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A-G (pdf)
H-N (pdf) O-Z (pdf) Groups (pdf)
Breaking
the Institutional Barriers: Latino Access to Mental Health, Recruitment,
and Retention Many Latino groups suffer from high rates of psychological problems, however research has found that the Latino population underutilizes mental health services due to factors such as language barriers between client and practitioner, and culturally insensitive therapeutic techniques. The purpose of the qualitative study is threefold: to investigate recruitment methods used by psychologists, therapy services to the Latino population, and retention strategies of therapists. Through convenient and snowball sampling, 10-12 mental health practitioners serving Latino clientele within the Los Angeles and Orange County area have been asked to participate. Participants have been interviewed regarding client access to psychotherapy, client issues, and techniques and practices of the practitioner. By determining the needs of Latinos in treatment, further awareness will enhance the quality of psychotherapy. The study will contribute to the literature regarding Latinos and mental health by identifying effective recruitment strategies and highlighting specific techniques for effective therapy. From
Student to Professional: A Dancer’s Audition Process Dance is an artistic field in which few scholarly resources are available that address the process of becoming a professional dancer, making it difficult for the amateur artist to break into the professional world. In-depth first hand research is needed to assess the opportunities available in the current dance world. The most common way to obtain a job in the professional dance world is to attend open auditions. It is necessary to create resumes and have photos taken prior to attending any auditions. After we compiled our research of potential companies, a calendar of the possible auditions we could attend was developed. Attending the auditions was emotionally and physically straining, however it gave valuable insight into the inner workings of each company, which was otherwise unattainable. This helped us to discover whether the companies provided an adequate working environment for our needs and abilities. We also personally encountered many of the major stereotypes, including aesthetic and training qualities, associated with the professional dance world in these auditions. The process does not end on the day of the audition; there are weeks of waiting for contact and making phone calls to ensure that you were not lost in the shuffle. Finally, the company contacts you regarding their conclusion. From there, the decision about employment in the dance world is in the dancer’s hands, and we are fully equipped to make it. Managing
Software Development Complexity With Ariadne Software development is a complex process involving many developers working together to deliver a product. The management of this process can be undermined by a lack of coordination among developers due to confusion about developers’ dependencies on their colleagues. To better understand this problem, we developed a software application to visualize social links between developers on a software project. We extracted dependencies between code modules to link developers together by retrieving authorship information from a change-management repository. This information is represented visually by our tool as a sociogram. Our goal for this project was to improve the design of the existing extraction and visualization modules. Therefore, we are re-designing the extraction module to be able to import dependency information from multiple source code languages. To achieve this, we are using Graphical eXchange Language, an extensible graph exchange format designed for interoperability between graph-based tools. We believe that our tool may be useful for appraising the efficiency of software projects by comparing the social relationships that exist among software developers versus those that should exist because of interdependencies in the source-code. In addition, we extended the application infrastructure to support the analysis of software projects over time. This allows the inspection of software projects by identifying code that is constantly being fixed, and suggesting appropriate redesign. In the future, we plan to analyze large open-source programs and interview their developers to determine if their coordination needs are the same ones suggested by our tool. Improving
Color Discrimination in Color Vision Deficiency Using MPEG-21 Color vision deficiency (CVD) affects roughly one in twenty people throughout the world. There is a remarkable lack of treatment options available for the correction of impaired color vision. In this experiment, we tested the hypothesis: does digital modification of color hue and saturation improve color discrimination ability in people with color vision deficiency? 37 subjects with color vision deficiency were screened with pseudoisochromatic plates and a Neitz anomaloscope to determine their CVD type. Color discrimination ability was then tested for each eye using a computerized Farnsworth-Munsell 100 (cFM-100) hue test. Color hue and saturation of cFM-100 tiles were modified using MPEG-21 at five different degrees, after which subjects had their color discrimination abilities tested again. The effect of color adaptation in real images was then tested using color adaptation application to an image of the letter "A." Mean cFM-100 error scores were significantly improved from the baseline score of 151.8 to the post-adaptation score of 130.9 at the 0.5 deficiency degree (p=0.004), 130.9 at the 0.7 deficiency degree (p<0.0001), and 129.9 at the 0.9 deficiency degree (p<0.0001). 63% (22) of subjects were able to see the letter "A" more easily following color image adaptation. In conclusion, it appears that application of digital color adaptation improves color discrimination ability and may assist in the perception of color in real images for people with red-green color vision deficiency. The Impact
of College Self- Efficacy, Collective Self-Esteem, University Environment,
Cultural Congruity, and Ethnic and Racial Identity on the Well-Being of
Biracial Students The change in student demographics in higher education requires the assessment of undergraduate experiences. Specifically, literature supports poor campus climate and a sense of marginalization experiences by racial ethnic minority students in higher education. Furthermore, ethnic identity and levels of collective self-esteem are two of the most salient components for the subsequent well-being of biracial individuals. In an effort to ensure a quality undergraduate experience and retention, student affairs professionals and counseling centers have the responsibility to examine ethnic racial minority students’ university experiences, their perceptions of campus climate, and their unique needs and challenges. This study has examined the influence of collective self-esteem, college self-efficacy, ethnic identity, perceptions of the university setting, and cultural congruency with the environment on the psychological well being of biracial undergraduates. A total of 100 biracial individuals have been surveyed. Specifically, individuals who have a Latino/White and Asian/White racial background have been solicited for the study. Differences by generation, age, major, and other background variables have also been assessed. Results will provide insight for research and future practice. Targeting
