Many plant species are known to undergo masting, where individuals within a species all produce a large amount of seed in a single year, with a sharp drop off in reproduction in the following years. Masting may be beneficial to plants by suppressing seed predator populations in low seed production years, allowing for seeds to escape predation in high seed production years. Masting is likely associated with climate, although this is poorly understood. In this study, I will use herbarium specimens to tackle questions related to masting in five plant species: Tsuga heterophylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Thuja plicata, Rubus spectabilis, and Rubus parviflorus. Specifically, I will note the number of cones, seeds or berries on herbarium specimens, as well as specimen size and the year it was collected. I will use these data to 1) examine patterns of masting in focal species as compared to field data from Mount Rainier. I hypothesize that herbarium specimens will show a similar pattern of masting as field data, with trees showing stronger patterns than shrubs. Next, I will use these data to 2) compare masting patterns to annual climate. I hypothesize that warm temperatures lead to masting the following year, and that masting has increased in frequency. Finally, I will 3) assess the relationship between masting and bird species that eat seeds and berries (e.g. grouse, jays), to determine whether masting influences population dynamics of higher trophic levels. I will do so by comparing masting patterns with bird count data from the Audobon Society. I hypothesize that population sizes of birds that rely on seeds and berries will be greater in mast years. This study provides additional information for how we might expect entire ecosystems to be affected by climate change, including resource distribution and population health.

Photoresist is a viscous light sensitive organic solution which is used to coat the surface of silicon substrates in nanofabrication processes. An essential step in nanofabrication is photolithography. During this procedure, photoresist is deposited in a uniform, thin film over the wafer surface using a tool called the Spin Coater.  The purpose of our experiment is to develop spin curves that will examine the correlation between the different speeds or RPM value that the wafer is spun at and the uniformity of the photoresist coated wafer. The thickness and uniformity are critical to determine the correct UV exposure dose and plasma etch times. We will analyze the results for both positive and negative photoresist. In the case of a positive photoresist, the regions that are exposed to light are dissolved in developer. On the other hand, with negative photoresist, regions that were not exposed to light are dissolved. After the wafers are spun, the uniformities will be measured by an automated thickness mapping system called Filmetrics. Filmetrics is a machine that allows for the surface to be measured at the nano-meter level. The spin curves experiment will allow researchers to obtain wafers using these photoresists to achieve photolithography with their desired thickness.

Pre-hospital patient protocols standardize medical procedures for EMTs and increase the quality of care for patients. In Washington state, these protocols vary by county and often contain a section for psychiatric emergencies with variant restraint protocols. The immediate use of restraints in these situations can be seen as dismissive to the patient and can lead to agitation and violence. Verbal de-escalation can enhance provider-patient relations and decrease likelihood of restraints, seclusion, and hospital admissions.  The goal of this project was to explore restraint and de-escalation methods used in WA state county-level EMS pre-hospital patient protocols. To complete the project, a codebook was created with binary variables with definitions that determined whether the procedures listed in the protocol satisfied the definition. Using the codebook, each protocol was independently coded by 2 people and disagreements were reviewed by a third person. Finally, we created descriptive statistics from the restraint protocols and stratified based on rurality. Of the 39 counties in WA state, 77% of counties mentioned verbal de-escalation methods in their pre-hospital patient protocol. The de-escalation method with the highest proportion in all counties recommended reassuring the patient that the providers care for them (28%). The second highest proportion in all counties was to mention the use of de-escalation methods without explicit instructions (23%). Counties that do not have specific instructions and just mention the use of de-escalation methods can be confusing if the provider does not have de-escalation training or has not trained recently. These findings highlight the need for future research concerning the adherence of EMTs to these protocols and to see the what the outcomes are of the different protocols. More research can be done through contacting individual EMS agencies to see if internal protocols exist outside of county protocols.

This research involves the design of a system for an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to operate and navigate in an environment devoid of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). The system operates by interrogating an aviation transponder (either mode C or S) that is carried by the UAS and measuring the time elapsed for the response to multiple, ground-based antennas and using triangulation (multilateration) to locate the transponder and by association, the UAS. The ground-based system then routes this position information back to the UAS via the UAS’s data telemetry link. The autopilot then utilizes this position information for navigation in much the same way it would utilize a GPS-based position report. Our research focused on the system architecture to enable a UAS to operate in a GPS-denied environment. Flight test results are presented utilizing a customized version of the popular Pixhawk/ArduPlane avionics platform and demonstrate that the system is capable of guiding a UAS through a series of waypoints in the absence of GPS signals. Furthermore, the customized controller that was designed to consume this alternate source of position information performed well in highly unfavorable environmental conditions. This success illustrates the feasibility of the system as a practical alternative to GPS.

Music, like language, is considered a human universal. However, like language, individuals learn particular genres of music based on their cultural exposure. Recent behavioral and neuroimaging research on music cognition has shown that individuals can more easily process and remember music that is culturally familiar to them than music that is culturally novel. The goal of this research is to investigate whether individual differences in the ability to learn novel musical structures (or music aptitude) relates to individual differences in the ability to learn new languages, or language aptitude. Our study includes 5 minute eyes-closed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG), language aptitude tests (LLAMA D&F) of phonological awareness (tests participants’ memory of a series of words in a foreign language) and grammatical inferencing (ability to extract underlying rules), and a music learning test in which participants learn a form of foreign music. We predict that phonological awareness will positively correlate with overall memory for foreign music, as it relates to the ability to remember sequences of sounds. In contrast, we predict that grammatical inferencing will positively correlate with the extent to which individuals learn to distinguish between different types of foreign music through statistical learning. This study provides evidence of the connection of individual differences in foreign music comprehension to individual differences in second language acquisition at both a behavioral and neurological level.

Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are an emerging technology that is experiencing continued breakthroughs such as reaching a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.3% in August, 2018. OPVs have the potential to become a major source of energy in our future and a more sustainable energy option than traditional solar cells. In addition to contributing a lower environmental impact than common silicon-based solar cells, OPV cells can be made to be flexible, lightweight, and are comparably inexpensive to fabricate. They are also quite customizable via molecular engineering providing the opportunity for much novel architecture. Our research team focuses on innovating a modular processing system for OPV cells in the form of multi-component fibers by continuously coating device layers onto wires and winding the fiber with a secondary electrode. Using a small, user-friendly system allows us to focus on the most important factors that affect the morphology and PCE of the resulting OPV fiber. After characterizing the fibers we are able to consider what changes need to be made to the modular system, allowing us to better advise on the design of a larger-scale manufacturing process for organic photovoltaic fibers.

Age related immune decline may play a role in susceptibility to parasitic helminth infections among the octogenarian population. Few studies have examined very old age on susceptibility to helminth infections in people. Effects of age on host susceptibility using mouse models also has not been thoroughly studied for older ages of laboratory mice (Mus musculus), such as beyond about one year. In this study, the intestinal nematode (Heligmosomoides bakeri), a model for hookworm infection in humans, was used to infect 1-year-old and 2-year-old Swiss Webster mice. At 40 days post-infection, worms were removed and worm survival, sex ratio, ex vivo egg output, and worm length (as an index of growth) were measured and analyzed. I expect to find an increase in worm survival, ex-vivo egg output, and worm length in older mice. These results will be valuable because they will model the helminths capacity to proliferate in older hosts in comparison to younger hosts during a human hookworm infection.

The life history traits of parasites are dependent on the host environment and host immune response. Heligmosomoides bakeri, is an intestinal nematode parasite that infects laboratory mice (Mus musculus). This investigation used rapamycin, an immunosuppressant drug, in the diet of the host. Rapamycin is currently being considered as an over the counter drug to extend life expectancy. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if inhibition of the host immune system by rapamycin had a significant effect on parasite life history traits during a secondary infection. Mice were fed either a rapamycin diet or control diet for two months. Mice were then infected with H. bakeri, drug cleared of the primary infection, then re-infected with a secondary H. bakeri infection. Starting eight days after the secondary infection fecal egg counts were done daily to determine worm reproduction in vivo. Eighteen days after the secondary infection the mice were euthanized and worms were removed, sexed and counted. Length of ten female and ten male worms from each mouse was then measured, and 10 females were cultured to measure ex vivo reproduction. After 24 hours of incubation in culture media, egg output and worm motility (an index of viability) were measured. For this experiment I was involved in recording the worm length and was responsible for performing the ex vivo egg count and motility measurements. Results will provide important information about potential over-the-counter use of rapamycin in humans to slow biological aging and how changes in immune function may affect susceptibility to parasite infection.

