Category: 2012

Measuring Chaos in a Double Pendulum

Presenters: Vasha Dutell and Patrick Freeman

Mentor: Eric Torrence

AM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: M2 Chaos in the Clouds

Location: Alsea Room

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm

A double pendulum exhibits chaotic behavior given proper initial conditions. This chaotic behavior is characterized by measuring the correlation of a pendulum’s track with itself over time as well as calculating the Lyapunov exponents. A chaotic path’s correlation with itself (or autocorrelation) should decrease exponentially with the lag. A Lyapunov exponent characterizes the separation of infinitesimally close points in phase space over time; exponential growth of this separation typically implies chaotic behavior. A simulation with and without introduced error, as well as a physical pendulum tracked using a high-speed camera are both used to derive auto-correlations and Lyapunov exponents. Expected results are to observe these indicators of chaotic motion in both the simulated and physical double pendulum.

Transgenically-targeted increase in the activity of medial entorhinal layer II neurons induces reversible field expansion and remapping of CA1 place cells

Presenter: Jasmine Dickinson

Mentor: Aldis Weible

AM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: M1 Genes and Neurons

Location: Oak Room

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm

The hippocampal formation plays a critical role in memory acquisition and consolidation. Hippocampal pyramidal neurons fire in a location-specific manner. These “place” cells are thought to generate an internal representation of context dependent space. In a mouse model, we induced transgenic expression in layer II medial entorhinal cortex of a modified muscarinic G-protein coupled receptor that selectively binds clozapine-N-oxide. CNO, an otherwise inert metabolite of the antipsychotic clozapine, is a small molecule drug capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier. Binding of CNO to the receptor triggers an intracellular cascade ultimately resulting in the depolarization of the cell, and thus increased firing that lasts for several hours. We analyzed CA1 place fields before and after CNO injection. Many neurons expanded their place fields following grid cell activation, as predicted by models of grid cell to place cell transformations. However, other neurons drastically changed their firing fields (i.e. they “remapped”), while others were unchanged by CNO. All effects reversed twelve hours post injection. These effects underscore the generative nature of the hip- pocampal network, and provide empirical data to distinguish between theoretical models of place field formation.

The Search for a New Gene in Synapse Formation

Presenter: Leif Schumacher

Mentor: Tory Herman

AM Session Oral Presentations

Panel Name: M1 Genes and Neurons

Location: Oak Room

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm

Neurons are cells that make up the sophisticated network of our brain. These cells interact with other neurons to form connecting structures called synapses. The Herman lab is interested in understanding the genes and molecular mechanisms behind this process. Neurons in vastly different species share many of the same properties. This allows us to study homologous genes in the fruit fly to gain a better understanding of our own development. I am working on a mutation, 317, that prevents the formation of normal syn- apses. I began searching for the gene responsible by crossing the 317 strains with flies carrying known and easily observable genetic markers and allowing recombination to occur between the chromosomes. Whether the progeny had my phenotype or not told me which direction on the DNA strand I should look. Every test narrowed down my search interval until it became too small to use my obvious genetic markers. Currently I am using markers only observable with a PCR technique. Once I narrow down the range to approximately 10 candidate genes, I will sequence them and compare the results to wild type flies to see which variation is responsible for the 317 phenotype. The results from my early tests showed that the gene linked to this 317 mutation is located in a segment that has no known synapse formation regulatory genes indicating that this is a new discovery. With a study of homologous genes between flies and humans, these new findings will contribute to a better understanding of how our own neurons function.

The Barcode System: A Robust In Vivo Genetic Manipulation Technique to Evaluate Essential Tumorigenic Genes

Presenter: Jesse Goldfarb

Mentor: Hui Zong

AM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: M1 Genes and Neurons

Location: Oak Room

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm

The conventional method to evaluate a gene’s role in tumor formation involves targeting a gene in one population of cancer cells, grafting those cells into an organism and examining whether tumor growth is altered compared to controls. Readouts for such experiments are qualitative and observational. This method carries several scientific caveats that make it difficult to elucidate the role of genetic manipulations in tumor formation, including the inherent variation between mice and the lack of a quantitative readout. Therefore, much progress in the field of gene therapy and curative cancer treatment research had been stunted because of the lack of an ideal method. Therefore, I designed a genetic manipulation system, alongside my mentor, to effectively allow for the study of the tumorigenic role of genes believed to be involved in cancer. In essence, this system, termed ‘the barcode system’ looks at growth po- tential at the cellular level instead of the organismal level. Rather than developing two populations of mice, we create two populations of cells, and inject them into a single mouse. This removes the variation of the conventional technique and introduces an internal con- trol into the system. Further, by measuring the relative growth of each cell population via a genetic tag, a barcode, we have introduced a quantitative readout. I will address the design of this system and its early pilot testing. We found that the barcode system is a highly sensitive system that is ideal for the identification of important genes.

Coffee, Climate, and Society: Can Fair Trade Benefit Both Human and Plant?