Acyl CoA Carboxylase as a Source of Novel Polyketides: Binding Pocket
Mutational Study ACCases (Acyl CoA Carboxylases) are a class of enzymes that carboxylate various acyl-CoA molecules, such as Acetyl CoA to Malonyl CoA. The products of ACCase are then used as extender units for more complex molecules, such as fatty acids and polyketides. Thus, ACCases play a key role in controlling fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis. ACCase structures will be vital for further development of cancer and obesity therapeutics, as well as expanding the biosynthesis of novel polyketide pharmaceuticals. We have focused on solving the crystal structures of mutant ACCases, beta subunit, which have had point-mutations introduced at the critical amino acid responsible for determining substrate specificity. Hopefully these mutants will help in elucidating the specificity of the enzymes for their substrates in hopes of manipulating the active site further to enable the enzyme to accept more complex substrates, and thus produce more complex products. We obtained the mutant crystal structures by purifying the enzymes with affinity columns, crystallizing the enzymes with vapor diffusion methods, diffracting the crystals with synchrotron X-ray light-source, and analyzing the data with the aid of computer programs. Thus far, we have studied the mutants D422I, D422C, D422A, D422N, and I420D. The structure of D422I is currently undergoing refinement. Although we have obtained crystals for the remaining mutant enzymes, we have been unable to procure crystals of high enough quality suitable for publication. As such, further experimentation is required to refine the crystallization conditions to produce crystals that would diffract to give higher quality data. A
Comparative Study of Seasonal Water Quality Between the Upper and Lower
Newport Bay, California Newport Bay, California, an estuary, or "the nursery of the sea," is one of thirteen watersheds found in Orange County that empty into the Pacific Ocean. Degradation of water quality in the bay may have negative impacts on diverse species of plants and animals that reside in the bay. The bay is artificially divided into Upper and Lower Bay. The Upper Bay is an important ecological reserve for several endangered species, while the Lower Bay is used primarily for recreational purposes. The basis for water quality testing in the Upper and Lower Newport Bay is to gather data at different sites throughout the bay, and monitor the seasonal effects on water quality from information collected. The duration of the experiment was approximately five months; therefore, the data will be presented as the baseline information for water quality in the bay. The water samples were collected twice a week from five sites and were tested for: turbidity (light penetration), salinity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature, pH, as well as nitrate and phosphate concentration. The preliminary results of the study in the Upper Bay sites showed higher concentrations of inorganic nutrients but lower turbidity, salinity and dissolved oxygen. However, the water quality is highly influenced by rainfall. The continuation of this study into the dry season will illustrate the seasonal effect of water quality. Structural
Analysis of Aromatic Polyketide Synthase for the Design of Novel Aromatic
Polyketide Natural Products of Pharmaceutical Importance Nature creates a huge array of natural products that are diverse in their chemical structures and bioactivity. One such example is the polyketides, a large family of natural products that are an extremely rich source of bioactive molecules. Representative compounds include cholesterol lowering drugs such as lovastatin, antibiotics such as tetracyclines and actinorhodin, and anticancer agents such as doxorubicin. Despite their extensive medical applications, polyketides are very difficult to obtain via organic synthesis; rather, their biosynthesis by polyketide synthase (PKS) offers much better quantity and yield. PKSs are multifunctional enzymes that catalyze repeated chain elongations followed by optional chain modifications. The variation in chain length, choice of chain-building units and chain modifications leads to a huge diversity among naturally occurring polyketides. Manipulation and analysis via genetic engineering studies of PKSs have given rise to over 100 "unnatural" natural products as well as new technologies for manipulating natural product biosynthesis. Combination of polyketide subunits can potentially lead to billions of polyketide analogs as novel drug leads. Cerebrovascular
Inflammation in Male Rats: Effects of Testosterone and Estrogen After an ischemic stroke, activation of inflammation contributes to cerebrovascular disease pathology. Since testosterone and male gender are associated with increased stroke risk, we explored the impact of testosterone on cerebrovascular inflammation using both in vivo and in vitro models of inflammation. We hypothesized that testosterone would augment the expression of two vascular markers of inflammation: cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Using four groups of male rats (intact, orchiectomized (ORX), estrogen treated (ORXE), and testosterone treated (ORXT)), we determined the effects of gonadal steroids on cerebrovascular inflammation after i.p. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections. Using Western analysis, the induction of inflammatory markers was decreased in blood vessels from ORXE rats compared to intact or ORX males. In contrast, in cerebral vessels from ORXT rats, there was significant augmentation in LPS-induced COX-2 and iNOS protein levels. Confocal microscopy was used for cellular localization of COX-2 and iNOS. ORXT rats showed increased COX-2 and iNOS immunoreactivity in endothelial and smooth muscle cells after LPS treatment. In vitro incubations with LPS of isolated pial vessels from the same animal groups demonstrated greater COX-2 induction in ORXT rats compared to ORX and ORXE. Increases in PGE2 production, a principal prostaglandin end-product of COX-2 enzymatic activity, were also greater in vessels from ORXT rats. In conclusion, testosterone contributes to increased cerebrovascular inflammation. Thus, this may contribute to differences in stroke incidence between men and women. Theatre as
a Social Voice An increasing amount of artistic directors and producers have been producing the art of theatre in many new directions, particularly towards practices within social and political theatre. In many theatre productions, heavy Occidental, text based performances often work to create more of an overall social awareness rather than a change of attitude. In acting as the Executive Producer for a student run production of Eve Ensler’s, The Vagina Monologues, I had set out to discover how the logistical production choices, design choices and directive choices entailed in a production schedule make the medium of theatre such an effective tool for social awareness and change. The roles and responsibilities of a producer/stage manager were further explored, as well as how much one’s artistic license is dictated by a production’s fiscal concerns and venue capabilities. If a piece of theatre is identified with being "too progressive and outrageous" or too "in-yer-face," the intentions of the production are often overlooked as novelty. The reputation of a play also dictates the majority of your audience demographic and therefore, the extent of how much awareness can actually be generated. Effects of
