Tag: Poster 8

A New Model for Cutaneous Thermal Hyperemia

Patricia Choi, Naoto Fuji and Vienna Brunt

Mentor: Christopher Minson

PM Poster Presentation

Poster 8

Currently, assessment of cutaneous thermal hyperemia is done by locally heating the skin from a baseline of 33 to 42C at a rate of 0.1oC/1 s. The purpose of this study was to characterize the hyperemic response using different rates of heating from the traditional protocol, specifically 0.1oC/1s, 0.1oC/10s, 0.1oC/60s, and three target temperatures, 36, 39, 42 oC. Six subjects (3 males and 3 females) within the age group of 22-25 participated in all six protocols. Skin sites were locally heated on the forearm from a baseline of 33oC to three target temperatures at each of the three rates. After an hour of maintaining the target temperature, the three sites were heated to 43.5 oC to attain maximal skin blood flow (SkBF). SkBF was measured with Laser Doppler flow metery. Data are presented as % maximal cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC),which equals blood flow divided by mean arterial pressure. The new protocol attenuated plateau CVC from 95.3 ± 3.22% of the standard protocol to 33.8 ± 2.69% with 36 C at 0.1C/1s (p< 0.01), 53.7 ± 1.3% with 39C at 0.1C/s (p < 0.01), 29.6 ± 1.5% with 36C at 0.1C/10s (p< 0.01), 45.9 ± 1.7% with 39C at 0.1C/10s (p< 0.01), 25.47 ± 1.3% with 36C at 0.1C/60s (p< 0.01). We suggest that heating at different rates and to target temperatures from the standard heating protocol exhibit different hyperemic profiles.

Effects of Pentamidine Derivatives on Myotonic Dystrophy

Presenter : Jessica Choi

Mentor : Andy Berglund

Major : Biochemistry

Poster 8

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a genetic disorder caused by an expansion of the trinucleotide (CTG) repeats in myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. This disease is characterized by myotonia and is commonly presented as the inability to relax muscles after contraction. Currently, there is no known cure or treatment for this disease. However, a drug called, pentamidine, has been discovered to relieve the severity of the disease by decreasing the level of toxic RNA. More specifically, pentamidine has been demonstrated to rescue RNA splicing, which involves excising out introns and combining exons together in an mRNA sequence to ultimately provide a functioning RNA. Without proper splicing, mutations can give rise to serious diseases like DM. In order to decrease the severity of DM, a high concentration of this drug must be administered, which also inevitably results in a significant decrease in cell viability. Thus, designing a derivative of pentamidine with higher efficacy and lower toxicity is the primary goal of this project. Performing a simple substitution reaction (SN2) from a cyano group-containing core compounds and n-butyl lithium is an easy, yet powerful method to produce the derivatives. Some previously synthesized derivatives have shown promising results with less nega- tive effects on cell viability (less toxic) and increased levels of splicing rescue, although further study needs to continue to search for the most effective drug.the overall success of these organisms.

Gender, Power and Depo-Provera: Constraints on Reproductive Choice in Rural Nicaragua

Presenter: Nicolette Dent

Mentor: Kristin Yarris

Poster: 8

Major: Anthropology

Using interviews conducted with 87 women in 2003 in Nicaragua, my research explores how gender ideologies reinforce men’s non-involvement with family planning and limit women’s reproductive choices. The popularity of the injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera among this sample reflects these patterns of gender inequality and social constraints on women’s health and power in Latin America. I used Pearson chi-square statistics and t-tests of means to analyze the relationships between women’s marital and socioeconomic statuses and their contraceptive use. I found that rates of Depo-Provera use are higher among women who are married or in union, reflecting how the presence of a male partner influences women to choose “invisible” contraceptive methods. I also found that women who do not have access to electricity, as a measure of lower socioeconomic status, use Depo-Provera at higher rates than women who have electricity. I situate these findings within the historical and cultural context of Nicaragua, and within the contested social history of Depo-Provera. While the current administration in Nicaragua acknowledges the need to involve men in reproductive health issues, men’s lack of participation in family planning remains a global concern. I suggest that women will not be able to employ reproductive choice until governments address issues of gender equality and encourage male participation in reproductive health and responsibility.

The Darker Side of the Dark Room: Ventilation and Volatile Organic Compounds in the Craft Center’s Dark Room

Presenter: Davis Carlisle

Co-Presenter: Laurel Sleeper

Mentors: Alison Kwok and Mathieu Deraspe, Architecture

Poster: 8

Major: Architecture

The Craft Center at the University of Oregon was rapidly built during the renovation process of the new Erb Memorial Union (EMU). Due to the quick construction of this space, there have been issues with the ventilation in the Craft Center. Some components of this ventilation system either are not completely finished or aren’t functioning yet including the dark room. Chemicals and open flames are often used in the studio spaces of the Craft Center, so it’s important that the ventilation is operating properly. One room that poses a possible health concern is the dark doom where photo chemicals are often used. Although the ventilation system appeared to be working in the Photo Studio, the effectiveness of the system is questionable because of the reoccurring problems with the Craft Center’s mechanical systems, according to Craft Center employees. The following study determines if the dark room’s ventilation system is working properly. A CO2/VOC data logger was placed in the dark room in order to monitor the air quality during a three day period. When looking at the VOC results from the three day period were inconclusive however, it is reasonable to assume that the VOC levels are safe and below ASHRAE Standard 62.1 because of the CO2 levels in the Dark Room which stayed well below the 5000 ppm of CO2 set by the ASHRAE standard (ASHRAE standard 2007, 5).

