafts under transverse linear oscillations
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floating on a glycerin solution surface. Phase and linear
particle velocities, densities, and viscosities were analyzed
as probes of the mechanical responses of the system with
the focus of this analysis used to determine the cause of an
anomalous splitting, at key frequencies, of the phase velocity into two constant velocities.
Multiple Shoot Formation from Dissected Embryos of
Strelitzia reginae (Bird of Paradise)
Maureen Chand
Mentors: Franz Hoffmann & Shyun-shyun Tsay
The purpose of this study was to define the optimum conditions for the micropropagation of Strelitzia reginae
through the culture of dissected embryos and multiple
shoot formation (organogenesis). Strelitzia reginae is an important monocotyledonous ornamental plant native to
South Africa. However, its success is limited by slow
growth, the absence of pure-bred varieties and poor seedproduction outside of South Africa. Micropropagation as
an alternative propagation and cloning method would
greatly contribute to overcoming the limitations this species poses to the horticultural industry and landscaping in
warmer regions worldwide. Despite the commercial importance, a method for micropropagation has not been established yet due to the recalcitrance of the species. Strelitzia
reginae seeds, harvested at different maturity, were cultured
on ½ MS agar-solidified medium with different supplements. The addition of 0.2 mg/L of the growth regulator
thidiazuron (TDZ) and 30 g/L sucrose turned out to be
most successful. The study showed that the optimum embryo stage for culture is when the seeds have a dark yellow
to orange aril with a golden to brown colored seed coat
and a friable to solid endosperm texture. The ideal size of
the embryo was found to be from 6.9–7.4 mm. Cultured
embryos excreted a bluish-black pigment that has not been
described in the literature. The pigment diffused into the
medium and formed a skin-like layer that covered the explant. Despite the excretion, the embryos started to germinate, produced callus and, within three months, multiple
shoots formed. The shoots are now being transferred to
rooting medium before they can be explanted into soil.
Comparison of the Use of Hand Gel Versus Hand
Washing before and after Patient Care
Christina Chang
Hand hygiene is essential to protect patients and prevent
healthcare associated infections among patients and
healthcare workers. As an important infection control
measure, hand hygiene can be accomplished through either
a waterless, alcohol-based hand gel or by hand washing
with soap and water. For my research, I wanted to see
which hand hygiene method was preferred by healthcare
staff before and after patient contact. Hand hygiene com-
pliance was monitored before and after patient contact
among different healthcare workers at the University of
California, Irvine from November 2007 to April 2008, using a standard form. Healthcare workers were unaware of
the monitoring process. The use of hand gel versus hand
washing was recorded. Our results suggest that the majority of healthcare workers prefer using the hand gel compared to hand washing for both before- and after-patient
contact. The popularity of using hand gel before and after
patient contact may be due to its easy access and availability at the point of care. The time required for using the
hand gel, and its effects—including less irritation and dryness on the skin with repeated use—could be important
elements that influence healthcare workers’ preference.
Further studies, such as questionnaires, may determine the
reasons for the preference of hand gel versus hand washing among healthcare workers.
Interactions between Plants and Microbes: A
Mechanism for Invasion of Exotic Grasses in
California?
Michelle Chang
Mentor: Katharine Suding
The intent of this study was to detect plant-microbial
feedbacks occurring in a grassland community of exotic
and native patches. The mechanisms of how exotic plants
invade native ecosystems have long been studied. Yet scientists have just begun to study microbial factors that may
facilitate invasion through plant-microbial feedbacks. In
Southern California, patches of native perennial grasses
have persisted despite widespread invasion of annual exotic grasses. We investigated plant-microbial feedbacks in
favor of natives as a potential mechanism of resistance to
invasion, as well as the effects of increased nitrogen
and/or drought. We grew two exotic annual grasses, Bromus diandrus and Hordeum murinum and a native perennial
grass, Nassella pulchra in soils inoculated with microbial
community from their “home” soil and in soils inoculated
with microbes from “foreign” soil in ambient, nitrogen,
and drought conditions. We found negative feedbacks in
N. pulchra and B. diandrus, but no effect on H. murinum.
With nitrogen, N. pulchra did significantly better in home
inoculated soils than in foreign soils, which may suggest
that N-deposition aids natives in resisting invasions.
Drought caused no effect across species, indicating that
drought may negate plant-microbial feedbacks. These findings suggest that not only are biotic plant-microbial feedbacks present and affected by drought and nitrogen, but
that feedbacks are species specific.
Mental Health Care in the New China
Yuia Chang
Mentor: Dorothy Solinger
China is dealing with issues caused by industrialization resulting in major health concerns. However, there is a more
serious, yet unpublicized health issue, the status of China’s
mental health. In 2000, the People’s Daily reported that 16
million people were afflicted with a mental condition, the
most common of which is schizophrenia. Because of the
rapid modernization of China, there have been reports of
people, mainly in rural areas, not being able to adapt to the
pressures caused by the gap between rich and poor. Although it is mainly the poor who are suffering from a mental condition; this is a massive, society-wide dilemma.
Government policies from the past to present and the influences of modernization and Westernization can help
explain the current mental health status. This research revealed there is dire need for psychiatric facilities and
trained professionals in China; although the government
has enacted welfare policies to help the people, it is still not
enough.
Wind and Oceanic Energy in Electricity Generation
Allen Chau
Mentor: Zoltan Mester
In an effort to reduce the environmental impacts from
electricity generation from the use of fossil fuels, alternative forms of renewable energy should be considered. The
attention was focused on using physical properties of the
earth, such as the ocean and wind, to convert renewable
energy into electricity. The technology behind wind and
oceanic energy conversions involve the use of an electromagnetic field induction. Winds are used to generate electricity by rotating turbines. Ocean currents, thermal
gradients, winds, tides, and waves are used to generate
electricity by rotating a turbine or stroking a magnetic shaft
enclosed in wire coils. Using the wind and ocean as means
for alternative energy reduces the dependence on fossil
fuels in electricity generation. Wind and oceanic energy
conversions reduce the negative impacts to the environment by eliminating greenhouse gas emissions normally
produced from the burning of fossil fuels. Germany is currently the leading producer of wind power, and Denmark
generates over one-fifth of its electricity with wind turbines. In 2006, Denmark was able to reduce its CO2 emission level by 3.4 million tons, CH4 levels by 1,235 tons,
and N2O levels by 51 tons. In addition to environmental
benefits, it has been shown that wind and oceanic energy
are economically feasible and competitive among other
forms of energy. The average costs per kWh of coal, gas,
and hydro powered generators are 4.8¢, 3.9¢, and 5.1¢ respectively. Ocean and wind power cost 3.7¢ and 4.8¢ per
kWh respectively, and costs could be lower with more development.
Molecular Encapsulation Within an Engineered
Protein Cage for Drug Delivery
Helen Chen
Mentor: Szu-Wen Wang
Most drugs are delivered non-specifically in the body and
consequently act on healthy cells, triggering side effects.
Therefore, targeting of drug molecules to specific cells to
reduce side effects has become the main aim of targeted
therapeutics. However, drug targeting remains a challenge
in designing nanoscale drug delivery vehicles. One aspect
of this design is the ability to hold and transport pharmaceutically-active molecules. To this end, we developed a
protein assembly that can form complexes with drug
molecules and essentially house them. The protein assembly is based on the E2 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. It forms a
dodecahedral complex and has 12 openings, each 5 nm in
diameter, through which small molecules can diffuse. To
give the protein scaffold the ability to encapsulate molecules, we functionalized the hollow internal cavity by genetically modifying the cavity to have 60 cysteine thiol
groups available for covalent linkage with guest molecules.
Two different fluorescent dye molecules—fluorescein-5maleimide and Alexa Fluor 532 C5-maleimide—were used
as model drug molecules to assess the reactivity of the thiol
side chains. The cysteine mutant selectively reacted with
the two maleimide molecules. Such selectivity was not seen
in conjugation reactions with the wild-type control, as expected. Our results demonstrate the ability of the engineered protein scaffold to encapsulate foreign molecules
within the internal cavity and to potentially serve as a drug
delivery vehicle.
Engineering Advanced Oxidation Treatment for
Disinfection Byproducts in Water Reuse
Wei Sang Chen
Mentor: William Cooper
Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed in drinking
water when chlorine or other oxidants such as natural organic matter, bromide, or iodide are found. Although low
in concentration, DBPs’ prevalence in drinking water is a
concern because many of them are known or suspect human carcinogens. One emerging group of treatment technologies for DBP is advanced oxidation/reduction
processes (AO/RP), which typically involves in the destruction of DBPs present in drinking or waste water by
using hydroxyl radicals (•OH) or hydrated electrons (e-aq).
To provide a fundamental understanding of the applicability of these chemical processes in the destruction of DBPs,
it is necessary to determine the bimolecular reaction rate
constants between the reactive species and the chemicals
of interest. The absolute rate constants for the reaction of
the •OH and e-aq with the four DBPs: bromoacetamide,
idoacetamide, chloroacetamide and dichloroacetamide
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were determined along with acetamide. The rate constants
of hydrate electrons reaction with the five compounds
were three orders of magnitude faster than hydroxyl radical
reaction rate constants (with the exception of the iodoacetamide); therefore, the advanced reduction process is
the most cost efficient implementation for the five compounds. The absolute rate constant for the reaction of the
•OH for acetamide, bromoacetamide, chloroacetamide,
and iodoacetamide are 2.65 x 107, 9.45 x 107, 8.08 x 107 and
3.77 x 109, respectively. The absolute rate constant for the
reaction of the e-aq for bromoacetamide, chloroacetamide,
dichloroacetamide and iodoacetamide are 1.27 x 1010, 5.00
x 109, 9.03 x 109 and 1.05 x 1010, respectively.
Zn2+ Induced Changes in and Interaction with
Dysfunctional Mitochondria Related Apoptotic Cell
Death
David Cheng
Mentor: John Weiss
In cell death, high level rises of cytosolic Zn2+ cause cell
death. In apoptotic cell death, mitochondrial depolarization and transition pore formation lead to release of ROS
and pro-apoptotic proteins. Zn2+ can induce mitochondrial
depolarization, which is followed by mitochondrial pore
formation and cell death. Since cyclophilin D is a component vital to the functionality of the permeability transition
pore, having cyclophilin D knocked out would prevent
transition pore formation, and assumedly halt progression
of events leading to apoptosis. Therefore, we aim to look
for interactions between the divalent ion Zn2+ and mitochondrial membrane components, and the resulting
changes and events relevant to apoptotic cell death. We
will test this hypothesis by: 1) using microfluorimetric
techniques to observe whether low level Zn2+ influx, which
causes little injury, through voltage sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) results in mitochondrial depolarization and
generation of ROS—imaging of this culture will be followed by immunocytochemical staining using primary antibodies for cytochrome c and AIF, and biotinylated
secondary antibodies; 2) assessing intracellular Zn2+ accumulation under OGD conditions by Timm’s staining; and
3) carrying out neurotoxicity experiments with Zn2+.The
cyclophilin D mouse model is a key component of all three
experiments.
Effects of Reforestation on Arthropod Diversity in
Degraded Tropical Soils in Costa Rica
Wesley Chin
Mentor: F. Lynn Carpenter
I undertook this study to analyze the relationship between
reforestation efforts and the diversity of arthropod communities in degraded tropical soils in Costa Rica. I selected
four different locations within the study site according to
their degree of regeneration, from zero regeneration (pas-
ture) to 30-year secondary forest. I measured arthropod
diversity, using collections from pit traps at each of the
locations. I hypothesized that arthropod diversity would
increase as time for regeneration increased, with increasing
plant species richness acting as the driving mechanism for
this relationship. The results suggest that there may be a
positive relationship between arthropod diversity and degree of regeneration, but that plant species richness was
not the driver. Instead, the level of canopy cover correlated
with arthropod diversity. Greater canopy cover reflects
increased structural complexity, which may allow for a
greater number of niches for arthropods. Due to variability
in the data, further on-site studies on arthropod diversity
spanning multiple years may reveal more about these dynamics.
A Pan HIV-1 Proteomic Chip for Subtype Specific
Diagnosis of Viral Infection
Vivian Chinn
Mentor: David Camerini
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is responsible
for the current HIV/AIDS pandemic. One factor that
makes HIV such a challenging virus to combat is its high
mutagenesis, which results in a lot of diversity. The objective of this project is to make a proteomic chip that is capable of distinguishing between the A1, A2, B, C, and D
subtypes of HIV-1. There is high motivation for this type
of detector since these subtypes make up approximately
seventy five percent of all HIV cases, and currently there is
no test available that is able to rapidly distinguish between
the different subtypes. This chip uses HIV-1 subtype specific proteins that were obtained by an in vitro transcription/translation process, inserting it into a plasmid vector
in E. coli with the protein’s DNA, which were obtained
from a polymerase chain reaction. These proteins were
then individually printed on a nitrocellulose membrane.
The proteomic chip was probed with serum from HIV
infected individuals and the reactivity of the antibodies to
the proteins on the chip was measured. To date, we have
created a first generation chip and a technical chip. Promising results have been obtained from the probing, which
has showed reactivity with nearly all of the proteins. We
are currently investigating possible problems that may have
occurred with some of the proteins and are in the process
of creating a second generation chip.
The Accuracy of Emergency Department Sonography
for Acute Conditions of the Scrotum (ED SACS)
Jesse Chou
Mentor: John Christian Fox
It is approximated that 0.5% of complaints presented in
emergency departments (ED) represent cases of acute
scrotal pain. Traditionally, patients who presented acute
scrotal pain in urgent care settings were highly suspect for
torsion of the testicles. Treatment of testicular torsion demands a prompt response, given the lack of blood flow
that defines the disease. Therefore, waiting upon a radiologist’s or urologist’s opinion and delaying final diagnosis
subjects a patient to potential risks of losing the testicle
and his fertility. Given this context, an ED physician’s ability to diagnose at first encounter with patients is a valuable
asset and inspires further research into the accuracy of
bedside sonography in the ED. Our study provides the
largest case series to date that examines the incidence of
specific scrotal pathologies among patients presenting
acute scrotal pain in the ED. Its objective was to compare
the accuracy of emergency ultrasound to that of surgical
visualization and radiology’s ultrasound reports in determining the etiology of acute scrotal pain. Of 62 patients
who had a pathologic or equivocal exam, 61 underwent
examination by radiology. The results of the study showed
a 95% agreement rate between emergency and radiology
ultrasounds, supporting implementation of ED bedside
sonography as protocol in treating the acute scrotum.
However, even with this success rate, these results are not
robust enough to recommend it as a final diagnostic modality.
Anger and Psychological Adjustment of Soldiers who
Have Sought Health Care
Erik Christensen
Mentors: Roxane Cohen Silver & Ray Novaco
Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, soldiers have been returning
from combat zones with high levels of mental health
needs, as found in U.S. and U.K. studies. Returning troops
vary in their Active Duty versus Reserve status, and these
components differ greatly in home life, training levels, and
frequency of deployments. This project examined data collected from 5,215 treatment-seeking soldiers from Madigan
Army Medical Center in Washington State, 3,528 of whom
had been combat deployed. Psychological adjustment was
assessed with psychometric measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, and general distress. Analyses, which
controlled for degree of combat exposure, revealed significant differences across measures between the soldiers' military component, with Active Duty soldiers having more
impaired psychological adjustment as compared to Reservists. Factors that might account for this difference between
military components in this sample are being examined.
Are Australians Concerned About Terrorism? A
Nationwide Study
Christine Chu
Mentors: Roxane Cohen Silver & Alison Holman
In recent decades, terrorism has become a way of life for
residents of many countries, while others have encountered it less frequently. Following the September 11 at-
tacks, several studies examined the impact of terrorism in
the U.S. and in other countries following direct attacks on
their soils. However, few have studied the effects of terrorism on a relatively unexposed population, such as Australian residents. This study explored Australians’ perceptions
of terrorism several years after the September 11 attacks
against the U.S. A nationally representative sample of Australian adults (N = 1506; 81% response rate) completed an
anonymous survey in 2006 assessing, among other factors,
their current concerns and perceptions of the risk of terrorism. Results indicated that perceptions of risk of terrorism were low (mean on 2-item index = 1.67 on a 5-point
scale) and were significantly lower than perceptions of risk
among a national sample of Americans (p<.001). Eightynine percent of the Australian sample indicated that they
“never” or “rarely” had fears about the possibility of a terrorist attack.. Nonetheless, women and those individuals
with higher levels of prior life stress were more concerned
with and fearful about terrorism (p < .001). Furthermore,
the higher their perceived risk, the worse these individuals
were functioning (p < .001). Overall, concerns about terrorism were quite low among Australians and may provide
some indication of how Americans perceived terrorism
prior to the 9/11 attacks.
The
Last
Frontier:
Neocommodification,
Neoliberalism and the Trafficking of Nepalese Girls
into Indian Brothels
Megan Clark
Mentors: William Maurer & Sheila O'Rourke
With the modern onset of global neoliberalism, India and
Nepal are experiencing dramatic changes in their economies, which have aided in the proliferation of Nepalese
child sex trafficking into Indian brothels. As new tourist
and service markets emerge in India and Nepal, and citizens are caught in the midst of a clashing class/caste social
system, Nepalese girls are being neocommodified and trafficked into Indian brothels in order for traffickers and
brothel owners to gain wealth and social mobility. Through
my research, I developed the theory of neocommodification to explain the expansion in illegal child sex trafficking
in India; to commodify the girls’ bodies, every accomplice
involved systematically beats, rapes and maims the innocent newly-trafficked girls until they completely release
their subjectivities. The accomplices subsequently market
the girls’ bodies as exotic and erotic commodities in a
growing and voracious illicit sex market. I have found that
sex trafficking is expanding because Indians and Nepalese
born into the lower castes are beginning to seek social mobility, power and subjectivity, qualities that are now more
attainable with the expanding neoliberal global market.
Trafficking of Nepalese girls is an emergent trend because
they are exotic, easily obtainable, disposable, and in demand. To research the social, political and economic struc-
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tures that affect child sex trafficking, I investigated documentaries, scholarly articles and books written about this
growing problem. Child sex trafficking between Nepal and
India must be further investigated in order to stop it from
happening to more children.
Positive Peer Relationships are Not Enough: The
Role of Student-Staff Relationships in the
Development of College and Career Orientations
Aysha Cohen
Mentor: Deborah Vandell
Studies have often looked at peer relationships as a marker
of high quality after-school programs, but not at peer relationships as a factor impacting student outcomes. This
study focuses on how two features of an after-school program, student-staff and peer-to-peer relationships, influence the development of college and career goals in
adolescent youth attending a community based afterschool learning center. Through a series of observations
and interviews, I have found staff pedagogical and content
expertise to be a vital mediating factor in the promotion
and facilitation of peer relationships that encourage and
enable the adolescent youth at the center, especially those
of low socioeconomic status, to develop viable college and
career goals. In contrast, the peer relationships that developed under the supervision of staff lacking pedagogical
and content expertise were not supportive in the formation
of college and career goals, and rather led to the development of behavioral and academic problems within the
classroom setting. My results stress the importance of the
interplay between student-staff relations and peer-to-peer
relations in college and career orientation for adolescent
youth.
The Psychological Qualities of Leading a Virtual
Second Life
Mark Combs
Mentor: Daniel Stokols
A core interest of environmental psychology is to understand the mechanisms that facilitate or hinder the fit between humans and their environment. There is a large
body of research literature that clearly demonstrates that
close social proximity engenders the development of relationships and creates human attachment to place-based
settings. With the rapid growth of online virtual communities, an obvious research question would be to document
the psychological effects of leading a virtual second life,
and determine if human place-based commitment generalizes to virtual settings that lack physical structure. The goal
of this study was to answer these questions via exploratory
and ethnographic research that was conducted in Second
Life, a virtual community with 13 million members. Pilot
survey data was collected from 51 Second Life members
who answered a variety of questions, in Likert format, that
pertained to biopsychosocial health, and commitment to
Second Life versus other place-based communities. Individuals demonstrated significant correlations between
Internet use and levels of self-absorption, commitment
and sense of obligation to their virtual community, and the
development of new faceless relationships. These results
portray a developing migration towards virtual worlds as
an outlet for human socialization, and the generalization of
place-based research findings to these new forms of virtual
human-environment transactions.
Structure Formation with Non-Gaussian Initial
Conditions
Dillon Cone
Mentor: Manoj Kaplinghat
This project explored the formation of structures through
the method of gravitational collapse, specifically considering the possibility that the initial mass distribution could
have been non-Gaussian. Because of the difficulties with
directly observing the state of the universe at early times, it
can not be determined if the Gaussian distribution of mass
was favored or if there were other elements. Since there
are theories that do not lead to a Gaussian distribution
after the inflation period, the possibility of other distributions should not be ignored. For the most part a set of
Gaussian initial conditions is assumed. Through the use of
an N-body simulation, some possible results of gravitational collapse starting with non-Gaussian initial conditions
were generated. These model universes were then compared with observed structures in the real universe to see
how closely they correlate, and thus give credence to or
detract from the likelihood of the theories that do not predict Gaussian initial conditions.
Solving Racial Identity Conflict: Interracial Play as
Interpretive Revision
Amy Cooper
Mentor: Linda Bauer
Ethnic toys, by designating certain marks as symbols of
racial difference, suggest “African-American” means a
wider nose, darker skin, and textured hair. Because dolls
have long been recognized by psychologists as tools of
ethnic and personal identity, mass produced dolls that reduce race to stereotypes raise concerns about the impact
those dolls have on the racial identities of the children who
play with them. Anthropologist, Elizabeth Chin, while investigating problems of race, social hegemony, and doll
play noticed that the minority children she interviewed in
Newhallville Connecticut played almost exclusively with
white, platinum blonde, blue eyed dolls and styled the
dolls’ hair in “distinctly un-white” ways. Traditionally,
these kinds of play patterns have been interpreted as the
expression of the child’s sense of racial inferiority. I argue
that by braiding and beading, these children use their dolls
as tangible, visual representations not of racial identity conflict, but its resolution. Using a doll clearly designated by a
toy company as “white,” and writing over them with
“black” identity markers transforms the doll into a fictional
space where concepts like “white” and “black” can be
compared, combined, pulled apart, and put back together
in new ways. Far from being the passive victims of social
injustice, these children point to new ways of conceptualizing race outside of the categories that reinforce racial divide.
Splashes to Smoke: A Prayer to Lamenja
Candice Cross
Mentors: John Crawford & Lisa Naugle
The goal of this video presentation is to use dance and
visual imagery to address pollution of the ocean caused by
oil production. To achieve this I began by studying dance
as it corresponds to nature inspired by Afro-Brazilian
Orixa dancing traditionally performed as ritual in the Candomblé religion of Bahia. Each Orixa or deity represents,
embodies, and influences a specific element of nature.
Traces of Lamenja, the deity of the ocean, are revealed
through images of flowing dance performed on the shore.
To contrast this image of moving in harmony with the sea
are images of oil drills and refineries, an attempt to provoke concern for the growing pollutants caused by oil production. The process of conducting research for the
production of this video taught me about the Candomblé
religion and the importance of accurate anthropological
study without appropriation, although my research on this
topic has only just begun. I also learned how to use choreography as a means of expressing a specific topic and how
to capture footage of dance at various locations and manipulate that footage through the use of advanced editing
software.
The Role of Lhx2 in Neurogenesis in the Cerebral
Cortex
Bita Cyrus
Mentor: Edwin Monuki
Lhx2, a LIM homeobox transcription factor, is expressed
in the forebrain of the developing central nervous system,
where it is crucial for normal development of the cerebral
cortex. Lhx2 standard knockout mutant mice exhibit a
small forebrain phenotype, which was attributed to a proliferation defect of cortical precursor cells. Although during mouse corticogenesis, Lhx2 appears to be involved in
precursor cell proliferation, the mechanism was not understood. I hypothesized that Lhx2 maintains cortical precursor cells in a proliferative state by preventing premature
neuronal differentiation. I determined the area of the dorsal telencephalon in Lhx2 conditional knockout (CKO)
control and mutant animals by Xgal staining and found
that, by embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5), Lhx2 mutant embryos
displayed a significantly smaller cortex. I next performed
immunohistochemisty on tissue sections using a Tbr1 antibody, which marks differentiated neurons found in the
cortical plate. At E12.5, I found that mutant embryos
qualitatively exhibited increased numbers of Tbr1-positive
cells compared to controls. At E14.5, I found that mutant
and control embryos exhibited quantitatively similar thicknesses of Tbr1-positive zones. However, relative to overall
dorsal telencephalic size (upon normalizing to Xgal area) I
found that mutants exhibit a subtle, but non-significant
increase in the Tbr1-positive zone of the dorsal telencephalon compared to controls. These data suggest that at
least part of the small forebrain phenotype observed in
Lhx2 mutant embryos can be attributed to premature neuronal differentiation, which prematurely depletes the cortical progenitor pool during the course of cerebral cortex
development.
Assessment of Seed Production and Identification of a
Pollinator of a South African Species (Strelitzia reginae) in Southern California
Frankie Daniel
Mentor: Franz Hoffmann
Strelitzia reginae, also known as bird of paradise, is an important horticultural crop grown in subtropical and tropical climates. In its native South Africa, through a highly
adaptive method of pollination, the flowers of this species
are pollinated by birds of the Nectariniidae genus. This bird
is absent outside of South Africa. Typically, propagation of
S. reginae is achieved by growing mature plants from seed.
However, because of this lack of a bird pollinator, seed
production in the wild is low outside of South Africa. Our
goal was to explore the degree of seed production in
Southern California and to identify the mechanism by
which these seeds are produced. Our observations show
that significant variation in the number of seeds between
patches of S. reginae exists, where some patches produce
considerably more than others, while most produce none.
Further investigation revealed that the bird Geothlypis trichas, also known as the Common Yellowthroat, has learned
to pollinate the flowers in certain patches using the pollination mechanism evolved by the plant in its native South
Africa. We also found that accidental pollination of S. reginae flowers by members of the sparrow family occurred
with some limited frequency. Our data and observations
led us to conclude that the actions of G. trichas are causing
a significant increase in pollination of S. reginae, and thus
lead to increased seed production in patches where this
behavior is present. We postulate that possible future
spreading of this behavior could result in increased pollination and seed production throughout Southern California.
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Cigarette Smoke Condensate Induces a DoseDependent Morphological and Physiological Change
in Organotypic Skin Models
Belinda Dao
Mentor: Brian Wong
Cigarette smoking and tobacco use are avoidable health
risks that have been known to contribute to carcinogenesis
and diseases in multiple organs of the human body. While
much attention and research has been dedicated to the
study of such cases, less is known about the harmful effects of cigarette smoking and tobacco use on the human
skin. To provide a better understanding of the morphological and physiological changes in the human skin due to
cigarette and tobacco smoke exposure, we examined the
relationship between fibroblasts and different dosages of
cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) in organotypic tissueengineered skin models (RAFTs). RAFTs were constructed
using neonatal cell lines and exposed to varying concentrations of CSC (0, 10, 25, and 50 μg/mL) for 14 days. RAFT
dimensions were measured daily to calculate contraction
rates. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using fluorescence dye systems and confocal microscopy. The results
of this study identified a dose-dependent relationship between morphological contraction of RAFTs and CSC concentration. In addition, cell viability decreased with
increasing CSC concentrations. These findings support
previous work suggesting that CSC has a cytotoxic effect
on RAFTs, and thus fibroblast activity, which may be
linked to the physiological and morphological changes that
are observed in human skin exposed to direct and secondhand cigarette smoke.
We the People: Examining Regional Political Culture
in Educational Policy
Valerie Dao
Mentor: Mark Petracca
The concept of political culture has long intrigued scholars
studying the attitudes essential to the creation and preservation of a functioning democracy. From Alexis de Tocqueville to Gabriel Almond, political socialization has been
used to explain the differences in the operating norms of
various polities. The same underlying assumptions that
drive the differences among nation-states can be applied
on a sub-national level within the United States. In Federalism: A view from the States, Daniel Elazar suggests that there
are three major political cultures (Individual, Traditional,
and Moralistic) that guide regional governance. Using educational policy towards civic education as an exemplar of
political culture, this study examines the political orientation of six different states. Evaluation of the data gathered
suggests that though political cultures are incongruent with
Elazar’s previous findings, states do share common values
that are reflected in public policy pronouncement and the
advancement of democratic ideals in the United States.
Functional Differences in Visual Motion Judgments
Alexander Davis
Mentors: Charles Chubb & Charles Wright
When moving through the world, humans usually walk
forward, which creates the illusion of our environment
expanding before us as we travel. Conversely, if one were
to move backwards, the world would contract as we
moved away from a given point. Many different approaches have been taken to understand the functional
architecture of the human brain. A recently developed
technique called Equisalience Function Analysis (EFA),
developed at the University of California, Irvine, allows
non-invasive investigational studies of functional streams
in the human brain. This paper examines the differences
and similarities between three tasks: Focus of Expansion,
Focus of Contraction, and Global Motion. Findings from
psychophysical and imaging studies carried out under this
investigation suggest that humans may process these three
types of tasks in significantly different ways. Psychophysical results using EFA show that it is easier to make discriminations in a Focus of Expansion task than a Focus of
Contraction task. Data patterns from the Focus of Contraction and Global Motion tasks are similar, which suggests that the human brain may have a preference for
processing stimulus types that are found in nature over
those that are not.
Physiological and Psychological Responses: Latinos
in a Socially Evaluative Setting
Cindy De La Cruz
Mentor: Sally Dickerson
Previous research has shown that ethnic minority group
related stressors such as ethnic discrimination, stereotype
threat, and own-group conformity pressure are associated
with low self-esteem. Therefore, lower self evaluation
could be a mechanism in which these ethnic stressors occur with members of minority groups. In response to performance evaluation by others, Latinos may show larger
decreases in self evaluation in general as a response to
background experience of minority-status stressors, which
in turn may lead to a lower self evaluation of performance.
This lowered sense of self-worth may lead to a decreased
ability to cope in social situations. This study examines
whether there is a difference in how Latino versus Caucasian participants rate themselves before and after a socialevaluative stressor (via pre-task and post-task questionnaires). I hypothesize that under these conditions Latino
participants will rate their performance more poorly than
the Caucasian participants and will show higher levels of
cortisol secretions and exhibit higher blood pressure readings. The findings from this study may have important
implications regarding the Latino population and their responses to certain social settings. A 2003 study conducted
by The National Center for Educational Statistics revealed
that Latino high school students are 2.4 times more likely
to drop out of school than their non-Latino counterparts.
Further, greater stress responses, and in particular, drops in
self evaluation might particularly explain these findings.
The California Communiy College System: Patterns in
Latino Student Transfer Rates to the University of
California
Judy De La O
The state of California boasts the largest community college system in the United States. One hundred nine campuses serve as a gateway for millions of Californians who
desire to attend an institution of higher education. Today,
the California Community Colleges are heavily populated
by students of color; in particular, Latino students make up
approximately 40% of the total population. Yet Latinos are
the least likely group to transfer to University of California
(UC) campuses. This could be attributed to the growing
educational inequalities of California’s public schools. For
example, out of 46 Latino high school graduates, 17 go to
a community college, and only one transfers to a four-year
institution. Through a series of interviews with UC faculty
and surveys of Latino community college students within
Los Angeles County, this study seeks to understand the
factors that account for the low transfer rates of Latino
community college students to the UC system. Findings
suggest that Latino students would prefer to transfer to a
UC campus, but the lack of access to information on how
to navigate the transfer process prevents them from considering the UC path. Aggressive recruitment by the UC
campuses, coupled with a renewal of the California Master
Plan, could increase Latino transfer student rates to UC
campuses. This study will contribute a greater understanding of ways to increase UC enrollment for California’s fastest growing population.
Screenwriters: Survival in a Freelance Market and
Evolving Business Model
Mike Delay
Mentor: Samuel Gilmore
Screenwriting as a profession is a combination of freelance
work coupled with what appears to be increased corporate
organization. Artistic professionals tend not to be involved
in collectivist actions, yet union participation and membership has recently proven to be important to members of
the field. In this piece, we look at the importance of solidarity in an artistic union, the effects of corporatization of
the film industry, and the variable opinions of participants.
Individual levels of experience tend to dictate the means of
dealing with this work environment. Research in this field
required interviewing screenwriters with varying levels of
experience. The information I gathered led to the discovery of three distinct typologies, all of which functioned
within the screenwriting organization in different ways
with different results. Newer writers approached the business aspect of their craft in two clearly differentiated ways,
while experienced writers used an approach that was an
amalgamation of them.
Mutagenesis, Overexpression, and Purification of
DNase for Single Molecule Studies
Denise Der
Mentor: Gregory Weiss
Previous studies have nonspecifically attached a single protein to a carboxylate-functionalized carbon nanotube. In
this study, a single enzyme will be covalently and sitespecifically attached to a nanotube in a nanocircuit, and
will be electronically monitored in real-time. Part of the
investigation was accomplished by mutagenesis followed
by overexpression and purification three different DNase
E9 mutants. The latter portion of this project involves attachment to the nanotube through cysteine chemistry and
visualization of changes in conductance between the various DNase mutants as it hydrolyzes DNA. Thus far, the
three DNase variants have been successfully expressed,
purified, and characterized. Because these mutants have
been shown to be absolutely pure and still remain active
after refolding them, they are ready for site-specific attachment to the functionalized carbon nanotube. Ultimately, attaching the enzyme to the nanotube and
visualizing its conductance will allow us to elucidate kinetic
information of a single protein.
Allegory and Idolatry in Early Christian Martyrdom: A
Benjaminian Perspective
Colin Devane
Mentor: John Smith
It has long been recognized that certain members of the
early Christian community underwent violent deaths at the
hands of Roman authorities in the name of their budding
religion. The early church made much of these scattered
and minor incidents, using the category martyrdom to interpret them. Through this category a communal selfunderstanding was fashioned and reinforced for the new
religious movement, which characterized itself as an opposed—and thus confirmed—medium and manifestation
of truth. It is this mode of self-understanding that I aim to
interrogate here, not primarily the historical veracity or
falsehood of the various events in question, or their political importance or statistical insignificance. Rather, in treating martyrdom as an interpretive stance, my inquiry is
primarily philosophical, although it in no way aims to disavow these empirical questions—on the contrary, it should
grow out of them. Noting the way in which these events
arose from, and were constituted by, their historical nexus
is in no way antithetical to a philosophical meditation on
the incredibly various and nuanced modes of signification
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employed by the martyrologists, and, indeed, by the martyrs themselves as they fashioned their very corporeality
into theological signification. As I sketch their sociopolitical preconditions, I also hope to allow my gaze to fall
on certain paradigmatic ethical and epistemological issues
that these situations might be seen to instantiate—issues of
skepticism and certitude, of tolerance and violence—and,
perhaps, to the metaphysical or theological presuppositions
that underlie and generate their peculiar form.
The Influence of Commuter Status on College
Students’
Organization
Involvement
and
Identification with their University
Heather Diaz
Mentors: H.C. Clitheroe & Daniel Stokols
University students differ from one another in defining
their sense of community on the college campus. Whereas
many students become involved in campus life due to living arrangements on campus, off-campus students, also
known as commuter students, may not be provided with
sufficient resources and opportunities to establish a connection to their university. This study aims to understand
the levels of campus involvement among commuter versus
non-commuter students as measured by self-report survey
questions, hand-sketched cognitive maps, and environmental observations. A total of 39 participants from a large
southern California public university were surveyed. It was
hypothesized that commuters (especially those who live
the greatest distances away from the university campus)
experience a lower sense of campus involvement. A series
of correlational analyses provide general support for the
hypothesized relationships between residential/commuter
status and a sense of community on campus. The results
also help to define a commuter student in terms of the
miles separating their residence from the college campus.
Earlier research has focused on socioeconomic influences
on commuter students and their rate of withdrawal from
the university. This study extends earlier research by providing insight into current commuter student involvement
with the college campus and suggesting future strategies
for promoting greater sense of community among commuter students.
The Occurrence of Vibrio Species in California Recreational Marine Environment
Gregory Dickinson
Mentor: Sunny Jiang
Vibrio cholera, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus are notorious bacteria that cause debilitating disease worldwide
through contamination of drinking water and seafood.
Evidence suggests these bacteria are naturally occurring in
saltwater ecosystems. However, there has not been a study
that links the presence of Vibrios in recreational water and
human health. This study examined the occurrence of Vi-
brios at two Californian recreational beaches, Doheney
State Beach and Avalon Beach on Catalina Island. Water
samples were collected from 28 May to 4 July 2007 from
several different sampling sites and at different times of the
day. The samples were enriched for Vibrios using alkaline
peptone water. Genomic DNA was extracted for PCR
analysis. Species specific and toxin specific primers were
chosen to indicate the presence of different Vibrio species
and test for those Vibrios that carry toxin producing genes.
Preliminary results indicated the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in 45% and V. cholera in 20% of the enriched samples. No samples tested positive for V. vulnificus or any of
the toxin genes. This study will contribute to our understanding of the naturally occurring bacterial pathogens
found in marine recreational water.
The Role of Lysyl Oxidase in Collagen Production
and Stabilization in Extracellular Matrix of Asthmatic
Airway Using Multi-Photon Microscopy
Bao Dinh
Mentor: Steven George
Airway remodeling is the key process of asthma, in which
the airway is repetitively injured and initiates the healing
process known as fibrosis. The goal of this study is to assess the effect of gene silencing technique correlated with
fibrosis using multi-photon microscopy with second harmonic generation (SHG) and post-imaging processed for
salt-soluble collagen assay. A tissue engineering approach
was used to create an in-vitro model, which is composed of
collagen hydrogels embedded with normal human lung
fibroblasts (NHLFs) that have been silenced with small
interference RNA (siRNA) of lysyl oxidase gene responsible for collagen stabilization process. SHG images of these
gels were taken and quantified at the depth of 20 μm
above the cover slip of imaging chambers; they showed a
significant difference between the transfected and nontransfected conditions after seven days of culture. Saltsoluble collagen assay on collagen gels embedded with
transfected NHLFs also showed a significant difference
between the transfected and non-transfected conditions
after seven days of culture. Specifically, the transfected
condition had more collagen in soluble form than the nontransfected condition. This shows that the transfection
with lysyl oxidase siRNA prevents the conversion to the
insoluble form, which elevates in collagen stabilization in
fibrosis.
Comparative Analysis of Pacing-Induced Heart Failure in Drosophila Populations
Navid Doktormomtaz
Mentor: Michael Rose
The primary aim of my study was to assay age-specific
heart rate and uncoordinated fibrillation in five long-lived
and five baseline Drosophila melanogaster populations in the
Rose Lab, in order to analyze pacing-induced heart failure
in these populations. This study used heart rate measurements of fruit flies under anesthesia at different ages and
measurements of the response to electrical pacing to analyze the ability of the flies’ heart to survive acute electrical
provocation and then produce productive and repeated
contractions. The average heart rate of both long-lived and
baseline populations declined with age. In addition, the
average heart rate for the long-lived populations during
intermediate ages was greater than that of the baseline
populations at the same age. These results are consistent
with the facts that the average longevity of our long-lived
populations exceeds that of our baseline population by two
or three times, and that the average heart rate of fruit flies
declines progressively with age. Also, both long-lived and
baseline populations showed an age-dependent response to
electrical pacing. Finally, after the electrical pacing treatment the rate of heart failure in the long-lived populations
was lower than that in the baseline populations, with most
failure falling into the fibrillation category. These results
are consistent with previous studies that demonstrate that
adult response to electrical pacing is dramatically agedependent.
Further Development of 18F-FBM for detecting of βAmyloid Plaques and Neurofibrillary Tangles in Alzheimer’s Disease
Amish Doshi
Mentor: Jogeshwar Mukherjee
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the presence
of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and beta-amyloid (Aβ)
plaques in the brain. The disease causes memory damage
and continuous cognitive decline. To detect the plaques
and tangles at an earlier stage, positron emission tomography (PET) is used as an imaging method for early diagnosis. A compound by the name of 18F-FBM (4’-[(2-[18F]
fluoroethyl)
(methyl)
amino]-4-phenyl-3-buten-2malonitrile) has been synthesized in our laboratories and
has been shown to bind to plaques and tangles. 18F-FBM
has a less lipophilic structure than previous AD imaging
agents, enabling more accurate detection of plaques and
tangles. Synthesis starts with N-methyl-N-(2hydroxyethyl)-4-aminobenzaldehyde and follows a threestep synthesis to obtain the tosylate precursor of FBM,
which is radiolabeled to give 18F-FBM. The goal of this
project was to develop improved methods of synthesis of
FBM and the precursor tosylate for making 18F-FBM. Synthesis methods of the intermediate ketone, 4’-[(2Hydroxyethyl) (methyl) amino]-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one
were improved to provide higher yields of the product,
with fewer impurities. Methods to improve the yield and
purity of the malonitrile, 4’-[(2-hydroxyethyl) (methyl)
amino]-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-malonitrile are currently underway. Radiosynthesis is ongoing for studies using trans-
genic AD mice. We will use two mice models for AD;
Tg2576 (develops plaques) and 3xTg (develops both
plaques and tangles). Our previous preliminary results have
shown successful binding of 18F-FBM to brain regions—
including the hippocampus and frontal cortex—known to
contain plaques and tangles. Lower binding was seen in the
cerebellum, which is known to contain few plaques and
tangles. We plan to conduct in vivo studies using 18F-FBM
and the AD mice models and imaging using the Preclinical
Inveon scanner in the MicroPET Imaging Facility.
Photo Multiplier Tube Calibration for MINERvA
Joseph Duris
Mentor: David Casper
The Main INjector ExpeRiment Neutrino-A (MINERvA)
at Fermilab uses 30,212 PMT channels to infer the energies
and directions of muons produced by neutrino-nucleon
scattering events. Because accurate determination of the
spatial distribution of muon energy deposition requires
adequate PMT calibration, the purpose of this project is to
create a program that can be used to systematically calibrate the PMTs. A test bed has been constructed using a
flashing LED with various intensity filters. The occupancy
method is used to determine each PMT’s gain. The software is written in C++ with the ROOT and GAUDI
frameworks and uses the MINUIT package to minimize a
chi-square test statistic for fitting. The quality of the fit
routine is verified with Monte Carlo simulations of low
occupancy levels. Fits to preliminary test run data for 64
PMTs using two light intensity settings are promising. The
results of this project enable the measurement of PMT
gains and contribute to the ability of the MINERvA group
to calibrate all of the detector’s PMTs.
Automatic Collection of Software Faults
Alexander Edwards
Mentor: Brian Demsky
Software bugs are a severe problem. They can often cause
disaster, incurring a loss of human life and/or capital. A
modern approach to more effectively testing software for
bug handling capabilities is to use collections of real-world
bugs to test the robustness of software. This strategy
would seem to be ideal for possible real-world bugs, but
such a collection does not exist. All attempts have ended
prematurely due to the labor intensive nature of such collection. My project last summer was to build a tool that
automates this collection process. By using a function
called ptrace, our tool intercepts system calls and watches
the execution of programs to document the causes and
fixes for software bugs. This information is then stored in
a repository. With such information collected, we will be
able to perform empirical studies on the bugs to better
understand the nature of modern human error, and to use
the repository to test the robustness of software. We are in
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the process of collecting bugs with the tool, after which we
will be able to analyze the data.
Media Take Out: The Effects of Black Sitcoms on
African American Cultural Values and Socialization
Julian Eison
Mentors: Samuel Gilmore & Thomas Parham
African American sitcoms have proven to be an entertainment staple for many Americans, both Black and
White; they depict a wide range of African American characters and social types that influence both groups’ perception of the African American experience. For example,
compare the buffoonish characters presented in a show
like “Amos `n Andy” to the popular 1980s sitcom “The
Cosby Show,” where the professional success of Bill Cosby
and his wife was the primary theme. Studies have found
many members of the African American community concerned with the motives of TV and Film producers who
continue to present inferior depictions of “street” Blacks,
which can be paralyzing to African American heritage. Few
studies have been conducted to better understand the impact of media imagery, both positive and negative, on the
socialization of African Americans. The goal of this study
is to see if cultural values, with respect to socialization, are
strongly correlated with African American perceived social
identity in prime-time sitcoms. Data for this research is
drawn from both ethnographic and survey data that produce variation and in-depth analysis. Preliminary analysis
shows that there is a significant and growing differentiation
within the African American Community among social
classes. In addition, the analysis shows a majority of African Americans feel that they should be held responsible
for their own actions rather than finding scapegoats for
social deficiencies. This study is significant because it will
help the African American Community achieve a social
and cultural consensus.
The Effect of Burnout on Cortisol Reactivity to a
Laboratory Stressor Task
Eddie Erazo
Studies investigating the association between burnout,
measured by the MBI, and cortisol levels have failed to
come to any consensus. There have been mixed results
that would support either a positive, negative, or no association. However, studies have not yet tested the relationship between burnout levels and cortisol secretion in
response to an acute stressor. This study involves running
92 University of California, Irvine undergraduates through
a speech task, the controlled stressor, to assess their cortisol reactivity. The purpose is to determine whether a person’s level of burnout has an effect on their cortisol
reactivity to an acute stressor. Taking this novel approach
provides new information to help determine whether
burnout is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Participants with higher burnout levels had stunted cortisol levels
throughout the five time points of the experiment in comparison to those with average or low levels of burnout.
This has implications for a higher risk of cardiovascular
disease in those reporting high burnout.
Latina/o Students' College Adjustment and Cultural
Congruity Process: A Psychosociocultural Analysis
Barbara Escobar
Latina/os are the fastest growing U.S. racial and ethnic
minority group comprising 32.8 million, or 14.5% of the
total United States population. Given the population
growth, it is reasonable to assume that Latina/os would
have a substantial attendance in the educational system.
However, Latina/os education rates suggest that students
are leaving the educational pipeline early and not entering
or enrolling in college. More importantly, research suggests
that Latina/o experiences are embedded with feelings of
normalessness, marginalization, and cultural incongruity.
Specifically, Latina/o students do not feel validated
throughout their educational experiences and report being
disconnected from their environment. Given the role of
university environment, campus climate, and student integration on persistence, this study proposes to examine the
cultural congruity process for Latina/o college students.
Through an exploratory qualitative (interview) design, implementing the psychosociocultural theoretical framework,
the study examines how Latina/o students navigate culture
in a university setting, The snowball stratified sample of
participants consisted of 25 Latina/o undergraduate students, a representation of five per class level. Preliminary
findings will contribute to the overall understanding of
how Latina/o students experience college life at a fouryear institution within a cultural perspective. Implications
for research and practice will assist university officials and
faculty to better serve Latina/o students in feeling more
connected to the university and the campus environment.
Reintegra A.C: An Analysis on Prevention of
Recidivism and Social Reintegration of Minors in
Conflict with the Law in Mexico City and California
Barbara Escobar
Mentor: James Vigil
In the city of Mexico Distrito Federal there are approximately 150 gangs or groups of juvenile delinquents. The
juvenile delinquent groups on record grew on the outskirts
of urban centers like that of Tepito. The population of
Tepito grew, as did other sectors of Mexico City; consequently, at risk youth live in poverty today more than ever.
In comparison, Chicano gangs in the Unites States have
been marginalized and socialized to reproduce the status
quo with lack of support and resources. Similarly, both
groups of juvenile delinquents both in Mexico City and in
Southern California (predominantly Chicano or Latino
gang-based) face the culture conflict of living in marginalized psycho-socioeconomic conditions in the barrios (urban
centers). This observer-participatory (ethnographic) case
study of the Reintegra, A.C. rehabilitation center in Mexico
City and secondary analysis of the literature is a comparative evaluation of preventive measures implemented, both
in Mexico City and Southern California, to reduce the recidivism rates and improve the social reintegration of juveniles cross culturally. The case study consisted of six to ten
minors and family members in four distinct treatment
groups. The secondary analysis was a literature review of
recidivism prevention programs implemented in Southern
California, targeting the Chicano and/or Latino gang
population. The findings indicate that there has been a
significant decrease in recidivism rates due to the implementation of prevention programs incorporating a holistic
approach in combating crime and violence among the at
risk youth in both Mexico City and Southern California.
Modern French Protests
Jennifer Evans
Mentor: Dorothy Solinger
Staging protests as a means of publicly expressing grievances is a time-honored tradition in France that dates back
to the French Revolution. Indeed, public demonstrations
are a widely used and conventional means of expressing
discontent or disapproval. Today in France, there are three
different types of protests that occur: protests against immigration and other external (foreign) forces, student protests, and union protests. The goal of this study was to find
areas of interrelation and distinction between the different
types of protests that occurred in France between 1985
and 2005. Douglas McAdam’s political process model provides the framework for analysis; news archives and journal articles provide the necessary information about these
protests to draw comparisons. Using the comparative
method, these types of protests were compared in terms of
their political opportunities structures, internal organizational capabilities, and methods by which consciousness
was raised. Many interesting and significant conclusions
were found, namely that globalization plays a role in creating the political opportunity necessary for all three types of
protests to arise. However, many important differences
were also found, especially when contrasting the vast organizational strength and effectiveness of the unions with
the more dispersed and less successful student and antiimmigration protestors. These findings help to affirm
McAdam’s model and provide insight into France’s political and social climate.
μ-Fluid Flow Induction of Endothelial NO Production
Jamie Evora
Mentor: Elliot Botvinick
Endothelial cells are vital players in maintaining vascular
homeostasis. Endothelial nitric oxide production serves as
a relaxing factor for smooth muscle cells, leading to blood
vessel dilation and a decrease in blood pressure. It has
been proven that nitric oxide is released from the endothelium through a variety of shear stresses. Previous studies of
nitric oxide mechanotransduction have shown nitric oxide
to be mechanically stimulated with the use of a microneedle as well as a membrane attached fibronectin-coated
bead subjected to oscillatory motion to aggravate the cell.
This study uses internal strain measurements with fluorescent measurements of mechanotransduction with response
to tangential and normal stresses through the use of
fluorescently marked cells and laser tweezers. Bovine aortic
endothelial cells (BAEC) were cultured and then fluorescently marked with an NO fluorescent detector, DAR 4MAM. Birefringent spherical crystals were then applied to
the cells and trapped by circular polarized light to induce
spherical rotation and induction of intracellular NO production. Primary results show the ability of NO induction
in BAEC through the use of laser tweezers in trapping and
optically rotating liquid calcite crystals. Although nitric oxide was shown as a product of rotating spherical crystals,
spherical rotation was not as accurate as was predicted.
Nitric oxide is difficult to study accurately; the results
proved a lot of variation, which could be altered in the
future with the use of a better control and different spherical crystals.
Comparison of Drug Sensitivities of Staphylococcus
aureus in Adult vs. Pediatric Populations
Maryam Fakhrai
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a spherical, gram positive
bacterium that lives in the nasal passage or on the skin.
Most humans carry S. aureus but, in some cases, this bacteria can cause serious “pus-forming” infections, skin lesions, pneumonia, meningitis, food poisoning, and hospital
acquired infection. Many antibiotics have been used to
fight infections caused by S. aureus; but recently, S. aureus
has become more resistant to antibiotics. An example is
methicillin resistanc S. aureus, also know as MRSA, which
has been associated with high morbidity. After S. aureus is
isolated from a patient, the microbiology laboratory performs drug sensitivity testing to determine which antibiotics are the most effective for treatment of that patient’s
infection. Although most antibiotics are used in both the
pediatric and adult populations, there are some differences
in treatment regimens. In this project, we compared drug
sensitivity of S. aureus isolates in adult and pediatric popula-
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tions. We reviewed the patients’ microbiological data from
2000 to 2006 at the University of California, Irvine Medical
Center. We analyzed the data for five different antibiotics,
levofloxacin, clindamycin, methicillin, erythromycin and
tetracycline. We found that, compared to the pediatric
population, S. aureus isolates from the adult population
tend to be more resistant to levofloxacin and methicillin.
The drug resistance pattern was not different for the other
antibiotics, such as tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin. We hypothesize that the reason for increase in resistance to levofloxacin and methicillin is the overuse of
these two drugs in the adult population. By increasing preventive measures for infection (for instance, better hygiene), appropriate administration of antibiotics, and
developing new drugs, we can decrease antibiotic resistance.
Monte-Carlo-Based Study of Depth-Resolved Laser
Speckle Imaging with Spatially Modulated Light
Youssef Farhat
Mentor: Bernard Choi
Laser speckle imaging (LSI) permits rapid monitoring of
blood flow dynamics in superficial microvasculature with
high spatial (<10 μm) and temporal (10 ms) resolution. A
limitation of conventional LSI is its inability to provide
information on blood vessel depth. Our objective was to
evaluate the use of spatially modulated coherent light to
enable depth-sectioned blood flow imaging with LSI. To
do this, the optical properties of skin and blood (75% O2
Sat) were determined for common LSI wavelengths of 633
and 785 nm, and port wine stain (PWS) vasculature geometry was simulated in two dimensions by the inclusion
of multiple vessels in an otherwise homogeneous background. Spatially modulated coherent laser light was simulated with a sinusoidal intensity distribution ranging from
spatial modulation frequencies (SMF) of 0 to 5 mm-1. The
histories of remitted photons that interacted with the simulated PWS were evaluated to infer the degree of sampling
of superficial vasculature relative to deeper vessels. Our
data suggest that SMF between 0.2 mm-1 and 0.35 mm-1
enhance our ability to interrogate microvasculature less
than 500 μm beneath the surface of skin with a maximum
enhancement at 0.3 mm-1. For vessels placed at depths
larger than 1.25 mm, we found no advantage to the use of
spatially-modulated light. Modeling results to date suggest
that implementing spatially modulated coherent light at
SMF between 0.2 mm-1 and 0.35 mm-1 may enable the selective characterization of superficial blood flow with LSI.
French Artist, Italian Spirit: Deconstructing Nicolas
Poussin’s Role in Art Historical Methodology
Kathryn Farrar
Mentor: Jane Newman
French painter Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), despite his
chosen exile to Rome, is known as the mythic founder of
French Classicism. During Poussin’s youth, seventeenthcentury French painting was divided into two opposing
provinces: the longstanding guild tradition and the Académie française, founded by Cardinal Richelieu in 1635. To
elevate the status of French painting, and to promote the
ideology of a unified nation, the Académie sought the truthful imitation of Italian Renaissance art. This was achieved
by adopting Nicolas Poussin as the institutional model and
aligning his style with Raphael. To French and Italian humanists alike, Raphael made antiquity accessible. As the
“new Raphael,” Poussin served as the conduit between
France and antiquity, supporting the claims of the French
court to be the new center of European culture. After examining the historical circumstances that led to the canonization of Poussin as the academic model, I argue that the
artist’s early career suggests anti-academic, Baroque tendencies. His friendship with Italian poet Giambattista Marino and his involvement with Italians at the French court
have been deliberately overlooked by scholars to preserve
the idealism of the French national style.
The Effects of Priming on the Interpretation of
Ambiguous Idioms
Charles Felix
Mentor: Mary Louise Kean
This online-based study aimed to assess the effect of storybased priming on the interpretation of ambiguous idioms.
Twelve stories based on six ambiguous idioms, idioms that
can be construed both positively and negatively, were used
in the study. Three hundred, forty-five participants were
run in positive, negative, or control conditions. Participants
were required to read a pair of the stories and then rate the
list of six idioms as either positive or negative. The priming
effect the stories exhibited on the specific idioms the stories were based on was the primary focus of this experiment; in addition, the probability of an idiom having a
different proportion of positive ratings between different
pairings of the three conditions, and the probability that
pairs of idioms differed in their proportion of positive responses across conditions were considered. Though not all
analyses are completed at this time, preliminary findings
show little evidence for the interpretation of ambiguous
idioms being affected by story-based priming.
Limitations for Monte-Carlo Reconstruction of
Inflationary Potentials
Justin Feng
Monte-Carlo reconstruction was originally proposed as a
way to model inflation without making assumptions about
the form of the inflaton potential, instead generating potentials producing primordial perturbation spectra that fall
within a specified region of parameter space. In this paper,
the limits of Monte-Carlo reconstruction are examined
using the series expansion of the Hubble parameter,
equivalent to the flow equation approach to reconstruction. Severe limitations were found on the form of the potential; in particular, with couplings for the coefficients of
terms in viable potentials at low order, and that reflection
and global U(1) symmetries cannot be incorporated into
inflaton potentials generated using this approach.
Acoustically Driven Super-Heated Bubble Chamber
David Fischer
Mentor: Peter Taborek
An acoustic field can be used to create super-heated regions within a volume of fluid suitable for use as a bubble
type detector for sub-atomic particles. A detector intended
to identify collision events with some types of dark matter
candidates needs to avoid saturation by events occurring at
energies below a predicted threshold. Pressure field dynamics may permit suitably designed detectors to reject
unwanted low-energy events leading to higher signal-tonoise ratio for target events. In this investigation, piezoelectric crystals created pressure fields in liquid-filled containers. Cavitation due solely to pressure field intensity was
demonstrated in bulk fluid and captured with a high-speed
video camera, confirming the feasibility of generating appropriate pressure field levels for creation of a superheated fluid state. Electrical drive characteristics for piezo
crystals were measured and self-resonance effects were
observed. Significant effects from sonic reflections off
chamber walls were observed, confirming the need for
particle detector design to manage reflections. Damage to
piezo crystal actuators from surface cavitation was observed and identified as an important design consideration
for a complete detector system. Additional development
work remains prior to design of an acoustically superheated bubble chamber for particle detection. Sonic modeling of candidate chamber designs and subsequent validation by pressure field mapping at higher resolution will be
a priority for next phase of the development. A method
for prevention of cavitation on the acoustic actuators will
be another essential objective. While no technical impasses
were discovered, design of an acoustically driven bubble
chamber will be an intricate process.
Sexual Deviance and Psychosexual Development
Sean Fleming
Mentors: Salvatore Maddi & Danielle Rudes
Sigmund Freud surmised that specific and set character
types may manifest based on different experiences during
childhood development. He asserted that being treated a
certain way during a certain time in development can lead
to the manifestation of certain character types (incorporated by the well known, and often clichéd, Psychosexual
Stages of Development). This research investigated the
relationship between development and sexual activity and
interest later in life. It is important to note that homosexual activity was not considered deviant in terms of this research project, although several participants considered it
as such in their responses. Data was gathered via anonymous online survey; no credit was given in order to insure
that respondents’ information was kept completely private
and to minimize any and all risk possible due to the sensitive nature of the questionnaire. The goal of this study was
to determine the validity of Freud’s theories on character
traits and psychosexual development with relation to sexual activity, and to examine how common some “deviant”
sexual acts may be and whether or not those acts are deviant, relative to their frequency among the study population.
Latina/o Parents’ Attitudes Towards Higher
Education
Cristina Flores
Although Latina/os are the largest growing minority in the
United States, this growth is not reflective in their enrollment rates in institutions of higher education. While many
factors have been found to contribute to students’ academic success, parents’ advice and opinions about higher
education have the greatest influence on their children’s
education decisions. Interestingly, however, Latina/o parents’ involvement in their child’s aspirations to higher education, the application and retention process, and their
perspectives of their experiences have not been examined.
Due to the lack of research on Latina/o parents’ role in
education, this group has been historically perceived as
uninterested in and unsupportive of their children’s education. Using a psychosociocultural framework with a survey
design to explore psychological, social and cultural factors,
this study will explore how Latina/o parents’ previous experiences with the education system, perceptions of their
child’s ability, and concerns about the university predict
parents’ emotional and behavioral support of their children’s education goals. Preliminary analyses on data collected on seventy-one participants suggest strong
correlations between parents’ concerns about the university and parents’ emotional support. Additional findings
are projected to conclude that Latina/o parents provide
strong emotional and behavioral support of their children’s
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education. The findings will provide direction for school
administrators on how to integrate Latina/o parents’ support of their children’s education into collaborative efforts
to increase college going rates within the Latina/o population.
Baron’s Historiography: Humanist Values and the
Public Sphere in 20th Century Interpretations of Renaissance Humanism
Kathryn Fore
Mentor: Jane Newman
What is the purpose of an education in the Humanities?
To answer this question, this project explored critic Edward Said's theory that the Humanities teach a critical
practice of engagement within the public sphere, as laid
out in his posthumously published Humanism and Democratic
Criticism. It was established that the basis for Said's theory
came from the Renaissance humanist movement of Quattrocento Italy. The Humanists, with their emphasis on
teaching and interpreting the grammar, style, and historical
significance of ancient writers, laid the foundation for today's curriculum in the Humanities and, also, contemporary beliefs about their purpose. A case study was
conducted on a scholar of Renaissance Humanism, Hans
Baron, whose theory of Civic Humanism in Quattrocento
Florence was analyzed through close readings of his major
works, contemporary critics, and personal letters. From
this case study, it was concluded that Baron implemented
what he called "Renaissance values" in his work when he
analyzed the language of Renaissance Humanist Leonardo
Bruni to speak about his contemporary social world in his
interpretation of Humanism as a primarily civic movement.
Thus both Baron's interpretation and the values by which
he arrived at it illustrate that the Humanists established a
critical method of interpreting the past in order to speak
about the present and future. Therefore, the greatest gift
left by the Humanists to contemporary theorists of Humanities education, such as Edward Said, is a method of
interpretation that gives the Humanities a voice in the public sphere.
Antibody Blockade of Potassium Channels in the
Thalamus
Reverses
Desflurane-Induced
Unconsciousness in Rats
Amanda Franciscus
Mentor: Michael Alkire
Sleep research has shown that voltage-gated potassium
channels (i.e., Kv1.x) are critically involved in regulating
sleep and wakefulness. There are correlates between the
mechanisms of sleep and anesthesia. Therefore, we postulated that thalamic Kv1.2 potassium channels could contribute to anesthetic-induced unconsciousness. To assess
this, we microinfused a selective blocker of Kv1.2, a polyclonal antibody to the external vestibule of the channel,
directly into the central medial thalamus of rats rendered
unconscious with the inhalational anesthetic desflurane. In
rats where infusions hit the thalamic target, the antibody
reversed the unconscious state and restored mobility.