There has been significant concern regarding the global effects of climate change, especially on plant communities, which are influenced by individual plant species responses. Warming temperatures are having large repercussions for plant biodiversity, with rapidly changing environmental conditions causing shifts in species ranges and phenology. To better understand the implications of this phenomenon on plants, many studies have investigated responses of individual species to climate change. One approach that has grown in recent decades is the use of functional leaf traits, which are indicators of plant performance and reproductive capacity. Specific leaf area (SLA), the ratio of fresh leaf area to dry leaf mass, is one such trait that is attributed to plant growth and photosynthetic capacity, and found to be correlated with climate. We assessed the relationship between climate and SLA for Vaccinium ovalifoilum, a shrub that is prevalent in the montane ecosystems of Mt. Rainier. To accomplish this, we gathered SLA using samples from the Burke Museum’s herbarium collection whose distribution will be delineated across three elevational bands. Altitude was used as a proxy for climate due to variable environmental conditions found across elevation—namely temperature and precipitation—and the collection location of specimens allowed us to obtain temperature and snow accumulation data. With this information, we compared the variation between the three established elevational bands in which the specimens fell under. We hypothesized that as elevation increases, SLA will decrease, attributing this trend to a limited growing window to support high photosynthetic capacity as a result of later snowmelt and lower temperatures. Our results offered insight to understand how climate change may potentially affect plant functionality and guide future research to analyze how changes in individual species may influence community coexistence in the upcoming years.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a common cause of workplace injuries and deaths for industrial workers. In our project, we use Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a model organism for investigating how cells behave under an environmental stressor and the long-lasting effects of that behavior. Previous work in our lab has shown that early exposure to low H₂S (50 ppm) enable C. elegans adults to survive a much higher subsequent exposure by forming a cellular memory known as a “bookmark.” Bookmarked animals survive at high H₂S (150 ppm), while animals without previous exposure do not. In a genetic screen, we identified various epigenetic factors that are involved in this process; however, it is still unclear when in the “life” of the bookmark and where in the animal these factors are required. The required bookmarking gene swsn-4 is part of the SWI/SNF complex, a group of proteins that regulate compaction of DNA and thus the accessibility of genes. We are interested in assessing the spatial requirements for swsn-4 by rescuing mutant animals that lack this chromatin-remodeling factor. For the first part of the project, we use Gateway recombination cloning technology to enable tissue-specific expression of swsn-4. In the next part of the project, we test whether introducing swsn-4 in specific tissues rescues bookmark retention. A recent study identified hif-1, a transcription factor, to be broadly needed to rescue animals exposed to both low and high H₂S, suggesting that the response is needed in most cells to ensure survival of the animal. Because swsn-4 is also present broadly in the body of C. elegans, we predict it will be needed in a similar way to hif-1. We hope that our investigation would lead us to discovering methods in which we can utilize the properties of H₂S as a chemical messenger to help patients.

Gravitational wave research comprises an emerging field in physics, as many institutions around the world rely on measurements from the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), and other interferometers as a vital source of data. Wave parameters provide valuable information about the astrophysical source properties, such as sky localization, source mass, spin, luminosity distance, and orbital inclination, and can also be used for an independent determination of the Hubble constant and tests of general relativity, and the nature of gravity itself. For these reasons, enhancing the absolute accuracy of gravitational wave detectors is essential. The accuracy of these parameters is fundamentally limited by calibration uncertainty. Accordingly, this project researches methods of enhancing the absolute accuracy of gravitational wave measurements to augment the data obtained by interferometers such as Advanced LIGO, to advance gravitational research. One current calibration method relies mainly on photon pressure calibrators (PCals), which are based on the measurement of test mass displacement generated by a periodic force via radiation pressure from the reflection of a power–modulated laser. The technological limit of the absolute calibration uncertainty corresponds to a few percent due to uncertainty in power, and thus limits accuracy in source parameters. The LIGO affiliated Eot-Wash team at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics (CENPA) works to minimize fundamental systematic uncertainty in calibration methods through extended analysis of the combination of gravity field calibrators (GCals) and PCals. GCals make use of a gravity gradient to achieve modulation of the test mass displacement for calibration, providing an alternative source of accurate actuation. The combination of the two calibrators could reduce the systematic uncertainty in GW strain measurements and improve astrophysics with LIGO.

Research has shown transgender children respond similarly to categorical measures of gender identity as their gender-matched cisgender peers, rather than those who share their sex assigned at birth. However, categorical measures may be limiting responses and not encompassing the diversity of gender identities. We presented a continuous measure to 223 transgender children (socially-transitioned children to live and present as a gender opposite the one assigned at birth), 71 gender nonconforming children (children who have not socially transitioned but show characteristics stereotypically associated with a gender other than the one assigned at birth), 281 cisgender control participants, and 181 cisgender siblings of transgender and gender nonconforming participants. Provided a line, participants were asked to mark their gender identity, with the left-most end indicating feeling completely like a boy, the right-most end indicating feeling completely like a girl, and in between representing varying degrees of a mixture of both. Each participant’s mark was converted to a percentage, with 100% indicating feeling completely like the gender they present as (for transgender/gender nonconforming children, opposite the gender assigned at birth). A univariate ANOVA examining the effect of participant group on identity showed a significant main effect, F(3,752)= 38.72, p < .001. Post-hoc Tukey comparisons showed, consistent with previous research, transgender children (M=0.81, SD= .189) did not differ significantly from the cisgender controls (M=0.87, SD= .181), nor cisgender siblings (M=0.87, SD=.206), in their identification with their current gender. However, gender nonconforming participants (M= 0.59, SD = .309) differed significantly in their scores from each of the other groups (ps < .001). These results are consistent with previous research conducted with categorical measures. Additionally, as none of the groups showed 100% binary identification, this study also demonstrates the importance of continuous measures of gender identity within gender development research.

All over the globe, an escalating number of people are developing distressing sensitivities to our environment’s everyday intoxicants. Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)—also termed idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI), among other names—is an acquired disorder characterized by a wide range of symptoms and reactions to low-level chemical exposures. Studies conducted in Japan, USA, Sweden, and Denmark found that 12% of the population has been diagnosed with chemical hypersensitivity, while total underreported prevalence is estimated between 15% and 27%. More importantly, research states that prevalence has increased by 300% within the past decade. People diagnosed with MCS experience a range of symptoms, examples including asthma, heart irregularities, headaches, dizziness, confusion, skin irritation, and fatigue. Abundant in our everyday environment, commonly reported triggers include pesticides, building or renovation materials, car exhaust and chemical smog, smoke, perfumes and fragrances, and cleaning supplies, among others. With a myriad of proposed titles, contrasting research perspectives and approaches, and a staggering dissensus on physiology and diagnosis, it is critical that we compare and contrast the existing literature by geographical region. Three primary research hubs generate the majority of contrasting MCS research; these regions include the United States and Canada, Scandinavia, and Japan. The problematic inconsistencies include (1) a lack of consensus definition or diagnosis for the illness, (2) varying perceptions on pathophysiology, and therefore (3) contrasting treatment strategies. This research aims to examine the global, contrasting research approaches, proposals for treatment or action, and subsequent healthcare experiences within the geographical regions of focus. Preliminary results suggest that inconsistencies in the medical diagnosis of MCS lead to deficiencies in research and ineffective healthcare. By any given title, the escalating number of chemically hypersensitive patients is a growing global health concern. Integrating the globally contrasting approaches and diagnosis criterion is the first step to developing efficient healthcare strategies.

Tuberculosis (TB) kills more than one million people annually. Bacteria of the Mycobacterium genus, including M. tuberculosis, build a complex cell wall containing mycolic acids. This cell wall is difficult to penetrate, so specialized antibiotics are needed. Even with newly developed drugs, bacteria adapt quickly and exhibit resistance at an alarmingly rapid pace. One adaptation that allows the community to survive is production of biofilms. Formation of biofilm is one of many quorum sensing behaviors known in pathogenic mycobacteria. This additional layer surrounds a microenvironment where bacteria can thrive with a very low concentration of antibiotic. Thus, one alternative method to treat TB is to control biofilm formation. In this research, a set of marine bacterial strains, including several bacteria that exhibited swarming behaviors and several from the same environmental samples that did not, were cultured, extracted, and analyzed by 1H NMR and LC-MS as well as in newly-developed biofilm and growth inhibition assays. Initial results showed one group of bacteria produced an organic compound that induced biofilm production in mycobacteria. This was an unexpected result. One representative strain producing a strong biofilm inducer was grown on large scale (10L) then extracted using progressively less polar eluents on a reversed-phase SPE column. The biofilm-inducing fraction was then separated using flask column chromatography. One major component was analyzed spectroscopically using 1D and 2D NMR techniques along with Mass Spectrometry. This compound could result in a strategy to interfere with biofilm formation in mycobacteria, thus making antibiotics more effective.