Presenter: Laura Vigeland

Communication Disorders and Sciences

Poster Presentation

C11

Coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities in the world, with Central and South America producing the majority of this product. This study explores the effects of climate change on coffee production in these regions and the implications this has for people whose livelihood depends on this commodity. Furthermore, it examines the potential benefits of Fair Trade farming practices for both coffee yield and coffee farm workers experiencing climate change. Large coffee plantations often exploit workers; paying them salaries below subsistence level. Climate change raises concerns about people who work on these plantations, for if increased temperatures adversely affect coffee production, their wages may diminish even further. This study analyzes research articles and secondary sources about climate change and coffee production, treatment of plantation workers, and the environmental and economic aspects of Fair Trade practices. Results indicate that increased temperatures due to climate change decrease coffee production, which leads to lower wages for plantation workers. Research also shows that Fair Trade farming practices mitigate the effects of climate change on coffee yield, and that Fair Trade economic policies ensure that workers earn adequate salaries. While climate change may negatively affect cof- fee production and farmers, Fair Trade practices combat these issues. These findings indicate that small coffee farms that use sustainable methods will cope with climate change better than large plantations.

Malaria and Climate Change

Presenter: Inga Suneson

Planning, Public Policy and Management

Poster Presentation

C10

Malaria’s dependence on specific atmospheric conditions such as an abundance of precipitation and warm temperatures makes it susceptible to climate change. A slight change in temperature, precipitation, or seasons can result in exponential changes an area’s malarial infection rate. The trend in warming weather patterns presents a potential threat by providing a more hospitable climate for malaria in places such as Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. These potential hazards caused by changing weather patterns will largely be places where malaria has not previously been a problem. The changing range of malaria could impact new populations, without medi- cal infrastructure to fight it. By monitoring locations of malarial infections along with climate patterns, potential epidemics could be averted.

Varying Portrayals of Climate Change and Water Stress in Bolivia, Seen Through Science and Journalism

Presenter: Benjamin Stone

Journalism

Poster Presentation

C9

In many ways, populations in developing countries are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than those in wealthier, industrialized cultures. And in the Andes of South America, this vulnerability can be seen particularly clearly in the poor nation of Bolivia. As the effects of climate change become increasingly destructive to the water supply and traditional ways of life in Bolivia, and as Bolivian president Evo Morales becomes more vocal and impassioned at international climate change conferences, the literature analyzing Bolivia’s problem is increasing. The current array of scholarly literature about climate change in Bolivia details the climate-related processes behind the water stress, focusing on ways for Bolivian cultures to adapt to climate change. Contemporary journalistic literature on the subject, however, focuses primarily on portraying current conditions for people in Bolivia who are being affected by climate change, particularly indigenous Bolivians. Through the study of these two bodies of literature, this analysis aims to show the lack of the valuable social context within the technical climate change reports that influence national policies within Bolivia, a country that will feel climate change’s effects much sooner and much more intensely than most.

Climate Change Adaptations for Salmon in Indigenous Cultures

Presenter: Mia Schauffler

Journalism

Poster Presentation

C8

Pacific salmon populations are currently in decline. Due to a history of exploitation of their environment, certain types of salmon are at risk of extinction. Along with overfishing and fishery practices, climate change is considered a large factor in the depletion of salmon. Although the destruction of salmon affects all types of cultures, many indigenous cultures depend heavily on salmon for sustenance and as part of their culture. A study on the St’át’imc tribe provides a number of adaptation strategies such as alternative sources of protein like deer or the more abundant pink salmon. Salmon hold an integral place in native communities and the adaptation strategies to maintain salmon are explored and initiated. These communities had traditional ways of maintaining salmon populations before the exploitation of their ecosystems disturbed the species. A combination of these traditional strategies and innovative adaptation techniques must be considered in order to maintain the diversity and quantity of pacific salmon.

Indigenous Food Security in the Face of Climate Change

Presenter: Paul Metzler

Environmental Studies

Poster Presentation

C7

Indigenous cultures are often the stewards of areas with the most biologically diverse food crops. Diversity is essential to maintaining food security in the face of changing climates, and yet, indigenous cultures are often the most adversely affected by this change. This paper analyzes the struggles and successes of indigenous cultures in the Americas to maintain food sovereignty in the face of climate change and the influences of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) on more mainstream food systems. By examining existing literature, it is clear that many cultures struggle with food security as a direct cause of climate change. However, many indigenous people have made remarkable adaptations, recently and in the past. These cultures also cultivate underutilized crops which could hold the answers to the nutritional problems many communities experience. Furthermore, TEK gained from indigenous cultures can provide insight global adaptations to climate change.

Maori Traditional Knowledge and Climate Change

Presenter: Kylie Loutit

Environmental Science

Poster Presentation

C6

The Maori, the native population of New Zealand, are gradually becoming an imperative part of understanding climate and environmental events and changes in New Zealand. Maori Environmental Knowledge (MEK) has been recognized as a useful source of knowledge about climate change that cannot be accessed from standard “westernized” scientific data. Many Maori strive to live at one with nature and view it as an extension of themselves. Their stories, songs and narratives provide mechanisms to inform people of danger, as well as provide details that lead up to catastrophic events and the falling out of such happenings. The Maori are a minority in their own land; however, the reemergence of their culture coincides with the acknowledgement of the usefulness of MEK toward climate change, and is furthering their revival in New Zealand. MEK is context-dependent, making it difficult for scientists to easily incorporate it into reports. However, despite its challenges, MEK is a unique and valuable source of information that can greatly contribute toward the understanding of and response to climate change by expanding the limits of westernized science.