Food Storage and Handling on Blow Fly Eggs and Larvae Phaenicia sericata is an anthrophilic fly, commonly known as the greenbottle fly. Greenbottle flies are attracted to fresh carcasses and rotting flesh, thus meat can become contaminated with fly eggs and larvae. This project evaluated the survival of P. sericata eggs and larvae exposed to the cold temperatures of refrigerator and freezer storage. The objective was to define the duration of exposure to refrigeration or freezing which would kill 50% (LD50), 90% (LD90) and 99% (LD99) of the eggs and larvae. Increasing exposure to food processing conditions led to increasing fatality, but not in a linear fashion. Furthermore, we found considerable variation in survival between individuals, even when those individuals were from the same batch of progeny and exposed simultaneously to the same conditions. Validation
of CT Scanning Heart diseases continue to be a leading cause of death across the globe. To better understand the mechanisms underlying coronary heart disease, we must first have a clear understanding of the coronary architecture. The gold standard for obtaining direct morphological measurements from the vasculature has been optical measurements. However, this method is very tedious and time consuming. Modern approaches to this problem have used computer tomography (CT) scanning. In our study, silicon elastomer-casting models of the right coronary arteries (RCA) and the left anterior descending arteries (LAD) of six mouse hearts were analyzed for vessel length, diameter, and branching pattern under a microscope. The data was then entered into a computer and compared with that of mice hearts analyzed using a CT scanner. Our results showed that the CT scanning method used is able to obtain reliable measurements that are just as accurate as those obtained through microscopy. Thus, we propose that this method be used to make analysis of coronary arteries less time-consuming and more practical. Re-Imagining
Visual Representations of Communism Our research expands upon preliminary work done last spring in an effort to create a documentary on Communism and its effects in Cambodia. We focus specifically on the unique way that Soviet-school Communist ideology was interpreted and implemented in Cambodia, and on the effects, both short and long-term, of this implementation on the people and state of Cambodia. During the year we have further developed our initial short documentary, drawing upon existing film footage and still photographs to generate a short but comprehensive educational documentary. Using a custom-built computer and Adobe Premier as our primary editing program, we are producing this film about Cambodian Communism with hopes that it may be used in a classroom setting as an educational tool. Friendship
Communication Style of Same-Sex Dyads: Topical Cohesion and Verbal Support
and Approval The study of gender differences in communication is a lively area in developing research. In many of these studies, females more than males are found to discuss topics more exhaustively, and females also provide one another with more verbal encouragement and approval. As a result of such findings, females are stereotyped as engaging in more positive communication acts than males. However, most of the previous research has been conducted with older adolescents, and it is not clear how early these gender differences emerge. In this study, unstructured conversational exchanges between 90 same-sex dyads, all in the sixth grade, were coded from videotapes made while the children were eating a snack. Participants were recruited as part of a larger, longitudinal study of child care. Each dyad consisted of a target child and his or her friend. Discussions lasted about 8-10 minutes. Behaviors that were coded related to topical cohesion and verbal support and approval. Most of the videotapes were coded by this researcher and another undergraduate who were trained to be reliable. Data analysis and discussion focus on the extent of gender differences in young adolescents’ conversational and communicative styles. The Role
of rVLM Glutamate in Acupuncture-Related Cardiovascular Regulation Sympathoexcitatory reflexes induced by bradykinin (BK) on the gallbladder are attenuated by eletroacupuncture (EA) at the Neiguan-Jianshi (P 5-6) acupoints over the median nerve (MN). Previous studies have shown that neurons in the rostral ventral lateral medulla (rVLM) receive convergent input from visceral organs and somatic nerves (activated by EA). This study investigated the influence of EA on BK-evoked Glutamate (Glu) release in the rVLM. Experiments were conducted in anesthetized cats. Cardiovascular pressor responses were evoked by application of BK on the gallbladder. Glu concentrations [Glu] were measured by HPLC from samples collected by microdialysis probes inserted bilaterally into the rVLM. Glu concentration stabilized after 60 min of probe insertion into the rVLM. We observed that repeated application of BK (5-10 m g) on the gallbladder every 30 min increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and [Glu] by 31±6 mm Hg, 11±3 bpm, and 0.13±0.03 m M, respectively. [Glu] and cardiovascular responses to BK stimulation were repeatable. The BK-induced glutamate release in the rVLM was not altered by barodenervation (n=5). Unilateral microinjections of AP-5 (NMDA receptor antagonist, 25 mM, 30 nl, n=5) and CNQX (non NMDA-receptor antagonist, 2 mM, 30 nl, n=4) into the rVLM attenuated the increases in MAP and HR in response to BK stimulation. The BK-induced reflex responses and [Glu] were attenuated by 45% and 70% respectively following 30 min of EA at P 5-6 acupoints (n=7). Thirty min of EA alone at the P 5-6 acupoints did not change [Glu] in the rVLM (n=5, P>0.05). Microdialysis of naloxone (100 mM) into rVLM reversed acupuncture-related inhibition of blood pressure and [Glu] (n=3). These data suggest that BK-induced visceral excitatory reflexes increase [Glu] in the rVLM, which acts on both NMDA and non NMDA (AMPA) ionotropic glutamate receptors. Furthermore, EA modulates the reflexes through opioid-mediated inhibition of Glu release. Population
Escalation in Relation to Japan’s Economic Growth and Expansion
Strategies (1918-1941) Japan currently has the second largest economy in the world; it transformed itself from an agricultural-based economy to a modernized industrial state in slightly over a hundred years and changed from an isolationist (1867) to a country with a strong economy and an aggressive foreign expansion policy in the first half of the 20th century. Japan’s rapid modernization and imperialistic expansions, including its expansionist strategies, have been studied in the past and scholars have come up with reasons such as nationalism, capitalism, inherited militaristic tendencies, and more. However, most economists and historians in the past have not looked at the possibility of Japan’s rapid population growth, which nearly doubled in the first five decades of modernization (1875 to 1924), as a decisive factor in contributing to its aggressive foreign policy. In analyzing Japan’s population growth, its exports, and its dependency on foreign territories for various goods, it has become clear that Japan’s sudden rise in population largely determined its successive measures in acquiring foreign territories. Moreover, as Japan began depending upon its foreign colonies for basic goods such as rice and sugar, which led to the integration of the colonies (Taiwan, Korea) into its economical structure, it ended up in an endless and vicious cycle that required continual expansion of land and market to sustain the established economic system. Epidemiology