My research is on the intersectionalities of racism and sexism as they apply to the healthcare of women of color, and specifically that of African-American women’s maternal mortality rate. African-American women die of after-birth complications at a rate that is three times higher than that of White women. I am using Critical Race theory and Intersectional Feminism to analyze how racism and sexism are interconnected, and how they together implicitly bias many healthcare professionals. I am working from the viewpoint that racism is widespread throughout American society, and highly influences the way that people of color, and white people, live their lives. However, I also believe that an intersectional approach is necessary to fully understand the influences on women’s healthcare, and that examining the sexism inherent in women’s care is vital to understanding the full extent of the bias society holds against Black women. I am creating a literature study on the history of bias in the medical system with a focus on historical methods of medicalizing racism, researching the explanation for Black women’s historical distrust for the white healthcare system, and a focus on current research on implicit bias among healthcare professionals. I am hoping to discover whether the underlining differences in Black women’s maternal mortality rate, due to their societal positionality, is being addressed by their doctors in their healthcare strategies. I am hoping to show that a healthcare system which addresses bias and the biological and psychological effects of racism and sexism rather than ignoring them and treating every woman the same is vital to ensuring every woman’s optimal health outcome.

Detection of uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is difficult because there are no visible brain lesions that are often associated with more severe forms of TBI. New biomarkers would allow doctors to more sensitively screen for mTBI using neuroimaging methods. One promising biomarker technology is resting-state functional connectivity, which is brain activity measured at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging. One particularly salient resting-state network is the Default Mode Network (DMN). Our research focused on identifying differences in resting-state functional connectivity between individuals diagnosed with mTBI and healthy controls. We examined mTBI in 254 U.S. military personnel deployed to a combat theatre in the Middle East from 2010-2013. Each subject underwent initial magnetic resonance imaging and screening for TBI following medical evacuation to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), the primary triage center for all evacuated combat casualties, up to 30 days post-injury. We used four distinct groups for our analysis; Blast/Non-Blast (n=79, 44) TBI, and Blast/Non-Blast Control (n=35, 96) while covarying for age and gender. We hypothesized that resting-state networks will be disrupted in TBI and blast populations when compared to controls. We used two different methodologies; the first was a seed-based analysis examining group differences in the correlations from the Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC, a key hub within the DMN) to the whole brain. The second analysis used the Yeo Seven Network parcellation to compute correlations between all seven networks to the DMN. We were unable to distinguish any group from controls, suggesting that early differences in functional connectivity are not a robust biomarker of injury.

Short-term exposure to diesel exhaust particulate matter can cause headaches, dizziness, and irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes. Prolonged exposure has been shown to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer. Because heavy machinery is often fueled by diesel, occupations such as coal miners, truck drivers, railroad workers, and construction workers are at high risk of exposure. Non-occupational exposures are also of concern, especially in locations impacted by high volumes of vehicle traffic. A potential way to determine diesel exhaust exposure is by measuring the amount of nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in household dust. There is no current method for measuring NPAHs in dust. We conducted a literature review of methods for measuring related chemicals in household dust and measuring NPAHs in other matrices. We tested three different methods before establishing the optimized sample preparation and cleanup process using silica gel solid phase extraction followed by analysis using high performance liquid chromatohraphy with tandem mass spectrometry detection (HPLC/MS/MS). To evaluate method performance we analyzed replicates of spiked and unspiked household dust and silica gel. The method was used to analyze 42 household dust samples collected in two communities – one with expected high and one with expected low traffic-related air pollution. Future research should include comparisons between dust NPAH measurements and other measures of diesel exhaust exposure, including NP (nitropyrene) metabolites in urine, air filter NP, or a priori predicted exposure based on home location.

Drepanosauromorpha is an extinct group of reptiles known from the Middle to Late Triassic (237–212 MA). The clade currently includes seven genera (Avicranium, Dolabrosaurus, Drepanosaurus, Hypuronector, Kyrgzsaurus, Megalancosaurus, and Vallesaurus) that are known from fossils collected in Europe (Italy, UK), North America (Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey), and Asia (Kyrgyzstan). The first described drepanosauromorph, Drepanosaurus unguicaudatus, was based on a flattened holotype preserving most of a complete skeleton. Subsequently described drepanosauromorphs display the following diagnostic features: the length of the chevrons (ventral spines below the tail vertebrae) is substantially longer than corresponding tail neural spines, the cervical (neck) vertebrae are heterocoelous (saddle-shaped articular surface), the cervical ribs are absent as distinct ossifications, and the chevrons are fused to their respective centra. In recent years, both three-dimensionally preserved partial skeletons and isolated material of drepanosauromorphs have been found across both Europe and North America. These discoveries have helped shape our understanding of the biology and diversity of drepanosauromorphs. However, comparing isolated, three dimensionally preserved specimens to the more complete, yet two dimensionally preserved articulated specimens is difficult due to differences in preservation. Here, we describe a new drepanosauromorph species from the Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona based on the left second manual ungual (claw) . Some of the characteristics that distinguish this claw from those of most drepanosauromorphs is its size. It differs significantly from all known Drepanosaurus specimens (like the Italian holotype and the Hayden Quarry Drepanosaurus) because of the ventral placement of the cotyle (articulation surface), the height of the claw, the lack of compression along the pre-axial/post-axial plane, and a furrow along the midline. This new taxon not only highlights unsuspected morphological variation within Drepanosauromorpha, but also helps sheds light on the evolutionary history of smaller-bodied reptiles within Late Triassic ecosystems.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive cutaneous malignancy with a high propensity for recurrence and distant metastasis. Individuals with chronic immunosuppression have both a higher predilection towards developing MCC and tend to have a more aggressive disease course. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is among the most common types of immunosuppression associated with MCC. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (such as anti-PD1 or anti PD-L1 therapies recently approved for cancer treatment) are associated with improved disease-specific survival and are often used to treat patients with progressive, metastatic MCC. However, the effectiveness and side-effect profile associated with treating metastatic MCC in CLL patients with immunotherapy is not well categorized. This study seeks to understand the risk-benefit profile of immunotherapy in this setting, and a possible combined role for radiation in the treatment of CLL patients. Data was abstracted from a Seattle-based prospective registry of 1,439 MCC patients in which 9 patients were identified to have had CLL and been treated with immunotherapy. Patients were assessed for side effects of immunotherapy, progression of disease and survival status. Six patients had side effects from immunotherapy with 5 of the patients having side effects that resulted in termination of treatment. The average number of doses of immunotherapy received before termination was 3. Eight patients had progressive disease after the initiation of immunotherapy, 4 of whom have died of progressive MCC. No patients have had a complete and ongoing response to immunotherapy. These findings suggest that despite the efficacy of immunotherapy in immune-competent MCC patients, this approach may be less effective in CLL patients than immunocompetent patients. In additional, the side effect profile seemed to be more frequent in CLL-MCC patients. Neutron radiation and combination therapy are discussed as potential treatment options. Further investigation into treatment options for MCC patients with immunosuppression, such as CLL, is needed.

Cranial elaboration, in the form of domes, horns, and bony bosses, has evolved multiple times in vertebrate history, including in non-mammalian synapsids, the extinct ancestors of mammals. The lack of similarly thickened skulls in living animals has meant that very little can be inferred about how these features developed or why they evolved. Here we use comparative bone histology to describe the microanatomy of Oudenodon, a 255-million-year-old synapsid with distinctive nasal bosses. We compared thin-sections from the thickened portions of Oudenodon to the non-thickened skull of its relative, Diictodon, in order to better understand how cranial elaboration developed in synapsids. We took thin sections from the thick nasal bosses as well as non-thickened regions of Oudenodon to capture changes in tissue microstructure. Then, we compared these thin-sections to similar regions of the skull in Diictodon, which lacks cranial elaboration. In the bone tissue of both Oudenodon and Diictodon, we observed a cancellous, spongey interior sandwiched between two layers of compact cortical bone. This pattern of bone is typical in many modern skulls but the thickness of the cancellous region in Oudenodon is strikingly thicker, even in regions away from the boss. We hypothesize that increased cranial thickness in Oudenodon is due to this middle expansion of spongey, cancellous tissue. As a result of the increased bone thickness, sutures in Oudenodon are deep, wide, and convoluted when compared to the relatively simple interdigitated sutures in Diictodon. These and other histologic comparisons with distantly related taxa allow us to interpret the growth and construction of cranial elaboration in synapsids, adding to our understanding of how these thickened skulls evolved. Future work can also explore the possible soft tissue covering of these bosses and domes, which may have been used for intraspecific display or combat. 