These findings suggest Kv1.2 potassium channels likely
play a key role in mediating anesthetic-induced consciousness.
Strain Sensitive Array for the Study of Muscle Surface
Mechanics
Raymond Fung
Mentor: William Tang
Excessive strain exerted on muscles in the body leads to
injury that can be difficult to recover from. Strain gauges
can be used to determine the amount of strain activities
can place on soft tissues and are key tools for studying
biomechanics and effectiveness of physical therapy regiments. Unfortunately current strain gauges are too large
and inaccurate to be useful. More importantly, traditional
strain gauges cannot survive strains in excess of 2%, while
muscles can be strained by as much as 30%. Thus our
laboratory is developing a micro implantable strain gauge
that can be used for studying soft tissue strains. The sensing principle is based on the use of materials that exhibit
piezoresistivity, which is a well known phenomenon and
offers the advantages of simple detection and easy instrumentation. The changes in resistance, which can be read
with Wheatstone bridge circuits, can represent the amount
of strain that an element may experience. Many materials
are piezoresistive, but the material must also be biocompatible, retain elasticity up to 30% strain, and be simple to
produce. Poly-pyrrole (PPy) is a material that could possibly be used for this device but is still a difficult material to
manufacture. Initial studies indicated that increasing the
applied current in the electrochemical deposition will increase the resisitivity of the PPy, but will also cause a considerable drop in quality. In addition, the thickness of the
depositions seems to have no relation to the applied current. On-going work to further characterize the deposition
process and the methodology on optimizing the material
performance will be discussed.
The Global Warming Movement: The City of Irvine’s
Plans for Change
Maria Corazon Garaniel
Mentor: David Meyer
When the 1997 Kyoto Protocol was not ratified by the
United States, leaders of some local governments began to
address the issue of climate change. The City of Irvine,
California, is one of hundreds of cities across the country
to sign the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement. Cities, however, are an odd unit of governance
to address an issue that is clearly global. This study uses the
City of Irvine to examine why cities are getting involved in
climate change; how they are doing so; and what impact
their involvement has on the politics of climate change.
Using eight interviews with policymakers, a thorough review of public documents, and numerous secondary
sources, I trace the City of Irvine’s involvement in the issue of climate change. This paper outlines the politics and
content of Irvine’s policies. I conclude that some cities
engaged the issue because of what activists saw as the federal government’s dereliction of duty. Although the environmental impact of any one city’s policies will be very
small, the political impact can be large. Although most city
leaders focus on the details and symbols of their programs,
some argue that their efforts can increase public attention
to the issue of climate change and push political leaders at
higher levels of government to act. I evaluate their claims.
Is Hand Hygiene Compliance Optimal Among
Health Care Workers?
Kristina Garma
Hand hygiene has been considered one of the most important infection control measures for preventing health-care
associated infections. These health care-associated infections, transmitted via the hands of health care workers, are
an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients worldwide. Hands washing with soap and
water or the use of a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub,
and the use of gloves before and after patient contact are
examples of proper hand hygiene. Hand hygiene compliance was monitored before and after patient contact
among different healthcare workers at the University of
California, Irvine using a standard form from November
2007 to April 2008. The healthcare workers were unaware
of the monitoring process. About two-thirds of healthcare
workers were compliant with hand hygiene while one third
were non-compliant. The rate of compliance was the same
before and after patient contact. To prevent health-care
associated infection, compliance should be near 100%.
Possible ways to promote better compliance are to implement hospital-wide programs such as emphasizing a bedside alcohol-based hand disinfection to encourage a more
efficient and convenient use of gel. Monthly programs
educating workers about the importance of hand hygiene
and proper hand hygiene techniques may also serve in increasing compliance among health care workers.
Examining the Effects of Early Criminal Justice and
Mental Health System Involvement
Benjamin Gillig
Early onset of involvement in crime predicts poorer criminal justice outcomes. However, little research has examined how early onset of crime may interact with early onset
of mental disorder to predict offenders’ criminal and clini-
cal outcomes. This issue is important to address, given that
the prevalence of major mental disorder is disproportionately high among offenders, and that offenders with mental
disorder (OMDs) have relatively poor outcomes. Using a
sample of 194 male parolees with mental disorder (PMDs)
and without mental disorder, we examined the extent to
which early involvement in the mental health and criminal
justice systems uniquely and additively affects lifetime involvement in both systems. In keeping with our hypothesis, we found that parolees with both early mental health
and early criminal justice involvement were significantly
more likely to have more lifetime hospitalizations than the
parolees with late involvement in both systems. No significant effects were found for early system involvement on
lifetime criminal justice outcomes. These results suggest
that early involvement in both the criminal justice and
mental healthcare systems is a risk marker for repeated
psychiatric hospitalization. Further research could examine
how and why early involvement in either or both systems
increases the risk for more negative lifetime mental health
outcomes.
Whose Land? Unitary and Adversary Democracy in
the Territory of Nunavut, Canada
Joshua Gladieux
Mentor: Carole Uhlaner
The first of April, 1999, marked the creation of the Territory of Nunavut in the northeastern Canadian arctic.
Meaning “our land” in the Inuktitut language, Nunavut
represents a major victory in the decades long pursuit of
self-government by the indigenous Inuit people. Central to
Nunavut's creation has been a debate over the nature of
“consensus government.” Its defenders insist that consensus government is exemplary of key Inuit cultural values
and traditional democratic practices. Critics claim that consensus government is an illusion, serving to suppress political competition and entrench elite power. This study
seeks to discover how traditional Inuit values emphasizing
consensus government translate into the more competitive
politics of today's Canadian state. Between April and November of 2007, news articles, letters to the editor, and
editorials were collected from national and territorial
sources. These data serve as a narrative describing the interplay of political interests pursued by those forming
Nunavut's various government and regulatory agencies.
When compared to Jane Mansbridge's models of Unitary
and Adversary democracy, the narrative shows how strong
interest competition can become obscured by equally
strong appeals to interest identity. The result is a political
system wherein powerful elites can use appeals to unity to
ignore, disenfranchise, and even directly punish individuals
and institutions that do not share their goals. This subversion of democracy must be recognized in order to better
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integrate traditional values into the modern state and prevent the undoing of decades of Inuit political gains.
Correlating Electromagnetic Properties of Cement
Mortar with Compressive Strength
Jonathan Glassman
Mentor: Maria Feng
Many civil engineering structures within the United States
are in imminent need of repair or replacement. From pipelines to roadways to bridges, the U.S. is due for a massive
overhaul of its engineering systems. One major challenge
facing civil engineers is the quick and accurate assessment
of the structural health of an existing structure. Most inspections today rely on visual checks performed by experienced field engineers. These visual checks, however, leave
open a large possibility of a developing or existing structural defect going unnoticed. The purpose of this research
is to analyze the possibility of developing a device that can
aid field engineers with rapidly and accurately assessing the
integrity of an existing structure. The focus is on the application of non-destructive test methods to concrete structures. Using a network analyzer, the electromagnetic
properties of cement mortar and its corresponding compressive strengths were determined at 7-day, 14-day and
28-day curing periods. Comparing the development of the
electromagnetic properties of the test specimens with their
compressive strengths, it was found that a good correlation
exists between the two, indicating that there exists a strong
potential for future non-destructive testing of concrete
structures in the field.
An Immunohistochemical Study Analyzing the
Relationship between CD31 and Thrombospondin-1
in Early Stage Breast Cancer
Bunnee Goldberg
Mentors: Dana Chase & John Fruehauf
In healthy tissues, the effects of pro-angiogenic factors are
balanced by anti-angiogenic factors such as thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). In a tumor microenvironment, loss
of the wildtype tumor suppressor gene, p53, shifts the balance to favor pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which allow growth of the
tumor while down-regulating TSP-1. To determine the
relationship between tumor growth (CD31) and TSP-1,
breast cancer specimens were obtained from postmenopausal women who were undergoing treatments with anastrozole. Early stage breast cancers and ductal carcinoma in
situ were evaluated using IHC for expression of TSP-1 and
CD31. Light microscopy was used to identify the area that
contained the greatest microvessel density using an X200
field. This “hotspot” was then located on the TSP-1
stained slide. The images of CD31 hotspots were then
printed and counted manually. The TSP images were uploaded to Adobe Photoshop 7.0 and adjusted to select for
brown TSP staining. Kodak Imaging software was used to
quantify the amount of TSP staining in the area of the
CD31 hotspot. The TSP staining appeared lower in areas
of higher CD31 vessel staining. Furthermore, by
quantifying the TSP-1 levels in the area of greatest
microvessel density, we are able to better appreciate the
TSP-1 and vessel density relationship in the tumor
microenvironment. The relationship of CD31 and TSP-1
in this microenvironment can hopefully be used for both
prognostic and therapeutic purposes.
U.S.-Mexico
Border
Security
Technology:
International and Borderland Implications
Edward Gonzales
In 2002, the U.S. and Mexico signed the Smart Border: 22
point agreement, while in 2005, the two countries and
Canada signed the Security Prosperity and Partnership
agreement. In 2006, the Department of Homeland Security
initiated the SBInet program. All three of these programs
and agreements support the use of technology along the
border, including biometrics, unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs), and virtual borders. Through a set of interviews
and literature reviews the following key questions were
answered: What are the strengths and weaknesses of these
technologies? What are borderland and international implications of the use of these technologies? What is Mexico’s
role and perception in U.S. implementation of border security technologies? Findings suggest that the virtual border is not completely dependable, and biometrics can help
speed the point of entry process of coming into the U.S. In
general, the use of technology or the transfer of technology
to Mexico is not easing tensions that arise from other issues such as the mistreatment of Mexican undocumented
immigrants in the U.S., the reinforcement and reconstruction of the fence along the border, and increases in the
number of border patrolmen. Borderlands communities
are unaffected by use of technology due to the locations of
implementation. However, the virtual border, located in
southern Arizona, is negatively affecting people psychologically—they feel that they themselves are watched. This
study will contribute by bringing awareness of current
U.S.-Mexico border issues to policy makers, borderland
and international leaders.
El NarcoMacho: Representations of Mexican
Masculinity in Narcocorridos
Liliana Gonzalez
Mentor: Raul Fernandez
The Narcocorrido in the last couple of decades has become much more than just a subgenre of the Corrido, it
has intricately developed into its own entity with specific
musical and lyrical characteristics as well as social implications that are not always parallel to those of the Corrido.
According to Juan Carlos Ramirez-Pimienta and Jose
Pablo Villalobos the Corrido “offers a contesting rendition
of these same events meant to portray the popular view of
such occurrences thought skewed by the lens of hegemonic political power.” In this same tradition the Narcocorrido follows these characteristics while adapting itself to
tell the stories of those who live the life of the Narcotraficante (Drug trafficker). Representations of Mexican
masculinity within Narcocorridos have revolved around a
hyper-masculine concept that focuses on explicit interpretations of maleness as virility, valor, and aggressiveness,
thus constructing the NarcoMacho cultural persona,
which, according to Mark Cameron Edberg, is defined as a
flexible representation existing and disseminated over time,
embodied as a person and iterations of that person. A
widespread examination of drug trafficking, Corridos/Narcocorridos and Mexican machismo in combination with a lyrical analysis was necessary to conceptualize
the effects on the Narcomacho cultural persona., thus enabling the process of understanding how these different
areas have come together and have intertwined to create
the Narcomacho as represented in the Narcocorrido. This
analysis reveals how representations of the NarcoMacho as
a contemporary cultural persona within the Narcocorrido
genre have reproduced and disseminated a particular interpretation of Mexican Masculinity that is rooted in conquest
and colonization.
UC Irvine 2008 Formula SAE
Evan Gorski
Mentors: Derek Dunn-Rankin & Michael McCarthy
The main goal for the 2008 UCI Formula SAE team is to
build a reliable, modular, 475 lb race car prototype for a
marketable price of $15,000. The 2008 UCI Formula SAE
race car features an estimated 0–60 mph acceleration in 3.6
sec and 1.2 g lateral acceleration. The vehicle’s modularity
reduces manufacturing costs, maintenance, and repair issues. The vehicle’s design successfully integrates a semistressed engine, inboard suspension, equal length exhaust
manifold, and an internal body skeleton. All of these designs require a minimum number of tools for disassembly
and repair. The car is powered by a Yamaha FZ6 engine
with a displacement of 600 cc that provides 70 hp and 45
foot pounds of torque. The engine design maximizes the
restricted power output while focusing on reliability by
limiting unnecessary complexity.
The Effects of Retinoblastoma and Hec1 Protein
Interaction on Genomic Instability
Ryon Graf
Mentor: Wen-Hwa Lee
Genomic instability is a central hallmark of cancer. The
result of genomic instability is the gain or loss of gene
function, resulting in tumorigenesis. Retinoblastoma (Rb)
is a classic tumor suppressor gene that is lost or mutated at
high frequency in human cancers. It has been shown by
several laboratories that functional Rb loss in the cell leads
to the cell’s failure to suppress cellular proliferation
through its inability to sequester the E2F transcription factor. In addition, recent studies suggest that loss of Rb contributes to tumorigenesis through development of genomic
instability. In this study, we investigated the link between
Rb loss and genomic instability by studying the importance
of Rb’s interaction with Hec1. Hec1 was first identified by
a yeast-two hybrid interaction using Rb as bait. Studies of
Hec1 have shown its function at the kinetochore where it
binds to k-fiber microtubules during mitosis and its function in recruiting mitotic checkpoint protein Mad2. Hec1 is
essential for mitosis and inactivation leads to improper
chromosome segregation, resulting in mitotic catastrophe
and cell death. We created stable cell lines expressing
RNAi resistant Hec1-eGFP with a silent mutation in the
Rb binding motif, which would disrupt the Hec1-Rb interaction. Subsequently, these stable cell lines were depleted
of endogenous Hec1, and the mitotic cells were classified
for stage in mitosis. We found that blocking this interaction led to a decrease of cells in anaphase and telophase,
suggesting a role for Rb in regulating the mitotic spindle at
the kinetochore in human cells.
Characterization of a Fiber Based Probe for
Quantitative Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy of
Cutaneous Melanoma
Alexander Grant
Mentor: Anthony Durkin
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the
United States, with incidence of malignant melanoma, the
deadliest type, increasing faster than any other. In this
study we characterize a novel fiber-based superficial optical
probe with regards to its ability to detect melanoma and
other pigmented nevi in the near infrared region. This was
achieved by creating solid silicone tissue phantoms intended to simulate normal skin with melanocytic lesions of
varying dimensions and optical properties, and analyzing
the optical property data that resulted from measurements
with the superficial probe in conjunction with the Beckman Laser Institute’s steady-state frequency-domain photon migration (SSFDPM) system. Several different
phantoms were fabricated, with a range of characteristics
designed to test the sensitivity of the probe to various tissue parameters. Monte Carlo simulations were also run to
better understand how light propagates in melanoma-like
tissue. Our findings indicate that light from the probe effectively did not reach tissue beyond the boundaries of a
melanoma of about 3 mm in thickness. However, for thinner simulated lesions, we can interrogate the surrounding
simulated tissue matrix. This suggests that for early stage
(thin) lesions, which have a good clinical prognosis, we can
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have the capacity to sense subsurface changes related to
angiogenesis, which in turn may be useful to differentiate
benign nevi from tumor. Results indicate that the probe
could potentially be used for obtaining prognostic
information related to the severity of the lesion.
Additionally, analysis of the superficial probe has led to
design improvements that allow for potentially higher
sensitivity and greater measurement versatility.
The Effects of Nitrogen Addition at Different Stages
of Decomposition
Mary Greas
Mentor: Kathleen Treseder
Many fungi and bacteria decompose organic material faster
under nitrogen enrichment. However, microbial activity
may be negatively affected if levels of nitrogen are exceptionally high for prolonged periods. We compared N effects on decomposition of fresh litter, old litter, and older,
more-decomposed litter (i.e., “light fraction”). We hypothesized that as N addition rates increase, decomposition of fresh litter and old litter will increase to a maximum
value, and ultimately decrease. We expect decomposition
rates of light fraction to decrease initially and eventually
level off. To test our hypothesis, we constructed a microcosm experiment with litter collected in 2007 from a California grassland. Litter was incubated for 90 days under
four levels of N addition. Respiration of carbon dioxide
was collected as an indicator of decomposer activity. We
also measured the carbon and N content of the litter to
determine if N responses are related to C:N ratios. Typically, C:N ratios of litter strongly control decomposition
rates, and we expect that N additions will essentially shift
these ratios. Different substrates decomposed at different
rates (P<0.0001) and responded differently to N
(P=0.016). Decomposition of light fraction increased approximately 20% as N levels increased (P=0.031). As for
old litter, there was no effect of N on decomposition. The
decomposition rate of new litter declined by 30% at the
lowest level of N addition but increased to control levels at
higher rates of N (P=0.0042). Our data suggest that effects
of N addition vary depending on stage of decomposition.
Eve’s Recreation: Milton Remembered by Female
Writers
Clare Greene
Mentor: Jayne Lewis
Seventeenth-century poet John Milton was remembered by
Virginia Woolf and feminist critics Gilbert and Gubar as a
great specter inhibiting female participation in literary endeavors. I explore the possibility of a more complex relationship between Milton and the female writers he
influenced, and I look particularly to eighteenth and nineteenth century prose works by female authors influenced
by Paradise Lost. In rewriting Genesis, Milton himself faced
the Bible’s great specter of authority, and the women writing after him are rather inspired by this boldness than subdued by Milton’s iconic presence. During these centuries,
women read Milton widely. In his work, they identified an
opportunity to read biblical significance in their domestic
activity. Furthermore, inspired to write, they discovered a
means to explore a position of authority without overstepping society’s strict boundaries. As Milton’s contemporaries, Margaret Cavendish and Lucy Hutchinson advocate a
politics of reconciliation that reflects Eve’s attempt to rectify her relationship with Adam after the fall. Eighteenthcentury society, facing no overt political crisis, instead
faced a crisis of significance, and the authors of this period
justify not the ways of God to men, but search for creative
possibilities within peaceful society. Anne Radcliffe’s
gothic novels respond to society’s seemingly arbitrary conventions, as do Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, Fanny Burney’s Evelina, and Charlotte Lennox’s The Female Quixote. In
the nineteenth century, George Eliot’s Middlemarch reflects
and draws attention to the domestic and arguably feminine
elements within Milton’s epic itself.
Universal Obligations of Alain Badiou’s Political
Militant
Clare Greene
Mentor: Steven Mailloux
Contemporary French philosopher Alain Badiou promotes
a theory of universalism that opposes contemporary antifoundationalist and especially poststructural theories. Particularly, he questions language’s privileged role in
philosophy. His work perpetually defends the possibility
for absolute truth, which may be achieved by an agent in
the act of faithful adherence to an “event,” or rupture in
the existing order of presentation. Truths, for Badiou, fall
under the categories of Art, Love, Science, and Politics, but
the pursuit of political truth contains the most direct implications for Badiou’s concept of universalism. In Metapolitics, Badiou explains that political truths are unique in that
they exhibit a universal address: “if this thought is political,
it belongs to all.” Badiou does not elaborate consistently
on the nature of this address or the way it functions in
practice. Few readers are satisfied with his description of
the actual process of becoming subject to a truth. In this
case, complications arise between his need for a persuasive
universal address and his desire to deprivilege of the role
of language, which we would otherwise identify as a key
rhetorical tool. Given the pitfalls his theory attempts to
avoid and the high demands of commitment and sincerity
required of subjects, it is understandable that the true militant is not created by rhetorical seduction or persuaded by
logical proofs; rather, he risks submitting existence to the
perils of chance. This chance may be inherently universal,
but few are able to see it. Badiou’s writing leaves its own
efficacy up to chance.
Residual Strengths of Bridge Girders After Lateral
Impact
Amber Greer
Mentor: Ayman Mosallam
How can the use of an I-Lam (Impact Laminate) system
be used to minimize local damage to bridge girders after
lateral collision by an over-height truck? How could one
determine the residual flexural strength and the safety of
the impacted bridge girder after collision? How could one
determine the factor of safety for bridge girders with and
without impact protection system such as the I-Lam system? The beam specimens that were investigated were
made out of reinforced concrete beams. The reinforced
steel bars were an important design element in the concrete beams. To keep the concrete together reinforced steel
bars are added to take the force under the tensile loading.
This implies that the reinforced steel bars are important to
bridge design and to maintain the intended infrastructure.
My study was divided into two phases. The first phase involved destructive testing of three reinforced concrete
specimens that had already been tested under impact loading to evaluate the residual strength and stiffness of protected and unprotected specimens. In the second phase,
four identical beams were fabricated in the laboratory. The
first beam was tested and was labeled the control, or reference, specimen. The results of the control beam specimen
will be used to compare the results of all other beam
specimens. The other three beams will be strengthened
externally with fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) composites
with different fiber architectures and will be tested to failure. Through the experiment it can be concluded that the
FRP composites does help in restoring residual strength,
but not all the strength can be retrieved with this repair
procedure.
Computer Versus Paper-Pencil Questionnaires: An
Evaluation of Test Administration, Test Setting, and
Social Desirability
Timothy Grigsby
Mentor: Eric Knowles
The use of computers in data collection is fast becoming
the norm in scientific research. Previous studies have been
unable to adequately answer whether or not computer administration and paper-pencil administration of questionnaires produce equivalent results. The purpose of this
study was to investigate differences in administering questionnaires in paper-pencil format as opposed to the use of
computer administration. Undergraduate students (n=101)
were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions to
measure the effects of test administration, social desirability, and test setting on willingness to reveal sensitive information. The results indicated that there were no
significant differences between computer administration
and paper-pencil administration when social desirability
and test setting were manipulated simultaneously. Participants, primarily Asian females, were more likely to reveal
sensitive information in a natural setting when they believed they would be held accountable for their responses.
Implications for future research include an emphasis on
developing a methodology through which researchers can
successfully lead participants to reveal sensitive information by manipulating the level of social desirability.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and Family Functioning
Sabrina Grondhuis
Mentor: Wendy Goldberg
By the end of the decade, it is estimated that four million
people in the United States will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As diagnoses increase, it is
important to understand how the presence of this condition within a family affects their overall functioning. This
study focuses on the use of and the perceptions of social
support as an important aspect of family functioning. Previous research has reported mixed findings about the use
of social support within the ASD population, and the goal
of this study was to examine the differences in types (internal vs. external and actual vs. perceived) and quantities
of social support used by parents of children with ASD.
Questionnaires measuring types of social support were
included in a battery of measures sent to families with and
without a child with ASD. Parents of a child with ASD
reported using significantly less actual and perceived internal support, overall perceived support, and perceived external support compared to families with typically
developing children. On average, parents of a child with
ASD reported higher levels of actual external support;
however, when the data were examined using only support
sources applicable to both populations, these levels ceased
to differ significantly from those of families with typically
developing children. These findings suggest that family
functioning is affected by the presence of a child with
ASD, and that parents with a child with ASD use different
types and quantities of social support than parents of typically developing children.
The Hierarchy of the Beautiful: Burkean Sublimity in
Ann Radcliffe’s Gothic Work
Lisa Grosvenor
Mentor: Jayne Lewis
The terror of the unknown pervades Ann Radcliffe’s five
Gothic novels and intimately connects them with Edmund
Burke’s A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of
The Sublime and Beautiful [1757]. This connection is evident
in a close examination of his treatise alongside Radcliffe’s
Gothic works, The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne [1789], A
Sicilian Romance [1790], The Romance of the Forest [1791], The
Mysteries of Udolpho [1794], and The Italian [1797]. Burke’s
Inquiry builds a hierarchy of the sublime wherein the sub-
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lime, at the peak of the hierarchy, is that which creates
transcendent terror through its supremacy over its observer, and the beautiful, at its base, is that which creates
fleeting pleasure. Radcliffe’s use of disproportion and the
unknown in her fiction create the illusion of agreement
with this paradigm, while she undermines Burke’s hierarchy, placing beauty in the position of power. Radcliffe destabilizes the hierarchy by appropriating the authority and
fear associated with Burkean sublimity for the beautiful
and by explaining away the sublime as superstition, while
using its power to protect and to elevate the beautiful
within her texts. Terror, perception, and the unknown
cloud Radcliffe’s Gothicism in disproportion, concealing
the beauty of familial mysteries and interconnections that
lie beneath the surface and the power that beauty holds.
For Radcliffe, there is no hierarchy of the sublime, but
rather a hierarchy of the beautiful in which the sublime
functions to support and to exalt the beautiful; beauty itself
is Ann Radcliffe’s ultimate aim.
The Mathematical Modeling of Language Acquisition
from Inconsistent Input
Amanda Grummon
Mentor: Natalia Komarova
Our research explores the complex process of learning
languages and breaks down the process into straightforward algorithms that can be applied to create a mathematical model for grammar acquisition. We analyze learning
models in settings, including single learner-teacher relationships and classroom learning situations in which there
is no main teacher and the children learn from each other.
In these models we investigate instances in which the
learner is exposed to numerous grammars that behave inconsistently and look for patterns that arise. The results of
our simulations will be compared to the empirical data of
two case studies. The first is a study conducted by linguist
Elissa Newport on a 7-year old boy named Simon who was
born deaf to parents who are not native American Sign
Language (ASL) speakers. Simon’s only exposure to ASL is
from his parents; yet, when his proficiency in ASL was
tested against his parents, he had surpassed his parents’
proficiency in the language. The other interesting application is the creolization of Nicaraguan Sign Language
(NSL), which we modeled via the classroom learning algorithms. NSL is a relatively young language, which developed among the community of deaf children in Nicaragua
about 30 years ago. We used MATLAB to run simulations
of learning over thousands of exchanges to mimic how real
communication occurs and to predict patterns that emerge
among different grammars.
Relations Among Menstruation, Sleep and
Maladaptive Behaviors in Individuals with
Developmental Disabilities
Iman Hadaya
Mentors: Curt Sandman & Paul Touchette
This study explores relations among maladaptive behaviors, menses and sleep in individuals with developmental
disabilities (DD). Maladaptive behaviors are a common
and costly problem in individuals with DD. Previous studies show that inefficient sleep and increased maladaptive
behaviors in this population are closely related. Although
maladaptive behaviors and negative emotional states are
linked to occurrences of menses in the general population,
the association has not been thoroughly investigated in
institutionalized individuals with DD. Participants were 22
females with DD residing in a state institution. Participants
ranged from 19 to 58 years of age (M=40, SD=9), with
mild to profound mental retardation. Data collected were
daily counts of maladaptive behaviors, nightly sleep logs,
and daily occurrences of menses. A three step analysis was
performed: 1) to examine the sleep efficiency index (SEI)
and maladaptive behavior before, during and after menstruation; 2) to detect differences between regular and irregular menstrual cyclers; and 3) to compare the frequency
of maladaptive behavior counts and sleep efficiency between menstrual and non-menstrual subjects. Our findings
suggest that the higher the frequency of menses, the lower
the sleep efficiency; this may be due to an estrogen dose
effect. SEI and behavior were significantly correlated only
for women with menstrual periods. Neither menstrual
phase nor cyclicity of menses had an effect on SEI or behavior. Thus, menses may be a factor governing the relationship between SEI and behavior.
The Role of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
(nAChR) Antagonist, Mecamylamine, on the
Nicotine-Enhanced Acquisition of Cocaine SelfAdministration
David Hadiprodjo
Mentor: James Belluzzi
Adolescence has been characterized as a period of tumultuous and risk-taking behaviors, and studies have shown
that it is a critical period for initiation of smoking and drug
use. Several epidemiological studies have also shown that
cigarette smoking during adolescence can lead to greater
intake of harder drugs in adulthood. Our lab has shown
that subchronic, low-dose nicotine pretreatment enhances
cocaine sensitization in adolescent, but not adult rats.
These results suggest that nicotine exposure during early
adolescence may sensitize the brain to cocaine reward. I
wanted to test whether the nicotine-pretreatment enhancement of cocaine reward could be blocked using a
nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist, mecamylamine. In this project, adolescent rats were given one
intravenous injection of mecamylamine (0 or 1 mg/kg/0.1
ml inf) just prior to two 0.1 ml intravenous injections,
spaced one minute apart, of nicotine (0 or 0.03 mg/kg/0.1
ml inf) for four days. After four days of pretreatment, the
rats were placed inside a self-administration chamber. The
cocaine self-administration session (0.5mg/kg/inf) lasted
for two hours. The data show that adolescent rats that
were pretreated with mecamylamine just prior to the nicotine pretreatment self-administered less cocaine, but still
demonstrated enhanced acquisition. This study shows that
nAChR antagonism can decrease the nicotine-pretreatment
enhancement of cocaine self-administration.
Trimerization of JSRV Envelope Protein Is not
Necessary for Transformation
Alex Hamil
Mentor: Hung Fan
Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) induces ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA), a contagious lung cancer in
sheep that is localized in lung epithelium Clara cells and
type II pneumocytes, and which causes a characteristic
overproduction of surfactant in the lungs. Previous studies
have shown that the envelope protein (Env) of JSRV
uniquely functions as an oncogene, as it is sufficient to
induce lung tumor formation in mice and transformation
of epithelial and fibroblast cells in vitro. Further research
has demonstrated that both the Env surface protein (SU)
and the cytoplasmic tail of the Env transmembrane protein
(TM) are necessary but not sufficient for transformation.
The ectodomain of TM is less studied, particularly the effect of Env trimerization on transformation. In this study,
we mutated five lysines in the putative trimerization motif
in the ectodomain into alanines through site directed
mutagenesis. These mutations were found to eliminate
cleavage of the Env protein into SU and TM, which is correlated with an abolishment of transformation. This loss of
transformation was confirmed by a transformation assay of
the trimerization mutant in rat fibroblast 208F cells. However, a co-transfection of the trimerization mutant and
ΔGP Y590F, a cytoplasmic tail mutation known to abolish
transformation, successfully transformed 208F cells. These
results suggest that the transformation-essential intracellular signal involved with Env tyrosine 590 can be relayed
without trimerization of Env.
Monitoring Breast Tumor’s Responses to Avastin
Using a Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy
Ann Hana
Mentor: Albert Cerussi
Avastin is an anti-angiogenesis drug that has been approved by the FDA as the first-line therapy for metastatic
colorectal cancer to be used in combination of the chemotherapy for cancer treatment. We used a non-invasive, optical spectroscopy method (LBS) to monitor the tumor
pathological changes in response to the Avastin treatment.
LBS quantitatively measures the near infra-red (NIR) absorption and scattering spectra of the main NIR chromophores/absorbers (water, lipids and hemoglobin) in breast
tissues, which can be used to calculate their concentrations.
Variations in these chromophores' concentrations are
correlated to the tumor physiological changes. Responders
to the Avastin treatment showed a decrease in their
tumor's hemoglobin and water concentration, and an
increase in their lipids concentration. We also tested the
sensitivity of LBS to the tumor pathological changes by
comparing the overall patients' responses to all the presurgical treatments with the pathology findings and MRI.
Based on our TOI calculation, which has been a useful
index for the detection of malignant breast lesions, our
classification was more similar to the pathology findings
than the MRI.
Improving Carbon Nanotube Transistors Through
Needle-Like Contacts
Phillip Haralson
Mentor: Philip Collins
Carbon nanotubes are known to exhibit both semiconducting and metallic properties, depending on the
structure of the nanotube. This project focuses on improving the transistor properties of semi-conducting singlewalled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Our work is motivated by a recent theoretical physics publication in which
an unusual device architecture is able to provide a ten-fold
improvement in semi-conducting SWCNT transistor properties. This unusual device architecture involves creating
needle-like contacts between the carbon nanotube and the
metallic electrodes to increase the effect of the applied gate
voltage. These contacts are unique, because they are approximately the same size as the SWCNT itself. Through a
unique fabrication technique that we developed, we have
been able to build such devices to test this prediction. Using this unusual device architecture, the preliminary results
that we have obtained thus far have been confirming the
theoretical predictions made by the paper. We hope that
the use of this fabrication technique will conclusively confirm the theoretical predictions.
A Design and Method to Remove Excess Glucose in
the Small Intestine for Prevention and Treatment of
Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity
Joseph Hazani
Mentor: Abraham Lee
A design and method to remove excess glucose in the
small intestine for prevention and treatment of Type 2
Diabetes and obesity has been developed. The design is a
swallow-able (at meal time), capsule-sized micro device
that blocks the absorption of glucose that would elicit an
unhealthy rise in insulin level in the bloodstream. By maintaining physiologically healthy insulin levels in the blood-
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stream, one will not gain a tolerance to the hormone, thus
preventing (or reversing) the occurrence of Type 2 Diabetes. Because insulin levels are also related to obesity, this
device also treats obesity.
Removal of Excess Fatty Deposits via a Targeting
Microbubble Delivery System
Joseph Hazani
Mentor: Abraham Lee
Since lipomas, which are harmless fat cell tumors, and
other excess fat deposits are undesired in today's society,
more and more of the population is turning toward cosmetic surgery for their removal. But liposuction, the current standard for removing fat deposits, is expensive and
has an unfavorable mortality rate. The proposed improvement over removing excess fat deposits is using albumin
microbubbles loaded with a fat dissolving chemical to specifically target excess fat via injection. Once targeted, ultrasound may be used to burst the microbubbles, thereby
unleashing the encapsulated chemicals. The chemical to be
used, sodium deoxycholate, has been shown in the scientific literature to dissolve fat safely in vivo. There has, however, been concern that since these chemicals act in a
nonspecific manner, they also have the potential to destroy
non-fatty tissue, such as muscle. But fat cell targeting microbubbles directly deliver these chemicals to the fat cells,
minimizing any interaction with non-fat cells. This is accomplished by binding the microbubbles to fat cells using
the binding properties of fatty acids. Since albumin is a
natural carrier of fatty acids to fat tissue, the binding, and
thus the targeting, of the microbubbles to the fat is uncomplicated. Future work will include developing targeting
and removing of low-density-lipoproteins (LDL) accumulated in cardiovascular tissue.
Age Differences in Preschoolers' Ability to Discern
Fantasy and Reality
Brittany Hendricks
Mentor: Jodi Quas
Previous research has found that young children demonstrate difficulties discerning fantasy and reality when the
events depict emotional as opposed to neutral content. For
example, when viewing images, children show a bias to
report that positive fantastic events are real (e.g., happy
animals talking), but negative fantastic events are not (e.g.,
frightening monsters). However, the extent to which this
response bias generalizes to other contexts, such as stories
in which positive and negative events can occur, is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine whether
children’s response bias would persist when presented with
positive and negative events simultaneously in a story.
More specifically, the study focused on developmental differences between younger and older children’s fantasyreality distinctions. Three- to five-year-olds were told sto-
ries that included both positive and negative fantastic and
real events and asked whether the events could occur.
Older children were expected to correctly report that fantastic events could not occur regardless of the emotional
content, whereas the younger children were expected to
report that emotional fantasy could occur. These findings
have implications for how children’s perceptions of information presented to them in storybooks can be used in
educational settings.
The Depressive-Like Effect of Nicotine in
Tranylcypromine Pretreated Adolescent Male Rats
Jon Heston
Mentor: James Belluzzi
Depressed individuals, especially teenagers, have rates of
smoking far higher than the general public, leading some
researchers to speculate that these individuals may be using
cigarettes as a form of self-medication. Our lab has previously shown that a treatment of nicotine and tranylcypromine (3 mg/kg, i.p.) , a monoamine oxidase inhibitor
had antidepressant effects in adolescent but not adult rats
that underwent a forced swim test (FST). This effect was
not seen with nicotine or TCP alone in either age group.
To determine whether the antidepressant effect depended
on the level of MAO inhibition we repeated the previous
experiment, except with three doses of TCP (0.3, 1.0 or 3.0
mg/kg, i.p.). Levels of MAO activity were assayed subsequent to the FST as a way to correlate behavior to levels of
enzyme inhibition. It was found that tranylcypromine dose
dependently inhibits MAO-A and B. Additionally, we
found that nicotine pretreatment shifted the behavior from
swimming to climbing and immobility. Moreover, nicotine
did not interact with the MAOI. Thus, our results, contrary
to our previous study, show nicotine by itself or in combination with an MAOI to be depressant. The contradictions
between this study and our previous study may be due to
differences in scoring criteria.
An Exploration of High School Physics Teachers’
Pre-Profffessional Preparations
Jarod Hicks
Mentor: Roger McWilliams
This paper examines the preparations that high school
physics teachers make before working independently in a
classroom. The exploration is based on interviews with six
physics teachers in Orange County school districts. The
purpose of each interview is to investigate what was and
was not beneficial in their experiences during their training
to become a high school physics teacher. The experiences
include physics and all other classes, community service,
employment, and research. The study shows that most of
the experiences are beneficial. It also shows many experiences that are useful are not included in academic planning
used in training a high school physics teacher, and that
some experiences are not beneficial in this training.
Breaking The Aliiance Structure
Zaki Hmaydani
Mentor: Lina Kreidie
Hezbollah has reached a crossroad with two distinct paths;
militant and political. Hezbollah’s leadership is well aware
of the significance of maintaining its political power; however, before the organization relinquishes its militant wing,
it plans to make the most of its arms to provide itself and
its allies with a formidable counterweight to achieve domestic and regional interests. In this study, I argue that the
United States must put an end to its preference for war
and pursue a strictly diplomatic route to secure its interests
in the region—particularly when dealing with the IranianSyrian-Hezbollah axis. To explore the favorable geopolitical trends, I research related literature, journals, current
events and speeches of leaders. Based on this extensive
analysis, I present a feasible policy for the United Stated to
break up this alliance. My emphasis is that the regional balance of power between the United States and Iran is heavily reliant on leverage that emanates from the use of proxy
forces. It is in America’s best interest to facilitate the dialogue between its proxy—Israel—and Syria to undercut
Iran’s link to the military empowerment of Hezbollah. I
propose an agreement that would offer the Golan Heights
back to Syria, and Shabaa farms back to Lebanon. The
agreement must also include a transparent exchange of
prisoners between Israel and Hezbollah. In return, Syria’s
role as a conduit for Iran to reach its most valuable regional asset—Hezbollah—must cease. This agreement
would be a significant step toward permanent peace between Syria, Lebanon, and Israel; thus alleviating much of
Iran’s regional sphere of influence.
Recidivism of Offenders With and Without Mental
Illness
Anh Ho
The number of people in the criminal justice system has
reached an all time high, and a large proportion of these
individuals are placed under community supervision on
probation or parole. Two major studies examining the relationship between mental disorder and recidivism have
shown that persons with mental illness (PMIs) are more
likely to fail under community supervision (e.g., commit a
new offense, have probation revoked, or violate the terms
of probation. While many reasons have been proposed to
explain such trends, two studies alone do not provide sufficient empirical grounds to unequivocally confirm the relationship between mental disorder and recidivism. This
study seeks to examine whether previous findings are replicable. To this end, we used an existing database of over
62,000 parolees in California and compared the recidivism
for disordered versus non-disordered offenders. Approximately 13% of the sample had a diagnosed mental disorder. Consistent with previous research, we found that
those with mental disorders were more likely to fail parole
and more likely to have technical violations than their nondisordered counterparts.
The 2.6Å Crystal Structure of hp53R2: A Novel p53Inducible Ribonucleotide Reductase
Danny Ho
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
Ribonucleotide reductases (RRs) are a class of enzymes
responsible for the de novo synthesis of dNTPs for DNA
repair and replication. Human RR consists of two
homodimers, M1 and M2. A human homolog (~81% sequence identity) to M2, hp53R2, was discovered in 2000.
Unlike M2, hp53R2 is induced by UV light and γirradiation in a p53-dependent manner. Certain cancers
have been shown to overexpress RRs to create a supply of
dNTPs for continual cell division. Thus, RR is an important target for cancer research. Currently, hydroxyurea is
the chief small molecule inhibitor for M2 in the clinic. Because of its high homology to M2, hp53R2 has also become a target for cancer research. The two enzymes
exhibit different susceptibilities to radical scavenging and
iron sequestering small molecule inhibitors, such as DFO,
in vitro. Towards the goal of understanding how such differences can be owed to structural differences, we have
solved the hp53R2 x-ray crystal structure to 2.6Å resolution. The structure shows marked differences between
hp53R2, M2, and mouse M2, and offers insights into the
different inhibition susceptibilities to small molecules exhibited by hp53R2 and M2. In elucidating these differences, we hope to provide information towards the design
of hp53R2-specific drug inhibitors.
Mutation in the Drosophila Calcium Channel Gene
cac/Dmca1A Reduces Sustained Calcium Currents in
Cholinergic Projection Neurons
Andy Hoang
Mentor: Diane O'Dowd
Neurons in wildtype neuronal cultures prepared from the
brains of late stage Drosophila pupae exhibit both sustained
and transient calcium currents. These currents are insensitive to classic vertebrate calcium channel blockers, including verapamil, nifedipine, and omega-conotoxin. However,
the sustained calcium currents are reduced, but not completely blocked, by the spider toxin PLTX. The PLTXresistant currents are predominantly transient. In addition,
hypomorphic mutations (NT27 and cacs) in the Drosophila
calcium channel gene, cacophony, also known as Dmca1A,
result in a reduction in the density of the sustained PLTXsensitive current in cultured neurons. This demonstrates
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that the cacophony gene encodes PLTX-sensitive calcium
channels in the general population of brain neurons in culture. I confirmed that the current remaining in the presence of PLTX and in hypomorphic mutants is mediated by
voltage-gated calcium channels, since they are blocked by
cobalt, a general blocker of voltage-gated calcium channels.
In addition, I recorded Projection Neurons (PNs), identified by GFP-labeling, both in wildtype and in an NT27
mutant background. I found that GFP+ NT27 mutant
PNs exhibit ~ 40% reduction in the sustained calcium currents. This demonstrates that PNs, which are cholinergic
neurons in the antennal lobe, express PLTX-sensitive calcium channels that are encoded by the cac/Dmca1A gene.
Glial Cell Changes Following the Onset of
Spontaneous Seizures in Wild-Type vs. Aquaporin-4Deficient Mice
Christina Hoang
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is member of a family of integral
transmembrane proteins that act as water channels in cell
membranes, thus increasing membrane permeability to
water. Located throughout the central nervous system,
AQP4 is expressed in astrocytes predominantly at sites of
fluid transport in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid. Astrocyte cell migration is facilitated by AQP4, which in turn
significantly affects glial scar formation, a phenomenon
that prevents regenerative therapies in the central nervous
system. Preceding the migration phase in astrocytes is the
activation phase, characterized by ramification of the astrocytic processes and upregulation of the glial protein
GFAP. It is unknown whether AQP4 plays a role in the
activation of astrocytes in addition to migration. A discovery in this area could have profound implications in diseases such as epilepsy, in which activation of astrocytes is
commonly observed in experimental animal models.
Therefore, we propose to study the role of AQP4 in the
activation of astrocytes with two different seizure models
in animals. Systemic intraperitoneal pilocarpine injections
and intrahippocampal kainic acid injections have been used
to create spontaneously epileptic animals to study the role
of AQP4 in the activation of astrocytes. Comparisons of
GFAP expression in AQP4 wildtype and knockout animals
have been evaluated to study the role of AQP4 in astrocytic activation. GFAP immunization appears to be decreased in the acute phase following seizures. GFAP
immunal reactivity is then increased in the days following
initial seizures; the period of GFAP upregulation of immune activity coincides with the appearance of sponataneous seizures of the mouse models.
Introduction of Cholesterol to Increase Microbubble
Lipid Shell Stability
Kinman Hong
Mentor: Abraham Lee
Microbubbles are important in the field of ultrasound
monitoring in patients and have the potential to develop
into the next on-site drug delivery system. The challenge
remains in developing a stable lipid shell to house these
microbubbles over extended periods of at least seven days.
Previous techniques use 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3phosphocoline (DSPC) and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3phosphoethanolamine-N-[poly(ethylene
glycol)2000
(DSPE-PEG2k) with a nitrogen gas core to generate 10
µm microbubbles on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) devices. Few studies have explored the possibilities of lipid
shell stability, while even fewer use DSPC and DSPEPEG2k as the main components. The goal is to introduce
cholesterol with DSPC and DSPE-PEG2k lipid formation
to significantly extend the life of microbubbles. The resulting new microbubbles will be collected and observed under a time lapse environment to record their size over time.
It is necessary to determine the correct molar percentage
of these three elements, as each configuration will yield a
wide range of microbubble stability.
Identifying Genes Affecting TGF-β Mediated CellCell Adhesion
Stephanie Hua
Mentor: Ken Cho
During development, embryonic cells rely on adhesion
properties to undergo morphogenesis. The strength of cellcell adhesion in the cadherin system depends on the
amount and types of cadherin expressed on each cell surface. The activin member of the TGF-β superfamily signaling was shown to induce the expression of both FLRT3
(Fibronectin Leucine Rich Transmembrane protein) and
Rnd1 (a small GTPase), and regulates the amount of cadherin expression on the cell surface by regulating cadherin
endocytosis. Since the mechanism of action remains still
largely unknown, in this study, the connection between
TGF-β and cadherin systems was further investigated.
Xenopus laevis embryos were injected with a pool of mRNA
synthesized from a collection of 9,000 full-length cDNA
clones and injected into Xenopus embryos at the 2-cell stage
and allowed to develop until mid-blastula stage (stage 8.5).
Animal caps were then dissected and cells were allowed to
dissociate before being transferred into either fibronectin
or E-cadherin-coated chambers. Adhesion of the dissociated cells onto cadherin and fibronectin-coated substrate
was determined. We found that cells expressing one of the
cDNA fractions displayed reduced adhesion to cadherincoated substrate. This suggests that the cDNA pool contains a gene presumably encoding for a protein that participates in cadherin-mediated endocytosis. Importantly,
the fraction does not contain either FLRT3 or Rnd1
cDNA; thus, the unidentified clone is likely to represent a
novel gene.
Making Various Shapes of Macrocycles Using FmocAbc2k(Boc)-OH as Monomers
Chun-Ching Huang
Mentor: James Nowick
The unnatural amino acid, 4’-amino-[1,1’-biphenyl]-4carboxylic acid (Abc), had been developed and used as a
building block for making macrocycles of various shapes
by Nowick’s group. It is the ability of Abc to substitute the
amine group onto para, ortho, or meta position on the
second phenyl ring that made it an ideal monomer for
structure design with versatility. The addition of two propyloxyammonim groups (designated as k), by Christ
Gothard et al., onto Abc allowed it to be more watersoluble and provided a potential to be used in biological
systems. My project is to employ Abc2k as my building
block to design macromolecules with defined shapes by
using techniques such as Suzuki cross-coupling reaction
and peptide synthesis. Currently, I have synthesized
triphenylmethanol triacid, which is a molecule with three
benzoic acids joined to a central carbon, which could be
used as a vertex for building a three-dimensional cage. Using triphenylmethane triamine, a yet to be synthesized
molecule, as counterpart and Abc2k as side arms, I was
hoping to build a simple three-dimensional spherical cage.
Steric hindrance and cavity capacity of the cage will be further studied.
Formula Hybrid Race Car
Karen Hung
Mentor: Michael McCarthy
Hybrid technology is becoming increasingly popular as
environmental awareness becomes more important.
Automotive companies are gearing towards designing cars
that do not depend entirely on gasoline. In this project, a
design for a hybrid race car was made and implemented
using an existing chassis from a previous student project.
The car was student built and uses a 250cc internal combustion engine, two permanent magnet motors, and a 165F
ultracapacitor. It was a learning experience in engineering
design and manufacturing.
The Abundance of Phages Infecting Synechococcus
spp. along the Newport Coast
Yazeed Ibrahim
Mentor: Jennifer Martiny
Although cyanophages are highly abundant in marine environments and are known to be major players in the abundance and mortality rates of marine cyanobacteria, little is
known about the interactions between marine cyanophages
and their bacterial hosts. In addition, little is known about
the factors and trends that play into the abundance and
diversity of marine cyanophages. In this study, we used the
Most Probable Number method to estimate the concentration of marine Synechococcus spp. cyanophages in Newport
Coast seawater on a monthly basis between October 2007
and March 2008. We found that the abundance of cyanophages infecting Synechococcus spp. was dynamic and
changed throughout the six-month period. The concentration of the cyanophages infecting the four studied Synechococcus spp. hosts ranged from less than 1 phage ml-1
infecting host WH 8101 in December to more than 480
phages ml-1 infecting host WH 7803 in February. Observing cyanophage concentration changes over time will help
to better define the interactions between Synechococcus spp.
and cyanophages in Southern California’s coastal environment.
Is Contextual Fear Memory Supported by Different
Brain Networks at Recent and Remote Time Points?
Megan Ikeda
Mentor: John Guzowski
This study examines whether contextual fear memory is
supported by different brain networks at recent and remote retention time points by detecting the immediate
early gene, Homer 1a, as a marker of neuronal activity.
Rats were trained on contextual fear conditioning and
tested at 2- and 30-day time points. Activation of Homer
1a in the CA1 of the hippocampus and anterior cingulate
region of the prefrontal cortex was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Homer 1a activation in
both the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex was significantly higher during task acquisition than retention tests,
and there was no difference between retention tests. The
latter results suggest alternative views to the standard systems consolidation theory of memory.
Macro- and Micro-Rheology at a Lipid-Actin
Interface
Daniel Imbach
Lipid monolayers are interesting and effective models of
cellular membranes and, as such, knowing the physical
properties of these membranes is important in the realms
of both physics and biology. Langmuir monolayers are
simply single molecule thick layers of lipid molecules that
have a hydrophobic tail and hydrophilic head, much like
the ones that comprise biological cell membranes. This
project focuses on discovering the visco-elastic properties
of these membranes, both on a bulk level and on a microcscopic level. To achieve the measurements for this project
a highly specialized instrument was constructed, which
allowed for simultaneous measurement on two relevant
length scales. On the macroscopic scale our device allowed
for the bulk measurement on monolayers via a traditional
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Langmuir trough device. For measurements on the microscopic scale an optical trap tool was assembled and integrated into the device. The technique of optical trap
rheology consists of focusing a laser at probe particles
placed in the monolayer and then measuring their movements due to their thermal energy. As the particle vibrates,
the laser creates a force on the particle, which will draw the
particle back into the laser focus; by modeling this force as
a spring we are able to derive the microscopic scale viscoelastic properties of the monolayer. The construction and
use of this tool has allowed us to collect data that previous
devices were unable to gather, and the analysis of our results will allow for unique insight into the microscopic details of these monolayers.
Preparation of Nanoporous Ion Current Oscillator
Laura Innes
Mentor: Zuzanna Siwy
Nanopores are of great interest in the scientific community
today, due to the fact that biological nanopores embedded
in a cell membrane are the basis of many physiological
processes in living organisms. Nanopores are also the basis
for single-molecule biosensors. The purpose of this study
was to observe how the nano scale influenced the movement of ions through a nanopore. Special emphasis was
put on the electric interactions of transported ions with the
pore walls. Existence of these interactions induces enhances concentrations of ions in a nanopore, which in turn
leads to nanoprecipitation of weakly soluble salts. We studied two systems in which nanoprecipitation of cobalt hydrogen phosphate and calcium hydrogen phosphate
occurred. We looked at the formation of the individual
crystals and of their mixtures. We observed that the formation of the nanoprecipitates induced voltage-dependent ion
current oscillations in time, whose characteristics and frequencies depended on the nanoprecipitate chemistry. The
ion current oscillations frequency could be tuned between
a fraction of Hz to ~10 Hz. We also observed that ion
current fluctuations in our synthetic nanopores with a diameter of 2 nm resemble ion current behavior of biological
voltage-gated channels.
Development of New Drosophila Models of Polyglutamine Disorders to Characterize Common Pathomechanisms
Aditi Iyengar
Mentor: J. Lawrence Marsh
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases are inherited neurological
disorders that exhibit significant overlapping as well as distinct features. The polyQ length and the severity of the
disease are directly proportional in that the greater the
polyQ length the more severe the disease. Though previous studies have shown that the molecular basis of these
polyQ diseases is a CAG repeat expansion that encodes for
a polyQ domain, the common pathogenic mechanism for
these polyQ diseases is still unknown. To study the pathology of these diseases, Drosophila transgenic stocks of four
different polyQ diseases were created using the binary
UAS/GAL4 system for transgene expression. The four
diseases include denatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy
(DRPLA), Spinocerebellar ataxias SCA2Q117, SCA6Q117
and SCA17Q117 respectively. Characteristics tested included viability, onset of disease, and neurodegeneration.
The results showed that the SCA2Q117 and SCA6Q117
models both showed late onset of the disease and decreased viability with increased expression of the transgene. In addition, the results of this study establish a
platform with which to compare the effectiveness of disease treatments in two different polyQ disorders that affect
proteins in different sub regions of the cell.
Bioinformatics Identifies Cis-Regulatory Elements in
Retinoic Acid-Responsive Genes of the Xenopus
Embryo
Amanda Janesick
Mentor: Bruce Blumberg
Retinoid receptors are nuclear proteins that respond to
signals from lipid-soluble ligands to regulate gene transcription and expression. The precise regulation of retinoic
acid (RA) levels is critically important to the temporal and
spatial expression of genes involved in vertebrate development. Retinoid-responsive genes can be regulated directly (the immediate early genes) or indirectly (the late
response genes) by RA. Deciphering the regulatory networks that connect one gene to another in the retinoic acid
receptor (RAR) signaling cascade remains a significant
challenge. We address this by examining three distinct
groups of retinoid-responsive genes using bioinformatics:
genes expressed in pre-placodal ectoderm (a region that
possesses the correct signals to become sensory organs),
genes belonging to the same synexpression group, and
immediate early genes downstream of RARs. We assume
that noncoding sequence of these genes hold enough information to provide insight to whether the genes are
regulated directly or indirectly by retinoic acid, and what
transcription factors interact with them. Unlike previous
studies that examine a few kilobases of noncoding sequence, our approach has been to examine the entire gene,
comprising 20 kb upstream of the translation initiation site,
the coding sequence, and 20 kb downstream of the stop
codon. To our knowledge, comparable studies have not
been performed in any organism. Identifying regulatory
elements in a eukaryotic organism in silico is a powerful
approach to focus and inform subsequent wet lab techniques (e.g., ChIP-CHIP) that seek to accomplish the same
goal. The results of this study will facilitate the elucidation
of the gene regulatory networks under the control of RA
signaling. Moreover, the combination of bioinformatic and
experimental approaches will allow us to concentrate on
conserved promoter elements in the target genes and lead
to rapid progress in the defining regulatory hierarchies
down stream of RAR.
Neural Adaptation Reveals Viewpoint Independence
in the Human STS
Nicole Jardine
Mentor: Emily Grossman
The human superior temporal sulcus (STS) has been implicated in an impressive range of social cognitive processes,
from the simple observance of human biological motion to
inferring the intent of an actor. The STS is perhaps the
human homolog of macaque STPa; this region contains
neurons tuned to specific body actions, some of which are
capable of recognizing multiple viewpoints of the same
action. Our experiments use a rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance adaptation paradigm to probe
the viewpoint specificity of biological motion-selective
subregions within the STS. Observers viewed pairs of
point-light animations depicting the same action viewed
twice, the same action mirror-reversed, or two different
actions. Across subjects, voxels within the STS exhibited a
suppressed (adapted) BOLD response to pairs of the same
action repeated twice and pairs of the same action mirrorreversed. This suggests a hierarchical role of viewpointinvariant clusters of neurons within the STS that likely
build the foundations for instances of higher social cognition.
Role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) in the
Dorsal Midline
Aamer Javed
Proteins such as Bmps are essential for development of
embryonic tissues such as limbs, and skull and neural cells.
However, the role of morphogen Bmp is relatively unknown in the development of the forebrain, where it is
strongly expressed. It is generally believed that Bmps are
secreted from the dorsal midline to direct development of
surrounding tissues, such as the cortex. Yet, preliminary
studies using a novel Bmp signaling reporter line show that
Bmp activity is restricted to the hem. This study attempts
to discover why this reported Bmp activity is restricted to
the cortical hem. Double antibody staining with cortex
marker Lhx2 shows that the Bmp signaling and cortical
overlap are refined over time to a clear border, much like
what occurs with the hem and cortical overlap. In situ hybridization studies will attempt to determine whether restrictions of components of the Bmp signaling pathway are
responsible for the Bmp signaling reporter restriction. The
results suggest that Bmp activity is restricted to the cortical
hem; however, there is no clear evidence which factors
cause the suppression.
Investigation of the Biological Roles of Adrm1
Phosphorylation
Nelson Jen
Mentor: Lan Huang
The 26S proteasome consists of a self-compartmentalized
20S protease core that is capped at one or both ends by the
19S regulatory particle, or cap (also known as PA700 in
animal cells). The 20S core particle is responsible for various proteolytic activities, whereas the 19S complex is
thought to carry out a number of different biochemical
functions, including recognition of polyubiquitinated substrates, cleavage of the polyubiquitin chains to recycle
ubiquitin, unfolding of substrates, and assisting in opening
the gate of the 20S chamber to allow the unfolded substrates entry into the catalytic chamber. However the function of each subunit is not fully understood and the
subunits responsible for acquiring the polyubiquitinated
substrates still need to be identified. A newly identified
subunit of the 19S proteasome complex, ADRM1, has
been shown to be responsible in recruiting a principle
deubiquitinating enzyme, UCH37, to the proteasome in
mammalian cells. It has been reported that the N-terminal
portion of ADRM1 is responsible for its interaction with
the proteasome while the C-terminus associates with
UCH37. The knockdown of ADRM1 by sRNAi did not
significantly affect the proteolytic function of the proteasome; however, it causes a loss of UCH37 protein interaction with the proteasome. In addition, a knockdown of
UCH37 reduces the ubiquitinating activity of the 26S proteasome. Recently, characterization of human 26S proteasome complex by mass spectrometry revealed multiple
phosphorylation sites at various regions of ADRM1. We
hypothesize that these modifications may play a role in
regulating its function regarding its interaction with proteasome and UCH37. In this study we show that phosphorylation of ADRM1 affects the amount of UCH37s bound to
the proteasome.
Action of Low Dose Resveratrol and Cetuximab on
Wnt and MAPK Pathways in RKO Colon Cancer Cells
Karanjodh Johal
Mentor: Randall Holcombe
The primary purpose of this study is to determine if cross
talk exists between the mitogen activated protein kinase
(MAPK) signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway.
Both receptor activated signaling pathways are involved in
important cancer properties. The MAPK pathway in cancer is a primary target for novel drugs, such as Cetuximab
(anti-EGFR). Resveratrol (RSV), a bioflavonoid with many
unique properties, has been studied for its anti-cancer or
chemopreventative effects, especially in regards to the Wnt
signaling pathway within the colon. Anti-EGFR and RSV
were used in combination in RKO cells, a hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cell line with no known Wnt pathway
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mutation, to confirm cross talk between both pathways.
This study used the following methods: image quantification by confocal microscopy, MTT assay to measure cell
growth, Western blot and nitrocellulose blot analysis for
phosphorylated Erk (p-Erk), and Wnt throughput assay by
transfecting RKO cells with firefly luciferase reporter
plasmid and measuring by luminometry for Wnt signaling
activity. Significance in treatments was found in Wnt
throughput assay and MTT assay with increasing RSV
concentrations, and trends were seen in p-Erk to Erk activation and Wnt throughput assay with increasing RSV
concentrations. Therefore, RKO cells are affected by RSV
and anti-EGFR in Wnt and MAPK signaling pathways,
confirming cross talk between the two signaling pathways.
Further studies will confirm trends found in anti-EGFR in
combination with RSV, and determine mechanisms of action for development of lucrative drugs or treatment plans
for colorectal tumors.
Comparison of Temperature and Density in an Argon
Plasma Created by RF Coil and Tungsten Filament
Sources
Cheryl Johnson
This topic of research is important in areas of plasma
processing, specifically in determining the thickness of a
coating applied to a surface placed in the plasma. There are
multiple ways to create plasma within a laboratory setting.
However, even with identical equipment and experimental
layout, a plasma created by two different sources will have
different characteristics. Two important characteristics,
density and temperature, can be measured by a Langmuir
probe. In my research, I used the results of the Langmuir
Current-Voltage trace in an argon plasma to compare the
density and temperature in plasmas created by an RF Coil
source and a tungsten filament source. From density and
temperature readings, the velocities of ions and electrons
within the plasma can be calculated, and thus the rate at
which they may hit a target within the plasma.
The Role of SXR in Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Kameran Johnson
Mentor: Bruce Blumberg
The Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor, SXR, is a major
regulator of drug metabolism found in many tissues in the
body. Recently, SXR has been found in the breast, though
its role has yet to be determined. Japanese studies have
found SXR exclusively in neoplastic breast tissue, seeming
to suggest that SXR is a cancer marker or aids in differentiation. However, American studies find SXR in both normal and healthy breast tissue and have determined that
activation of the receptor results in apoptosis. Our research seeks to clarify the role of SXR in breast cancer by
determining if the discrepancies in existing data can be
resolved through breast cancer stem cells. We hypothesize
that SXR is present in breast cancer stem cells and that the
activation of this receptor will cause the cells to become
apoptotic. We strove to isolate a population of cancer stem
cells from tumor samples from the UCI Medical Center
through the formation of non-adherant mammospheres.
RNA was extracted from cells and tested for the presence
of SXR through QRT-PCR. If present, cells would be
treated with SXR activators and their growth and behavior
would be monitored. We have been able to grow up a cell
population, believed to be stem cells and isolated RNA,
from which we will test for SXR. Eventually, therapeutics
may be developed that can target the stem cells of breast
tumors for a more effective treatment.