and Costs of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Non-Hospitalized Patient
Populations Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) has not been sufficiently examined within the United States. It has recently been defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less, a Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) between 13 and 15 [inclusive], and post traumatic amnesia of one hour or less. While a typical MTBI patient recovers in 6-12 weeks, previous research demonstrated that 30-50% of MTBI patients reported symptoms three months post-injury, and 15% one year post-injury. Symptoms included dizziness, fatigue, sleep difficulty, headache, difficulty concentrating, problems with memory, irritability, depression, anxiety, and poor social functioning. The purposes of this study were to inspect the rate of MTBIs presented to emergency facilities, the direct and indirect monetary costs of MTBIs, and the three and six month outcomes of MTBI patients. Data was collected from adults (18 years or older) who were admitted to emergency rooms and who gave informed consent. Eligible patients included those with a GCS of greater than or equal to 13, who were not seen at another medical facility, and who sustained their injury 48 hours prior to admittance. Non-MTBI patients were included for comparison. The study included three questionnaires. They were administered by an interviewer during the original emergency room visit, and three and six months post-injury. The questions focused on the current injury, patient demographics, past medical history, social and psychological domains, and drug and alcohol use. Patients’ medical history and billing records were abstracted from hospital records. The study has currently finished enrolling patients, and is completing its three and six month follow-up surveys. The Role
of Religious and Non-Religious Extracurricular Involvement on Health
Behaviors in College Students Although research has shown that extroversion is positively related to health (Ingledew, 2003 and Cohen et al., 2003), it has overlooked potential mediators of this relationship. This study examines the relationship between gender and extracurricular activities in college students and their health behaviors. In our study, we found main effects of both gender and extracurricular activities on health behaviors. Men were more likely to smoke, drink, binge drink, and eat fast food. Women were more likely to use sunscreen and seatbelts, eat fruits and vegetables, and have a general physical. Main effects were found for religious and non-religious extracurricular groups. Individuals belonging to non-religious extracurricular groups smoked, and slept less. Individuals belonging to religious groups engaged in drinking and binge drinking less, ate more fruits and vegetables, and women were more likely to have conducted a self-breast exam. Gender moderated the relationship between both extracurricular and religious group attendance and health behaviors including smoking, drinking, binge drinking, protective behaviors and eating habits. Investigating whether personality (extraversion) motivated group participation, we found that personality was associated with participation in non-religious groups such as volunteer, major based and ethnicity based groups, but not participation in faith-based groups. Therefore, the relationship between faith-based groups and health behaviors cannot be explained as being motivated through personality. Regression analyses revealed that demographic factors such as ethnicity predicted religious group membership more than personality. This study confirms previous work linking social integration with health behaviors and indicates the need for further study of motivational factors. Web-Based
Interface to Research Documents The target of computer-supported collaboration is to efficiently enable group work over a network like the Internet. However, most current approaches that target (research) documents only enable the sharing and cooperative creation of documents between groups of users. If a user wants to annotate a paper with comments, she has to print it out and add comments by hand. Thus, the comments can neither be shared, nor can they be recalled if the printout gets lost. The goal of our study was to identify phases of working with research documents and to develop a system that enables groups of users to share annotations. We found that we could identify two major groups of comments we apply to documents: global comments that target the overall paper, and local comments that target a specific part of a document. We also found that printouts suffer from an immanent weakness—there is no easy way to allow other group members to discuss the comments applied to a printout. As a result of this study, we have implemented a system that not only models the two kinds of comments we found, but also allows groups of users to interact over the network in discussing papers. Such a framework cannot only be used to centralize a group’s knowledge of (research) documents. It can also be used to, for example, allow reviewers of conference submissions to directly mark up and comment on sections they like or do not like and to make global comments on a paper. Cooperative
Coevolution in the Bio-Networking Architecture In the Bio-Networking Architecture, a network service is provided by a group of software agents called cyber-entities. Cyber-entities autonomously replicate and migrate without centralized control to provide a network service to users distributed over the network. The Bio-Networking Architecture can be viewed as a cooperative game among cyber-entities whose goal is to provide as many network services to users as possible. We have developed a simulator, implemented several migration policies, and compared the scores of migration policies. From the simulation studies, we have derived several interesting rules that apply to a cyber-entity’s behavior (such as walking in the desert, competition, and relaxation) The poster will introduce the design concept of the Bio-Networking Architecture, and will also present the simulation model and simulation results with interesting observations. Teaching
Law and Critical Thinking to Social Sciences Undergraduates A great deal of scholarship exists as to what constitutes a sound undergraduate education with an emphasis on critical thinking. Research indicates that the following are necessary components: 1) reading materials that enhance students’ interpretative, imaginative, and analytical abilities; 2) assignments that involve not only research and writing, but also independent problem solving and oral presentations; 3) exams that are conceptual rather than based on pure memorization of facts and details; 4) small seminar-based courses; and 5) long-term "cooperative learning-based groups." The UCI School of Social Sciences currently offers an undergraduate certificate program emphasizing the use of legal material to promote critical thinking. The program director would like to ensure that the program is keeping pace with current scholarship. Effective techniques have been studied; we have compared them to our program and taken into account the personal experiences of students completing the program. We conclude that: 1) legal material does make an effective tool for teaching critical thinking to undergraduates, 2) the current program is well structured to achieve the objective, and 3) some program enhancements are in order. Embodied