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy: nearly 70% of patients are diagnosed at late stage and 70% relapse. Cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy are the standard of care, yet fewer than 50% of patients live 5 years past diagnosis. Innovative therapies are desperately needed. Immunotherapy using T cells engineered to express a T cell receptor (TCR) targeting proteins overexpressed in tumors is a promising strategy that limits tumor growth and has minimal toxicity. Mesothelin (Msln) is overexpressed in over 75% of ovarian cancer patients and has been identified as a promising cancer antigen because it contributes to the malignancy and invasiveness. Our group has shown that targeting Msln with engineered T cells (TCRMsln) in the mouse ID8 ovarian tumor model, which recapitulates essential aspects of the human disease, can prolong survival of mice with advanced disease. However, our data also show that immunosuppressive features in the tumor cause T cells to become dysfunctional and/or die. Fas ligand (FasL) is a transmembrane death-inducing protein present in ovarian tumors, and may be used by tumor cells to escape the immune response by inducing cell death of beneficial lymphocytes expressing the Fas receptor (Fas). We hypothesized that we could overcome this T cell evasion mechanism using immunomodulatory fusion proteins (IFP). We generated IFPs that combine the Fas extracellular binding domain to a co-stimulatory domain, CD28 or 4-1BB, instead of the standard death domain, to trigger T cell activation. T cells expressing an IFP had enhanced proliferation and persistence in ID8 tumors relative T cells lacking an IFP. Further, ID8 mice treated with TCRMsln T cells expressing an IFP had prolonged survival compared to mice treated with the TCRMsln T cells alone. Many solid tumors overexpress FasL, thus our findings have the potential to enhance engineered T cell therapy against other malignancies.

Individuals with hearing loss have a much greater difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments than their normal hearing counterparts, leading to reduced participation in communicative activities and a lower quality of life. Audibility explains some of the difficulty this population experiences, but even with audibility recovered by hearing aid amplification, impairments exist in spectral and temporal processing. The extent of spectral and temporal processing impairment is captured in detection of spectro-temporal modulations, which is closely related to speech understanding in noise. This study explores the potential effect age has on STM sensitivity, while controlling for severity of hearing loss. In order to investigate, we measured STM sensitivity in participants with a hearing loss across a wide age range. In the STM test, they are asked to listen to two sounds, a broadband noise and the same broadband noise with spectro-temporal modulation applied, and identify which sound contained modulations. The modulation applied will adaptively change based on response accuracy until the listener can no longer discriminate between the two sounds. A multiple linear regression model is used to analyze the data, with predictors of hearing loss severity and age. We expect to see a decline in STM threshold with age, independent of hearing loss status. The results are discussed in terms of potential for future clinical application and the ability to better the quality of hearing aided listening.

Marine mammal strandings can serve as an indicator of marine ecosystem and mammal population health, providing an opportunity to learn about the life of individual animals prior to their deaths. Existing stranding networks are focused on response to opportunistic reports of stranded or beached marine mammals, which limits their usefulness in establishing baseline data. The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) engages volunteers along the western coast of the United States in collecting and reporting data for two effort-based programs, beached birds and marine debris. Looking to the future, COASST hopes to complement information gathered by marine mammal stranding networks by expanding their effort-based surveys to include marine mammals. COASST has already begun this process by asking volunteers to report sightings of marine mammals along with pictures of their beached bird or marine debris finds. These pictures can be used for species identification, and by looking at these photos in correspondence to other survey data such as region, beach, and survey date we can learn about species distribution along the western coast of the United States. We found at least 300 beached pinnipeds, through photo identification we were able to place them into at the least the families Otariidae or Phocidae. Using current literature on marine mammals, pinnipeds specifically, and their identifying characteristics, I aim to map pinniped species distribution and locate hotspots to ultimately test a pinniped species identification key that will be used by COASST volunteers. With this distribution and hotspot identification we will be able to idenify whether pinnipeds follow already established beaching patterns of beached birds or if they differ. These differentiations could lead to more information about the death of marine mammals and allow future research on the death of these animals in more focalized areas. 

Establish-Maintain-Restore (EMR) is a professional development training for teachers to strengthen their relationships with their students. Previous studies have shown that the strategies presented in the training have significantly improved academically engaged time and reduced disruptive behavior among elementary and middle school students. The proposed study will examine 9th grade high school student perceptions of the appropriateness and effectiveness of the EMR strategies to improve student-teacher relationships within the school context. Additionally, this study will analyze whether there is a significant difference in these perceptions between the genders of students. It is predicted that male students will tend to perceive the EMR strategies as less effective and appropriate in improving student-teacher relationships compared to their female peers. A focus group was held to present the EMR strategies to 9th grade students at a racially/ethnically diverse high school in the Pacific Northwest. After the strategies were presented, students were asked to provide ratings and comments regarding the appropriateness and effectiveness of each individual strategy. The students were asked about the following items for each of the EMR strategies: appropriateness for school context, appropriateness for both students and teachers, and effectiveness at improving relationships with high school students. Findings from this study will offer insight for improving student-teacher relationships with consideration for the students’ genders. Research has shown that strong student-teacher relationships can serve as a protective factor against high school dropout, and this study may help provide information about culturally responsive strategies to reduce the dropout rates among students of color and male students.

Spatial variation in soil abiotic conditions at plant range limits may be important in determining how plant range limits will respond to climate change. One reason for this is that plants are known to change many characteristics of the soil around their roots in ways that influence the growth of other plants.The range limit of subalpine fir is expected to shift into subalpine meadows as the climate warms. Our goal for this project is to describe the abiotic soil qualities of a subalpine forest habitat and a subalpine meadow habitat on Mount Rainier to explore how these characteristics may affect the predicted range shift. We hypothesize that soils from subalpine meadows will have less organic matter and therefore less phosphorus, a lower carbon to nitrogen ratio, and less water holding capacity than soils from the subalpine forest. We will develop a protocol for measuring water availability and implement it on soil samples obtained from around the roots of subalpine fir trees in both the forest and meadow sites on Mount Rainier. We will use standardized tests to obtain the organic matter and phosphorus measurements. If our hypothesis of lower nutrient availability and water retention in meadow soils is supported, this may suggest that subalpine fir growing in the meadows have a greater dependency on fungal symbionts for obtaining soil resources. This would have important management implications given that suitable fungal symbionts are expected to be rare or absent at range limits.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) refers to a biologic process that allows a polarized epithelial cell, which normally functions in the basement membrane of a cell, to undergo biochemical changes that makes it express as a mesenchymal cell phenotype. This mesenchymal phenotype allows the cell to have enhanced migratory capacity, invasiveness, elevated resistance to apoptosis, and increased production of extracellular matrix (ECM) elements. The process of EMT is considered completed once the underlying basement membrane breaks down, and the mesenchymal cell becomes migratory. Another component that proves EMT is the loss of e-cadherin. E-cadherin refers to cell-to-cell adhesion and the degradation of e-cadherin levels are a hallmark of EMT happening. There are three distinct types of EMTs; I will be focusing on type II EMT. Type II EMTs are associated with inflammation/wound repair but usually stops once inflammation subsides. However, in the context of organ fibrosis, type II EMTs can continue to over-respond to a persisting inflammation and can lead to organ death. In my experiment, I hypothesize that in HEK 293 human cells, SNAP -Δ1-91 alpha-1D adrenergic receptors undergo type II EMT. SNAP -Δ1-91 alpha-1D adrenergic receptors are a truncation of the extracellular portion of the receptor. Certain receptors undergo this truncation to increase its expression. It is shown that in SNAP – Full Length alpha-1D adrenergic receptors  (wild type receptors) do not undergo EMT. I will be able to observe the process of type II EMT through imaging the breakdown of the cell membrane in SNAP- Δ1-91 alpha-1D adrenergic receptors and the measuring of e-cadherin levels. The purpose of this research would be to potentially influence future therapeutic interventions that target wild type receptors to induce would repair. 

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death globally. Methods to regenerate cardiac tissue after MI has focused on inducing proliferation in adult cardiomyocytes near infarcted tissue or injecting stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes with proliferative capacity into the infarcted tissue. However, optimal regeneration has not been achieved with these methods, as the mechanism behind adult cardiomyocyte proliferation is not well understood and proliferative stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are phenotypically and functionally immature. Exploration of the mechanism of cardiomyocyte proliferation is therefore necessary to enable optimal regeneration of cardiac tissue and function and MI. We hypothesize that the sarcomere structure, the basic muscle unit of the cardiomyocyte, is the limiting factor in proliferation of cardiomyocytes. To investigate this hypothesis, we have performed a thorough characterization and comparison of stem cell-derived wild type cardiomyocytes (WTC-CMs) and troponin I double knock out cardiomyocytes (TNNIDKO-CMs) which have an incomplete sarcomere structure due to the lack of troponin I. After confirming TNNIDKO-CMs and WT-CMs only vary in their sarcomere structure, we developed a coculture platform to demonstrate the mechanical weakness of TNNIDKO-CMs sarcomere structure. We then performed proliferation assays utilizing multiple proliferation markers to observe if proliferation was higher in the TNNIDKO-CMs with the incomplete sarcomere structures. Preliminary results have shown that TNNIDKO-CMs are more proliferative than WTC-CMs, thus implicating that sarcomere structure plays a role in controlling cardiomyocyte proliferation. Successful characterization of TNNDKIO-CMs and their increased proliferative capacity will elucidate the sarcomere structure’s role in proliferation as well as develop a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanism behind proliferation to help progress therapies for regeneration of cardiac tissue after MI.

Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a subcategory of machine learning, in which an agent (the decision maker) observes its environment and executes the best course of actions to maximize rewards. This is similar to teaching a pet to perform tricks using treats as positive reinforcement. Our research compares different RL methods on low-performance devices like a Raspberry Pi in real-time, real-world environments. RL has gained popularity recently with breakthroughs from DeepMind’s paper, Playing Atari with Deep Reinforcement Learning, where an agent learns to play Atari games from raw pixels and from DeepMind’s AlphaGo (DeepMind, https://deepmind.com/research/alphago) program that was the first computer program to beat a world champion Go player. RL projects like AlphaGo have utilized big data, powerful computing resources, and simulated environments that do not require real-time interaction to train the machine learning models. Our group compares the effectiveness of different RL methods on an accessible level of computing power on offline devices that an average consumer could acquire. The team constructs a physical environment for the robot to navigate, creates an OpenAI Gym environment that our agents will use to control the robot and get feedback from the environment. We train our agents using different RL methods to optimally navigate the environment and avoid collisions. We then compare the performance of the different methods in our physical real-time environment. Reinforcement Learning in small, offline devices could pave the way for a variety of devices that learn over time without being connected to a network. Imagine a small Mars rover that learns to navigate its environment efficiently over time.

Drosophila alpha-tubulin acetylase (dTat) is an enzyme that covalently modifies microtubules by addition of acetyl groups to the microtubule lumen. Prior studies demonstrated dTat is essential for mechanosensation in Drosophila. Mutation of alpha-tubulin lysine 40, which is covalently modified by dTat, similarly compromises mechanosensation, but our preliminary results suggest that alpha-tubulin 40 mutation and dTat mutation differentially affect some forms of somatosensation. Consistent with this observation, recent studies suggest that dTat may additionally regulate microtubule stability independent of its enzymatic activity. Whether this non-enzymatic function of dTat influences neuronal function remains to be determined. In my studies, I aim to determine the relative contributions of enzymatic and non-enzymatic functions of dTat to somatosensory function in Drosophila larvae. To this end, I have assayed requirements for dTat function in a variety of larval mechanosensory and thermal responses, which are governed by defined classes of somatosensory neurons. For each of these behaviors, I used transgenes to resupply dTat function to dTat mutant flies, comparing the ability of wild type and enzyme-dead versions of dTat to support neuronal function. Results from these studies provide an entry point to understanding enzyme-independent function of dTat.

Indigenous peoples for generations have been meticulously maintaining and enhancing lands previous to colonial influence. As explorers set eyes on the landscapes of the North America, they mistakenly ascribed these lands as wild. Much to our behold, this was the working of carefully crafted ecological practices based on long established knowledges and understandings about the land. This perspective is rooted in the profound relationship of responsibility the indigenous peoples have developed with their lands. These connections are imperative as we navigate towards an ecologically sound future. Currently we are displaced from nature, deprived of a meaningful relationship with our land. This inextricable linkage of people with the land is a fundamental oversight of current work in conservation. Ecological imperatives are guided by external entities and do not comprehensively weigh holistic perspectives of impacted communities. Decisions on ecological management have been established on limited contextualization and uncomprehensive assumptions of a select few. Acknowledging these shortcomings, we can then reintegrate an engagement with the land into our education and refocus on the individuals that are directly connected to environmental issues. Through the Pipeline project in our Environmental Alternative Spring Break program, I aim to develop a bottom-up methodology that engages with individuals in the community to constructively develop discussions around conservation of the Olympic Marmot. This investigation of land stewardship has substantial implications towards current ecological methodology of land management and environmental engagement.

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatories uses michelson-type interferometers that have two, 4-kilometer-long arms with suspended test masses (mirrors) at the ends of the arms. The test masses reflect high-power lasers to be combined at the output port of the two arms and create an interference pattern, which is sensitive to gravitational waves passing through the interferometer. For a stable interference pattern, the test masses must be oriented precisely; the low frequency orienting of the test masses is done using optical levers. The optical levers consist of optics that launch light from a diode laser to reflect off the test mass and hit a quadrant photodiode which measures the position of the light spot. However the measurement of this position has elevated amounts of noise at low frequencies, limiting the angular motion accuracy. The reduction of this noise by a factor of 10-100, would allow for a more accurate orienting of the cavity holding the test mass. One possibility is that the noise is due to mode fluctuations in the fiber optics connected to the launching telescope. To isolate this noise I recreated parts of the LIGO OPLEV setup with a level of electronic position noise well below the order of LIGO's current OPLEV noise at 0.1 Hz (10-9 meter per square root hertz level). To achieve noise at this level I have made a new low noise pre-amplifier, improved the physical stability of the setup, and analyzed data to identify the noise sources.With this reduced noise setup we plan to search for the source of LIGO's OPLEV low frequency noise and ultimately reduce noise in gravitational wave detection at low frequencies. Reduced noise will lead to more GW detections and new astrophysics, which will allow us to 'hear' the universe in a unique way.

Court fines and fees, previously an overlooked part of the justice system, are much more impactful than once thought. Recent research has traced the rise of court mandated fines and fees, or legal financial obligations (LFOs), and detailed their various effects. LFOs have been shown to have significant, detrimental effects on poor and minority groups in relation to other parts of the population. The disparity of effects from LFOs exacerbates the already prevalent issue of wealth inequality within the United States. This study evaluates whether LFOs are higher in low tax counties than in high tax counties. This is accomplished by gathering county level tax and LFO data for four states: Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. I perform linear regression analysis of the data and performed t-tests on all variables included in the equation. Regression shows whether lower taxes are correlated with an increase of LFO severity. I anticipate that LFOs will be more severe in areas with lower taxes due to the increased financial strain on the county government. A correlation between revenues and LFOs could indicate that counties are essentially using LFOs as secondary to make up for lower tax revenues, rather than their intended purpose of disincentivizing criminal activity. With better information on potential consequences of lowering taxes, we will be able to draft smarter fiscal policies rather than arbitrarily increasing the financial burden on the poor.

Solar energy has unmatched potential as the energy source of the future and semiconducting polymers (SP) offer a unique set of properties that can address many of the current barriers that restrict solar technology. SP are exciting because they have untapped potential for improvements in efficiency and they offer a cheap, energy-efficient alternative to silicon due to the ability to scale their production to industrial applications via film deposition techniques, like roll-to-roll printing. Solution processing via roll-to-roll printing is transformative, allowing for low-energy, high-throughput manufacturing of flexible devices. Previous work by Tatum and Resing investigated crystallinity in SP film microstructures through the self-assembly of highly ordered nanowires. This project expands upon this by utilizing a Python classification program to generalize relationships between morphology, optoelectronic properties and processing conditions of organic photovoltaics (OPV). Films of these materials will eventually enable stretchable and deformable electronic devices, but the nano- and microstructures are currently stochastic and inconsistent in their morphologies and resulting properties because processing and chemical conditions influence the domain size of the components and the distribution of those domains throughout the film. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), a relatively cheap and quick technique, the active layer domains have been spatially resolved based on differences in their mechanical properties. These properties are strongly correlated to electronic performance factors such as fill-factor, short-circuit current and open-circuit current. For this project, OPV with an active layer of Poly(3-hexylthiophene):Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester has been fabricated with systematically varied processing conditions. A library of data has been established, containing AFM images, the device morphology and OPV performance data. This experimental data set of unprecedented compositional resolution aids in the evaluation of cutting edge simulation techniques, creating a more accurate computerized simulation model for OPV. 

Understanding how genetic variation shapes phenotypic variation for complex quantitative traits is fundamental to developing more accurate disease prognoses and therapeutic interventions. Genes that are important in early development contribute to adult quantitative traits, such as height, vision, and health. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism for studying complex traits, such as aging. Drosophila possesses many well-developed genetic tools and shares evolutionarily conserved age-regulating pathways with our species. One such conserved pathway is the mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) nutrient signaling pathway. Rapamycin is a specific allosteric inhibitor of mTOR signaling that extends lifespan in adult Drosophila melanogaster and delays development in larvae. However, the functional explanation for these effects is incomplete and a genetic association between development and lifespan is unknown. We used the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), a highly inbred fruit fly population representing natural genetic variation, to measure rapamycin-mediated developmental delay. We used these data to carry out a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS), and combined our data with data from a screen for the effects of rapamycin on lifespan in the DGRP, also carried out in our lab. GWAS analysis will help us to identify genetic variants associated with rapamycin efficacy and to discover novel variants associated with developmental timing. By connecting lifespan and development genetically, we identified shared candidate genes that modify these two very different molecular genetic programs. Accomplishing this is the first step towards identifying early life biomarkers that are predictive of rapamycin success as a longevity intervention in later years. These pharmacogenomic analyses advance a precision medicine approach where interventions are tailored towards genetic background to maximize human health.