Hydrogen Sensing with a Single Palladium Nanowire
Jeffrey Kagan
Mentor: Reginald Penner
Hydrogen is a difficult gas to handle safely because it diffuses and effuses rapidly, burns with a colorless flame, embrittles metal containers, and has a lower explosion limit in
air of just 4%. Existing H2 sensors are too expensive, too
insensitive, and too slow. We describe a sensor based on a
single palladium nanowire with lateral dimensions below
200 nm and as small as 10 nm. These nanowires detect H2
down to 200 ppm, with a response time of 20 s, while
drawing just nW from a circuit. We describe the fabrication and properties of these devices in this presentation.
Mutational Analysis of Actinorhodin Polyketide
Ketoreductase
Oliver Kamari-Bidkorpeh
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
Aromatic polyketides are an important class of natural
products with powerful pharmaceutical activities. Understanding and manipulating the mechanisms of polyketide
synthesis will aid in the design of novel polyketide products. Type II polyketides are synthesized by a complex
consisting of several standalone domains. The ketoreductase domain provides regio- and stereospecificity. Crystal
structures of ketoreductase have allowed for the generation
of mutants that affect the specificity of the reduction. A
three residue motif, 94PGG 96, is responsible for the stereospecificity. Sequence comparison indicates that the motif is
conserved in different type II polyketide ketoreductases
other than actinorhodin polyketide ketoreductase, and may
also be responsible for stereospecificity in modular type I
polyketide synthases. Kinetic studies show that a single
point mutation of the PGG motif, specifically a P94 mutant, is enough to control the stereospecificity of the reduction reaction. Crystal structures of mutant
ketoreductase bound by an inhibitor, emodin, show that
the inhibitor is reoriented in the binding cleft in comparison to wild type actKR. Understanding the importance of
key residues in actKR is a step towards the rationally controlled synthesis of novel polyketide products.
Interaction Between Endocannabinoid and GABA
Systems in the vlPAG During Electroacupuncture to
Modulate Sympathetic Cardiovascular Response
Nathan Kamel
Mentors: John Longhurst & Stephanie Tjen-A-Looi
A long-loop neuronal pathway involving the arcuate nucleus, ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), and rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM) is essential to reduce
sympathoexcitatory cardiovascular reflex responses with
electroacupuncture (EA). The underlying mechanisms in
the brainstem during the effects of acupuncture show that
alteration of neuronal activity in the rVLM reduces sympathetic tone to decrease blood pressure reflex response or
hypertension. Previous studies suggest that activation of
endocannabinoid (EC) receptor (CB1) modulates the release of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the PAG. To investigate this disinhibition during a cardiovascular reflex
response and EA, we evaluated the change of the reflex
response after CB1 receptor activation. Accordingly, decreased release of GABA would increase activation of neurons in the vlPAG. This increase would in turn decrease
the reflex responses. On the other hand, blocking the
GABAA receptor would prevent disinhibition and, in turn,
modulation of the reflex responses. To examine further the
mechanisms of EA, the study will focus on the vlPAG. We
have established a repeatable reflexive model that shows a
prolonged reduction of the responses with EA treatment.
We therefore hypothesized that during effects of EA, the
EC-GABA system in the vlPAG modulates cardiovascular
reflexes. This study examined the interaction of EC and
GABA during repeated increases in blood pressure with 30
minutes of EA. We have shown that blockade of CB1 receptors reversed the EA-inhibitory effect. In contrast,
microinjection of CB1 receptor blockade with prior inactivation of GABAA receptors did not reverse the EA inhibition. In conclusion, endocannabinoid presynaptically
influences GABA in the vlPAG during effects of EA.
Synthetic Studies Towards Polychlorinated Sulfolipids
Jacob Kanady
Mentor: Christopher Vanderwal
Halogenated compounds of marine origin are of great interest to synthetic chemists due to their structural complexity and biological activity. Of interest to the project are
the polychlorinated sulfolipids found in Adriatic Sea mussels and freshwater micro-algae, where they accounted for
half of the total lipid mass. These complex lipids have linear arrays of chlorine-bearing stereocenters that not only
make them challenging synthetic targets, but also induce
interesting conformational biases that lead to unknown
biological function. Herein, model studies for possible syn-
thetic pathways were continued. In preliminary studies,
acyl protected Z-allylic alcohols were shown to give good
diastereoselectivity upon dichlorination, but also gave acyl
migration side products. Therefore, I first tested electron
poor aroyl groups in hopes that they would reduce migration; however, they gave similar ratios of side products.
Next, the three-step process of alcohol functionalization,
dichlorination, and defunctionalization to give the dichloride-hydroxy stereotriad was optimized from <40% overall
yield up to 56%. Although better, one future goal is to further increase the efficiency. Finally, a route to a trichloride
stereotriad was discovered through the first-ever synthesis
of geometrically pure α-substituted Z-allylic chlorides utilizing the Wittig reaction. H1 NMR coupling constants were
used to characterize the relative stereochemical relationships, and a conformational analysis was performed, showing a single that the relative stereochemistry of the
trichlorides dictates their conformations on the basis of
preferred gauche orientation of the chlorides, while minimizing syn-pentane interactions.
Effects of Videogame Expertise on Spatial Attention
Networks
Albert Kang
Mentor: Ramesh Srinivasan
This study seeks to investigate the effects of two types of
prior videogame exposure on performance and neural
structures specific to spatial attention. Gamers with experience in First-Person Shooters (FPS) were compared to
Role-Playing Gamers (RPG) on target detection tasks that
required rapid responses to situations involving different
attentional demands. This was achieved by presenting a
test stimulus using a range of steady-state visually evoked
potentials (SSVEPs) via three frequency-tagged conditions
(3 Hz, 8.5 Hz and 20 Hz) and three spatial conditions (sf1,
sf2, and sf4), which correspond to increases in the number
of discrete regions attended, while holding the total attended area constant. The FPS gamers performed better in
every spatial condition, which supports the notion that
fast-action videogame playing enhances spatial abilities. As
the task became temporally difficult, the FPS gamers
seemed to be affected to a lesser extent. The results provide additional evidence that fast-action videogame playing
is associated with enhancements to spatial attention networks. Neurophysiological evidence, by the use of encephalography, has been examined to note some of these
differences in attention networks between the two groups
with unique virtual experience.
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A Socio-Economic Case Study of Tourism, Fisheries,
and Environmental Issues in the Turks and Caicos
Islands: South Caicos & Providenciales
Samantha Kao
Mentor: Michael Burton
A little-known British territory, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) has recently begun to gain popularity as a vacation spot in the Caribbean, although this developing area
has yet to reach the full-blown tourist development seen in
areas such as the British Virgin Islands and Jamaica. The
TCI also have a reputation for their export of conch and
lobster, whose fisheries contribute extensive towards the
TCI economy. The juxtaposition of their potentially viable
but overstressed fishery industry and the financial appeals
of a tourist economy pose an interesting situation in light
of the environmental damage caused by both. On two
separate occasions, I conducted ethnographic interviews
and recorded daily observations to mark the pace of life
and developments on South Caicos. South Caicos is currently the main area for tourist expansion in the TCI,
whereas Providenciales has been a larger tourist attraction
for the past few years. The environmental damage caused
by fishing and the implications of tourism are tightly knit
in that they both involve issues of over-consumption and
damage to marine ecosystems. It is vital to examine these
issues before they fully establish themselves as characteristics of the TCI, because they characterize environmental
degradation across the world. There are also social issues
of immigration and culture dilution within the TCI, and all
of these issues represent the trade-offs of influence from
developed nations. The Turks and Caicos Islands provide a
stimulating and little-examined aspect of a developing territory’s efforts in becoming an economically competitive and
environmentally conscientious entity.
Nomatic*IM
Samuel Kaufman
Mentor: Donald J. Patterson
The research community has succeeded broadly in developing technology that can reason about coordinate or relational position. But new, higher-order systems need to
reason about colloquial place, not position. We intend to
solve this problem—the position-to-place problem—by
gathering a broad array of position-to-place mappings
from the users of a desktop software system called Nomatic*IM. The system uses machine learning techniques
and aggregate data from said mappings to support a user in
negotiating context with his or her instant messenger contacts.
The Role of Non-State Actors in U.S.-Iranian
Relations
Katharine Keith
Mentors: Lina Kreidie & Caesar Sereseres
Do Iranian-Americans feel that there is a need to normalize relations between the United States and the current
Iranian regime? Many believe that track-one diplomacy has
failed. The number of grassroots organizations that are
working toward normalizing the relations between the two
countries is increasing. Based on this phenomenon, I
measured the effectiveness of these organizations. This
study attempted to analyze the level of recognition among
Iranian Americans of a problem. Do they feel responsibility for the political situation in their home country of Iran?
Do they plan to return? To explore the role of Iranian expatriates in normalization, I based my analysis on current
literature, case studies, biographies, journal articles and indepth interviews with Iranian expatriates. The objective of
this study is to support the theory that track-two diplomacy can build a more solid foundation for the long-term
success of track-one diplomacy. The findings of this study
suggest that although some leaders of Iranian-American
organizations believe the majority of the community is not
interested in participation in such initiatives, they are in a
strategic and obligatory position to participate in a bottomup, grassroots movement that could establish a publicly
legitimate democracy in Iran and normalize relations between their home country and the United States. This
would be beneficial to both countries.
Sex and Age Differences in Dopamine-Mediated
Behaviors
Anna Khalaj
Adolescence is a time of increased risk-taking and noveltyseeking behaviors that are accompanied by maturation of
motivational circuitry in the brain, particularly that of the
nigrostriatal and mesocorticolimbic dopamine systems.
Previous studies reveal that there are sex differences in the
extent of reorganization of these systems, which may underlie gender differences in dopamine-mediated disorders
seen in adolescence (e.g. ADHD). Previous studies in our
lab on males have shown that adolescents and adults exhibit differing behavioral sensitivity to direct dopamine
receptor agonists. This study aims to examine age and sex
differences in dopamine-mediated behaviors by measuring
agonist-induced locomotion and stereotypy in females, and
to determine whether hormonal status is correlated with
behavioral outcomes. Adolescent (P32) and adult (P90)
female rats were handled daily for five days prior to the
experiment. On test day, each rat was placed in a locomotor box for an acclimation period of 30 minutes, and then
received an i.p. injection of saline or one dose of one of
three dopamine receptor agonists: SKF 83959 (D1 ago-
nist), SKF 83822 (D1 agonist), and quinpirole (D2/D3
agonist). Following injection, locomotor and stereotypic
behavior was assessed for 30 minutes. After this scoring
period, trunk blood was collected and plasma was isolated
to determine concentrations of estradiol using radioimmunoassay. Our data shows that females exhibit age differences in dopamine-mediated behaviors and that sex
differences in these behaviors exist even prior to puberty.
Our study is ongoing to examine the effects of hormonal
status on these behaviors.
The Role of Health Education and Hardiness in
Perceived Wellness
Rozan Khalil
Mentor: Salvatore Maddi
This study investigates the effectiveness of an undergraduate health psychology course in increasing students’ awareness of their healthful habits. Relying on pre and post test
measures of perceived wellness, and Hardiness, the focus
is on changes in wellness from the beginning to the end of
the course. This article establishes a statistically significant
relationship between perceived wellness and Hardiness.
Next, the article analyzes the effect of health education on
perceived wellness. Participants were 70 undergraduate
students from the Health Psychology course (P103) offered during winter quarter of 2008 at University of California, Irvine, who completed validated measures of
hardiness, perceived wellness and other demographical
variables on a volunteer basis. Correlational analyses
showed that there is a moderately significant correlation
between perceived wellness and Hardiness. Additionally,
students demonstrated a change in their level of perceived
wellness after completing the course. The conceptual and
practical implications of these findings are discussed.
HAPPY
Ramni Khattar
Mentors: Shaista Malik & Jagat Narula
We investigated whether any subclinical atherosclerosis
was present in patients with at least intermediate risk factors for heart disease. We performed this investigation using a noninvasive technology, the multidetector computed
tomographic angiogram (MDCTA). Among 25 participants
with at least intermediate level of risk factors, we found
that 48% had at least mild coronary plaque. The presence
of plaque was higher in men than women (p=.03) and in
smokers (p=.03). One participant ended up needing revascularization. We did not find any relationship with other
risk factors such as hypertension and high cholesterol with
presence of plaque. In conclusion, the presence of coronary plaque is present in approximately half of the individuals with at least intermediate risk factors. Whether
detecting the presence of subclinical disease early makes a
difference in terms of cardiovascular outcomes needs to be
further investigated.
The Ephemeral Visual
Eunice Kim
Mentor: Shelby Roberts
Although Picasso was the first to use a common photography trick to draw with light and elevate it to art, I attempt to expand upon those techniques to develop images
that capture motion in a way that only photography can.
Combining photography and break dancers with LED
lights attached to dancers’ arms and legs has often unexpected, yet interesting results. The concept behind attaching the lights to the dancers and taking photographs while
they dance is that, as the dancers literally create light drawings through their movements, the figures of the dancers
disappear, leaving a sculptural trace of their movements.
As their movements exist in three dimensions, so do their
sculptural traces, which also double as light sculptures that
only exist in photographs. This project has expanded to
include taiko drummers, with performances including both
visual and audio elements. Although this photography trick
is not unique, this project aims to work with performers in
the attempt to create innovative images with light.
Differential Temperature Susceptibility and Survival
of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii
Juliet Kim
Mentor: Alan Barbour
The intent of this study was to determine whether the relapsing fever agent Borrelia hermsii is more susceptible to
hot and cold temperatures than the Lyme disease agent
Borrelia burgdorferi. Differences in temperature susceptibilities of these bacterial species could help identify potential
hosts and genetic differences that may help one species
survive at more extreme temperatures. B. hermsii and B.
burgdorferi cell cultures were incubated at various temperatures to find the temperature at which the cells are killed.
Survival was determined by ten-fold serial dilutions in 96well plates where growth was indicated by a change media
color from red to yellow. The 96-well plates were also analyzed by a spectrophotometer that measured the absorbance (A) at 562- and 630-nanometer wavelengths. An
absorbance ratio (A562nm/A630nm) of less than 3.0 correlated
with a positive-growth well, while a ratio of greater than
3.0 correlated with a negative-growth well. On average, the
Lyme disease bacterium had a higher survival at the higher
temperatures than the relapsing fever agent, with a mean
survival (95% confidence interval) of 1.62 (0.06– 43.6)
X10-4 vs. 3.16 (1.02- 9.77) X10-4 at 50 °C and 38.3 (1.181250) X10-6 vs. 1.96 (23.5- 16.3) X10-6 at 51 °C. At the
lower temperatures B. hermsii had a lower survival than B.
burgdorferi with mean survivals of 5.1 (3.5- 7.5) X10-1 vs.
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11.0 (6.7-18) X10-1 at 4 °C; and 3.5 (0.9 –13) X10-3 vs.
460(200- 1100) X10-3 at 0 °C.
Cell-Free Expression of Mouse and Bovine
γS-crystallin
Yeo-Joo Kim
Mentor: Rachel Martin
It is estimated that the eyesight of 50% of the world population is diminished due to cataracts by age 65. Cataracts
are formed when proteins aggregate in the lens of the eye,
and studies indicate γS-crystallin to be the major component of cataracts. Escherichia coli is commonly used to express proteins, but it lacks versatility with regard to
expressible proteins, time-consuming culture growth, the
inability to individually label amino acids, and various costs
associated with living systems. The goal of our project is to
set up a more versatile, faster, and cheaper cell-free expression system based on the system developed by Dr. Knapp,
Dr. Swartz, and Dr. Goerke of Stanford University. Cellfree protein synthesis uses microorganism extract with
added vitamins, minerals, nucleoside triphosphates
(NTPs), energy source, and, sometimes, polymerase. The
extract will be created from KGK10 cells, using the outline
from the paper by Dr. Swarts in Fermentation Biotechnology.
So far we have been successful in expressing mouse and
bovine γS-crystallin using the traditional method (using E.
coli) as part of an ongoing project. The details of E. coli expression will be presented, as well as progress toward the
cell-free expression of mouse and bovine γS-crystallin.
Afro-Pessimism and Black Masculinity in Film:
Representations of Black Men in Cinema from 1967–
2005
Danielle Kirkwood
Mentor: Frank Wilderson
This project explores the political and ideological work
achieved through the various representations of black men
in film during the dwindling years of civil rights and beyond. These representations of black masculinity are examined through the lens of the newly emerging “AfroPessimist” theory, which takes a radical stance on the position of the black in relation to the paradigm of civil society.
To formulate a comprehensive analysis of how film labors
politically and ideologically through narrative and cinematic strategies, it was necessary to examine and analyze
various films. The films that were used in this study include, Dutchman, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Killer
of Sheep, The Story of a Three-Day Pass, and Training
Day. As a result of this study, the relationship between
Afro-Pessimist theory and black cinema has becoming increasingly clear. Through the use of narrative and cinematic strategies, these films (whether they intend to or not)
serve to avow those theories of afro-pessimism that analyze the position of the black man as a non-human entity
that is created through structural violence and, further,
acknowledge the necessity of black exclusion to maintain
the paradigm of civil society.
Detector Characterization and Detective Quantum
Efficiency (DQE) Measurement of a Cadmium Zinc
Telluride (CZT) X-Ray Detector for Medical X-Ray
Imaging Applications
Michael Klopfer
Mentor: Sabee Molloi
Current clinical state-of-the-art digital radiography detectors rely on an indirect detection scheme where a scintillation screen made of Cesium Iodide (CsI) is bombarded by
X-rays during exposure, producing visible light that is then
measured and recorded by a thin film transistor (TFT) array. The output of an individual pixel from this type of
detector represents the total energy incident on that pixel
during the sampling time—all information about the individual energy of the photons striking the detector is lost.
In contrast, solid state CZT crystal detectors are able to
count individual X-ray photons striking the crystal surface
as well as discriminate the per photon energy. The benefits
of this type of detector are seen in reduced patient dose
and the ability to perform dual energy X-ray imaging for
preventative screening of coronary and breast calcium
without multiple exposures. To date the use of this type of
detector has been limited to defense applications. We have
evaluated detection efficiency and the quality of image
produced for dual energy medical applications. In our experiment we used two types of detectors, a Novarad, Inc.
XENA and an eV Products demo CZT array. The QDE
was measured as comparable to current CsI detectors. The
dual-energy image produced from a single exposure clearly
demonstrated that dual energy imaging is possible with
CZT detectors. The worth of this type of detector for
medical applications is clearly shown; further development
in detector fabrication is necessary to reduce the cost of
CZT detectors.
Comparison of Understanding of Reversed Speech in
Different Listening Conditions
Michael Klopfer
Mentor: Fan-Gang Zeng
Speech is an extremely important medium of information
transfer. The human brain devotes large cortical areas to
speech understanding. Saberi and Perrott have shown in
"Cognitive restoration of reversed speech," that the human
brain has the ability to make sense of English sentences
with sections that have been reversed. A strong negative
correlation is made between length of sentence reversal
period and sentence content understanding. This experiment seeks to further quantify the effect of noise in the
brain’s effort to decode degraded speech. Reversed sentences are played with or without the addition of speech
shaped noise (SSN) in various signal to noise ratios. The
user is prompted to type back what is heard. Sentences are
scored for correctness based on the number of correctly
copied words as compared to total sentence words. The
combination of noise and signal degradation from the reversal process severely impacts the overall understanding
of the speech. The same effect is seen when background
noise makes communication difficult in a noisy crowd. In
silent conditions, a negative sigmoidal curve describes the
percentage of correctly copied words versus increased reversal window. In mixed noise conditions, the same sigmoidal curve is generated, except with a steeper slope as
compared to silent conditions. A strong link between difficulty in understanding and added noise to an already degraded signal is clearly demonstrated.
of the correspondent network, this paper bridges the literature of mathematics with banking history. Exploring the
potential of new Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
software, such as ArcGIS, provides the capacity to investigate the first law of geography: things are more similar the
closer they are to each other geographically. Graph theory
suggests that the correspondent network could have improved its robustness by increasing the minimum number
of correspondents each bank was required to have. The
fruit of these investigations affirms the potential of further
investigation into the question of bank dependence, justifies further research into the applications of graph theory
and GIS software, and calls into question results from
econometric analyses that assume independence.
The Vagina Monologues
Jacob Knobel
Mentor: Don Hill
In its sixth year at UC Irvine and in its tenth anniversary
worldwide, “The Vagina Monologues” has grown to have
a strong, powerful impact on its audiences and its beneficiaries. The goals of V-Day UCI are to raise awareness and
raise money, and this year we accomplished both goals.
Statistics do not tell the whole story when it comes to violence against women in this country, particularly on college
campuses. Through our performances, more than 1,000
UCI community members were exposed to these issues.
Through responses to audience reaction surveys, we know
that a large percentage of our audience was residents and
we greatly exceeded our goals this year to involve oncampus housing communities. This is important in getting
our message out to students in their first year so they are
aware of issues facing women and can continue to help
prevent them. Through the work that V-Day does at UC
Irvine and at colleges throughout the country, millions of
dollars have been distributed to local organizations working to end violence against women. Our show this year is
proud to have donated over $7,500 to C.A.R.E on campus,
doing our part to help end violence against women on the
UCI Campus.
Social Support and Cognitive Appraisals
Nory Kotrasa
Previous research suggests social support can influence
psychological appraisals and physiological reactivity. Many
laboratory studies have found that high social support is
related to lower cardiovascular reactivity. However, the
link between different types of social support and stress
appraisals has not been examined in great detail. This
analysis explores the relationship between emotional, informational, and instrumental support and appraisals of a
socially-evaluative speech task. Participants answered the
Positive and Negative Social Exchanges (PANSE) questionnaire and participated in a speech task in front of an
evaluative audience. Psychological stress appraisals were
taken before and after the speech task. We hypothesized
that emotional support is related to pre- and post-task appraisals, whereas informational and instrumental support
would not be related to these task appraisals. Bivariate correlations were calculated between the different types of
support and pre- and post-task appraisals and, contrary to
our hypotheses, both informational and instrumental support were significantly associated with negative post-task
appraisals, whereas emotional support was not related to
pre- or post-task appraisals. These findings have implications for the nature of specific types of social support.
Declaration of Dependence: An Interdisciplinary
Investigation into the American Banking Crises of the
Great Depression
Alejandro Komai
Mentors: Joanne Christopherson, Caryl Margulies & Gary
Richardson
It is common, in the literature on banking failures, for researchers to assume independence between banks in order
to make use of powerful econometric tools of analysis.
This paper investigates two ways this assumption is flawed:
the banking correspondent network and spatial correlation.
Drawing from graph theory to help understand the impact
Interaction of the Mixed Lineage Leukemia 4 Protein
with the JNK MAP Kinase
Pascal Krotee
Mentors: Lee Bardwell & Jeffrey Rogers
Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are
highly conserved in eukaryotes and regulate the facilitation
of many biological functions. These qualities have made
the pathways a promising potential target in drug therapies
for many diseases. The JNK pathway, a member of the
MAPK family, likely controls its interactions with its substrates via docking sites. These docking sites (D-sites) follow a highly conserved motif. A pattern matching
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algorithm called Dfinder was created to scan the human
proteome for proteins that possessed potential D-site motifs that interacted with JNK. Mixed Lineage Leukemia 4
(MLL4) was found to be highly ranked by this program.
MLL4 was first discovered through its role in leukemias,
and current research suggests that fetal mice with an MLL
knockout have impaired hematopoietic activity. If MLL4
binds JNK via its predicted D-site, then MLL4 may be a
JNK substrate. These interactions were tested with in vitro
binding assays of a wild type and D-site mutant form of
35[S]-Methionine-labeled MLL4 protein with fusion proteins of GST, GST-JNK1, and GST-JNK2. The D-site
mutant form of MLL4 possessed Alanine point mutations
on the critical residues of the D-site. Wild type MLL4 was
found to have significantly greater affinity for JNK1 and
JNK2 than the D-site mutant form of MLL4 with the
same proteins. These findings suggest that the critical residues within the D-site of MLL4 mediate its binding to
JNK. This further explains the mechanisms through which
MLL4 functions, which may also lead to a new drug target
for certain leukemias.
ment of networks. Previous studies have shown that molecules such as the EphA4 receptor play a role in axon
targeting in the auditory brainstem, and that a mutation in
the gene for the ligand ephrin-B2 alters auditory brain response by increasing the response threshold and decreasing the response latency. We examined the role of ephrinB2 in establishing synaptic connections and myelin formation in the auditory brainstem because these two features
affect neuronal transmission, which can alter brain response. The experiment examined synapsin I and MBP in
ephrin-B2 wild-type and mutant mice. Results show that the
ephrin-B2 mutant mice exhibited synapsin I expression in
the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and cochlear nucleus similar to those of ephrin-B2 wild-type mice, but that
they had altered MBP expression in the cochlear nucleus.
This suggests that ephrin-B2 plays a role in the development of myelin but not of synapses in the auditory system.
As such, the observed decrease in response latency with
ephrin-B2 mutant mice may be explained by the role of
ephrin-B2 in regulating the interaction of myelin with axons.
Patterning Gold Nanowires on Flexible Substrate
Travis Kruse
Mentor: Reginald Penner
Lithographically Patterned Nanowire Electrodeposition is
the fabrication of nanowires through the electrodeposition
of metals into a trench fabricated using photolithography
and chemical etching. The height and width of these wires
can be independently controlled using LPNE, with which
we are able synthesize nanowires on a flexible substrate of
Kapton™ (primarily used in manufacturing flexible circuits). We characterized the electrical properties of the
nanowires while being flexed. When the Kapton™ substrate is flexed, it causes the nanowires on the substrate to
flex as well, reversibly altering the electrical resistance of
the wires. As the substrate returns to its relaxed form, the
wires also assume their initial electrical resistance. If the
contortion of the substrate is too great, the wires lose electrical continuity, but as the substrate is returned to its unperturbed form, the wires are once again electrically
continuous. Mechanical sensors could be constructed for
use as stress meters on a microscopic scale by taking advantage of this effect. These nanowires have been thoroughly characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, and XRD.
Choreography and Beyond: 7th Nexus
Sharon Kung
Mentor: Molly Lynch
At the 2007 American Dance Festival, held at Duke University, choreography and performance were explored by
dance students from around the world. For six weeks, different choreographic approaches were analyzed and investigated in a creative process. The video presented here is a
documentary of my Physical Graffiti piece, “7th Nexus,”
which I chose to document because of the creative complexity it offers. The goal was to counter-balance classical
music against contemporary movement without destroying
the classicism, grace and originality that each aspect provides. The music is “Palladio,” by Karl Jenkins, inspired by
sixteenth-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, who
influenced the development of Western Architecture. Andrea’s motifs of arches, proportions, spatial relationships
and inter-columnations are some of the themes incorporated into the choreography. In choreographic terms, this
translates into the use of negative space, precision, boundfree movements and formations. The choreography also
plays with timing, through which syncopation and anticipation are also incorporated. Aside from the choreographic
perspective of completing a piece, lighting design is also a
key element in making this project a success. An industrial
look is constructed by having no side lights and only lights
hanging from the top. Themes of geometric shapes and
crisscrossed lines are also projected onto the stage through
gobo-templates.
The Effects of Ephrin-B2 on Synaptic Connections
and Myelin Development in the Auditory Brainstem
Shan Kuang
Mentor: Karina Cramer
In the development of the central nervous system, many
signaling molecules play a critical role in establishing
proper pathways. The Eph protein family of signaling
molecules has been found to guide the proper develop-
In-Depth Study of Neural Stem Cell Apoptosis and
Chemotaxis in a Microfluidic BMP4 Gradient
Eric Kuo
Mentors: Noo Li Jeon & Edwin Monuki
Morphogen gradients are fundamental to animal development, and morphogen defects are the primary causes of
human brain malformations. Nonetheless, tremendous
controversy remains about the mechanisms by which
morphogen gradients act on the developing brain. To date,
studies on this issue have relied on traditional cell culture
tools, which are inefficient and biologically limited, as
models of natural gradients. In this study, a microfluidic
culture device has been engineered and optimized to address these limitations. The device is used to simulate an in
vivo environment by generating several diverse, stable, and
continuous gradient profiles onto cultured cells in which
their behaviors can be captured by time-lapse microscopy.
The specific morphogen protein used in this study is
BMP4. Our finding indicates exposure to high BMP4 concentration induces cell death and suppresses cell proliferation. Similar results are observed when there is a sharp
increase in the slope of the gradient across the microfluidic
chamber. However, this effect might be caused by the
chemo-attractive property of BMP4, which has never been
reported in literature. We have generated a real-time optical
assay on cell death and on proliferation in a morphogen
gradient that has revealed novel insights on the slope of
the gradient and new roles of BMP4 in the developing
cerebral cortex.
Presence of Native Perennial Grass Decreases
Invasive Success of an Annual Exotic Grass
Marlyse Labordo
Theory predicts that invasive success of an exotic species is
affected by the genetic diversity of the exotic population
and the species composition of the community it invades.
We tested how exotic population genetic diversity, community species diversity, and functional similarity of resident communities affect invasion success of annual exotic
grass Avena barbata. We tested whether: increased exotic
genetic diversity caused increased invasion success, diverse
communities better resisted exotic invasion, and resident
communities functionally similar to the exotic resisted invasion. In a fully-factorial greenhouse experiment we established resident communities that varied in species
diversity (1, 2, or 3 species) and functional group (exotic
annual grass Lolium multiflorum, perennial native grass
Nasella pulchra, and native forb Amsinckia menziesii), and
invaded them with Avena that varied in genetic diversity (1,
5, or 10 genotypes). We measured invasion success using
dry weight above ground biomass of Avena. Our results
indicate that invasive success was decreased by: increasing
genetic diversity (Avena biomass decreased relative to ge-
netic diversity (p=0.001)) and the presence of a functionally different grass, Nasella. Surprisingly, we found no
support for our hypotheses. This may be a result of measuring invasive success according to peak biomass instead
of seed set, which may be a better indicator of success.
Additionally, Nasella species were planted as small plants
while all other species were planted as seed to simulate
natural community patterns. The increased size of Nasella
may have significantly decreased the establishment of
Avena despite functional dissimilarity or genetic diversity.
Moderators in the Relationship Between the
Socioeconomic Status and Health Behaviors of
Individuals in Early Adulthood
Cynthia LaCoe
Mentor: JoAnn Prause
Weight and overall health are critically impacted by health
behaviors (e.g., diet, exercise), and socioeconomic status
(SES) has been shown to influence health behaviors. Using
800 participants (ages 22–32 years) from the NHANES
2003–2004, we examined the association between SES (income, educational attainment) and health behaviors (moderate, vigorous, and sedentary activities; consumption of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, white bread, healthy types
of milk, soft drinks, and fats), and the role that ethnicity
and gender play in moderating the effect of SES on health
behaviors. Controlling for study variables, income was
positively associated with time spent in moderate-intensity
activities and negatively associated with time in sedentary
activities. Relative to a high school education (HSE), less
than an HSE was associated with less moderate activity
and higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. More
than an HSE was associated with less moderate activity,
more time in sedentary activities, consumption of less
white bread and more vegetables, whole wheats, and
lower/non-fat milks. Males engaged in significantly more
vigorous and strengthening activities, but also consumed
more white bread and soft drinks relative to females. Relative to non-Hispanic Whites, Mexican Americans spent
less time in moderate activities and consumed significantly
more fruits and less fat. SES indicators (education and income) differentially impacted health behaviors, and both
gender and ethnicity moderated the relationships. These
findings suggest that it is important for health professionals to have a solid understanding of their target audience
and tailor health promotion strategies accordingly.
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The Sensitivity of Focused Assessment of Sonography
for Trauma (FAST) in Detecting Clinically Significant
Injury in Pediatric Patients with Blunt Abdominal
Trauma
Andrew Laguna
Mentors: John Christian Fox & Shahram Lotfipour
Focused Assessment of Sonography for Trauma (FAST) is
an imaging tool used by emergency physicians to diagnose
injuries resulting from blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). We
predicted that the sensitivity of FAST is equivalent to
computed tomography (CT) in detecting clinically significant injury resulting from blunt abdominal trauma in pediatric patients. Clinical significance was measured by the
amount of free fluid and degree of organ injury shown by
CT and the surgical course of action taken by emergency
physicians. In this prospective study we examined a total
of 432 patients over an approximate four-year period, from
which 75 patients were excluded, mainly due to no confirmatory CT or surgical course. Three hundred fifty-seven
patients were analyzed. Our results showed that FAST was
54% sensitive for pediatric patients with clinically significant BAT injuries, demonstrating that for diagnostic purposes this modality should always be used in conjunction
with a confirmatory procedure.
Synergistic Effects of Haptotactic and Chemotactic
Attractants on Osteoprogenitor Cell Invasion
David Lai
Mentor: Andrew Putnam
Over the past two decades, tissue engineering has emerged
as a viable therapeutic modality to regenerate bone that
needs to be replaced as a result of trauma, injury and/or
congenital defects. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)
are a family of potent growth factors, or morphogens,
known to induce cell migration and promote the formation
of bone and cartilage. The most widely studied in this family is BMP-2, which has not only proven beneficial for
bone-related clinical treatments but is also FDA-approved
for human clinical uses. The use of BMP-2 is an obvious
choice for enhancing bone regeneration via a tissue engineering approach. However, the influence of the threedimensional (3-D) extracellular matrix (ECM) is largely
unknown. We hypothesized that structural-mechanical
cues inherent in the ECM can regulate the behavior of osteoprogenitor cells, and may be just as important as soluble
chemoattractants. To test this hypothesis, we used an embedded hydrogel model to investigate the coordinated effects of BMP-2 and ECM density on the 3-D invasion of
an osteoprogenitor cell line. Image analysis techniques using NIH ImageJ enabled the quantification of the extent of
migration. In parallel, the use of a simple microfluidic device and time-lapse fluorescence microscopy enabled the
experimental characterization of diffusive transport as a
function of ECM density, permitting us to calculate the
theoretical concentration of BMP-2 to which the bone
cells are exposed. When these two studies are coupled together, they show that the haptotactic attraction of the
ECM is the main driving force for cellular invasion, while
the presence of BMP-2 strongly supplements the extracellular environment to accelerate cell-movement. This finding provides insight towards rational design of hydrogel
biomaterials capable of supporting bony in-growth and
bone tissue regeneration.
The Effects of Assortative Mating by Flowering Time
on other Phenological and Morphological Traits
Arthur Weis
Jason Lam
Mentors: Steven Franks & Arthur Weis
Global warming and environmental changes are expected
to place selection on traits of plants, especially traits related
to the timing of flowering. Previous studies have examined
the effects of precipitation changes on the timing of flowering in Brassica rapa. However, how the effects of assortative mating by one trait can effect variances of other traits
were not addressed. This study attempts to determine how
assortative mating by one trait can affect the evolution of
other phenological and morphological traits in Brassica rapa.
Phenological traits include duration of flowering, and
morphological traits include height, stem diameter, and
number of stem nodes. The experiment was carried out by
planting offspring of plants that have undergone one generation of either random, hyper-assortative, or natural mating in the greenhouse and collecting data on phenological
and morphological traits. Experimental results supported
previous findings that assortative mating by flowering time
increases genetic variation for this trait. The results also
indicated that assortative mating increases the genetic
variation of stem diameter for the natural and random
mating group but not for the hyper-assortative mating
group. In contrast, assortative mating by flowering time
did not increase the variance of the number of stem nodes
and height in any of the three groups. The increase in the
variance of the traits discussed above indicates a rapid evolutionary response. Climatic changes can select for and
produce rapid evolution in plants.
Passing Gas: Is Ethanol the Solution to our Energy
Crisis?
Alexander Lamb
The current petroleum-based energy model for the United
States is not a viable long-term option for solving climate
change and independence from foreign energy sources.
Ethanol has emerged as a leading candidate in the field to
replace petroleum and solve these problems, but beyond
the romantic notion of a “green” system a definitive answer to ethanol’s feasibility has not yet been determined. A
model of ethanol’s forecasted production and America’s
energy consumption was created to find a definitive answer. Based on analysis of ethanol’s energy impact and its
ability to replace petroleum, this paper concludes that current practices in the ethanol industry will not viably solve
the energy crisis of the United States.
Large-Network Cortical Model for Generation of
Realistic Local Field Potentials and Action Potentials
Trevor Law
Mentor: Zoran Nenadic
Reliably recording the activities of individual neurons in
the animal brain, using intra-cortical recording systems, is
of substantial interest for basic neuroscience studies and
the development of brain-computer-interfaces (BCIs). An
important part of the effort to achieve this is the development of algorithms for detecting neural action potentials,
attributing them to individual neurons, and "decoding"
neural representations of stimuli and (especially for BCIs)
subjective intent. Validating such algorithms using data
obtained experimentally can be problematic, primarily because the true excitation states of neurons within the brain,
referred to as the ground truth, are generally inaccessible.
However, mechanistic computational models, although
they certainly cannot reproduce all aspects of neural tissue,
do provide access to a simulated ground truth. To facilitate
the development of signal processing algorithms for intracortical electrode recordings, a computational modeling
framework has been developed for the purpose of generating realistic extracellular potential signals resulting from the
activity of a large network of spatially distributed model
neurons. The framework is implemented using the Python
programming language, GENESIS, a numerical neural
model simulator, and MATLAB (for data analysis). It is
demonstrated how appropriate choices for model parameters can yield biophysically plausible network behavior and
extracellular potential signals.
High Resolution Three-Dimensional Reconstruction
of the Optic Nerve Head Using Second Harmonic
Generation (SHG) and Confocal Microscopy
Annie Lay
Mentor: Donald Brown
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. This disease is typically caused by an elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) that the retinal ganglion cells
(RGCs) cannot tolerate. As a result, RGCs and their axons
in the optical nerves die, which is manifested by loss of
vision. Death of RGCs is mainly due to damage of the axons in the optical nerve head (ONH), which is believed to
be caused by the structural distortion of the ONH and the
mechanical vulnerability of the lamina cribrosa, the posterior area of the sclera made up of collagen beams, which
defines channels through which axon bundles exit the eye.
In this study, we used a multiphoton microscopy known as
Second Harmonic Imaging Microcopy to generate second
harmonic signals from collagen, allowing direct optical
imaging of the lamina cribrosa. To follow the structural
deformation of the ONH more closely, we stained cell
structures to allow better visualization. Cell nuclei were
stained with SYTO 59, cellular actin with phalloidin and
tubulin filaments with paclitaxel. Our results consist of
high resolution 3-D reconstructed data sets of the ONH
structure from humans and animal subjects commonly
used in glaucoma studies. Interestingly, in higher primates,
the data shows presence of hook-like fibrils that seem to
hold together the ring-like fibrils of the canal wall and the
scleral matrix. These hook-like fibrils are not seen in rabbit, pig, guinea pig and canine specimens, and appear to be
absent in glaucomatous patients.
Efficient Representation of Photometric Properties in
a Projector-Camera Pair
Maxim Lazarov
Mentor: Aditi Majumder
Projector-camera systems have a wide variety of applications, ranging from flexible large-area display walls to novel
interaction methods. The accurate calibration of projectorcamera systems is critical to their use in most applications,
but has previously been a complicated and involved process that required either a previously calibrated projector or
camera. We presented a method that accurately estimates
all photometric properties of both the projector and camera in an uncalibrated projector-camera system. Further we
developed a compact and flexible representation of spatial
intensity variation (known as vignetting effect) of a camera
or projector's optical system. The observation that light
intensity smoothly falls off from the center to the fringes
of the images led us to choose Bezier surfaces. Such Bezier
surfaces also allow us to represent a camera or projector's
spatial intensity variation using far fewer values than with
other representations, and also allow us to include device
settings such as aperture and focal length, in addition to
the expected spatial coordinates. An aspect crucial to this
representation is the correct parameterization of device
parameters at each data point. By correctly parameterizing
our data points, our representation becomes significantly
more flexible as it allows us to accurately predict the vignetting effect at unsampled points. This representation
further simplifies calibration by permitting the sparse sampling of a few well chosen data points rather than all possible device parameters.
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Endonuclease G Plays a Role in Immunoglobulin
Class Switch DNA Recombination and Somatic
Hypermutation
Darrick Lee
Mentor: Paolo Casali
Double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) are critical for immunoglobulin class switch DNA recombination (CSR), and
are associated with somatic hypermutation (SHM). DSBs
in Immunoglobulin (Ig) V(D)J region can be generated
independently from activation-induced cytidine deaminase
(AID). DSBs in the switch (S) region during CSR are generated through deamination of deoxycytosine (dC) by AID,
subsequent deoxyuracil (dU) deglycosylation by uracil
DNA glycosylase (Ung) and abasic site nicking by
apurinic/apyrimidic endonuclease (APE). Although AIDdependent DSBs have been detected in S region DNA of
human and mouse B cells, unignorable amounts of background DSBs have also been detected in S region DNA in
the absence of AID or uracil DNA deglycosylation activity.
One major question that remains to be answered is how
AID-independent DSBs are generated and what role they
play in CSR and SHM. Endonuclease G (Endo G) is one
of the most abundant nucleases in eukaryotic cells. It
cleaves single- and double-stranded DNA, primarily at dG
and dC, the preferential sites of DSBs in V(D)J and S region DNA. In addition, Endo G shows high efficiency in
cutting the DNA strands in an R-loop, which is involved
in CSR. We used Endo G -deficient mice to address the
role of Endo G in CSR and SHM. Our experiments
showed that Endo G deficiency results in not only an impaired CSR to IgG1, IgG2a, IgG3 and IgA, but also greatly
reduces mutational frequency in IgH intronic JH-iEμ
DNA. The alteration of CSR and SHM in Endo Gdeficient B cells did not result from altered cell proliferation or apoptosis, as indicated by the findings that B cells
apoptosis, germinal center formation, cell cycle and proliferation are virtually normal in endo G-/- mice. Our findings
not only determine an important role of Endo G in CSR
and SHM, they also imply that AID-independent DSBs are
directly involved in these processes.
Progress Towards the Synthesis of Sieboldine A
Brian Leon
Mentor: Larry Overman
In 2003, Kobayashi and coworkers isolated a new Lycopodium alkaloid, sieboldine A. Upon its isolation, it was
shown that sieboldine A was a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, and was cytotoxic towards murine lymphoma cells. The complex structure of sieboldine A is
unprecedented in the literature, containing a tetracyclic
core in which one of the rings is a unique Nhydroxyazonine ring. Progress towards the synthesis of
sieboldine A is detailed, as well as recent attempts to fur-
ther understand the key Prins–pinacol cascade reaction
used to set the quaternary carbon stereocenter.
Internet Reputation Systems
Cameron Lewis
Mentors: Tatsuya Suda & Ariffin Yahaya
An Internet reputation system is a mechanism that aggregates data about past interactions between individuals,
serving as a mediator between two potential partners to
help each decide whom to trust, encourage trustworthy
behavior, and deter dishonest participation, thereby minimizing the inherent uncertainty of Internet interactions.
These systems encounter a variety of problems, including
overcoming anonymity and potentially infinite number of
aliases of individuals, subjecting deserving users to sanctions, and ensuring that gathered data is accurate and readily available to interested individuals. A variety of
commercial and academic implementations have attempted
to conquer these problems with simple and complicated
algorithms, methods that interpret reputation globally (one
set of reputation scores for all members) or locally (each
member has its own reputation scores for all other members), and models that use first-hand (personal) information only or that use first- and second-hand information.
Despite all of the current implementations, many questions
still remain, including: how does a system allow new users
to quickly gain a good enough reputation to become an
active member of the community and how can a system
allow for members of its community to recover from poor
reputation. The result of my research was the writing of a
survey paper that I can use to compare to my new idea—
an attack on both problems through a new approach to
reputation aggregation and interpretation: a balance between short-term and long-term reputation with an emphasis on current reputation through the addition of a new
concept: streaks.
The Effect of Rhodiola rosea on Drosophila
melanogaster Fecundity and Number of Progeny
Veronica Lewis
Aging is thought to result from the accumulation of damage due to oxygen free radicals, which are byproducts of
normal metabolism. In addition, there is a strong inverse
relationship between aging and reproductive fitness, and
treatments that extend life span frequently impair reproductive potential. The extract of the herb Rhodiola rosea was
recently identified as a potent and effective anti-aging
agent that increases longevity without comprising the fecundity, nervous system or metabolism of the species
tested. We have evaluated a new extract of Rhodiola rosea
(SHI) that contains a greater concentration of the active
component (80% versus 60%) than did our previous mixture, and is a pure extract without added compounds, with
regard to its impact on the number of eggs and progeny
produced. Supplementation of SHI Rhodiola rosea decreased
both the number of eggs laid and the number of offspring
produced compared to control diet fed flies. These results
suggest SHI Rhodiola rosea may potentially extend life span
by negatively impacting reproductive fitness.
Absence and Presence in the “Poethics” of
Performance Art (in “Theory” and “Practice”)
Denise Li
Mentor: Stephen Barker
In Body Art: Performing the Subject, Amelia Jones challenges
the element of “disinterestedness” present in conventional
art history and criticism by emphasizing instead an approach toward artistic production and reception (more
specifically, body/performance art) that embraces intersubjectivity and the “particularization” of the body/self. I explore Jones’ approach in the context of the “poethics” of
post-structuralist feminist writer Hélène Cixous, whose
experimental practice of écriture féminine (“feminine writing”) suggests that “poetry” and theory are inseparable. I
compare this poetico-philosophical merging with Julia
Kristeva’s
psychoanalytic-aesthetic
“identificationinterpretation” approach toward “borderline” situations of
subjectivity (for instance, psychosis and melancholia),
which involves a “back-and-forth movement” between
fiction and knowledge. Both methods operate according to
an alternative “logic” that transgresses rational, “fixed”
conceptual and linguistic frameworks, informing a phenomenological orientation that is compatible with Jones’
project. Collectively, they participate in a discourse about
absence and presence that can be useful to artistic and
theoretical practices. Body/performance art is useful in
particular because of its corporeally-based, processoriented nature; much of Cixousian “poethics” revolves
around ideas about the body/self in relation to writing.
Notions about narcissism, loss, incoherence, uncertainty,
time and space will also be investigated in this multifaceted journey into the creative critical consciousness, and
what it means to exist in the entre-deux (space “in-between”)
not only in performance and philosophy, but also in life.
The Effectiveness of Vietnamese Strategic Hamlets
Kevin Li
Mentor: Charles Wheeler
In this paper, I will discuss the function of the Strategic
Hamlet Program in the American War in Vietnam. Specifically, this discussion will revolve around the reasons why
this militarization of the populace by the beleaguered
South Vietnamese government failed. As both an experiment in modernist social engineering and, more importantly, an anti-guerilla military strategy imported from the
British Malaya (with echoes stretching back to nineteenthcentury Chinese history), the Program fell short of expec-
tations. I contend that, aside from the political failings and
ineptitude of the Diem government, there were deeply
rooted structural problems. An examination of the clash
between the National Liberation Front cadre and the
South Vietnamese military at the spatial junctures the hamlets created will elucidate the significance of the “disciplinary mechanisms” these hamlets produced, and their
implications for the failure of U.S.-South Vietnamese
counterinsurgency and nation-building strategies.
Up-Regulation of Renal and Vascular Scavenger
Receptor SRA1 and Down-Regulation of HDL
Receptor ABCA-1 in Kidney and Vascular Issues
Xuan Li
Mentors: Zhenmin Ni & Nosratola Vaziri
Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accerlerated atherosclerosis, which is in part due to diminished
plasma level and impaired maturation of HDL. In the artery wall, oxidized lipoproteins are engulfed by macrophages via scavenger receptor SRA-1, a process that can
lead to foam cell formation and atherogenesis. HDL prevents atherosclerosis by retrieving surplus cholesterol via
binding to the ABCA1 receptor. Free cholesterol reaching
the surface of HDL is promptly esterified by LCAT and
sequestered in the core of HDL. The loaded HDL then
detaches and travels to the liver where it forms a reversible
binding with SRB-1, allowing it to unload its cholesterol
content and return to the circulation for recycling. In addition to SRB1, liver contains an HDL holo-receptor (B
chain ATP synthase), which internalizes and degrades
HDL. Earlier studies showed down-regulations of hepatic
Apo A1 (the main apoprotein constituent of HDL) and
LCAT gene expression in CKD. However, the effect of
CKD on SRA1, ABCA1 and of B chain ATP synthase has
not been previously investigated and was explored here
using CKD and normal control rats. The CKD group
showed marked increases in SRA-1 abundance and a significant reduction of ABCA-1 abundance in the kidney and
aorta. However, liver SRB1 and ATP synthase B were not
affected by CKD. Thus, CKD results in up-regulation of
SRA1 and down-regulation of ABCA1 in the aorta and
kidney, events that support development of atherosclerosis
and glomerulosclerosis.
The Emergence of Civil Society in Mexico: The
Importance of Grassroots Organizations in the Spread
of Civic Culture and Citizen Participation
Kimberly Liang
Mentor: Ricardo Chavira
During the aftermath of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake,
many observed the awakening of popular citizen participation. In an era when Mexico’s citizens were accustomed to
the patronal styling of their hegemonic, one-party government, the lack of sufficient government response to the
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widespread panic, and its slow mobilization of relief efforts
forced many Mexicans to organize and execute citizen led
rescue groups. The inadequacy of the government to
positively respond to citizen needs, along with its inability
to consolidate the citizen relief organizations into itself,
led to a form of political organization that was independent from the government and from any particular party;
thus, a prime example of civil society becomes apparent.
However, other instances of civic participation independent of the state have predated the events of the 1985
earthquake and help define the type of civil society organizations that exist up to the present. Through the examination of Mexican grassroots movements, especially
those that have called attention to the poor indigenous
masses of Mexico, it can be argued that the emergence of
civil society has strengthened and advanced democracy in
Mexico because of increased citizen participation in the
form of civil society organizations.
Brazil’s Ethanol in the Global Perspective
Adriana Lira
The rapid growth and industrialization in many areas of
the globe are exhausting current energy resources, leading
to the race of uncovering energy alternatives. The detrimental effects on the environment together with a growing
conscientiousness of depleting resources among the public
and high officials have placed various nations on a fine line
that impels them to take some form of action and consider
different energy alternatives, such as biofuels. This study
explores energy concerns that develop regarding international policies for energy allocation, the effects on economic development and energy security. In addition, the
research focuses on Brazil’s production of ethanol as a
potential alternative and viable fuel resource that responds
to the global energy challenges of resource depletion and
environmental effects. The literature review sheds light on
critical issues of global energy, Brazil’s ethanol approach
and international policies and agreements that pertain to
the allocation of energy supplies and mitigation of environmental effects. The findings reveal that the initiative to
employ ethanol as an alternative energy resource falls short
in various aspects, as its secondary effects out-weigh its
benefits. The study allows for a deeper understanding of
the critical current energy concerns and the need of strategically employing other methods and resources to meet our
global energy needs.
A McDonal Kreitman Test of Selection Using the
Blue Opsin Gene of Liminitis Butterflies
Saif Liswi
Mentor: Adriana Briscoe
Color vision in Limenitis butterflies is based on the presence of long wavelength sensitive, blue wavelength sensi-
tive, and UV wavelength sensitive visual pigments.
Previous work by the Briscoe Lab has revealed that spectral diversification of the long wavelength sensitive visual
pigment between closely related Limenitis species was due
to the action of positive selection. Because color vision
requires two spectrally-distinct classes of photoreceptor
cells, it is possible that diversifying selection on the long
wavelength visual pigments has also resulted in diversification of the blue sensitive visual pigments. Using the same
statistical test (McDonald Kreitman test), the goal of this
project is to determine whether or not positive selection
has diversified the blue opsin in the same closely related
Limenitis species. To determine this, reverse transcriptase
polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) were performed on
twenty-five samples and sequenced in ninety-six well
plates. Our preliminary results indicate that the blue visual
pigments have indeed undergone genetic diversification.
These results suggest that the blue sensitive visual pigments are also physiologically distinct, which awaits further
study.
Study of the Plasma Structure in the Plume of Hollow
Cathodes
Justin Little
Mentor: Manuel Gamero-Castano
This detailed experimental and theoretical study of the turbulence within a hollow cathode plasma will improve our
understanding of the anomalous transport phenomena
observed within the device. Hollow cathodes represent a
lifetime limiting component of many electric propulsion
systems. Electrode erosion mechanisms remain poorly understood, thus motivating research into the physics occurring within the hollow cathode plasma. A hollow cathode
is currently on loan from JPL and is to be used in this
study. The necessary mounting hardware has been integrated within a vacuum chamber to support extensive experimental testing. The first plasma was created and the
operating parameters were obtained. Initial diagnostics
include a spectral survey of the plasma using a digital spectrometer and simple single-tip Langmuir probe measurements of the plasma temperature and density. A fastresponse (>100MHz) electrical probe is in development
that will allow the characterization of turbulent transport
mechanisms within the cathode plasma.
Simulation of Transport Phenomena in the Plume of
Stationary Plasma Hall Thrusters
Justin Little
Mentor: Manuel Gamero-Castano
The objective of this study is to use computer simulations
to improve our understanding of the physics of Hall
thruster operation, with the ultimate goal of optimizing
experimental research. The computer code HPHall has
been used extensively in academia to model accurately the
plasma structure within a device, but it contains inherent
physical inconsistencies in the plume region. This study
investigates the unphysical amount of Bohm diffusion required to accurately model the electron mobility and the
relatively large temperature gradients (~10eV/mm) in the
plume region that result from this model. To resolve these
inconsistencies, improved models for electron transport
and Xe++ ionization have been implemented within the
structure and algorithms of the code. It was determined
that the introduction of coulomb collisions between electrons and ions in the plume region has a negligible effect
on electron mass and heat transport. However, an increased rate of Xe+ Æ Xe++ ionization results in a 40%
larger discharge current, thus increasing the amount of
current carried by doubly-charged ions and relieving the
simulation’s dependence on anomalous diffusion mechanisms.
Distributed and Fractal Pixel Sensors
Leslie Liu
Mentor: Joerg Meyer
In regular CMOS cameras, we can usually see aliasing—
noise that can be seen in small structures. Aliasing, for example, can be represented through noise in fabric patterns
such as a striped shirt. Not only is aliasing common in everyday artifacts, we can also see aliasing in scientific imaging. The chip layout has been modified from a regular chip
layout by using “distributed” and “fractal” pixel sensors.
Distributed sensors are at least two non-continuous parts
that are electrically connected. Fractal sensors are essentially a distributed sensors, but with fractal-like shapes. By
changing the chip layout so that it is using distributed and
fractal pixel sensors, it should allows us to perform functions such as anti-aliasing. Using MATLAB, test images
were created in hopes of strengthening the concept. By
using a different simulation algorithm, we are able to create
images that will show how distributed and fractal pixel
sensors can perform anti-aliasing.
Electronic Waste at the University of California, Irvine
Victoria Liu
Mentor: Joseph Dimento
Electronic waste is a growing problem as increasing levels
of technology become obsolete in today’s technologically
driven world. Piles of computers, monitors, cell phones,
and the like find their way to landfills around the world,
and improper disposal of these products results in toxins
spreading into the air and groundwater. This study examines the issue of e-waste at the university level, examining
how UCI students dispose of their electronics and their
reasons behind their chosen modes of disposal. Using a
questionnaire, the responses of 164 students were recorded
and analyzed. The data reveals that convenience is a main
factor in determining disposal practices, but that recycling
has not reached its full potential because students do not
know about the consequences of e-waste buildup beyond
its definition in the most general sense, and because recycling centers are not advertised to a wide enough extent.
From these results, it has been concluded that the recycling
option needs to be better publicized, not only in physical
terms, but also in terms of why this option should be pursued. Furthermore, recycling facilities should be made
convenient for students to access, and incentives should be
offered as much as possible.
Electro Acupuncture Activates Glutamatergic
Neurons in Arcuate Nucleus (ARC), which Project
into Ventral Lateral Periaqueductal Gray (vlPAG)
Yu Liu
Mentor: John Longhurst
Our previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture
(EA) stimulation at the Neiguan-Jianshi acupoints activates
arcuate nucleus (ARC) to ventral lateral periaqueductal gray
(vlPAG) projection, which is essential for the inhibition of
the cardiovascular reflex. However, the neuronal projection between ARC and vlPAG that can participate in the
inhibition of the reflex during EA stimulation has not been
identified. The ARC is located in the mediobasal hypothalamus, adjacent to the third ventricle. It is involved in
the regulation of the autonomic nervous system and is responsible for the regulation of blood pressure and heart
rate. VlPAG is located around the cerebral aqueduct within
the midbrain. To show the anatomical relationship between ARC and vlPAG, retrograde dye was injected into
rats’ vlPAG. The retrograde dye was absorbed by the axons in vlPAG, and then traveled to the cell body of the
neuron. Detecting cell labeling in the ARC shows the neuron projection between ARC and vlPAG. The rats were
then separated into two groups, an EA treated group and a
sham-operated control group. Immunohistochemical study
was performed on ARC sessions of rats’ brains. The brain
tissues were stained with c-fos antibody, an early gene expressed by the activation of the cell. The expression of cfos shows the activation of neurons by electro acupuncture
(EA) stimulus. As a result, tracers were found in ARC,
which also co-localize with c-fos. The expression of c-fos
co-localized with tracer showed dramatically greater increase in the EA treated rats than the control rats. This
study shows that electro acupuncture can activate neurons
in ARC, which project their axons into vlPAG.
Analysis of Two Post-Translational Modifications,
Polyglutamylation and Polyglycylation During Mouse
Spermatogenesis
Itamar Livnat
Mentor: Grant MacGregor
We investigated the role of polyglutamylation and polyglycylation, two novel post-translational modifications
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(PTMs) in mouse spermatogenesis. Polyglutamylation adds
glutamates to proteins, thereby acidifying them, while polyglycylation adds glycines. To investigate the function of
polyglutamylation in spermatogenesis, we used ROSA22
mutant mice, which lack an α-tubulin polyglutamylase that
causes a loss of α-tubulin polyglutamylation in the brain.
ROSA22 mutant male mice are sterile, due to defective
spermatid flagellar assembly, which suggests that polyglutamylation of α-tubulin is required for sperm development. To analyze changes in PTM of tubulin during
spermatogenesis, we analyzed total protein from testes of
wild-type mice of different ages during the first wave of
spermatogenesis. We also compared PTM of total protein
from adult wild-type and ROSA22 mutant mice. In each
case, proteins were analyzed using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting, using
antibodies specific for polyglutamylated tubulin and polyglycylated protein. No difference was observed in polyglutamylation of testicular tubulin at postnatal day 25 or
postnatal day 38, indicating that tubulin first undergoes this
modification before postnatal day 25. As found in the
brain, wild-type and ROSA22 mutant mice varied significantly in the pattern of polyglutamylated α-tubulin in testis, which supports a defect in PTM of tubulin as the
underlying cause of male sterility in ROSA22 mice. During
the first wave of spermatogenesis, protein polyglycylation
was first observed at postnatal day 30.
Endogenous GluR1 Surface Expression in Acute
Slices
Richard Liwanag
Mentors: Christine Gall & Ching-Yi Lin
According to recent studies, learning stimulates longlasting changes in the synaptic strength of glutamatergic
synapses, which is essential for memory. The regulation of
synapses that occur in the brain is associated with membrane trafficking and phosporylation of protein receptors.
The presence of one particular protein receptor, AMPA
(α-amino-3-hydroxy-5methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid)glutamate type receptors (AMPARs), has an impact on the
level of rapid excitatory transmission in the mammalian
CNS and regulation in the strength of glutamatergic excitatory synapses by being a target for multiple signaling pathways. AMPARs are oriented in tetramers consisting of four
subunits, GluR1-GluR4. The subunit composition of AMPARs located in the hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapse are
mainly composed of GluR2 paired with GluR1 or GluR3
subunits. In this experiment, we focus on the dynamic surface expression of endogenous GluR1in acute slices prepared from rat forebrain. In the recording chamber
perfusing oxidized prewarmed aCSF (31 ± 1 °C), acute
slices without any treatment were harvested at specific time
points (0, 5, 10, 30, 60 min). The newly insertion, internalization and steady-state surface expression of GluR1 were
assessed using surface protein biotinylation with minor
modifications and Western blot analysis with antibody direct against GluR1. There was a clear and progressive decrease in both the insertion and steady-state level of GluR1
at the tested time points; however, an increase in internalization was found. These results provide direct evidence to
help understand how GluR1 trafficking into and from the
membrane correlates with the progression and plasticity of
synaptic current.
The Effect of Carbon Doping on PDMS and its Role
in the Heart Strain Gauge
Edward Lo
There is a need to measure the strain of tissues that require
a much higher elongation, since some of the tissues are
able to have strains up to 100%. This means that there is a
need for new polymers that are able to be used in these
strain gauges. There have been studies on which polymers
are biocompatible and useable for the strain in tissue. One
such polymer is PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) substrate,
which can be doped with different things that have conductive applications. One popularly used method of having
a conductive PDMS strain gauge is to dope it with carbon.
Carbon is a conductive substance that is usually not very
elastic, but when mixed with PDMS can become elastic as
well as conductive. There have been many studies on carbon doped polymers, and their applications in human tissue and in the computer industry have sparked great
interest. In this research we set out to find the optimal carbon to PDMS ratio for the strain gauges, and whether
there is an optimal size, shape, and conductivity in tensile
testing. With the ability to know the optimal
PDMS/Carbon ratio, size, shape, and conductivity I was
able to construct a device that would be best suited for
measuring the strain of heart tissue. This ability would allow a myriad of functions to become available. Doctors
would be able to characterize heart tissue problems, allowing people to better understand the workings of heart tissue.
Academic Families Among Latina/o Undergraduates
Veronica Lopez
Mentors: Jeanett Castellanos & Caesar Sereseres
Over recent decades, the Latina/o population has rapidly
grown, yet Latina/os students are not journeying through
their educational experiences with positive encounters and
educational progress. Research suggests that Latina/o students report having a difficult time adjusting, persisting,
and graduating college, and feeling isolated and lonely. An
evolving construct associated with helping Latina/o students cope with these educational barriers is academic family, which is a type of social support system that allows
students to engage in family-like systems in the university.