in the Active Space: Exploring Relationships in an Artificially Mediated
Environment The term "Active Space" refers to a non-traditional performance space designed and developed by Professors John Crawford and Lisa Naugle. The Active Space incorporates digital technology (cameras, projections, filtered real-time video, and occasionally telematic performance and motion capture) to create a new environment in which to create and perform structured dance improvisations. This particular project sought to explore the nature of relationship as mediated, translated, and affected by an artificial entity: technology. Performances at international academic conferences allowed the students an opportunity to present their research before specialized audiences, receive critical feedback through workshop presentations, and use the information garnered as part of an iterative cycle, through which the dance improvisations were developed into a full-length work. Aquaporin
Expression in Diabetic Macular Edema One of the major causes of vision loss is diabetic macular edema. Normally, the retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells remove fluid from the retina. However, in the case of diabetic macular edema, the RPE cells may be unable to perform this function, leading to fluid imbalance. Altered water channel protein Aquaporin (AQP) expression has been described in diseases with abnormal fluid accumulation, such as corneal, pulmonary, and brain edema. Studies showed human RPE cells in vitro express AQP1 RNA. Our hypothesis is that diabetic retinas and human RPE cells cultured in "diabetes-like" conditions express altered AQPs. To test our hypothesis, paraffin sections of human diabetic and non-diabetic eyes were stained with antibodies against AQP1, AQP3, and AQP4. In addition, human RPE cells were cultured with high glucose (200 mM) to simulate a diabetic situation and then stained for AQP1. We found that diabetic retinas had increased AQP1 expression compared to non-diabetic retinas. In diabetic eyes, there was more AQP3 in the nerve fiber layer near the optic nerve and RPE cells compared to normal retinas. Severe diabetic retinopathy eyes demonstrated increased AQP4 staining throughout the retina compared to normal retinas. Preliminary tissue culture experiments showed greater AQP1 staining in RPE cells treated with 200 mM glucose. These data suggest a difference in expression of various AQPs in diabetic retinopathy retinas compared to normal. In the future, different treatments will be tested on RPE cells to better understand how AQP expression may be regulated so that macular edema might be eliminated. Improved
Fabrication Techniques for Particle Detection Microchannel The objective of this project is to design and construct a MEMS particle counter which combines a microfluidic channel and an electrode array. Particle detection is achieved by monitoring the change in channel resistance due to the size of the particle. Previous experiments have shown that improvements in the fabrication methods of the chip are required. The design focuses on several key design changes that will lead to increased detection capabilities. Electrodes are positioned on the top and bottom of the channel to get a better electrical response from the particle. SU-8 photoresistive epoxy pyrolisis is used to create the electrodes. Carbon, compared to previously used chromium, reduces the formation of gas bubbles inside of the channel. A quartz substrate is also used to support this feature. Hydrodynamic fluid focusing uses separate fluid streams to position the particle in the center of the channel, resulting in a better electrical response. The increase of fluid streams and fluidic inputs complicates the design, and new fabrication methods are explored. The research project focuses on these design changes and the usage of new fabrication methods to construct a test chip. The Role
of Calponin in Vascular Hyporesponsiveness Due to Simulated Microgravity Orthostatic intolerance in astronauts and long-term bed rest patients may be due, in part, to vascular hyporesponsiveness, which results in an inability to normally distribute blood pressure throughout the body. This study was trying to determine if the reason for vascular hyporesponsiveness is a smooth muscle cell phenotype transformation. Our hypothesis was that under-hindlimb unweighting (HU) conditions there is shift in phenotype from mature contractile vascular smooth muscle cells to immature synthetic vascular smooth muscle cells. To simulate a microgravity environment, a 20-day HU model was used on wistar rats. Western blots were performed using specific antibodies for Calponin, a 33-kDa smooth muscle-specific protein that binds to actin, tropomyosin, calmodulin and myosin. Calponin was specifically studied because it can also serve as a marker for mature contractile vascular smooth muscle cells. Under HU condition, our results indicated a 20% reduction in Calponin in abdominal aorta, suggesting that there may be a phenotypic shift from mature contractile phenotype to immature synthetic phenotype in the vascular smooth muscle cells. The
College Adjustment of Latinas: A Quantitative Study Due to a limited number of Latinas pursuing higher education and showing higher attrition rates than their male counterparts, it is imperative to explore the factors that influence Latinas’ college adjustment. Previous research has identified friends and family as primary social support systems that influence college adjustment; however, a limited number of studies have explored social support systems deriving from ethnic based organizations. An important construct in determining college adjustment is university environment. Previous research studies posit that minority students, who perceive the university environment as discriminating, prejudiced, and hostile have difficulty adjusting to college. The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of the university environment, cultural congruity, ethnic identity, self-esteem, and social support on Latinas’ college adjustment by ethnic organizations and sororities. Participants consisted of 200 Latinas at a four-year university. Specifically, data collection comprised 200 surveys, followed by a statistical analysis to discover correlations between variables. It is hypothesized that social support from members within ethnic based organizations will show significant influence/correlation on Latinas’ college adjustment. Relative
Energies of Prebiotic Chemicals in Primitive Earth Hydrogen cyanide and its dimers, trimers, and tetramers are found in the Outer Solar System and have been implicated in prebiotic synthesis in Primitive Earth. Telescopic observations have identified cyano-groups containing molecules in the very dark solids on the surfaces of asteroids, the dust of some comets, and the rings of Uranus. The covalent dimers of hydrogen cyanide are thought to be precursors to vital components of life such as amino acids, adenine, purines, and pyrimidines. One of the objectives of this research is to analyze the structural parameters, vibrational frequencies, and relative energies of the covalent isomeric dimers of hydrogen cyanide which include iminoacetonitrile, azacyclopropenylideneimine, aminocyanocarbene, aminoisocyanocarbene, cyanomethylnitrene, C-cyanomethanimine, and N-cyanomethanimine using ab initio theory, Moeller-Plesset second order perurbation theory (MP2), and density functional theory (B3LYP). The singlet-triplet gap, the 1,2-migrations (rearrangements), and the transition states for the addition reactions of aminocarbene, aminocyanocarbene, and aminoisocyanocarbene and some of their derivatives to double and triple bonds have also been studied computationally. The singlet-triplet gap and the mechanisms of the addition of the carbenes to carbon-carbon doubles are influenced by electron donating groups, electron withdrawing groups, and steric factors. The E and Z isomers of iminoethanenitrile and iminoethaneisonitrile are close in energy. The respective E and Z isomers in the cyano series and in the isocyano series are the most stable covalent dimers and may be involved in prebiotic synthesis. Assessing