The mental health of transgender children, children who have socially transitioned to live as the gender “opposite” their assigned sex at birth, have not been researched extensively, although the occurrence of childhood social transitions have increased in recent history. Instances of bullying and discrimination are reported in the LGBTQ community in high rates, which has been known to lead to higher rates of internalized symptoms. Previous studies have looked at the stress buffering hypothesis, which postulates that social support protects against the negative effects of victimization experiences, but the results from those studies are mixed. In the present study, we examine whether social support moderates the association between bullying and discrimination with internalizing symptoms in transgender youth. To test our hypothesis, we had the parents of 265 socially transitioned children, from ages 3-15 (mean age 9.41), answer questions regarding a child’s support structure (family, peer, school) and whether their child has been bullied and/or discriminated against specifically because of their gender. Our results show that the relationship between victimization experiences and internalizing symptoms was moderated by peer support, but not by family support or school support. We found that when participants had less peer support, being victimized more was associated with more internalizing symptoms, while higher levels of peer support do not yield significant results between the two variables, indicating that peer support may act as a buffer between victimization experiences and internalizing symptoms in transgender youth.

2D cell models have traditionally been used in labs to test the effects of new drugs on certain cell types due to the ease and convenience of use. While 2D methods are great, they often simplify the cell-to-cell interactions and may not accurately represent cell systems in humans. 3D methods show the complex cell communication systems and better simulate actual organ systems. Research comparing these two methods can inform scientists on the benefits of 3D models which can help efficiency in creating new drugs. Our lab looked into various 3D models to determine their effectiveness and reliability and looked into the differences in perceived cell mechanics and functionality between 2D and 3D methods. We tried Corning Matrigel and Corning 3D Spheroid microplates for 3D cell modeling using HEK293 cells, which are human embryonic kidney cells that were grown in lab. They are known for being easy to grow and transfect. We used SNAP-Gels, which are protein assays that show the protein levels in the cells, to ensure that the protein levels were similar between the 2D and 3D systems. We then did florescent imaging to determine cell localization and EPIC dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) to determine cell functionality. We found Matrigel to have inconsistent results, so we focused on using the spheroid microplates. Based on our initial results, we saw increased functionality and expression levels for full-length protein cells compared to cells with a truncated N-terminal protein in the 3D method. This increase in functionality and expression levels was not seen in the 2D method. Our results show that 3D modeling methods can be reliable, and do show results that differ from 2D models. This is important for future studies that require cell modeling because 3D models can provide a more accurate and reliable modeling system to create novel therapeutics.

Mental illness is a national concern; for rural residents, the availability of mental health services magnifies the problem. The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found close to 1.5 million non-urban residents had psychiatric illness or serious thoughts of suicide during 2017. Hypothesis: In Washington State, there is less access for outpatient mental health services in rural areas than in urban areas. The 2018 Washington State Directory of Certified Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder, and Problem & Pathological Gambling Services contains 503 entries of mental health facilities. Using the Office of Community Health Systems Series on Rural-Urban Disparities, facilities with available information were categorized as urban or rural. Statistics were calculated to characterize the availability of individual therapy, and crisis intervention information via public-facing websites for included clinics. The association between rural-urban status and the availability of outpatient psychotherapy and crisis intervention contact information was tested via the chi-squared test of independence. Approximately half (n=131, 50.6%) of clinics with available information regarding outpatient psychotherapy indicated that these services were available. Similarly, nearly half (n=120, 46.1%) of clinics with available information had crisis lifeline information presented via their public-facing website. There was no significant association between urban-rural status and availability of outpatient psychotherapy services (_X²=0.21, p=.647), nor between urban-rural status and publicly available crisis lifeline information on mental health clinic websites (_X²=0.80, p=.371). Washington State rural clinics are not significantly different from urban clinics with respect to saying they provide outpatient psychotherapy and crisis lifeline information. Limitations include methods relying on public reporting of services and limited scope, not allowing the study of other factors that might affect rural residents, such as distance traveled to obtain care. Rural counties in Washington State do not differ from urban counties with respect to the presence of clinics providing outpatient psychotherapy.

Sexual dimorphism is a characteristic of many organisms that is genetically encoded and typically studied as a binary trait. Biomedical research routinely categorizes subjects into “male” and “female”, and the resulting data are used to establish sex-specific measures of good health and disease. However, this practice overlooks the existence of intersexual phenotypes and oversimplifies the overlapping variation between sex-specific groups. The phenotypic expression of sex is directed by a complex orchestration of many genes. As such, it is reasonable to consider that there are more than just two discrete expressions of sex, and furthermore that the dimorphism of so-called sex-specific traits resides along a continuum. Metabolomics studies the small molecules that make up all the molecular building blocks in the body, and offers a unique opportunity to quantify sex variation that is morphologically invisible. Doublesex (dsx) is a gene that plays a pivotal role in the sex development of Drosophila melanogaster, and its absence results in an intersexual morphological phenotype. This study models sex in Drosophila melanogaster as a continuous trait by comparing metabolomic profiles for wildtype females, males and dsx null mutants using statistical analysis of metabolome data. While many studies have been conducted to understand the role of dsx in sex determination, to our knowledge no one has attempted to use this novel approach to quantify sex variation as a complex trait. Here we measure over 1000 metabolites in fly samples and test a hypothesis that some metabolites exhibit continuity between male, intersex and female phenotypes. Future work could explore the degree to which these metabolic sexual continuities exist in natural fly populations, and provide a powerful model to study factors that are influenced by sex differences more comprehensively.

In the world we live in today, there is a common misconception that men and women have equal opportunity in all aspects of life. Specifically in the science world, women are discriminated against and perceived as less capable compared to their male colleagues. The microaggressions against women scientists greatly impacts their scientific output around the world. In order to gain insight on the effects of discrimination against women, I am distributing an electronic survey to female undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors. This survey contains seven questions that ask about their experiences with gender injustices in their daily life as a female scientist and how it has impacted their career. I am also examining different research articles about how scientific advancement by women scientists in different countries is affected by different forms of inequalities they might face. I expect that I will find a large percentage of women in the science world who have personally experienced gender injustices and that it has made it more difficult for them to achieve the same level of success as a male. This study will further emphasize the importance of achieving women’s rights around the world in order to access the wealth of knowledge that is currently being held back by discrimination. 

Nanoparticles have been touted to exhibit extraordinary properties, which could ultimately reverse environmental damage thought to be irreparable. However, is their synthesis process scalable? What are their macro-scale impacts? This life cycle analysis looks at the environmental impacts of producing iron-oxide nanoparticles used as an additive to help detect and track gastrointestinal gut bleeding to the microscale. It discusses the environmental impacts of using a nano-scale technology. An attributional life cycle inventory model with geographic specificity in Seattle, WA has been conducted. Data sources include the US GREET database and FineChem, along with the published results in "Synthesis of phase-pure and monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition" in Kemp et al.

The impacts assessed include contribution to climate change, water consumption, resource consumption, and energy consumption. ReCiPe will be used for midpoint and endpoint charaterization. Preliminary results show that in this case, the uncertainty related with required dosage size of nanoparticles for this specific application yielded a large variance for potential impact. However, using the concept of disability-adjusted life years (DALY), it is shown that this technology provides a net benefit for human health.

Coevolution is a process where two or more species reciprocally affect each other's evolution over time. The traits of one species evolves in response to the other. This process can lead to the diversification of organisms with unique adaptive traits. Previous experiments tested whether coevolution occurred during the 2000 generations of evolution between the bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris and archaea Methanococcus maripaludis by pairing populations from 1000 generations with mutualist partners from their evolutionary past or future. Results suggested patterns of coevolution, but hypothesizing that those patterns occurred by accident, we tested whether or not patterns can occur that look like coevolution with microbes that could not possibly coevolve. We conducted a timeshifts control experiment using freezer stocks of D. vulgaris and M. maripaludis that evolved alone for 2000 generations and created pairings of the mutualists with five different generational pairings. They then were paired with an ancestral control group and a modern test group from the 1000th generation. Growth rates were calculated for each coculture. Graphs of the effects the 1000th generation of M. maripaludis and D. vulgaris had on coculture growth rate showed that M1000 had similar growth rates irrespective of its partners evolution while D1000 results were variable. An ANOVA test showed the mean log ratios statistically indistinguishable across all timepoints, indicating that the null hypothesis should be accepted. This result suggests that both partners have the same effects on fitness no matter how long they evolved. However, due to variations in results between D. vulgaris and M. maripaludis it is still unclear whether these populations have the ability to create patterns of coevolution due to their adaptation to their abiotic environment.