The purpose of this study is to understand the role of academic family in Latina/o students’ college experiences.
Using a psychosociocultural framework, this study examines how Latina/o students engage with other students by
implementing family-like systems. The role of their own
family, faculty and staff was also examined in the context
of developing academic family. Data collection and analysis
is in progress; however, preliminary findings suggest that
Latina/o undergraduates seek organizations, peers, and
faculty to assist them in their educational journeys. Academic family serves as a support system in which every
individual serves a different purpose in providing psychological, social and cultural support. The conclusions are
ground-breaking, given that no study has examined the
role and processes of academic family in Latina/os’ college
experiences. Our findings provide insight for effective
guidance when working with Latina/o students, direction
on how to facilitate the creation of a successful academic
family, and recommendations on the role of culture when
interacting with Latina/o students.
African Americans in Higher Education at Major
Non-African American Universities, Issues of
Attendance and Coping Mechanisms
Tameyka Love
Mentor: Belinda Robnett
African Americans have historically faced challenges with
regard to acquiring formal education. After slavery there
were segregation laws preventing African Americans from
attending White colleges and universities. After African
Americans gained the legal right to attend college alongside
Whites, they still did not gain social acceptance. As a result,
“Black students worked to create social and academic support systems whose goals were to help ensure their survival
and success at predominantly White colleges and universities.” The literature shows that African American students
at non-Black universities usually have to adjust more than
White students, so they create their own social and cultural
networks in order to cope with isolation. The purpose of
this project is to examine the support systems and other
methods that African American students use to cope with
being a minority on campus and to understand their effect
on academic outcomes. The findings suggest that individuals who have larger social networks tend to have greater
academic success. It is my hope that this project will provide the academic community with a better understanding
of the Black experience at the University of California and
other major universities.
FRT 42D and ovoD: Using a New Genetic Tool for a
Large Scale Maternal Effect Screen in Drosophila
melanogaster
Ernesto Lujan
Mentor: Rahul Warrior
One method of analyzing gene function is to examine
phenotypes of tissues that are homozygous mutant for the
gene of interest. A problem with this approach is that the
wild-type gene product is often essential for the organism
to develop to a stage where the tissue can be examined. A
solution is to generate clones of homozygous mutant cells
in animals that are otherwise heterozygous. Clones are
generated by first recombining a mutation onto a chromosome that contains a Flippase Recombination Target
(FRT) sequence. Expression of the Flippase (FLP) enzyme
in animals heterozygous for the chromosome and a wildtype FRT chromosome results in recombination and
daughter cells that are either homozygous for the mutation
or for the wild-type chromosome. This is particularly useful when analyzing the maternal effect of homozygous lethal mutations in Drosophila melanogaster, as female germline
cells can be made homozygous for the mutation while somatic cells are heterozygous for the mutation, and thus the
organism is viable. For easy selection of germline clones,
the dominant female sterile mutation, ovoD, is used, as only
recombined cells that are homozygous for the mutation
develop successfully. Currently, a chromosome with FRT
42D and ovoD is not available. We have created this chromosome and are using it to analyze the maternal effect
phenotype of 237 P-transposable element induced lethal
mutations from the Drosophila Stock Center at Bloomington, Indiana that were each recombined onto chromosomes with FRT 42D.
Mutations that Cause Abnormal Connections in the
Development in the Auditory Brainstem
Samantha Luk
Mentor: Karina Cramer
Eph and ephrin proteins play an important role in the
brain, due to their many functions in establishing the precision needed for development. One important brain area in
which these proteins have a large impact is the auditory
system, which requires many complex and exact connections. One such pathway within the auditory system is
found between the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) and the
medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB). Based on
previous studies on ephrin-B2 and its functions, this ephrin protein may play an important part in creating the specific axon connections seen between VCN and MNTB.
We investigated the potential role of ephrin-B2 in influencing the connectivity of the VCN to MNTB pathway by
studying the anatomy of this pathway. Fluorescent dye was
used to trace the axonal connections from VCN to MNTB
in normal, wild type mice and mice with a mutation in the
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ephrin-B2 gene. Normally, the axons coming from VCN
project primarily to the contralateral, or opposite, MNTB.
However, it was found that the mutant ephrin-B2 mice did
not develop normal axonal connections from VCN to the
contralateral MNTB like the wild type mice. This abnormality in the auditory pathway suggests ephrin-B2’s role in
axonal guidance during the development of the auditory
system.
Assessment of Axon Guidance by Neurotrophic
Growth Factors in 3-D Gradients
Gregory Lull
Mentor: Lisa Flanagan
During spinal cord injury, a glial scar bordering the lesion
site prevents axonal crossing and reestablishment of neuronal synaptic connections. Previous research indicates
that axonal blockage by the glial scar is due to the lack of
growth-stimulating factors and the presence of growthinhibitory factors. This project aims to mimic a spinal cord
lesion site by using a 3-D biomaterial cell scaffold in a microfluidic culture device to assess whether different gradients of growth factors (GFs) can direct axonal extensions.
To establish the model, we determined an optimized neuronal growth medium by culturing embryonic day 13.5
(E13.5) mouse spinal cord neurons (mSCNs) with varying
concentrations of neurotrophic GFs (BDNF, NT-3, and
NGF) in different media combinations and immunostained with a neuronal antibody (TuJ1) to evaluate neuronal extensions. After determining an appropriate basal
media, we seeded E13.5 mSCNs into our microfluidic devices at different densities and checked cell survival. Our
results show that BDNF and NGF promote axon extensions and that a seeding density double that of the coverslips is required for growth in our microfluidic devices.
However, axon extensions were not uniform in all regions
of the device. A calcein-AM stain revealed intact cell
membranes in regions lacking robust axonal extension,
leading us to conclude that cells were alive but shear stress
from contact with media in those regions prevented
growth cones from extending. Modifications to the microfluidic devices are underway to minimize shear stress and
enable assessment of the effects of GF gradients on axon
extensions.
Urban Policy and Multiculturalism in the
Netherlands: Integration or Conflict?
Lynly Lumibao
Mentor: Scott Bollens
The Netherlands, like many European countries, has become increasingly multicultural. However, some of the
consequences of cultural diversity have also led to segregation and tension between ethnic minorities and native inhabitants. Today, social inequalities exist between native
Dutch and ethnic minorities. Ethnically mixed neighbor-
hoods that contain a significant number of Moroccan and
Turkish inhabitants are perceived as qualitatively inferior.
Policymakers and local municipalities fear that social polarization will hinder social cohesion. In response, urban
policies in the Netherlands have been launched to counter
problems of social exclusion within major cities. However,
in recent history, many policies that have focused on urban
regeneration have not solved the problems of ethnic marginalization within neighborhoods. First, the concept of
social exclusion will be analyzed. Second, an overview of
urban policies in the Netherlands is discussed. Additionally, three case studies are provided in order to link policy
methods with the incorporation of ethnic minorities. The
purpose of the study is to examine how recent urban policies have impacted neighborhoods and assess whether
these policies have improved social cohesion. Despite farreaching initiatives, the results remain questionable. However, policymakers are making strides towards fostering
cultural ties while revitalizing urban neighborhoods.
Strategic Humor in Vietnamese Re-Education Camp
Memoirs
Trinh Luu
Mentor: Charles Wheeler
Vietnamese re-education camp memoirs (h i ký tù c i
t o) enjoy prestige in the Vietnamese diasporic community as testimonies to the brutal nature of the Vietnamese
Communists and to the suffering they inflicted upon former foes after 1975. Beneath their stated agenda to preserve the memory of their imprisonment, however, these
memoirs employ literary mechanisms that run counter to
our expectations, in ways that suggest more sophisticated
ends. Instead of moral exhortations or political polemics,
these texts rely on odd drolleries, childlike levities and absurd vulgarities to consecrate their memory of collective
loss. From linguistic perversions and scatological expletives
to mocking caricatures and bizarre war-ghosts stories, humor is everywhere. More than rhetorical performances,
these acts of humor function as political maneuvers that
seek to turn corporeal and emotional urgencies into laughing matters.
A Study in Dance Improvisation
Annie MacDougall
Mentor: Lisa Naugle
Dance improvisation is a unique art form—one that demands resources of the mind and body to make instantaneous choices regarding movement, space and time, while
being highly mindful of the shaping of the present moment. My research began by discussing and evaluating the
effectiveness of these choices through closely studied performance improvisations captured on film. A dancer’s
movement qualities, intentions and relationships (with live
music, peer performers, and an audience) weave together
spontaneous images and stories that are constantly being
realized and then changed. My research was enhanced
through firsthand experience in performance improvisation in Dance Visions, the dance department’s faculty concert. As I faced infinite choices onstage, the same work,
titled “Raw, Without Blinders,” developed into an inimitable dance for each performance. This study has led me to
appreciate the value of dance improvisation as a vital tool
for dancers; it allows one to freely create new movement;
explore movement qualities and energies; become more
responsive to intuitive movement; and build proprioceptive knowledge, focus and versatility.
Paul Taylor Summer Intensive
Ana Macias
Mentor: Loretta Livingston
For my project, I sought to find out whether or not there
was a difference between east coast and west coast training
in modern dance, and to see if there is a “family tree” of
modern dance. On the first day of classes, it was expressed
that the Paul Taylor Summer Intensive did not teach a
“Taylor Technique.” It is not codified technique; it is not a
practiced technique that is widely known to dancers. It is a
style that is practiced in the school and by dancers in the
Paul Taylor Dance Company and Taylor II. In those four
weeks, I realized that modern dance does not have a formula for a technique and style that relies on a geographical
constant. Modern dance thrives nationally and internationally, and modern dance training relies more upon the dancers that practice the techniques than the techniques
themselves.
Facilitating In Situ “Isotagging” of Sugars in the
NMR Tube Using Selective TBDPS Protection of
Primary Hydroxyl Groups
Katherine Mackenzie
Mentor: A.J. Shaka
1H-NMR spectra of carbohydrates are difficult to analyze
because they exhibit spectral crowding. The compound
trichloroacetyl isocyanate (TAI) replaces all the hydroxyl
groups of a carbohydrate with carbamate groups. The
proximal ring proton signals of the TAI-reacted carbohydrates become dispersed and shifted downfield, allowing
for identification as primary or secondary. The NH signals
of the carbamate groups are easily counted to confirm a
complete reaction of all OH groups. The reaction produces no side products and can be performed in an NMR
tube. TAI enriched with 13C and 15N can be used to “isotag” carbohydrates, allowing multidimensional NMR
analyses. The highly reactive nature of TAI makes it incompatible with many common solvents. TAI reacts violently with H2O and D2O, forms a pink solid when mixed
with pyridine, and does not properly derivatize sugars in
DMSO. It reacts with other lone-pair containing solvents,
which unfortunately are the ones used to solubilize carbohydrates. CDCl3 was the solvent used in TAI reactions
with small sugar alcohols, but large carbohydrates do not
easily dissolve in CDCl3, posing a serious problem. The
group tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) was used to selectively protect the primary hydroxyls of maltitol. This protected carbohydrate easily dissolved in CDCl3. The TAI
derivitization reaction with the sugar was carried out in the
NMR tube. TAI reacted with the remaining hydroxyl
groups without displacing TBDPS, and the spectrum
showed the peak dispersion characteristic of a TAI-reacted
carbohydrate. The signals from TBDPS do not overlap
with the peaks from the carbohydrates.
Were Smaller Banks More Likely to Fail During the
Great Depression?
Joel Madero
Mentor: Gary Richardson
During the Great Depression, 30–40% of banks failed
throughout the United States, contributing to the greatest
economic downturn in our country’s history. My project
aims to address one potential reason for bank failures,
whether relatively fewer assets were correlated with a
greater failure rate from 1929 to 1933. Bank branching
restrictions during the Depression resulted in a large
amount of smaller banks in many counties throughout the
U.S. I have collected data on all banks in six states—
Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, and
Washington DC. Total assets is an independent variable,
along with several control variables, and failed/did not fail
is a dependent variable. My prediction was that banks with
relatively fewer assets would be more likely to fail, because
they would not be capable of covering losses as easily. Initial results were consistent with this hypothesis, as smaller
banks in the sample were several times more likely to fail.
Upon further investigation—adding control variables and
running new regressions—the hypothesis no longer held.
Once controls were added, bank size in terms of assets
proved to be insignificant. In conclusion, there is no evidence that bank size hurt or helped banks during the depression; instead, location, either state or Federal Reserve
District, proved to be much more significant.
The Potential Anti-Aging Effects of (-) Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from Green Tea on Drosophila
melanogaster
Mona Malakouti
Green Tea consumption has increased in recent years; it is
the second most consumed beverage after water, although
this is not uniformly representative of all countries. Claims
have been made that certain constituents of green tea, especially tea catechins, offer many different health benefits.
One such catechin, (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has
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been shown to have antioxidant properties by upregulating
SOD and catalase enzymatic activity, which counteracts
ROS. The free radical theory of aging describes how the
accumulation of such free radicals can lead to cellular damage associated with aging. This study aims to investigate
the potential of EGCG as an anti-aging agent, with its ability to counteract the negative effects of ROS and the progression of aging. A mortality assay using the model system
D. melanogaster was conducted to assess whether EGCG
can reduce mortality. The results show significant decrease
of mortality of female D. melanogaster at the lowest dosage,
whereas the medium dosage used is toxic to male D.
melanogaster, and increases mortality. There are studies to
indicate that, at certain doses and in certain environments,
the naturally occurring antioxidant EGCG may have prooxidizing effects, which must be further evaluated.
Muscle Activity Patterns and Feeding Kinematics in
Atlantic Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa)
Erick Maravilla
Mentor: Adam Summers
We investigated motor patterns of the three largest muscles in the hagfish feeding apparatus: the deep protractor
muscle (DPM), clavatus muscle (CM), and tubulatus muscle (TM). The anatomy of the DPM and CM suggests they
respectively protract and retract the dental plate. Bipolar
electrodes were implanted in anesthetized Myxine glutinosa.
After recovery, we simultaneously videotaped behaviors
and muscle activity patterns from the feeding specimen.
Ingestion required three gape cycles (dental plate protraction-retraction events), and intraoral transport required
four gape cycles. Percutaneous implantation of electrodes
did not inhibit normal feeding behaviors. Time to maximum gape was significantly longer during transport events
than capture events. Gape cycle and dental plate retraction
times were similar in both capture and transport. The
DPM was active during protraction, while the CM and TM
were active during retraction. In both capture and transport phases, the DPM had longer bursts (414 ms) than the
CM (308 ms) and TM (255 ms). For each muscle, burst
duration was similar in both capture and transport phases.
All muscles were active during every gape cycle in the capture phase. In the transport phase, the DPM was active in
all gape cycles, while the CM and TM were active during
the first two gape cycles. We propose TM activity during
retraction provides a fixed point for the CM to retract the
dental plate. Decreased TM and CM burst frequencies during transport phases raise the possibility that elastic recoil
of the CM tendon is sufficient to passively retract maximally protracted dental plates.
Reactions to the Use of Wearable Recording
Technology for Aiding People with Memory
Impairments
Gabriela Marcu
Mentor: Gillian Hayes
As part of a research team, I studied the reactions of secondary stakeholders to the use of SenseCam, a small wearable recording device used to help individuals with
memory impairments. SenseCam takes photographs automatically—either at preset intervals or in response to sensory input—that can be reviewed to help individuals
remember captured events. The study focused on the perceptions and reactions of those who may be subjected to
this recording. We used surveys and interviews to gauge
responses to the use of SenseCam in everyday situations.
These responses to imagined uses of SenseCam in situ enabled us to construct models about this recording technology grounded in real-life experiences. Our results indicate
that self-presentation, control of data and its dissemination, and desire to help those in need all impact reactions
to recording technologies like SenseCam. By finding out
how people respond and react to a recording device in use
around them, then probing their reactions further through
in-depth interviews, we uncovered suggestions for how
this technology should be designed, presented, and used to
assure its successful adoption.
Surface Tension Measurements of Alkali Halides Salts
Dissolved in Ethylene Glycol
Yannika Marrs
Mentor: John Hemminger
Over the past century, scientists have believed that salts
were repelled from the liquid vapor interface of water. In
the last decade there has been significant new insight into
the nature of the liquid vapor interface of aqueous salt solutions, showing that this past view is often incorrect. To
understand the basic behavior of salts at these interfaces
we need to look at solvents other than water. However,
little is known about the corresponding liquid vapor interface when an organic solvent is used. Our experiments
examine the liquid-vapor interface of non-aqueous solutions through measurements of surface tension. We studied a sequence of potassium halides; varying between F-,
Cl-, Br-, and I-, using ethylene glycol as the solvent. The
surface tension of these alkali halide solutions was measured at a constant percent saturation. In addition, measurements were taken at varied salt concentrations to
examine the concentration dependence of surface tension.
There has been little previous work on the effects of salt
on the surfaces of ethylene glycol solutions. However, ethylene glycol is an attractive model solvent and these surface
tension measurements compliment new sum frequency
vibrational spectroscopy studies of the same interface.
Comparative Analysis of United States and Mexico
Security Strategies
Cristian Martinez
The United States-Mexico border extends 1,920 miles
from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas. This
region is affected by transnational flows of trade, tourism,
organized crime, violence, environmental pollution, unauthorized migration, and the fear of terrorism since the
9/11 attacks. Policymakers and local communities (primarily, but not exclusively in the southwest region) are
pressuring to secure the U.S.-Mexico border with physical
barriers and/or technology-based security measures. The
purpose of this research project is to present a comparative
analysis on U.S. and Mexico strategies to secure the shared
border; and to provide an understanding of the effects that
border security policies and operations have on the
broader U.S.-Mexico relationship. Interviews with scholars
and public officials from the United States and Mexico
provided assessments that compared the border security
perspectives and strategies of each nation. Preliminary
analysis suggests that Mexico is willing to improve border
policy efforts as well as combat organized crime by implementing bilateral agreements with the U.S. on border security. Preliminary analysis also suggests that the United
States may move away from traditional unilateral forms of
border security, such as the Secure Fence Act of 2006—
estimated to cost $1.8 billion for 700 miles of fencing—
towards bilateral efforts such as the Merida Initiative—
which promotes shared intelligence and technologicalbased security and is estimated to cost $1.5 billion. The
tentative conclusion of this research is that the bilateral
approach best serves the border security interests of both
nations—leading to a more secure and efficient international border for Mexico and the United States.
Age Differences in the Expression of D1 and D2
Dopamine Receptor Synergy
Lesly Martinez
In adults, full expression of dopamine-mediated behaviors
such as locomotion and stereotypy are mediated via the
combined actions of dopamine at the D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, a concept known as synergy. Previous
studies in our lab using indirect dopamine agonists have
suggested that adolescents may not require these synergistic actions to express maximal locomotor and stereotypic
behavior. Our lab has also shown in males that the sensitivity to direct agonism at the D1 and D2 receptors
changes with age. Therefore we hypothesized that there
may also be an age difference in the extent of behavioral
D1/D2 synergy. To test this hypothesis, we used two different combinations of low dose D1 and D2 direct agonists and measured the induction of locomotor and
stereotypic behaviors. Two distinct D1 agonists were used:
SKF83822, which activates D1 dopamine receptors that
couple to adenylyl cyclase activation, and SKF83959,
which couples to phospholipase C second messenger activation. The two agonists were administered in combination
with the D2-like agonist, quinpirole. Our data supports our
hypothesis that while synergy plays an important role regulating adult behavior, it does not play a major role during
adolescence.
Verbal Working Memory in Spanish-English
Bilinguals
Nancy Martinez
Mentor: Mary Louise Kean
Previous studies regarding verbal working memory have
demonstrated that the phonological loop contributes to the
retention of verbal materials. Limited data has also suggested that there is semantic processing in verbal short
term memory. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the phonological loop and semantic
processing on verbal working memory. To be more specific, the study further explored whether there is a phonological influence when processing semantic information
and a semantic influence when processing phonological
information. Our focus was on the processing of English
in the Spanish-English bilingual population, through the
use of semantic working memory task and a phonological
working memory task. Though data is still being analyzed,
limited information shows semantic effects of phonological processing and phonological effects on semantic processing in verbal working memory.
Military Institutional Culture in an Era of
Counterinsurgency
Nick Masellis
The United States is engaged in a global effort to exterminate Al Qaeda and subdue others who plan on future terrorist attacks. However, in Iraq, the U.S. military proved
that it did not prepare for an insurgency and ethnic civil
conflict. Similar to many past operations, the most recent
being Vietnam, the military did not use a strategy based on
an unconventional effort. Instead, Iraq offered an opportunity to test the concept of net-centric warfare—high
technology and precision guided missiles. This took precedent in drafting the planning efforts. Though this transformation proved sufficient during the attritional phase of
Operation Iraqi Freedom (shock and awe), it was not sufficient to address the potential of insurgency and nation
building efforts. There are many current studies pertaining
to the nature of counterinsurgency, yet there have not been
many regarding the military culture and its ability to create
and implement appropriate doctrine. The goal of this study
is to review the cultural dynamic within the military and
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examine what approaches to counterinsurgency may be
realistic given that culture. Normative data acquired from
experts in the field has demonstrated that there are two
methods that are most practical and realistic when looking
at the military institutional culture in a counterinsurgency
effort. These results provide an approach to counterinsurgency that iterates some of the key points and fallacies
within the U.S. Army counterinsurgency manual.
The Impact of a Working Memory Load on Problem
Solving by Analogy
Nairi Mathewsian
Mentor: Lindsey Richland
In an era in which students are consistently tested on their
proficiency in mathematics, learning to recognize similarities between taught and novel problems is essential. The
presence of many simultaneous demands on working
memory during instruction challenges students’ ability to
retain and use information from instructional analogies
under these conditions. This study observes the impact of
a working memory load on learning from analogy by presenting undergraduates with instructional videos on
mathematics (permutation and combination) problems
using high supports for comparison of the problems in
one video (designed to reduce processing demands), versus
low supports for comparison of the problems in the second video. Participants also completed a short exam based
on the instruction, which consisted of questions that appeared similar to the instruction presented in the video and
questions in which the appearance of the problems was
misleading. Participants in one condition performed a
phonological working memory load task as they viewed the
instruction, while participants in a second condition had to
ignore irrelevant audio distracters. Results indicate that the
two types of secondary tasks differentially impacted learning. The audio distracter differentially affected performance based on the amount of support received during
instruction, whereas the phonological working memory
load differentially affected performance on questions of
misleading versus facilitory similarity.
San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and Jírí Kylián
Krystal Matsuyama
Mentor: Jodie Gates
The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance is an institution
where advanced dancers have the ability to further their
education in contemporary dance both mentally and physically. At this institution many ingenious contemporary
choreographers’ pieces are studied. One of these talented
individuals is the brilliant Jirí Kylián. I decided to focus on
Kylián because I was initially drawn to Nederlands Dans
Theater (NDT), a contemporary ballet company at which he
is the resident choreographer. Because of his choreographic creations, NDT has achieved critical acclaim na-
tionwide. I was strongly attracted to his choreographic
style as a dancer and wanted to learn more about him and
his choreography. At the San Francisco Conservatory of
Dance, I was able to learn some of Kylián’s choreography
and learn more about who he is from the former artistic
director of Nederlands Dans Theater, Glenn Edgerton. At the
Conservatory, students are immersed in contemporary
dance classes and choreography classes six days a week, for
eight to ten hours a day. Within this time, I had the opportunity to speak and learn from Mr. Edgerton about Kylián
and his choreographic work. From my time at the Conservatory, I learned not only about Kylián and his choreographic genius, but also about other contemporary artists
and how to challenge myself as a growing artist.
Staatsballett Berlin Assistance Project
Krystal Matsuyama
Mentor: Jodie Gates
The Staatsballett Berlin is a ballet company located in the
heart of Berlin, Germany. The company is directed by
Vladimir Malakhov, current principal dancer of American
Ballet Theatre (ABT, located in New York). With new beginnings, recently merging three former German ballet
companies into one in August 2004, Malakhov wanted the
company to perform more contemporary ballet works. For
this reason, Malakhov contacted my mentor, Professor
Jodie Gates, to create a contemporary work for the company. With the workload this type of choreographic commission entailed, Professor Gates felt she needed an
assistant. I accompanied Miss Gates for two weeks in Berlin to assist her in creating a new ballet, titled “Courting
the Invisible,” for the Staatsballett Berlin company. During
this time I was able to assist my mentor because I have
worked with her for the past two years in her choreographic process in the dance department at UC Irvine. In
addition to assisting her with this, I also learned about myself as an aspiring professional dancer and growing artist.
Miss Gates is currently in Berlin finalizing the choreography, and “Courting the Invisible” will be premiered on
May 18 along with works by William Forsythe and Clark
Tippet at the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin.
Search for Silver Bullets: 3- to 5-mer Peptides as
Crystallization Additives
Stephen Mayclin
Mentor: Alexander McPherson
In the attempt to establish high throughput protocols for
the advancement of structural biology by means of x-ray
diffraction, the overriding barrier has been the (in)ability to
produce crystals of macromolecules of sufficient size for xray analysis. Currently, this is overcome on a case by case
basis. Our experiments seek to optimize this process by
developing a screen of small molecules that might stabilize
lattice structures and promote crystallization. Based on the
success of previous experiments, my project tested the
efficacy of using 3- to 5-residue amino acid chains to stabilize the lattice, based on the hypothesis that the polar nature of the molecules might form non-covalent
electrostatic interactions between the target molecules of
the crystal. The major obstacle in this project was the synthesis and isolation of amino acid chains of the appropriate
length. This was done by devising a modified solid phase
peptide synthesis scheme that not only allowed the synthesis of small chains, but also included a limited degree of
variance, so that in the 24 solutions produced, we might
test a much broader spectrum of molecules. Subsequently,
the molecules were isolated and tested as additives to crystallization solutions. The goal of this was to determine
which, if any, peptides produced a general trend of incorporation into and enhanced formation of crystals of several
target proteins, such that the relationship might be generalized into a commercially viable screen for the enhancement
of crystal growth. Results from these crystallization screens
are pending.
Role of Anti-TLR2 Ligands in Increasing
Adriamycin’s Breast Cancer Apoptosis
Vikram Mehta
Mentor: Sastry Gollapudi
Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women. Identifications of novel compounds that induce apoptosis in
breast cancer cells, activate the host immune system, and
synergize with chemotherapeutic agents provide novel approaches for the treatment of breast cancer. Toll-Like Receptors, TLRs, are pattern recognition receptors that are
known to activate the host immune system and induce
apoptosis. In this study we investigated the expression of
TLRs on breast cancer cells and the apoptotic activity of
anti-TLR ligands .TLR expression was determined by flow
cytometry. Breast cancer cells were cultured with antiTLR2 or TLR4 monoclonal antibodies, and apoptosis was
determined by MTT assay. Results showed that breast cancer cells express TLR2 and TLR4 on their cell surface.
Anti-TLR2, but not anti-TLR4, induced breast cancer cell
apoptosis. These results suggest that TLR2 ligands may
serve as novel therapeutic agents against breast cancer.
A Spatial Analysis of Gang Crimes in Colorado
Springs, Colorado
Claudia Mendoza
Mentor: Al Valdez
The gang lifestyle has become part of mainstream American youth culture. Not only has it negatively impacted the
lives of individuals, is responsible for a disproportionate
amount of criminal activity. The purpose of this study was
to examine the geographic locations of reported gang
crime in Colorado Springs, Colorado to determine any correlation between socio-economic status and ethnicity. A
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program was used
to analyze the data, and the results were shown with data
generated maps. The maps could be used by law enforcement to direct or redirect resources towards areas of the
city with higher gang related crimes. The results clearly
represented gang crimes in Colorado Springs; however, the
correlations between socio-economic status and ethnicity
need to be further analyzed.
Generation of a Targeted Insertion Model of
Huntington’s Disease in Drosophila
Kimia Menhaji
Mentor: J. Lawrence Marsh
We sought to create a new transgenic model of Huntington’s disease in Drosophila that allows one to easily compare
the effect of various modified transgenes free of the potential influence of chromosomal location. The existing system of making transgenic Drosophila operates through a
random insertion of the transgene; therefore, various expression levels and patterns are obtained depending on
location, and this translates into a range of phenotypes. A
new integration technology based on a phage integrase
with site specific insertion allows one to direct the transgene to a specific site in the Drosophila genome where the
expression of the construct is under more controlled conditions.
C5a Receptor Expression in C5a Antagonist Treated
Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Models
Todd Metzger
Mentor: Andrea Tenner
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disease associated with the accumulation of
amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the
brains of afflicted individuals. Fibrillar amyloid-beta, in
vitro, is able to activate both the alternative and classical
complement pathways, leading to the production of C5a, a
potent pro-inflammatory mediator. As a complementary
part of ongoing work assessing the role of C5a in the progression of AD, the objective of this project has been to
determine the relative levels of the receptors for C5a,
CD88 and C5L2 in the brain tissue of AD mouse models
treated with an antagonist to CD88. We have also obtained
human AD brain tissue for detection of these receptors in
order to establish a correlation between mouse and human
data. Our attempts to characterize the relative levels of C5a
receptor (C5aR) expression in mouse models have been
hindered by our inability to specifically detect the C5aR
protein by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Investigation of this problem has determined that our antiCD88 antibodies only recognize CD88 in its natural state
as determined by FACS analysis. Our lack of specificity
may be due to an inability of the existing C5aR antibodies
to recognize the receptor in its denatured or modified
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state. Despite our inability to effectively pursue our intended goal in mouse models of AD, we were able to characterize the relative levels of C5aR expression in tissue
from human post-mortem brains. Our results with antimouse CD88 antibodies shed doubt on the conclusions
drawn in published data in which CD88 was detected by
immunostaining or Western analyses.
Studying Diverse Dance Techniques in Relation to
Creating Movement Form, Function, and Aesthetic
Shaping of Personal Expression
Julie Ann Minaai
Mentor: Lisa Naugle
Art can be a window to the heart and soul of expressing
one’s self, and through this medium a person can communicate to others ideas, concepts, artistry, or emotions.
Dance and choreography have been my way of personal
expression, which I wanted to explore and understand further. This past summer, I was given the opportunity to
conduct a research project on developing choreographic
skills and dance techniques while attending the American
Dance Festival’s six-week summer dance program. I
wanted to learn and observe the way other choreographers
and artists manipulated space, energy, time, movement and
artistry. I attended three classes daily for the six weeks:
Repertory workshop with Doug Nielson and Andrea
Woods, focusing on the process of collaboratively
developing a piece; Repertory workshop with Ursula
Payne, researching the life and work of Dr. Pearl Primus;
and modern technique with Ming-Lung Yang,
concentrating on the kinesthetic values, momentum,
weightiness of the body and origin of motion. After the
festival, I began to choreograph works of my own, three
movement study based pieces: Observations (study of
fluidity), Imprints (breath and movement), and [incomplete]
(study of athleticism, theatricality and props). They
developed into pieces that focused on setting an
environment, displaying kinesthetic aspects of dance, or
weaving pedestrian movement with dance. My
choreographic process and ways of approaching movement have changed in the sense that I focus on crafting
movements with motifs and designing a piece with elements that structure different concepts, instead of only
developing narrative dances.
Soccer and Fan Identity: A Fan Typology
Natasha Mirc
Mentor: Edwin Amenta
I examine the relationship between soccer team affiliation
and identity in the U.S. Previous literature has examined
the importance of fandom to identity in Europe and South
America. Giulianotti created a typology for fan identity
with four ideal types—supporters, followers, fans, and
flâneurs—based on individual investment in a club,
whether someone is more traditional or a consumer; and
the degree to which the club is the central to self formation, hot or cool. While appropriate for European fans,
Giulanotti’s typology does not adequately explain soccer
fans in the United States because there is too much emphasis on tradition and topophilic spaces, which is inappropriate in the United States where the league is still
young and soccer is just beginning to gain popularity. Also,
because the United States did not have a league until the
mid 1990s, soccer fans could not form affiliation to local
teams in the same manner as in Europe. I conducted ethnographic interviews and analyzed the different types of
attachment and behavioral patterns of soccer fans in the
U.S. to create a typology that addresses fans on a continuum of different levels of seriousness. I have created four
ideal types: bandwagon fans, casual fans, serious fans, and
supporters based on the ethnographic interviews. I have
looked at fan behavior, processes of entering soccer culture, and group membership.
Generation of Concentration Gradients Using
Microfluidic Devices
Wael Mismar
Mentor: Noo Li Jeon
The interactions between concentration gradients of guidance factors and nerve growth cones of growing axons are
not fully understood. Current information comes from in
vitro studies that deal with diffusible gradients of guidance
factors that elicit repulsive and attractive response from
the growth cone. However, it does not address the fact
that most guidance factors in the nervous system are
bound to cell membranes or the extrracelllular matrix.
More in vitro studies dealing with substrate bound gradients
are needed to help simulate this type of environment. To
address this problem, microfluidic devices made of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were used. Solutions of Poly-LLysine (PLL) and Collagen were depleted in the PDMS
devices on glass cover slips to generate desired gradients in
the channels of the devices. These gradients were
generated in single channel and multi-channel devices of
varying designs. Decreasing concentrations of PLL and
Collagen resulted in lower distances covered in the channels as well as decreased intensities. The generation of gradients was able to be made in a reproducible matter, which
can be applied to future studies of neuron cell growth.
Quartz Crystal Microbalances as a Probe of Friction
at the Microscale Level
Vishnu Vivek Mittapalli
Mentor: Peter Taborek
The goal of this experiment is to understand better the
underlying physics of friction at the microscopic scale. We
analyze friction at this scale with Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCMs), which are high Q piezoelectric mechanical
oscillators driven at resonance. The high quality factor of
unloaded crystals allows them to resemble a near-perfect
harmonic oscillator without significant energy dissipation
that would affect the response of the oscillator. The experiments measured the response of the crystal oscillator
when perturbed by various loads in the time domain using
a high speed oscilloscope, and in the frequency domain
using a network analyzer. The results indicated that the
response depends on the location of the applied load on
the crystal, where a maximum response occurs at the center of the gold electrode atop the oscillator. Additionally,
the response of the oscillator indicated a predisposition
towards higher damping when softer loads such as rubber
were applied, whereas harder materials such as BoroSilicate glass and Teflon showed comparably insignificant
damping responses. Ring-downs of the oscillator were
studied by using a special high-speed IC mixer to discriminate between a viscous, velocity-dependent coupling of the
applied load, leading toward an exponential decay of ringdown amplitude, and a velocity-independent friction that is
proportional to the normal load, leading to a linear decrease in the amplitude.
Health Insecurities and Deficiences Affect the U.S.Mexico Border
Jason Molina
The purpose of this study is to assess health conditions
and bi-national collaboration addressing health along the
almost 2,000 mile stretch of the United States-Mexico border as a bi-national priority concern. The border has about
11.5 million people residing in 42 U.S. counties and 39
Mexican municipalities. There is a growing border population facing health insecurities; an increasing percentage
regularly cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. and
vice-versa. There are four major problems I found affecting border populations health in the U.S. and Mexico congruently: poverty, population growth, lack of health
education, and lack of affordable quality health care. Population growth in condensed areas and lack of medical resources are major contributing factors to increased rates of
Type II diabetes and HIV. In addition, due to lack of organization towards curable communicable diseases potential pandemics widely affect the population, including:
maternal/infant/child health, infectious diseases, oral
health, communal diseases, lack of immunizations and
mental health; these are normally curable or controlled
with minimal medical technology intervention, not costly
investment. The departments of health in the U.S. and
Mexico find themselves constrained by limited bi-national
collaboration and resources, posing challenges for U.S.Mexico rural health. In conclusion, substantial progress
creating quality health care options along the U.S.-Mexico
border remains challenging. Alternatives such as university
care programs along the border are filling health care de-
mand gaps from the growing border population in U.S.
and Mexico. A bi-national border requires a bi-national
solution. Bi-national collaboration between U.S. and Mexico is essential for an improved, developed and healthy
shared U.S.-Mexico border.
Godspell
Michael Morales
Mentor: Daniel Gary Busby
Godspell was an endeavor by a group of undergraduate
drama students to produce, prepare and perform a musical
on campus outside the direct aid of the Drama department. The purpose was to give undergraduate actors, designers and directors the opportunity to work on a
musical—a rare opportunity for BA students at this school.
Developing this project, we came across all the financial
and artistic obstacles one would expect of a musical, and
discovered a few new ones, but in the end delivered a well
received and artistically invigorating production to more
than three hundred audience members. The fruits of our
labors are evident already. We asked whether undergraduates could produce their own musical, and the conclusion
was that they can and should. Already there is another
production in rehearsals led by an all-freshman production
team. Opportunities like Godspell can and should exist.
Evaluating α-Lipoic Acid as a Candidate Anti-Aging
Compound
Marlene Morcos
Among the oldest avenues of scientific research, the study
of aging is now at the frontier. According to the free radical theory of aging, the process of aging is said to be the
result of the accumulation of reactive oxidative species
(ROS). ROS-caused damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic
acids leads to a decrease in cellular function, and consequently a decrease in overall organ function. Evaluating
this theory, the study attempted to differentiate the potential of the antioxidant α-lipoic acid (LA) as a candidate
anti-aging compound. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a
model system in three assays, 75 μL of an LA/yeast mixture at various dosages was added onto the surface of the
standard banana food supplement, allowing regular feeding
patterns of the flies to ensure uptake of the compound.
The flies were transferred onto a fresh food/drug medium
every other day for a 28-day period, while the number of
deaths of males and females was recorded with each transfer. While the three assays did not produce consistently
significant data, they showed a decreased fraction of flies
dying in males at 0.001 mg LA/mL yeast solution and 0.01
mg/mL, and in females at the 0.05 mg/mL dose. The inconsistent results of the assays highlight the importance of
replicating scientific experiments and minimizing human
error. Gaining promising results in the future will contrib-
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ute to general conceptual understandings of the aging
process, while providing valuable information for a potential drug candidate whose mechanism of action could successfully delay the aging process.
Iranian Female Undergraduates' Body Image
Perceptions: A Psychosociocultural Perspective
Nicole Moshfegh
The recent increase in prevalence of eating disturbances
encourages further examination of body image perceptions. Given the emergent population of Iranian undergraduates, it is important to observe the physical and
mental consequences of negative body image perceptions.
The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that
contribute to Iranian female undergraduates’ perceptions
of body shape. Using a psychosociocultural framework
with a survey design, the role of psychological (self-esteem
and body image), social (body stereotypes and societal
pressures) and cultural (ethnic identity, acculturation, and
cultural congruity) variables were examined. Surveys were
distributed to 100 Iranian female undergraduates at the
University of California, Irvine. Preliminary findings support no differences by class standing for body shape perceptions. Significant correlations between body
stereotypes, societal pressures, and perceptions of body
shape may suggest that women who experience low selfesteem are more likely to perceive sociocultural pressures
to become thinner, increasing the tendency to internalize
the thin image as the ideal body type, resulting in body
image disturbances. Findings provide insight for university
centers to better address eating disorders when working
with racial ethnic minority women, particularly Iranian undergraduates. Specifically, results can assist clinicians in
understanding Iranian undergraduates’ emotions, social
systems, and cultural continuity as they relate to body
shape perceptions. Directives for future research in working with Iranian student populations, given the limited literature on this student group related to college experiences
and their educational barriers, were also highlighted.
Hardiness and Psychological Well-Being in College
Students
Nicole Moshfegh
The staggering increase in undergraduates seeking counseling services invites the examination of perceived stressors
and coping mechanisms in the university setting. Some of
the stressors that contribute to the development of mental
health problems in college students include barriers to
education, such as lack of finances a lack of familial support, a lack of mentors, cultural stereotypes, inhospitable
campus climates, and a sense of cultural misfit. In dealing
with the perceived barriers and stresses of higher educa-
tion, the responses or personality factors that may help
students cope must be assessed. Hardiness, an aspect of
personality consisting of commitment, control, and challenge, has been shown to enhance performance and health
despite stressful changes. The purpose of this study is to
examine the impact of hardiness on the perceived educational barriers, cultural fit, and psychological well-being of
undergraduates. A quantitative survey composed of measures of hardiness, perception of barriers, university environment, cultural congruity, and subjective well-being was
distributed to 200 undergraduate students at the University
of California, Irvine. As data analysis unfolds, it is hypothesized that hardiness acts as a buffer for the stressors
undergraduates may experience while enrolled in college.
Therefore, a hardy attitude will have a positive impact on
subjective well-being.
Ethnic/Racial Differences in Medication Adherence
Due to Cost Among Patients with Type II Diabetes
Shamik Mukherji
Mentors: John Billimek, Quyen Ngo-Metzger & Shamik
Mukherji
Adherence to prescribed medication is integral to the effective management of Type 2 diabetes. Cost is a barrier to
medication adherence, and the effect of cost on medication adherence across different ethnicities/races has not
been examined. This study examined the disparate effects
of financial burden on diabetes medication adherence
across Non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, and Vietnamese
patients with Type 2 diabetics and determined the effects
of medication non-adherence on patient HA1c levels. 863
patients from five UCIMC family health clinics were given
survey measures asking of their degree of medication adherence in response to financial burden. HA1c laboratory
values were obtained from patient records. Vietnamese and
Non-Hispanic White patients had high medication adherence averages (73.5%, 73.7%) despite financial burden,
while Hispanic patients exhibited much lower medication
adherence (39.6%). Good medication adherence was determined to be one of many factors contributing to positive glycemic control. Access to healthcare and sociocultural factors may contribute to medication nonadherence.
Control Beliefs when Faced with the Uncontrollable:
Perceptions Influence Emotional Outcomes
Elizabeth Munoz
Mentor: Susan Charles
Perceived mastery is a powerful coping resource linked to
positive mental and physical health outcomes, and is particularly beneficial when people are confronted with stressful life circumstances. In contrast, high levels of perceived
constraints are negatively associated with mental and
physical health outcomes, and are related to greater emo-
tional reactivity in response to daily stressors. This study
extends these findings by examining the extent to which
perceived mastery and perceived constraints influence how
people react to an uncontrollable laboratory stressor. Participants included women over the age of 65 who underwent the Trier Social Stress Task, an acute laboratory
stressor designed to elicit a stress response. In response to
the task, individuals with high levels of perceived mastery
reported higher levels of positive emotions, and reported
feeling more accepted and liked during the task than those
low in mastery. Individuals reporting high levels of perceived constraints were more likely to report feeling rejected and disliked during the task, and reported less
intense positive emotions in anticipation of the task. These
findings indicate that high levels of perceived mastery and
low levels of perceived constraints buffer the negative
emotional effects of acute, uncontrollable stressors.
The Performance of Hegemonic Masculinity:
“Zuluness” and the Jacob Zuma Rape Trial
Jessica Newman
Mentors: Robert Moeller & Victoria Silver
While researching the current rape crisis in South Africa, I
became interested in the popular support for South African politician and apartheid struggle veteran Jacob Zuma
in his 2005–2006 rape trial. Moreover, I came to view the
demonstrations outside the courthouse and media coverage of these demonstrations as pieces of a larger performance of a hegemonic expression of a specific Zulu
masculinity. I consider how discussions of the trial became
discussions of Zulu culture, and which tropes constitute
this particular construction of the Zulu masculine identity.
I examine the ways in which the news coverage of the
demonstrations follows in a tradition of media representations of the Zulu nation in South Africa, unpacking and
denaturalizing the pop-culture portrayal of the violent Zulu
male “warrior.” News coverage focused on moments of
violence and radical support for Zuma, reiterating stereotypes about Zulu culture. Ultimately, I reject naturalizing
and reductionist explanations of the “violent” Zulu male,
and instead conclude that the construction of this hegemonic masculinity is the work of certain Zulu males and
the popular news and media portrayals that mystify “Zuluness.” Although images of Zulu masculinity are socially
constructed and in essence immaterial, these stereotypes
have material consequences for Zulu men and women. My
primary example of such a consequence is Zuma’s acquittal
and the exile of his accuser. The emphasis on certain kinds
of “Zuluness” and Zulu masculinity created a hostile climate that has serious implications for fighting rape in
South Africa.
Yttrium-90 Therasphere® as a Therapeutic Modality
for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Au Co Nguyen
Mentor: David Imagawa
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal
malignancies worldwide. The high mortality rate from
HCC is primarily due to the reason that 90% of the cases
are diagnosed when curative surgical resection is no longer
an option. There is a need for effective treatments that increase survival while keeping toxicity low. In this study,
findings of a restrospective analysis of yttrium-90 microspheres (TheraSphere®) as a treatment modality for unresectable HCC are determined. Thirty-five patients with
unresectable HCC were considered for treatment. Nine
were omitted because of high bilirubin levels, significant
pulmonary shunting, or gastrointestinal bleeding. One patient declined treatment. Twenty-five patients were treated
with hepatic arterial yttrium-90 microspheres from July
2002 to October 2007. Baseline, treatment, and follow-up
data were collected and analyzed for each patient. Response was measured with CT or MRI imaging and evaluated by a modified RECIST criterion. Survival was
analyzed with a Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Five percent
of the patients had a complete response, 14% classified as
partial response, and 30% classified as progressive disease.
Kaplan-Meier analysis shows that one-year survival is 35%,
and median survival was 188 days for the entire cohort.
The data suggest that intra-arterial Yttrium-90 microspheres are relatively safe and appear to be an effective
therapy for unresectable HCC. A multi-center randomized
controlled trial is needed to further understand the efficacy
of Therasphere.
Theta Burst Stimulation Increases Phosphorylation of
Ampa Receptors in Dendritic Spines
Jennifer Nguyen
Mentor: Christine Gall
The phenomenon of long-term potentiation (LTP) is proposed as a model for memory. The AMPA-class glutamate
receptor is responsible for the synaptic transmission and
the induction of LTP; it is also proposed that the AMPA
receptor play a role in maintenance of LTP expression.
This study investigates the effects of LTP-inducing afferent stimulation on AMPA receptor phosphorylation in
adult hippocampal synapses. LTP, induced by theta burst
afferent stimulation, increases the level of phosphorylated
AMPA receptor subunit GluR1, by several times. This increased GluR1 phosphorylation was observed at 30 min
post-stimulation. Based on the results, we conclude that
the strengthening of synaptic transmission during LTP
expression involves a mechanism that includes AMPA receptor phosphorylation. Our next aim will be to determine
the effects of LTP induction on the total number of membrane-bound AMPA receptors on post-synaptic synapses.
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OPA1-Mediated Optic Atrophy in Drosophila Model
Kimberly Nguyen
Mentor: Taosheng Huang
Our goal is to establish a Drosophila model to study optic
atrophy. This model may facilitate our understanding of
pathogenesis of the disorder and the development of new
therapies. Autosomal dominant optic atrophy is the most
common hereditary form of optic atrophy. This disorder is
characterized by central vision loss, color vision abnormalities, and degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells. The
majority of autosomal dominant optic atrophies have been
associated with mutations of the optic atrophy type 1
(OPA1) gene, a nuclear gene that encodes a mitochondrial
protein. It is expressed ubiquitously and functions in processes including mitochondrial fusion, ATP production, and
cytochrome-c mediated apoptosis. To establish a Drosophila
model to study OPA1, we used several different Drosophila
lines containing mutations in the Drosophila CG8479 homologue of OPA1 (dOpa1). We used a flippase/FRT genetic
technique to generate somatic clones in the eye to study
the effects of dOpa1 mutation. Through this method, we
found that somatic homozygous mutations in dOpa1 resulted in a rough and glossy eye phenotype in the adult
Drosophila eye, while heterozygous mutations in dOpa1 resulted in no observable gross abnormalities. It was also
found that the glossy phenotype present in dOpa1 large
mutant clones can be to some extent, reversed by the
overexpressing human superoxide dismutase 1 (hSOD1).
These results suggest the possibility of antioxidants as an
effective treatment for OPA1-mediated optic atrophy.
Single-Cell Platforms for Microbiomechanics
Minh Guong Nguyen
Physiological changes in an individual cell are indicators of
healthy and abnormal cell activities. Micro-biomechanics
aim to leverage microtechnology to contribute the understanding of mechanical aspects of physiological behaviors
at the cellular levels. The aim of this research is to develop
the techniques to culture individual cells inside a microfluidic platform with parallel arrays of micro chambers, each
of which is able to interrogate the mechanical properties of
a cell at the micron scale with a custom-designed piezoelectric transducer. Successfully culturing cells inside the
micro-environment is a crucial step towards demonstrating
the effectiveness of the platform. This study presents the
techniques developed for culturing cells in the microfluidic
chamber for that purpose. The platform consists of an
array of circular chambers, each connected to a cell loading
channel and flanked by two perfusion channels. The cell
loading channels introduce cells into the chamber while the
perfusion channels replenish culture media. Culture media
perfuse to the circular chambers through a 2 µm gap. Human carcinoma (HeLa) cells were successfully loaded into
the microfluidic chamber, where cells were kept viable and
continued to grow with temperature controlled at 37 ○C.
CO2 independent culture media is supplied continuously.
Cell growth inside each chamber is monitored regularly
under an optical microscope. The preliminary results indicated the feasibility of using the microfluidic platform to
monitor the different phases of cell growth kinetics. These
promising results will lead to further investigation of cellular activities with improved future generation of the prototype devices.
The Significance of Inbreeding Depression in the
Evolution of Distyly in Oxalis alpina
Nhu Nguyen
Mentors: Ann Sakai & Stephen Weller
A comprehensive investigation was carried out to determine the extent of inbreeding depression within a tristylous population of Oxalis alpina occurring in the Pinos
Altos Mountains of New Mexico, an area where incompatibility relationships are highly modified from typical
tristylous species. Modifications in the incompatibility system favor the short- and long-styled morphs while selecting against the mid morph under normal outcrossing
conditions. Mid morphs may be retained in population
through self-fertilization. The level of inbreeding depression was measured for different life history stages of O.
alpina to determine whether self-fertilization can counteract
the selective disadvantage resulting from modified incompatibility relations of the short and long morphs. Analysis
of variance showed significant or nearly significant differences between selfed and outcrossed offspring for measures of germination, average flower number per scape, and
survival. For these traits, the progeny of mid morphs
showed less inbreeding depression than the progeny of
short and long morphs derived via selfing, suggesting the
possibility of purging in this morph.
Lipopeptide
Immunization
Combined
with
CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Depletion and
CTLA-4 Blockade Protect Against Herpes Simplex
Virus Type 1
Quan Nguyen
Mentor: Lbachir Benmohamed
HSV glycoprotein D (gD) is one of the major HSV Ags
that produces protective immunity in animal models and
humans and has great potential as a vaccine candidate
against both ocular and genital herpes. As part of the development of a self-adjuvanting T-cell epitope-based vaccine against herpes, we have designed a novel T helper, T
cytotoxic (HTL-CTL) chimeric lipopeptide prototype vaccine containing one immunodominant CD8+ T-cell human epitope (gD53-61) covalently linked to the promiscuous
CD4+ T-cell human gD epitope (gD49-82) and extended by
a palmitic acid moiety, as a built in adjuvant. The immuno-
genicity of this self-adjuvanting lipopeptide vaccine was
studied in HLA-A*0201 Tg mice with or without
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell depletion or CTLA-4
blockade. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses were quantified using: IFN-gamma ELISpot; in vitro CFSE proliferation, and cytotoxic CD107a/b degranulation assays. Based
on the magnitude of induced T-cell responses, the HTLCTL chimeric lipopeptides induced a potent HSV-1 gD5361-specific antiviral CD8+ T cell response in HLA-A*0201
Tg mice . In addition, a strong gD49-82-specific CD4+ T
cell response was detected by a CFSE proliferation assay.
A high frequency of HSV-specific IFN-gamma-producing
CD8+ T-cells were induced after administration of HTLCTL lipopeptides. Depletion of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells
before immunization with lipopeptides improved the induced T-cell responses. Interestingly, CTLA-4 blockade
during lipopeptide immunization shows a synergistic effect
and increases the protective efficacy of lipopeptide vaccination against ocular herpes challenge. We have demonstrated that a self-adjuvanting HTL-CTL lipopeptide
prototype vaccine induced a strong HSV-specific CD8+
and CD4+ T cells responses. In addition, we demonstrated
that a combinatorial vaccine strategy using CD4+CD25+
Treg depletion and CTLA-4 blockade provides better protective immunity against ocular herpes.
Stellar Occultation Light Curves
Thong Nguyen
This research describes a method to calculate the flux of a
light curve during a stellar occultation by a planetary atmosphere with an arbitrary atmospheric pressure and temperature profile. To calculate the flux, simplifications are
made to the model, which make the numerical calculations
easier. This method calculates the flux for a light ray
propagating through the atmosphere by using the first two
derivatives of the refractivity at different radii along with
the classical fourth-order Runge-Kutta approximation to
the angle and its derivative. This code is shown to be a fast
and efficient method to calculate the flux; furthermore, it
will help show how different types of planetary atmospheres can affect the path of a light curve. The graphs of
Flux vs. Radius that are shown in this paper will be for a
power law and sinusoidal refractivity.
Assessing Methodology in a Comparative Study
Between Tigecycline and Ceftriaxone Sodium Plus
Metronidazole in Treating Patients with an IntraAbdominal Infection
Tuong Van Nguyen
Mentors: Michael Burns & Shahram Lotfipour
Tetracyclines are antibiotics, available since the mid-1900s,
that have been successful against serious bacterial infections such as intra-abdominal infections. Recently, how-
ever, resistance in bacterial organisms has become a great
concern in community acquired infections. As grampositive organisms continue to increase in resistance, very
few agents are able to treat the infections they cause. This
study looks at the effectiveness of tigecylcine, a glycycline,
in treating patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections, in comparison to a commonly administered drug,
sodium plus metronidazole. Qualified patients are randomized in either Group A or B. Subjects participate in the
study for three to five weeks. This includes up to two days
for screening and baseline visits for physical exams and
medical history; two weeks for testing administration; and
10–21 days after the last dose for treatment-of-cure visit.
Group A received an initial dose of 100 mg tigecycline, and
50 mg every 12 hours intravenously thereafter. Group B
received ceftriazone sodium 2 g once daily intravenously
plus metronidazole 1 g to 2 g daily intravenously. Previous
research and studies have confirmed the effectiveness of
tigecycline. Analysis of the results will be made for this
double-blind randomized, Phase III study to confirm efficacy. This project assessed the methodology of this clinical
trial and its essential role in the reliability of the results.
The Role of Valosin Contain Protein (VCP) Mutation
in Frontotemporal Dementia: Characterization of a
Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of FTD
Miriam Nojan
Mentor: Frank LaFerla
The intent of this study is to develop and characterize a
novel transgenic line of VCP mutation in mice in order to
map the pathological progression of FTD. A transgenic
mouse model was generated that specifically overexpressed
VCP neuronally, and immunohistochemistry was performed to assay histological patterns in transgenic and
nontransgenic littermates six and twelve months in age. We
found that the successful incorporation of the VCP
trangene in mice contributed to age-dependent pathological disparities between experimental subjects and controls
and moderate disease progression in mice up to twelve
months of age. The results suggest that the pathological
import of VCP mutation is likely age-dependent and requires additional investigation using subjects further in
development to more completely probe the manifestations
of the mutation. Additional studies assaying behavior concurrently with histopathology may be valuable in establishing a causal relationship between mutation and disease
onset and ascertaining a timeline for the evolution of
symptoms. In the future, such animal model paradigms
could be applied clinically to map pathology patterns in
patients, provide a subject base for experimental pharmacological agents, and investigate the interactions of VCP
with other cellular components that could modulate pathological outcomes.
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Would You Give your Memories a Facelift? Attitudes
Toward Cosmetic Neurology
Guita Nouranian
Mentor: Kally Nelson
Research shows that if a person who has had a traumatic
experience is given a certain drug (propranolol) within
hours of that experience, the drug can dampen the memory of that event and minimize effects of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). To assess people’s attitudes toward
propranolol, participants in California and New Zealand
read a scenario about a traumatic assault. Our results reveal
that although a substantial number of participants wanted
the choice of receiving the drug, the majority of participants did not want to take the drug.
Screening Rhodiola rosea as a Potential Anti-Aging
Drug in Drosophila melanogaster by Determining
RNA and DNA Oxidation by HPLC-ECD
Pamela Ny
The intent of this study is to determine the effects of the
botanical, Rhodiola rosea, on nucleic acid oxidation. Studies
have shown that Rhodiola is effective in slowing the progression of aging in Drosophila by decreasing the animal’s
mortality rate and increasing lifespan. The botanical is assumed to work as an antioxidant; therefore, we propose
that it retards aging by protecting DNA and RNA from
oxidative damage. We hypothesized that Rhodiola-fed Drosophila will have less DNA and RNA oxidation than flies
fed without Rhodiola. Flies fed Rhodiola and flies fed without the supplement over a 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-week period had
their nucleic acids collected by GTC-phenol-chloroform
method and analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. These data show that
Rhodiola has no affect on DNA oxidation, but significantly
decreases RNA oxidation, and thus should be further explored in mechanism based studies.
Analysis of Dinitroaniline Resistance: The Effects of
Double Mutations in Toxoplasma Alpha-tubulin
Roxanna Ochoa
Mentor: Naomi Morrissette
Protozoan microtubules can be disrupted by dinitroanilines. These compounds may provide insight for development of new anti-parasitic drugs, because dinitroanilines
inhibit Toxoplasma gondii parasites without affecting microtubule function in vertebrate host cells. We previously isolated Toxoplasma lines resistant to dinitroanilines due to
mutations in the parasite alpha-tubulin gene. In this study,
we investigate the effect of paired mutations in the
Toxoplasma alpha-tubulin gene. The mutations that we are
most interested in understanding are located in the putative
dinitroaniline binding site. A second mutation was introduced into a Toxoplasma alpha-tubulin gene containing a
single mutation, and this gene was introduced into parasites using established methods. Parasites containing a homologous integration of the altered tubulin gene were
characterized by measuring their resistance to increasing
concentrations of oryzalin, profluralin, pendimethalin and
amiprophos methyl (APM) using a previously established
microscopy-based assay, and inhibitory concentration at
50% (IC50) using a plaque assay. We also characterized the
sensitivity of wild-type parasites and parasites with single
point mutations in these compounds. Our current data
indicates that in most cases the single mutations confer
different resistance levels to distinct dinitroaniline compounds. This is consistent with a model in which unique
functional groups on dinitroanilines interact differently
with binding site residues. Moreover, in most cases double
mutants do not synergize to increase resistance levels. We
have generated many additional lines to assess for this
study and will continue to measure resistance of the remaining parasite lines. This study will help us understand
how specific amino acids in the alpha-tubulin protein interact to influence dinitroaniline resistance.
A Pan HIV Proteomic Chip for Subtype Specific
Diagnosis of Viral Infection
Vladimir Ochoa
Approximately 33.2 million people are currently living with
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worldwide.
Over two thirds of these individuals live in Sub-Saharan
Africa, which is also home to the highest genetic diversity
of HIV-1 subtypes currently identified. Subtypes A1, A2,
B, C and D are estimated to account for 75% of HIV-1
incidence worldwide. HIV-1 subtype-associated differences
include antiretroviral drug resistance, transmissibility,
pathogenicity, and effects on HIV-1 testing. There are currently no commercially available diagnostic tests for subtyping HIV-1 infection. The current approach on HIV
subtyping is both expensive and time consuming and many
attempts at surveying the molecular epidemiology of HIV
has been biased by epidemiologic constraints. The purpose
of our research is to develop a proteomic chip consisting
of a complete array of the proteins of HIV-1 subtypes A1,
A2, B, C and D that can be used to diagnose the subtype
specificity of infection from human sera. We designed subtype specific primers to amplify HIV-1 genes via PCR. We
used a high-throughput process for gene cloning and expression and printed proteins on nitrocellulose membranes. Results from immunofluorescent assays of the chip
with monoclonal antibodies against HIV-1 and human sera
from gp120 vaccinees showed a high degree of protein
specific reactivity. To examine the diagnostic power of the
proteomic chip we will assay the chip with subtype specific
inactivated human sera from HIV-1+ individuals.
Angiogenic Levels in Glioma Xenografts from
Modified Expression of PAX6 and Putative AntiAngiogenic Gene EFEMP1
Yu Ong
Mentor: Yi-hong Zhou
Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most common primary malignant brain tumors. Previous studies have indicated that
expression of PAX6 was reduced in GBMs. PAX6 encodes
a transcription factor that aids in the development of the
brain, and its expression in the adult brain persists. The
role of PAX6 was recently identified as suppression in
glioma cell lines of the expression of gene encoding vescular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which promotes
tumor angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is a substantial step in
the transition of tumors from a less malignant state to a
high malignant state. This study was conducted to determine if PAX6 and PAX6-mediated up-regulation of the
putative anti-angiogenic gene EFEMP1 contribute to the
suppression function in glioma via suppression of tumor
angiogenesis. Glioma cell line U251HF was transfected
with a plasmid DNA expressing PAX6 or EFEMP1. It was
then implanted into mice, and xenografts were frozen sectioned for immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay, using a
CD31 antibody to detect endothelial cells, and counter
stained with hemotoxin. The IHC data showed the level of
angiogenesis, as revealed by counts of blood vessel density
(BVD), in U251HF xenografts is higher than those with
over-expression of PAX6 or EFEMP1. The BVD data
reveals that VEGF and EFEMP1 suppress angiogenesis,
which correlates with suppressed tumor growth data.
