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PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
OREGON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
VOLUME LXXVI
February 25, 2017
i
Proceedings
of the
Oregon Academy of Science
VOLUME LXXVI
Oregon State University
February 25, 2017
© 2017 Oregon Academy of Science
Online Edition 1.3, February 27, 2017
ii
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
OREGON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Officers of the Oregon Academy of Science Presiding at the Seventy-Sixth
Meeting, February 25, 2017
President Douglas Keszler (Oregon State University)
President-Elect John Schmitt, (George Fox University)
Secretary Jeff Duer (George Fox University)
Treasurer Elizabeth Atkinson (Linfield College)
Program Coordinator Kevin Johnson (Pacific University)
Archivist Frederick Hirsh (no affiliation)
Membership Rici Hallstrand (Concordia College)
Newsletter Editor Jennifer Butler (Willamette University)
Proceedings Editor Dean Walton (University of Oregon)
Webmaster Dean Walton (University of Oregon)
Section Chairs
Biology Rici Hallstrand (Concordia University)
Amelia Ahern-Rindell (University of Portland)
Chemistry Andrew Johnson (Concordia University)
Geography Ted Eckmann (University of Portland)
Geology Jeff Myers / Melinda Shimizu (Western Oregon University)
and Scott Burns (Portland State University)
Health Science Open
History, Phil., Env., Randall Smith (Portland State University)
& Soc. Study of Science
Mathematics Chris Hallstrom (University of Portland)
Physics Scott Prahl (Oregon Institute of Technology)
Psychology David Foster (Western Oregon University)
Björn Bergström (Pacific University)
Science Education Karen Bledsoe (Western Oregon University)
and Dean Walton (University of Oregon)
Sociology and Aaron Greer (Pacific University)
Anthropology
Proceedings are available online:www.OregonAcademyScience/meeting/
Orders for copies of the 2017 Proceedings: Elizabeth Atkinson, OAS Treasurer, Linfield
College, Department of Chemistry, Unit #A468, 900 SE Baker St, McMinnville, OR
97178
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Keynote Address iv
Awards v
Section Abstracts
Biology 2
Chemistry 13
Geography 30
Geology 33
History, Philosophy, Environmental, &
Social Study of Science 37
Physics 38
Psychology 43
STEM Education 51
Notes pages 52
Author Index 53
iv
THE OREGON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Keynote Address
Eureka! Discovery of a New Class of ‘Cool’ Inorganic Pigments
for Art and Industry
By
Mas Subramanian
Mas Subramanian*
Milton Harris Chair Professor of Materials Science
Department of Chemistry
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
New functional materials discovery research is frequently driven by ‘materials by design’ concepts in the
quest for finding better, safer and more efficient materials. Occasionally this approach leads to unexpected
discovery of materials with properties that are unprecedented and find them very useful in other unrelated
areas. This talk will describe our spectacular discovery of new class of highly durable intense blue pigments
based on transition metal oxides where the transition metal cation occupy an unusual trigonal bipyramidal
coordination that we were exploring for electronic applications. We have now leveraged this discovery to
rationally design advanced inorganic oxide based pigments exhibiting varying colors in the visible spectrum.
The observed increased UV absorbance, and high near IR-reflectivity (heat) find them useful as highly
durable ‘cool’ pigments for energy saving coatings. These pigments are now commercialized by coating and
artistic color industries. This talk will also highlight the importance of serendipity in discovery science and
such ‘happy accidental’ discoveries do require intellectual effort and are not simply a question of luck
reminding us the famous quote by a French chemist Louis Pasteur, “luck favors only the prepared mind”.
Dr. Mas Subramanian is the Milton Harris Chair Professor of Materials Science. He is international leader in
the discovery of new classes of materials including inorganic solid state functional materials for emerging
applications in electronics, energy conversion and environment. His research has resulted in over 300 peer-
reviewed publications and 55 US patents. He received the F.A. Gilfillan Memorial Award for Distinguished
Scholarship in Science (the highest honor given by College of Science, Oregon State University) in 2013, the
Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) International Medal in 2012, a NSF Creativity Award, and the
Charles Pedersen Medal for outstanding contributions to science and technology, a prestigious award given
by the DuPont Company.
Lessons Learned from the Paradigms and Bridge Projects.
By
Corrine Manogue and Tevian Dray
Two talks in one! We will model and discuss a variety of active engagement strategies that can be used in
any STEM classroom. You will be the students, as we present some simple and fun mathematics, namely
how to use the quaternions to describe rotations in three dimensions. This content will probably be new to
everyone, but has broad applications to computer graphics, robotics, and aeronautics. Along the way, we
will point out to you the strategies we are using, and briefly discuss how to implement them effectively in
the classroom.
v
OUTSTANDING SCIENTIST AWARD
The Oregon Academy of Science’s Outstanding Scientist Award is bestowed in
recognition of significant research contributions to the natural, physical, or social sciences,
notable reputation in science education, and meaningful applications of science research.
Recipients of this award must have been Oregon residents during the time they made the
distinguished contributions for which they are recognized.
2017 Outstanding Scientist Award
Marshall W. Gannett
Marshall Gannett is a Research Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Oregon Water
Science Center in Portland, Oregon. During his 27 years with the USGS, he has led several
large-scale investigations to understand the water resources of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
He has worked at the interface of hydrology and ecology to merge quantitative assessment of
groundwater resources and persistence of freshwater ecosystems. His scientific work has
transformed understanding of groundwater systems and furnished tools to improve management
of scarce water resources. Gannet’s contributions have had impact on the lives of millions of
people across vast tracks of land in the region.
Awardees
2017 Marshall W. Gannett
2016 Mas Subramanian
2015 Vincent T. Remcho
2014 Scott F. Burns
2013 Eric U. Selker
2009 Reinhold Rassmussen
2008 Andrew Fountain
2007 Richard Ellis
2006 David C. Johnson, James D. White
2005 Ewart M. Baldwin
2004 D. Aslam Khalil
2003 Joseph D. Matarazzo
2002 Carl Wamser
2001 Geraldine L. Richmond
2000 Kent L. Thornburg
1999 LeRoy Klemm
1998 Gertrude Rempfer
1997 William G. Loy
1996 A. Morrie Craig
vi
1995 Michael Posner, Paul Slovik
1994 Jane Lubchenco
1993 Lynwood W. Swanson
1992 Beatrice Epperson
1991 Jack Ward Thomas
1990 C. Melvin Aikens
1988 Lewis Schaad
1987 Linus Pauling
1986 Paul Lutus
1984 Arthur J. Boucot
1983 Carl E. Bond
1982 Howard Vollum
1981 Ernst Dornfield
1980 Ken Van Holde
1979 G. Bodvarsson
1978 W. Taubeneck
1977 Robert Coleman
1976 Harold Enlows, Paul Elliker, Paul Weswig
1975 John Allen, Ralph Badgley, Ewart Baldwin, Winthrop Dolan, William Rockie,
Howel Williams
1974 Larae Dennis, Joel Hedgpeth, Thomas P. Thayer, Norman S. Wagner, Aaron C.
Waters
1973 George Birrel, Harold J. Evans, Anton Postl, Lloyd W. Staples
1972 Samuel N. Dicken, Helen M. Gilkey, R. Sinnhuber
1971 Andrew Moursund, Loren McKinley, Homer G. Barnett, Stephen Shelton
1970 James J. Brady, Bert Christensen, E. Ebbinghausen, Ralph W. Macy, Cecil R.
Monk, Leo F. Simon
1969 Ira S Allison, Frank M. Beer, A.A. Groening, James A. McNab
1963 E. A. Gilillan
1962 Joe Chamberlain, F. Gilchrist, Earl Gilbert, Arthur F. Scott, Edward S. West
1959 Walter Dyke, Henry P. Hansen, Alex Walker
1958 Phil F. Brogan, Vernon Cheldelin, Samuel L. Diack
1957 Luther S. Cressman, Leo Isaac, Adolph Kunz, E.E. Osgood
1956 Edwin T. Hodge, Ralph R. Huestis, E.J. Krause, J.P. Mehlig, Harry B. Yocum
1955 W.J. Kroll, F.W. Libbey, W.E. Milne
1954 Leo Friedman, Alonso W. Hancock, Willibald Weniger
1953 W.P. Boynton, Olaf Larsell, Rosalind Wulzen
1952 Helen M. Gilkey, L.E. Griffin, Ethel I. Sanborn
1951 Stanley W. Jewett, Morton E. Peck, J. Hugh Pruett
1950 A.A. Knowlton, Thornton Munger, Warren D. Smith
1949 F.L. Griffin, A.R. Moore, Earl L. Packard
vii
OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AWARDS
The Oregon Academy of Science’s Outstanding Teacher Awards are for Oregon teachers
with demonstrated records of excellence in teaching in any of the subject areas represented
by the Academy. Recipients of the award must have been Oregon residents during the time
they made the distinguished contributions for which they are recognized. Past recipients of
the Outstanding Teacher Award are listed below.
2017 Outstanding Educator Award – Higher Education
Richard L. Nafshun
Richard Nafshun teaches chemistry at Oregon State University. Over the course of nearly twenty
years, he has influenced the lives of thousands of students. His contributions to student success
have been recognized by the Milton C. Harris Outstanding Faculty Teacher of the Year (1999,
2008), the James H. Krueger Award for Excellence in Education (2002), the Lloyd Carter Award
for Outstanding and Inspirational Teaching (2002, 2011), and the Frederick H. Horne for
Sustained Excellence in Teaching (2004). Nafshun is the Director of the Chemistry Department
Faculty mentor program, where he helps graduate students interested in academic careers
improve their teaching. His efforts in online education have made OSU a global leader in
providing access to General Chemistry courses. Nafshun is also co-founder of
OnLineChemLabs, a venture that offers virtual labs to enhance the General Chemistry online
experience. He has continuously promoted science engagement through service as Chair and
Councilor of the Oregon Section of the American Chemical Society.