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Polarization-Sensitive OCT (PS-OCT)
Ability to Detect Finite Losses of Enamel Substances and Enamel Matrix Teeth exposed to acid will cause their enamel to demineralize, which could lead to loss of teeth. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a relatively common condition that results from reflux of stomach acid into the oral cavity, is one major cause of demineralization. Early diagnosis is imperative in retarding the demineralizing effects of GERD, but the techniques available to clinicians for detecting enamel loss at a reversible stage are limited. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a rapidly developing high resolution in vivo imaging modality that has many potential advantages for early diagnosis. Although preliminary studies using OCT have proven successful at imaging hard and soft tissue in the oral cavity, quantitative analysis of demineralization has not been attempted. Using polarization-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) we can acquire a numerical analysis of the optical properties of the surface and subsurface enamel. Gastric juice adjusted to pH 1, pH 3 and pH 5.5 will be applied to embedded teeth, imaged with the OCT and PS-OCT, and remineralized with artificial saliva. Fiber
Optic Fluorescence Endodontic Microprobe for Root Canal Diagnosis Successful endodontic therapy requires total debridement and cleansing of the root canal. Current techniques do not provide accurate feedback on the completion of endodontic preparation at specific locations within the root canal. The aim of these preliminary studies was to investigate the potential for fluorescence-based endodontic diagnosis, with the long-term goal of developing a simple, fiber-optic based feedback system for use by clinicians during endodontic preparation. Five clinically and radiographically healthy teeth and three with root decay were longitudinally bisected prior to the acquisition of excitation/emission spectra at specific, marked locations in the enamel, healthy and decayed dentin and pulp tissues and cementum. Ensuing radiographs and SEM at these same locations provided detailed information regarding their tissue status including infection, decay and structure. Fluorescence spectra of four common endodontic pathogens were also acquired: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus oralis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Marked differences in spectral signatures between the healthy and decayed dentin, enamel and cementum were observed. Spectral differentiation between the tissues was most successful using excitation at 405nm. Accurate differentiation between the tissues within the root canal, between healthy and diseased dentin and endodontic pathogens is possible using fluorescence-based techniques. Healthy dentin and decayed dentin, cementum, and pulp all showed specific excitation/emission spectra within extracted teeth. Identification
of Toxic Gases at a Huntington Beach Hazardous Waste Site The Ascon Superfund site is a 38-acre parcel of land in Huntington Beach that was used for nearly fifty years as a landfill by various petrochemical facilities. The site was used for disposal of both liquid and solid hazardous waste and is located in a residential area near homes, schools and parks. In recent years, residents have complained about strong odors near the site, and cases of rare forms of cancer in local children has caused mounting concern about the potential health impacts of the site. In April 2005, we collected a dozen air samples around the site to determine whether or not certain harmful contaminants were present. Compounds of particular concern include perchloroethylene, benzene and styrene, as well as other halocarbons and hydrocarbons. Specific gas concentrations from this study will be presented. UCISAT In 1999, Stanford and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (CPSLO) collaborated and developed a generation of nano-satellites called CubeSat to create small, low construction and launch cost space research opportunities for universities throughout the world. CubeSat is a standardized platform for small orbital experiments. This satellite has a mass of less than 1 kg and measures 10cm x 10cm x 10cm. The primary purpose of this project is to learn how to work with other engineers and to gain technical knowledge about the satellite industry. The secondary purpose is to launch the satellite into a low earth orbit at various inclinations. These nano-satellites can perform many of the same tasks of much larger commercial satellites at much lower cost and design time. In an effort to establish a satellite program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), an objective was created to give students a learning experience in the full life cycle of a simplified satellite. The University of California Irvine Student Satellite project (UCISAT) is the collaborative effort of the students at UCI to design and build a nano-satellite to be launched in October 2005 via a Russian commercial rocket, Dnepr. Since November 2003, UCI has maintained a group of twenty dedicated students drawn from all engineering disciplines. By creating a nano-sat class spacecraft to help reduce costs and show direct traceability to smaller operational systems, UCI students are pursuing a goal to be the first university in the US to launch a working Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) camera in a nano-satellite. Wireless
Process Exchange Model In today’s digitally-connected world, marked advances in storage technology and high speed wired and wireless communications have given the user more freedom and computing flexibility. Increased flexibility however, brings with it a cost: switching from machine to machine and synchronizing working data and programs becomes a major hassle. In many situations, it is necessary for a single user to be able to transport their running programs and data from one computer (such as an office PC) to another computer at a different location (such as in a conference room) that is isolated from a network. Even within a single room or office, a user can often end up working on multiple machines at once. All personal computer devices today are restricted by a computer-centric mode of operation: each computer handles its own processes, displays, file system, and many other resources. Moving work from one computer to another however, remains a file-centric task. This research project aims to construct and realize a model—the Wireless Process Exchange Model (WPXM)—that allows a user to freeze and package running processes, transmit them to a wireless device for storage and portability, and then have the same process fully resumed by the wireless device on a different machine. We intend this phase of our research to be a feasibility study in which we realistically develop the framework of our model and construct a valid prototype which satisfies specific model requirements. Virtual