The Effect of Benzo(a)pyrene on Testes of Nrf2
Deficient vs. Wild-Type Mice
Laura Ortiz
Mentor: Ulrike Luderer
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH),
benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), is ubiquitous in the environment
and is carcinogenic. The breakdown of this molecule produces reactive metabolites and reactive oxygen species
(ROS), which can initiate apoptosis. Glutathione (GSH) is
a cofactor for Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), which
detoxify electrophilic toxicants, like PAHs. GSH also detoxifies ROS. Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-related factor 2
(Nrf2), a transcription factor, regulates synthesis of GSH
and GSTs. Previous studies have shown that BaP treatment decreases sperm counts in male mice. We hypothesized that oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis is
enhanced and cell proliferation is decreased in testes of
Nrf2 knockout mice versus wild type mice treated with
BaP. Nrf2 knockout and wild type male mice were injected
subcutaneously with BaP (0.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) or oil once a
week for five weeks. At 60 days of age, mice were euthanized and testes dissected out. 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine (8-OhdG) immunostainging was used to
detect oxidative DNA damage. TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling, was performed to detect apoptotic cells. PCNA,
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining was used
to detect dividing cells. TUNEL and PCNA were scored
by counting cells and calculating the average number of
TUNEL/PCNA positive cells per tubule. 8-OhdG staining
was observed in testicular interstitial cells. Apoptotic cells
were observed in germ cells in the tubule. PCNA predominantly stained the basal lamina of the seminiferous
tubules where spermatogonial cells reside. No clear treatment or genotype effects are yet evident from our preliminary data (N=1 per group). The study is ongoing.
twenty-1
Jenna Otter
Mentor: Molly Lynch
At the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, emphasis is
placed on acquiring a full kinesthetic comprehension of
any movement phrase; it is a very introspective environment, unlike a large university setting. The studios have no
mirrors, forcing use of feeling the movement over mimicking shapes. The days are long and focused (up to nine
hours of dancing each day). Ballet class does not just use
piano as the accompaniment—guitar, violin and drums are
also used—reinforcing the Conservatory’s emphasis on the
cultivation of individuality in dancers. I worked with contemporary ballet choreographers whose choreographic
processes inspired me to create this dance piece. This piece
differs from my other choreographic projects at UCI; I
wove the style of movement I learned at the Conservatory
throughout this dance, while still maintaining my own creative voice in the process. In choreography at the Conservatory, great emphasis is placed on fluidity and seamless
transition between choreographic phrases. To attain this
quality, I began creating movement by improvising in
socks and using different body parts as initiation for my
movement. This exploration of improvisation led me to
create the main phrases used throughout the piece. At the
Conservatory, cultivation of the dancer as a whole is paramount. After studying at the San Francisco Conservatory,
my prior thoughts about dance have been broadened to
encompass a more metaphysical interpretation of movement along with a greater comprehension of the physicality
of dance.
Wide Awake: Dance and Video
Rachel Pace
Mentor: John Crawford
The collaboration between technology and dance is becoming more predominant in dance performances each
year. Concert dance itself is slowly becoming outdated, and
audience members are ready to see how the growing world
of technology can affect the arts. Technology that can be
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used includes pre-recorded video, motion capture, and
real-time motion tracking. The possibilities are endless as
long as one has an imagination. The only downfall with
this area of research is that is takes great proficiency with
and knowledge of these programs to comfortably use them
to one’s advantage as an artist. Therefore, my hands-on
research had to start from the bottom. I learned how to
create a pre-recorded video using a video camera and the
Final Cut Pro program. I discovered the number of
choices I had to make while shooting footage, taking into
account different points of view, angles, depth, lighting,
and location. Once the footage was entered into the Final
Cut Pro program I learned the editing process and how to
distort images and manipulate my footage so I could successfully portray my vision. I was very inspired after finishing this project because it opened my eyes to another
world of possibility as a choreographer. Technology allows
the creation of a visual feast of otherworldly things, in different dimensions and points of view, that is simply impossible with concert dance.
The Temperature Dependence and Energetics of
Lymphocyte Motility
Rebecca Paquette
Mentor: Michael Cahalan
Lymphocyte motility plays an important role in the adaptive immune response, enhancing the probability that a
single cell will find its rare cognate. Although some preliminary studies have suggested that lymphocyte motility is
dependent upon temperature, the definitive effect that
temperature has on lymphocyte motility remains uncertain.
To address this, I isolated CD4+ T lymphocytes from secondary lymphoid organs, fluorescently stained them and
adoptively transferred them into a genetically identical living organism. This allowed me to image the cells in vivo
during induced hypothermic and hyperthermic conditions
using two-photon microscopy. So far, the data I have gathered strongly supports a correlation between lymphocyte
motility and temperature. I found that lymphocyte velocity
decreased as the temperature was reduced from body temperature (37 ºC). Conversely, as temperature was increased
from body temperature, lymphocyte velocity was observed
to first increase and then decrease. Though more work
needs to be done, data obtained thus far in this study indicates that lymphocyte motility is dependent on temperature. Since lymphocytes are key mediators in the adaptive
immune response, knowing how temperature affects the
ability of this division of the immune system to work effectively is medically relevant.
The Relationships Between Shiite Actors in Tehran
and Basra: The Consequences for Iraq
Regina Park
Mentors: Bojan Petrovic & Caesar Sereseres
Numerous news articles, congressional testimonies, and
publications by renowned experts allege Iranian influence
on the security of Iraq. But a consensus regarding the exact
nature of Iranian influence in Iraq is slow to emerge both
in academic community and policy circles. To aid these
communities in understanding the current relationship between these two nations, this study has examined a portion
of the influence Tehran exerts on Iraq by focusing on the
following four principle Shia actors in the city of Basra in
southern Iraq: the Sadrist Movement, the Islamic Supreme
Council of Iraq (ISCI), the Fadhila Party, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government. The study examines cultural, political, and economic links between Tehran and the
Shiite actors of Basra, which are characterized as
opportunistic by both sides and demonstrate the practice
of realist international politics. The study reaches the
conclusion that Iran influences the political environment in
Basra in two ways: by increasing a threat posed by local
Shia actors to the al-Maliki government (i.e., increasing the
possibility of the development of an autonomous political
entity in the south of Iraq), and by paving a way for the
further strengthening and spread of Iranian “soft” power.
Therefore, the study recommends policies that accept the
reality of long-term Iranian influence in Iraq and are
sensitive to the ever-evolving and fluid nationalistic, ethnic,
and religious factors that affect the decision-making of
local Shia actors in southern Iraq.
Fungal Diversity in Salt Marsh Sediments
Sneah Pathak
Little is known about the composition of fungal communities in salt marsh sediments, and even less about what factors influence this diversity. The goal of this project is to
test whether nutrient additions affect communities in salt
marsh habitats. Sediments in a salt marsh in Maine were
fertilized with either nitrogen, phosphorous, or both nutrients. To compare the fungal communities in these fertilization treatments, I PCR-amplified, cloned, and sequenced
18S rDNA from each of the three treatments and a control
plot. The sequences for two clone libraries, the nutrient
plot and control plot, were aligned and analyzed to compare the changes in fungal sequences. Both clone libraries
had high sequence diversity. I will also compare the richness and phylogenetic diversity of the fungi of the two
treatments. Fungal diversity in this study is comparable to
another study of a Rhode Island salt marsh.
Ethnic Identity Among Second Generation Indian
American Immigrants
Snehal Pathak
Mentor: Jennifer Lee
Ethnic identity is defined by Phinney & Alipuria as “an
individual's sense of self as a member of an ethnic group
and the attitudes and behaviors associated with that sense.”
Research indicates that various contexts such as family,
community, and friendship networks have an effect on the
development and retention of one’s ethnic identity. While
studies have shown that these factors contribute to the
varying attitudes and behaviors among Indian Americans,
there is limited research concerning differences between
how both males and females respond to the social contexts. By focusing on children of immigrants who migrated
to the United States between 1965 and the mid-1980s, I
have gained an understanding of how second-generation
Indian American immigrants rely on their ethnic community as a way to remain close to their identity. It has been
argued by some scholars that Indian American females
tend to be the culture bearers, thus upholding cultural values to a greater extent than males; however, results have
indicated contrasting notions. In my study, males have
shown to integrate themselves into a larger Indian American friendship network than females. A greater number of
males have also expressed a closer attachment to their ethnic community than females. While both males and females rely on family and community involvement to
maintain their cultural roots, the support for gender equality in mainstream culture prompts females to assimilate
more into the majority culture. These findings provide
general support for the theories indicating that social contexts affect the retention of one’s ethnic identity.
Addressing Pertinent Social Issues Through the
Medium of Playwriting
Kevin Pease
Mentor: Keith Fowler
Playwriting is a form of artistic expression with thousands
of years of rich, colorful history. Over the course of those
millennia, people have used theatre as a tool to comprehend the world around them, while hoping to change it.
This project follows that ancient tradition by taking a contemporary look at the world and challenging unresolved
social issues by creating a play with a ridiculous sense of
humor. First, a setting and series of characters were established that would work to create a story to address issues
that were of concern to me and my peers. The play would
focus on a virgin, a whore, a time traveling wanderer, and
three friends with complex interlocking relationships. All
the action would take place in a single college apartment
with no unique qualities. Second, a story was created that
would provide entertainment, character development, and
social commentary using the previously created characters
and setting. Third, there would be months of writing followed by even more editing with the help of my mentor.
The result was full length comedic play that addresses love,
drinking, sex, romance, gender roles, uncertainty about the
future, graduation, and weight, using dialogue, physical
comedy, a silly apocalypse, and a variety of other techniques.
Ampakine CX929 Increases Levels of BDNF and
DARPP-32 in the Striatum of HD Mutant Mice
Lindsay Peltz
Mentor: Danielle Simmons
Huntington's Disease (HD) is characterized by the death
of neurons in the striatum and the cerebral cortex of the
brain and diminished levels of an important neuroprotective protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
BDNF expression can be up-regulated by ampakine
CX929, which is a positive modulator of the AMPA-type
glutamate receptor in the brain. The intent of this study is
to test if deficits of BDNF levels in an HD mouse model
can be reversed with CX929 drugs and, as a result, increase
and restore levels of a protein needed for neuronal communication in the striatum. To address this issue, I administered ampakine CX929 to R6/2 mice for four weeks. I
then assessed the levels of BDNF using Western blotting
and a component of the dopamine signaling pathway
(DARPP-32) using immunocytochemistry. I found that
CX929 up-regulates BDNF levels in the cortex, a brain
area that supplies most of the BDNF to the striatum, and
restores DARPP-32 levels, improving balance and coordination in the HD mutant mice. These results show that
increased BDNF levels with CX929 is associated with restored levels of an important protein for normal function
of the striatum and improved motor performance. Ampakine CX929 could possibly be a safe and effective future
treatment for HD.
American Exceptionalism and the Iraq Conflict
Kevin Peng
Mentor: Emily Rosenberg
The Iraq War of 2003 has been one of the most controversial events in the War On Terror, due to the tenuous nature of the justifying evidence and the high cost of keeping
troops to pacify the country. In the debate over this conflict, there has been public knowledge that the Iraq War
was long planned by important intellectuals and political
figures, many of the neoconservative stance. In my project,
I have endeavored to answer the question of why these
important figures planned the Iraq Conflict. Through my
research, I have found that the cultural belief of American
exceptionalism, which sees America as an exceptional nation because of its supposedly unique and even superior
nature compared to other nations, played a great deal in
influencing those who planned the conflict with Iraq. This
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belief is imbued with a sense of national importance in
what appeared to be a mission to spread freedom and democracy to Iraq’s beleaguered people, combined with a
strain of ideological intolerance that saw the same country
as a threat to be pacified due to its connection, though
tenuous, with global terrorism. In addition, the cultural
force of American exceptionalism gave the issues of national security and national resources in terms of oil reserves, already significant motives behind the Iraq War,
greater importance.
Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Associated
Risk Factors and the Impact of Acculturation among
Multiethnic U.S Adolescents
Alejandro Perez
Mentor: Nathan Wong
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an increasingly prevalent
condition among youth in the U.S. and in developing
countries. We examined the prevalence of MetS and its
associated risk factors in a recent sample of multiethnic
adolescents. The prevalence of MetS among adolescents
aged 10–18 within the U.S. 2005–2006 National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey was evaluated by gender, age group, self report of ethnicity, and birthplace. The
Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP3) definition was used,
where MetS was defined with ≥3 of the following at or
above the 85th percentile: waist circumference, triglycerides, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose,
and HDL-cholesterol (below 15th percentile). Our past
studies in the 2003–2004 population documents a prevalence of MetS that increases with age and tends to be
greatest in non-Hispanic whites and in MexicanAmericans, and least in Blacks. However, youth born in
Mexico had the lowest prevalence of MetS and abdominal
obesity compared to those born elsewhere, suggesting our
environment and acculturation may promote the development of these factors. This study using the 2005–2006
population showed commonalities to past trends.
Educating Latino Parents in Supporting College
Pathways
Laura Perez
Latina/os comprise one of the largest ethnic minority
groups in the nation and have also been identified as the
most undereducated group in the country. The struggle for
college access is a central concern for Latino families. Although Latina/o students and their parents hold high educational aspirations, Latina/os remain underrepresented in
4-year colleges and universities. Parental education and
involvement play a significant role in children's academic
achievement. More specifically, parents’ encouragement
and support influence students’ college application and
their college pursuits. Given the limited research and un-
derstanding of Latina/o parents’ role in their children’s
education and the low Latina/o student enrollments rates,
it is important to examine Latina/o parents’ attitudes and
involvement in their children's educational journeys. The
purpose of this study is to examine a community educational program (i.e., Padres Promotores ~Promoting Parents) that promotes awareness and knowledge among
Latina/o parents, encouraging parental mentor and educational advocacy. Using a psychosociocultural framework
with a survey design, the role of psychological (self-esteem
and personal growth), social (networking and community
relationship) and cultural (ethnic identity and cultural values (e.g familia)) variables are being examined. Data collection and analysis is undergoing; however, potential results
may conclude that Latina/o parents’ involvement in educational programs increase their knowledge in acquiring the
necessary tools to help their children enrollment in colleges. Moreover, by educating Latina/o parents about financial aid, university requirements and scholarship
opportunities, they can provide guidance and support to
their children. Findings will add to the understanding of
how parents can be involved in their children’s education,
and the influence they can have in their children’s participation in college.
The α3 Na+/K+ ATPAse Regulates Neuronal Response to Glutamate
Bryan Pham
Mentors: Lutz Hilgenberg & Martin Smith
The Na+/K+ ATPAse (NKA), an enzyme located in the
plasma membrane in all animal cells, establishes and maintains the gradient of sodium and potassium ions across the
cell plasma membrane. This ion gradient gives rise to the
membrane potential, which is essential for the function of
electrically excitable cells like neurons. Previous studies in
the lab identified a protein called agrin that inhibits the
activity of a neuron specific form of the NKA (a3NKA),
leading to depolarization and lowering of the threshold for
excitation. In line with this observation, cultured agrin deficient neurons are less sensitive to excitatory neurotranmitters, and agrin mutant mice exhibit an increased seizure
threshold. In light of this information, we asked whether
a3NKA mutant neurons are more sensitive to neuronal
stimulation. Using the immediate early gene c-fos as a reporter of neuronal cell activation, we found that cultured
a3NKA deficient neurons are more responsive to the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Similarly, mice expressing lower levels of a3NKA are more susceptible to seizures
when treated with the glutamate analog kainate. These
findings substantiate the vital roles of a3NKA activity and
agrin for normal neuronal activity.
America’s Indebtedness
Huy Pham
Mentors: Fabio Milani & Gary Richardson
The United States has been dubbed the Super Power in
modern time. However, its economy is in no way invincible. The widening deficit and negative personal savings rate
are threatening to reduce the nation's wealth. America's
most willing creditors are Asian countries who bought into
the U.S. debt to gain exchange rate benefits and thus profit
by selling their goods to American consumers. As long as
this pool of capital is available, America will continue her
borrowing frenzy. However, Asia and other nations do not
have the ability to loan to the United States indefinitely.
When this inflow of capital ceases, America will face unprecedented financial market collapse that effects every
strata of the economy here and abroad.
Functional Conservation of Exon 19 between CLOCK
and NPAS2
Kevin Pham
Mentors: Saurabh Sahar & Paolo Sassone-Corsi
The clock/clock mutant mice, which have a deletion in the
exon 19 of CLOCK, are arrhythmic. However, even after a
decade of analyzing arrhymicity in this mutant, the mechanistic defects in CLOCKΔ19 are not clearly understood.
The CLOCKΔ19 mutant protein dimerizes with BMAL1
and binds to DNA, but is severely defective in transactivation of clock controlled genes (CCGs). NPAS2, a transcription factor primarily expressed in the mammalian
forebrain, shares extensive sequence homology with
CLOCK. We have observed that a region corresponding
to exon 19 in CLOCK is highly conserved in the Cterminal of NPAS2. Here we show that deletion of this
region (henceforth addressed as NPAS2Δ19) has effects
similar to CLOCKΔ19. NPAS2 Δ19 also dimerizes with
BMAL1, binds to DNA, and is defective in transactivation
of CCGs. Moreover, we have found that unlike wild-type
NPAS2, NPAS2 Δ19 is not phosphorylated in the presence of BMAL1. This defect is not due to the absence of
any phosphorylatable residues, as confirmed by a similar
defect observed in a mutant with a smaller deletion in the
exon 19 region devoid of any potential substrates for
phosphorylation. These results suggest that exon 19 may
either act as a docking site for kinases or help in the proper
folding of NPAS2, consequently generating a more amenable substrate for phosphorylation. These events could
then lead to enhanced transcriptional activation.
Drosophila CLOCK Is a Histone Acetyltransferase
Kevin Pham
Mentors: Saurabh Sahar & Paolo Sassone-Corsi
The control of circadian rhythmicity involves interplay
between various proteins to transactivate clock-controlled
genes (CCGs) in a time-specific manner. Among these
proteins, our lab identified the central component, mouse
CLOCK (mCLK), as a novel DNA binding histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that is involved in rhythmic histone acetylation and subsequent transcriptional activation of CCGs.
Analysis of the protein primary structure of mCLK yields
significant sequence homology between the carboxyterminal region of mCLK and that of Drosophila CLOCK
(dCLK). Furthermore, within the carboxy-terminal of
mCLK and dCLK, there is an acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA)
binding motif, a trademark feature of HAT proteins, similar to the “motif A” of the MYST family of HATs, especially of yeast Esa1, Sas3, fly MOF, and human Tip60. In
this study, through in vitro HAT assays, we show that
dCLK acetylates core histone. Moreover, our lab recently
showed that mCLK also acetylates BMAL1, a vital component of the CLK:BMAL1 complex. Such CLK-mediated
BMAL1 acetylation is crucial for the circadian machinery.
Here we also show that dCLK acetylates BMAL1 through
Western Blotting. These results implicate conservation
between Drosophila and mammalian clock molecular
mechanism concerning histone acetylation and CLK function. Consequently, histone acetylation and cellular physiology can be studied in the Drosophila system to give
insights into the clock core mechanism in higher organisms.
Imaging of Fibroblast Migration and Collagen
Formation in a Modified RAFT Using Multiphoton
Microscopy
Minhthy Pham
Mentors: Tatiana Krasieva & Bruce Tromberg
Wound healing is the process by which the body repairs
damaged tissue through the activation and recruitment of
fibroblasts, which produce collagen, fibronectin, elastin,
and proteases to repair the site of injury. Past in vitro studies on aberrant healing have resulted in significant advances in understanding the process, but the exact nature
of wound healing remains unclear. To gain better insight
into fibroblast behavior and their role in wound healing,
we observed fibroblast migration and activity in a modified
skin-equivalent RAFT tissue model through multiphoton
microscopy (MPM). This model, defined by a fibrin gel
“plug” (representing a wound) in the center of a collagen
gel matrix, used differences in fibrin and collagen nonlinear
susceptibility (detected by MPM) to allow for a clear distinction between newly produced collagen in the fibrin
wound site and endogenous collagen of the existing matrix.
This model also allowed us to observe fibroblast activity in
both matrices, monitor collagen synthesis, and determine
the effects of varying fibrin concentration in the wound
site on the fibroblast cells. Our results show that within the
existing collagen, fibroblasts initially remodel the surrounding matrix. They then localize at the collagen/fibrin interface and produce short collagen fibers after seven days.
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Further studies show that fibrin concentration within the
wound site affects fibroblast migration, but results remain
inconclusive and, therefore, further investigation is required. This study illustrates the utility of this modified
RAFT system in elucidating the role of fibroblasts, and
subsequently provides insight into wound healing in general.
Three-Dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography
Imaging of Retinal Transplants in Photoreceptor
Degenerate Rats
Sylvia Pham
Mentor: Zhongping Chen
Retinal transplantation is a potential treatment for incurable vision loss due to retinal degenerative diseases such as
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where the nerve
layer at the back of the eye is damaged. Experimentation in
rats has demonstrated that transplanting intact fetal retinal
sheets into the sub-retinal space of retinal degenerative rats
can restore damaged photoreceptors and improve visual
responses. Despite recent advances in transplant surgery,
only 15–30% of retinal transplants produce well-laminated
transplants. To eliminate extensive and unproductive testing, early detection of successful transplants is necessary.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive imaging technique that offers millimeter deep, high-speed,
and high-resolution cross-sectional images of biological
tissue, is capable of imaging retinal transplants in live rats
shortly after surgery. In this study, a non-commercial Fourier Domain OCT system, with enhanced imaging speed
and resolution, was used to evaluate the placement, layering, and structural quality of retinal transplants in rats.
Timed-pregnant donors provided intact fetal retinal sheets
that were transplanted into photoreceptor degenerate rats.
Retinal transplants were evaluated by OCT one to two
weeks after surgery. Processed OCT data yielded threedimensional projection images and movies of the retinal
transplant that indicated the location of the implants and
the laminar structure of the implants. Histology results
confirmed OCT evaluations of the retinal transplants. This
study shows that OCT is an effective imaging tool for experiments involving retinal transplantation.
In Vitro Selection of Metabolite-Dependent SelfCleaving Ribozymes from the Mouse Genome
Tiffany Pham
Mentor: Andrej Luptak
Many RNAs have catalytic properties, such as in peptide
bond formation, splicing, and self-cleaving. Such catalytic
RNAs, or ribozymes, seem to play a much larger biological
role than was previously thought, as many self-cleaving
ribozymes have already been isolated in viral, bacterial, and
mammalian genomes. However, only the glmS ribozyme,
found in Gram-positive bacteria, has been found to self-
cleave specifically in the presence of a small-molecule cofactor. Since the glmS ribozyme may be involved in the
gene expression of the glmS gene, the discovery of additional metabolite-dependent self-cleaving RNAs might
provide insight into their seemingly important, but relatively unknown cellular roles. The in vitro selection of such
ribozymes from the mouse genome requires the construction of a DNA library, which consists of circular doublestranded DNA fragments from which transcription yields
concatameric transcripts containing multiple copies of the
same sequence. Upon incubation in the presence of mouse
small-molecule metabolites, the RNAs capable of selfcleavage will produce strands of progressively shorter
length. The transcripts containing the sequences that
cleave will be purified using gel electrophoresis, reversetranscribed and amplified to afford the DNA pool for the
next round of selection. To construct the DNA library, I
have ligated double-stranded hairpin primers to short
DNA fragments of random sequence, and subsequently
removed the single-stranded loops—providing ends of
known sequence that enable amplification and circularization. One-way primer extensions of this double-stranded
DNA produce single-stranded DNA templates. Using
splint ligation, I have circularized such single-stranded
DNA, which will be made double-stranded and subsequently transcribed to yield RNA concatamers.
Effectiveness of Toluidine Blue as an Aid to Biopsy in
the Diagnosis of DMBA-Induced Hamster Pouch
Dysplasia and Carcinoma
Jessica Pharar
Mentor: Petra Wilder-Smith
Non-surgical techniques for non-invasive early detection
and diagnosis of oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) and oral
squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) offer many therapeutic
advantages and may benefit patients greatly. Photodynamic
therapy (PDT) is used as a non-invasive technique to
photodestruct biomarked tissue. Our objective was to determine in the hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model
whether photodynamic therapy using TBO could be used
for selective photodestruction of neoplastic oral tissues.
DMBA carcinogenesis was applied to one cheek pouch in
20 hamsters for six weeks. After topical application of acetic acid and 0.5% TBO, cheek pouches were irradiated using previously identified parameters: 15 J/cm2, 30 J/cm2,
45 J/cm2, 60 J/cm2 and exposure durations of 3 min, 6
min, 9 min and 12 min. After laser irradiation, animals
were sacrificed and cheek pouch tissues underwent routine
histopathological preparation and evaluation. Areas of pathology were clearly identified by TBO fluorescence. Using
light exposure of >12 J/cm2, selective photodestruction
was seen, as evidenced by intra-vascular thrombosis and
neovascularization in the pathological tissues. Cellular
thermal damage was evidenced by atypical cell membranes,
vacuolization and loss of inter- and intracellular integrity in
the areas of neoplasia. Toluidine blue may be a useful tool
for photodynamic therapy in the oral mucosa.
Comparative Case Study of Post-1980s Southeast
Asian Refugees: Assessing Acculturation Outcomes of
Laotian Refugees in the United States
Visa Phraphilom
Mentor: John Liu
There is a tendency in studies to view refugees as part of
the larger immigrant population, with the assumption that
both groups share similarities. However, there are differences between refugees and immigrants, which are reflected, for example, in their nature of migration (voluntary
or forced) and their variable levels of human capital before
arrival and after. This study will focus on how the adaptation process of Laotian refugees are similar (or dissimilar)
to other refugee groups within the same refugee cohort of
arrivals (post 1980s), rather than grouping their experiences as part of the larger immigrant population. The hypothesis for this study is that differences in human capital,
such as certain skills, experiences, knowledge, and other
personal attributes of the refugees upon arrival and the
structural factors of the host country will affect the refugees’ level of acculturation.
The Effects of Maternal Depression and Anxiety on
the Development of Behaviorally Inhibited
Temperament in Two-Year-Old Children
Jenny Phung
Mentor: Elysia Davis
When a child is subdued to and avoidant of novelty, that
child’s temperament is considered to be behaviorally inhibited. Most experts agree that temperament has a genetic
and biological basis, but researchers also agree that environmental experiences can modify a child’s personality.
Studies have shown that children of mothers with depression or anxiety are at risk for behavioral and emotional
problems, which can consequently affect the child’s temperament. However, these studies are limited by their reliance on maternal reports of children’s temperament and
behavior. My study used standardized laboratory episodes
to assess infant temperament. The Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (LAB-TAB) is an objective, behaviorally based laboratory assessment tool for studying
temperament, which consists of standardized procedures
for eliciting and coding behavior. The purpose of this
study was to determine the effects of maternal depression
and anxiety on the development of behaviorally inhibited
temperament in two-year-old children.
Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse
Colloidal Silica with Tailored Optical and Surface
Properties
Katie Pickrahn
Mentor: Ali Mohraz
Colloids are solid particles with at least one characteristic
dimension between a few nanometers and a few micrometers. Silica is one material that has repeatedly been used to
create colloidal particles, owing to the ease by which large
quantities of silica particles of the same size may be produced. The goal of this project is to systematically synthesize monodisperse, core-shell colloidal silica with tailored
surface chemistries and optical properties. The core-shell
architecture consists of a fluorescent core surrounded by a
non-fluorescent layer, allowing for the imaging of these
particles using confocal laser scanning microscopy. These
particles are used as model materials for fundamental research in colloid science and soft matter physics. The results of digital image processing of the core-shell particles
and particles that are fluorescent throughout are discussed.
Colloidal silica may also be used as scattering agents in
light guides, requiring dispersion of the particles in an organic monomer solution. The effects of particle surface
chemistry on suspension stability in an organic solvent are
discussed. By controlling the size and surface chemistry of
colloidal silica and understanding the effects of the coreshell architecture on digital imaging, we can better tailor
the production of particles that enhance research in colloid
science.
Mobile Audio Knowledge Sharing
Angelo Pioli
Mentors: Ban Al-Ani & Andre van der Hoek
There are many collaborative software engineering documentation tools to support documentation throughout
development. Typically, these tools represent documentation visually, limiting the developer to using a single sense.
We propose extending visual support with speech by allowing software engineers to leave comments in audio
form through Mobile Audio Knowledge Sharing (MAKS).
MAKS will allow developers to use audio documentation
for engineers (ADE) to share information and, therefore,
support collaboration. ADEs will enable mobility, multitasking, increase comprehension and a more natural mode
of communication. We are currently working on a MAKS
prototype as an Eclipse plug-in, and will be conducting a
study to evaluate MAKS’s effectiveness.
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The Sisterhood: Black Female Community College
Upper Division Transfers Discuss their University
Experience at the University of California, Irvine
Dorothy Pirtle
Mentor: Leticia Oseguera
California Community Colleges (CCCs) act as a gateway
for individuals from low socioeconomic, underrepresented,
and other marginalized backgrounds who are interested in
earning an undergraduate degree from a University of California (UC) campus. In the 2006–2007 academic year,
7.43% of the CCC population identified as African American, with approximately 58% of that being female. Many
UC campuses are research-intensive institutions, which
offer a plethora of opportunities to conduct undergraduate
research and are equipped to assist students with locating
pathways to a variety of graduate programs. Of the 11,914
upper-division transfer enrollees from a CCC to a UC
campus in the fall of 2007, fewer than 1% were African
American females. For the past thirteen years, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) has consistently enrolled
fewer than twenty of these black scholars. The purpose of
this study is to explore the lives of these scholars at UCI in
an effort to better understand their rationale for attending
a UC campus, the purpose of their scholarship, and their
reasons for joining a support network of black female
scholars known as The Sisterhood.
scholarship. Respondents are associated with Research
1(RI), Research 2 (R2), or Liberal Arts (LA) institutions in
the Midwest, North, or Northeast and their disciplines
range from the social sciences to the natural sciences.
Through approximately 50 open-ended structured interviews with African Americans in the academy, we hope to
understand how they make meaning and develop a common-sense understanding of the social world they are involved in. Audience, challenges to scholarship, important
duties, and purpose as focal points aid in illuminating distinct challenges that African American scholars confront in
academic environments.
Roses that Grow from Concrete
Dorothy Pirtle
Mentor: Frank Wilderson
Young African Americans living in urban corridors often
use creative writing as a means of coping with their day-today struggles. Tupac Shakur is one of the most visible public figures who wrote with brutal honesty about what life is
like in the city for black youth. To reshape public policy
that directly affects black youth, more first person perspectives need to emerge from shadows filled with poverty,
neglect, violence, resilience, and unyielding determination.
My contribution to this movement is a bouquet of ten
short stories in memoir form about growing up in a Black
and Korean household in South Central Los Angeles.
Modification of the Duff Formylation Reaction
Dante Podesto
The Duff reaction is an electrophilic aromatic substitution
reaction that regioselectively installs a formyl group at the
orth or para position of a phenolic ring. The reaction is used
in the synthesis of precursors for catalyst ligands and natural products. It has a significant advantage to similar reactions due to its inexpensive and non-toxic reagents.
Traditionally, the Duff formylation is a low to moderately
yielding reaction. The issues with product yields were first
addressed successfully by Dr. Kevin Banhck and Professor
Rychnovsky during the total synthesis of Kendomycin.
During the optimization of the reaction they discovered
the use of water as a reagent increased productivity. Our
research has examined the potential use of a stoichiometric
amount of water on a wide range of phenolic substrates.
We have demonstrated that the addition of stoichiometric
water provides a 10–20% increase in product yields of
these substrates. We have also optimized the timing of the
reaction by use of a microwave reactor. Our studies have
demonstrated that microwave assisted synthesis can substantially decrease the reaction time, while providing comparable yields obtained using conventional heating
methods. We are confident that our findings will benefit
the synthetic organic community by providing several
template procedures that specifically address the different
conditions required for substrates of differing reactivity.
Black Scholars: Issues Concerning Adjusting to and
Prospering in the Academic Community
Dorothy Pirtle
Mentor: Alford Young, Jr.
Over the past three decades there has been an increase in
the number of African American academics, yet little has
been revealed about the ways in which they navigate
through academia. Past research has presented the experiences of African American scholars through the lenses of
survey-based research and personal narrative. The goal of
this project is to further illuminate what African American
scholars consider to be the purpose and value of their
Premorbid Social Interaction Correlation with
Increased Quality of Life of Schizophrenic Individuals
Andrew Pourmoussa
Mentor: Rimal Bera
Preliminary findings have suggested the importance of social and role functioning, for genetically vulnerable individuals, in lessening schizophrenic expression. However,
conclusive evidence is yet to be found. The relevance of
social interaction has been proposed in relation to stress, as
a means to explain its role in the onset of schizophrenia.
Discussions have revealed possible correlations with poor
social functioning and an inability to properly cope with
environmental stressors. Based on these ideas, we formulated the following hypothesis: a high level of premorbid
social interaction will correlate with an increased current
quality of life in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.
To test this hypothesis, a social interaction scale (SIS) and
a quality of life questionnaire (Q-LESSF) were implemented. These were provided to patients who regularly
received care at the UC Irvine Medical Center Department
of Psychiatry. After sufficient data was collected, statistical
analysis was performed. We found significant correlations
between the current quality of life and the adolescent and
adulthood social interaction levels. The findings implied
that these stages are crucial times for intervention. A positive social atmosphere may have the potential to help
lessen or even prevent the expression of schizophrenia in
susceptible individuals.
Optimization of Symmetric Mixed MLPG Method for
Bernoulli-Euler Beams
Donat Racz
Mentor: Satya Atluri
The Meshless Petrov Galerkin Method can be used to
solve differential equations, including higher order ones. In
Atluri and Shen’s Simulation of a 4th Order ODE: Illustration
of Various Primal &Mixed MLPG Methods, it was used to
solve the fourth order differential equation of the Bernoulli-Euler beams. A certain number of nodal displacements are used to form the shape functions. These
expressions are then used by various interpolation methods, such as the Moving Least Squares and Radial Basis
Functions, to find an approximate solution. The Mixed
MLPG method is based on the same principles as the
MLPG method, but derivative functions are independently
interpolated. As the number of nodes are increased, it
takes much longer to find the approximate solution. By
finding the optimal values of the nodal test domain, results
can be obtained more efficiently. A MATLAB code was
used to analyze what happens to this optimal value as the
number of nodes is changed. The results indicate that the
optimal value changes with different numbers of nodes.
Assimilation of Iranian Jewish Immigrants from the
Islamic Revolution
Shahrzad Radbod
After the Islamic Revolution, religious minorities in Iran,
such as the Jews and the Zoroastrians, were persecuted,
and, as a result, fled the country. In the ten years following
the Islamic Revolution, more than 100,000 refugees fled
Iran and entered the United States. This study examines
the assimilation and political participation rates of religious
minorities who entered the United States during the Islamic Revolution and attempts to determine whether their
experiences in Iran have shaped their participation in
American politics.
Investigation of Neuronal Abnormalities Due to
Dosage Alterations of Intersectin (ITSN) as a Result
of Trisomy on Chromosome 21 in Down’s Neurons
Ardeshir Rahman
Mentor: Jorge Busciglio
Down’s syndrome (DS), or trisomy 21, is the most common aneuploidy in humans, with approximately 1 in 800
live births having an occurrence of the disease. DS is a
neurodegenerative disease, caused by an extra copy of
chromosome 21, which leads to cognitive impairment and
abnormal neuropathology. One of the earliest signs of DS
during neuronal development is enlarged endosomes,
which suggest a faulty endocytic mechanism. This study
focuses on the role of intersectin (ITSN), a multi-modular
adaptor protein located on chromosome 21. ITSN has
been shown to play a critical role in regulating the cellular
process of endocytosis through various protein interactions. Specifically, we investigated how ITSN overexpression, due to trisomy 21, effects DS neurons. Through a
Western blot analysis, we have established that there is a
quantitative overexpression of intersectin long (ITSN-L),
the neuronal specific isoform, in DS neurons. Immunocytochemical procedures assessing in vitro overexpression of
ITSN via fluorescent microscopy showed an enriched localization of ITSN at neuronal growth cones. Our results
provide a foundation regarding the nature of ITSN expression, but a more detailed examination into the subject is
required to fully characterize the potential role ITSN may
play in the DS neuropathology.
A Cysteine Rich Neurotrophic Factor (CRNF) in
Aplysia californica: Cloning and Characterization
Mohsin Rajani
Mentor: Thomas Carew
It has been shown that tyrosine kinase-MAPK cascade and
BDNF enhance the induction of long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) and long-term memory (LTM) in both mammals and invertebrates. Furthermore, a recent study using
TrkB-IgG chimeras showed that a secreted TrkB ligand is
required for 5HT-induced MAPK activation, LTF and
LTM in Aplysia. However, the existence of TrkB ligands in
Aplysia warrants further investigation. Neurotrophins bind
to specific Trk receptors and the pan-neurotrphic receptor,
p75NTR. A cysteine rich neurotrphic factor (lyCRNF) that
interacts with the p75NTR has been found in the mollusk
Lymnaea Stagnalis; it binds to p75NTR at nanomolar affinity
and evokes neurite outgrowth. Whether this molluscan
neurotrophic factor is a functionally homolog to mammalian BDNF is not known. Recently, we have identified an
Aplysia homolog of CRNF (apCRNF) , based on BLAST
search in Aplysia EST database and amplified it by PCR.
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ApCRNF shares 24.3% identity and 38.3% similarity with
lyCRNF. It has highly conserved cysteine residues, which
are key characteristics of lyCRNF, and RT-PCR has shown
that it is expressed in Aplysia CNS, the pleural and pedal
ganglia. Based on this evidence, we hypothesize that
apCRNF is a potential neurotrophin in Aplysia. It is our
goal to characterize apCRNF function and identify its endogenous receptors.
Solving the Structure of Alpha-19 Giardin Using XRay Crystallography
Ramyadeepika Rao
Mentor: Hartmut Luecke
The main focus of the project is to purify and crystallize
the protein Alpha-19 Giardin. The organism Giardia lamblia
causes parasitic infections in humans. Many conditions of
giardiasis, such as diarrhea, affect more than 200 million
people worldwide. Alpha-19 is necessary for the survival of
the parasite. It related to human Annexin proteins, which
have been shown to associate with calcium, phospholipids,
and the cytoskeleton. Cytoskeleton organization is important because the parasite must attach in the intestine to
affect its host. Alpha-19 might itself function in cytoskeleton organization. If the protein is inhibited, the cytoskeleton might not form properly, decreasing the virulence of
the pathogen. A three-dimensional structure of Alpha-19
will elucidate the function and activity of this protein. To
isolate the protein, the alpha-19 giardin gene was cloned
into DH5-alpha E.coli cells, and the plasmid containing the
gene was transformed into Rosetta(DE3) E.coli. The cells
were induced with IPTG to allow expression of the protein. Two types of column chromatography, affinity and
ion-exchange, were used to purify the protein of interest.
Crystal screening kits were used once the protein was purified. Vapor-diffusion crystallization is a common approach
in obtaining crystals from the purified protein, and is currently being performed using purified Alpha-19. Once
crystals are obtained, they will be diffracted using x-rays,
and computer software will convert the diffraction pattern
into a 3-D model of the protein. Such a structure will give
us insight into the function of alpha-19, and virtual drug
screens can be used to see if small molecules bind the protein. Certain drugs that bind to the molecule can be tested
using in vitro studies in the hopes of finding a novel antiparasitic drug.
China’s Internal Challenges and the Relationship to
U.S. National Interests
Steven Rao
Extensive research has been conducted on potential military threats to the United States from the People’s Republic of China. Significant research has also been conducted
on internal security challenges arising from China’s rapid
post-Mao economic modernization. However, little has
been done to understand the implications, if any, for U.S.
national interests from non-military internal challenges in
China. This broad-based research was designed to gain
insight into key internal challenges facing the Chinese leadership, whether the issues have been effectively addressed
and, most importantly, how these challenges and the associated institutional responses directly relate to U.S. national
interests. Core issues of corruption, ineffective Chinese
regulatory institutions, unenforced or non-existent regulations, U.S. dependence on Chinese manufacturing, and the
power anxiety and closed nature of China’s authoritarian
leadership have all combined to allow cases of dangerous,
sometimes lethal importations of contaminated food and
consumer products from China to continue. Chinese reforms have not effectively addressed these issues, partly
because regulatory institutions do not have the needed resources and because regulations are being circumvented by
corrupt local officials. In addition, U.S. regulatory agencies
do not have the capacity to effectively monitor this overseas manufacturing. Other issues that have been identified
as threats to U.S. national interests include the impact of
environmental degradation and the spread of infectious
diseases. Despite the threats caused by these internal challenges, this research concluded that positive and increasingly effective efforts have been made by China and the
U.S. to mitigate future challenges.
The Quantum Mechanics of Billions of Fermions
Krishanu Ray
Mentor: Kieron Burke
Analytically solving the Schrödinger equation for complex
many-body systems of particles is impossibly complicated,
because the forces between the particles couple all their
coordinates together. To be able to determine the properties of a quantum system, it becomes necessary to introduce certain simplifying approximations and assumptions.
One such approximation is to consider a system approaching the semiclassical limit and use that result to approximate the Schrödinger equation for large numbers of
particles. In this project we consider a neutral hydrogenic
atom with the number of non-interacting electrons approaching infinity, and calculate the electron density and
kinetic energy as a function of electron number. Current
computational methods are unable to solve for the kinetic
energy of real neutral atoms with up to around 120 occupied orbitals. However, applying the methods from the
semiclassical analysis might allow for easily computing the
properties of much larger systems. Interpreting these results could aid in the study and understanding of large
multi-atom many-electron systems, such as those relevant
to Chemistry, Biochemistry and Materials.
Endocannabinoid-GABA System in the Ventrolateral
Periaqueductal Gray Is Involved in the Attenuation of
Sympathoexcitatory Cardiovascular Reflexes During
Electroacupuncture
Marielle Reataza
Mentors: John Longhurst & Stephanie Tjen-A-Looi
Studies have suggested that release of γ-aminobutyric acid
(GABA) is presynaptically regulated by the endocannabinoid (EC) system. We have previously shown that electroacupuncture-related inhibition of sympathoexcitatory
cardiovascular reflexes is mediated by a long-loop pathway
involving the arcuate nucleus, ventrolateral periaqueductal
gray (vlPAG), and the rostral ventrolateral medulla in the
brain. This study aims to determine the relationship between the EC and GABA systems in the vlPAG during
electroacupuncture (EA), and how they interact to attenuate sympathetic cardiovascular reflexes. Ketamineanesthetized rats were instrumented to monitor arterial
blood pressure. Pressor reflexes were induced by gastric
distension; low current and low frequency 2 Hz EA stimulation was applied for 30 minutes to attenuate the pressor
reflex. Blood pressure was monitored for changes upon
vlPAG microinjection of fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 (0.1 nM) to increase EC levels by blocking EC
breakdown, GABAA receptor blocker gabazine (27 nM),
and CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (2 nM). AM251 administration during EA reversed the EA pressor reflex
attenuation while gabazine administration during EA and
before AM251 accentuated EA attenuation and elimination
of AM251-related reversal of the EA effect. Time and vehicle controls were shown not to alter the normal EArelated modulation of the gastric pressor reflex. These results suggest that GABA plays a critical role in ECmediated EA inhibitory effects.
A Review of Margaret Gilbert’s A Theory of Political
Obligation
Brett Reid
Mentor: Margaret Gilbert
Have you ever asked yourself whether you should or
should not support the acts or positions of the president of
the United States, a recent Supreme Court decision, or legislation enacted by Congress? If so, you have asked yourself a question that philosophers, legal scholars, and
political scientists, to list a few have struggled over for centuries. Namely, do we, as members of a particular society,
have an obligation to uphold the political institutions of
that society? Margaret Gilbert attempts to answer this
question in the affirmative in her most recent book, A Theory of Political Obligation. I review this theory with particular
attention paid to her arguments regarding political obligations as directed obligations and her most novel idea in
regards to what it means to act together, i.e. how we form
joint commitments and therefore create obligations with
others. If Gilbert’s theory of political obligations holds
true, the resulting practical implications regarding how persons should presently be viewing and conducting their
public and personal lives becomes quite high indeed.
Possible Explanations for American Protest
Inefficacy:
The
Supreme
Court,
Issue
Fractionalization, and Competition for Attention
Brett Reid
Mentor: Tony Smith
I began this study with the proposition that the effectiveness of American protests has decreased since the late
1960s, and that this is due in no small part, to the Supreme
Court’s protestation jurisprudence. I discovered, however,
that a majority of protestation jurisprudence has remained
quite steady since the late 1960s and, in a few areas, has
actually become more liberal (in favor of protestors). I
therefore turned to two other possible explanations for
why American protests have become more ineffective:
issue fractionalization and competition for attention. Issue
fractionalization is the idea that most groups no longer
protest fundamental rights (e.g. life or liberty), but instead
choose narrower interests and therefore appeal to smaller
numbers of people. I examined whether or not this may be
occurring through the examination of newspaper headlines
from 1967–2007. Specifically, I looked at the trends of
how many protest headlines contained fundamental rights
verbiage. The other explanation I examined was an increase in the competition for American individuals’ attention as a direct result of the advent of new and better
entertainment sources (e.g. video games, plasma television,
DVDs, etc.). In this new era, protests can no longer effectively compete for the attention of individuals, therefore
having their effectiveness lowered. While my empirical
study didn’t seem to support the issue fractionalization
explanation, there does seem to be some support for an
increase in competition decreasing protest effectiveness.
Framing California’s Proposition 187: A Comparison
of Conceptual and Keyword Coding Analyses of
Newspaper Data
Sheilamae Reyes
Mentor: David Meyer
In 1994, California voters overwhelmingly supported and
passed Proposition 187. Several studies explain that it
passed because of a rhetorical appeal that resonated with
the majority of voters. However, lawsuits against Proposition 187 actually prevented the implementation of a program to deny undocumented residents access to basic
public services, such as welfare and public education.
Clearly, Proposition 187 was a controversial and divisive
issue. In this study I examine the development of the political debate over this landmark illegal immigration policy.
I compare the results of two past studies that used differ-
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ent content coding methods. In a qualitative study, I content coded 104 news stories from major California newspapers for conceptual themes to examine the news
coverage of several opposing frames over Proposition 187.
In the follow-up study, I conducted an automated keyword
analysis of more than 2,000 pertinent news stories, collected from more than 600 newspapers of the ProQuest
database, to track the newspaper coverage of salient issues
associated with Proposition 187 frames. These two methods of analysis generated different results. I compare the
distinct results to show the complex development of the
political debate over Proposition 187 and I consider what
each method offers for frame analysis studies that rely on
newspaper data.
A Self-Assembly Mediator for Divalent Gold
Nanoparticles
Eric Richard
Mentor: Zhibin Guan
As part of an effort to produce dynamic self-assembled
chains of gold nanoparticles, two potential self-assembly
mediator molecules were synthesized. They consist of the
self-complimentary hydrogen bonding 4-uridio-2pyrimidone (UPy) motif attached to a metal binding thiol
group by two different lengths of alkyl chains. Divalent
gold nanoparticles obtained through a collaborative effort
with the Stellacci group at MIT were treated with solutions
of the mediators in order to attach two molecules of mediator at diametrically opposed poles of spherical nanoparticles functionalized with a 2:1 ratio 1-nonanethiol and 4methylbenzenethiol. Solutions of functionalized nanoparticles were drop coated onto carbon film grids for analysis
via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
Latina Students’ Graduate School Decisions: A
Psychosociocultural Analysis
Melissa Rico
The Latina/o population is the youngest and fastest growing U.S. ethnic minority group. While this population is
growing rapidly, the group is not equally represented in
college, and less at the graduate school level. Further impacting this phenomenon, research suggests that Latinas
outperform their male counterparts and outnumber them
across multiple disciplines at the graduate level. Although
few studies have investigated Latina/o graduate school
aspirations, no research has specifically examined Latinas’
graduate school decisions. Given the new growing educational statistics of Latinas pursuing graduate education, it is
important to examine Latinas’ attitudes, values and decisions related to graduate education. Using an integrated
theoretical approach (i.e., psychosociocultural framework),
this study implemented a qualitative design using a snow-
ball effect to interview recent undergraduate Latinas who
applied to graduate school. Data collection and analysis is
undergoing; however, preliminary results underscore the
factors that contribute to Latinas’ decision making and the
factors that influence their attending a specific program.
Findings will assist graduate school recruiters, educational
departments, faculty, and mentors in understanding what
Latinas experience as they apply, interview, and make their
decision to attend a graduate program. In addition, specific
elements of what helps Latinas determine their schools will
be highlighted, and factors that discourage Latinas from
attending a school will be identified.
Eyeblink Startle Reactivity During Presentation of
Happy and Fearful Facial Expressions
Alexander Ring
Mentor: Mark Geyer
The acoustic startle reflex is an informational processing
measure that is thought to be influenced by emotional and
neurological factors. It is elicited as a craniofacial contraction in response to high decibel auditory stimuli, and is
measured via electromyographic (EMG) recording under
the eye. This study analyzes modulation of this reflex during picture presentation of negative (fearful) and positive
(happy) valence facial expressions. Previous studies have
shown potentiation of startle magnitude in negative valence conditions, such as unpleasant images or angry faces,
and inhibition during positive valence conditions, such as
pleasant images or happy faces. Subjects were presented
with facial pictures while listening to the startle paradigm,
with startle probes occurring briefly after the onset of picture stimuli. We predicted a greater startle response during
presentation of fear facial pictures, with characteristic inhibition of happy facial picture stimuli. These results may
suggest that response to fear, like the response seen to anger, is indicative of greater startle potentiation in negative
psychophysiological arousal stimuli compared to positive
arousal stimuli. The results may also indicate that observing fear primes the startle circuitry for greater potentiation
during presentation, which may be related to limbic system
neurocircuitry and function.
Integrons and Antibiotic Resistance in Environmental
Bacterial Isolates
Sara Ritchie
Mentors: Luis Mota-Bravo & Toai Nguyen
It has been demonstrated that antibiotic resistant genes can
be transferred through plasmids, transposons, and integrons. Classified by the integrase genes they carry, integrons are genetic units that include a site specific
recombination system capable of capturing and mobilizing
genes, as part of a gene cassette, in a variable region,
flanked by two conserved segments, 5’CS and 3’CS. In this
study 59 bacterial isolates, collected from water and soil,
that display resistance to multiple antibiotics according to
the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test were
screened for any association of antibiotic resistant determinants with integrons. Primers specific for the conserved
segments 5’CS and 3’CS were used in polymerase chain
reactions (PCR) with genomic DNA as a template. Results
show six isolates with approximately 1 kb fragments, and
seven isolates show fragments of approximately 0.3 kb.
The sequences of two of the 0.3 kb suggest that it may be a
fragment from Proteus mirabilis containing the 5’ end of the
peptide deformylase gene, which has been associated with
resistance to a novel class of antibiotics.
generated through the insertion of a gene, m2A10, that
may prevent transmission of the protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. We developed a protocol for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to localize the sites of
transgene integration in the mosquito chromosomes. FISH
is a cytogenetic technique, using fluorescent probes, to
detect and localize specific DNA sequences. We were able
to detect red fluorescing probes marking the sites of the
target and endogenous positive control genes. Using this
technique, we hope to better understand the nature of gene
insertions through localization of target gene insertion sites
in the genome of transgenic Anopheles stephensi.
Border Enforcement and Undocumented Immigration in the 21st Century
Carla Rodriguez-Gonzalez
Mentors: Ricardo Chavira & Caesar Sereseres
The United States has responded to the persistent influx of
undocumented immigration from Mexico by increasing
border enforcement. It is paradoxical that at a time when
border security spending is at its peak, hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants arrive from Mexico
every year. By acknowledging the history of Mexican immigration to the United States and the vicissitudes of the
porous US-Mexico border, this study examines the border
crossing processes of Mexican immigrants. Literature suggests that efforts to deter undocumented immigration by
employing stricter border enforcement strategies have been
ineffective, because immigrants find ways to circumvent
the barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Preliminary results from 20 interviews that supplement findings from
leading experts suggest two conclusions and lay the
groundwork for further research. The first inference is that
Mexicans decide to immigrate surreptitiously to the United
States after weighing the cost and benefits associated with
such a perilous pursuit. The second implication is that undocumented Mexican immigrants are able to bypass border
enforcement by relying on an immigrant-coyote social
network whereby an immigrant in the United States recommends a coyote—a person that helps immigrants enter
the United States clandestinely—to a person in Mexico.
This study sheds light on the challenges and complexities
of border enforcement and undocumented immigration in
order to provide recommendations for future policies that
do not lead to more deaths at border that do not hinder
U.S.-Mexico relations.
Constraints on Deviations from Lorentz Invariance
Using the Cosmic Microwave Background
Nick Rumbaugh
Constraints can be placed on Lorentz violations using the
WMAP data on the Cosmic Microwave Background
(CMB). We use the Standard Model Extension (SME) as
developed by Kostelecky and Colladay, involving the addition of a small perturbation term to the photonic Lagrangian. This leads to a modification of the energymomentum relation: light travels in two different modes
whose energy-momentum ratios differ from one by two
distinct factors that depend on the parameters of Lorentz
violations. This creates birefringence in the vacuum and a
consequent mixing of polarization modes as photons
propagate. Such a phenomenon has not been observed on
terrestrial or solar scales, so it must necessarily be small. It
could become observable after lengthy propagation times.
CMB photons are therefore ideal for testing Lorentz invariance, because of the 13.7 billion year timescale. Ordinarily, the CMB EB power spectrum should be zero, but
the polarization mixing creates an EB power spectrum.
Using numerical calculations on model Lorentz-violating
universes, a relation between the power spectrum and the
Lorentz violation parameters is attainable. Using this and
the 3-year WMAP data, limits can then be placed on Lorentz violations. However, the best information on Lorentz
violations is in the creation of CMB circular polarization.
Data on circular polarization is unavailable, since none has
ever been taken, but if future probes were equipped to take
this data, it could provide the best constraints of Lorentz
invariance.
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Detection of the
m2A10 Transgene Location in the Mosquito Vector,
Anopheles stephensi
Amanda Ruiz
Mentor: Anthony A. James
Malaria is the leading cause of death and disease in many
developing countries. A transgenic mosquito has been
Potential for Bioremediation of Costa Rican Soil
Ashley Russell
Mentor: F. Lynn Carpenter
In Costa Rica, soils are naturally acidic. However, changes
in land use, such as deforestation, exacerbate this condition. Soil acidity alters the solubility of aluminum (Al), rendering it toxic to plants. Recently, research in the area of
bioremediation has shown promising results for long-term
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restoration of land. Bioremediation is the treatment of polluted or toxic areas by using natural processes of biological
organisms. Previous studies have demonstrated that metal
hyperaccumulating plants can absorb enough metal to alleviate soil toxicity. My experiment was designed to test the
bioremediation potential of two Al hyper-accumulating
plants to reduce soil Al toxicity. The experimental design
consisted of homogenized Costa Rican soil in nursery bags
subjected to five treatments. Two species of Al hyperaccumulators, Vochysia guatemalensis (a tree) and Hydrangea (a
shrub) and two species of non-Al accumulators, Terminalia
amazonia (a tree) and Hibiscus (a shrub) were planted. Pots
of soil with no plants served as the control. The experiment was left to grow for four months to allow time for
the treatments to take effect. Soils in pots planted with
trees tended to differ (non-significantly) in acidity and Al
as predicted. Also, soils in the shrub treatments significantly differed in acidity and Al, but not compared to the
control. These results do not disprove that Al hyperaccumulators can bioremediate Al toxicity in tropical soils. In
future studies, more time should be allowed for the treatments to take effect.
Weaving through Film and Literature: Lahiri’s &
Nair’s The Namesake with Gogol’s “The Overcoat”
Sobia Saleem
Mentor: Beheroze Shroff
Pulitzer-prize winning Indian-American writer Jhumpa
Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake is a multi-layered text that
explores the diasporic experiences of first and second generation Indian-Americans—the post-1965 immigrants who
came to the U.S. as highly-educated professionals. The
novel explores themes of "home" and "belonging," the
formation of hybrid/syncretic identities, and the essence of
names in shaping identity. Critical theorists like Said, Hall
and Bhabha have analyzed the experience of diaspora as
necessarily involving continuities and discontinuities with
"home" and the hybridized culture that evolves from the
reinvention of home in the country of adoption. Lahiri
adds new dimensions to the diasporic experience by focusing on the young protagonist’s struggle with his name,
given to him by his father, an admirer of Russian writer
Nikolai Gogol’s work. The struggle with the name metaphorically becomes the struggle with the culture of the
father and with the imposition of the father’s past onto the
son’s present. Oscar-nominated director Mira Nair's adaptation of Lahiri’s novel into a film highlights the firstgeneration’s struggles to adapt, in contrast to Lahiri’s emphasis on the second-generation. To visually translate the
diasporic experience of the two generations, Nair inventively employs the motif of "journey" through trains,
planes and shoes. Nair’s cinematic text also seems to resonate with Jacques Lacan’s concept of the Name-of-the-Father,
the Symbolic, Imaginary and Real father, in relation to
Gogol and his father Ashoke. Both works draw on Russian
author Nikolai Gogol’s “The Overcoat” as a text that enables the novel's protagonist Gogol to connect with his
father.
Epileptic Seizures Regulate the Expression of AQP4
in the Brain
Kaivan Salehpour
The astrocytic membrane protein, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), is
an important protein that helps regulate water transport in
the brain and maintain ion homeostasis. The expression of
the AQP4 protein is not highly understood, particularly in
an epileptic brain. This study used the pilocarpine seizure
model to study immunohistochemical changes in AQP4
and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) during epileptogenesis. These results provide evidence that there is an
overall upregulation in AQP4 and GFAP in the several of
the hippocampal layers in the brain, and suggest that
AQP4 may serve to regulate the development of epilepsy.
Studies of the Duff Formylation on Phenolic
Substrates
Rina Salurialam
Formylation of aromatic substrates represents a common
transformation in the synthesis of complex organic structures and natural products. The Duff reaction is a general
method of ortho-formylating phenols. Although the Duff
formylation is widely used, the original Duff conditions
and their variations often report low and variable yields in
the literature. To prepare a general procedure for formylating phenolic compounds that is reproducible and high
yielding, we sought to optimize the Duff product yield using modified conditions that involve the addition of water.
Several phenolic substrates were screened by varying
equivalents of hexamethylentetramine (HMTA) and water,
reaction time, reaction temperature, and order of addition.
Additionally, each substrate was tested using microwave
radiation in order to optimize efficiency. Based on these
experiments, we observed that the addition of an equimolar amount of water at 100 °C afforded yields 20–30%
higher than the Duff conditions without water. These results demonstrate how the addition of water effectively
increases the yield, and thus represents a significant improvement to the Duff formylation.
Regional Cooperation in the South Caucasus
Sevana Sammis
Mentor: Yuliya Tverdova
In the context of a post-Cold War world order, the idea of
regional cooperation and regionalism has attracted interest
among scholars. Regional blocs, namely the European Union and NAFTA, have particularly drawn attention to this
phenomenon. However, regional cooperation among developing countries, such as the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), is equally important in
the global community. Apart from the global economic
system, regional cooperation can serve as a tool to analyze
how regional organization is aiding in economic development and security control in the South Caucasian nations
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The goal of this thesis
was to examine the regional actors in the South Caucasus
region and determine their effects on regional cooperation
in the area. I discovered that the CIS as an organization is
not comparable to the European Union, and that the nations in this geographic region of the former Soviet Union
are not willing to form a strong regional bloc. This research shows that although these countries share a geographic space, regional politics are such that cooperation
with one another is secondary to cooperation with other
actors, including nation-states and other international organizations.
migrant groups have sought out different forms of grassroots organization in defense of their autonomy. This research has examined several forms of organization based
on common cultural identities, ethnicities, and/or sociopolitical values, focusing on several case studies—groups
based in Los Angeles and Santa Ana, with connections to
communities in south-eastern Mexico. This research will
construct an understanding of how the work of these
groups strengthens participants’ collective identities, assists
in the sharing of resources (economic, work, cultural, experience), and builds networks at many levels (local, regional, transnational), all of which are effective means of
empowering their communities in defense of their autonomy.
Long Term Potentiation Induces the Phosphorylation
of Focal Adhesion Kinase
Yas Sanaiha
Long Term Potentiation (LTP) is a proposed cellular
mechanism of learning and memory. Integrins, heterodimer receptor proteins, play important roles in many
processes and are required for the induction of LTP. Recent studies have shown that blocking integrin function
also blocks LTP, suggesting the integrin proteins play a
critical role in the process. We are interested in whether
LTP induction activates integrin signaling. Focal Adhesion
Kinase (FAK), which binds to the intracellular domain of
integrins, is phosphorylated (p) when integrins are activated and serves as an indicator of integrin activation. We
hypothesize that LTP induction will increase the number
of pFAK immuno-reactive (-ir) post-synaptic elements in
the potentiated region. LTP-inducing afferent stimulation
was applied to young adult rat hippocampal slices, which
were then processed for immuno-fluorescent labeling,
visualized with wide field microscopy, and quantified with
an automated counting system. Results show that LTP
induction rapidly increases the number of pFAK-ir postsynaptic elements, thereby indicating that integrins are activated during this process.
Developments in the Characterization and Practical
Applications of Lanthanum Phosphate
Michael Schatzmann
Mentors: Martha Mecartney & Peter Morgan
Monoclinic lanthanum phosphate (monazite) has been
proposed for potential uses including disposal of nonradioactive hazardous (e.g., heavy-metal) wastes; as hightemperature structural ceramics and ceramic oxide-oxide
composites for use in corrosive and demanding environments, such as those associated with fossil-fuel processing
technologies and engines; in petroleum-exploration systems; and in nuclear-power systems. Recent research endeavors in this project were to study the solubility of
dopant materials (such as alkaline earth metals and radioactive heavy metals) to provide further understanding of the
ways that monazite can be applied to hydrogen fuel cells
and nuclear waste containment. From this research, a new
direct synthesis route of monazite was discovered that has
furthered the understanding of dopant solubility within the
crystal structure of the material, and has complimented
research surrounding the ionic charge balances necessary
to introduce dopants into monazite from reactants. The
economic simplicity of this synthesis route is being explored through continued research involving dopant solubility in practical technologies. The crystallographic and
atomic characteristics of the direct synthesis product will
be shown, along with a discussion of how recent developments using this reaction pathway might improve the efficiency and practicality of monazite being used in energy
technologies.