Continued Riparian Restoration and Monitoring of Goose Creek at Whitewater Ranch

Presenter: Alyssa Dawson

Co-Presenters: Brady Cox, Cassidy DeBlois, AJ Nichols, Katrina Henderson, Joe Nickless, Nathan Wolk

Faculty Mentor: Peg Boulay

Presentation Type: Poster 8

Primary Research Area: Science

Major: Environmental Studies

Healthy riparian zones are important to the ecological function of aquatic areas. They support water quality and a variety of flora and fauna. Restoration of degraded riparian zones are central to rebuilding these ecosystems. In 2014-2015, through a partnership between the University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) and Whitewater Ranch, students implemented a 0.25 acre pilot riparian restoration project along Goose Creek, a tributary of the McKenzie River, with the goals of improving fish and pollinator habitat. During winter term 2016, our team continued to conduct riparian restoration along Goose Creek by planting more native plants and creating a pollinator hedgerow. In order to evaluate the success of the restoration work, we will continue monitoring conducted by past ELP teams. This will be done by monitoring the survival, growth, and vigor of previous plantings, measuring stream temperatures, conducting photo points, and surveying pollinator and macroinvertebrate populations. So far we have found that survival was better than we expected and growth and vigor are looking very promising. In addition to monitoring, we will also begin the next step in our long-term restoration plans by performing baseline monitoring of vegetation in the next phase of Goose Creek restoration. With these efforts, we hope to move closer towards our eventual goal of improving the general health of the riparian habitat at Goose Creek, so it may serve its ecological functions.

Description of Pleistocene-Holocene carnivoran, Meles leucurus, from Kyrgyzstan

Presenter(s): Julien Royer − Anthropology

Faculty Mentor(s): Win McLaughlin, Samantha Hopkins

Poster 8

Research Area: Paleontology

Kyrgyzstan has a scarce paleontological history with most of the previous and current studies focusing on the Miocene- Pliocene. However, Russian geologists in 2012 mapped regional faults and reconstructed uplift rates in the Tien Shan mountains, where the material present in this study was recovered from the Kochkor basin and classified as Meles leucurus from the Pleistocene-Holocene. The fossil record present in Kyrgyzstan reflects mostly large ungulates from the Miocene- Pliocene. This specimen is the first described carnivore from the Late Pleistocene-Holocene from Kyrgyzstan. The carnivoran fossil was recovered from the QIII abandoned river terrace (the regional convention for naming uplifted terraces) with an approximate age of 5,000-20,000 years old through carbon dating of other QIII river terraces. In addition, an associated snail shell and vertebra, rib, tibia from the specimen were used for radio carbon dating material. Moreover, a CT scan of the encapsulated m1 is used for positive morphological diagnosis. A domestic dog skeleton, being a carnivoran sharing similar anatomical shapes with the studied material, is used for morphological comparisons. The tribosphenic shape of the single deciduous tooth, its sharp cusps, and high protocone leaves us to believe this fossil to be a carnivoran burrowing mammal. The specimen diagnosis is Meles leucurus through the average size of the bones and robustness of the long bones and ankle bones needed to burrow. The fossil is a juvenile, resulting from an encased adult m1 in the lower right jaw, a single deciduous tooth, and unfused epiphyseal plates. Considering the location of the origin of genus Meles in the Pliocene, ‘’the out of Tibet hypothesis’’ supports a migration pattern from the Tibetan Plateau to Kyrkygzstan through antecedent species of badgers. Although we believe the fossil to be a part of species leucurus, it is cautious for us to suppose the specimen might belong to another species or sub-species because of a sympatric zone shared by Japanese, European, and Eurasian badgers occurring in the West of the Tien Shan during Pleistocene-Holocene.

Environmental controls on glacial thinning along the West Antarctic Peninsula.

Presenter(s): Ryan Obermeyer

Faculty Mentor(s): David Sutherland & Kiya Riverman

Poster 8

Session: Sciences

The West Antarctic Peninsula holds over 300 glaciers, all with unique environmental conditions. The peninsula is losing ice, but it is not fully understood what determines change for individual glaciers. Fortunately, Antarctica is rich in remotely sensed data. We use a suite of remotely sensed data to determine environmental controls on glacier retreat and thinning. Using Landsat- 7 and laser altimetry derived grounding lines, infrared temperature data, bathymetry swath data, Regional Ocean Modeling runs, and calculated retreat rates we have found more specific correlations between retreat and environment. Furthermore, the creation of the Reference Elevation Model for Antarctica (REMA) allowed for an opportunity to further our understanding of these systems with thinning rates. REMA is a 2m resolution elevation data base for Antarctica from 2009 through 2017. Here we calculate elevation change over time for the West Antarctica Peninsula from REMA. With these rates, we can spatially see how ice is changing on a 2m by 2m scale. We find that glaciers are sensitive to ocean temperature and are directly affected by Antarctic currents, and glaciers with floating tongues have potential for faster retreat. Glaciers in the southern portion of the West Antarctic Peninsula are retreating faster than glaciers in the north.