Awardees
2017 Richard L. Nafshun
2016 Corinne Manogue & Tevian Dray
2015 David Foster
2014 Angela Hoffman
2013 Robert T Butler
2012 No Award Given
2011 No Award Given
2010 Charles (Kip) Ault
2009 Charles Kunert
2008 April Ann Fong
2007 Tamina Toray
2003 Kenneth M. Doxsee
viii
2017 Outstanding Educator Award – K-12
Walter Jason Niedermeyer
Walter ‘Jason’ Niedermeyer teaches biology at South Salem High School in Salem,
Oregon. He received the 2014 Salem-Keizer Education Foundation Crystal Apple Award,
which recognizes educators who benefit students by providing exceptional educational
experiences. Niedermeyer is recognized as a national expert in the teaching of evolution.
He leads Darwin Day, a ‘reverse’ science fair at Willamette University that highlights
Salem-Keizer student accomplishments, and Science Outreach Club, an outreach program
that engages elementary students in science through high-school student mentors.
Niedermeyer also enriches science education and teacher professional development as
adjunct faculty in the pre-service teacher training program at Pacific University on the
Woodburn campus.
Awardees
2017 W. Jason Niedermeyer
2016 Bradford Hill
2015 Stuart Perlmeter
2014 Kerry Morton
2013 Kathryn McDermott
2012 No Award Given
2011 No Award Given
2010 Jean Eames
2009 Michael Geisen
2008 Terry Tucker
2007 Daniel Jamsa
2006 Peter Langley
2003 Ralph Schubothe
2002 David Damcke
2001 Patty Toccalino, Kathleen Wick, & Samual L. Diack
2000 Becky A. Houck & Richard Dunca
1999 Dwight Kimberly & Bill Lamb
1998 Rose Hemphill, Joel Kuyper & Diane Neslon
1997 Mary Omberg & Terry Favero
1996 Edith Anderson & Pamela Lopez
1995 Ford Morishita
1994 Roy Chambers, Andrea Hylsop, Elizabeth Nirschel, & Jan Heaton
1993 Stephen Boyarsky
1992 Bea Epperson
1
OREGON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
2
BIOLOGY
Section Chairs:
Rici Hallstrand
Concordia University Portland
Amelia Ahern-Rindell
University of Portland
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Does exercise and/or Viagra rescue fetal growth restriction? Ashley Peterson1, Mayu Morita2, Terry K. Morgan3 / Department of Biology, George Fox University, Newberg,
OR; 2Department of Pathology and the Center for Developmental Health. Oregon Health and Sciences University,
Portland, OR 97239
Spiral arterial growth and remodeling is an early adaptation of pregnancy. Accumulating evidence suggests that an
imbalance of angiogenic/anti-angiogenic factors like VEGF and its soluble receptor (sflt-1) may lead to abnormal
spiral artery remodeling and abnormal uteroplacental blood flow, which causes placental damage and fetal growth
restriction. Uterine angiotensinogen (AGT) expression and local angiotensin II activity may also play an important
role in the regulation of spiral artery remodeling. Our lab studies a transgenic (TG) mouse model that has a 1.2-fold
increase of AGT as compared to WT. This leads to decreased VEGF production by the placenta and uterus, we
think due to increased sflt-1 production (sequesters VEGF). TG dams develop pregnancy-induced hypertension
and have growth restricted pups. Research has shown in other rodent models that stimulating placental VEGF
expression by ad lib exercise or oral sildenafil (Viagra) rescues placental efficiency. The goal of my project was to
see if the combination of exercise and Viagra would rescue fetal growth restriction in our TG mouse model of fetal
growth restriction.
Calcium control of cancer cell growth requires TRP Channel 6 Morgan E. Bars, Emily J. Rawlings, and John Schmitt / Department of Biology, George Fox University, Newberg,
OR 9732
Breast cancer can be highly invasive and is a leading cause of mortality among women, therefore understanding
the mechanisms of cancer cell growth is critical to disease treatment. Previous research has shown that estrogen
(E2) and the agonist carbachol can induce ERK activation in breast cancer cells. Influx of intracellular calcium also
leads to ERK activation downstream of the calcium-dependent kinases called CaM Kinases. In addition, the
transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPC 6) has been shown to mediate calcium signaling in cancer cells.
Stimulation of MCF-7 cells with E2 caused an influx of calcium, which lead to the phosphorylation of CaM KK,
CaM KI, and ERK. Pretreatment of MCF-7 cells with the ERα antagonist MPP knocked down activation of CaM
KI and ERK, but was unaffected by ERβ antagonist PHTPP. Immunoprecipitation showed affinity between TRPC
6 and ERα. Pre-treatment of both MCF-7 and MDA cells with APB blocked the activation of both ERK and CaM
KI. When both cell types were transfected with TRPC 6 siRNA phosphorylation of ERK and CaM KI was blocked,
but not when cells were transfected with TRPC5 siRNA. The specific antagonist SKF for TRPC6 blocked ERK
and CaM KI activation. This data suggests that E2 stimulation through ERα utilizes TRPC 6 to increase
intracellular calcium signaling and stimulate cell growth.
3
Establishing IRAK-1 as a novel therapeutic target in leukemia and lymphoma Bernadette Maertens1, Anupriya Agarwal2 / 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lewis & Clark
College, Portland, OR 97219; 2 Hematology and Medical Oncology, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Leukemia
Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97239
Acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, is a disease that involves rapid proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells.
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a form of lymphoma marked by proliferation of lymphocytes and
plasma cells. One potential therapeutic target that has been identified for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is
interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1). This serine-threonine kinase is recruited and activated by
interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) and Toll-like receptor (TLR), which bind pro-inflammatory cytokines to ultimately
induce an inflammatory response. IRAK-1 then initiates a signaling pathway that activates transcription factors
such as NF-κB, leading to the induction of genes involved in tumor progression. The goals of this project were to
(1) determine the efficacy of targeting IRAK-1 in AML as a single agent in combination with other therapeutic
agents and (2) identify the role of IRAK-1 in WM disease progression. The effect of different combinations of
inhibitors (such as the HDAC inhibitor Panobinostat and BET domain inhibitor JQ1) on primary patient samples
and AML and WM human cell lines was determined using a colorimetric growth assay on 384-well plates
containing combinations of inhibitors. The influence of blocking IRAK-1 activity was measured by isolating and
lysing cell pellets from AML and WM cell line cultures treated with the inhibitors Pacritinib and Panobinostat
alone and in combination, followed by western blot with antibodies against oncoproteins involved in the IRAK-1
signaling pathway such as c-Myc, p-NF-kB, and p38. Identification of a mechanism by which IRAK-1 contributes
to leukemia progression might yield a better therapy for patients with AML and WM.
Comparative sequence analysis of exon 10 of the CTSA Gene in an ovine model of GM1
Gangliosidosis Philip J. Blatt and Amelia Ahern-Rindell / Department of Biology, University of Portland, 5000 N. Willamette
Blvd, Portland, OR 97203
A unique dual enzyme activity deficiency in alpha-neuraminidase and beta-D-galactosidase was found in sheep
with the Lysosomal Storage Disorder GM1 gangliosidosis. A polymorphism in the gene coding for the protective
protein/cathepsin A in conjunction with an identified missense mutation in the GLB1 gene could contribute to the
improper formation of the Lysosomal Multienzyme Complex and cause this dual enzyme activity deficiency. A
previous study identified a potential polymorphism in exon 10 of the ovine CTSA gene in both normal and GM1-
affected inbred sheep. This study aims to confirm the presence of this polymorphism in our inbred sheep and its
absence in outbred sheep. DNA was isolated from cultured cells and PCR was performed. The PCR products were
analyzed via gel electrophoresis and sequenced. The sequencing data for all the cell lines of sheep displayed high
confidence levels and they all had the same DNA sequence. This sheep sequence data was compared to sequences
for the CTSA gene in bovine and human. The sequences showed great similarity and no deletions. Secondarily,
sequence data suggests that the ovine reference sequence for CTSA is incorrect. Results, therefore suggest the
absence of a mutation in CTSA in our affected sheep and furthermore the GLB1 mutation may be significant
enough to cause the combined activity deficiency because of improper formation of the LMC. Future work will
include beginning mutagenesis experiments in the GLB1 gene to prove that the mutation we identified previously
can be the sole cause for the dual enzyme activity deficiency.
Effect of maternal obesity on the expression of CPT 1α, CPT 2 and SIRT 1 in the human
placenta Biruktawit (Brook) Mengistu1, Matthew Bucher2, and Alina Maloyan2 / 1Department of Natural Sciences and
Health, Warner Pacific College, Portland OR 97215; 2Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science
University, Portland OR 97239
Obesity is a serious disease affecting many developed nations. Maternal obesity is of particular concern as it is
linked to a number of health complications affecting both the mother and the unborn baby, including a higher risk
of obesity in the offspring later in life. Obesity leads to a buildup of lipid deposits in many organs, including the
placenta. Consequently, this study focused on the enzymes CPT 1α, CPT2 and SIRT 1 in placenta from children of
obese vs. lean mothers. These three enzymes play a critical role in regulating energy utilization in the cell. CPT 1α
and CPT2 work together to import fatty acids into the mitochondria for oxidation. SIRT1 is a histone deacetylase
4
that regulates genes involved in energy metabolism and promotes fat utilization. We hypothesized that the
expression of these enzymes would be lower in placentas of obese mothers. To measure the expression of the
proteins, we used western blots on placental samples from obese and lean mothers who gave birth via C-section.
Our results showed a significant (P<0.0001) reduction in placental CPT2 of female offspring of obese mothers
compared to females with lean mothers. This difference was not observed in placentas of male offspring. There
were no significant differences based on maternal body composition or fetal sex for CPT1 or SIRT1. Thus,
maternal obesity is detrimental to placentas of at least female offspring.