Cultural
Organization
and
Community
Empowerment
Luis Sarmiento
Mentors: Victoria Beard & Samuel Gilmore
Between Mexico and the United States, neoliberal policies
are resulting in increased poverty and migration. Mexican
communities face very real attacks on their economic and
cultural self-determination. In this context, immigrant and
An Exemplary Life Posthumously on Show: Frederick
Courteney Selous, Imperial Masculinity, and the
Nascent Conservation Movement
Jeffrey Schauer
Mentor: Laura Mitchell
The death and subsequent commemoration of Frederick
Courteney Selous, an explorer, hunter, conservationist and
imperialist in the British Empire, weaves together several
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important strands of history that together shed light on the
character of the conservation movement in the early twentieth century. Exemplarity, conduct, and the Great War all
in concert created two constructed moments that highlight
the roles of race, class and gender in shaping notions of
masculinity, which in turn becomes a tool for understanding the inherent contradictions in an early wildlife preservation society. Both Selous’ person and memory become
politicised spaces, used to reconcile a movement to the
values of a time and a class. By examining images of the
dedication of his memorial and investigating accounts of
Selous’ death, a variety of commemorative literature, and
exchanges of letters between some of the key players in
this drama, I was able to generate a new interpretation of a
war-time death in East Africa and the hagiographic ceremony in London that followed. This interpretation suggests that early proponents of wildlife preservation were
acutely aware of the contradictions that their movement
embodied, and sought to wield one “exemplary life” in
particular to fashion a narrative that unobtrusively linked
conservation to other attributes of imperialism (which they
saw as inherently admirable). The effect of the choreographed ceremony was actually to reaffirm, in spectacular
visual form, the difficulties faced in reconciling conservation with the commemoration of men like Selous.
The Labeling and Emotions of Organizational
Mistakes
Timothy Schowe
Mentor: Calvin Morrill
Organizational deviance, Vaughan (1999) argues, consists
of three primary dimensions: mistake, misconduct, and
disaster. For the purpose of this research I focus on the
concept of mistake. Vaughan defines mistakes as, “acts of
omission and commission by individuals or groups of individuals, acting in their organizational roles that produce
unexpected adverse outcomes with contained social cost.”
Sociologists rarely conduct empirical studies on behaviors
that come to be regarded as mistakes. This study explores
the meaning of mistakes and their effects within organizations. The data collection for this research consisted of
ethnographic interviews with both management and nonmanagement employees of organizations. The data collection shows two ways that we can describe this behavior:
hierarchical structure and the different forms of scapegoating that exist within individualistic and collectivist cultures.
Consistently, management officials try to buffer the responsibility for mistakes that are committed during everyday activities. Another thing that happens when dealing
with mistakes is that there needs to be someone to place
the blame on. If there is no punishment that comes with
the blame then the scapegoating is merely symbolic. If
there is a punishment involved than the behavior is termed
purposeful. Finally, if the organization tries to address the
mistake as a whole, there is no scapegoating. These types
can serve as a starting point in describing organizational
mistakes.
A Novel BMP Activity Readout Mouse
Rachel Schreyer
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are secreted proteins that are essential in many developmental processes
throughout the embryo. Studies on the effects of BMP
signaling suggest that BMP signaling is important in processes such as patterning, proliferation, and differentiation.
Although BMPs are strongly expressed in the dorsal midline of the forebrain, their role there is poorly understood.
There is an ongoing controversy regarding whether the
effects of BMPs are confined to the dorsal midline or can
spread to the surrounding cortex. To further understand
the role BMP has on the developing mouse forebrain, it is
necessary to determine when and where BMP signaling is
active. To map out a spatial and temporal profile of BMP
activity, we created a novel line of BRE (BMP responsive
element)-nLacZ mice that would report BMP signaling
activity by transcribing LacZ. X-gal staining of the tissue
would then allow for quick visualization of the reported
BMP activity. By sectioning and staining the brains of the
embryos at different ages, we can profile both when and
where BMP signaling is active in the developing forebrain.
BDNF/TRKB Signaling Pathway Altered by Six
Weeks of Exercise in the Aged APOE4 Alzheimer’s
Mouse Model
Joseph Seif
Mentors: Carl Cotman & Kathryn Nichol
ApoE4 is a risk factor gene for Alzheimer’s disease. This
study explores potential cellular mechanisms by which exercise improves the cognitive performance in the ApoE4
targeted replacement mouse model, using the ApoE3 targeted replacement as a control. After six weeks of ad libitum
running, sedentary and run animals (eight E3 sedentary,
eight E3 run, seven E4 sedentary, and eight E4 run) were
cognitively tested on single (place recognition) and multiple-day (radial arm water maze), hippocampus-dependent
memory tasks. The animals were sacrificed and testing and
quantification of four hippocampal proteins—BDNF,
TrkB, PAK, and synaptophysin—took place using ELISA
and Western blots. Run mice from both genotypes improved equally on the place recognition task (single day),
while only the exercised ApoE4 mice improved on the
radial arm water maze task (multiple-day). BDNF increased
similarly in both genotypes with running (p<0.05); however, a significant interaction of genotype and condition
existed for TrkB, PAK, and synaptophysin (p<0.05;
p<0.01; p<0.01, respectively). Post-hoc tests revealed that
increases in the levels of the aforementioned proteins were
largely restricted to the ApoE4 genotype. The increased
levels of synaptophysin indicate increased synaptogenesis,
which may explain the differential improvement in ApoE4
running mice on cognitive tasks involving multiple days.
This may provide hope for controlling the cognitive deficits of ApoE4 Alzheimer’s carriers, by means of increased
synaptogenesis through exercise intervention.
Seizure Disorder in Adults with Down Syndrome and
Alzheimer Type Dementia: Effects on Rate of
Progression of Dementia
Mary Seif
Mentor: Ira Lott
The purpose of this paper is to determine if there is an
association between the rate of progression of dementia in
adults with Down Syndrome (DS) and co-existing epilepsy.
Using the Brief Praxis Test (BPT) and the Dementia Questionnaire for Mentally Retarded persons (DMR), we looked
to compare the rate of progression of the dementia between subjects with and without seizures. Our clinical experience suggests that with co-existing epilepsy, subjects
with DS will exhibit an increased rate of progression of
dementia compared to those subjects without seizures who
were tested over the same two-year period. We suggest
that these preliminary findings will prompt further investigation into the effects of epilepsy on the course AD.
Oral Histories of Coptic Orthodox Christians Persecuted in the Late 20th and Early 21st Centuries
Sarah Seif
Mentor: Thomas Douglas
“It was one of the most horrific instances of religious persecution the modern world has ever seen.…It was a grisly
example of a grave problem in the Middle East: the persecution of Christians by Arab governments—including
governments like Egypt that America supports financially,”
states Charles W. Colson, prestigious winner of the
Templeton award for religious advocacy for those persecuted. Coptic persecution is a serious problem that is seldom discussed. The downplayed tragic stories of
persecution that the Copts face begs the fact that this
needs to be brought to the attention of the international
community, especially economically assisting governments
such as the U.S. Analyzing various key topics such as
demographics, socio-economics, power struggles between
the major religious institutions in Egypt, and the various
educational levels in Egypt will aid in our understanding of
why Coptic persecution is occurring. Through this analysis,
this paper seeks to shed light on the history of the Coptic
Orthodox Church and the persecution its adherents have
experienced in the past and are still struggling with today,
despite what the Egyptian Government and its “people”
officially claim.
Mitochondrial Functional Alterations in Down’s
Syndrome Lymphoblastoid Cells
Jacqueline Seiglie
Mentor: Jorge Busciglio
The neuropathology of Down’s Syndrome (DS), which is
caused by an extra chromosome 21 (trisomy 21), is complex and includes reduced neuronal number, decreased
brain weight, and a high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease
(AD) in DS adults. Several lines of evidence indicate that
mitochondrial dysfunction may play a role in a number of
different clinical manifestations associated with DS, such
as diabetes, hypotonia and recurrent infections. Earlier
work in DS cortical neurons shows intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased lipid
peroxidation leading to neuronal apoptosis. To further
understand the relationship between oxidative stress and
mitochondrial dysfunction in DS cells, we analyzed mitochondrial function in lymphoblastoid cells derived from
normal and DS subjects. The objectives of this study were
to assess whether energy deficits are also present in DS
lymphoblastoids, and to determine whether this deficit
could be reverted using creatine, an energy buffer and a
mitochondrial cofactor that is critical in the phosphorylation of ADP to make ATP. We analyzed three parameters
directly related to mitochondrial function: ATP levels, oxidoreductase activity, and proliferative capacity. Our results
show significant decreases in ATP levels in DS lymphoblastoids, and that creatine treatment significantly increases ATP production and oxidoreductase activity. These
results suggest that DS lymphoblastoids can respond to an
energy boost by improving their metabolic capacity. Characterization of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in DS
may lead to a better understanding of the molecular
mechanisms relevant to mental retardation and AD in DS,
and to the development of therapeutic strategies to improve metabolic function in DS cells.
Expression of Aquaporin-4 in the Adult Mouse Brain
Marcus Seldin
Water transport plays many key roles in brain function and
ion homeostasis. Although much has been presupposed as
to the mechanisms and functionality of the glial water
channel, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), its expression throughout
the brain has remained unknown. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to produce a complete morphological map of AQP4 throughout the adult mouse brain.
Many different areas of localization were found, including
various hippocampal layers, cerebellum, substantia nigra,
periaquaductal gray and ventromedial hypothalamus. This
map of expression could lead to much more insight as to
the function of AQP4 and its role in various neurological
diseases.
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Armenian Immigrants and their Use of Social
Networks
Yvette Shahinian
Mentor: Susan Brown
Social capital theory assumes that individuals benefit from
association with certain networks and social structures.
This theory can be applied to immigrants in their quest for
resources in a new country. Not much research has been
done on the resources Armenian immigrants have when
they arrive in America. The purpose of my study is to examine the types and extent to which Armenian immigrants
use certain social networks. More specifically, seeing if the
varying types of immigrants (ie. refugee or self selected
immigrant) rely differently on their use of formal or informal social support. Understanding the resources that Armenian immigrants use for their integration process reveals
certain characteristics of the Armenian population in
America. To collect my data, I used a snowball method to
find interviewees who were of Armenian descent. After
interviewing more than twenty Armenians from different
backgrounds, I realized that Armenians tend to rely on
resources from both the government and from personal
contacts to help with their integration process. Even
though Armenians found government aid beneficial, they
relied heavily on support from their close family and
friends. A noteworthy aspect of refugee/asylee immigrants
is that they were the only group of immigrants who used
organizational assistance throughout the immigration
process. Others either did not know of any organizations
they could benefit from, or did not need the extra help.
Regardless of their mode of immigration, Armenians have
a strong support system when coming to America, which
helps them adjust and advance into our society fairly
quickly. This type of integration is unique, because it suggests that Armenians have strong social connections that
benefit them from the beginning of their immigration
process. Their connection to a community with high social
capital becomes advantageous to these immigrants.
Adenosine Blocks the Phosphorylation of an Actin
Filament Binding Protein: Implications for Synaptic
Plasticity
Anupam Sharma
Long term potentiation (LTP), an increase in the strength
of synaptic connections, is considered to be the substrate
of learning and memory in the brain. LTP shows timedependent vulnerability to disruption that is mediated by
the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines. LTP is dependent on actin polymerization, which is mediated by membrane bound proteins that down regulate cofilin to allow
actin polymerization, thus allowing LTP to occur. Gaining
a better understanding of the pathway that mediates LTP is
critical in understanding the mechanism that leads to
memory. We hypothesize that adenosine reverses LTP in
hippocampal slices by reducing the levels of phosphorylated (p) cofilin leading to actin depolymerization. To test
this we applied adenosine to hippocampal slices, followed
by assessment of pCofilin levels using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Our results show a decrease
in pCofilin, which indicates that adenosine may reverse
LTP by negatively regulating pCofilin, resulting in an increase in actin filament serving in dendritic spines and a
loss of cytoskeletal elements required for the potentiation
effect. Our findings show a possible mechanism that explains the pathway activated by adenosine in reversing
LTP.
Complement Proteins Overcome Myelin Inhibition of
Neurite Outgrowth
Amir Shbeeb
Mentor: Aileen Anderson
Trauma to the central nervous system (CNS) leads to the
release of myelin-associated inhibitors (MAIs) that limit
neuron growth and regeneration. These MAIs have been
suggested to bind the Nogo-Receptor (NgR), signaling the
activation of RhoA Kinase that ultimately leads to inhibition of neuron growth. Proteins from the complement
system are responsible for clearing foreign pathogens and
clearing cellular debris by mediating inflammation, opsonization, and direct cell lysis. Previous studies have suggested
that some of these proteins bind myelin in vitro and in vivo.
This study investigates how the interaction of complement
proteins (C1q, FB, or C3) with myelin affects MAIs inhibition of neurite outgrowth. Myelin was isolated from adult
rat (Sprague Dawley) cerebellum and plated on PLL coated
8-chamber slides. C1q, FB, or C3 were incubated on myelin substrate and all unbound protein was removed. Cortical cells isolated from P0-P4 rat pups by cortical
preparation and Optiprep gradient were incubated on neural basal media (control), myelin only, or complement
bound myelin substrate for two days in vitro (DIV). Immunolabeling of neurons with β−Tubulin III and nuclear
staining with Hoechst were used to determine cell survival,
number of neurons exhibiting growth, neurite branching,
and neurite length. Our results suggest that C1q or FB,
when bound to myelin substrate, rescues neuronal growth
from myelin inhibition in vitro, while C3 appeared to inhibit
neuronal growth. These data, taken together, suggest that
complement proteins may affect neuronal growth and regeneration after CNS trauma by binding myelin and its
associated inhibitors.
Fair Trade Coffee: A Cup of Joe with a Taste of
Justice
Yvette Shirinian
Mentor: Alison Brysk
Fair Trade is an emerging international trade model designed to alleviate the current imbalances of global trade
and return the benefits of trade to poor producers. Fair
Trade proposes to consumers that setting producer prices
at a level where the producer can reach a living wage and
improve his/ her community is the only fair way to operate. Coffee is the most widely available Fair Trade commodity and is propelling the Fair Trade movement in the
Global North. The Fair Trade movement has grown immensely in the U.S., which has led to an influx of corporations joining the Fair Trade market. The goal of this study
was to examine the global Fair Trade coffee movement.
Considering both sides of the equation, I began my research at the cooperative level where the coffee beans are
produced, and then focused on the consumers and retailers
of Fair Trade coffee in the Global North. I analyze the
different coffee distributors, from corporations to alternative trading organizations and NGOs, and measure their
effect and influence on the Fair Trade movement. Although corporations have increased Fair Trade sales, they
have also used their power to weaken Fair Trade standards,
which in turn has reduced benefits to the producers. Only
through structural reform will the Fair Trade movement
stand a chance against corporate co-optation.
Home Alone: Why Do Adolescents Smoke Most while
Alone in the Home Environment?
Kulwinder Singh
Contrary to common beliefs regarding early adolescent
smoking, recent evidence indicates that more cigarettes are
consumed in the home than in any other physical context.
Moreover, this at-home smoking frequently occurs while
adolescents report being alone. The aims of this study were
to further our understanding of this phenomenon by addressing the following questions: why adolescents smoked
at home more than any other physical context, how past
and current parental smoking affected adolescent smoking,
how parental beliefs about their children’s smoking differed from actual smoking behavior, and whether smoking
behavior was guided by peer smoking or mood interaction.
To address these questions, secondary analyses were conducted on data collected as part of a four-year longitudinal
study examining adolescent smoking behaviors. Results of
these secondary analyses found that mood significantly
differed as a function of physical contexts and social interaction. Adolescent smokers reported less anger, sadness,
anxiety, and stress when with their family than when with
friends or boy/girlfriends. Additionally, parents were
found to have less of an interaction on the development
and progression of home-alone smoking. These results are
important because we can better identify contributors to
smoking initiation and the development of tobacco dependence in adolescents, with the goal of reducing teen
smoking.
Genetic Correlations of Multiple Measures of Sex Allocation for Schiedea salicaria (Caryophyllaceae)
Amanda Siu
Hermaphroditism is the most common plant breeding system, but in many cases, plant species have evolved separate
sexes (dioecy), involving changes in sex allocation. Sex allocation theory predicts that trade-offs should occur between male and female allocation. Sex allocation should
ideally be measured using a common currency, but other
morphological measures have been used more frequently.
Schiedea salicaria is a gynodioecious species (hermaphrodites
and females within a population) that is under selection for
sexual dimorphism. The goal of this investigation is to determine whether there are trade-offs in allocation patterns
as measured by negative genetic correlations between female and male morphological traits. Negative genetic correlations may promote the evolution of dioecy. In S.
salicaria, no negative genetic correlations between female
and male traits in hermaphrodites were observed. However, there were some positive genetic correlations of male
traits within hermaphrodites (i.e. pollen number and anther
length). The correlation suggests that the evolution of dioecy is not promoted, but not impeded in S. salicaria.
Building the Farm Team: The Role of Local Women’s
PACs
Lauren Smith
Mentor: Catherine Bolzendahl
Over the past three decades, more and more women have
won election to public office and obtained high-level positions in government. Yet in the United States, as in all
other nations, the level of women’s formal political representation is far from reaching parity. To combat low numbers of female candidates, a number of organizations have
grown to support women’s bids for public office. This
study examines in-depth interview data from active members of five local level women’s PACs, which either give
money predominately to women candidates or have a predominantly female donor base. While each PAC cites a
lack of women candidates for public office as impetus for
organizing, a comparative analysis of the organizations’
goals and activities reveals that the groups hold distinct
public policy objectives, which they hope to achieve by
means of supporting similarly aligned candidates. Although
local women’s PACs contribute much smaller amounts of
financial support to candidates compared to larger, national level women’s PACs, evidence suggests that they
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play an integral role in engaging women in grassroots politics, ultimately impacting the number of women who decide to run for public office. Serving as a training ground
for higher-level public offices, local women’s PACs are
transforming women’s political participation and helping
to build the farm team for the next generation of female
leaders.
UCI/UCSB Dance Exchange
Randall Smith
Mentor: Donald McKayle
The goal of the Dance Exchange is to foster and promote
creative, artistic and academic dialogue between emerging
and imminent university dancers. In its fifth year, the
Dance Exchange will reunite the UCI Etude Ensemble
with the UCSB Dance Company for another exciting collaboration in dance. The two-day format (Spring 2008) of
the Dance Exchange allows each company to experience
the educational and artistic environment of the other. The
Etude Ensemble will host the UCSB dancers during their
day-long visit to our campus. Both companies will share a
deepening of their craft, both artistically and academically;
highlights of the program include technique classes, an
evening performance showcasing both companies' unique
repertories and an open question and answer session for
the audience with directors and dancers from both companies. The performance will feature Donald McKayle's I’ve
Known Rivers, Ash (2002), and his newest work, Syncopated
Gambol (2008), as well as new works by undergraduate choreographers within the Ensemble. The Etude Ensemble
will have an opportunity to experience company life by
traveling to UCSB to complete the second leg of the exchange. The Dance Exchange will provide students and
educators a larger perspective on the validity of dance as a
worthwhile academic pursuit in a university setting.
A Former Foster Youth’s Journey and Acceptance into
a University: A Qualitative Research Design
Kimberly Snodgrass
Mentors: Jeanett Castellanos & Thurston Domina
Educational statistics suggest that foster youth complete
high school at a 30–40% rate. These statistics suggest that
significant educational barriers are faced by foster youth.
Given the limited educational progress of foster youth,
government officials have submitted numerous proposals
for improving the current educational outcomes. Decision
makers need information about educational achievement
experiences and aspirations of youth in the foster care system. Little is known about former foster youths’ educational paths, their life challenges in the process, and their
persistence patterns that lead to acceptance into a university. Implementing a qualitative design and using the psychosociocultural framework, the researcher conducted a
case study shadowing a former foster youth at the Univer-
sity of California, Irvine. Exploratory in nature and aiming
to contextualize educational experiences for foster children, this study examined the participant’s experiences
with the foster care system, factors that contributed to her
preparation for and application to college, and her current
college adjustment. Compiled data comprised observations, interviews, daily contact, and weekly debriefings.
Preliminary findings suggest that with proper mentoring,
support, and resilience, former foster youth have a higher
rate of pursuing a college education. Results will provide
insight for decision makers, policy makers, school and university administrators, and teachers and faculty on factors
that assist foster youth in their educational journeys, transitions, and the key elements for college academic success.
Violence as an Impediment to the Provision of Health
Services in Slums Of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Diego Solares
Residents of Port-au-Prince’s slums carry a disproportionate burden of ill-health. Since the establishment of these
informal communities, Haiti’s public sector has systematically and immodestly neglected their residents. This study
examines the origins of this neglect, but focuses on drawing an understanding of the interactions between these
health challenges and interpersonal violence, with particular attention to two slums: Cité Soleil and Martissant. Research involved a comprehensive and interdisciplinary
review of literature and was supplemented by in-person
interviews with key individuals at humanitarian aid agencies that provide health services in the aforementioned
slums. The study found a multifaceted health challenge
presented by violence: it is a reason for and consequence
of this state neglect, overwhelming the few health providers that operate in these slum communities, and it places
restrictions on residents in accessing these services, arising
from perceptions of insecurity or even from the occasional
need to flee during severe episodes of unrest. An added
complication is the militarization of aid by the United Nations peacekeeping operation. It was found that while coordination with military entities is often important for safe
and efficacious provision of health services, its mission and
broader health aims are compromised by not adhering to
standards of distance and distinction between the two.
Methodology to Purify M. tuberculosis Native Secreted Hemophore for Crystallography Studies
Sylvia Soo
Mentor: Celia Goulding
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), infects over one-third of the world’s population and causes the deaths of over 2 million people
annually. Our laboratory has proposed a putative heme
uptake pathway and has determined a crystal structure of a
mycobacterial-specific secreted hemophore, Rv0203. To
obtain a better structure, avoid potential non-native heme
coordination, and obtain a heme-bound structure for
Rv0203, Rv0203 without a polyhistidine tag was generated.
This was attempted in three ways: by expressing and purifying tagless Rv0203 directly from a construct, by limited
proteolysis of Rv0203 with trypsin, and by removing the
polyhistidine tag via digestion with enterokinase. This third
method was shown to be the most effective for obtaining
mature, native Rv0203 for crystallography studies, as it
overexpressed well, was easy to purify, and the tag was
easy to cleave off. Moreover, it was spectroscopically
shown that mature, native Rv0203 obtained from this
method bound heme. Determining how Rv0203 binds
heme is important in understanding the mycobacterial
heme uptake pathway, and may ultimately be the basis of
rational drug design for TB.
Cricket Antennae Are Mechanically Damped (Acheta
domesticus L.)
Stanley Sowy
Mentor: Catherine Loudon
Many insect antennae, such as those of crickets, are long
and slender. These mechanosensory structures bend readily
in response to physical contact with objects in their environment. We analyzed the recovery of antennae deflecting
around obstacles and found that antennae deflected in a
dorsal or ventral direction returned to their original position (presumably due to elastic recoil), suggesting that
there is a "resting shape" for the antennae, and that antennae showed little to no oscillation during their return to the
original position. These measurements were made on
crickets (Acheta domesticus) that were alive but restrained,
with the joints associated with the first two segments of
the antennae (the scape and pedicel) held rigid with epoxy
(there are no muscles in the remainder of the antenna, the
flagellum). Therefore, the flagellum of crickets from this
species are mechanically damped, decreasing their tendency
to vibrate after deflection. This damping improves the ability of the cricket antennae to respond quickly to new mechanical stimuli.
A Non-Invasive Optical Approach to In Vivo Periodontitis Under Diabetes Mellitus
Kulginder Sran
The purpose of this study is to ascertain the usefulness of
using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for the detection of periodontitis under diabetic conditions. OCT is
a real time non-invasive modality that allows sub-surface
imaging of complex tissue. Inducing structural variations
of periodontal ligament on diabetic white rats by orthodontic forces of various magnitudes allowed replication of
the periodontal disease state. Constant distraction force
magnitudes of 0, 5, 10, and 30 gf were given to four respective rats over a period of five days. At the end of the
treatment period, the rats were sacrificed and the maxillaries were extracted for X-ray and OCT imaging. Structural
variations proportional to the magnitude of forces used
were identifiable through OCT measurements. These results support the clinical application of OCT as a monitoring device for periodontal changes. OCT is capable of real
time, high resolution and reproducible imaging ideal for
the clinical setting.
In Vivo Optical Monitoring and Diagnosis of Human
Periodontitis
Kulginder Sran
This study investigates imaging approaches, including in
vivo Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical
Doppler Tomography (ODT), for detecting and diagnosing diseased periodontal tissues. Periodontal disease affects
the soft tissues and osseous supporting structures of the
dentition. Although it is reversible in its early stages, this
condition soon results in irreversible alveolar bone loss and
eventual tooth loss. Periodontal disease is also associated
with a wide range of systemic pathologies. The objective
was to investigate a non-invasive, optical approach to detecting pathological changes in the periodontal soft and
hard tissues, vascular presence, and perfusion in healthy
and diseased periodontium. Twenty subjects were imaged
and clinically evaluated prior to, during, and after periodontal therapy. The scans provided quantifiable information on periodontal tissue and vascular changes associated
with periodontal disease and its treatment. The imaging
was real-time, non-invasive, in vivo and reproducible. These
optical modalities have the ability to characterize in vivo
early pathological periodontal tissue changes and to monitor treatment effectiveness.
A Method for Tissue Discrimination via Fluorescence
Spectroscopy
Daniel Su
When UV light is incident upon biological fluorophores,
they give off light in the visible spectrum. By analyzing this
pattern of fluorescence, we attempt to determine the composition of fluorophores in the sample. The fluorescence is
triggered by an external UV lamp and the response is
measured with a spectrometer. The fluorophores suspected
of being responsible for this response so far are keratin,
NADH, and FAD. We hope that this will allow us to make
a correlation between tissue type and fluorophore composition. This correlation will provide the means to differentiate between healthy and non-healthy tissues. Based on
the type of tissue being sampled, different concentrations
of keratin, NADH, and FAD will be present. Multivariate
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linear regression techniques were employed in an attempt
to determine populations of fluorophores present in tissue
samples. Research has discovered fluorophore response
data that is inconsistent with estimated populations.
Sources for this inconsistency need to be identified in order for this method to remain viable. The eventual goal is
to have the method be a non-surgical alternative to more
invasive procedures required to diagnose skin cancer.
Neuronal Differentiation of Human Adipose TissueDerived Stem Cells for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
In Vivo
Andrew Sumarto
Mentors: Gregory Evans & Thomas Scholz
Recent studies suggest that human adipose tissue-derived
stem cells (hASCs) can be differentiated into neural-lineage
cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a
tissue engineered nerve construct composed of a nerve
guidance channel and hASCs in DE-1 medium to enhance
peripheral nerve regeneration in a rat sciatic nerve model.
A 13 mm sciatic nerve gap was bridged with silastic conduits in 64 athymic nude rats, and differentiated hASCs.
Two groups had their media renewed at 14 and 28 days
post-operation. Adequate negative controls and isograft
controls were implemented. The use of hASCs demonstrated significantly improved functional recovery as measured by sciatic nerve index (SFI), extensor postural thrust
(EPT), sensory evaluation, and gastrocnemius and soleus
muscle weight after 14 days, and 1, 2, 3, and 4 months.
Groups that had their media renewed also demonstrated
further enhanced functional recovery than their counterparts that did not have their media renewed. This tissue
engineered nerve construct using hASCs was able to improve functional recovery, and appears to be superior to
nerve isografts.
Photoactivation of Circulating Rose Bengal to Induce
Ischemic Stroke
Hien Tang
Stroke is the third leading cause of the death in the United
States, leaving surviving victims with a loss of senses, motor activity, and speech, and even paralysis. To help stroke
victims recover, we need to learn about the hemodynamic
and functional changes that occur after stroke and how to
improve their recovery. In previous studies, ischemic
stroke was studied by physically occluding the middle
cerebral artery and thinning a rat skull enough to measure
blood flow. In this study, we induce an ischemic stroke in
mice using Rose Bengal, a photosensitizing agent, resulting
in photocoagulation after exposure to light. After inducing
the photocoagulation, we use Laser Speckle Imaging (LSI)
to image blood flow through an intact mouse skull. Since
mice naturally have a thinner skull, use of a mouse model
will facilitate optical imaging of hemodynamics associated
with ischemic stroke. In our preliminary trials, Rose Bengal
has shown to successfully decrease blood flow in regions
of the brain after exposure to laser light.
The Politics of Powerlessness: How and Why the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Employ the
Internet to Establish the Legitimacy of their Cause
and Ensure the Success of their Movement
Xenia Tashlitsky
The Internet’s sprawling sphere of influence and small cost
of use allows modern movements for state secession to
access relatively large audiences at reasonably little expense.
As Sri Lanka’s strongest active militant movement, the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is employing the
Internet to sketch the political map of the island around
the Tamil minority in the northeast of the state. To understand how the LTTE caters the claims on its Website to
the legitimization of its cause and the success of its movement, I analyzed approximately 1,100 news stories from
the group’s online archive, and several other LTTE, state,
and scholarly sources. While some scholars stress the connection between the success of social movements and the
acceptance of their arguments for political power, my
study suggests that the LTTE instead appeals to assertions
for political powerlessness tailored to an increasingly international audience. Because separatist sites are both unprecedentedly current and uniquely first-person, my research
offers a new approach to analyzing the legitimization of
modern social movements in an increasingly Web-based
world.
Going, Going, Gone: The Rise and Decline of
Baseball in the Philippines
Zane Taylor
Mentor: Thomas Douglas
Baseball in the Philippines, though once extremely popular, exists today as a feeble shadow of its former self. This
project examines the role of baseball as a colonization tool
during the American occupation and the current state of
the game in the Philippines. Shortly after the Philippines
was officially granted independence in 1946, participation
in baseball, the country’s most popular sport, slowly decreased until the game was virtually obsolete by 1980.
However, baseball enthusiasts have remained a small subculture in Filipino society and have passed down a detailed
verbal history of the game to their children. Since the early
1990s there have been attempts made by those who love
the sport to reestablish baseball as a premier sport in the
Philippines. However, the spread of baseball is not under
the pretenses of colonization and American control this
time. Through various clubs, organizations, and a newly
found semi-pro league Baseball Philippines, Filipino base-
ball supporters have made the game their own. This resurgence has caused Major League Baseball and some American officials to take interest in Filipino baseball once again.
Discrete Objects vs. Continuous Quantity: Children’s
Use of Number Words
Rochelle Telebrico
Mentors: Barbara Sarnecka & Emily Slusser
Although children begin to count at a very young age,
there are several concepts that they must learn before they
have a complete understanding of number words. For example, children must understand that number words pertain to discrete individual countable things, like marbles,
rather than continuous uncountable mass, such as water.
This study investigated whether children use number
words to describe discrete or continuous quantity. We
asked whether children are more likely to use number
words (like “five”) to describe a set of discrete objects such
as unconnected pieces of blocks or to a continuous mass.
We also determined if children understand this concept
before they understand that counting and number words
reveal the number of objects in a set. To answer these
questions, sets of connectable building blocks were used.
For each trial, child participants were shown two trays,
each with a set of five blocks. These two sets of blocks
were identical to one another except that one set was connected while the other set was left separated. The participants were then asked, “Which tray has five?” We
hypothesized that children would answer this question by
pointing to the tray with five individually separate blocks,
rather than the tray with the connected blocks, showing
that children understand that number words describe sets
of individual things, rather than a continuous amount, even
before they understand what number words mean.
Can Nitrogen and Phosphorus Explain Invasive
Success?: A Test of the Importance of these
Resources in the Coastal Sage Scrub Community
Cynthia Thai
California’s coastal sage scrub (CSS) communities have
been heavily invaded by exotic plant species. We investigated the role of nitrogen and phosphorus in invasion success. We hypothesized that high resource conditions would
increase invasive success and that plant traits related to
resource use and growth rate could predict competitive
outcomes. Good competitors under high resource conditions should have high tissue N and P, favoring fast
growth, while good competitors at low resource availability
are predicted to have high root:shoot ratios and high levels
of mycorrhizal association. We designed a greenhouse experiment to analyze species growth and competitive interactions in four fertilizer treatments of variable nutrient
levels. We used Artemesia californica and Salvia mellifera, two
native CSS species, and Bromus hordeaceaus and Brassica nigra,
two exotics. We found that exotics had higher shoot biomass in the high nitrogen treatments. Phosphorous addition had no significant effect on competitive interactions.
Exotics, counter to our prediction, had higher root:shoot
ratios than natives, which may have helped them compete
for resources. Natives had more mycorrhizal interactions,
which may have helped them obtain resources in lower
resource environments. Also, tissue N may be more indicative of competitive ability than tissue P. These results suggest that exotics are likely to be most invasive in high
nitrogen environments, and traits like leaf nitrogen,
root:shoot ratio, and mycorrhizal colonization may help
predict the relative success of natives and exotics in the
CSS community. Reducing nitrogen availability or limiting
atmospheric N deposition may help to restore and preserve CSS.
A Study of Attorney-Attorney Relationships in a SelfRegulating Profession
Geoff Thorne
Mentor: Calvin Morrill
An attorney’s reputation has the potential to ruin their professional career if they are considered to be unethical individuals by the rest of the legal community. The network of
attorneys is a powerful governing body enforcing both
formal and informal codes of conduct, which maintains
the integrity of the profession. A lawyer who is accused of
unethical misconduct is instantly ostracized by his colleagues and is found to be on the outside looking in. We
hold lawyers to the highest degree of ethical standards because their actions are reflected on the general public.
There has not been a great deal of research on the informal
regulation of the profession by attorneys themselves and I
wish to explore this unknown territory and reveal how the
enforcing process unfolds. I am researching how law
school students and practicing attorneys differ on how
they define unethical behavior and what formal or informal
ramifications that behavior may cause. I argue that attorneys are characterized by their ethical conduct, ranging
from the most ethical, which I codify as aspirational, to the
least ethical attorneys, boundary seekers. For the categorization process, I factor in an attorney’s reputation, professional record, and personal beliefs.
Filtering and Visualization of User Story Cards in
Software Development
Roy Tiburcio
Mentor: Susan Sim
Programmers practicing Extreme Programming (XP) organize their development efforts using user stories describing units of work such as feature or to-do items. To place
user stories in the center of software development activities, an existing system, Zelda, allows these user stories to
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be imported into an IDE (integrated development environment) and to be linked to lines of code implementing
the user stories. These links allow developers to use user
stories to access code relevant to a specific task and to aid
them in implementing future solutions by looking back on
previous tasks. However, in a non trivial system, there can
be thousands of user stories created over the course of
software development. Manually browsing and finding a
few user stories relevant to a specific task among thousands of stories is still a challenging task. To address this
issue, Sandra, an extension of Zelda, was created. Sandra
allows programmers to search user stories imported from
different sources for a story that meets specified criteria.
Developers can specify a set of keywords for a combination of fields in user stories, or use a single keyword to
search though all fields. It also allows the use of regular
expression for more flexible searches. Sandra enhances
Zelda’s ability to help developer access parts of code relevant to a specific task by allowing them to search for the
parts of code with keywords in a level of abstraction that is
closer to human language.
Purification of Catalytically Active APOBEC3G from
Escherichia coli
Michael Todhunter
Mentor: Gregory Weiss
The human protein APOBEC3G can inhibit the propagation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by hypermutating its genome. However, the HIV protein Vif
antagonizes APOBEC3G, preventing it from performing
what would otherwise be a useful antiviral function. Understanding the interaction between the two proteins could
lead to promising new HIV treatments. However, difficulty
producing substantial amounts of APOBEC3G limits the
study of the enzyme. We demonstrate that APOBEC3G
can be expressed from Escherichia coli to yield protein in the
form of insoluble inclusion bodies. Adding the anionic
detergent sarkosyl makes these inclusion bodies soluble.
We verified the integrity of solublized APOBEC3G with
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a
unique real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR)
method. This work demonstrates that high concentrations
of functional APOBEC3G can be expressed from E. coli,
paving the way for further studies on APOBEC3G and its
inhibition by Vif.
Regulation of CNS Autoimmunity through
β1,6GlcNAc Branched N-Glycan Alterations by 1α,25Dihydroxyvitamin D3
Sevan Torossian
Mentor: Michael Demetriou
β1,6GlcNAc branched N-glycans produced by β1,6 Nacetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5) enhance binding
of glycoproteins to galectins, strengthening a multivalent
galectin-glycoprotein lattice on the surface of T cells. The
galectin lattice negatively regulates T cell activation and
autoimmunity by inhibiting actin cytoskeleton reorganization and recruitment of the T cell receptor (TCR)
to the immune synapse. 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3
(1α,25-(OH)2Vitamin D3), the biologically active form of
Vitamin D3, inhibits T cell function and autoimmune diseases such as Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)—the mouse model for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
by an unknown mechanism. Deficiency of 1α,25(OH)2Vitamin D3 has been proposed to be a environmental factor regulating T cell mediated autoimmunity in
humans and rodents. We explored whether 1α,25(OH)2Vitamin D3 negatively regulates T cell function by
enhancing production of β1,6GlcNAc branched N-glycans
and reducing T-cell activation proliferation and TH1 differentiation. We find that 1α,25-(OH)2Vitamin D3 enhances expression of T cell β1,6GlcNAc branched Nglycans in vitro and in vivo, and suppresses T cell proliferation by this mechanism. Our data suggests a novel mechanism for environmental and genetic interaction in MS and
other human autoimmune diseases.
Structural Characterization of RipA, RipB and RipC
from Yesinia pestis
Rodrigo Torres
Mentor: Celia Goulding
We are studying RipA, RipB and RipC in Yersinia pestis as a
model system as the proteins responsible for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) replication in postactivated
macrophages and Mtb viability. In a recent study, RipA,
RipB and RipC have been found to be necessary for Y.
pestis replication in postactivated macrophages. RipC in Y.
pestis is a homolog of Mtb CitE, which is the beta subunit
of citrate lyase, a three-subunit protein complex that converts citrate to acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. Both Mtb and
Y. pestis genomes only contain the gene that encodes for
CitE, but not the genes that encode alpha and gamma subunits of citrate lyase, which suggests that Mtb and Y. pestis
CitE function differently from CitE in the citrate lyase
complex. Interestingly, within the Mtb and Y. pestis genomes, the genes surrounding citE are similar, inferring
that the proteins encoded within both operons have similar
functions. Mtb also lives in macrophages, and hence the
homologous Mtb proteins to RipA, RipB and RipC are
implicated in replication in postactivated macrophages.
Therefore, structure determination of Y. pestis RipA, RipB
and RipC will shed light on the function and may be useful
in structure-based anti-TB drug design. RipC has been purified and has been crystallized in 30% ethylene glycol. By
x-ray crystallography, we have shown that the RipC crystals diffract and have collected a medium resolution data-
set. Currently, we are in the process of solving the 3-D xray crystal structure.
Improving Galaxy Mass Estimates by Accounting for
Binary Systems
Ryan Trainor
Many recent studies have aimed to constrain the masses of
dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. However, the relatively
small numbers of measured stellar velocities may allow the
enclosed-mass estimates to be biased by unresolved kinematic attributes of the stellar population, such as a preponderance of high-velocity stellar binary systems. This
study models the distribution of simulated stellar line-ofsight velocities in dwarf galaxies with varying populations
of binaries to constrain the possible inflationary effects of
such a bias on dynamical mass estimates. Line-of-sight velocities are simulated for dwarf-galaxy-like populations of
stars that include sub-populations of stellar binary systems.
Several parameters of the binary population are then varied, such as the fraction of stars in binaries, the mass of the
cluster, and the distributions of orbital eccentricities and
stellar radii. By modeling the resulting distributions of lineof-sight stellar velocities, the simulated masses of galaxies
may be estimated accurately to factor of a few percent
without knowledge of the binary population for sufficiently well-sampled populations. For smaller sample sizes,
the error stemming from various binary populations is
constrained.
Preventing Aβ42 Accumulation Delays the Onset and
Development of Tau Pathology
Christina Tran
Mentors: Frank LaFerla & Salvatore Oddo
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of plaques and tangles produced by amyloid-β peptides and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, respectively.
The molecular mechanisms behind AD are not known. In
particular, it has yet to be determined whether Aβ and tau
interact or whether they are independent events. Previous
research suggests that Aβ accumulation is the first step in a
cascade of changes that eventually leads to AD. In this
study, we used a genetic approach in triple transgenic mice
(3xTg-AD) to determine if a certain Aβ isoform is responsible for the changes in cellular events and to address
whether tau pathology is mediated by Aβ accumulation.
Aβ40 and Aβ42 are the two major Aβ isoforms that are
produced. We hypothesize that if the more hydrophobic
Aβ42 isoform were responsible for inducing tau pathology,
then blocking Aβ42 levels would subsequently block the
progression of tau pathology. We conducted Western blot
analysis to quantify levels of Aβ and tau in homogenized
brain fractions and immunohistochemistry tests to observe
Aβ and tau accumulation in brain tissue sections. We
found that Aβ42, not Aβ40, mediates tau production and
that reducing the accumulation of the Aβ42 isoform delayed the onset and progression of tau aggregation. Our
findings suggest that preventing Aβ from accumulating
may alter the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Increasing Girls’ Access to Advanced Technology
Use: Lessons from Community-Based High-Tech
Classes
Connie Tran
Mentor: Mark Warschauer
Although girls are using computers as frequently as boys,
the ways they use them still differ. Boys have more experience than girls with advanced uses of computers (programming, media production, etc.) that eventually lead to
careers in lucrative new sectors of the economy. This project explored classroom processes that create a positive or
negative learning environment for girls vis-à-vis advanced
technology use. The study focused on extra-curricular
classes offered to K–12 students in a community learning
center, an environment that should, in principal, be ideal
for exposing youth to opportunities for highly creative use
of new technologies. Data was gathered from observations
and interviews of students in four classes related to programming and digital media design: robotics, game design,
digital comic design, and Web design. Results of the study
showed that relatively few girls chose to enroll in these
technology-intensive classes. Once enrolled, the experiences and participation of girls varied according to the relations between students, the level of involvement of the
instructor, and, in particular, the amount and distribution
of technology: girls with individual access to computers
participated more equally in class than did girls in mixedgender small groups, where boys tended to dominate. The
study suggests that specific intervention is required by both
administrators and classroom teachers—for example, by
focused recruitment of girls for digital learning opportunities and active mediation of group learning processes
within technology-based classes—to increase girls’ access
to creative learning with technology.
CFD Investigation of Carbon Burnout in a Full-Scale
Coal-Fired Boiler
Michael Tran
A commercial CFD code is used to model three over-fire
air configurations of a full-scale (250 MW range) wall-fired
coal boiler. The three configurations have been shown in
practice to exhibit substantial differences in unburned carbon performance, and the CFD results match the global
findings in this respect. This paper explores which variations in the detailed fluid/thermal processes predicted by
the computations within the different configurations might
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be responsible for the difference in unburned carbon. In
particular, individual particle tracks are examined from
each of the 16 burners, and differences in their thermal/chemical time histories are identified. The results
show that for all cases, a majority of the unburned carbon
originates from the lowest row of burners, suggesting that
the flow path of particles from these burners avoids the
most intense combustion zone in the boiler. The over-fire
air cases have improved unburned carbon performance
because the modified flow environment generates particle
paths that on average see higher temperatures and more
oxygen.
Levels of Inbreeding Depression as a Determinant of
Mid-Styled Morph Frequency in Oxalis alpina
Mike Tran
Oxalis alpina uses a heterostylous self-incompatibility
breeding system, and populations are either tristylous or
distylous. The extent of inbreeding depression expression
in populations of this species influences the direction of
heterostylous evolution. Outcrosses and self pollinations
were carried out to measure the levels of inbreeding depression at different life history stages in the Sierra la
Mariquita population of O. alpina, which possesses a typical
tristylous system. A comparison between progeny derived
from outcrosses and self pollinations demonstrated significant inbreeding depression in selfs for survival, except in
the long morph, and marginally significant inbreeding depression for scape number. Germination data had opposite
results, with selfed progenies averaging significantly higher
germination than seedlings derived from outcrossing.
Higher germination of progeny derived from selfing suggests that some purging of deleterious alleles may have
occurred in this population. The results also suggest that
late onset of inbreeding depression could counterbalance
any benefits gained from selfing.
Response to Two Generations of Artificial Selection
for Floral Biomass Allocation in Schiedea salicaria, a
Gynodioecious Species
My Hanh Tran
Schiedea salicaria (Caryophyllaceae) is a gynodioecious species, exhibiting few differences between female function in
hermaphroditic and female flowers; but previous work
suggests that the breeding system of S. salicaria is unstable
and under strong selection for sexual dimorphism. The
genetic potential for changes in male and female allocation
patterns in S. salicaria was examined following two generations of artificial selection. Two high female lines selected
for high female function in females (carpel biomass), two
high male lines selected for high male function in hermaphrodites (stamen biomass), and two control lines were
created. In the high female lines, carpel biomass in females
increased relative to the controls. Similarly, in the high
male lines, stamen biomass in hermaphrodites also increased relative to the controls. Several other traits (carpel
biomass in hermaphrodites, sepal biomass in females and
hermaphrodites) also increased in the selection lines, indicating an indirect response to selection. These results are
consistent with results based on variance-covariance matrices from the initial generation before selection, suggesting
that Schiedea salicaria has the genetic potential to evolve towards dioecy.
Lhx2 Induces Precursor Hippocampus Cells to
Respond to Wnt Signaling
Phuong Tran
The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lhx2 plays a
vital role in the development of the cerebral cortex. To
study this role in depth, our lab constructed an Lhx2 conditional loss-of-function mouse (cKO) using Cre/LoxP
technology. Our lab previously showed that early mosaic
inactivation of Lhx2 results in a loss of cortical cell fate in
early embryonic development. In particular, the developing
hippocampus in the Lhx2 mutant embryos is small and
diffusely populated. While there are many factors that
could be contributing to our phenotype, we hypothesized
that Lhx2 aids in conferring the ability of cells to react to
Wnt signaling, a signaling morphogen required for hippocampal formation. Taking advantage of a Wnt activity reporter mouse, the BAT-gal mouse, that produces Betagalactosidase in response to canonical Wnt signaling, I
have bred this mouse with the Lhx2 cKO mice and mated
them with a Cre driver, Nestin-Cre. I have examined embryos at embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) and E17.5, as well as
postnatal animals. The resulting brains show severe
morophological defects in the cortex and hippocampus.
Preliminary results suggest that the domain and intensity of
X-gal staining decreased in Lhx2 cKO mutants but not
absent. The overall pattern of Wnt activity appears normal
in the mutants, high medial to low lateral. The staining
pattern in the hippocampus is comparable, though there
appear to be fewer and less intensely stained cells in the
mutant. These results support our hypothesis that Lhx2
confers responsivity of cells to respond to Wnt signaling.
Incorporation of Plant-Derived Agents into Silicone
Coatings for Marine Applications
Sandy Tran
Mentor: James Earthman
Protective coatings are typically applied to improve corrosive and fouling resistance. However, these coatings often
do not satisfactorily prevent corrosive damage, especially in
aqueous settings where microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is common. MIC and fouling are coupled
mechanisms that involve the settlement of microorganisms
that attach and grow on immersed surfaces, resulting in a
biofilm. Alkaloids are chemicals used by plants for defensive purposes, but which also exhibit properties favorable
for biofilm and corrosion inhibition, such as anti-microbial
and chemisorption properties. Immersion testing with 4%
wt. nicotine in simulated seawater solution was performed
to evaluate the potential effectiveness of nicotine in reducing the corrosion rate. Based on these results, nicotine was
incorporated into two silicone coatings with concentrations of 4% and 10% by weight, and immersion testing
was used to evaluate the corrosion resistance. Relative to a
control sample of mild steel, nicotine decreased the corrosion rate by over 250-fold in some cases. Although coatings containing 4% and 10% wt. nicotine exhibited a lower
reduction in corrosion rate (3- and 24-fold respectively), at
least half of the mass loss recorded can be attributed to
atmospheric corrosion and insufficient coating thickness at
the edges. Thus, improvements in coating uniformity and
quality should lead to nicotine-silicone coatings that control corrosion at levels comparable to coatings immersed in
a nicotine solution.
Effects of Exercise on Learning and Memory via
Modulation of CB1 Signaling
Tracy Tran
Mentor: Nicole Berchtold
Abundant evidence supports the idea that exercise can improve learning and memory. However, the biological
mechanisms that contribute to this benefit are poorly understood. An important system that modulates learning
and memory function is the endocannabinoid signaling
system, which occurs via the CB1 receptor in the brain.
The effects of exercise on the endocannabinoid signaling
system are unknown. I assessed the effects of exercise on
modulation of CB1 signaling pathway in different regions
of the brain as a potential mechanism indicating benefits of
exercise on learning and memory. CB1 mRNA expression
in the cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, and striatum was
assessed in rats after two days, four days, or two weeks of
exercise, compared to sedentary controls, using reversetranscription (RT-PCR). My results show that exercise differentially regulates CB1 gene expression across the brain.
In the hippocampus, there is a significant decrease in CB1
mRNA in rats after two weeks of exercise. In contrast, no
change was seen in the CB1 receptor in the cerebellum,
striatum, or frontal cortex. These results suggest that one
mechanism by which exercise may regulate learning and
memory is by altering CB1 receptor signaling. The other
implication of these findings for exercise may relate to
abuse of exogenous cannabinoids such as marijuana. The
active component, THC, in marijuana is a cannabinoid that
indiscriminately binds to G-coupled CB1 receptors
throughout the brain, disrupting downstream synaptic signaling and hindering learning and memory.
Hand Hygiene Compliance Among Different Groups
of Healthcare Workers
Vy-van Tran
The lack of hand hygiene compliance before and after patient contact has been implicated in the transmission of
nosocomial infections caused by resistant bacteria, such as
methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study
examined hand hygiene compliance among attending doctors, residents, and nurses before and after patient interaction. Compliance was observed covertly at the University
of California, Irvine Medical Center using a standard form
from November 2007 to April 2008. Our analysis revealed
that the majority of observations were of nurses. The
number of other healthcare workers observed, including
attending physicians and residents, was limited. About 70–
80% of healthcare workers were compliant with hand hygiene, and there were no significant differences in compliance among different types of workers. Although our study
shows better hand hygiene compliance compared to some
other centers, non-compliance still occurs in about 25% of
patient interactions with healthcare workers, indicating
room for improvement in hand hygiene compliance. This
may be facilitated with more educational or reward programs emphasizing hand hygiene before and after all patient interactions.
Differences in Seizure Presentation Between WildType and Aquaporin-4 Knockout Mice
Andrew Treister
Much of the ongoing research concerning epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurring and spontaneous episodes of seizure, is focused on determining
mechanisms of seizure onset. The Aquaporin-4 (AQP4)
water channel is the most prevalent glial water transport
protein in the central nervous system. Past research has
implicated glial water content as a factor affecting the
threshold of seizure onset and in seizure duration. This
experiment analyzes various qualities of seizures in wildtype mice and mice deficient in AQP4, specifically, duration of seizures and the patterns associated with the
spreading of a seizure from one hemisphere to the other.
To obtain this data, we use kainic acid to induce spontaneous and recurrent seizures, a technique used to model human temporal lobe epilepsy in mice. Mice are anesthetized
while recording electrodes and a ground electrode are surgically implanted directly into the brain of each mouse,
with recording electrodes either implanted ipsilateral to the
injection or bilaterally. Each mouse is then injected intrahippocampally with kainic acid. From these experiments,
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we are able to show that seizures tend to originate in the
side contralateral to the injection of the epileptogenic agent
(kainic acid) and later progress to the ipsilateral side. The
use of wild-type versus AQP4-deficient mice identified
diverging trends in the qualities (frequency, severity and
duration) of the seizures in question. The data obtained
further demonstrates the role of water transport in human
temporal lobe epilepsy and the importance of the possibility of manipulating AQP4 expression as a method of future epilepsy treatment.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Hygiene Improvement
Frameworks Using Existing Cultural Beliefs
Marie Trinidad
Mentor: Zuzana Bic
Hygiene interventions are a potentially cost effective
means to decrease diarrheal burden. Sustainability of these
interventions, however, has not yet been assessed. Intervention studies pertaining to incidence of diarrheal disease
in less developed countries were evaluated for sustainability, broad applicability, and potential weaknesses in intervention design. Regardless of study cost or type of
intervention employed, all interventions reported a decreased incidence of diarrheal illness. This result may be
due to the over-reporting of good behaviors or unintended
benefits conferred onto the study population because of
the sudden availability of hard to obtain goods, such as
disinfectant hand soap, and available medical care. Application of multiple interventions to the same intervention area
did not yield further reductions in diarrheal burden. In assessment of sustainability, cost emerged as an important
consideration in the success of hygiene interventions.
Costly interventions deny participation to the poorest intervention groups. The cost relationship is also revealed
through “on the ground” motivations for health behavior
change. This relationship is exemplified by the acquisition
of a latrine, which is motivated not by cleanliness and sanitation but by status and the realization of situational goals.
In Vivo Comparative Study of Vessel and Ureteral
Seal Strengths and Pathologic Examination of Tissue
Margins Between Ligasure V and Harmonic Ace in
the Porcine Model
Hung Truong
Mentor: Ralph Clayman
The control of bleeding during laparoscopic surgery is an
essential yet challenging requirement. The Ligasure V and
the Harmonic Ace are two energy-based sealing devices
that allow sealing of small vessels, supplanting the use of
traditional surgical clips or staples and improving the efficiency of the surgeon during an operation. We sought to
characterize and compare these two devices in a porcine in
vivo model. Our study also compared the sealing properties
of the two surgical devices for the ureter, which has never
been undertaken. Six domestic pigs, weighing 49–52 kg
had major blood vessels and ureters sealed using the Harmonic Ace and the Ligasure V. The Ligasure V was also
tested using a single seal and a double seal. Data recorded
were vessel and ureteral diameters, time to complete seal,
seal burst pressure, and subjective seal quality assessment.
Histology data on all sealed vessels and ureters, and serum
albumin levels on each were obtained. The Harmonic Ace
obtained the highest mean ureteral seal burst pressure, least
tissue charring and sticking, subjective seal quality, and
best tissue separation compared to the Ligasure V one seal
and two seal. Low burst pressures for the Ligasure V double seals were observed and likely due to excess charring
and sticking. Interestingly, arterial seals produced significantly higher burst pressures compared to veins. Overall,
the Harmonic Ace was best when applied to the ureter and
the single seal, while the Ligasure V was best for sealing
arteries.
Increased ROS Production in OPA1-Mediated Optic
Atrophy and Prospects for Antioxidant Treatment
Stephanie Tse
Mentor: Taosheng Huang
Mutations in the OPA1 gene, a nuclear gene encoding a
dynamin-related GTPase localized in the inner membrane
of the mitochondria, is associated with autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) resulting in the degeneration
of retinal ganglion cells. Although OPA1 is associated with
mitochondrial biogenesis, the molecular mechanism underlying OPA1 function and the etiology of OPA1-mediated
optic atrophy has not been clearly established. Mitochondria are primary sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
production. At sustained high levels, ROS is expected to
cause cellular and organelle damage. The primary objective
of this project was to study the role of ROS in OPA1mediated optic atrophy using Drosophila melanogaster as a
model. We examined eye phenotypes and ROS levels in
mutant flies by employing microscopy and MitoSOX staining techniques. We also assessed antioxidant treatment as
potential therapeutic agents in treating optic atrophy. Homozygous mutant flies exhibited rough/glossy eye phenotype and increased ROS production. We also found partial
reversal of glossy eye phenotype and decreased ROS levels
in antioxidant-treated flies, supporting our hypothesis that
ROS may play an important role in optic atrophy, and antioxidant could be a potential therapeutic agent for treating
optic atrophy.
Two-Phase Flow and PEM Fuel Cell Flow Field Plate
Designs
Yu Hua Tseng
Mentor: Yun Wang
Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells have received much attention for portable and automobile power
applications due to their features of high-energy capability,
operation at low temperature (typically less than 100 °C),
easy scale-up and low pollutant emissions. Reactant channels are of high importance to fuel cell operation, as both
efficient reactant supply and product removal are essential
for the electrode high performance. This study presents
two types of correlated work in fuel cells: 1.) We designed
several types of fuel cell flow field channels, which are parallel, interdigitated, serpentine, and pin-type configurations,
to show the various channel patterns for PEM fuel cells.
The design was aided by the SolidWorks 3-D mechanical
engineering design software. The designed models were
further entered into the automated CNC machine to fabricate the fuel cell flow plates. 2.) Since the product of water
may exist in liquid form during the operation, the behaviors of the reactant gas-liquid flow are important to fuel
cell channel performance, as too much liquid may shut
down the channel. We conducted channel visualization to
qualitatively show the features of two-phase flow in fuel
cell channels and demonstrated the importance of twophase flow for channel performance.
Alpha4 Beta2 Nicotine Acetylcholine Receptor’s Role
as a Presymptomatic Marker for Alzheimer’s Disease
Will Tsu
Mentor: Elizabeth Head
More than 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's Disesase(AD) in their lifetime, and there is currently no cure for the disease. The neuronal Alpha4 Beta2
Nicotine Acetylcholine Receptor (a4b2 nAChR) is associated with cognition, learning, and memory. Previous studies have suggested that brains from AD patients have a 3050% loss of nAChRs. It has also been suggested that loss
of nAChRs might be an early presymptomatic marker for
AD. This project explores whether a4b2 nAChR can be
used as a presymptomatic marker for cognitive deficits
found in a mouse model of AD, Tg2576 mice (3,6, 9, 12,
18, and 24 months), that accumulate AD-like neuropathology called beta-amyloid (Aß) plaques compared to nontransgenic wild type mice. We hypothesized that decreases
in neuronal a4b2 nAChR would correlate with increases in
Aß plaques in adjacent brain slices. Staining adjacent sections of brain tissue with immunohistochemistry techniques, we were able to quantify Aß and a4b2 nACHR.
Our results show age-dependent changes in Aß and a4b2
nACHR. As predicted, decreased levels of a4b2 nACHR
was observed with increased Aß in older mice. Surprisingly, at nine months, the Tg2576 mice show an increase in
a4b2 nACHR protein, while Aß plaques are low. This
trend could either represent the cell’s compensatory approach to the development of Aß plaques, or show that
initial Aß accumulation is causing dysfunction of nACHR
so the cell is creating more receptors to compensate for the
damaged receptors. This study suggests that nACHR might
be a viable presymptomatic marker for AD.
Comparison of Current Techniques for Deriving
Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells from Mouse
Embryonic Stem Cells
Michelle Tu
Mentor: Hans Keirstead
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are a desirable source
for differentiating and obtaining specific cell types that can
be used to treat a variety of disorders. Specifically, hESCderived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) can serve
as cell replacement therapy for demyelinating diseases. Although hESC-derived OPCs are clinically applicable, they
may not be ideal for basic research within rodent models.
The restricted use and availability of hESC highlight the
need for alternative methods to obtain high purity OPCs.
To date, few studies have been able to generate OPCs
from mouse ESCs with significant purity and/or scalability. In this study, we produced high purity OPCs derived
from mESC using our existing protocol and compared our
method to two established mESC-derived OPC techniques. D3 mESCs were expanded and then subjected to
the various differentiation protocols. For our protocol,
mESC embryoid body-like spheres were treated with defined media that induces oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Following retinoic acid treatment, the spheres were plated
to allow for oligodendrocyte migration. After proliferation
and expansion, cells were plated onto slides and stained
with seven different antibodies for cell purity counts. Our
results revealed >90% positive staining for OPC markers
and no detectable levels of contaminants. Additionally,
more total OPCs were obtained from our protocol compared to the other methods. These results suggest that our
technique is the preferred method for obtaining large
amounts of high purity OPCs derived from mESCs, which
may serve as an alternative for hESC in basic research.
Structural Enzymology of Lovastatin Polyketide
Synthase
Tiffany Tu
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
Lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering compound, is produced
by the lovastatin polyketide synthase (PKS). LovB is a
seven-domain megasynthase that assembles the lovastatin
backbone. With a fuller understanding of the component
domains of LovB, we hope to eventually engineer LovB to
produce new statins. Our aim is to determine the role of
the condensation domain of LovB (LovB CON) in lovastatin biosynthesis. LovB CON expression was performed
in E. coli cells, followed by harvest and purification. Samples of LovB CON were then crystallized, and the structure determined with X-ray diffraction data. We obtained a
high resolution structure of LovB CON, but preliminary
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assays to determine its function have been inconclusive. It
is possible that LovB CON acts to cleave a polyketide intermediate from the enzyme. If proven, this will be a highimpact finding that shows, for the first time, that a CON
domain is not used to promote peptide bond formation,
but rather serves as the chain terminator for PKS.
Gentrification and Displacement: Assessing
Responses in Santa Ana, California
Ana Urzua
Mentor: Michael Montoya
Working-class immigrant populations have historically
played a significant role in building the nation’s economic
prosperity, yet have remained an invisible population in
matters of social well-being. Current urban trends pose a
particular problem for these populations. They are increasingly targeted as the “unwanted,” the symbols of urban
degradation, and are systematically pushed out of their
homes. This study researches present day urban revitalization and its consequences for working-class immigrant
populations by examining effects of and responses to gentrification in Santa Ana, California. It is an ethnographic
account of the lived experiences of Santa Ana residents,
the efforts of local organizations, and the role of the city.
