Category: 2014

Barriers to Survival: The Japanese Legal Framework As a Risk Factor in Refugee Services

Presenter: Nobuyuki Tomiuga

Mentor: Kathie Carpenter

Oral Presentation

Major: International Studies 

Refugees in Japan who entered the country without a resident status (official passport and visa) are not given the right to work or obtain health insurance during the refugee recognition application process. The application process usually takes more than three years, but very few are granted refugee status. In 2013, only 6 out of 3260 applicants were admitted as refugees, and 856 of the applicants did not have a resident status. This study includes interviews with refugees who had to survive in Japan without the right to work or obtain health insurance, even though they fled their home countries to evade persecution and seek protection in Japan. The interviews found that many face a choice between living without any income or working illegally to survive, even if they risk incarceration. Most abstain from seeing a doctor because they cannot afford to pay the full medical fee without health insurance. The study also includes the kinds of assistance various organizations, social workers, and professionals have been giving to those refugees in need, and found that there is a limit to the number of people they can help and the degree of support they can offer. As a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention, Japan has the obligation to protect refugees. The government needs to modify the legal framework by allowing refugees to work and obtain health insurance regardless of their legal restrictions, because these are fundamental rights for survival, and refugees often are unable to leave their countries with official documents.

Soundproofing in the Residential Halls

Presenter: Francisco Toledo

Co-Presenters: Amanda Mensch, Kristina Ames

Mentor: Alison Kwok

Oral Presentation

Major: Architecture 

Privacy is an important part of everyone’s life. The focus of our research is to determine what could be done to reduce the amount of sound transmission through a wall in the resident halls. We choose to test and compare two different insulations (wool and rigid). We hypothesized that natural sheep’s wool insulation will reduce the amount of sound transmission by 50% compared to that of rigid insulation. The insulations were placed inside a reconstructed wall to resemble a section of the interior walls inside the Walton residential hall and tested in a sound control room to avoid other factors such as temperature and exterior sounds that could alter our data. We choose five activities, talking, laughing, vacuuming, playing video games, and listening to music, based on their occurrence in the halls. To record data we used a sound meter app from the apple store to determine sound penetration into the box. In our findings, we concluded that when comparing the peaks from each individual activity there was about 8 % more efficiency using wool insulation in terms of sound penetration, but in general the average peak was reduced significantly by around 10-20 decibels. From our understanding, our results make sense because wool has fibers that are able to absorb sound waves while rigid insulation is highly compact hence why is able to transmit sound in the form of energy. The significance of this project is to help university housing enhance the living environment students live in. We believe privacy is an issue when living with 70 other students. Our recommendation, based on our results, is that wool is a better soundproofing material and therefore should be used within the residential halls to provide a greater sense of privacy. University housing on campus has communicated with us that they are preparing a five year renovation plan and would love for us to present to them our findings because it would help them create the most economic and effective plan.

Do Distinct Types of Progenitors Contribute to the Diversity of Enteric Neurons and Glia?

Presenter: Charlotte Taylor

Mentor: Judith Eisen

Oral Presentation

Major: Biology 

The enteric nervous system (ENS), the largest component of the peripheral nervous system, provides intrinsic innervation of the intestinal tract and modulates gut function. The ENS forms a complex network composed of different neuronal and glial subtypes. Whether these different subtypes arise from distinct progenitors is currently unknown. Developing zebrafish embryos are transparent and genetic manipulations can be used to label progenitor cells and their progeny, thus zebrafish is an excellent model in which to address this question. ENS progenitors express several marker genes, including phox2b, sox10, and ret. Using the zebrafish model, we investigated whether expression of these genes designates distinct ENS progenitor populations. Our co-expression analysis identified three different progenitor subpopulations that express the following marker combinations: phox2b/sox10/ret, phox2b/ret, and phox2b. Our next goal is to test the hypothesis that these subpopulations give rise to distinct neuronal and glial cell types during ENS development. We will use the Cre/loxP lineage tracing system to track progeny of identified progenitor subpopulations. Currently, we are generating BAC constructs that drive expression of Cre recombinase under the control of enteric progenitor specific promoters. We will inject these BAC constructs into a red fluorescent reporter line to permanently label all Cre expressing cells and their progeny and then follow the fate of of these cells in living embryos during ENS development. These results will provide a comprehensive lineage analysis of ENS precursors in vivo and thus offer new insights into ENS development and the developmental potential of individual ENS progenitors.