Good fences, different neighbors: Determining the LKB1 interactome Brecken S Esper1, Vira Tsintsadze2, My Linh Nguyen2, Biliana Veleva-Rotse3, James L Smart1, Anthony P Barnes2
/ 1Department of Biology, George Fox University, Newberg OR; 2Department of Pediatrics; 3Jungers Center for
Neurosciences Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Proper brain development requires the complex orchestration of events both between and within cells to rapidly
respond to the ever-changing environment of the embryonic nervous system. One crucial event in post-mitotic
neurons is the emergence of cellular polarity. This process serves to delineate the dendritic and axonal domains
where signals will typically be received and transmitted, respectively. Multiple signaling events converge to
initiate axogenesis and specify axonal characteristics during nervous system development. A key component of
this process is the protein kinase LKB1 that activates several downstream targets that sculpt axon growth and
function. However, neuronal regulation of LKB1 is only partially understood. The evolutionarily conserved
STRAD pseudokinases are an element in LKB1 activation via an allosteric mechanism. STRAD proteins also
confer increased LKB1 stability and control subcellular localization of the kinase. Beyond these proteins and a
small cadre of signaling molecules, the catalog of LKB1 interactors remains incomplete yet critical to understand
how LKB1 regulates various functions in the developing brain. It is vital to develop a more complete picture of
which proteins complex with LKB1 with an emphasis on location-specific information. Here, we present our data
elucidating the complex spatial relationship of LKB1 and its binding partners using a combination of biochemistry
and recombinant proximity labeling. Our data indicate distinct classes of proteins interacting with LKB1 in each
cellular compartment. Taken together, these results begin to define a clearer understand of which cellular pathway
may be influenced by LKB1.
Sympathetic nerve activity effects on endocardial endothelial health Leslie Perez-Cervantes1, Christina Tyrrell2 and Wohaib Hasan2 / 1Department of Biology, Linfield College,
McMinnville OR 97128; 2Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
97239
Thromboembolic complications are the most common reason for re-hospitalization in heart failure (HF) patients.
One source of these thrombi are the inner chambers of the heart, which are lined with endocardial endothelial cells
(EECs). Damage to the EECs leads to the extrusion of the pro-coagulant protein von Willebrand factor (vWF),
which is involved in hemostasis. Autonomic sympathetic nerves are both spatially and functionally associated
with vascular and EECs. The aim of this study is to determine how the factors released from ECCs, neuropeptides
and norepinephrine, promote vWF release from cultured human EECs. We hypothesize that increased sympathetic
nerve activity in heart failure patients may promote vWF release from EECs. To test this, tissue from heart failure
and control subjects had EECs isolated, purified, and cultured. Cultures of EECs were treated with agonists and
antagonists of norepinephrine and neuropeptides. To evaluate endothelial dysfunction, vWF extrusion was
measured using a collagen binding assay. Antagonists of norepinephrine and neuropeptide reduced vWF
extrusion. Extrusion of vWF from HF cells was ~300% higher than from non-HF cells. Norepinephrine is likely
acting through β1/β2- adrenergic receptors to promote the endothelial dysfunction. Our study demonstrates that
heart failure endothelial cells are in a pro-thrombotic state. Sympathetic nerve agonists likely promote this pro-
thrombotic state. Our results suggest that counteracting the effects of both norepinephrine and neuropeptides may
be beneficial in the context of thromboembolic complications in heart failure.
5
Exosomal miRNA as minimally invasive biomarkers for AML Michael Morin1, Sherif Abdelhamed2 and Peter Kurre / 1Department of Biology, Linfield College, McMinnville
OR 97128; 2Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR 97239
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the cancer of myeloid cells in bone marrow, and is a disease that results in the
rapid proliferation of aberrant white blood cells within the bones of afflicted patients. A large proportion of
patients experience relapse, which is alarming considering current methods of detecting early relapse are poor. The
five-year survival rate for AML patients is ~26.6%, and ~40% of all AML patients die of relapse. Current detection
methods involving blood screening can only indicate leukemia’s presence when it has developed to an advanced
stage and moved into the bloodstream. This highlights the necessity for developing a cheaper, less invasive, and
more efficient AML detection method. One potential avenue for early detection of this disease involves AML
specific miRNA biomarkers residing in endocytically derived transport vesicles known as exosomes. Recent
research has shown that AML exosomes enrich a subset of cellular miRNA, resulting in a distinct miRNA profile.
Thus, exosomal miRNA have potential as accurate and minimally invasive disease biomarkers for early or residual
AML. Presented here is a prospective list of 9 miRNA found in exosomes that together can act as a biomarker
panel for AML. One of these, miRNA-1249, correlates well with tumor burden increase up to three weeks and is
detected early at increased levels in AML engrafted mice as compared to control mice. miRNA-1249, and the
others once further characterized, are promising biomarker candidates for AML.
Calcineurin inhibits estrogen-activation of CaM kinases and cancer cell growth Lael Papenfuse and John M. Schmitt / Department of Biology & Chemistry, George Fox University, Newberg, OR
In MCF-7 breast cancer cells, estrogen (E2) stimulates cell signaling by increasing intracellular calcium, therefore
activating CaM Kinases. The CaMKK signal cascade leads to ERK phosphorylation, transcription, and cell
growth. AKAP’s and phosphatases may also work to regulate this pathway. Of particular interest is the
phosphatase Calcineurin (CN). Recent work has shown that CN is associated with the CaMKK/CaMKI/AKAP7
complex, and could possibly be a negative regulator of this pathway. Our goal was to evaluate the ability of CN to
regulate E2 activation of the CaMKK/CaMKI/ERK pathway and cell growth. E2 treatment of MCF-7 cells
activated CaMKI and ERK, an effect that was blocked by the selective CaMKK-inhibitor STO-609. Endogenous
CN, CaMKK, and AKAP7 co-localize in MCF-7 cells, and their association is upregulated by ionomycin.
Ionomycin and cyclosporin A increase phosphorylation of CaMKI and ERK in MCF-7 cells. Inhibition of CN with
cyclosporin A increased cell growth in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, knockout of CN by siRNA lead to increased
phosphorylation of CaMKI and ERK. In contrast, activation of CN by CgA blocked E2 stimulation of ERK and
cell growth. CgA treatment of MCF-7 cells alone reduced cell growth below control levels. Our results suggest
that E2 and intracellular calcium activate CaM Kinases in MCF-7 cells. CaM Kinases appear to associate with the
phosphatase CN. CN inhibits CaMKI as well as its downstream target ERK as well as cell growth. Silencing of CN
increased CaMKI and ERK phosphorylation and cell growth.
Effects of PH20 hyaluronidase inhibition in vivo after extracellular matrix breakdown
following preterm brain injury Rachel Siltman,1 Taasin Srivastava,2 and Stephen A. Back2 / 1College of Theology, Art, & Science, Concordia
University, Portland, OR 97211; 2Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
97239
Children born between 23-32 weeks have a predisposition toward white matter injury (WMI). In survivors of
preterm birth, hypoxic-ischemic (H-I) damage to the cerebral white matter is the leading cause of neurological and
motor deficits. During the brain injury response from H-I, a vigorous proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitor
cells (OPCs) expands the pre-oligodendrocyte (preOL) pool. However, preOLs fail to differentiate and generate
myelin. Acute degeneration of preOLs from H-I triggers extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown. The ECM
breakdown blocks repair and regeneration of myelin following preterm brain injury as hyaluronic acid (HA), a
major component of the brain ECM, is digested into bioactive fragments (fHA). HA is degraded by PH20
hyaluronidase to bioactive HA fragments that that promote the proliferation of preOLs in vitro and also prevent
maturation of preOLs to myelinating cells. To determine if PH20 plays a role in vivo to promote preOL
proliferation, we analyzed a neonatal rodent equivalent pre-term model of H-I and tested a new selective PH20
inhibitor, SuBr3. We test the hypothesis that SuBr3 will reduce the preOL proliferation response observed after
6
neonatal WMI. GFAP-positive astrocytes were quantified to determine the severity of WMI. We found a
significant decrease in Ki67-positive cells in SuBr3 injected H-I animals relative to all other control groups,
suggesting total cell proliferation was blocked. Further experiments will analyze the total pool of OL lineage by
staining for Olig2 or total pre-myelinating O4 antibody-labeled cells.
Preparation for Y-STR analysis of human remains from Mallorca, Spain Raluca Gosman and Amelia Ahern-Rindell / Department of Biology, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
The growth of ancient DNA analysis, specifically Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) analysis, has
opened avenues into characterizing ancient populations from around the world through investigation of their
physical remains. The results of Y-STR analysis can provide paternal lineages, indicate geographic ancestry, and
hint at past migration patterns. For locations perpetually besieged by invasions, it can provide insight into the
ancestral identity of fleeting, then-modern populations. Once such location is the ancient Roman city of Pollentia,
located on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The island has been subject to Roman, Christian, and Muslim rule
throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages, rendering its history a complicated and confusing one. Several
necropolises have been found in Pollentia, but the relationship, if there is one, between the remains present in them
has yet to be determined. The University of Portland brought an interdisciplinary team to Pollentia, most recently
whose aim included identifying the relationship between these ancient populations. Three distinct populations in
the Roman city have been identified; in order to compare these populations, we selected a dated intact femur and
humerus from two individuals from each location, as well as one female individual. These seven pairs of long
bones were tagged, labeled, and packaged for exportation from Spain in summer 2016, awaiting approval of a
transportation permit from the Spanish government. Ultimately, their arrival in the United States and our
subsequent Y-STR analysis of ancient DNA found within them can provide valuable insight into the populations’
origins and relationship to each other.