This research discusses the significance of a sense of empowerment, social imagination, and cultural citizenship in
confronting and resisting negative effects of urban development. It additionally presents an alternative approach in
Santa Ana by highlighting existing contributions towards
truly inclusive community development.
Effect of Salinity on the Diversity of Arbuscular
Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in Marshes
Mani Vahidi
Even though mycorrhizal fungi are known to be extremely
abundant, we lack a basic understanding of the controls
over fungal composition and the importance of fungal diversity for plant communities. The purpose of this study is
to identify what types of mycorrhizal fungi are present in
estuarine marshes and test whether the diversity changes
along a salinity gradient. Sediment samples were collected
from a salt, brackish, and fresh marsh along Narrangansetts River, Rhode Island. I PCR-amplified the 18s rDNA
gene in these samples, using a primer set targeting mycorrhizal fungi. I then cloned and sequenced these products for further analysis. I also compared the richness and
phylogenetic diversity between the marsh types. Overall,
mycorrhizae diversity is low relative to total fungal diversity. The diversity of mycorrhizal fungi in marshes is also
low in comparison to mycorrhizae found in terrestrial soils.
Economic Evaluation of a Distributed Generation
Cascading Solar Thermal Energy Production and
Storage System
Matthew VanSteenwyk
There have been many alternative energy production and
storage systems proposed to meet peak demand power
needs. One such proposal is a system that integrates wind
and solar thermal collection means to produce and store
energy in the form of heat. Using a nominal value of
1 kWh wind-generated electricity, a motor can be run that
drives a heat pump drawing upon a solar thermal created
heat reservoir of no useful heat value, nominally less than
100 degrees Celsius. Due to the operating gains of the heat
pump, a nominal output of five to six times the wind energy input, in the form of thermal energy with output temperature at 150 degrees Celsius is developed; this heat can
then be used in an Ammonia Absorption air conditioning
unit, operating at an efficiency of 1:1, to generate 5 to
6 kWh of cooling. Heat can also be used to generate electricity at an efficiency of 15–20%, and to produce hot water, which has many industrial applications. This paper
evaluates the financial impacts of this system.
Political Knowledge and Media Use of UCI Latino
Students
Uriel Varela
Despite the increase in 24-hour cable news channels and
political news coverage in general, Americans are no more
politically informed than they were 20 years ago. Latinos,
who are now the largest minority group in the United
States, accounting for 14% of the nation’s population, are
said to have lower levels of political knowledge than any
other ethnic group. The goal of this study was to examine
the correlation between different kinds of media, television, the Internet, newspapers, etc., and the political
knowledge of Latino students at the University of California, Irvine. The data was collected from a sample of 65
students who were surveyed. Individuals from the group
who reported the Internet as their primary source of political information had higher levels of political knowledge
than those who reported any other news source. Similarly,
those who considered themselves politically active scored
higher on the questionnaire. Individuals’ socioeconomic
status also seemed to factor in their levels of political
knowledge. The results generally support Robert Luskin’s
argument that political knowledge is a result of an individual’s ability, opportunity, and motive to collect political
information.
Fallujah Good
Denver Vaughn
Mentor: Don Hill
Fallujah Good was a theatrical event that aimed to open the
eyes of the public to struggles and experiences of marines
fighting in Iraq. The production gave Lt. Adam Mathes,
USMC, a voice to be heard above the warfare. The goal of
Fallujah Good was to make sure the audience could not refute the horrible atrocities being committed in Iraq on behalf of the war and under the government’s command. It
was also important for the audience to understand that the
intention was not to condemn the war or those participating in it, but to present the facts (emotional and physical)
and let the audience form their own opinion about war.
Developing this unique production began in the collection
and assignment of our production team; organizing and
revising Adam’s work to form a script; staging of the
script; discussions of set design, light design, and costume
design; putting together the elements; and presentation of
the production to the UCI community, peers, and faculty. I
learned that it is important to have a clear separation between monetary responsibility and the creative process; for
me to trust others I need to trust myself; if I have an opinion or concern it is more important to express it than to
ignore it for the sake of time; experience means little, and
passion and focus are everything once the project starts. I
also learned that a timeline is a beautiful and terrible thing.
The Effect of Parenting Style on Cotinine Levels in
Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder
Elizabeth Vega
Mentor: Jean Gehricke
An authoritarian parenting style has been suggested to be a
protective factor against delinquent and health risk behavior in high risk individuals. However parenting styles as
they relate to smoking have not been studied in individuals
with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD). It
was hypothesized that high authoritarian parenting would
be associated with lower cotinine levels in individuals with
ADHD. The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) was
administered to 49 subjects. The questionnaire measures
three types of parenting for each parent: permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative. A saliva sample was also
taken to measure the cotinine level, which gives information about nicotine intake via cigarettes. There was a significant negative correlation between cotinine level and
maternal authoritarianism. The other five maternal and
paternal parenting style parameters were not significantly
related to smoking. The results suggest that individuals
with ADHD smoke less when their parents have a more
authoritarian parenting style. This study could have implications for smoking prevention in high risk groups.
Cuban-American Foreign Policy: Influence of Interest
Groups and Public Opinion on the Policy Process
Stefanie Vidarte
Mentors: Jeanett Castellanos & Mark Petracca
The Cuban Revolution marked a time when waves of Cubans began to seek refuge in the United States. Over 50
years, these waves have demonstrated significant interest in
politics and government policies related to the island. Today, Cubans comprise 1.5 million people in the U.S. and
make up approximately 4% of the Latina/o population.
They are a highly educated group and have the highest
percentage of naturalization/citizenship among Latina/os.
Moreover, Cubans have high voting patterns and are active
in expressing their political views. Reviewing the research
on Cubans and foreign policy, literature has significantly
focused on their influence in the political arena, concluding
that the group acts and has acted as a conservative voting
bloc since the time of the Revolution. As time has introduced new generations, changes in the island and new
leadership, limited research has focused on the impact of
the recent migration waves of this group and their political
impact in relation to the group’s political opinions, political
involvement, and activism. The purpose of this study is to
examine how Cuban Americans have influenced foreign
policy and how this influence is changing over time. From
interviewing political leaders, scholars, and journalists in
the community, researching active political organizations,
and exploring their views of the current policies, preliminary findings suggest this group is changing and can no
longer be viewed as a homogeneous voting bloc by the
U.S. government. Implications for practice, policy, and
research will also be presented.
A Qualitative Examination of East Asian Relationship
Norms
Leyna Vo
Counseling psychologists work extensively at understanding various worldviews and norms to treat a diverse client
population from a culturally sensitive perspective. Their
role is to understand their clients’ world experiences and
personal perspectives of those encounters. A review of the
literature suggests that East Asians adhere to relationship
norms that are based on the traditional Asian worldviews
of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Differences in
relationship norms may contribute to acculturative stress
and disruptive interpersonal relationships for East Asian
Americans who operate within multiple cultural contexts.
These disturbances in East Asian Americans provide insight to clinicians about their clients’ values, cultural practices, and life processes. To better understand the norm
differences, this study identified common domain areas of
East Asian Relationship Norms (EARN) by conducting
semi-structured interviews with 15 East Asian Americans.
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For the purposes of this study, the EARN construct refers
to socially sanctioned behaviors that are endorsed by East
Asian Americans. Content analysis of the interview responses revealed that the following domain areas represented the EARN construct: interpersonal harmony,
relational hierarchy, long-term reciprocity, interdependence, in-group loyalty, well-defined roles, propriety, face
management, other centeredness, and social positioning.
Directions for future research and clinical implications are
discussed.
Vietnamese Americans and their Attitudes Toward
Seeking Professional Psychological Help
Lindsey Vo
Asian American college students have been noted as the
model minorities throughout the past three decades. This
educational myth creates pressure for students and influences how many respond to stresses and their studies. As it
relates specifically to psychological well-being, research
suggests Asian American college students minimize soliciting counseling services and underutilize the resources from
mental health facilities, despite the growing pathology and
psychological distress found in all college students. Given
the growing role of counseling services on college campuses and the growth of the numbers of Vietnamese
American college students, it is important to study the factors that influence help-seeking attitudes toward mental
health. The purpose of this research is to observe variables
that contribute to the attitudes and perceptions of seeking
mental help. In particular, the psychosociocultural framework was implemented. Psychological (self-esteem and
college self-efficacy), social (model minority and social
support from family and friends), and cultural (university
environment, cultural congruity, and acculturation) variables were examined. Continuing data collection and analysis of 150 Vietnamese American undergraduates will
suggest that mental health usage attitudes correlate with
traditional Vietnamese beliefs that mental problems are
negatively-valued behaviors that are view as a sign of
weakness. However, it is predicted that highly acculturated
Vietnamese American students will express positive attitudes towards seeking professional psychological services
and will report being more tolerant of the stigma associated with mental help. Findings will provide future research a greater understanding of Vietnamese Americans
student populations in an effort to successfully increase the
rate of mental health utilization through awareness of effective counseling and treatment of psychological help.
The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
to Control Type 2 Diabetes among Vietnamese, NonHispanic White, and Hispanic Patients
Andrew Vu
Mentors: John Billimek, Quyen Ngo-Metzger & Dara
Sorkin
The purpose of this study was to determine factors that
differentiate Vietnamese, Hispanic, and Non-Hispanic
White patients with Type 2 diabetes who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) from those who do
not use CAM. In this study, CAM is defined as using herbs
and supplements and visiting a practitioner besides their
regular physician (M.D. or D.O. physician). Our study
consisted of 327 patients from five different UCI medical
clinics: Westminster, Santa Ana, Orange, Gottschalks, and
Anaheim. The study was conducted by asking patients participating in a diabetes study to voluntarily fill out a survey
examining their use of CAM. One-way analysis of variance
(ANOVA) reveals that the proportion of Vietnamese patients who use CAM (71%), is significantly higher than the
proportion of Hispanic patients using CAM (55%), which
is significantly higher than the proportion of Non-Hispanic
White patients using CAM (25%; F(2,324)=22.9, p<.001).
There were no ethnic differences in attitudes about the
affordability, safety or CAM, but Vietnamese patients reported that CAM was more reflective of their cultural traditions than did Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanic
patients (F(2,324)=3.4, p<.05). Both education and country of birth interacted with race significantly to predict
CAM use. Additionally, patients born outside of the U.S. in
all races tend to use CAM at a higher rate than patients
born in the U.S. Our findings suggest that CAM use may
be linked to cultural differences and that racial differences
play a larger role in the way a patient views their medical
treatment/interaction with their physician.
The Learning and Motivating Power of
Environmental Cinema
Lisa Van Vu
The evolution of the environmental movement has developed from poems, essays, and books by famous “ecological” individuals to documentary films and, finally,
mainstream cinema. Yet is the last phase of this evolution
constructive or damaging to the movement? Mainstream
cinema does reach a wider audience, but whether these
films create their intended reaction and effect is the question I wish to answer. I believe we are at the stage when
environmentally conscious thinking and doing are not optional but obligatory. The reason for this is because if the
conscious destruction of the environment continues the
Earth will become uninhabitable for human beings. Environmentalism is not just the effort to save the environment
but, more importantly, environmentalism is the effort to
save humankind. The choices of mainstream environmental films are numerous but the significant ones include
An Inconvenient Truth, Into the Wild and The Great Global
Warming Swindle. These films were chosen for the number
of movie goers they drew and their impact on their audiences. My research includes an in-depth analysis of the
films using critics’ reviews, audience survey data, and information attained from one on one interviews from audience members. Overall, the conclusion drawn from this
data will reveal that age, level of education, and economic
background are significant factors that effect both the
learning and motivational aspirations of environmental
films.
Border Refinement Between the Cortex and Dorsal
Midline by Lhx2
Roger Vu
During development, specific borders are formed between
populations of cells, though often these borders do not
correspond to any physical structures. Lhx2 is a LIMhomeodomain transcription factor, which is known to be
important in meditating forebrain development. Lhx2 is
expressed in the cortex and is absent from the adjacent
structure of the dorsal midline, composed of the cortical
hem and choroid plexus. Thus, there is a sharp boundary
of expression between Lhx2+ and Lhx2- cells, demarking
the cortex-hem border. One mechanism known to influence border formation is differential cell affinity. Thus, I
hypothesize that the cortex-hem border is refined via cell
sorting between Lhx2+ and Lhx2- cells. To investigate
this, in vitro aggregation studies using Lhx2+ and Lhx2cells were performed. In short-term aggregation assays,
embryonic day 13 (E13.5) and E14.5 mouse cortices were
dissociated and labeled with a cell tracker dye. One population of cells was labeled with dye and mixed with a second
population of unlabelled cells for 1–3 hours. The resulting
cell aggregates were assayed for three configurations:
mixed aggregates displayed random distribution of labeled
and unlabelled cells; pure aggregates were composed of
only one cell type; and segregated aggregates showed distinct separation and clustering of labeled versus unlabelled
cells. Mixture of Lhx2+ and Lhx2- cells shows increased
numbers of segregated aggregates, suggesting differential
adhesion based on Lhx2 on-off state. Longer-term cell
sorting assays were also performed using a hanging drop
assay; they suggested that Lhx2+ cells possess greater homophilic attraction properties than Lhx2- cells. These results suggest that Lhx2 plays a role in border refinement at
the cortex-hem border through mediating cell sorting
events between Lhx2+ and Lhx2- cells.
The Effects of BMAA on Glial Glutamate Transporter
in Motor Neuron Surrounding Astrocytes
Kaivalya Vyas
Mentors: Shin Lin & John Weiss
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Parkinson Dementia Complex (ALS-PDC) is characterized by selective MN death
along with neurofibrillary tangles also found in Alzheimer’s
disease, and features a Parkinsonism and Alzheimer's-like
dementia. Previous studies have revealed that an unusual
active non-protein amino acid, beta-methylamino-l-alanine
(BMAA), may be the source of ALS/PDC pathogenesis
and progression. Although studies have investigated the
mechanism by which BMAA can affect MNs in isolation,
the role of glia in BMAA-induced ALS/PDC is unclear.
To address this question, I investigated whether BMAA
disrupts glial glutamate transport in motor neuron surrounding astrocytes in a dissociated spinal neuronal culture. I hypothesized that BMAA activates glutamate
receptors in MNs, causing the production of free radicals
that are able to permeate through the cell membrane and
subsequently damage MN surrounding glial glutamate
transporters. With no glutamate transport mechanism
available, extracellular glutamate levels rise dramatically and
again activate MN glutamate receptors triggering a feedforward cycle involving reciprocal interactions between
MNs and glia. To test this hypothesis, I measured selective
MN cell death in BMAA, BMAA plus glutamate transport
blocker, and control spinal cultures. I also measured levels
of glial glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), nitrotyrosine (an
indicator of protein damage by reactive nitrogen species),
and free radical superoxide in MN surrounding astrocytes
in BMAA treated spinal cultures compared to control. No
significant difference in GLT-1, nitrotyrosine, and
superoxide between BMAA-treated cultures and controls
was found. MN cell death was significantly increased in the
BMAA plus glutamate transport blocker group. Although
this study did not lend support to my original hypothesis, it
does reveal that BMAA increases extracellular glutamate
levels by some unknown mechanism.
The Effects of Eccentricity on the Discrimination of
Dynamic Textures
James Waite
Mentors: Charles Chubb & Charles Wright
Past research shows that visual stimuli are easiest to discriminate when presented in the foveal region, and become
increasingly difficult when moved towards the periphery.
In this experiment, we presented textures that vary in luminance, contrast, or saturation of equiluminant green at
three different eccentricities in the participant’s right visual
field. These three eccentricities included the foveal region
(1.5º), the parafoveal region (4º), and the periphery (11º).
We used a new method, Equisalience Function Analysis, to
determine whether visual eccentricity differentially affects
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the discrimination of textures made salient by variation
between different stimulus dimensions. Our findings indicate that increasing eccentricity has a larger impact on contrast-based textures than those involving the other two
stimulus dimensions.
Behaviors of a Two-Dimensional Wet Foam Under
Oscillatory Shear
Jingxuan Wang
In this project, the properties of a two-dimensional wet
foam under oscillatory shear are explored. In oscillatory
flow, an elastic solid has a linear velocity profile, while a
Newtonian fluid has an exponentially decaying profile. The
experimental system consisted of a bi-disperse of a twodimesional grid of bubbles of about 2 mm and 3.5 mm.
With the amplitude held at 2 mm, a clear transition from
elastic to viscous is observed at a frequency of 0.8 Hz. We
have also been exploring the effects of increasing the amplitude. The velocity profile is measured by dividing the
bubble raft into 20 bins in the direction perpendicular to
the shear and subtracting the center positions of individual
bubbles in adjacent frames. Several image analyzing programs are used to track the center positions of the bubbles
and calculate the velocity profiles and number of neighbors
around each bubble.
The Gold Rush as an Instance of Globalization
Kevin Wang
Mentor: David Igler
The Gold Rush transformed the frontier of California into
a dynamic state of flourishing economics. It also created a
globalized society that was unprecedented at the time. The
Gold Rush propelled globalization and pushed California
into a new era of commercial and cultural development.
The diversified population and the laissez-faire nature of
frontier capitalism had created a globalized community
that was beyond its time. Unlike the typical colonial conquests of the nineteenth century, the early development of
California was the result of individual investments. As
miners poured unto the land, towns and cities began to
spring up overnight and new businesses flourished as a
result. This drastically boosted the cost of living as well as
commercial expansion. New demands for services, goods,
and food stimulated the economy and attracted entrepreneurs to pour in capital. Companies eventually took advantage of the situation and brought advancement to a variety
of industries. In the midst of these rapid growths, the sacrifice of the environment for the extraction of resources
parallels the globalized world of the twentieth and twentyfirst centuries. The traits of globalization can be seen in the
chaotic Gold Rush experience, where the pursuit of gold
united the people. As the annexation, migration, investment, and culture of California during the mid-nineteenth
century are analyzed in economic and social perspectives, it
is apparent that the Gold Rush galvanized the emergence
of globalization.
Cultural Effects on the Health Benefits of Personal
Disclosure
Jessica Wearing
Mentor: Eric Knowles
Articulating one’s thoughts and feelings surrounding a
traumatic event is widely considered healthy, and research
up to this point offers support for this belief. However,
very little attention has been given to cultural differences in
the realm of trauma disclosure. The purpose of this study
was to examine the health benefits of trauma disclosure
with a specific interest in cultural differences between East
Asians and European Americans. Subjects included 66
undergraduate students. Participants were separated according to cultural orientation and randomly placed in either the experimental or control condition. Subjects then
participated in writing exercises. They were either asked to
write about a traumatic experience or a trivial topic. Comparisons were made based on health data obtained the day
before and one month after the writing exercises. Thus far,
significant differences have not been found to exist between the two cultural groups. However, the data shows a
marginally significant difference in health improvements
suggesting European Americans may benefit more from
trauma disclosure. A larger sample size is needed before
any conclusions can be reached.
Sound Design with the Ensemble Theatre of
Cincinnati
Elyse Wietstock
Mentor: Vincent Olivieri
Despite being a relatively new field in the performing arts,
sound design is an integral part of the overall experience
for an audience. When you step into a theatre, everything
you hear has been carefully crafted by the sound designer.
Music and sound have the ability to affect the way an audience interprets a show. My hope in doing this work was to
learn more about the different ways, as a sound designer, I
could make an audience’s experience more meaningful. In
working with the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, I have
learned more about the process and technology of sound
design than I ever could in a classroom. In theatre or any
performance art, active participation is a crucial step toward complete understanding, and is not always made easily. With the help of this hands-on research in the field of
sound design, I soon hope to be part of making your next
theatrical experience a memorable one.
Stoichiometry of Ozonation of Olefins in Organic
Solvents
Stacy Wilkinson
Mentor: Sergey Nizkorodov
Ozone is known to react with organic molecules that contain unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds (olefinic compounds), such as the double bond in trans-fatty acids. The
mechanism of ozonation of olefins dissolved in water or
air is well understood. However, room temperature ozonation of olefins in organic solvents has received much less
attention, even through it is relevant for understanding the
indoor chemistry of ozone. The goal of my project was to
study the mechanism of ozonation of environmentally
relevant olefins in selected organic solvents. The Nizkorodov group at UCI’s Chemistry Department recently observed that such reactions led to highly unusual
stoichiometry, but they were unable to explain their observations in terms of known ozone chemistry. To better understand these observations, I conducted a series of
targeted experiments on ozonation of unsaturated fatty
acids dissolved in two very different organic solvents: CCl4,
which is unreactive towards ozone, and saturated hydrocarbons, which slowly react with ozone. Direct comparison
of the reaction stoichiometry for these two solvents provided the necessary information on the mechanism of
ozonation. Deviations from 1:1 ozone:double bond
stoichiometry were observed in both participating and
non-participating solvents, and are likely due to chain reaction mechanisms involving free radicals (OH, RO, RO2).
The conclusion is that the reaction products obtained during ozonation of olefins in organic solvents at room temperature are likely to be more complex than expected from
conventional mechanisms.
Examining Experiences of Loss Among College
Students
Amy Williams
Mentor: Roxane Cohen Silver
While adult bereavement has been studied extensively,
there is a dearth of research literature in the area of adolescent loss. Although it is acknowledged that adolescent loss
is a common experience, limited research has identified the
types and frequencies of losses individuals incur before
they reach adulthood. This study examined the prior loss
experiences of college students by asking them to report
the negative events that had occurred in their lives. Respondents also completed measures of distress, well-being
and views of the world. We found loss to be a common
experience among our sample, with grandparent and pet
loss reported most frequently. Individuals who experienced
the loss of close kin (mother, father, sibling) reported significantly lower life satisfaction, higher depression, and
diminished beliefs that the world is just and controllable
compared to those who had not lost close kin. Though
loss was quite common in our sample, younger people may
have difficulty adjusting to it because of reticence to seek
social support out of concerns with conformity and fear of
negative social evaluation, along with the expectation that
they provide support to other grieving family members.
Because of the many changes that occur during development, losses experienced before adulthood may pose additional challenges for the young person. Greater attention
to signs of adolescent grieving, which may differ from
signs of adult grieving, may help ameliorate long-term
negative outcomes.
Characterization and Analysis of Two New Lines of
Knockin Mice Carrying a Fluorescent Tag in the
Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors
Adalbert Wong
Mentor: Emiliana Borrelli
The neuromodulator Dopamine (DA) is the most abundant catecholamine in the central nervous system (CNS).
Projections of neurons synthesizing DA lead to four axonal pathways: Nigro-Striatal, Mesolimbic, Mesocortical
and Tuberinfundibular. DA controls several physiological
functions, ranging from movements to motivated behaviors. Dopaminergic dysfunctions lead to severe human
disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, Schizophrenia, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, and pituitary tumors. The most abundant DA
receptors (DARs) in the CNS are D1 and D2 receptor
(D1R and D2R). Localization of these receptors, and, in
particular of D2R, has been difficult due to the lack of
specific antibodies. As a solution, two lines of knock-in
mice were generated carrying receptors tagged with fluorescent proteins; D1R was tagged with an Enhanced Cyan
Fluorescent Protein (D1R-ECFP) and D2R was tagged
with an Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein (D2REYFP). To characterize and analyze these mice, Western
blotting and immunofluorescent assays were performed.
Western blotting assays indicated higher molecular weight
of D1R and D2R proteins compared to those of wild-type
mice, suggesting that the fluorescent tag has been successfully obtained. Immunoflourescent analyses revealed positive immunoflourescence for both knock-in mice in the
striatum, the region expressing the higher level of these
proteins, while wild-type mice showed no presence of endogeneous fluorescence. Further research might investigate
the presence of heteroligomer between D2R and D2R, and
intracellular membrane localization and trafficking in presence of DARs agonists and antagonists or drugs such as
cocaine, amphetamine, morphine and apomorphine.
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Determination of the Structure and Function of ZhuI,
an ARO/CYC Domain in the Aromatic R1128
Polyketide Synthase
Steven Wong
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
ZhuI is the ARO/CYC domain of the R1128 Polyketide
Synthase responsible for the C-7 to C-12 first ring cyclization of polyketides to R1128. This Polyketide Synthase is a
member of the antibiotic anthraquinone family, which is
known to be a powerful breast cancer treatment. We have
expressed, purified, and crystallized pure ZhuI protein, and
determined its structure by X-ray crystallography to 2.6 Å.
We found that ZhuI contains an internal pocket that can
fold and cyclize a polyketide in a highly specific manner.
Mutagenesis of key amino acid residues in the ZhuI binding pocket will follow in order to identify residues that play
an important role in cyclization specificity. By understanding ZhuI’s specific structure and function, new anti-cancer
polyketides with novel cyclization patterns can be biosynthesized.
Nutrient Transporter Down-Regulation and its Role
in FTY720-Induced Cell Death
Susan Wong
Mentor: Aimee Edinger
FTY720 is an immunosuppressant currently in phase III
clinical trials as a prospective new drug for treatment of
the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis. Remarkably,
recent studies have demonstrated that the same drug, when
used at higher doses, can kill cancer cells, including leukemia cells. However, the pathway by which FTY720 induces
cell death is still a mystery. Previous studies in yeast suggested that FTY720 might kill mammalian cells by causing
the down-regulation of nutrient transporters. The goal of
this study was to investigate whether FTY720 kills cells by
rapidly down-regulating nutrient transporter proteins, leading to a decrease in nutrient uptake into the cell, and resulting in cells starving to death even in the presence of
abundant extracellular nutrients. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining of transporter proteins demonstrate rapid transporter loss following FTY720 treatment.
Microscopy with LC3-GFP cells reveal an increase in
autophagy after treatment, confirming that the cells appear
to be starving due to loss of nutrients uptake into the cell.
Consistent with this, supplementation with cell permeable
nutrients that do not rely on transporters to cross the cell
membrane rescues cells from FTY720-dependent toxicity.
These results suggest that the mechanism by which the
potential cancer drug FTY720 causes cell death is through
nutrient transporter down-regulation.
The Moral Justifications of Torture: The United
States’ War on Terror
Nicholas Woo
Mentor: Martin Schwab
International law has outlawed torture as a legitimate military and political strategy since World War II through the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, subsequent Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Convention
Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment. However, the Bush administration’s actions in the pursuit of what it has called “The War
on Terrorism” have triggered a lively moral debate wherein
different ethical stances have been adopted, defended and
attacked. My research compares and contrasts some of the
philosophical positions and arguments on torture. They
range from unconditional rejection, via different conditional and partial justifications, to more or less veiled justification of torture in the interest of a higher good.
Competing fundamental ideas about the “good” also play a
role. Consequentialists look at the end result of torture to
determine whether or not it is morally permissible and
evaluate the number of possible lives saved to be the determining moral factor. However, the absolutists argue that
torture may never be permissible under any circumstance
because of its unique and egregious violation of the body
and humanity. There are also intermediate positions that
attempt to balance the wrong of torture with its possible
necessity. The consequentialist argument is ultimately unconvincing because torture not only destroys the victim on
a psychological and physical level, but it also perpetuates a
cycle of violence that is fueled by fear and uncertainty that
can never be fully satisfied. Torture weakens and attacks
humanity at its core.
A Comparison of Multiple and Single Attribute
Auctioning Methods in the California Department of
Transportation
William Wright
Mentor: Volodymyr Bilotkach
This research examines multiple attribute auctions for procurement contracts in the California Department of
Transportation in which firms bid on both project cost and
duration, and compares these projects to single attribute
auctions in which firms bid solely on project cost. Two
specific questions are addressed: why projects are selected
for a multiple attribute auction, and the relationship between auction type and project length. Statistical comparisons of the two auction types support a hypothesis that
Caltrans faces asymmetric information when determining
optimal project length. Furthermore, regression estimates
find a significant difference in project length between projects from the two auction types with multiple attribute
auctions having a shorter length of about eighty days.
Child Trafficking Prevention in Guatemala: From
Sandy Shores to a Firm Foundation
Tracy Wu
Mentor: Carol Burke
Human trafficking is a “modern-day form of slavery” that
surpasses its forerunners in numbers, severity of abuses,
and pervasiveness throughout the world. I undertook this
journalism project to investigate the factors that contribute
to various forms of child trafficking in Guatemala and to
gather perspectives from individuals who are involved in
preventative efforts. It differs from other articles and
books published on the topic in both its geographical focus and its emphasis on the circumstances in which trafficking originates; rather than giving accounts of those who
have already been exploited, it brings to light the social,
economic, and cultural contexts that make children and
adolescents vulnerable in the first place. I spent two weeks
in Guatemala conducting interviews with a variety of
community members, and supplemented this first-hand
research with documents published by government organizations and NGOs. While there are numerous factors that
make children and adolescents vulnerable to being trafficked, some that stand out in Guatemala are high rates of
childbearing, under-resourced institutions, and a strong
migratory relationship with the United States. Furthermore, just as the causes of human trafficking are global
and local, economic, political and cultural, the measures we
take to curb and prevent it must be equally diverse, employing a combination of government action and grassroots efforts. The facts and data I collected, together with
the human voices and experiences permeating them, can
serve both to motivate and equip people to do their part in
preventing and eventually abolishing modern day slavery.
Mitochondrial Energetics in Triple Transgenic
Alzheimer Model Mice
Joanne Wyrembak
Mentor: Douglas Wallace
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with the accumulation of Aβ amyloid protein plaques (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles in the
brain, resulting in dementia. A current hypothesis proposes
that radical oxygen species production in the mitochondria
of neurons leads to the production of Aβ as a defense
mechanism. However, the Aβ aggregates and causes mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately leading to the cell death
seen in AD. In this study, I tested the mitochondrial function of brains of triple transgenic mice engineered to overproduce Aβ. I found that the triple transgenic mice
showed no significant mitochondrial dysfunction compared with age-matched controls. As a result, I will perform further mitochondrial function tests to confirm
whether a mitochondrial etiology of AD exists.
The Impact of Dendritic Cells on Human Aging
Gi Eun Yang
Mentor: Anshu Agrawal
Dendritic cells (DC) are present in every living human being. They have a special function of sensing pathogens and
causing T cells to respond properly to eliminate them. It is
common knowledge that aged individuals are more susceptible to diseases than young individuals. The difference in
immunological performance between ages must be related
to the function of dendritic cells. Our lab measured the T
cell priming capacity of dendritic cells between ages. We
purified T cells from young individuals by using magnetic
bead based T cell purification kits and cultured them with
dendritic cells of young and aged individuals for six days.
Proliferation was measured by flow cytometry. We also ran
ELISA to measure the activation and responses of T cell
specific cytokines IFN-γ and IL-10. Our study suggests
that there is a visible decrease in T cell proliferation and
cytokine secretion in aged subjects, linking to decreased
immunological defense function.
Discovering and Developing: Crystallization of Hec1
and the Promise for Future Drug Design
Jessica Yang
Mentor: Sheryl Tsai
Cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide. In
the United States alone, more than 150 people are diagnosed with cancer every day. Due to the current lack of
efficient non-invasive methods of halting cancer, it is of
the utmost importance to find drugs that inhibit the
growth of cancer cells. At the heart of the cancer mechanism is the cell’s hyperactive reproduction through accurate mitosis. One of the main components of cell division
is the organization of the centrosomes at either pole of the
dividing cell. The centrosomes contribute to spindle formation and the subsequent alignment and successful segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis. Research has
shown that centrosome-associated proteins such as Hec1
(Highly Expressed in Cancer cells) contribute to centrosome stabilization and chromosomal alignment and segregation. A lack of Hec1 was found to result in poor
chromosomal segregation and aneuploidy. Thus, targeting
Hec1 may be a more efficient approach to cancer treatment. By understanding the structure and function of the
Hec1 molecule, we can gain insight into the ways to prevent protein function. Purification and crystallization of
Hec1 protein were performed. By diffracting the crystals,
we attempted to construct the structure of Hec1 and target
areas in which inhibitors could work. Unfortunately, the
protein was too unstable to purify and crystallize. As a result, we could not further our studies on the Hec1 structure and function.
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Use of Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) in the
Analysis of Arterial Blood Flow from Laser Speckle
Imaging
Owen Yang
The computation power of a computer dictates the time
spent in post image processing. Laser speckle imaging
(LSI) is a method for obtaining flow velocity information
of liquids, in this case, blood flow. However, the raw data
obtained from LSI requires a series of vigorous post processing algorithms to obtain the final speckle flow index
(SFI) image. Due to the intense computational power required, real time imaging is not a viable possibility. In 2007,
NVIDIA released a software development kit (SDK) that
allows access to functions performed on the graphics
processing unit (GPU) on their graphics cards, called
Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) technology. The GPU processes data in a highly parallel manner
and is well suited to image processing. I have implemented
the SFI algorithm into CUDA using C code that passes the
image to the graphics card for processing. This resulted in
a 100-fold decrease in processing time to obtain the SFI
image, making it easily usable in real-time applications.
This proof of concept demonstrates that a graphics card
can perform calculations faster than the normal method of
using the central processing unit (CPU) to process images.
iAm an Egyptian Woman: Asserting Egyptian
Identity Through Blogs
Jennifer Yanni
Mentors: Victoria Bernal & Etel Solingen
The rise of communications technology has facilitated the
ease with which people can communicate and exchange
ideas, thereby diminishing national and cultural borders.
The purpose of this study is to investigate how Egyptian
women between the ages of 15 and 30 assert their Egyptian identity through the use of weblogs (also known as
blogs). As technology is becoming increasingly gendered,
such a study becomes significant because of the ways in
which technology can be used differently by men and
women. In Egyptian culture, gender plays a crucial role
because women can be victims of oppression and feel as
though they have no role in society other than those of
wife and caregiver. Yet, scholars like Margot Badran emphasize that Egyptian women have historically been active
in asserting their identities, whether with respect to British
colonialists or Egyptian religious/national leaders. Gary
Bunt stresses that the Internet has become an arena
whereby identity is created and the sharing of values (such
as Islam) can take place. This paper analyzes twenty-two
blogs of young Egyptian women and what they have to say
about the symbols/images that define Egyptian identity,
the ways in which they view Islam, and their participation
in relationships. By analyzing the various ways in which
“Egyptianness” is defined, it is possible to see how young
Egyptian women are using personal blogs to consolidate
their identity as Egyptians, rather than assimilate into a
larger global culture.
Choosing for Others: The Time of AIDS in China and
its Relation to Policy, Media, and Education
Joanne Yao
Mentor: Feng Wang
When the first cases of AIDS appeared in the 1980s, the
people of China called it ai-zi-bing, or “loving capitalism
disease.” In the decades since, AIDS/HIV in China has
changed from a foreigner's plague to a serious concern. In
2007, China saw a 45% increase in HIV/AIDS cases, with
the Ministry of Health estimating that 700,000 were living
with the disease, and activists claiming the number reached
1 million. China is attracting an increasing number of expatriates headed for the 2008 Olympics, the 2010 World
Expo, and a host of other economic opportunities. But if
this rate of transmission is maintained, global well-being
and trade will be vastly affected. While the SARS outbreak
in 2002 helped prepare against this epidemic, the national
policy against AIDS/HIV is fraught with issues of duality
and execution. Free HIV testing is available in 31 provinces, but there is not a widespread program to educate
healthcare providers or the public on symptoms and prevention. Through research and encounters, I worked to
understand how policy, as well as international and domestic media, adds to the current atmosphere of kong-ai, “the
horror of AIDS,” and to show China’s current attempt to
turn stigma into salve.
The Role of Gas11 in Golgi Apparatus Morphology,
Dynamics and Function
Sherine Yassa
Mentor: Christine Suetterlin
Gas11 is a mammalian protein of unknown function that is
upregulated during growth arrest. It has been previously
shown that Gas11 localizes to the Golgi apparatus, and
that, at the onset of mitosis, mammalian Golgi membranes
fragment and are dispersed throughout the cytosol. During
this process Gas11 remains associated with the mitotic
Golgi fragments. To determine the role of Gas11 in Golgi
organization and cell cycle-dependent dynamics, I depleted
Gas11 from mammalian cells using RNAi. Using a plasmid-based RNAi approach, I generated a plasmid that contained three sequential Gas11-specific short hairpin
sequences. I transfected these constructs into HeLa cells
and examined the levels of Gas11 by immunofluorescence
microscopy using a Gas11-specific antibody. Since the
short hairpin-containing plasmids also contained green
fluorescent protein (GFP), I was able to determine which
cells had been transfected. I found that about 40% of the
cells expressed GFP; however, Gas11 levels were not low-
ered in transfected cells after tow days. The same results
were obtained after three and four days, and also after
double transfection with the knock-down plasmid. As targeting this particular sequence within the Gas11 cDNA did
not lead to efficient Gas11 depletion, I targeted two additional sequences using the same method. I was also unable
to deplete Gas11 from HeLa cells with these constructs.
Based on these results, I propose that Gas11 may be a very
stable protein that cannot simply be depleted by RNAi.
Alternatively, targeting these specific sequences within the
Gas11 cDNA did not efficiently lead to the expected degradation of the Gas11 mRNA. As I was not able to deplete
Gas11 from the cells, I was unable to determine the role of
this protein in Golgi morphology, dynamics and function.
Using Density Gradients to Measure Changes in
Water Content of Brain Regions After Seizure Onset
James Yeh
Water makes up 45–75% of the human body and is responsible for the maintenance of various homeostatic
processes and core temperature in an organism. Due to the
large proportion of water in the body, many diseases and
disorders are caused by an alteration to the flow of water
across cell membranes, causing this molecule to be of great
interest to the scientific community. Traditional methods
of evaluating tissue water content have relied on the dryweight method, a cumbersome and inaccurate measure for
the organs of the central nervous system. An alternative
method, a density gradient created by organic solutions of
bromobenezene and kerosene and calibrated with known
concentrations of ionic solutions, provides a quick and
precise measurement of tissue water content. In our experiment, we used a bromobenzene-kerosene column to
study the changes, in vivo, of water content in an edema
mouse model before, during, and after intraperitoneal injection of water. As observed in previous publications, our
results showed that water content within the brain increases during and after injection of water, leading to the
conclusion that the kerosene-bromobenzene column is an
effective method of determining brain water content.
Molecular Analysis of a Patient with a Complex I
Enzyme Deficiency Resulting in Leigh Syndrome
Mei-Chuan Margret Yu
Mentor: Vincent Procaccio
We present a case report of a child with a Leigh syndrome
clinical defect who has decreased levels of complex I and
IV activity in several tissues and a novel 5793A>G mutation in the tRNAcys gene. Biochemical analysis of transmitochondrial cybrids did not confirm the pathogenic role of
the mitochondrial genome. Thus, we propose that a nuclear mutation in the complex I structural and/or assembly
genes is causing the patient’s clinical phenotype. Single
non-polymorphic heterozygous variations in the nuclear
encoded NDUFA9 (G727A) and NDUFB9 (C436T) subunits have been detected in the patient. While these variations may play a role in the patient’s defect, further nuclear
genome investigations are needed in order to confirm the
cause of the patient’s complex I enzyme deficiency.
Intelligent Design of Synthetic Resveratrol
Derivatives for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Philip Yuen
Mentor: Patrick Farmer
Resveratrol induces apoptosis of cancer cell lines in vitro,
has cancer prevention activity in animals, and is purported
to have anti-cancer and cancer prevention activity in humans. However, the plasma concentrations obtained from
dietary sources, including grapes and red wine, or from
dietary supplements, are substantially lower than the concentrations required for anti-proliferative and apoptotic
effects in vitro. It is hypothesized that Resveratrol has direct
effect on the Wnt signaling pathway, a pathway activated in
85% of colon cancers, and that activity on the pathway
occurs at low concentrations of resveratrol. In addition, it
is hypothesized that synthesized derivatives of resveratrol
will demonstrate improved efficacy in inhibiting the Wnt
signaling pathway. To test this, I attempted to synthesize
specific boronate resveratrol derivatives, which would be
only activated in the presence of reactive oxygen species,
which are typical in cancer cells. Using 4’-bromo-3,5dihydroxystilbene, synthesis was conducted in two steps:
protection of the 3 and 5 OH positions with a protecting
agent, then converting the 4’ bromine position into a boronate ester. Although protection of the OH positions was
easily conducted, the conversion of the 4’bromine into the
boronate ester proved difficult, with low yields and inconclusive results. Therefore, a new synthetic route was established using triflic anhydride and pincolborane. Although
the first synthetic method was dropped, the second is
proving promising. Hopefully, these studies will provide a
better understanding of resveratrol’s actions and may lead
to future cancer prevention and cancer treatment trials.
Corporate Wellness Guidelines: “Winning at Work”
Managing Diabetes for a Healthy Workplace
Henna Zaidi
Mentor: Zuzana Bic
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body
does not produce or properly use insulin. The current
paradigm for monitoring diabetes, consisting of multiple
daily blood glucose tests and an HbA1c test every 3–6
months, may not work for many type 2 diabetics. In recent
years a new paradigm for diabetes monitoring and care
based on monthly counseling has shown significant success in improving patient health and lowering medical
costs. “Winning at Work” entails monthly consultations
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providing education of proper diabetes management guidelines and monitoring of glucose levels and other clinical
indicators. The goals are to see a significant decrease in
glucose and other clinical indicator levels in type 2 diabetics, while empowering patients to have stronger control
over their disease. Forty subjects from two different employers will be followed over a five-month period, during
which each group will receive respective intervention and
have necessary data collected. The target population will
consist of individuals who are at risk of developing diabetes and those who are already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Clinical indicators include blood glucose levels, AIc,
cardiac profile (i.e. cholesterol, HDL, triglyceride), weight,
sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). Data will be collected through onsite point of care tests and be sent to
clinical laboratories. Education will consist of comprehensive guidelines on proper diabetes management and learning self management skills using American Diabetes
Association guidelines and material. Monthly counseling
sessions will provide subjects the opportunity to meet privately with their specialized healthcare team to discuss personalized management techniques and receive feedback on
their effort to control their diabetes through exercise, diet,
and, if needed, medication.
The Punk Generation in Mexico City, Mexico
Laura Zavala
Mentor: Ana Rosas
From the early 1970s on, the Punk movement has had an
impact all around the world, The Punk movement has become more than just a genre of music, it has become a way
of life and thinking for many people of different ages.
Mexico has been a home to many youth of the Punk scene,
many of whom hail from marginalized communities. Mexico City especially has become home to a large enough
movement to have created an extensive network of Punks
in and around Mexico City over the past 25 years. Today
the Punk movement has become a tool for youth and
other continuing members to put an ideology into action,
to organize against social injustice, to continue a musical
genre or to adopt a tool of resistance for various social
issues. This exploratory qualitative style research project
consisted of a series of ethnographic observations on various field site locations in Mexico city. I looked at the various uses of space within the Punk movement in a case
study of El Chopo, an outdoor flea market near the downtown metropolitan area of Mexico City. Through the observation of physical and social space, I was able to look at,
analyze and critique the various social interactions within a
space that has been given social meaning by those who
interact within El Chopo The findings of this research will
broaden the concepts of larger transnational youth movements and assist in bridging connections within local settings.
Design of Test Bench for Biopotential IC
Paul Zelaya
Mentors: John LaRue & Richard Nelson
The brain is responsible for orchestrating many voluntary
and involuntary tasks in the human body. It communicates
with other organs in the body through a complex arrangement of nerve cells that transmit electrical signals between
organs. It is therefore important to study the signals that
enable the brain to control many aspects of the human
body in order to keep it functioning. A Biopotential IC is a
device that can sense and transmit these electrical impulses.
A system has to be set up to capture and record this data.
The purpose of the testing bench is to gather the data produced by the Biopotential IC, filter it, and export it to a
computer where it can be stored, displayed or analyzed.
The test bench will use the Motorola Coldfire 5307 microcontroller to process the data and run the analog to digital
conversion and the data export sequence to the computer
via an RS-232 connection. The decision to change to the
5307 from an earlier chip (the Motorola 68HC11) was due
to the limited data storage space that the 68HC11 could
offer. The data gathered from the Bio-potential chip might
one day lead to many breakthroughs in neuroprosthetics,
and devices that can interact with the human nervous system can one day be developed.
Applying the Generalized Maxwell Model to
Characterize the Effects of Thermal Damage on
Uniformly Heated Cartilage by Radiofrequency
Generator
Allison Zemek
Mentor: Brian Wong
Laser cartilage reshaping (LCR) is a technique used to reshape deformed cartilage. An external stress is applied to
the cartilage, it is irradiated with a laser, and then allowed
to rehydrate. After this treatment process, the cartilage
maintains its new shape. This process provides head and
neck surgeons with a less invasive technique for structural
reshaping of cartilage in the nose, ear and throat. The mechanical properties of cartilage before and after LCR must
be accurately characterized to determine if the structural
integrity of the tissue has been maintained after laser irradiation. Lasers produce a non-uniform temperature distribution in tissues, which makes analyzing the mechanical
properties much more complicated. Radiofrequency generators can also thermally damage cartilage in a way similar
to lasers, but produce a uniform temperature distribution,
which simplifies mechanical analysis. Cartilage tissue samples were heated uniformly by an RF generator to 50, 65
and 80 ˚C. Mechanical properties were determined by applying a 3–5% strain and measuring the resultant stresses.
Stress relaxation over time was recorded for 600 seconds
for each sample. Then, the steady-state elastic modulus for
each uniformly heated sample was determined. The stress
relaxation was modeled with the generalized Maxwell equation to compare the mechanical properties of cartilage before and after significant thermal damage.
The Seldom-Known Stories of Supreme Court Justices
Jan-Mitchell Zerrudo
Mentor: Sherilyn Sellgren
Supreme Court Justices can be characterized as conservative or liberal, but they might not rely on ideology alone.
During the Court’s last full term, it decided 24 of 68 cases
by 5–4 split decisions. This 35% rate during the October
2006 term represented a 20% increase from the previous
year. During the same time period, unanimous decisions
dropped from 45% to 25%. If these figures suggest increased judicial autonomy, intangible influences require
examination. This research aimed to investigate the personal lives of specific Supreme Court Justices and identify
lesser-known experiences that may have affected their rulings on high-profile cases. Literature exists about the oftoverlooked background factors that largely influenced decisions of certain early Justices. Similar information is
available for later Justices who presided over cases of equal
(if not greater) significance. However, as emerging media
make historical research more accessible, it also becomes
easier for lay audiences to fully credit certain factors with
influencing case outcomes—all while other contextual contributions possibly get ignored, marginalized, or forgotten
altogether. Thus, to promote a better understanding and
appreciation of the many elements that potentially impact
Supreme Court decisions, the research consulted a variety
of traditional sources, and ultimately found information
that stands to expand the discussion of notable cases. By
recovering hidden details and forgotten stories within the
lives of Supreme Court Justices, it was hoped that existing
literature would benefit from new lines of relevant inquiry,
and proceed to illustrate why significant outcomes cannot
always be simplified.
Group Projects
Prospective Evaluation of Ultrasonographic
Measurement of the Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter
and Invasive Monitoring of Intracranial Pressure
Tina Kapadia & Ashleigh Menhadji
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) can often result from
traumatic head injuries or spontaneous intracranial hemorrhaging such as strokes. This is a serious and potentially
life threatening condition and may require neurosurgical
intervention. To diagnose elevated intracranial pressure
(EICP), CT scans are currently the preferred diagnostic
method; however, this method tends to be time consuming
and inefficient. After an EICP diagnosis, an ICP monitor is
often inserted through the skull to evaluate the patient’s
intracranial pressure. ICP has the effect of increasing the
optic nerve sheath diameter that can be evaluated with an
ultrasound of the globes. Our study aims to determine if
the ONSD measurements taken by ultrasound will be as
accurate as ICP monitoring in detecting EICP. The ultrasounds are performed by trained emergency medicine physicians blinded to both cranial CT and ICP monitor results.
As more data is collected we will continue to compare values from the ICP monitor to the ONSD ultrasound values
to determine if the ultrasound can be used as an accurate
non-invasive alternative. This will allow future physicians
to use this non-invasive measurement in lieu of potentially
threatening invasive monitoring procedures.
AIAA Design/Build/Fly
Lawrence Alexander & Chad Maynard
Mentor: Robert Liebeck
The Design/Build/Fly competition is an international contest to design, fabricate and demonstrate the flight characteristics of a remote controlled airplane to meet strict
mission goals. It is a team project that requires knowledge
of diverse engineering disciplines and prepares students for
jobs in industry. These missions include carrying payloads
through a specified flight path. The payloads this year are
any one of five combinations of half filled 1/2 oz water
bottles (simulating passengers) and half U.S. clay bricks
(simulating cargo pallets). The goal is to create a balanced
design possessing good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements, all while providing a high level of flight
performance. This aircraft will compete against those of
other institutions, and will be rated according to a given
score formula. To achieve the best score, the plane needs
to focus on a lightweight design that can accomplish the
required tasks. Time for loading of payloads, take-off distance, optimization of the propulsion system, and the written report score also affect the overall score. The purpose
of the project is not only to design the aircraft effectively,
but also to provide students with a chance to apply their
academic knowledge towards practical applications in a
competitive environment.
The Space Cycle: A Possible Countermeasure for
Microgravity
David Chang & Josephine Le
Mentor: Vincent Caiozzo
The effect of sustained periods of microgravity, such as
that found during spaceflight, can be detrimental to the
human body in a number of ways, including the atrophy of
skeletal muscle. In this study, we attempted to determine if
squat hypergravity resistance training on a short-arm human-powered centrifuge (Space Cycle) can produce muscle
hypertrophy/muscle strength increases similar to those
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produced with squats using conventional weights at 1Gz.
Subjects were divided into two groups. One group performed conventional squats resistance training (SRT) using
free weights while the other group performed squat hypergravity resistance training (SHRT) on the Space Cycle.
Each subject exercised eight times over two weeks on either the Space Cycle or using conventional squats. To determine muscle strength (and subsequent muscle
hypertrophy) each subject’s 10RM (repetition max) and
torque-velocity measurements of knee extensions were
taken before and after the study. The 10RM is the maximum weight the individual can squat 10 times. Biopsies
were also taken of the vastus laterialis before and after the
study for analysis at a molecular level. The majority of subjects experienced increases in average peak torque exerted
by knee extension and increased 10RM on squats. Using
student t-tests, there was no significant difference in muscle strength increases between the SRT and SHRT groups.
These results suggest that squat resistance training on the
Space Cycle is capable of producing an increase in muscle
strength similar to conventional squat resistance training
using free weights.
The Association Between Stressful Life Events and
Violence Among Incarcerated Juvenile Offenders
Madihha Ahussain & Allina Hightower
Mentor: Elizabeth Cauffman
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to
which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) contributes to
violent behavior over and above exposure to stressful life
events. To address this question, 373 serious male juvenile
offenders (mean age 16.4) incarcerated at a secure facility
in California were screened for mental heath diagnoses and
then interviewed at regular intervals for two months; youth
were asked about their violent behavior within the institution. It was found that the aggregate number of traumatic
experiences in the past six months was associated with
violent behavior within the institution, whereas diagnosis
of PTSD was not. These findings provide evidence that
intervention services should target juvenile offenders who
have experienced recent traumatic events.
Differences Among Asian Americans and Caucasians
in Nicotine Sensitivity
Beatriz Bello & Nicole Shoraka
Reduced prevalence of smoking among Asian Americans
has long been attributed to cultural differences. Currently,
about 21.9% of Caucasians smoke, whereas only 10.4% of
Asian Americans smoke. However, biological differences
in nicotine sensitivity and metabolism among ethnicities
may account for this difference in smoking rates. This
study sought to examine nicotine sensitivity among Asian
Americans compared to Caucasians. The sample consisted
of 48 Asian American and 95 Caucasian smokers who received a 21-mg transdermal patch after abstaining from
smoking for at least eight hours. Additionally, 23 AsianAmerican and 47 Caucasian non-smoking controls received a 5-mg transdermal patch. Participants were designated as nicotine-sensitive if they experienced dizziness,
nausea, and vomiting following patch application. Analyses
revealed that among smokers, only 6% of Caucasian
smokers demonstrated side effects, but 31% of Asian
Americans showed nicotine side effects (Fisher’s Exact
Test p < .001). A similar pattern was observed among nonsmokers; only 2% of Caucasians, but 22% of Asian Americans, demonstrated nicotine-related side effects (Fisher’s
Exact Test p = .013). Potential confounders, including
BMI, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and number of
years smoking, did not differ between participants who
experienced side effects and those who did not. These
findings, demonstrating significantly higher levels of nicotine sensitivity in Asian Americans compared to Caucasians, smokers and non-smokers, suggest that important
biological differences in response to nicotine exist between
these ethnic groups. These results may also have important
implications for understanding vulnerability to smoking
initiation as well as the design of more effective smoking
cessation programs among Asian Americans.
Age Differences in Behavioral and Neural Responses
to Acute and Subchronic Nicotine Administration
Aide Soria & An-Ha Tran
Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of tobacco
smoking. Approximately 80% of adult smokers initiate
smoking before the age of 18, with nearly 6,000 new adolescent smokers every day in the United States, suggesting
that adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of smoking. In animal models, it has been shown that
adolescents have a differential response to nicotine, a major psychoactive component in tobacco, as compared to
adults. Furthermore, subchronic treatment with a low dose
of nicotine in early adolescence increases subsequent cocaine self-administration. The purpose of this study is to
examine the behavioral and biological factors underlying
differences between the smoking behaviors of adolescents
and adults. Male Sprague-Dawley rats aged postnatal day
(P) 28 and P86 were either given one intravenous acute
injection or four daily injections of saline or nicotine (2 x
0.03 mg/kg/0.1 ml spaced 1 min apart), and their locomotor activity in a novel environment was monitored for 30
minutes. The effects of nicotine on the expression of c-fos
mRNA were examined in the brains of adolescent and
adult rats using in situ hybridization. There were significant
age differences in locomotor responses to nicotine and in
c-fos mRNA expression in several brain regions. These
results suggest that nicotine may have greater stimulatory
effects on the brain regions associated with reward in adolescents, and these differences may be responsible for the
differential behavioral responses of adolescents and adults
to nicotine.
Variation in Subjective Trust with Changing Human
Features
Nairi Mathewsian & Leyna Vo
Mentor: Michael Lee
Previous research observing variations in human physical
appearance, particularly variations in facial appearance, has
found that appearance has a great effect on the development of self esteem and human personality, social relations
held with others, perceptions of physical attractiveness,
mate-quality, trust in a physician, and even voting decisions
made by individuals. This study aims to observe subjective
judgments of trust held towards individuals with variations
in short-term appearance. Images of a male and female
with variations in facial features and bodily gestures were
presented to participants who rated the trustworthiness of
each image. Results reveal that factors including gaze, posture, expression, and gender all have a main effect on subjective judgments of trust held by individuals. The study
provides insight as to how manipulations in bodily cues
can be made so as to optimize trust in day-to-day interactions with one another.
Proteomic Assessment of Mercuric Ion Toxicity in
Bacillus cereus
Chirag Gandhi & Amanda Shin
Mentor: Oladele Ogunseitan
Mercury and its compounds are extremely detrimental
when present in aquatic ecosystems and are among the
most toxic heavy metal pollutants in the environment. Previous research has shown that biotic mercury reduction in
polluted environments is accomplished through enzymatic
reduction by mercuric reductase found in some mercuryresistant bacteria. We recently isolated a strain of mercury
resistant Bacillus cereus. To determine the biochemical pathways associated with the molecular balance between sensitivity and resistance in B.cereus, we cultivated the bacterium
in nutrient broths amended with 0 μg, 25 μg, or 50 μg of
mercuric chloride per ml. Next, we extracted total proteins
from the cultures, and determined the concentration of the
proteins spectrophotometrically. Molecular resolution of
the proteins was performed through SDS gel electrophoresis. The results of differential display of polypeptides revealed the existence of approximately fifty five proteins
that were produced in significantly different amounts in
cultures grown with 25 μg/ml and 50 μg/ml compared to
the 0 μg/ml mercury amendments (p < 0.05). Of these, 28
proteins were upregulated and 27 were downregulated in
the presence of mercury. We postulate that the upregulated
proteins that are in the molecular size range above 50 kDa
are involved in mercury detoxification within the cell. We
further postulate that the downregulated proteins may
have been nonessential proteins which were degraded by
mercury toxicity. Further research will reveal the identity of
the proteins in question.
The Topology of Nrf1 Transcription Factor in the ER
Membrane and how its Loss of Function in the Liver
Leads to ER Stress
Joseph Doan & Duc Nguyen
Mentor: Jefferson Chan
NFE2-related factor 1 (Nrf1) belongs to the family of
CNC-bZIP proteins, which binds with small MAF proteins and activates transcription of antioxidant response
element (ARE) genes. Studies have shown that the Nrf1
transcription factor has a single transmembrane domain.
Using differential membrane permeabilization techniques
and protease protection assay, we were able to determine
that the Nrf1 N-terminus is within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen and that the C-terminus is within the cytosol. From this, we were able to propose a possible
regulation site for Nrf1 downstream of its transmembrane
domain. From its topology, we were also able to support
that Nrf1 translocates into the nucleus via the importin
pathway. Since Nrf1 is located in the ER membrane, this
suggests that Nrf1 may play a role in regulating ER stress
response. Consistent with this, analysis of Nrf1 liver
knockouts shows activation of ER stress. Several pathways
mediate the cellular response to ER stress. They are categorized as the PERK pathway, the ATF6 pathway, and the
IRE1 pathway. We found through immunoblot analysis
that several of these pathways are activated in response to
ER stress. In addition, downstream components of these
pathways leading up to apoptosis are also activated. These
results suggest that loss of Nrf1 in the liver increases the
susceptibility of hepatocytes to ER stress, which can lead
to apoptosis.
Physiology of Late Life in Drosophila melanogaster
Andrew Nguyen & Thien-Toan Tran
Early in life, during the aging phase, mortality rates in Drosophila melanogaster increase exponentially, reaching a plateau
during the late-life phase. In this study, we used two populations of D. melanogaster to examine four physiological
traits alongside mortality rates: time in motion, negative
geotaxis, starvation resistance, and desiccation resistance.
We wished to determine whether there was a relationship
between these characteristics and the mortality rates—
whether physiologic characteristics changes correspond
with mortality rates. True differences do exist in patterns
of some of these physiologic characteristics with respect to
the pre-plateau and post-plateau phases. The results from
this study provide for greater understanding of D.
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melanogaster physiology over a lifespan, and could provide
more insight into the processes of aging.
Affects of Assortative Mating on the Genetic Variation
of Flowering Time in Brassica rapa
Amit Karmur & Ronny Le
Mentor: Arthur Weis
Assortative mating is an evolutionary process in which
sexually reproducing species mate with partners who have
similar phenotypic traits. This process increases the genetic
variance of a population, thereby leading to a faster response to selection. When plants assortatively mate, a
gradual shift in genotype frequencies with more extreme
allele combinations appears, leading to possible speciation
over time. Typically, flowering plants assortatively mate
according to their flowering schedules; plants that flower
early can mate with other early flowering plants, while late
mate with late. In theory, each generation over time under
assortative mating will have more homozygous alleles than
heterozygous alleles. In this experiment, we used annual
flowering mustard Brassica rapa and studied how its genetic
variation in flower time was affected in three treatments of
mating: hyper assortative, random, and natural. In hyper
assortative mating, plants that flowered within two to three
days were mated with one another. Random mating was
done with a computer program to randomly choose two
plants to mate. In the natural population, flowers were pollinated using a feather as an acting biotic pollinator. It was
predicted that the hyper assortative treatment would have
the greatest variation. Using seeds collected from previous
assortative mating experiments, each treatment population
was measured for time to first flower. The hyper assortative treatment was found to have a significantly longer
mean flowering time and genetic variance than the other
two treatments. This experiment supports the theory that
assortative mating increases genetic variation in flowering
time, which can be useful for future investigation in artificial selection for other species.
Effect of the Perceived Horizon on the Perception of
Velocity Change
Kathryn Recker & Cho Yan Yam
Mentor: Myron Braunstein
A perceptual horizon is determined by the slant of the
ground plane and the cut off level of the texture. Our focus is on the influence of the perceptual horizon on how
velocity is perceived. A perceived velocity change is defined as a detection of a change in the rate of motion of a
circular object moving along the background. We propose
that increased depth in the perceptual horizon will result in
a greater likelihood of velocity change detection. Participants viewed various depth manipulated backgrounds with
a circular object traveling at a constant velocity along various angular trajectories. They then identified possible
changes in velocity that were recorded as (x, y) coordinates.
We found a significant effect of velocity change, but there
was no consistent agreement on where that change occurred. These findings may contribute to traffic safety and
computer graphics design.
2006 AIM Strategy for the National Student
Advertising Competition
Erik Homsapaya & Teresa Leung
Mentor: Robert Mancuso
Adeaters Advertising, of the University of California, Irvine, has developed a comprehensive campaign strategy
that effectively markets AIM and AOL Social Media Products to our target demographic by positioning AIM Products as tools that allow individuals to easily stay connected
with their social universe. Based on our comprehensive
primary and secondary research, we found that the Internet Generation is constantly engaged and on the go. They
rely on continuous technological improvements to keep up
with their busy, multi-taking lifestyles. To gain insight into
their lives we conducted surveys, focus groups, ethnographies and one-on-one interviews. From these modes of
research we discovered iGeners demand simplicity and
convenience from their technology. Additionally, they pursue innovative, trendy ways of communicating with their
friends. The creative intent of our campaign is to rejuvenate the AIM brand image and demonstrate that AIM is
their social networking lifeline. By blending AIM’s easy to
use interface with the ability to connect with friends, we
can effectively reach our target demographic in a personal
and memorable way. Our brand idea is simply that everything is much easier on AIM, followed by our tagline,
“_____. Much Easier on AIM”. After conducting our research, developing our campaign and publishing a 32-page
book, we pitched our ideas in a 30-minute professional
presentation to the NSAC panel of judges on April 25. We
received fifth place in California and won an award for
Best Media Plan.
