Astrocytes are a type of glial cells in the central nervous system, play a critical role in protecting neuronal signaling by regulating brain homeostasis, synaptic plasticity and transmission, and blood brain barrier functioning in central nervous system. Accumulating evidence has indicated that abnormal behaviors of astrocytic functions, including astrodegeneration and astrogliosis, are implicated as the primary factors contributing to a number of chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Kir4.1 is an inwardly rectifying K+ channel expressed on the projections of astrocytes, which serve important roles in the neuroprotective function of astrocytes, such as maintaining K+ homeostasis and regulating extracellular glutamate. Abnormal expression of Kir4.1 has been reported in certain neurodegenerative diseases, including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD), suggesting a vital role in the development of pathophysiology. However, the association between the molecular mechanism and expression of Kir4.1 and the underlying pathogenesis of AD and PD has been largely uninvestigated. In this study, we have had the critical opportunity to access human post-mortem brain tissue, provided by the University of Washington Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and conducted confocal microscopy studies. Through a quantitative immunofluorescense staining approach, we expect to demonstrate a distinct expression pattern of Kir4.1 in various brain regions of AD and PD post-mortem tissues when compared to control subjects. Determining the role this protein has in neurodegeneration may provide new insight into the development of therapeutic targets to ameliorate the progression of AD and PD.

Although Asians and Asian Americans are often classified as belonging in the same social category, these two groups may perceive and think about the world differently. This project examined whether UW students who are Asians and Asian Americans hold different viewpoints regarding social identities and social statuses. Primarily, we examined group differences in Status Legitimizing Belief, Perceived Racial Discrimination, and Racial Identification. Status legitimizing belief is a set of beliefs (measuring protestant work ethic, perceived system permeability, and system legitimacy) asserting that if individuals work hard, are motivated, and are talented, they can improve their social statuses. Perceived racial discrimination measures the extent to which racial minorities believe that they are targets of discriminations. Racial identification measures individuals’ beliefs and perceptions that their racial group matters and is central to how they perceive themselves. Through meta-analyses of self-report surveys across 13 academic quarters, we found significant differences between Asian Americans and Asians across all measured variables. First, we found that Asians have higher status legitimizing belief than Asian Americans. Asians also perceive lower racial discrimination than their Asian American counterparts. And finally, Asians are less likely to identify with their racial in-group than Asian Americans. This research demonstrates that while both groups are often classified or perceived as the same social group, they, in fact, hold different perspectives regarding their identities as well as their statuses. Understanding how these two groups rationalize and perceive legitimacy and discrimination offers insight into intergroup relations.

Sexual harassment is pervasive yet many people underestimate its prevalence or often do not believe victims when they come forward. The current research examines a potential source of this bias. Specifically, we theorize that people assume and misperceive victims of sexual harassment as prototypical women (i.e., those who fit the stereotypical, idealized image of women), and those who deviate from this prototypicality are less likely to be believed as victims. In this study, participants read a vignette describing a woman named Anna who was either sexually harassed by a male boss or not (control group). Importantly, we manipulated her prototypicality using photographs obtained from previous research. After reading the vignette, participants rate how likely they think Anna experienced sexual harassment. This is a 2 (prototypical vs non-prototypical images) x 2 (harassment vs control) between-subject design. We are primarily interested in the interaction between the two conditions. If the interaction is significant, then we will examine the non-prototypical vs prototypical within the harassment condition as well as in the control condition. We are trying to see how the interaction effect works for women who are prototypical or not when they have been harassed because we believe that prototypical women will be more likely to be believed than non-prototypical women. We do not expect this pattern to repeat in the control condition because prototypicality should not influence women who are not harassed. This research will allow us to understand how perception of harassment can be influenced by women’s resemblance to the prototypical image of womanhood.

Many of the world’s most important countries are experiencing large increases in their populations of older adults (e.g. Japan, China, Italy, Germany). Such longevity is requiring a greater need for long term care. However, societies can not afford to pay for formal care, so informal (unpaid family) caregivers (CGs) are becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, many CGs are at high-risk for psychosocial/health problems. Moreover, caregivers with pre-existing health problems are particular risk. Our goal is to examine factors that may make cancer caregivers vulnerable. We used a vulnerability (have a cancer history or not) by exposure (being a caregiver or not) model, and stratified our participants into four groups: Cancer Caregivers, Non-Cancer Caregivers, Cancer Non-Caregivers, and Non-Cancer Non-Caregivers. At baseline and 15-18 months later, we measured indicators of life quality and caregiver demands: satisfaction with support, well-being, perceived support, loneliness, and hours spent caregiving. Cancer Caregivers reported poorer social supports and more time caregiving. This is important because previous work has shown that Cancer Caregivers have more negative and fewer positive life experiences and that these are related to the ability to fight tumor growth. Despite innovations, this study only included white Americans. Also, to increase participation among persons with cancer, we only included those who were not treated for at least one year and who had not suffered from serious forms of cancer. Our results would probably have been stronger had we included persons with more serious cancers, but such individuals might not have participated or been able to be caregivers. Given the rapid rise of cancer in China, we suggest that research examine cancer and caregiving in China and that cross-cultural research be done in the U.S. and China. To understand the dynamics of caregiving, health and well-being, one needs to study these processes cross-culturally.