The study of firn is integral to determining past climate from ice cores and calculating present and future melt runoff from ice sheets. The Herron and Langway model is a semi-emperical firn densification model. While the model's simplicity makes it easy to use, it assumes constant temperatures and accumulation rates, but Earth's climate is changing. The goal was to recalibrate the model by adding data from new ice cores to a gap in the model's dataset to create more accurate depth-density curves. Preliminary results show the recalibration is a better fit for 57 percent of depth-density profiles. The recalibration could help determine melt runoff, informing sea level rise forecasts. The recalibration could also increase the precision of timing between past CO2 and air temperature changes.

Self-efficacy has been shown to be associated with fewer problem behaviors in adolescence. However, the research investigating this association has been primarily based on self-report measurements of delinquency. The purpose of this study is to see if this association is maintained with a more objective measure of delinquency by examining juvenile offenders’ self-efficacy, and its predictive relationship with probation violations. Using self-report survey data of juvenile offenders’ self-efficacy along with probation violation data from Pierce County Juvenile Court, we conducted a statistical analysis of self-efficacy measurements and official probation violations. The self-reported self-efficacy measures address feelings in desire of academic and career success, prosocial behavior, and a reduction in the desire to express aggressive behaviors. If self-efficacy is shown to be a good predictor of fewer probation violations, further research can investigate determinants of high versus low self-efficacy, or how to improve self-efficacy, in order to promote probation adherence of juvenile offenders.

Imidacloprid (IMI), a neonicotinoid insecticide, is being sought by shellfish growers to control burrowing shrimp (ghost shrimp, Neotropea californiensis) in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, Washington. The shrimp destabilize sediments resulting in poor survival and low yields of the commercially harvested Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), threatening the local shellfish industry. A permit for the use of IMI has been denied by the State, Pacific County has declared an economic emergency, and the outcome of an appeal by the growers remains uncertain. We have undertaken studies to determine if un-iodized table salt may be an alternative to IMI, specifically targeting juvenile shrimp (recruits) inhabiting the upper 10-15 cm of the sediment. Studies in 2018 indicated that a 2-3-fold increase in salinity resulted in 100% mortality when juveniles were exposed in artificial seawater. In 2019, we exposed juveniles (3 replicates, 5 shrimp each) within 10 cm of native sediment to five different salt solutions to achieve sediment pore water salinities of 25 (ambient, control), 35, 50, 70, and 100 ppt. Salt solutions were prepared with native seawater, added on top of the sediment (depth = 2 cm), and allowed to percolate through the sediment column for 6 h (low tide). At 6 h, 2 cm of ambient seawater (25 ppt) were added to simulate tidal inundation and allowed to remain on the surface for 12 h (low-high + high low tide) with two subsequent drawdowns and tidal inundations at 25 ppt (total test duration = 48 h). The sediment was then sieved to remove the shrimp and determine mortality. Average survival of controls (25 ppt) was 73.3% whereas none of the shrimp exposed to elevated salinities survived. Additional tests are underway to examine different exposure scenarios. Results to date suggest table salt may be a viable and greener alternative to IMI.

The Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve (WISNR) serves as a vital refuge for the Alaska-Chukotka (AC) population of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) during the ice-free season. In September 2017, a total of 181 polar bears were observed near a bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) carcass on the island. This gathering is the largest aggregation of polar bears ever recorded for the AC population. This study sorted, labeled, and processed photographs of the polar bear aggregation taken by a professional photographer from a boat a day before initial ground-based observations were made. Our objective was to use the photographs to evaluate characteristics of the polar bear aggregation including animal sex, age, reproductive composition (e.g., adult females that have first-year or second-year cubs), and body condition (i.e., fatness). To do this, we selected representative subsets of photos, categorized them by time and location, and labeled individual bears across multiple photographs. The resulting set of processed photographs was evaluated by multiple polar bear experts, and the results were statistically analyzed. Based on knowledge of polar bear social systems and an initial review of the photographs, we hypothesized that both feeding activity and the locations of bears in the vicinity of the carcass will be structured by sex, age, reproductive status, and time of day. This study provides a unique opportunity to collect information on a large number of polar bears and document behavioral interactions. The resulting information will help address key conservation challenges for the AC polar bear population, including the effects of sea-ice loss due to climate warming, increased industrial activity, and identifying a sustainable rate for subsistence harvest.

Microplastics are fragments of plastic smaller than five millimeters in length, often created by the breakdown of larger plastic materials. The ubiquitous presence of this form of debris in marine environments has led to detrimental effects when ingested by marine organisms including false sense of fullness, impaired reproduction, and stunted growth. Microplastics are heterogeneously distributed in water, animals, and sediment, making it necessary to compare and contrast conditions when considering any biological effects. Due to the variability of microplastics across space and time, different locations may have varying types and sizes of microplastics. This study examines the relationship between anthropogenic activity and microplastics in areas ranging from low to high population density in the Salish Sea. In July and August of 2018, samples of mussels, water, and sediment were collected from ten sites around the Salish Sea. The samples were chemically digested with hydrogen peroxide over a five-micrometer filter. Debris collected by the filters was photographed through a microscope and subsequently characterized. The images were processed using ImageJ for length, width, shape (fiber, fragment, film, or sphere), and color. We hypothesized sites have different microplastic compositions and there is a correlation between anthropogenic activity and microplastic abundance. The results of this study could aid in efforts to locate point sources of specific types of microplastics in the Salish Sea and determine priority locations for marine debris management.

Spinal cord injury is known to cause an inflammatory immune response in the central nervous system (CNS), activating local immune cells microglia and astrocytes as well as recruiting circulating macrophages. Previous studies have shown that distinct populations of macrophages can exhibit either neurotoxic or reparative effects, depending on the cytokines activating them. Injury to the CNS also results in enzymatic breakdown of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule hyaluronic acid (HA) into lower-molecular weight glycoproteins. It is known that after injury, many of these cleaved glycoproteins from the spinal cord extracellular matrix act as damage-associated molecular patterns to modulate immune response. However, it is still unclear which facets of the inflammatory response are subject to control by HA, a key ECM component. In this study, we seek to determine whether the breakdown of HA causes proliferation and activation of microglia and astrocytes. Introducing the enzyme hyaluronidase that degrades HA to an uninjured spinal cord decreases the levels of HA in the local area. Subsequently, we used double immunohistochemistry with markers for either microglia or astrocytes in combination with a marker for cell proliferation, to analyze cell activation and proliferation after treatment with either active or heat-inactivated hyaluronidase. We expect hyase treatment to result in both increased activation and proliferation of microglia and astrocytes. The expected data would indicate that the breakdown of ECM HA leads to activation of microglia and astrocytes. Understanding these cells’ activation could lead to future treatments for spinal cord injury focused on modifying the ECM to induce beneficial rather than neurotoxic inflammation.

Thermoregulation, the maintenance of core body temperature in a constantly changing enviroment, is a critical aspect of homeostasis. Despite its importance, the neural mechanism by which thermoregulatory processes occur is not very well understood at the circuit level. Afferent skin temperature information travels through the spinal cord to the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), where it passes on to the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA). A subset of prodynorphin (Pdyn)-expressing neurons in the PBN (PdynPBN neurons) are activated when mice are exposed to warm environments, and 80% of these neurons project to the POA. The exact role of PdynPBN neurons has not been characterized, however, and their full projection profile is not established. Using genetic and viral techniques, we inserted a Cre-dependent designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) into mouse PdynPBN neurons and labeled their synaptic projections with GFP-bound synaptophysin, an abundant synaptic vesicle protein used for neurotransmitter trafficking. The use of Cre-dependent DREADD and synaptophysin-GFP allowed us to specifically label and activate PdynPBN neurons. We found that activation of these cells increases tail-skin temperature with a concurrent drop in core-body temperature. These data suggest that PdynPBN neurons may convey environmental temperature information that is sufficient to activate heat-defense responses. Establishing the genetic identity of neurons in a circuit that helps to maintain constant core body temperature will allow for the elucidation of downstream nodes in this circuit.