Does poor feeder maintenance increase exposure of hummingbirds to pathogenic bacteria
and fungi? Elizah Stephens and Donald Powers / Department of Biology, George Fox University, 414 N. Meridian Street,
Newberg, OR 97132
Due to widespread use, artificial hummingbird feeders have become important food sources and are of ecological
significance. The large volumes of sucrose found in feeders, high visitation rates, and longer duration that a feeder
may be left out provide an ideal environment for microbial proliferation. Feeders may increase the chances that
birds will encounter pathogens or contract low-level infections. Microbial growth in feeders was assessed by
sampling over a period of days at two different sites (SWRS, AZ and Newberg, OR) and identifying various
microbes present, determining cell count and diversity. Cell counts in Newberg feeders were significantly lower
than those in Arizona although both showed an increase in cell/mL over time. Growth patterns and cell count
differences between the two sites suggest temperature dependence. Samples were also taken from the bills and
tongues of three species of hummingbirds (Blue-throated (BLUH), Black-chinned (BCHU), and Magnificent
(MAHU)) and analyzed to estimate microbial load. When loads were compared, male BLUH and MAHU averaged
higher than the females, female BCHU averaging highest of all. The BLUH and MAHU males showed more
diversity on average than the females, the female BCHU showing the lowest diversity. Higher feeder visitation did
not correspond to higher load or diversity, with the exception of the Black-chins likely caused by nesting behavior.
Feeders showed more overall diversity than birds. The increase in microbial growth and diversity found in feeders
over time and the temperature dependence of growth patterns should be an important consideration in feeder
maintenance and hummingbird care.
Y-STR analysis of ancient human remains from Pollentia, Spain: Preliminary results Kai Seely and Amelia Ahern-Rindell / Department of Biology, University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd,
Portland, OR 97210
The ancient Roman city of Pollentia, located on the island of Mallorca, Spain, has a complex history of migration
and invasion. This summer, a group from UP travelled to Pollentia to collaborate with faculty and students from
several Spanish institutions in the excavation of the ancient city and analysis of human remains exhumed from its
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necropolises. Genetic analysis, specifically Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) analysis, offers a
valuable method of determining the ancestral origins of these ancient human remains, which have been carbon
dated to between 800-1,000 years old. We hypothesize that ancient DNA analysis will provide clues about the
origins of these individuals. Once the exhumed bones are exported from Spain, surface contaminants will be
removed by treatment with bleach and by exposure to UV radiation. A small sample from the interior of the bone
will be degraded and DNA will be extracted. Literature referenced Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) primers will
be used to amplify the eight Y-STR loci that constitute the “Minimal Y Haplotype,” the minimal set of loci needed
to confidently infer the Y haplotype, and therefore the ancestral origins, of the bones. The primer pairs have been
validated in our laboratory by successfully amplifying Y-STR loci with modern DNA. We have shown that the
primer pairs can differentiate between male and female samples, showing proof of principle in our hands. An IRB
proposal was submitted and approved for this validation protocol. An IBC proposal was submitted for the overall
project and is currently awaiting review.
Sex differences in leptin-induced increases in sympathetic nerve activity: The role of brain
microglia Whitney Sia1 and Virginia L. Brooks2 / 1Department of Biology, Willamette University, Salem, OR; 2Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
In males, but not young females, obesity increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), which can cause
hypertension. However, the mechanism of this sexual dimorphism is unknown. Leptin and brain inflammation
each have been independently identified as key mediators in obese males by acting on the hypothalamus to
increase SNA. Recently, a potential link between these mediators was suggested, since leptin appears to induce
hypothalamic inflammation and activate microglia. However, in females, leptin increases SNA less and in
response to certain brain insults, microglia are neuroprotective rather than proinflammatory. This is most likely due
to gonadal steroids like estrogen and progesterone. Therefore, we hypothesize that the inflammatory effects of
leptin are less pronounced in females than in males. The aim of this study was: (1) to determine if brain leptin
activates microglia more in males than females, by quantifying the number of activated microglia induced by brain
leptin injections using immunohistochemical staining of the microglial marker iba-1. (2) To determine if
pretreatment with the microglial activation inhibitor, minocycline, reduces the increase in SNA in response to brain
leptin in males more than females. Preliminary results suggest that leptin activates hypothalamic microglia in
males but not in females. Our preliminary results also suggest that suppression of microglia proliferation and
activity blocks leptin-induced increases in blood pressure in males.
Bioaccumulation of copper in intertidal organisms in central Oregon Amanda Munro and Tara Prestholdt / University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR, 97203
Although copper is normally sequestered and used by marine invertebrates, excess concentrations can cause
physiological stress or death. Given the sources of copper from run-off and algicide treated boats, we explored if
and how copper is bioaccumulating in intertidal animals. A variety of crabs, shrimp, isopods, snails, anemones,
urchins, and algae were collected from four field sites in central Oregon and analyzed for their levels of copper
using a Nikon XRF Analyzer. Results to date indicate that copper levels are two to six times higher than the levels
considered biologically safe. Future work will explore additional taxa at similar trophic levels as well as additional
comparisons between different field sites.
Disentangling local and regional influences on Rocky Mountain tree distributions with a
Joint Species Distribution Model Paige E. Parry1 and David M. Bell2 / 1Department of Biology, George Fox University, Newberg, OR 97132; 2USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR 97331
Species distributions are hypothesized to be underlain by a complex association of processes that span multiple
spatial scales including biotic interactions, dispersal limitation and broad-scale climatic gradients. However, scale-
dependencies in these processes have hampered comparisons of the relative of importance of individual factors to
species distributions. In this study, we use a Joint Species Distribution Model (JSDM) to simultaneously model the
co-occurrence patterns of ten dominant tree species across the Rocky Mountains and to quantify the relative
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influences of climate and local factors on species distributions. Within the JSDM approach, we attributed co-
occurrence patterns to either climate responses or local factors by evaluating environmental and residual
correlations from the fitted model, and assessed the relative strength of each component of co-occurrence. For all
species, correlation due to environmental covariates far exceeded residual correlation. In most cases,
environmental correlations were positive, indicating shared environmental responses. Lower elevation species
were generally predicted less accurately than high elevation species and showed weaker environmental
correlations, indicating that unaccounted for environmental covariates may be important in defining the
distributions of these lower elevation species. Our findings demonstrate that the distributions of Rocky Mountain
tree species predominantly reflect the influence of broad-scale climatic factors, while local factors may only
generate discernable impacts on species distributions in key contexts.
Golf swing biomechanics reveal a potential mechanism behind the increased risk of ACL
injury in female athletes Andrew Groshong / Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR 97219
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are more likely to occur in female athletes than in male athletes, but the
mechanism behind this difference remains unclear. This study measured biomechanical differences in the golf
swing between the sexes to provide clues about the cause of the greater likelihood of ACL injury in female
athletes. Male (n=6) and female (n=10) collegiate golfers swung a driver with their lead leg on a single axis force
plate. High speed video in frontal and saggital planes revealed that females were more likely to keep their leg
straight at impact (p<0.01) and to not rotate their foot during the swing (p<0.05). These results did not correlate
with height or weight. Analysis of sports news video of the top 20 golfers on the PGA and LPGA tours revealed
similar kinematic differences for both knee bend (p<0.001) and foot rotation (p<0.05) between the sexes. A straight
knee during the most forceful component of the golf swing increases the chance of ACL impingement and the lack
of foot rotation increases the amount of internal tibial rotation, which increases the amount of stress placed on the
ACL. These results suggest that kinematic differences in posture cause more stress on the ACL in female golfers
than in males. If sex-based postural differences in knee angle and foot rotation are broadly present in athletic
activities this may in part explain the greater risk of ACL injury in females.
The Effect of sucrose consumption on hepatic gene expression and obesity in mice Dallyce Vetter, Joel Johnson, Audrey Pang, Katareanna Coen, and Sarah Comstock /
Department of Health Science, Corban University, Salem, OR 97317
Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes are significant health concerns in the United States and other
developed nations. The rise in the incidence of these diseases is often linked to increased sugar
consumption associated with sugar sweetened beverages (SSB). This study investigates the link
between high-sucrose consumption and the development of obesity in C57Bl/6 mice by
analyzing gene regulation in the pathways involved in glycolysis, fructolysis, and fatty acid
synthesis. To investigate these mechanisms, an obese mouse model was developed by
providing mice with ad libitum access to a 30% sucrose solution in place of water. Despite
similar caloric intakes, the sugar (SUG) mice exhibited a significant weight gain as compared to
the control (CTR) mice. At approximately 27 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and livers
extracted. RNA extracted from the liver was reverse transcribed into cDNA, which was used to
run quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) in order investigate the
regulation of various genes involved in metabolic pathways of glucose and fructose
metabolism. Fructokinase (FTK), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and
glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GpDH), ATP citrate lyase (ACL), acetyl-CoA
carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS) were significantly upregulated in the SUG mice
while glucokinase (GCK) was not significantly affected. These results indicate that
upregulation of fructolysis as opposed to glycolysis leads to de novo lipogenesis (DNL) in the
SUG mice.
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Investigating Mechanisms Linking Cataract Development and Obesity Via High Sucrose
Consumption
Calvin Vetter1, Riann Anderson1, Abigail Lucas1, Kirsten Lampi2, Larry David2, Sarah
Comstock1 / 1Department of Health Science, Corban University, Salem, OR, 97317. 2Oregon
Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR 97239
As the incidence of visual impairment due to cataracts is increasing around the world, methods
for prevention and effective treatment must be developed. The purpose of this project was to
investigate the mechanisms that link obesity to cataract development. To investigate these
mechanisms, an obese mouse model has been developed by providing mice with ad libitum
access to a 30% sucrose solution in place of water. At approximately 27 weeks, mice were
sacrificed and the lenses were extracted. RNA was extracted from one lens and was reverse
transcribed to cDNA. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was
performed to look at the expression of genes involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR);
however, no significant difference was seen between the control (CTR) and sugar
(SUG). Tandem mass tag-mass spectrophotometry (TMT-MS) was used
to perform quantitative proteomics. Unmodified/native beta crystallin B1 (CRYBB1) was
significantly lower in SUG and Heat Shock Protein 71 (HSP71) was significantly elevated
in the SUG compared to CTR. Western blotting (WB) was also performed on HSP71 protein
levels and confirmed SUG was significantly higher. These results suggest that crystallins are
being modified due to the SUG diet and chaperone proteins are being upregulated to attenuate
or repair these modifications.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Effect of habitat restoration on mammal stress and demography Summer Henricksen, Christina Salisbury, Kevin Yuskaitis, and Laurie Dizney / Department of Biology. University
of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
This is the first year of a multiyear study analyzing the effects of restoration at Tualatin River National Wildlife
Refuge (TRNWR). TRNWR began restoring agricultural farmland to native riparian forest in 2008 to encourage
the return of native wildlife. Two different site types were surveyed: restored (land that was used for agriculture
but is being restored by planting native shrubs and trees) and intact (riparian forest undisturbed from agriculture).