Processing Nanocrystalline Nickel by Pulsed
Electrodeposition
Ralph Ocampo & Michelle Yuen
Mentor: Farghalli Mohamed
Nano-crystalline (Nc) materials are distinguished as grains
having linear dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm. Because of these extremely small dimensions, there is a large
volume fraction of atoms located at the grain boundaries,
meaning there are more grain boundaries per volume.
These materials are significant because they possess unique
material properties that are quite different from the typical
coarse materials. Nc-materials are of interest because of
their potentially superior physical and mechanical properties, such as strength and ductility, with respect to their
coarse-grain counterparts. Though there are many tech-
niques available in the synthesis of Nc-materials, Pulsed
Electrodeposition (PED) proves to be the best due to the
advantages it has over other processing techniques, such as
few limitations, low capital investment, and high production rates. For this project, Nc-nickel was synthesized using PED. Saccharin was added to the electrolyte to further
reduce the grain size. Special emphasis was given to the
effects of current density to the thickness of the deposit
and its grain size. The results are yet to be determined. The
grain sizes were determined using X-Ray Diffraction
(XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
Fracture surfaces of failed tensile specimens were analyzed
using SEM. Future recommendations for this project include adding Sodium Lauryl Sulfamate (SLS), which was
found to reduce the internal stress that may be associated
with the surface bumps found on a deposit, to the electrolyte.
Fontan Arrhythmia Study
Pantea Farahmand & Denise Lu
Mentor: Anjan Batra
The Fontan procedure is used to treat patients born with
only one functioning heart ventricle. There are two forms
of the operation, Extracardiac Conduit (ECC) and Lateral
Tunnel (LT). ECC involves detaching the inferior vena
cava (IVC) from the heart, attaching a tube to its top portion, then attaching the other end of the tube to the underside of the pulmonary artery. LT uses a tunnel-like patch
placed in the right atrium to direct blood from the IVC
into the PA. In the hospitals where our research was conducted, UCI Medical Center and CHOC, ECC is preferred.
The purpose of our study is to determine the long-term
complications associated with ECC, so that it can be compared with LT. The information gathered by this experiment will be used by surgeons to choose which operation
to perform. The method used to conduct this project was
to collect data from patients who have undergone the Fontan prior to January 1, 2008, and to see what complications—arrhythmias—appeared several years later. From
the data collected, out of 25 patients we found that 8%
suffered from arrhythmias. Conclusions that can be drawn
from the experiment are that arrhythmias occur rarely in
patients who undergo the ECC operation. Therefore, it is a
safe operation and further comparisons with hospitals specializing in lateral tunnel will likely prove the efficacy of
ECC.
Length of Day Correlates with Frequency of
Maladaptive Behaviors and Sleep Efficiency in the
Developmentally Disabled
Tuong Nguyen & Graciela Perez
Mentors: Mohammad Lenjavi, Curt Sandman & Paul
Touchette
Maladaptive behaviors are problematic in individuals with
developmental disabilities (DD), resulting in permanent
tissue damage, harm to others, and damage to property.
Previous findings suggest that frequency of self-injurious
behaviors is strongly related to the dysregulation of ACTH
and beta-endorphin production in the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis as a response to stress. The imbalance in hormonal production may be related to disturbed
circadian patterns, which normally modulate endogenous
diurnal hormones (e.g. cortisol) based on variations of
length of daylight. This study examined the variations in
daylight hours throughout the year and its relation to sleep
efficiency and frequency of maladaptive behaviors in individuals with DD. Twenty-six participants were observed
daily for an 18-month period. Frequency of maladaptive
behavior was recorded, and the minutes of sleep per night
were logged in 15-minute intervals from 10:45 PM to 6:15
AM. A sleep efficiency index (SEI), which is a ratio of
sleep and awake intervals over the total number of observed intervals of time, was also calculated. Preliminary
analyses indicate that maladaptive behaviors decreased as
daylight hours increased for a majority of the patients. Additionally, as the length of days increased, sleep efficiency
increased for a majority of participants. Findings may indicate a relation between length of day and internal physiological mechanisms involved in sleep efficiency and
maladaptive behaviors.
Studying the Diversity of Performing for a Live
Audience in Relation to a Telematic Performance
Julie Ann Minaai & Marc Andrew Nunez
Mentor: Lisa Naugle
Present-day technology has allowed various art forms to
venture beyond the theater. We have researched the difference between performing the Exposed dance production
for a live audience, in relation to preparing a video broadcast of Bergen College’s Synchronicities for viewers in New
Jersey. We have chosen to conduct a comparative study to
experience the process of producing our own dance showcase as artistic directors, choreographers and performers.
We also wanted to implement technology into the choreographic process of creating dance and video media, which
has become a new field of interest in the dance world. For
our production, we not only choreographed six pieces, but
also searched for a strong production team, designed flyers
and programs, rented a theater, applied for a grant, designed costumes, and set up lighting equipment. In contrast, Professor Lisa Naugle guided us through the
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telematic performance, Synchronicities, which was a collaboration of works from the UCI and Bergen College Dance
Programs. The Exposed show taught us valuable skills on
how to produce a show of our own, like many other independent artists and dance companies. The Synchronicities
telematic performance taught us how to work with the
camera, considering camera angles, spatial restrictions, focus from performers, chromaticity of costume colors, and
communication with fellow collaborators from Bergen
College. This research project was rewarding in that we
now have a greater understanding of the effort that is put
into any arts production, whether for the stage or camera.
Remote Sensing Imagery: Acquisition, Transmission,
and Analysis
Sanda Cea & Sean O'Rourke
Mentor: Glenn Healey
Remote imagery has been effectively used for geologic
mapping, natural resource management, and monitoring
weather phenomena, and is further capable of providing
fast, up-to-date information for purposes of national security and strategic planning without risking the lives of
forces on the ground. By studying the development of
these critical systems, recommendations can be made to
improve existing technology and processes. The immediate
scope of this project is to design and implement an image
acquisition system appropriate for use as a payload on a
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. Physical separation constraints can be adequately simulated via an on-board wireless transmitter and a PC-receiver interface, which
introduce the need for a reliable communication protocol
or encoding/decoding method and a programmable microprocessor to send commands to the camera and process the digital output for transmission. Unique aspects of
the research include investigating the effects of various
image compression levels on communications performance and developing a set of algorithms for basic image
processing, such as optical recognition of a target. To facilitate needs analysis and prevent unnecessary duplication
of work, the division of labor is roughly split along hardware and software lines. The undertaking as a whole involves feasibility studies, requirements specification (power
consumption, image resolution and quality, size, weight,
and cost), component selection, parts testing/debugging,
subsystem integration, functionality/interoperability testing, modifications, performance evaluations, and checking
compliance with safety and ethics standards. Future work
may be done to address robustness and ease of maintenance.
21st Century Proletariat: Class-Analysis of Low-Wage
UCI Service Worker Oral Histories
Joel Montano & Carla Osorio-Veliz
Mentor: Rodolfo Torres
From Fall 2005 to Summer 2007, the collective struggle
between workers and students ended UCI’s labor outsourcing of dining and landscaping workers. Now UCI’s
outsourcing practice remains for janitorial workers. Current intellectual fashions of the left, which stridently proclaim “the death of class,” reflect a broader assumption
that oddly enough is mirrored on the right—that the socalled triumph of capitalism represents the erosion of the
Marxist project. Our study investigates the social and economic conditions of low-wage landscape and janitorial service workers at UCI within the framework of capitalist
class relations. The purpose of the study is to analyze capitalism from the worker’s perspective through voices of
UCI low-wage service workers, contrary to neo-classical
economics’ business perspective. Our methodology consisted of 20 worker interviews that were produced into oral
histories, and from which we selected 15 to provide a
class-analysis. The three major themes we encountered
were: “The American Dream” as a myth for the workingclass, worker alienation at the jobsite, and the constant
conflict between worker and boss. Through our analysis
we concluded that “The American Dream,” beginning with
Mexican migration/immigration because of U.S. imperialism, develops the misconception of two different economic structures between Mexico and the U.S. Yet, the
same economic production leads to worker alienation and
reveals the true meaning of family as labor production
units under capitalism. Furthermore, because of the logical
contradictions of capitalism, the class antagonism for
profit between workers and bosses produces class struggle.
Bacterial Infection in Drosophila melanogaster
Christopher Hardy & Aurora Leport
Populations of Drosophila melanogaster that have been subjected to laboratory selection for increased longevity differ
from control populations in a number of ways. Notably,
the long-lived flies retain higher stores of carbohydrates
and lipids. Drosophila sequester lipids in an organ called the
fat body, which has immune function in that it produces
anti-microbial peptides that attack invading pathogens. We
hypothesize that long-lived flies should therefore demonstrate higher levels of bacterial resistance, compared to
control flies. Here, we report results from a six-week experiment in which we injected the thoraces of flies from
different age classes with the entomopathogen Serratia
marcescens. We measured mortality rates post-injection, and
the flies’ ability to clear infections from the body cavity.
Post-injection mortality of long-lived and control flies increased with age, but increased more slowly in the long-
lived populations. Also, the long-lived flies demonstrated a
significantly greater ability to rid bacteria from the body
cavity, resulting in lower infection rates than flies from
control populations. For both post-infection mortality and
pathogen load clearance, we observed the largest difference between long-lived and control populations at week 4
(35 days of age). While our results are more suggestive
than conclusive, we interpret these data to mean that flies
selected for longevity are generally more effective at resisting bacterial infection than controls.
histidine tag and purified using affinity chromatography
and HPLC. We isolated genes for HBDs 2, 18, 19, 21, 23,
26, and 27 from human genomic DNA and inserted them
into a pXT7 vector. However, we have only successfully
expressed and purified HBD-18 and -26. These βdefensins will be tested for anti-HIV-1 activity. Understanding the precise mechanism of action of these innate
peptides will provide new avenues for the development of
therapeutic treatments of AIDS and possibly other infectious agents.
Heat Shock Proteins and Life History Traits in Drosophila melanogaster
Dan Ho & Tim Ngo
Heat-shock genes have a variety of functions, and patterns
of expression in this gene family affect life-history phenotypes. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, heat-shock
protein 26, encoded by the gene hsp26, appears to affect
longevity, and may also affect traits such as fecundity and
development time. Previous studies have shown that large
populations selected for longevity have increased expression of hsp26, compared to matched control populations.
These long-lived populations also have prolonged development time compared to controls. Contrary to expectations, populations of flies selected for accelerated
development do not exhibit very low levels of expression
of hsp26. These results suggest the expression of the gene
may have disparate effects. To further assess how the expression of hsp26 affects fitness, we created populations
reverse-selected for four different types of accelerated development. After more than 10 generations of reverse selection, the four populations were compared with one
another and the ancestral population from which they were
derived by measuring development time and early-life fecundity. We have shown that these four populations have
significantly diverged from the ancestral population, with
respect to these two phenotypes. We will augment this
work with gene expression data to evaluate how selection
for early-life traits affects patterns of expression in heatshock genes, and specifically hsp26.
Catalyst Induced Acetylation of Sugar for Better
Elucidation of Molecular Structure Through NMR
Spectroscopy
Solongo Batjargal & William Nguyen
Mentor: A.J. Shaka
The determination of sugar structure is challenging due to
the number of linkages between monomers, numerous
stereoisomers, and overall size. The efficacy of sugar structure determination using NMR spectroscopy is reduced
due to spectral crowding. However, sugars can be derivatized with electron withdrawing molecules to relieve spectral crowding. We present the development of an
acetylation protocol using a lewis acid catalyst that may
have some possible advantages over acetylation in pyridine.
Our initial method was to react maltitol and acetic anhydride using an indium triflate catalyst at room temperature
for thirteen hours to produce acetylated maltitol with high
yield (>95%). The work up procedure was relatively short
and mild, involving acid-base washes and liquid-liquid extractions of the product. The same reaction with indium
hydroxide or without indium triflate produced a negligible
amount of product. Although indium triflate was a sufficiently effective catalyst, it required a long reaction time
and was difficult to weigh due to its hygroscopicity. Using
scandium triflate as an alternative catalyst, we found that it
was much more catalytically reactive, reducing reaction
time to three hours, and much less hygroscopic than indium triflate, allowing for it to be weighed accurately. The
results of acetylated maltitol and other sugars will be presented and discussed in detail at the symposium.
Expression and Purification of Novel Human
β-Defensins
Bryan Chow & Bonnie Lo
Demographic Survey of Emergency Department
Patients with “Spider Bite” Lesions
Jennifer Le & Allison Leung
Mentors: Shahram Lotfipour & Jeffrey Suchard
Many skin lesions are mistakenly attributed to spider bites
by physicians and the general public, but few spiders actually cause inflammation or damage to the skin. Although
previous research has shown that most self-proclaimed
“spider bites” were diagnosed as Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections, it was unknown whether certain demographic characteristics were
associated with developing MRSA skin infections. To in-
Human β-defensins (HBDs) are secreted by a variety of
cells and are crucial elements of the immune system. Bioinformatic searches have found genes corresponding to various uncharacterized β-defensins that may exhibit antiviral
and antibacterial activities. HBD-2 and HBD-3 are known
to inhibit the replication of CCR5 and CXCR4 tropic
strains of HIV-1. To test for their activity, recombinant βdefensins were produced in E. coli with an N terminal 10-
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vestigate whether such a correlation existed, we identified
patients who came to the UCI Medical Center Emergency
Department with a chief complaint of a spider bite.
Anonymous questionnaires were administered inquiring
about their living situation, possible injectable drug use,
possible incarceration, how they had attained the spider
bite, why they believed it was a spider bite, and possible
past treatment of the same problem. An information sheet
was also provided about skin lesions that are often mistakenly attributed to spider bites and the infrequency of spider
bites. Of the 182 patients enrolled, most patients (84%)
were diagnosed with an MRSA skin infection, while only
4% were diagnosed with an actual spider bite. No significant correlations between diagnosis and certain demographic characteristics were found. This study suggested
that demographic characteristics, such as homelessness,
injectable drug use, and group-living may not be MRSA
skin infection risk factors. In addition, this study aimed to
educate potential patients and the general public about skin
lesions and the infrequency of spider bites, and to caution
physicians against unfounded spider bite claims. We hope
to facilitate better treatment and prevention of this problem in the future.
Self-Conscious Emotions in Primary and Secondary
Psychopathy
Cassandra Diaz & Andrea Johnston
Mentors: Sally Dickerson & Jennifer Skeem
Typically, psychopathy is conceptualized as a unitary disorder with a constellation of traits, including callousness,
remorselessness, deceitfulness, and emotional deficits.
Based on classic theory, recent research disaggregates psychopathy into primary (low trait anxiety; socially potent)
and secondary (high trait anxiety; socially sensitive) subtypes. Further, unlike secondary psychopaths, individuals
high in primary psychopathy are theoretically incapable of
experiencing emotions such as guilt. Thus, we expect to
observe disparities in the experience of self-conscious
emotions between these two variants of psychopathy. Specifically, we expect that secondary psychopaths will score
higher on shame and guilt due to their high anxiety and
social sensitivity. Conversely, we expect primary psychopaths will score higher on detachment and pride due to
their low anxiety and social dominance. Using a sample of
612 male undergraduates, participants scoring in the upper
third of the PPI-R distribution were subdivided into primary (n = 100) and secondary (n = 108) psychopathy subtypes based on a median split of STAI-T scores.
Additionally, a random sample of the remaining pool
comprised our control group (n = 100). The results of this
study were partially consistent with our hypotheses. Beyond high trait anxiety, this study suggests that secondary
psychopathy also is distinguishable from primary psychopathy by high shame and low pride. Additionally, our find-
ings suggest that primary psychopathy is further
distinguishable by high emotional detachment and pride,
and, surprisingly, by guilt.
Comparison of the Visual Function Index to the
Snellen Visual Acuity in Predicting Self-Restricted
Driving Habits of Older Adults
Erin Carr & Bhakti Patel
Mentor: Shahram Lotfipour
In this observational study, the visual function index (VF14) and the Snellen visual acuity test, which is the gold
standard, were compared to self-restricted driving in older
adults. The VF-14 was originally designed to assess vision
in cataract patients. However, in this study, it was evaluated as a tool for measuring self-restricted driving in older
drivers. During a three-month period, approximately 140
adult drivers over the age of 65 were screened at the local
senior center. In addition to the Snellen visual acuity test
and the VF-14, each participant was given a questionnaire
about their driving habits, previously used in selfrestriction studies. Spearman’s rank sum correlation coefficient was used to analyze the data and showed correlation
of the VF-14 and Snellen to self-restricted driving. The
study shows that poor visual acuity, as indicated by the
Snellen scale and low VF-14 scores, correlates to greater
self-imposed driving limitations. The VF-14 also showed
further distinctions of self-restriction between individuals
in the same Snellen visual acuity category.
Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone: A Novel Target for
Melanoma Chemoresistance
Shiney Koshy & Zachary Richardson
Mentor: Anand Ganesan
Melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, has
been increasing in incidence over the past decade. There is
no effective treatment, chemotherapy or otherwise, for
metastatic melanoma. In an effort to identify novel, cell
autonomous regulators of melanoma survival, an unbiased
functional genomics siRNAi based screen was performed.
Several components of the thyroid hormone axis (TRH,
THRB) were identified as novel regulators of melanoma
survival and potentially melanoma cell chemoresistance.
Secondary validation of these targets revealed that both
TRH and THRB impacted melanoma cell survival, but did
not directly impact melanoma chemoresistance. Further
studies excluded the possibility that the phenotype observed upon TRH and THRB siRNA knockdown was secondary to the off target effect of an individual siRNA.
Western blotting validated that siRNA treatment depleted
these cells of TRH and THRB. Other studies validated that
knockdown of these genes impacted cellular apoptotic cascades. Together, these studies identify the thyroid hormone axis as a potential novel target for melanoma
chemotherapy.
A Prospective Evaluation of Bedside Ultrasound in
the Emergency Department for Cholelithiasis and
Cholecystitis
Sepehr Shojaei & Wanchi Zeng
The gallbladder is an essential part of the digestive system
because it stores bile synthesized in the liver and secretes it
into the intestine via the common bile duct. Two of the
most common diseases that inflict the gallbladder are
cholelithiasis—presence of gallstones in the gallbladder—
and cholecystitis—inflammation of the gallbladder. A large
percent of the population presents to the emergency department with abdominal pain, right-upper-quadrant
pain/epigastric pain, sometimes with nausea and vomiting,
due to gallbladder pathology. Although difficult to diagnose, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis need to be diagnosed
quickly so a treatment plan can be determined. Ultrasonography has been shown to be a useful diagnostic tool in
detecting the presence of gallstones and evaluating the
thickness of the gallbladder wall. The accuracy and
sensitivity of bedside ultrasonography is compared to
formal radiological studies in this study, in hope of
improving the quality of patient care by reducing time and
cost. Data from this study show that bedside
ultrasonography has a sensitivity of 98.07%, and a
specificity of 70%. The data suggest that bedside
ultrasonography can diagnose gallbladder pathology fairly
accurately, but further research is necessary to determine
whether its accuracy and sensitivity is as good as the
radiological studies.
Investigation of Boundary Sliding During
Deformation of Nanocrystalline Metals
Ricardo Komai & Andrew Marquez
Mentor: Farghalli Mohamed
Nanocrystalline (nc) metals are composed of grain sizes in
the range of 1–100 nanometers. Nc-metals have novel features that are markedly different from their conventional
grain-sized counterparts. While chemical and electromagnetic properties have been explored extensively, many mechanical properties have not been experimentally
investigated in detail. Before these materials can be used in
structural applications, it is necessary to understand their
properties to ensure safety in design. Boundary sliding that
refers to the relative movement of grain boundaries in
polycrystalline metals creates steps, voids, and cavities in
the microstructure, which can cause premature failure.
While computer simulations predict occurrence of
“boundary sliding” in nanocrystalline metals, this phenomenon has not been experimentally studied. We intend
to use Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to examine
whether steps and voids can be observed in nc-Nickel
upon deformation. If these feature are observed, they signify that boundary sliding accompanies deformation in ncmetals.
Harmful Algal Blooms in Response to Temperature
and Nutrients in Costal Oceans
Andrew Lazo & Behshad Matin
Mentor: Sunny Jiang
Various physical, chemical, and biological factors have
been attributed to the gradual increases of algal blooms.
However, the cause of algal blooms and the reasons for
their increasing frequency remain unclear. Two harmful
algal species that have been observed on the West Coast
are the diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia and the
dinoflaggelates of the genus Alexandrium. Plankton of
Pseudo-nitzschia genus release domoic acid, which can cause
Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning in humans. Alexandrium catenella produces paralytic shellfish toxins, leading to neurological complications once consumed. To explore the
relationship between the natural environmental conditions
and the blooms of Alexandrium catenalla and Pseudo-nitzschia,
bi-weekly plankton samples were collected from a testing
site off the shore of Dana Point, California, starting September 2007. Microscopy methods identified plankton,
and their concentrations were calculated with a hematocytometer. Temperature, salinity, and rainfall records were
tracked to gauge their influence in the proliferation of
harmful algal blooms (HABs). Results showed decreases of
water temperature through the winter season and a slow
increase in the spring. Some precipitation occurred during
winter months with few showers in the early spring. Between October 2007 and March 2008, total algal counts
varied, but a significant increase of Alexandrium or Pseudonizschia was not detected. A Pseudo-nitzchia bloom was first
observed in late April, following increases in water temperature in coastal waters. This paper will discuss the
statistical relationship between plankton species and
environmental factors. Results from this research will contribute to our understanding of the ecology of HABs in
coastal oceans.
Contributions of Phytoplankton to the Global Carbon
Cycle: Analysis Using 13C Method
Stephanie Ho & Richard LeClair
Mentor: Adam Martiny
Phytoplankton are photoautotrophic organisms that inhabit the euphotic zone of the ocean and produce a large
amount of the oxygen in the world’s atmosphere. The contribution of phytoplankton to the global carbon cycle has
been of great interest in the scientific community. With
light, nutrients, and other environmental factors necessary
for the organism’s survival in consideration, a simple in-lab
incubation system was developed. Previous studies have
been conducted in which algorithms were developed to
measure the primary production of phytoplankton. Using
the 13C method, the primary production of phytoplankton
will be measured in this ongoing investigation. Following
mass spectrometry analyses, changes of 13C concentrations
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in the samples will be used in algorithms provided by previous studies to quantify the contributions of phytoplankton to the world’s oceans.
Making the Transition from College Actor to
Professional Actor
Maureen Chesus & Aysha Wax
Mentor: Myrona DeLaney
The New York Satellite Program gives aspiring musical
theatre students the opportunity to spend a month in New
York City, taking classes from professionals in the field,
going to professional auditions, and developing the tools
to transition from classroom to career. This program is
essential to students who are serious about performance as
a career, and is a great chance to get a taste of the business
while still in a university setting. Our purpose in attending
this program was to assess the direction of our careers, and
to prepare us for success in a difficult field. With the help
of this program, we are able to focus on how we can
achieve our goals. During the series of classes, we remained open to all the opinions we received, were always
well prepared to work, and took advantage of the knowledge of our teachers. By the conclusion of the program, we
had garnered strong audition skills, confidence, gratitude,
and an understanding of the best ways to represent ourselves. With this knowledge, we can move forward in our
development, as we now know how to treat ourselves as
individual businesses. This program made being a professional performer something tangible and exciting. We feel
confident that the experience of this program will benefit
us as we embark on our artistic journeys.
Cross Border Health Utilization
Sarahi Loya & Samer Roumani
Mentors: Shahram Lotfipour & Michael Menchine
Health care usage outside of the United States has been a
major prolonged issue within the healthcare system. The
purpose of the study is to determine the number of patients who seek healthcare outside the United States and
the factors that lead them to do so. The factors considered
in this study are cost, speed, physician communication,
trust, quality and overall satisfaction. By analyzing these
factors the deficiencies of the U.S. healthcare system will
be easier to target. An anonymous questionnaire—
composed of questions relating to these factors—was
given to adult in-patients within the UCI Emergency Department. From the data analyzed so far, which was from
50 patients, only 18% of patients presented to UCIMC had
been outside of the U.S. for healthcare. Of those patients,
80% had been to Mexico. Only 40% reported to have been
to other countries for cost, and 50% for satisfaction and
easier physician communication. Ten percent also reported
that their trust in the healthcare system and quality of
healthcare was better outside the United States. The goal is
to enroll 1,000 patients.
Transcendence Art Theatre Presents “Prisms: An
Interdisciplinary Art Show”
Candice Cross & Rachel Pace
Mentor: Lisa Naugle
The creation of Transcendence Art Theatre, an on-campus
organization composed of transfer student artists, facilitates a supportive environment for undergraduate students
who have transferred to UCI from another college or university. The formation of this organization illustrates the
importance of collaboration in the all-encompassing world
of the arts. By building a show based on collaborative art
projects, we fostered the opportunity for artists to step
outside their boundaries and explore other resources. This
has motivated students to thrive at UCI by combining their
individual talents to achieve one common goal. Our production, Prisms: An Interdisciplinary Art Show, on May 30 and
31 at 7:00 p.m., in performance studio 1100, showcases the
product of these ambitions. Each presentation within
Prisms demonstrates a combination of several art forms;
revealing that when we combine talents the possibilities are
endless.
The Use of a Genetic Algorithm and Facial Morphing
Technology to Define Ethnic-Specific Ideal Facial
Aesthetics in Anterior-Poster and Lateral Facial
Portraits
Zlatko Devcic & Koohyar Karimi
Mentor: Brian Wong
In the academic inquiry of defining ideal facial aesthetics,
our research group has pioneered a novel method of combining a genetic algorithm with facial morphing technology
to “evolve” more attractive synthetic anterior-posterior
(AP) facial portraits; developed a method to create realistic
synthetic lateral facial portraits with morphing technology;
and validated an Internet-based approach to rating facial
attractiveness. Combining these methodologies, the aim of
this investigation is to “evolve” facial attractiveness in an
AP and corresponding lateral pool of facial portraits that is
ten times larger and ethnic-specific. The genetic algorithm,
which biases more attractive faces, selectively pairs faces
from an initial pool of portraits. The paired portraits are
then morphed together to create a cohort of synthetic
faces that is more attractive than those in the initial pool.
By iterating this methodology multiple times, faces are
paired together and morphed to “evolve” facial attractiveness through several cohorts. Each pair of AP portraits
also has their corresponding lateral facial projection
morphed, which allows for two different facial projections
of the same facial portrait to be analyzed. A team of researchers has been assembled to create synthetic facial portraits; 245 of the 300 required AP and corresponding
lateral facial portraits have been collected, and 336 synthetic AP and corresponding synthetic lateral facial portraits have been created. Due to the time-intensive and
tedious nature of the methods in this large-scale investigation, ongoing efforts are being invested to complete phase
1 of the study.
Analysis of Dendritic Spine Densities in a YFPExpressing Fragile X Mouse Model
Abhishek Chadha & Nicholas Olivas
Mentors: Christine Gall & Julie Lauterborn
Fragile X mental retardation syndrome (FX) is characterized by a disruption in learning and memory, and an abnormal dendritic spine density. We crossbred a yellow
fluorescent protein-expressing mouse with an Fmr1-KO
(FX mouse model) mouse to visualize spines in FX mice.
Following this, mouse brain tissue was collected and examined using a wide field light microscope. ImageJ computer
software was used to assist with spine counting. Preliminary results show a greater density of dendritic spines in
the FX versus wild-type mice. This finding is consistent
with past research using a Golgi staining method to visualize dendritic spines. During the next phase of our study,
we seek to compare dendritic spine densities after a period
of stress in FX and wild-type mice. Since FX patients exhibit increased anxiety, we hypothesize that their neural
machinery for stress will also be aberrant.
Emergency
Physician
Patient
Satisfaction
Intervention Survey (EPPSIS)
Ladan Khoddam & Roula Saleem
Mentors: Shahram Lotfipour, Michael Menchine &
Lynduh Soldavini
When a patient goes to the emergency department (ED)
there are many factors that contribute to their satisfaction
during their visit. Through a two-step process, the Emergency Physician Patient Satisfaction Intervention Survey
aims to develop a communication tool that will allow patients and doctors to discuss concerns that are often neglected during a health care visit and see how this affects
patients’ satisfaction with their emergency care. The first
half of the study focuses on calling patients one week after
their visit to the ED, without prior knowledge of the hospital staff, and determining how satisfied they were with
the patient care they received. The second half is the intervention, in which we administer a communication tool that
will help the patients explain their concerns; later, we will
evaluate whether this technique helps increase patient satisfaction. The first half of the study is complete, finding an
overall patient satisfaction of 66.34%. Patients were found
to be most happy with the doctors’ confidence and the
nurses’ communication, and least satisfied with the respect
the doctors had for the patients and the quality of the
nurses’ care. Knowing the characteristics and factors pa-
tients are most and least happy with can now help with the
second part of the project, which is still in progress, in devising an effective communication technique to enhance
patient care.
Barriers to Obtaining Health Insurance Among
Patients Presenting to a University-Based Emergency
Department and the Efficacy of Patient Education on
Access to Health Insurance
Anjali Bhatt & Nassim Lashkari
Mentors: Tareg Bey, Doug Brosnan & Shahram Lotfipour
The purpose of this study was to investigate and document
the barriers to obtaining health insurance faced by many
uninsured patients. The second portion of this study
measured the efficacy of a federally sponsored pamphlet in
helping uninsured patients obtain health insurance. We
studied a population of patients from the Emergency Department at the UC Irvine Medical center over a 12-month
period. Patients were screened, and those who qualified
were asked an eleven-question survey. Patients who indicated they did not have health insurance were provided
with a federally sponsored pamphlet and called within one
month to see whether or not they had contacted any health
insurance agencies. We found that the most common barrier to obtaining health insurance was a combination of
low income among the uninsured coupled with the high
cost of a health insurance plan. The majority of uninsured
patients who were provided a pamphlet and who contacted
health insurance agencies were able to obtain insurance.
Synthesis and Assessment of Porous Titanium
Compacts as an Optimal Biomaterial
Teresa Alejandrino & Kevin Bujo
Mentor: James Earthman
Metallic implants are commonly used in orthopedic surgery
to replace damaged bone in areas of the body that support
high stresses and heavy loads. In recent years, research on
porous titanium compacts has shown that using this material in implants can alleviate problems associated with
stress shielding. Specifically, the pores structure reduces
the Young’s modulus of the material, thus reducing the
difference in stiffness between the implant and the bone,
which is the primary cause of stress shielding. Another
advantage of porous compacts is that they allow for tissue
ingrowth and fluid flow. A disadvantage of these compacts
is that other mechanical properties, such as strength and
corrosion resistance, are reduced. The focus of this research is to study the effect of pressure, temperature, and
initial titanium particle size on the strength of the sintered
porous compacts. The porosity of the titanium compacts
was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope
(SEM). Tensile strength was determined to assess the present porous titanium compacts as a suitable biomaterial for
orthopedic implants. Future work will involve determining
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the correlations between porosity, tensile strength, and
fatigue strength of porous titanium compacts.
negative moods. Implications for how repression may unfold developmentally will be discussed.
E85 Ethanol for Formula SAE
Evan Gorski & Dylan Klee
Ethanol has become a leading fuel in the transportation
industry due to its renewability. This research was used to
select fuel for the Formula SAE senior project vehicle, and
is based on performance rather than socioeconomic factors. Numerical calculations showed an expected 7%
power gain from ethanol high octane. However, ethanol’s
relatively low heat of combustion would require 137%
more fuel. Dynamometer testing on a 600cc Yamaha FZ6
confirmed the analytical calculations. Further testing revealed that ethanol’s high latent heat of evaporation lowered its compressed gas temperature, which resulted in
poor cold startability. Adjusted ignition timing on the engine heated the intake charge and improved cold startability.
Distributed
Denial
of
Service
Attacks:
Implementation of Systematic Distribution of Filters
Nadia Nabulsi & Mohsen Rafizadeh
Mentor: Athina Markopoulou
Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS) are among
the most severe and hard to solve problems on the Internet today. During a DDoS attack, a large number of compromised hosts coordinate and send unwanted traffic to
the victim and consequently exhaust the victim’s resources
and prevent service to legitimate clients. For example, victims of DDoS attacks can be companies that rely on the
Internet for their business, in which case DDoS attacks
can result in severe financial losses or even in the company' quitting the business. In this paper, we use filtering
mechanism to block unwanted traffic in a network that has
a limited bandwidth and filters. A Heuristic algorithm is
used, and its performance is compared to the optimal one.
The optimal algorithm gives the best solution; however,
the heuristic one gives a solution close to the optimal while
it has a faster response. Finally, the responses of the heuristic and optimal algorithm are compared using a fixed
number of filters.
Evidence of Adolescent Repressive-Defensiveness on
Experience of Everyday Emotions: An Ecological
Examination
Robyn Wellerstein & Peria Zandi
Repression is a coping style marked by inhibition of the
experience and expression of negative emotions. Previous
studies of repressive coping in adults (defined as high defensiveness and low anxiety) have shown that repressors
are more prone to disease, tend to cope ineffectively with
stress, and report higher levels of positive and lower levels
of negative emotion. The aim of this study was to determine if repressive coping in adolescents is associated with
self-reports of emotions similar to adult populations. Five
hundred, twenty-three adolescents, mean age 14 years at
baseline, were categorized as either high or low defensive
and anxious based on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability and the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scales
respectively. Participants were prompted to record their
moods about every 30 min during waking hours for up to
32 days over a four-year period using electronic diaries. In
contrast to what has been reported in adult samples,
ANCOVA analyses controlling for gender revealed that
repressive coping in children was not associated with selfreports of negative or positive emotions. However, defensiveness alone was negatively associated with self-reports
of anger, anxiety, sadness, and stress (p <.05). As expected,
anxiety alone was associated with more negative emotion
and less positive emotion. A 3-way interaction involving
Defensiveness, Anxiety, and Gender was observed for
positive moods, with Defensiveness positively related to
happiness and wellbeing (p <.05), but only in high trait
anxious boys. No interactions by gender were observed for
Coping After a National Tragedy Using Web 2.0
Shabnam Moghbeli, Roy Taggueg & Anny Yang
On the morning of April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho shot
and killed 33 of his fellow classmates at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Because they are
often highly publicized, community traumas such as the
Virginia Tech Massacre can have severe and far-reaching
psychological effects, not only on the individual level, but
on the greater community. With the advent of new technologies and innovations, such as Web 2.0, new forms of
social support have emerged that have mostly gone unnoticed by the psychological community. Social networking
Websites, such as Facebook, MySpace, and Weblogs, have
created a new arena in which individuals can cope with
stressful events anonymously and connect to a larger,
broader community. Archival data from various Web 2.0
sites (YouTube, Facebook, and Weblogs) were examined
and coded for recurring and predominant themes that
people expressed in the aftermath of the shootings. From
each Website, four articles or groups were selected, and
one hundred comments were randomly selected to be
coded. Thus, there were a total of 1200 comments that
were coded, and recoded to establish inter-rater reliability.
The themes included comments regarding the media, sympathy for the victims, sympathy for nonvictims, blame
placed on Cho, blame not placed on Cho, anger, community support, and future prevention. We found that many
people used the Web to cope with the traumatic events of
the Virginia Tech Massacre by gaining a sense of community, seeking social support, and having an arena to vent
their thoughts and feelings.
Iso-Butane and N-Butane Ratios Indicate Chlorine
Chemistry in the Air Above Hot Tubs
Amy Blackmon, Christina Neino & Jantammy Vargas
Mentor: Donald Blake
Chlorine gas is known to be hazardous to our health, and
has been shown to lead to several respiratory diseases, and
even cancer. Our previous studies indicated that chlorine
chemistry may be occurring above swimming pools and
hot tubs. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere n-butane
concentrations are about twice as abundant as i-butane;
however in the presence of chlorine atoms, n-butane is
removed faster than i-butane; thus, the i/n butane ratio
increases. In this study we measured i-butane and n-butane
concentration ratios in the air above hot tubs to determine
the presence of chlorine atoms. Gas chromatography using
flame ionization detection was used to measure the
amount of these gases in the air above the water. Samples
were collected during the day and night, with and without
aeration (bubbles). When the samples of two different hot
tubs were compared to background samples, the ratio of ibutane to n-butane was higher in both the day and night
samples, and showed a gradient at various distances from
the water. This indicates that chlorine atoms are being directly emitted from the hot tub. We suggest that atomic
chlorine might be a cause of respiratory problems in
swimmers.
A Day in the Life: Inventing Engineers
Kevin Chicas, Enrique Gracian & Manal Hanna
Mentors: Katherine Carpenter & Carroll Seron
How do novices become professionals? We explore this
question in the context of engineering professionalization
and ask how students describe the work of engineers. Do
men and women develop along similar or different trajectories? Does the site of professionalization matter? We
explore these questions in the context of a “naturally occurring experiment” at four sites. Our treatment sites,
Smith College and the Franklin Olin College of Engineering (Olin), seek to turn engineering education on its head
through a curriculum that integrates theory and practice, or
“learning by doing.” Our control sites, the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass), embrace a more traditional
approach to engineering education or “learn then do,” in
which students move from basic science to engineering to
design. Beginning in 2002, the FuturePaths study followed
cohorts of students at the four sites. At each site, a group
of students reported diary entries on a bi-monthly basis.
We analyzed diary entries in year 1 (n=741 entries) and
year 3 (n=928 entries). In year 1, students at Smith and
Olin described their work in industry-conscious ways and
demonstrated an emergent understanding of what it means
to be an engineer. By year 3, however, students at MIT and
to a lesser extent UMass were no longer novices. Compared to men, women across the four schools more openly
discussed their concerns and did so in similar ways, focusing on confidence, fears, and understanding of what it
takes to be a “good” engineer.
The Living Room Tour: Slow Through Eden
Ariana Lambdin, Nick Refuerzo & Negin Singh
Mentor: Don Hill
The bureaucracy, paperwork, and financial burdens that
artists must struggle through should never supersede the
integrity of their art. Originally, this project hoped to bypass bureaucracy and bring art directly to the people. We
wanted to eliminate the obstacles, the permits, the laws,
and the paperwork and reduce art into its purest state: art
and those that consume it. It was our intention to perform
for a diverse demographic of all ages. We brought an
original play into the living rooms of houses. The outcome
exceeded our expectations phenomenally and greatly
evolved our perspective of art and society. By performing a
play about acceptance, religion, and love, we realized the
importance of dialogue and discourse. After the play, the
living room became a site to discuss morality, religion and
art. Audience members interacted with each other, the actors and the directors in the open environment that is crucial to art. It was a tremendous journey and experience. We
learned that the relationship between artist and audience is
an essential and sacred rapport—one that needs to remain
as direct and pure as possible, regardless of any bureaucratic obstacles. But most importantly, we channeled our
frustration into a positive, intimate art piece that brought
the community and art together. For four months, we lived
by a mantra we have an incredible amount of faith in now:
Art by people, for people.
In-Vitro Evaluation of Topically Applied Optical
Clearing Agents
Angelica Byrne, Richard McClure & Charles Stoianovici
Clinical imaging techniques are restricted due to their high
cost and large spatial demands. Our research focuses on
minimizing the effects of optical scattering via the application of chemicals known as optical clearing agents (OCAs).
A titanium oxide silicone phantom was constructed with
three embedded tubes at varying depths containing nigrosin. The variable locations of these inclusions will allow
us to determine in a quantitative fashion the ability of optical clearing to improve resolution of sources of contrast at
a given separation and/or depth. Skin samples were placed
on the phantom, and different OCAs were applied. Quali-
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tative data was obtained using black and white images,
while quantitative data was obtained using LabVIEW
software. Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is capable of both
penetrating the epidermis and significantly clearing human
skin. In addition, our research indicates the optical clearing
induced by these optical clearing agents is reversible with
subsequent application of saline. The implementation of
topically applied OCAs reduces tissue optical scattering
and improves imaging contrast.
UCI Steel Bridge
Alex Chung, Donson Liu & Jackie Young
The UCI Steel Bridge project team completed the design,
fabrication and testing of a 21 foot long steel bridge. The
goal of this project was to be able to produce the most
effective and cost efficient bridge possible while complying
with the demands to compete in the 2008 ASCE Steel
Bridge Competition in the Pacific Southwest Regional
Conference. In the project, students collaborated to work
with design and fabrication tools that are not introduced in
the classroom. As a result, the team was responsible for
finding ways of completing their goal. The two major aspects of our project were design and fabrication. The design phase consisted of researching current technology in
bridges and required the use of the SAP2000 structural
analysis program, and resulted in a through truss with a
modified space truss girder. Fabrication proved to be more
difficult, with our team overestimating the constructability
of much of our design. During testing, we found our
bridge to be well designed and built for the vertical test
load of 2,500 pounds. However, it was found to be lacking
in lateral stability. Our conclusions included increasing lateral load supporting members and using higher strength
steel to increase efficiency.
Visual Rehabilitation Using the Luebeck Software in
Subject with Left Homonymous Hemianopia
Kelly Le, Nancy Luu & Daniel Rosenbaum
Mentor: Edward Wong
One female subject with left homonymous hemianopia
following a ruptured cerebral aneurysm was followed in
this study. Prior to and following visual rehabilitation using
the computerized Luebeck software, the subject was given
a series of tests, including a complete ophthalmological
and neurological examination, electroencephalography
(EEG), and eye movement studies. The ophthalmological
exam included an Amsler grid, Goldmann perimetry, and
central threshold tests (30-2 and 10-2). The eye movement
study was performed using the EyeLink eyetracker system
to determine saccadic eye movements during readingbased and peripheral stimuli-based tasks, both before and
after treatment. Treatment consisted of 30 trials of the
computerized Luebeck therapy performed daily at the sub-
ject’s home. Results from the Amsler and central threshold
tests reveal a slight increase in the visual field of the left
eye in both the vertical and horizontal meridians. More
patients undergoing longer treatment durations will be required to further determine the effectiveness of the Luebeck software in restoring vision. In addition, EEG
analysis will be performed to help elucidate the mechanism
for this change.
Ultrahigh Vacuum Instrumentation for Scanning
Probe Microscopy Studies of Noble Metal Catalysts at
the Nanoscale
Satoru Emori, Brian James & Jimmy Vo
Mentor: Regina Ragan
Catalytic activity is dependent on the electronic properties
of the materials involved, as a catalytic reaction involves
transfer of electrons between the catalyst, the substrate,
and the reacting species. For instance, although bulk gold
is catalytically inert, gold nano-clusters of diameter approximately 3 nm on titanium dioxide substrates exhibit
excellent catalytic activity, partly due to perturbation of
electronic properties from quantum sized effects. Such
altered electronic properties of nanometer-sized materials
can be investigated with scanning probe microscopy techniques, which can measure atomic and molecular structure
and local electronic properties. Thus, scanning probe microscopy studies can elucidate interactive phenomena between the catalyst and the reacting species at the molecular
level, including electron transfer and preferential attachment sites. However, obtaining quantitative data for these
nanoscale phenomena requires an ultrahigh vacuum
(UHV) condition to minimize contamination in the characterization environment. To deposit the reacting species on
catalyst samples at a controlled rate, a UHV chamber
equipped with a precision leak valve has been designed and
assembled. After successful preliminary testing, the chamber has been integrated into an existing UHV system with
sample preparation and scanning probe microscopy capabilities. This integrated instrumentation allows preparation,
deposition, and nanoscale characterization of catalysts to
be conducted seamlessly. From the fundamental understanding of catalysis at the nanoscale, more efficient and
economical catalysts may be developed for such applications as decomposition of organic compounds and
production of hydrogen for fuel cells.
An Analysis of the Influences of Family, Self-Efficacy,
and Acculturation on the Traditionality of Career
Choice of Asian American Undergraduates
Aman Bedi, Jillian Jesalva & John Phan
Mentors: Jonathan Flojo & Caesar Sereseres
The goal of our study is to increase our understanding of
Asian American undergraduates’ career choices based on
three variables: family influence, which consists of parental
involvement in career oriented tasks and parental attachment; acculturation level; and career self-efficacy. We investigated the impact of the three variables on traditionality
of career choices. Traditionality is the tendency of Asian
Americans to be overrepresented in technical, professional,
and service oriented occupations and underrepresented in
sales, production or craft and labor occupations relative to
their overall representation in the civilian workforce. According to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau , the most common career choices of Asian Americans, in descending
order, were pharmacist, computer specialist and physician.
Traditionality was operationalized by calculating a Representational Index (RI) based on data from the 2000 U.S.
Census. The RI is the ratio of the percentage of Asian
Americans in a particular occupation relative to their representation in the workforce, multiplied by 100. Our study
explores the influences behind overrepresentation and underrepresentation trends. We used online survey methodology, through which UC Irvine Asian American
undergraduates completed a series of measures. Results
will indicate the level of influence that family, acculturation, and self-efficacy have on the career aspirations of
respondents.
I-14 Foil Design
Lawrence Alexander, Rhett Roback & John Shaver
Mentor: Robert Liebeck
The goal of our project is to design and construct a set of
lifting foils for the international 14 sailboat. The design will
use modern airfoils, which will be specifically selected to
best fit the range of sailing conditions found in Southern
California. The construction will be based on modern
composite building techniques, including vacuum bagging,
and hollow molding. The final product will be put through
an extensive test program including dry static load testing,
and on-the-water testing.
Hardiness and Achievement in Transfer vs. NonTransfer Students
Dulce Chavez, Wilson Figueroa & Monica Sharif
Approximately 100 years ago, evidence emerged suggesting
that exposure to stress was detrimental to health. Research
continues to support the theory of Hardiness; in the face
of adversity and stress, individuals who challenge themselves to obtain a goal, who commit to complete a goal and
who show control in influencing outcomes are Hardi. This
research explores baseline hardiness traits present in college students. In particular, the research investigated
whether there were any differences in baseline Hardiness
between transfer students and those who entered college as
freshmen. The study consisted of 720 undergraduates who
had enrolled in either The Hardiness approach to Stress or
Personality course taught at the University of California
Irvine. Surveys were distributed for the participants to fill
out. The survey packet included the Hardy Survey III-R,
and measured the total levels of commitment, control and
challenge and, consequently, the likelihood of resiliency
within the subjects. The hypothesis that transfer students
would have higher baseline hardiness than students who
entered as freshmen was upheld. Specifically, Transfer students had higher scores in the scales measuring commitment, control, challenge, and hardiness total. Regressive
coping and transformational coping were also found to be
higher in transfer students. Our findings show that transfer
students have a higher level of vulnerability than those
who entered as freshmen, yet transfer students show
higher levels of hardiness and Hardicoping, allowing them
to succeed in stressful events and achieve in the university
setting.
Aromaticity, Electronic Structures, Partial Atomic
Charges, and Singlet-Triplet Gaps of Heterocyclic
Carbenes
Desirae Lau, Atitkumar Patel & Justin Willey
Mentor: Fillmore Freeman
The aromatic character, electronic structures, partial
atomic charges, and singlet-triplet gaps (∆EST) of 6π electron heterocyclic carbenes and their saturated counterparts
have been studied using complete basis set methods (CBSQB3, CBS-Q, CBS-4M) and the hybrid density functional
B3LYP, MP2, coupled-cluster theory [CCSD, CCSD(T)],
and the quadratic configuration interaction method
[QCISD, QCISD(T)] with the 6-31G(d,p), 6-311G(d,p), 631+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), 6-31++G(d,p), and correlation
consistent polarized valence double-ξ (cc-pVDZ) basis
sets. The five population analysis schemes (CHELPG,
MKS, NBO, APT, and MPA) predict negative and positive
partial atomic charges on the singlet carbene carbons. All
of the heterocyclic carbenes have singlet ground states.
The singlet 6π electron hetero carbenes display aromatic
stabilization energy (ASE, carbene stabilization energy
(CSE), cyclic π delocalization). The complete basis set
methods predict ∆EST values from 87.6 kcal/mol (1,2,4triazol-5-ylidene) to 55.9 kcal/mol (1,3-dithia-2-ylidene) for
the 6π electron carbenes and smaller ∆EST values are predicted for the saturated heterocyclic carbenes. Generally
CBS-QB3 and CBS-Q predict similar values for ∆EST,
CBS-4M, CCSD(T), and QCISD(T) predict values 1 to 2
kcal/mol lower than CBS-QB3 and CBS-Q, while B3LYP
predicts ∆EST values 2 to 4 kcal/mol lower than the other
methods. The geometrical parameters such as bond angles,
bond lengths, and torsion angles change according to the
nature of the hetero atoms.
- 126 -
Fall-Safe: Design of a Wireless Fall Monitoring
System
Hwanmoon Lee, Shao-Ping (Henry) Sung, Li-Cheng
(Jerry) Tsung & Andrew Yang
Mentor: Mark Bachman
Accidental falls have been a leading cause of death among
adults who are 65 years and older, and they have also been
a common cause of hospital admissions for trauma. It is
estimated that one in three Americans over 65 will fall each
year, and seniors are hospitalized for fall related injuries
five times more often than other injury related causes.
Study further shows that 50% of people who fall require
assistance to get up, and that 90% of people who receive
help within one hour will continue independent living. The
Fall-Safe concept is developed to allow senior citizens living independently be constantly monitored by their relatives or caretakers. In the event of a fall, Fall-Safe can
quickly notify relatives or emergency services, reducing
time for injury discovery and saving valuable time before
effective first aid. By using accelerometers, a processor,
and a short range wireless unit, we designed a prototype
fall sensor that can be worn, and computer software to
receive and record falls accurately and reliably, and send an
SMS message when a fall is detected. As the number of
people who are 65 years and older is expected to increase
to 70 million in 2025, we believe that there is a significant
market need and technology trend to integrate Fall-Safe in
accelerometer equipped phones in the near future.
Oral Care Hygiene for Underserved Population of El
Testerazo, Mexico
Olivia Nguyen, Diana Pham, Andrew Vu & Diana Vu
Mentors: Jae-Ho Baek & Petra Wilder-Smith
Oral health is directly affected by oral hygiene. Many aspects of systemic health are also directly affected by the
efficacy of oral cleansing procedures. However, many people in an underserved population may lack the necessary
education and supplies to maintain adequate oral hygiene.
As a result, many underserved populations continue to
practice bad eating habits—which ultimately adversely affect their health—increasing their chances of developing
cavities, gum diseases, gingivitis, periodontal diseases, and
other oral diseases with long-term consequences. If these
conditions remain untreated, they will have an adverse effect on long-term health. The goal of this study was to
evaluate the effects on oral health changes due to monthly
oral hygiene education/instructions, provision of oral hygiene supplies, and monitoring of oral cleanliness in the
underserved population of El Testerazo, Mexico for eighteen months. Patients’ oral health was evaluated through
three different indexes (Oral Hygiene Index; Gingivitis
Index; and Decay, Missing, and Filling Index). After 15
months, 130 patients agreed to participate in the study;
however, only 45 patients visited more than once and were
eligible for analysis. In the end, the study found that the
majority of patients improved their oral health when given
oral hygiene supplies and oral health education. Patients
who did not improve their oral health were found to be
mainly adolescent teens and children.
2007–2008 ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition
Yosuke Arai, Joseph Carbajal, Andrew Kim & Nathan
Nguyen
The ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition is an annual national event that brings Civil Engineering college students
together to design, build, and race a canoe composed of
concrete and reinforcements. The competition is intended
to advance the field of concrete construction and teach
students the fundamentals of managing a complex and
competitive engineering project. The ASCE chapter at
UCI participates in the PSWRC (Pacific Southwest Regional Conference), which is an annual conference attended by the ASCE branches from all the largest colleges
in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii. This
year’s Canoe, titled “Beat It,” implemented new reinforcement and hull design features, including X-rib bracing
and a false back, which results in an extended effective
length. The advanced technology of finite element analysis
programs and 3-D solid modeling allowed this years’ team
to provide an analysis of reinforcement placement and required concrete mix compressive strengths. The use of
complex technology combined with new materials such as
microspheres and water-reducing admixtures have allowed
the creation of the most competitive boat from UCI to
date.
Laboratory Model of Anaerobic Manure and Food
Waste Treatment for Energy Recovery
Irene Chang, Vidal Cortes, Erika Martinelli & Eric
Poomiwatracanont
Mentors: Betty Olson & Jan Scherfig
The biological conversion of manure to simpler substrates
and biogas can be monitored by measuring gas production,
as CO2 and methane, major metabolites, as Volatile Fatty
Acids (VFAs), and the dominant organisms in the reactor,
Acidogenic and Methanogenic bacteria. This project involved the development of a low-cost respirometer to
measure the real-time production of carbon dioxide and
methane, a method to measure VFAs from manure and
pure culture samples, and the development of ribosomal
DNA extraction methods. The DNA extraction process
was optimized considering the following factors: blending
times, dilution techniques, solids content, precision, accuracy, and purity. The manure samples from the reactors
were often high in solids, creating difficulty while pipetting.
To remedy this problem, samples were blended with water
for a minimum of two minutes to ensure even distribution
and minimize the occurrence of blocking the pipette tips.
Sample dilutions showed that for every factor of ten the
sample was diluted the DNA yield would increase by a
factor of ten but the precision would decrease. Through
many trials, the dilution for optimum yield and precision
was a sample with a total solid concentration of .01%.
During DNA extraction it was noticed that with manure
samples the DNA purity was sometimes low, ranging from
1.1 to 1.3. Acceptable levels of purity are 1.6 or higher. To
increase purity of DNA, samples were incubated with proteinase K, an enzyme that deactivates nucleases that often
degrade DNA during purification and remove contamination.
Copycat Episodes Following Media Exposure of the
Virginia Tech Shooting
Mariah Josefovsky, Usme Khusbu, Maria Martinez &
Stephanie Sullivan
Media exposure to repeated visual images of a community
disaster has been linked to a number of negative effects,
including posttraumatic stress symptoms and cardiovascular problems, and media reports of suicidal acts have been
linked to increased suicides and suicide attempts among
adolescents. We sought to examine the degree to which
intense media attention following sensational violent acts
such as the Virginia Tech University massacre of April 16,
2007 can also provide opportunities for viewers to replicate these crimes. We systematically collected Web-based
archival evidence (i.e., news articles, blogs and crime reports) of school-based crimes—from writing a threatening
note to bringing guns and ammunition to school—during
the two months prior to and following the Virginia Tech
massacre. Incidents were coded by severity of threat, geographic region, and education levels. Twelve instances of
school crimes (threat or actual incidence of violence) occurred in the two months prior to the Virginia Tech shooting; 219 cases were identified in the two months
afterwards. Most occurred in the Midwest and Eastern
regions of the United States. After Virginia Tech, copycat
incidents occurred across the educational spectrum, particularly at the high school level (N=106). As a result of
repeated media exposure, copycat incidents are a serious
public health issue that should be addressed by the media
and individuals who can influence public policy.
A New Animal Model for Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Kathleen Dang, Kelly Le, Nancy Luu, Daniel
Rosenbaum & Hung Truong
Mentor: Edward Wong
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS), commonly known as
“dry eye,” is an autoimmune disease within the conjunctiva
associated with decreased or irregular tear production. Using stereotaxic surgery, this study aims to create a reliable,
reproducible animal model for the dry eye by radiofrequency ablation of the V1-V2 junction within the rat
trigeminal nerve, leading to loss of corneal sensation and
blink reflex, dessication of the cornea, and pathological
similarities to KCS. Under sterile conditions and general
anesthesia, a 22-gauge hypodermic needle is inserted ventrally through the soft palette into the left V1-V2 junction
according to confirmed stereotaxic coordinates. The lesion
is then induced using a radiofrequency thermal cautery for
60 seconds; the right eye is kept as a control. Post-surgery,
tear production levels are measured using a Schirmer’s test
on days three, five, and ten. Blink reflex tests to observe
corneal sensation are also performed every 12 hours. After
euthanasia, the conjunctiva, the trigeminal nerve, and controls are harvested for histology. A significant decrease in
tear production was observed in the treated left eye compared to its original production before surgery. Pre and
post surgical tear levels in the control right eye showed no
significant reduction in tear production. This method is
successful in creating a dry eye model that is reproducible,
known for decreased morbidity and mortality, and effective in denervating the cornea via trigeminal ablation.
Chainless Challenge
Daniel Brahan, Miles Chen, Roland Chen, Henry Lang,
David Millar, Tavis Werts & Po-Tsung Wu
Mentor: James Bobrow
The Chainless Challenge is a bicycle competition sponsored by Parker Hannifin Corporation. The goal of the
project is to design and construct a bicycle that uses a fluid
powered system for energy transfer and storage instead of
the traditional chain-and-sprocket design. The bicycle is
raced in a sprint and endurance competition at the end of
the year against entries from other universities. The chainand-sprocket design has been the method of choice for
propelling a bicycle for the past 150 years. With the development of new technologies, the project allows us to investigate another way to transfer energy from the rider’s
legs into forward motion of the bicycle. Our aim is to take
advantage of the power and efficiency of an incompressible fluid system. One of the main advantages of using a
hydraulic system is the capability to capture and store energy within the bike for later use. As a group, we learned a
great deal on the design of fluid powered machines and the
operating efficiencies that come with hydraulic systems.
Our bike is capable of producing high accelerations, but
system losses and the added weight of components make
some aspects of the system less desirable than a conventional chain driven one.
- 128 -
UC Irvine Aero Design 2008: Team Pigasus
Yaron Alfi, Travis Colesen, Allan Eggleton, Salvador
Mayoral, Philip Stahlhuth, Patrick Viste & Brian Walker
Mentor: John LaRue
The University of California, Irvine Team Pigasus has designed and fabricated an RC cargo plane to compete in the
2008 SAE Aero Design West. The plane meets the specifications of having an unmodified FX OS.61 engine with an
E-4010 muffler, cargo bay of dimensions 5” x 5” x 10”,
and the sum of the wingspan, aircraft length, and height
equal to or less than 175 inches. A low wing, puller, conventional tail airplane configuration with a built-up fuselage and tricycle landing gear was selected because it could
be readily manufactured to produce a light-weight and
aerodynamic structure. The wing was designed to have a
plan form area of 1250 in2, aspect ratio of 8, a taper ratio
of 0.4, a dihedral of 4º, and winglets to use the available
wing area more efficiently. A 13 × 4.5 Bolly propeller producing 8.5 lbs of static thrust was chosen. After competing
in this year’s 2008 Aero Design West competition in Fort
Worth, Tx, the Pigasus team finished in 6th place overall
out of 37 teams in the open class. Additionally, the 9.3 lb
Pigasus cargo plane lifted a payload weight of 24 lbs and
earned 28.6 out of 30 possible bonus points.
2007–2008 UCI Rocket Project
John Boyd, James Costanzo, Hong-Hoa Do, Mark
Epelbaum, Kevin Launglucknavalai, Raul Martinez,
Thang Pham, Anthony Rossi, Jeffrey Wilschke & Leah
Zaragoza
Mentor: Kenneth Mease
In September 2007, a group of multidisciplinary engineering students formed the third UCI Rocket Project, which
will compete at the Third Intercollegiate Rocket Competition hosted by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association in Green River, Utah on June 26, 2008. The project
goals are based on the competition’s requirements to design and build a rocket capable of delivering a 10 lb payload as close to 10,000 ft AGL as possible and safely
recover all rocket components; and to develop an onboard
data acquisition system capable of recording flight parameters that are able to be retrieved within an hour of rocket
retrieval. The project is divided into four subsystems: the
Airframe System (AS) is responsible for a structure that
can safely accommodate all subsystems and provide suitable aerodynamics to ensure stable flight; the Data Acquisition System (DAS) is responsible for all data collections
and a timely execution of all in-flight operations; the Experimental Propulsion System (EPS) is responsible for the
development of a solid propellant rocket motor capable of
safely and accurately delivering necessary total impulse to
achieve desired altitude; and the Recovery System (RS) is
responsible for a safe recovery of the rocket and all its
components. An overview of the rocket design, and the
analysis and experimentation supporting the design, will be
presented. EPS conducted several experiments to properly
characterize and predict the propellant's behavior at high
pressures—beginning with small test strands of propellant
and studying their burn characteristics. Experiments simulating payload and parachute deployments were also conducted to ensure desired performance during flight.
UCI Satellite
Antony Abinader, Arya Ahmadi-Ardakani, Matthew
Bennett, Kyle Chang, Peter Hall, James Hu, Keita Imai,
Derek Lee, Maria Petrosyan, Erik Rubow, Viviana
Villareal, Andria Welsh, Leon Wen & Robert Woo
Mentor: Benjamin Villac
UCI Satellite (UCISAT) is the university’s first student engineering team to design, build, and launch a small spacecraft (or “CubeSat”) into Low Earth Orbit. A CubeSat
must have 10 x 10 x 10 cm cubic dimensions and weigh no
more than one kilogram. These physical requirements present significant challenges to the design of a complex
spacecraft, including component size and weight constraints, reduced power storage and output, and limitations
on attitude correction capabilities. In addition, effects of
the space environment, ionosphere, orbital speed, and altitude on the spacecraft’s components and overall mission
must also be addressed. After several years of development, the team has created a design that meets these challenges, and is in the process of manufacturing and testing
the final spacecraft. The next crucial steps for UCISAT-1
will be the integration of the subsystems into the final
structure, assessing the survivability and level of outgassing
in a high-vacuum environment, and rigorously testing the
autonomous operating system on the spacecraft’s flight
computer. All these efforts are being directed towards securing a position for a Taurus launch with NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory Mission in December 2008. This
presentation will provide an overview of the mission and
research, the on-going status of each subsystem’s innovative designs, and discussion of the requirements and challenges ahead for the upcoming launch.

Table of Contents - UROP

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