The Neurocognitive Development of HIV Positive Children and Adolescents

Presenter: Sophia Tarzaban

Mentor: Janis Weeks

Oral Presentation

Major: Human Physiology 

Research has displayed that children living with HIV diagnoses have showed signs of progressive encephalopathy; and these children exhibited higher rates of residual neurologic, cognitive, and scholastic impairment compared
with the average school age child. My research highlights the fact that antiretroviral drug treatments (ARVs) are developmentally unsafe to be administered to infants, children, and adolescents, due to the decreased neurocognitive development that is displayed as they progress into adulthood. In addition, my research exposes the physiological mechanism that causes HIV to damage the developing brain of infants. My goal is to draw awareness to this issue by arguing that these children require special attention and are too often overlooked, in order to help prevent them from losing their right to an education.The data I collected is from a review of over 30 research papers and will be presented as a meta-analysis of relevant cognition testing performed on children born with HIV. These cognitive assessments provide statistical comparisons that are used to compare and contrast scholastic performance in various disciplines.

My research is important as it displays strong evidence that ARVs are not a safe treatment method for combating HIV in youth and adolescents. While ARVs are the current, most effective treatment in increasing child mortality, they are also increasing the rates of encephalopathy amongst school children. Discovering a new, safer method of treatment for HIV+ children could produce a generation of adolescents and adults who are not only immunologically stable, but also cognitively sound.

Saturating the Neurospora Genome for Mutants Defective in Methylation

Presenter: Calvin Summers

Mentor: Eric Selker

Poster: 31

Major: Biology

Cytosine methylation, a fundamental form of epigenetic regulation, is found in many eukaryotes and plays a significant role in cancer and other diseases. Using the genetically tractable model organism Neurospora crassa, the Selker laboratory has identified genes that when mutated, cause the strains to be defective in methylation (dim). The process of DNA methylation in Neurospora has been shown to be dependent on DCDC, a five member complex that directs the histone methyltransferase DIM-5 to trimethylate Lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9me3). This mark is recognized by HP1, which directs DIM-2 to methylate DNA. Another silencing complex, HCHC, employs HDA-1, CDP-2, HP1, and CHAP to deacetylate lysines on the histone. While we know a good deal about DNA methylation, it is still unclear whether we have identified all genes involved in the process. Thus this research focuses on our search for dim mutants, and asks whether our current model for DNA methylation is saturated. Using a selection for reactivation of resistance genes silenced by DNA methylation we aimed to answer this question. Interestingly, we predominantly identified known dim genes, including dim-5, dim-7, dim-8, dim-9, chap, cdp-2, and hda-1, suggesting our model may be saturated. We localized mutations in these known dim genes by DNA sequencing. The dim mutant collection generated should be a useful resource for further investigation into the roles of these genes and their protein products in DNA methylation. Understanding epigenetic pathways in Neurospora is an auspicious first step in elucidating mechanisms of complex genetic regulation in our own cells.

Governor George L. Woods and Genocide in Oregon

Presenter: Simone Smith

Mentor: Kevin Hatfield

Oral Presentation

Major: Business Administration

Governor George L. Woods, with the help of various members in the US Army and federal government such as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and General Crook, created a strong federal presence specifically unique to Oregon. Under Woods’ rule, ethnocide along with the use of Indian Scouts were legalized, leading to the attempted extermination of the Northern Paiute and the strengthening of the federal government’s control in Oregon in the context of Richard White’s “kindergarten” theory. The expansion of federal power is evident through Woods’ decision to use Indian Scouts during the Snake War from 1866 to 1868. Prior to Woods’ term in office, the government
had not legalized the pitting of Indian against Indian for the purpose of extermination. Through further inspection of state documents, newspapers, letters, and manuscripts, it becomes evident that this history employs a further discussion of authority and of marginalization. Acting alongside Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Woods was able to bypass several military officers in order to attempt to eliminate the Northern Paiute during the erroneously named “Snake War” which scholar Gregory Michno proclaims to be “the deadliest Indian war” in terms of Native American casualties. The history of Woods’ genocidal rampage is absent in the common understanding of Oregon’s history and many scholars have overlooked the impact of Woods’ presence in Oregon. In the existing literature surrounding the Snake War and the history of Oregon, Governor Woods is mentioned very briefly although his impact on the Northern Paiute is quite substantial. Given that there are currently no published biographies on the third governor of Oregon, Governor George L. Woods, this research provides original material and will contribute to a larger body of work on federalized power in Oregon and its effect on the Northern Paiute.