This study focuses on differences between deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) populations from the 2 site
types. Reproductive condition, mass, and stress levels (analyzed from corticosterone in their fur) were evaluated.
Our results show that more deer mice are in reproductive condition and that deer mice weigh less and have higher
stress levels on the restored sites. The greater percentage of reproductive mice at restored sites indicates that the
deer mouse populations have not reached high enough density to suppress sexual maturation and reproduction, as
occurs on the intact sites. Mass is used as a proxy for age, so our data suggest that young deer mice from intact
sites colonize restored areas each spring, but are not able to survive the winter. Restored sites appear to have more
long-term stressors than intact sites, presumably due to resource limitation, which could account for low population
numbers of only young, dispersing deer mice.
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Environmental controls on primary production in an Oregon estuary. Cristiana Matteucci1, Frances Turner2, and Christine Weilhoefer1 / Departments of 1Biology and 2Environmental
Science, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
As algal species make up the base of estuarine mudflat ecosystems, this study aimed to investigate which
environmental controls are most important for determining the abundance and diversity of algal species in the
Yaquina Bay estuarine tidal mudflats. At fifteen sites along a gradient moving away from the ocean, salinity
measurements were recorded and core samples were collected and later analyzed in the laboratory for nutrient
concentration, chlorophyll concentration, organic content, sediment grain size, and species identification. It was
determined that diatoms were the most abundant algal species. It was found that chlorophyll-⍺ concentration and
phosphorus concentration decrease with distance from the ocean (r = -0.74, r = -0.61). It was also found that the
relative abundance of two diatom species, Cocconeis placentula and Navicula reichardtiana, decrease with
distance from the ocean (R2 = 0.85, R2 = 0.75). Further research will include exploring seasonal variation in
environmental controls and mapping land use in the area using GIS.
Antimicrobial efficacy of ultrasmall silver nanoclusters P. J. Van Emmerik1, Lance Lammers1, Tessaundra Sidden1, Brandon Schmidt1, Matthew Beekman2, Burton Clark1,
and Seth Anthony1 / 1Department of Natural Sciences, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR; 2Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
Silver has long been known to be efficacious as an antimicrobial agent, both in bulk form and as silver
nanoparticles. Recently, a new class of easy-to-synthesize stable ultrasmall (Ag44) silver nanoclusters were
reported by Desireddy et al (2013); to date, these nanoclusters have not been studied for antimicrobial efficacy.
Their small size suggests the potential for greater surface oxidation or easier penetration into bacterial cells, while
the strong and specific binding of surface ligands suggest greater stability of surface silver atoms. We will report
the results of microbial testing to assess the inhibitory effect of the silver nanoclusters – particularly as compared
to the well-studied systems of larger silver nanoparticles – both with gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (S.
aureus) bacteria, and compared to controls of precursor compounds used in each chemical synthesis.
The effects of autotomy and regeneration on feeding efficiency in the purple shore crab,
Hemigrapsus nudus Sawyer Reid, Zack Turley, and Tara Prestholdt / University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR,
97203
The tradeoffs associated with appendage regeneration have been studied for decades, with the general consensus
that there is an overall fitness cost associated with the regenerative process. However, almost all of these studies
have made comparisons between only two specific treatment groups: 1) normal animals that have never
autotomized and 2) animals that autotomized and then regenerated. The absence of a third treatment group has
been a major flaw of previous work; to truly understand the evolutionary significance of regeneration, comparisons
must include 3) animals that autotomized but did not regenerate. The aim of this study was to apply this novel
perspective on regeneration to an examination of the effects of regeneration on feeding efficiency in the purple
shore crab, Hemigrapsus nudus.
Nudi Beach: the effects of ENSO on the distribution and abundance of nudibranchs (clade
Nudibranchia) in Oregon Sawyer Reid, Zack Turley, and Tara Prestholdt / University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR,
97203
The 2015-2016 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event was one of the strongest increases in ocean
temperatures over the last 50 years. Although the temperature changes themselves have been well documented, the
effects of ENSO on intertidal organisms remain largely unknown. We explored the distribution and abundance
of the marine sea slugs commonly known as nudibranchs and sacoglossans. In addition to finding a plethora of
species known to occur in Oregon, we discovered a range expansion of Acanthodoris rhodoceras. Future work will
continue to look at if and how ENSO is affecting invertebrate populations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
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Distribution and impacts of a bacterial endosymbiont in the plant-parasitic nematode
Pratylenchus penetrans Sulochana K. Wasala1, Amanda M.V. Brown1, Amy B. Peetz2, Dana K. Howe1, Inga A. Zasada2, and Dee R.
Denver1 / 1Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2USDA-ARS
Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 97330
Plant-parasitic nematodes cause about 100 billion annual yield loss throughout the world. However, many
nematicides have been banned due to health/environmental problems leading to increased interest in the
development of alternative methods of control. Wolbachia is an exciting target for environment-friendly strategies
for the control of parasites and disease vectors that harbor it. It’s an endosymbiotic bacterium infecting numerous
arthropods and filarial nematodes, and was recently detected in plant-parasitic nematodes. The prevalence of
Wolbachia in plant-parasitic nematodes remains unknown, as does its impact on host. Using Fluorescence In-Situ
Hybridization (FISH) probes and PCR assays, we investigated the Wolbachia - Pratylechus penetrans symbiosis
providing insights for Wolbachia’s role within plant-parasitic nematodes. We performed sex ratio analysis of
nematodes on ten P. penetrans population and characterized the prevalence of Wolbachia in male and female
nematodes. We confirmed the presence of Wolbachia within 4 of the 10 P. penetrans populations investigated.
Wolbachia was localized within the head, pharynx, gut, and ovaries of the nematode. For the infected populations,
the prevalence of Wolbachia was <60%. While Wolbachia was observed in both male and female nematodes,
there was a clear female-biased sex ratio in Wolbachia infected P. penetrans populations. These observations,
suggest that this Wolbachia in P. penetrans is not an obligate mutualist as in filarial nematodes, but act as a
reproductive parasite inducing male killing or feminization of biological males similar to what is seen in
arthropods. Wolbachia thus offers a promising and unexplored strategy for plant-parasitic nematode biocontrol.
Isolation of potential novel endospore-containing bacteria from Canada goose feces Haley R. Keillor, Molly K. Svendsen, Cole H. Davis, Patrick N. Ball, and Bruce S. Seal / Biology Program, Oregon
State University-Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Ave., Bend, OR 97702
Non-toxin producing anaerobic bacteria are reported to promote anti-inflammatory immune responses in the
mammalian gut. Therefore, the isolation of chloroform resistant bacterial strains from Canada goose (Branta
canadensis) feces could select for spore-forming bacteria. Some of these bacteria may also possess probiotic
properties. Our working hypothesis is that the minimal result of the current research will be the isolation and
identification of such bacterial species from Canada goose microflora. Three percent chloroform treatment of Canada
goose feces was completed for one hour to select for chloroform resistant bacterial spores. Surviving spores were
cultured under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions to differentiate strains by metabolic strategy. Gram staining
revealed twenty-six morphologically distinct, endospore-containing isolates. Twelve anaerobic, Gram positive (3)
and negative (9), isolates were obtained by culturing on Brucella blood with vitamin K and hemin or reinforced
clostridial HivegTM hydrolysate with L-cysteine, sodium acetate and starch agars. Fourteen aerobic, Gram positive
(4) and negative (10), isolates were cultured using the two aforementioned agars and nine (9) aerobes were
subsequently propagated on lysogeny broth (LB). Results from these investigations demonstrate that potentially
novel probiotic bacterial cultures can be isolated from free-ranging Canada geese. Current efforts are focusing on
16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing to determine the identification of the potential novel microbial species.
Heritability and genomic basis for variation in thermal tolerance of the coral holobiont in
Orbicella faveolata Katherine Dziedzic and Eli Meyer / Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis,
Oregon, 97331
Sea surface temperatures are predicted to rise 1-2°C by the end of the century, and thermally sensitive organisms
like reef-building corals will require substantial adaptive responses in order to persist well into the future. Genetic
variation that might support adaptive responses has been documented in larval stages of some corals, but the
contribution of genetic variation of adult corals and its functional basis remains unclear. In this study, we focus on
mechanisms that may enable long-term adaptation by investigating heritable variation in thermal tolerance and its
genomic basis in Orbicella faveolata, a dominant reef-builder in the Caribbean. Thermal stress experiments were
12
conducted at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas del Toro, Panama, using coral fragments
collected from natural populations. Bleaching responses were quantified and combined with genome-wide SNP
genotyping to estimate heritability and test for associations between thermal tolerance and genotypes. Using the
linkage map and draft genome assembly for this species, we searched for genomic regions underlying variation
within more thermally tolerant phenotypes. We profiled transcriptional responses in the same corals, to evaluate
whether genomic regions associated with tolerance include genes differentially expressed in heat-tolerant and
susceptible genotypes. Integrating genomic and transcriptomic data with quantitative genetic analysis provides a
new perspective on the mechanistic basis for thermal tolerance phenotypes and the potential for adaptation to rising
ocean temperatures.