Raft Project This project is an interactive installation featuring a novel, intuitive interface for people to interact with autonomous agents. The installation consists of three desktop computers that represent three virtual islands. The human participant may use a mobile device, which represents a virtual raft, to transfer characters from one island to another. This project is built on a code base developed by Bill Tomlinson and his colleagues at the MIT Media Lab. The research contributes to the fields of human-computer interaction and ubiquitous computing. It enables human participants to have a seamless interaction with autonomous characters through an intuitive mobile interface. Accelerometers in the mobile device detect its motion, and the character on the virtual raft moves accordingly. Characters also react to participants in front of the desktop systems through a computer vision system. In addition, the characters have the ability to express a range of emotions while reacting to the accelerometers and vision system. This provides immediate visual feedback to increase the characters’ believability and enhance the interaction between human participants and virtual characters. Infrared and wireless networks are used for character transfer between virtual islands and rafts. Each character also has a ScenarioML system for recording the raft journeys as scenarios. For more information on the Virtual Raft project, please view the following video: [http://www.ics.uci.edu/~wmt/movies/VirtualRaftProject.mov]. Molecular
Communication Systems Our poster introduces molecular communication, a new and interdisciplinary research area that spans nanotechnology, biotechnology, and communication technology. Molecular communication is intended to allow small scale devices to communicate using molecules as communication carriers in an aqueous environment. Potential applications include molecular computing, nanoscale sensing and drug delivery. Our poster describes the concept of molecular communication and its potential applications. It also introduces work on computer simulation of cell communication, currently being carried out by a group of undergraduate researchers. Avenues of
Reading: Towards an Understanding of Modern African Literature The recent inclusion of Modern African Literature in the literary tradition brings up complex questions due to its nature of appropriating, rewriting, and resisting that very tradition. A slew of critical approaches have motivated these questions and attempted to answer them. Yet, a danger arises when an approach becomes a vacuum for textual analysis; it would be a mistake to assume that any one approach can address all the pertinent questions of a text. Rather than allowing an approach to dominate the text in this way, this project continually asks what questions the text raises, what approaches are best suited to answer those questions, and what questions each of the chosen approaches neglects. Taking as our primary texts J.M. Coetzee’s Foe and Wole Soyinka’s The Bacchae of Euripides, several major questions have arisen: What is ‘African’ in African literature? How do questions of adaptation, intertexuality and genre function in African literature? What are the ways in which African literature engages with political, cultural and intellectual contexts? In exploring these questions, we have considered feminist, post-colonial, deconstructive, new historical, new critical, and narratological theories. This project presents the ongoing debates, facilitated by Comparative Literature graduate student Glenn Odom, among seven students of diverse disciplinary backgrounds as we attempt to come to an understanding of Modern African Literature. Our debates traverse the contested terrain of literary study, bringing us to discover for ourselves the very issues that have shaped, and continue to shape, this discipline. TeamXAR:
Developing an Autonomous Vehicle as Part of the DARPA Grand Challenge To foster the advancement of autonomously driven vehicles, DARPA offered a Grand Challenge to the technical community: to design and implement a vehicle that can drive itself without human help through 175 miles of desert while avoiding various natural and man-made obstacles. In ICS, we have formed a team for studying the problems of this challenge, and for trying to solve some of them. The team is divided into three groups. Part of the "challenge" is to build a system where the vehicle can choose a path to its next interim waypoint based on a list of detected obstacles and the vehicle’s known position, heading, and attitude. With that in mind, as part of our feasibility study using a model car, we have researched options to scale down the algorithm irrespective of hardware. We have developed a simulation system to test the various algorithms and communication systems. The simulation provides a 3D terrain with user definable obstacles and a vehicle. The vehicle gathers obstacle information from the terrain and transmits it to an AI (artificial intelligence) algorithm that resides on a separate machine. The AI is a neural network implementation that takes in the obstacle data and issues driving commands back to the simulation; it was trained by familiarizing the algorithm with the appropriate response to given obstacles. With this research, we will be able to build the central decision-making component of the autonomous vehicle and we will be able to test new algorithms without hardware constraints. Aero
Design West 2005 The SAE Aero Design West competition provides an opportunity for engineering students to use their knowledge, creativity, and skills to construct an airplane that will successfully fly and carry a maximum payload within the given constraints. This year we have been given a maximum wing span of 5 feet, unlike last year’s minimum wing span of 10 feet. Due to this constraint, our team will have to research and consider new designs that will allow us to carry a large payload while being able to take off in 200 feet. Therefore, part of our research will be to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using a monoplane, biplane or tri-plane. After much research, a wing configuration will be selected to meet our payload needs. This year’s competition will be held in Ft. Worth, Texas from the 22nd to 24th of April 2005. TeamXAR:
Developing an Autonomous Vehicle as Part of the DARPA Grand Challenge To foster the advancement of autonomously driven vehicles, DARPA has offered a Grand Challenge to the technical community: to design and implement a vehicle that can drive itself without human help through 175 miles of desert while avoiding various natural and man-made obstacles. In ICS, we have formed a team for studying the problems of this challenge, and for trying to solve some of them. The team is divided into three groups. One of these groups, the Sensor subdivision, focused on: A) investigation and testing of SONAR, infrared, LIDAR, and a home-grown stereo camera vision system; B) modification of existing code to adapt to the sensor data capture requirements; and C) development of an obstacle detection algorithm based on the acceleration of the detected slope. These steps are to give the vehicle "sight," as it must be able to avoid detected obstacles as well as survive without GPS signal. TeamXAR:
Developing an Autonomous Vehicle as Part of the DARPA Grand Challenge To foster the advancement of autonomously driven vehicles, DARPA has offered a Grand Challenge to the technical community: to design and implement a vehicle that can drive itself without human help through 175 miles of desert, while avoiding various natural and man-made obstacles. In ICS, we have formed a team for studying the problems of this challenge, and for trying to solve some of them. The team is divided into three groups. The Robotics subdivision of Team XAR focuses upon: A) the modification of a vehicle so that it becomes completely drive-by-wire, B) development and tuning of PID algorithms for acceleration, braking, and steering, and C) integration of an array of sensors providing vehicle-state information (ex: inertial navigation system coupled with a GPS). The aforementioned research will lead to appropriate support in the response and reliability of the drive-by-wire system, fuel economy, and the acquisition of vehicle-state information for fast and reliable emergency detection and notification. UCI Mini
Baja Team Ramrod Team Ramrod consists of 12 Mechanical Engineering seniors who have come together to design and construct an off-road vehicle to compete in the SAE Mini Baja intercollegiate competition scheduled for June 1-4, 2005 in Green Valley, AZ. This project has been organized as part of the course MAE 195 Engineering Project Development, which is modeled on the activities of an engineering start-up company that seeks to bring a product to market. This involves organizing the engineering team, establishing a product identity, computer aided designing, manufacturing and testing procedures to create an actual product. The SAE Mini-Baja West competition is an excellent environment to test our engineering skills because it places the team in direct competition with over 100 teams representing universities from the United States, Mexico, Korea, and Canada. In this proposal for the Team Ramrod Mini-Baja Project, we describe our schedule for design, development, and testing over three quarters: Fall 2004, Winter 2005, and Spring 2005. Also included is the project budget of $4500, which covers the cost of materials and tools. The expense to attend the competition will be obtained through fund-raising efforts. Design/Build/Fly The Design/Build/Fly contest hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics provides a real-world aircraft design experience for engineering students at the University of California Irvine, by giving us the opportunity to validate our analytic studies. As a team, we have designed, fabricated and demonstrated the flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio controlled aircraft that can best meet the specified mission profile. The UCI Team has flown the airplane and is ready for the competition. The host for the competition will be the Office of Naval Research. The fly-off is planned to be held at Webster Field at St Inigoes, MD. The contest is scheduled for April 22-24, 2005. SAE Mini-Baja A group of 15 Mechanical Engineering seniors have come together to form the Mini-Baja Team OnE. Our goal is to build an off-road, open-wheel dune buggy powered by a 10 horsepower lawnmower engine that is to compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers Mini-Baja West intercollegiate competition scheduled for June 6th, 2005 in Tucson, AZ. This project has been organized as part of the course MAE 195 Engineering Project Development, which is based on the activities of an Engineering start-up company that seeks to develop a product through design. This involves forming a team of engineers, establishing a goal for the product, assembling the design, manufacturing and testing procedures, then finalizing through to generate the actual product. By joining the SAE Mini-Baja West competition, we, as engineers, could put our skills to use, as well as seeing the limits of our engineering skills. The competition is joined by over 100 engineering schools across the nation including teams from Mexico. This proposal includes a description of our goal for the Team OnE Mini-Baja vehicle and our timeline for development and testing over the three quarters of Fall 2004, Winter 2005, and Spring 2005. Also included is the project budget of $4700, which is the cost for the parts on the vehicle and the tools needed. The expense to attend the competition will be obtained through fund-raising efforts. Finally, we summarize the vehicle safety requirements, which ensure the safety of the driver throughout the competition. International
Association of Blacks in Dance Conference The UCI Etude Ensemble attended the International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference hosted by Lula Washington Dance Theater in January. A unique research opportunity presented itself through the conference as the Ensemble garnered valuable information, not only through attendance and participation in various workshops, but also through performance before an audience of esteemed dance professionals. Throughout the course of the four-day conference, the Ensemble attended various lectures and workshops focusing on this year’s conference theme, "The Business of Dance: Blazing New Directions." Topics of discussion ranged from establishing lines of credit to learning the tools for effective grant writing. Ensemble members met and associated with a variety of dance artists, from the legendary and prominent, to the imminent and hopeful. One highlight of the event was the opportunity to perform Donald McKayle’s Games, choreographed in 1951, before an audience of professional dancers, many of whom had performed the very same roles. The feedback and positive responses the Ensemble received following the performance was both constructive and flattering, bestowing on each performer a sense of professional and artistic pride. Ultimately, the International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference fed and revitalized the entire dancer: performer, academic, professional. UCI/UCSB
Dance Exchange The goal of the Dance Exchange is to foster and promote creative, artistic and academic dialogue between emerging and imminent university dancers. In its second year, the Dance Exchange has reunited the UCI Etude Ensemble with the UCSB Dance Company for another successful collaboration in dance. The two-day format (April 18 and 20, 2005) of the Dance Exchange allowed each company to experience the educational and artistic environment of the other. The Etude Ensemble, acting as ambassadors of the UCI Dance Department, hosted the UCSB dancers during their day-long visit to our campus. Both companies were able to share a deepening of their craft both artistically and academically; highlights of the program included technique classes, discussion on critical issues relevant to university dancers, a demonstration of UCI’s explorations in dance and digital technology, an evening performance showcasing both companies’ unique repertories and an open Q&A session for the audience with directors and dancers from both companies. The performance featured Donald McKayle’s GAMES and ASH, two works that span the length of his truly remarkable career, as well as new works by undergraduate choreographers within the Ensemble. The Etude Ensemble was also given a taste of life as a touring company, as they ventured to UCSB to complete the second leg of the exchange. The Dance Exchange, ultimately, offered both students and educators a larger perspective on the validity of dance as a worthwhile academic pursuit in an university setting. |