A national organization named 2-1-1 provides assistance to populations with basic needs, mainly informing and answering questions, and researching resources covering 50 states. Not only is the demand for information growing, but also the complexity of calls is increasing. For example, a person may need information on shelters, medical issues, legal assistance, debt management and other services. Consequently, calls are taking longer, and with limited resources, wait times are increasing and even critical calls are sometimes abandoned. Assigning more staff to a call center is not realistic under limited budgets. Hence, an efficient call center system must be designed. Our research seeks to address the efficiency of the WA 2-1-1 call center system, in Washington State. We hypothesize that the application of call prioritization and skill-based routing can reduce the holding-call time, and eliminate call abandonment for those with urgent needs. We will identify classifications of calls, and evaluate how automation can be used to navigate or direct callers to a correct resource and expedite the whole process. Appropriate classification of calls and prioritization may not only decrease the waiting time but also help training operators with an appropriate skill set. We will apply the concept of operations research to forecast seasonal demand using available data within Washington State, and will estimate the number and allocation of resources the organization should provide. The anticipated result of the research is a call center design that will decrease the number of abandoned calls, provide an immediate response to an urgent call, decrease waiting time, and assign calls to available operators to exploit the limited resources. The WA 2-1-1 call center is important to provide assistance to efficiently serve populations in need. Increasing the efficiency of call centers with limited resources will enable WA 2-1-1 to reach more people in need.

Publication metrics have often played a major role in understanding the interaction between research, popular opinion, and public policy. The field of scientometrics has been especially successful in bridging this gap for hot-button environmental issues, such as global climate change. Here, we used publication metrics to look at another burgeoning environmental topic: marine microplastic pollution. Research into marine microplastics has risen explosively in recent years, and some governments have already introduced anti-plastics policies in response. Here, we looked into the influence of microplastics research in news outlets and public opinion. First, we searched ISI’s Web of Science for articles containing the search terms “MARINE” and “MICROPLASTIC,” and recorded the number of publications over time. Second, we used a web scraper to gather similar publication counts for popular news outlets. Finally, we gathered data on social media interest in microplastic pollution by looking at the frequency of Twitter posts containing relevant keywords over time. Differences in article and tweet lexicons were analyzed using WordSmith Tools. We hypothesized that increased published research on microplastics correlates with stronger media coverage and more social media presence. Overall, the project found a unique interplay between microplastics research and popular sources, and we discuss how this interaction might impact public policy changes.

The Hille Zebrafish Lab studies embryonic development and is particularly interested in cell motility and adhesion. We use zebrafish as a model organism due to its small size and rapid development, as well as for having clear embryos that allow researchers to observe somites form. One way that cells can crawl is through extending filopodia with actin microfilaments. The cell is anchored to other cells with adherens junctions and can push off against these anchor points, then form new adherens junctions with cadherin and other proteins. This method of walking is used for cells to move between other cells and is highly visible in premesoderm cell walking and somite formation. Cells need to regulate both elongation and adhesion, and a protein called p120 catenin activates both cadherins (which are needed for adhesions junctions) and the proteins RAC1 and CDC42 that stimulate motility through actin microfilament elongation and filopodia formation. Our hypothesis is that p120 catenins with phosphorylated tyrosines bind to Cadherins. In our mutant p120 RNA sequences, we test the activity of phosphorylatable residues by mimicking post-translational modifications with residues that can not be phosphorylated. For example, aspartic acid can mimic phosphorylated serine. Our lab has made and injected mutated mRNA sequences for p120 catenin to test if the mutant protein is able to rescue morpholino knocked-down embryos. We predict that if the tested amino acid is necessary for binding to a motility protein, then we will see rescue in phosphorylation mimics and no rescue in dephosphorylation mimics. My project was to make a p120 mutant that is missing most of the predicted regulatory amino acids. The truncated p120 sequence is called 4A and is a splice variant of wild type p120 that starts at the fourth methionine, omitting the regulatory region containing many phosphorylatabe sites.

Growing concern regarding brain injury in football has encouraged research on head impact exposure (HIE), incidence of concussion, and strategies to reduce injury risk. Reducing HIE in games has presented challenges due to the physical nature of the sport. However, limiting the amount of full-contact in practice may present a means for both decreasing HIE and minimizing concussion risk. In the past few years, guidelines limiting contact have been proposed, including decreasing the intensity of contact (limiting "two-a-days"), decreasing the number of full-contact practices, and eliminating practice drills associated with greater contact (such as the "Oklahama drill"). A few states have even modified their existing concussion legislation to include provisions limiting contact. The goal of our study is to review the literature regarding limitations on contact as a means for improving safety in football and to evaluate whether evidence supports this approach as a means for mitigating risk. We have identified studies assessing the impact of limitations on contact for either reducing HIE or concussive risk in football. We have then categorized the resulting studies by level of evidence, and summarized our findings. We concluded that reduced contact should result in a decrease in HIE and thereby a decrease in injury rate. 

p120 catenin is an adherens junction-associated protein responsible for stimulating both cell adhesion, through interactions with RhoA and E-cadherin, and cell motility through interactions with Vav-2 and Cdc-42/Rac-1. Recent research in vitro has identified selective phosphorylation as a regulation mechanism for which pathway p120 catenin undergoes, but the results have yet to be replicated in vivo. Here, I specifically focus on the effects of phosphorylation of the tyrosine at 228 (Y228) on dorsal axis extension in zebrafish embryos during embryogenesis. This was accomplished through co-injection of mutant mRNAs Y228E (glutamic acid) and Y228F (phenylalanine) alongside an anti-sense splice-site morpholino specific to p120 catenin δ1. When compared to uninjected embryos, embryos injected with Y228E and morpholino exhibited much poorer dorsal axis extension whereas embryos injected with Y228F and morpholino exhibited relatively normal dorsal axis extension. These findings suggest that phosphorylation of p120 catenin at Y228 promotes interaction with RhoA and E-cadherin, thus reducing interaction with Vav-2 and Cdc-42/Rac-1 and limiting cell motility, although the specific pathway is still unclear. I shall further validate these findings through co-precipitation of mutant p120 catenin and its binding partners by preforming immunoprecipitation (ReCLIP) of proteins obtained from developing injected zebrafish embryos. As loss of E-cadherin function is closely associated with cancer progression, the ability to facilitate E-cadherin function through phosphorylation of p120 catenin at Y228 suggests a novel method and area of study for combatting cancer.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) - characterized by seven transmembrane alpha helical domains - are the largest family of membrane proteins, constituting ~1% of the human genome. The α1D-adrenergic receptor (A1DAR) is a GPCR that regulates function of the cardiovascular, urinary, and central nervous systems. Dysfunction of this receptor can lead to various diseases including schizophrenia, benign prostate hypertrophy, hypertension, and PTSD. Prazosin, a non-specific α1-antagonist is the first line treatment for PTSD, however, chronic use has deleterious side effects including orthostatic hypotension and potentially fatal reflex tachycardia due to interactions with off-target related receptors. Thus, understanding how A1DARs are regulated will allow for the development of targeted therapeutics. To this end, the Hague Lab has previously discovered that A1DAR undergoes an endogenous cleavage of its extracellular N-terminal domain, affecting its membrane localization and response to agonist stimulation. Located within the N-terminal domain of A1DAR are two glycosylation sites at amino acids 65 and 82. Currently, how glycosylation of these sites regulates the cleavage event remains unknown. To characterize this phenomena, I used molecular cloning to mutate the glycosylation sites of A1DAR in the pSNAP vector for expression in Human Embryonic Kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. Near Infrared PAGE analysis revealed that glycosylation of both amino acids is required for cleavage and proper expression of A1DAR. Sucrose density gradient and dynamic mass redistribution further showed that glycosylation controls function and trafficking of A1DAR to the membrane. These results allow for the development of targeted medications specific to the N-terminal glycosylation sites of A1DAR, further reducing the potential side effects experienced by patients.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) contain seven transmembrane domains and are the largest family of cell surface receptors, making up ~1% of the human genome. GPCRs can interact with a variety of ligands, such as odors, pheromones, hormones, and neurotransmitters. At least 30 human GPCRs contain a C-terminal Type-I PDZ ligand that allows for interactions with adapter proteins which can regulate receptor trafficking, stability, and signaling. The Hague Lab has previously found that the α1D-adrenergic receptor, which contains a C-terminal Type-I PDZ ligand, also undergoes an endogenous N-terminal cleavage event, which enhances receptor function and may play a role in which PDZ domain containing proteins interact with this receptor. We propose that this unique observation of the α1D-adrenergic receptor may be prototypical of a new class of GPCRs which contain a Type-I PDZ ligand and undergo an N-terminal cleavage. CysLT2, MAS1, and NPFFR2 are understudied GPCRs and potential members of this family with distinct PDZ ligands, though it remains unknown if their extracellular N-terminal domains regulates receptor function. Thus, I have cloned wildtype and N-terminal truncation mutants of these three GPCRs into the pSNAP vector to create fusion proteins with N-terminal SNAP tags. These constructs were transfected into HEK293 cells and subjected to near infrared PAGE analysis to elucidate the presence of N-terminal processing. Furthermore, dynamic mass redistribution revealed how the N-termini modulate receptor signaling. The combination of biochemical and pharmacological techniques allows me to determine if these receptors belong to this new subfamily of GPCRs. These results increase our understanding of how GPCRs are regulated within the cell, which can lead to the development of more efficient drugs.