13
CHEMISTRY
Section Chair:
Andrew Johnson
Concordia University
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Harnessing potential cancer-inhibiting compounds from the basket plant (Callisia
fragrans) Kevin Truong, Alexys Bermudez, McKenzie Brandon, and Angela Hoffman / University of Portland, Portland, OR
97203
Callisia fragrans (basket plant), is found in many tropical regions, and is used by people in Vietnam as a medicinal
herb. The plant was extracted with methanol, followed by many separation steps to get the soluble compounds
from the plant. Water in the extract was freeze dried. The crude mass was measured to calculate the concentration.
The active fractions from C. fragrans extracts were separated by flash chromatography on silica gel. Fractions that
gave positive inhibition of Pythium ultimum growth were soluble in a mixture of ethyl acetate and methanol. So far
active fractions have been found in similar areas on the chromatogram after multiple separations using flash
chromatography. Compounds that inhibit the growth of P. ultimum have a 90% of killing cancer cells. Our next
steps are to continue purifying the fractions and to determine the compound(s) that is responsible for the effect.
Development of drug delivery vehicles through functionalization of nanoparticles Chris Munjar and Brian D. Gilbert / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR, 97128
Spherical monodisperse nanoparticles composed of gold or silver cores were modified with lipids as part of an
ongoing project to utilize functionalized nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles. A reduction reaction with sodium
tri-citrate was used to synthesize nanoparticles that were characterized physically through a NanoSight LM10 HS
particle sizer as well as optically with a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The particles were then characterized again
after purification of excess ligands through centrifugation. Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) was added flip the
surface charge of the particles from negative to positive as well as to serve as a stabilizing agent. After
purification, the particles were coated with lipids and spun to purify them. Characterization data suggest that the
particles are successfully coated with both poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and lipids and that monodispersity was
maintained, as evidenced by the measured changes in size and optical properties
Understanding aluminum speciation – A combined spectroscopic approach for insight
into an old question Cory K. Perkins,1 Brantly L. Fulton, Chris A. Colla, 3Anna F. Oliveri,3 Caitlyn R. Fields, 3 Deok-Hie Park,1 Lauren
B. Fullmer,1 James E. Hutchison,2 May Nyman,1 William H. Casey,3 Darren W. Johnson,2 and Douglas A. Keszler1
/ 1Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331; 2Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403; 3Department of Chemistry, University of California,
Davis, California 95616 One of the first subjects introduced to students of environmental chemistry is the aqueous chemistry of aluminum.
This metal is the third most abundant element in the shallow Earth, where it hydrolyzes in water to produce a rich
array of solute molecules and solids, including clays and aluminum hydroxide phases. Although the aqueous
aluminum chemistry has been studied for over a century, chemists do not possess an intimate understanding of its
chemistry. For example, the Baker-Figgis-Keggin cluster [Al13(OH)24(H2O)127+] was reported in 1960, but the
14
related cluster, flat-Al13, was not crystallized and reported until 1998. The principle reason aluminum species are
not well understood may lies in the difficulty in crystallization and the quadrupolar nature of the 27Al nuclei.
Recently, we have combined a variety of spectroscopic techniques that yield a much better understanding aqueous
aluminum chemistry. We will discuss our findings and how this understanding can have a large effect on material
science.
Real-space visualization of particles in molecular boxes: Scanning tunneling microscopy
and spectroscopy Benjamen N. Taber and George V. Nazin / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon,
Eugene, OR 97403
The particle-in-a-box (PIAB) model is a commonly used teaching tool in introductory quantum mechanics courses,
describing a particle that is freely able to move within an infinite potential well. Classically, the particle can travel
at any speed within the box and can be found at any position with equal probability. As the box becomes small,
however, quantum effects dominate and the particle can only have discrete non-zero energies and may only be
detected in certain positions. Here, we present real-space scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS)
measurements of organic molecules adsorbed on noble metal (111) surfaces that exhibit one- and two-dimensional
PIAB-like behavior. First, we examine the electronic structure of different alkyl-substituted oligothiophenes. STM
imaging showed that on Au(111), oligothiophenes adopted distinct straight and bent conformations. By combining
STS maps with STM images, we visualized, in real space, particle-in-a-box-like oligothiophene molecular orbitals.
These results demonstrate that different planar conformers with significant geometrical distortions of
oligothiophene backbones surprisingly exhibit very similar electronic structures, indicating a low degree of
conformation-induced electronic disorder. This suggests a low degree of electronic disorder, and consequently,
lower probability of charge carrier trapping within molecular backbones in poly- and oligothiophene materials.
Second, we studied the electron confinement within individual ring-shaped cycloparaphenylene (CPP) molecules
forming self-assembled films on Ag(111) and Au(111) surfaces. We used a particle-in-an-elliptical-box (PIAEB)
model to describe the confined surface states, finding a correlation between molecular eccentricity and confined
surface state energy, suggesting a route for controllable and scalable modification of surface electronic structure.
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry of Centella asiatica extracts – Characterization and
quantification of phytochemicals Armando Alcazar Magana2, Maya Caruso1, Amala Soumyanath1, Jan F. Stevens3,4, and Claudia S. Maier2 / 1Oregon
Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239; 2Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, Oregon 97331; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
97331; 4Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
Centella asiatica is a therapeutic plant of increasing popularity in alternative medicine. Genetic and geographical
factors can alter the composition of phytochemical constituents which can affect the reproducibly of studies.
Modern mass spectrometry platforms offer accurate mass measurements in combination with collision-induced
dissociation techniques for structural analysis and quantification of compounds in complex mixtures. Ion mobility
spectrometry in conjunction with mass spectrometry has emerged as an additional tool for the detection and
characterization of secondary metabolites in plant extracts. We use ultra-performance liquid chromatography in
15
conjunction with accurate mass high resolution tandem mass spectrometry for the chemical analysis and
characterization of plant extracts. The combination of UPLC separation, gas phase mobility separation of ions and
accurate mass measurement allows comprehensive detection of the constituents of C. asiatica extracts. Plant
extracts of the areal parts of the C. asiatica were analyzed. Extracts were characterized using an Acquity UPLC
connected to two different mass analyzers -Synapt G2 HDMS system operated in the negative ionization mode and
-AB Sciex Triple TOF 5600 mass spectrometer equipped with a TurboSpray electrospray ionization source
operated in the negative ionization mode. UPLC-MSE was used for the detection and characterization of secondary
metabolites in extracts of CA. In addition, TWIM separation in conjunction with transfer dissociation was
conducted for obtaining fragment ion information of secondary metabolites (Figure. 1). LC-HRMS method was
developed that allows quantification of 16 secondary metabolites in CA extracts. The method allows quantification
of a) several flavonoids, b) three structural isomers of caffeoylquinic acids, c) several dicaffeoylquinic acids, d) the
major saponins and related sapongenins.
The use of molecular dynamics simulations to predict thymine dimer formation in histone
bound DNA Emily Heinsen, and Andrew Johnson / Math and Science Department, Concordia University, Portland, Oregon
97211
Thymine dimers are major lesions in DNA that are caused when the pi electrons of two neighboring thymines are
excited by a photon from UV light (Schreier, et al., 2007). These lesions can lead to apoptosis or can become
carcinogenic (Schreier, et al., 2007). This reaction occurs on the picosecond time scale, due to the rate of this
reaction the thymines must be in proper conformation prior to excitation in order for the reaction to take place
(Schreier, et al., 2007). The conformation for the reaction has been found to occur when the C5-C5* and C6-C6*
distances are between 3.5 and 4.2Å and the C5-C6-C5*-C6* dihedral bond angle is between 24 and 30 degrees
(Johnson & Wiest, 2007). The objective of this study was to determine if the location of the neighboring thymines,
as well as the presence of a dimer already within the system plays a role in the formation of future dimers. In order
to test this molecular dynamics simulations were run on two molecules, one without any dimers, one containing
two dimers, both were wrapped around a protein histone. Data on the distances and dihedral angles were all taken
over the course of a 50ns simulation for both systems. The distances and dihedral angles were used to determine
the probability of a dimer to form. Our research indicates that the location of neighboring thymines around a
protein histone, as well as the presence of a dimer already within the system, affects the probability of future dimer
formation.
The promise of fungal cryptic genomes toward novel antimicrobial secondary metabolites:
Early assessments using Fusarium graminearum Jeff Gautschi,1 Kristina Smith,1,3 Molly Svendsen,1 Sarah Luelling,1 Jonathan Cook,1 Sandra Loesgen,2 Donovan
Adpressa,2 and Michael Freitag3 / 1Oregon State University-Cascades, Bend, OR 97702; 2Department of Chemistry,
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR 97331
The discovery of novel compounds with antibacterial properties continues to be critically important. One potential
source of these compounds is from the cryptic genome of fungi known to produce biologically active molecules. A
kmt6 mutant of the wheat-blight fungi Fusarium graminearum, developed previously through a H3K27
methyltransferase gene knockout, was shown to express thousands of additional genes as compared to the wild
type organism. In pursuit of early evidence for novel secondary metabolites from liquid broth grow-outs of this
mutant, we uncovered isotrichodermol, a compound not usually produced by the wild type F. graminearum. This
proof-of-concept spurred further studies to screen natural product extracts from the mutant using antimicrobial
disk-diffusion assays. Both the kmt6 mutant and the wild type F. graminearum, however, produce the known
biologically active fusarin C molecule and its analogs in high amounts. This activity can mask activity of non-
fusarin C compounds in early screening of extracts. Thus, a panel of five bacteria, including both gram negative
and gram-positive strains, was developed as an early screening tool to differentiate activity due to fusarin C or non-
fusarin C compounds. These early studies provide a promising outlook for pursuing novel antimicrobial agents
arising from the biosynthetic pathways found within fungal cryptic genomes.