University of Oregon’s Environmental Leadership Program: Critters and Currents Environmental Education Team

Presenter: Makenzie Shepherd

Mentor: Katie Lynch

Poster: 30

Major: Environmental Studies

The prominence of technology and urbanization in the 21st century has established a concrete distinction between the urban and natural worlds. Younger generations, increasingly disengaged and separated from their local natural environments, are exhibiting symptoms of what is colloquially called “nature-deficit disorder.” Marked by rising levels of ADD/ADHD, obesity, depression, and muted creativity, nature-deficit disorder reflects a concerning trend that will accelerate if not immediately and holistically addressed. As the 2014 Critters and Currents team of the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon, it is our mission to bridge the gap between youth in Eugene, OR and their environment by inspiring them to form connections with the McKenzie River Watershed. Our place-based environmental education curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning by providing creative, collaborative, and physically active lessons that challenge our students to engage the senses and think critically about the local environment and our interdependence with it. Scavenger hunts, field journaling, and storytelling are all activities that empower our students with the attitudes, skills, knowledge, and confidence to create and maintain a strong bond with nature. It is crucial that younger generations restore this connection because our youth have the potential to transform the ways in which our society views and interacts with nature. The Critters & Currents curriculum promotes environmental awareness, inspires respect and compassion for the natural world, and encourages positive environmental action now and in the future.

Romani Migration and French Reactions

Presenter: Hannah Schmitz

Mentor: Carol Silverman

Oral Presentation

Major: French/International Studies 

This paper examines the expulsions of Roma that are occurring in France today in terms of history and reactions. First, I discuss the history of Roma populations in France, seeking to reveal the root causes of the prejudices against Roma that exist today. The time period studied is 1787 to the present, with some reference to earlier periods. Second, I analyze the current French government’s actions regarding Roma in terms of the legality of multiple policies and laws. By examining the various groups that are included under the term Gens de voyage (travelling people), and how the French government and its citizens have reacted to them, I shed light on the discriminatory nature of current policies and actions. I focus on both positive and negative reactions following the 2007 migration of Roma to France from Romania and Bulgaria. Data were collected from scholarly books, organizational reports, a range of media sources, and a small survey of French citizens. One aim of the research is to document the history of French discrimination against Roma and contribute to its mitigation.

America’s Protection at Home and Abroad: How our Foreign Presence is an Extension of American Masculinity

Presenter: Alexandria Sasek

Mentor: Megan Burke

Oral Presentation

Major: Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies

America has a hero complex. In light of current international affairs and America’s traditional role as global policeman being examined, the consequences of America’s presence abroad have highlighted the divide between what Americans see ourselves as and what other nations see Americans as. To be considered a hero, there must be a villain to vanquish and a victim to save. A large aspect of American masculinity is being a protector, and ‘protection’ reveals itself in layers. It differentiates the “good” from the “bad”: within communities, institutions, and in the subversive rape culture cultivated by the media and patriarchal traditions. The victim and villain characters are cast in the national rape culture, with the villains remaining faceless, nameless monsters and the victims frequently denied autonomy after the assault. In America, we have taught females to adhere to a strict checklist of actions and dress codes in order to not be raped, or in other words, women must obey these rules in order to be protected from the rapists. This dependence on contracted protection can be seen nationally and globally, which Iris Marion Young deconstructs in “The Logic of Masculinist Protection: Reflections on the Current Security State.” This dependence not only defines hierarchical societal relations, but gives reasoning behind war through masculine sovereignty as Bonnie Mann explains in “How America Justifies Its War.” In understanding this perceptional divide, we understand the far- reaching effects of American masculinity and the subtle social contracts we subscribe to.

Cetacean Hunting at the Par-Tee Site? Ethnographic, Archaeological, and Blood-residue Investigations

Presenter: Gabriel Sanchez

Mentor: Jon Erlandson

Oral Presentation

Major: Anthropology 

Anthropologists have long believed that Native Americans on the Northern Oregon Coast did not actively hunt whales, but archaeological evidence suggests otherwise. My project utilizes ethnographic data, comparative artifact analysis, radiocarbon dating, and blood residue analysis to investigate whether whales may have been hunted during prehistoric times along the Northern Oregon Coast. From the Par-Tee site (35CLT20), a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) phalange with an elk bone harpoon point embedded in it, provides evidence of whale hunting. AMS 14C dating of the whale bone and elk harpoon showed that they were both used approximately 1500 years ago, well before European contact. The dimensions of the embedded harpoon point were determined using computed tomography (CT) scanning to compare it to other harpoons points from the site. Several of these harpoons were selected for blood residue analysis, which identified evidence for trout, salmon, and steelhead fishing.