16
Copper nanowires synthesis and self-assembly for interconnect applications Srikar Rao Darmakkolla, Mitra Ghobadi, Amanda F. Periera, Irene R. Aguilar, Ivangeline Liu, Ana Jenike, Musa
Tahir, and Shankar B. Rananvare / Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, Oregon, 97201
Precisely controlling the dimensions and morphology of nanocrystals and their assembly into a functional device is
still a state of the art problem. This work focuses on the morphology and aspect ratio controlled copper nanowires
synthesis and magnetic field assisted assembly into interconnect structures on a carbon doped silicon dioxide
(CDO) wafer. CDO finds use as a material with a low dielectric constant (k) for copper interconnects in
multilayered complex integrated circuits (ICs). Here, a strong affinity of copper (Cu) and thiol (-SH) was exploited
to adhere the nanowires (NWs) onto the CDO substrate. Thiol (-SH) functionalization of CDO was achieved via
our novel reaction scheme developed to selectively functionalize the surface exposed Si-OH functional groups
without affecting the internal oxide network1. Copper nanowire synthesis was investigated in a solution based
approach. Nanowire surface roughness was successfully controlled by optimizing the reducing agent (Hydrazine,
N2H4) concentration. And, the aspect ratio (Length/Diameter) of the nanowire was successfully controlled by
changing the reaction temperature. Unidirectional alignment of the Cu NWs was achieved by coating a thin layer
of ferromagnetic nickel (Ni) on to the surface of Cu NWs (Cu@Ni) and tested the NWs alignment in presence of
magnetic field. NWs based interconnect channel was fabricated by magnetic field assisted deposition of well
aligned NWs on a photolithography patterned thiol modified CDO substrate. NWs based interconnects offers an
excellent electrical performance owing to its unique physical, chemical and electrical properties.
Figure 1. Schematic representation of nickel coated copper nanowires (Cu@Ni NWs) based interconnect channel
fabricated in a self-assembly approach.
Wittig methylenation in an ionic solvent: Technical and pedagogic advantages Kevin P. Gable, Steven Nguyen, and Kristin Ziebart / Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR 97331 Wittig reaction of methylenetriphenylphosphorane (generated in situ from methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide
and sodium tert-pentoxide) with 3-methyl-2-butanone in the ionic liquid solvent butylmethylimidizolium
tetrafluroborate led to selective formation of 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene in yields up to 80% and in purity of >99% after
direct fractional distillation from the reaction mixture. Implementation of this process in our instructional
laboratories allows us to overcome the requirement for a particularly tedious spinning-band distillation while
exposing students to a broader framework of reaction chemistry and to several principles of green chemistry.
17
Unexpected biotransformation of the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat yields aniline-containing
fungal metabolites Donovon A. Adpressa1, Kayla Stalheim1, Philip J. Proteau2, and Sandra Loesgen1 / 1Department of Chemistry; 2College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330
The diversity of genetically encoded small molecules produced by filamentous fungi remains largely unexplored,
making these fungi an attractive source for the discovery of new compounds. However, accessing their full
chemical repertoire under common laboratory culture conditions is a challenge. Epigenetic manipulation of gene
expression has become a well-established tool for overcoming this obstacle. Here we report that perturbation of the
endophytic ascomycete Chalara sp. 6661, producer of the isofusidienol class of antibiotics, with the HDAC
inhibitor vorinostat resulted in the production of four new modified xanthones. The structures of chalanilines A and
B and two adenosine-coupled xanthones were determined by extensive NMR spectroscopic analyses and the
compounds tested in cytotoxicity and antimicrobial assays. Surprisingly, incorporation studies with deuterium-
labeled vorinostat indicate that the aniline moiety of vorinostat itself is incorporated into the structure of
chalaniline A. Thus, the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat induces Chalara sp. 6661 to not only produce adenosine-
coupled xanthones, but also to create new modified polyketide structures by providing an aniline precursor,
resulting in “unnatural” natural products. Our study represents the first report of fungal biotransformation of the
HDAC inhibitor vorinostat.
Taking molecular movies of fluorescent protein biosensors Chong Fang1,2, Longteng Tang1, Breland G. Oscar1, Yanli Wang1, and Liangdong Zhu2 / 1Department of Chemistry,
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
97331
Photochemistry lies at the heart of photosynthesis, vision, bioluminescence, optoelectronics, and optogenetics. In
particular, excited state proton transfer has been revealed as the main pathway for structural motions leading to
radiative emission of photoacids and fluorescent proteins. Recent development of the genetically encodable Ca2+
sensors for optical imaging (GECO) has expanded the color palette of calcium ion sensors with much improved
fluorescence properties for bioimaging applications. The working mechanisms of these biosensors, despite intense
interest and paramount importance, remain largely unknown. We develop the wavelength-tunable femtosecond
stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) to investigate two new GECOs: a green-blue ratiometric GEM-GECO1
with a serine-tyrosine-glycine chromophore, and a green intensiometric G-GECO1.1 with a threonine-tyrosine-
glycine chromophore. Both of these embedded chromophores are largely protonated (with various conformational
inhomogeneity) in the ground equilibrium state but undergo distinct structural evolution upon photoexcitation,
affected by Ca2+ binding at the adjacent calmodulin domain. Excited state proton transfer occurs in the Ca2+-free
GEM-GECO1 and Ca2+-free/bound G-GECO1.1 but with different conformational dynamics revealed by the time-
resolved Raman spectra prior to fluorescence. Photoacids in solution, however, exhibit different time constants
and functional motions due to geometrical constraints from the solvation shell. These structural dynamics insights
from FSRS, aided by femtosecond transient absorption, normal mode calculations and molecular dynamics
simulations, demonstrate the unique resolving power of FSRS to dissect the multidimensional reaction coordinate
for excited state proton transfer in solution and protein environment. We expect the molecular movies to play an
active role in rational design of photo-driven molecular machines in general.
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Preparation and characterization of ordered graphite-polymer nanocomposites Hanyang Zhang and Michael M. Lerner / Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333
Ordered graphite-polymer nanocomposites with alternately stacked polyether bilayers and single graphene sheet
are obtained by reductively topochemical or co-intercalate exchange route. The polyetheric co-intercalate,
weighted up to 6,000 g/mol and binding with alkali metal cations, diffuse into graphite supported by an
electrocatalyst or ethylenediamine eletride solvent, respectively. Structural and compositional characterization
using X-ray diffraction, electron density mapping, thermal analyses and Raman spectroscopy reveals the ordered
polymer-graphite nanocomposites containing reduced single graphene sheets separated by polymer bilayers.
Streamlining non-targeted GC×GC/ToF-MS data analysis of remediated soil samples using
Python™ Ivan A. Titaleyy1, O. Maduka Ogba1,2, Leah Chibwe2, Eunha Hoh3, Paul H.-Y. Cheong2, Staci L. andMassey
Simonich,1,4 / 1Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331; 2Department of Chemistry,
Pomona College, Claremont, CA, 91711; 3Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego,
CA, 92182; 4Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR,
97331
Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated soils may lead to the formation of polar
toxic PAH transformation products. To identify these transformation products, toxic soil fractions were analyzed
using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry
(GC×GC/ToF-MS) and ChromaTOF® software from LECO®. While this non-targeted analysis approach is
suitable for elucidating unknown compounds that cause increased toxicity following bioremediation, the list of
potential compound candidates were in the range of tens of thousands. A Python™ script was developed to
automate and accelerate the identification of the compounds in these toxic soil fractions. The script takes exported
data from LECO® ChromaTOF®’s Statistical Compare feature, which is a peak alignment tool that also shows peak
variations between groups (i.e. pre- and post-bioremediation), and returns a list of potential compounds with
increased peak responses post-bioremediation. The peak tailing factor and the compound peak response, pre- and
post-bioremediation, were used as the parameters to identify candidate compounds. One of the fractions was the
most toxic and comprised of over 1,000 compounds, and the script can screen 150 compounds that satisfied the
selection criteria. The Python™ script selects candidate compounds, based on peaks identified by Statistical
Compare, within minutes, while manual selection required several days of pruning. This script can be adopted
across multiple laboratories and disciplines, specifically researchers that use GC×GC-ToF-MS for non-targeted
analysis of chemicals in the environment by reducing the time to identify potential compounds.
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Synthesis of ligands for improving the performance of nanocrystal-based luminescent
solar concentrators Emily Woodward, Heather Towns, and R. Carlisle Chambers / Department of Chemistry, George Fox University,
Newberg, OR 97132
Nanocrystal-based luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) offer an attractive approach to preparing devices which
collect and convert solar energy. The ligand environment of the nanocrystals in a LSC provides an opportunity to
optimize the photophysical behavior of these devices. Our strategy is to prepare thiol and carboxylate ligands
with 𝜔-terminal functional groups that can be quickly and easily elaborated to compounds with the desired reactive
or photophysical properties. We have synthesized and characterized ligands with thiol or carboxylate groups and a
𝜔-terminal azide group. The thiol ligands prepared have the general formula HSCH2(CH2)nCH2N3, where n = 4, 6,
9. The carboxylate ligands prepared have the general formula HO2CCH2(CH2)nCH2N3, where n = 3, 5, 7, 9. The
different carbon chain lengths in the ligands will allow us to explore the design features for optimizing nanocrystal
behavior in the LSCs. The 𝜔-terminal azide group can be used in copper-assisted 1,3-Huisgen cycloaddition
“click” reactions for subsequent elaboration. In addition, we have synthesized two different types of groups that
contain a 𝜔-terminal alkyne group, which can be used in the click reactions for attachment to the azide-terminated
thiol or carboxylate ligands. 1) We have synthesized a methacrylate molecule that can anchor the nanocrystal to the
polymethacrylate matrix in the LSC. 2) We have synthesized a family of perylenebisimide (PBI) compounds,
which can function as antennae for the absorption of sunlight, followed by electron or energy transfer to the
nanocrystal in the LSCs.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Stabilization of DAPI and silver nanoparticles via base-catalyzed sol-gels David Mason and Elizabeth J.O. Atkinson / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR, 97128
Sol-gels can be used as substrates for sensory materials in solutions. A fluorescent dye that binds to DNA, 4’,6-
diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), could be used as a biosensor for a solution. Adsorption of DAPI onto silver
nanoparticles causes rapid precipitation and loss of DAPI in solution. UV-vis and surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS) were performed to observe a solution of silver nanoparticles and DAPI. Over time, the
intensity in the spectra of the solution greatly diminished and could no longer be accurately observed. To facilitate
the stabilization of DAPI in the solution, sol-gels were synthesized via base-catalyzed hydrolysis of tetramethyl
orthosilicate while in the DAPI-silver solution. Sol-gels were successfully synthesized and DAPI precipitation was
prevented.
Synthesis and characterization of SERS, lipid and silver coated gold nanoparticles Allison Smith and Brian Gilbert / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR, 97128
Gold nanoparticles were prepared with the potential to operate as drug delivery vehicles. Surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS) is of particular importance as an optical bioimaging technique due to its ability to allow deep
and high-resolution volumetric imaging of biological tissues. Characterization of the gold nanoparticles with para-
mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA), a SERS active molecule, silver and a phospholipid bilayer was done using Raman
and UV-vis spectroscopy and particle size analysis. Our results indicate successful coating of the gold nanoparticles
and show consistent pMBA Raman spectroscopy peaks that will allow for the nanoparticle use in-vivo to be
monitored.
Role of copper and Tor signaling in reactive oxygen species induced cell aging Matthew Walser and Megan Bestwick / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR 97128
Chronological lifespan assays in yeast rely on promoting a culture’s quiescent stationary phase by calorie
restriction, a phase characterized by curtailed overall metabolic rate and a shift from fermentation to mitochondrial
respiration. This shift in glucose utilization can be accomplished by reduced TOR (Target of Rapamycin) pathway
signaling, a complex regulator of cell growth and cell cycle in which various environmental growth and nutrient
20
signals are integrated to activate or inhibit the Ser/Thr kinase activity of Tor1 protein. Many downstream effects of
TOR signaling can be silenced by treatment with Rapamycin, a drug which binds to Tor1 and inhibits kinase
domain function increasing a cell culture’s chronological lifespan.
Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) machinery, whose activity and expression is modulated by TOR
signaling, is the primary site of superoxide formation. Superoxide is a reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated
with premature cell aging and death most prevalent in neuronal tissue afflicted with neurodegenerative disease. A
primary defense of against ROS is the enzyme superoxide dismutase (Sod1), which requires copper and zinc as
cofactors in the conversion of superoxide to less harmful hydrogen peroxide. Copper is additionally utilized in
cytochrome c oxidase and is required for the continuous movement of high energy electrons through the ETC, thus
limiting the potential for ROS generation. Copper, given its two roles in defending against ROS production and
induced cell aging, is here modulated by extracellular supplementation to further elucidate its functionality in the
context of possible lifespan extension by Rapamycin treatment of SOD1 deletion strains.
Hermiston area ozone study: Using passive samplers to assess ozone and nitrogen oxides
in the Columbia River Gorge Basin Cole Crosby, Jacinda Mainord, Sara Brunk, and Linda A. George / Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201
Hermiston, a rural town in Oregon, has recently experienced elevated ozone (O3) concentrations. Due to the
limited monitoring in the area, there are no measurements of precursors such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the
region. In this study, passive Ogawa samplers were used to measure NOx and O3 levels at twenty sites over four
deployments from July through September 2016. The measurement campaign revealed areas of elevated NOx
concentrations that were not accounted for in regional model AIRPACT-5. Ozone averages greater than 20 ppbv
are represented well in AIRPACT-5, however the model does not represent ozone concentrations ranging from 5-
20 ppbv well. This study demonstrates the viability of using passive samplers in order to ground-truth airshed
models, especially in remote areas with an absence of monitoring networks.
Digital fabrication of an aerosol impactor Stefan J. Vincent and Matthew E. Wise / Math and Science Department, Concordia University, Portland OR,
97211
Atmospheric aerosol (AA) particles are defined as solid or liquid particles suspended in the air. AA particles
smaller than 10μm (1x10-5 meters) in diameter are small enough to bypass the upper respiratory system which
functions as a filter for harmful substances entering the lungs. AA particles can be collected using a device called
an aerosol impactor. After collection, the particles can be analyzed offline for chemical composition using a variety
of analytical techniques. The weight of a commercially manufactured AA particle impactor poses an issue if it is
attached to a mobile AA particle sampling platform such as an unmanned aerial vehicle. In this study a lightweight
plastic AA impactor is designed and fabricated using Autodesk AutoCAD 2016 and a MakerBot Replicator 3-D
printer.
Real-space visualization of particles in molecular boxes: Scanning tunneling microscopy
and spectroscopy Benjamen N. Taber and George V. Nazin / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon,
Eugene, OR 97403
The particle-in-a-box (PIAB) model is a commonly used teaching tool in introductory quantum mechanics courses,
describing a particle that is freely able to move within an infinite potential well. Classically, the particle can travel
at any speed within the box and can be found at any position with equal probability. As the box becomes small,
however, quantum effects dominate and the particle can only have discrete non-zero energies and may only be
detected in certain positions. Here, we present real-space scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS)
measurements of organic molecules adsorbed on noble metal (111) surfaces that exhibit one- and two-dimensional
PIAB-like behavior. First, we examine the electronic structure of different alkyl-substituted oligothiophenes. STM
imaging showed that on Au(111), oligothiophenes adopted distinct straight and bent conformations. By combining
21
STS maps with STM images, we visualized, in real space, particle-in-a-box-like oligothiophene molecular orbitals.
These results demonstrate that different planar conformers with significant geometrical distortions of
oligothiophene backbones surprisingly exhibit very similar electronic structures, indicating a low degree of
conformation-induced electronic disorder. This suggests a low degree of electronic disorder, and consequently,
lower probability of charge carrier trapping within molecular backbones in poly- and oligothiophene materials.
Second, we studied the electron confinement within individual ring-shaped cycloparaphenylene (CPP) molecules
forming self-assembled films on Ag(111) and Au(111) surfaces. We used a particle-in-an-elliptical-box (PIAEB)
model to describe the confined surface states, finding a correlation between molecular eccentricity and confined
surface state energy, suggesting a route for controllable and scalable modification of surface electronic structure.
Plant metabolomics – Characterization of phytochemical constituents in Centella Asiatica
by high resolution mass spectrometry Rachel Berger1, Armando Alcazar Magana1, Frederick Stevens1, 2, Amala Soumyanath3 and Claudia Maier1, 2 / 1Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2 Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland,
Oregon 97239
Centella asiatica (CA) has been used as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedic medicine. We are particularly interested in
the potential use of extracts of CA to improve memory and cognition. The outcomes of several studies in humans
and rodent models caused excitement in using CA preparation as a prospective alternative and complementary
medicine in Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic and geographical factors can alter the composition of secondary
metabolites of this plant which can affect the reproducibly of studies. In our laboratory, we use mass spectrometry
for finger printing and characterizing plant extracts for potential use in bioactivity studies. Finger printing studies of
plant extracts typically involves separation by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to an
accurate mass high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for chemical analysis. For the characterization and
identification we use ion fragmentation techniques for obtaining structural information of plant natural products. For
instance, we show the application of fragmentation trees for in depth characterization of two CA natural products,
namely saponins (asiaticoside and madecassoside), using repeated gas phase ion fragmentation techniques (MSn) on
an advanced high end mass spectrometry platform. The combination of separation techniques, mass spectral data
acquisition, and informatics techniques allows finger printing of extracts and the in depth analysis of CA constituents.
Complementary to the analysis of plant extracts we are studying the possible effects of CA extracts on the brain
metabolome of mice administrated CA extracts to gain an understanding of the neuroprotective effects observed in
recent animal studies. For this purpose we develop and apply separation techniques in concert with quantitative mass
spectrometry to conduct studies that offer robust assessment of up- or down-regulated metabolites of animals treated
with CA extracts. Overall, the development and application of contemporary analytical techniques, such as these,
will add bioactivity studies with the goal to demonstrate efficacy of botanical supplements.
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Investigation of xanthohumol supplementation in mice fed with high fat diet Jared Malone1, Johana Revel1, 2, Adrian Gombart2, 3, Frederick Stevens1, 2 and Claudia Maier1, 2 / 1Department of
Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2 Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
In the United States, 34 percent of the adult population meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated
with several pathologies such as obesity and/or diabetes. A high fat diet is often linked to the development of MetS
by modifying gut health, microbiota and digestion processes.
We are studying the effect of a secondary metabolite found in hops (xanthohumol) on mouse models fed on high-
fat diet. We have found that xanthohumol supplementation caused reduced levels of cholesterol, blood sugar and
weight gain in mice. During the digestion process, xanthohumol interacts with the host and the gut microbiome.
Xanthohumol is also biotransformed by gut bacteria into a complex mixture of metabolites which get reabsorbed or
excreted. However, these processes are not totally understood and experiments are ongoing to decipher the
function and biotransformation of xanthohumol.
In this context, our initial attempts focus on the analysis of xanthohumol and associated metabolites excreted by
mice fed with high-fat diet. For this purpose we use contemporary mass spectrometry techniques to detect and
characterize xanthohumol’s biotransformation products and determine metabolite changes in the gut. The
experiments involve the extraction of metabolites from feces of mice fed designer diets (high fat diet with different
doses of xanthohumol) followed by their separation, detection and identification by liquid chromatography coupled
to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). LC-MS is a powerful tool to compare metabolic profiles of biological matrices,
highlight metabolites up- or down-regulated by a treatment and/or food and identify metabolites of interest to
monitor systems’ responses.
Cloning and characterization of radical SAM enzymes Allie Cloud, Kylie Konrath, and Rachel Hutcheson / Department of Chemistry, University of Portland, Portland,
OR 97203
Radical S-adenosylmethionine (radical SAM) enzymes encompass a diverse set of enzymes from all phylogeny
involved in a variety of pathways. While current research has elucidated many common mechanistic and structural
features of this superfamily, because of the sheer number of enzymes there remain many uncharacterized. To
further explore radical SAM enzyme chemistry four hypothetical, uncharacterized radical SAM enzymes were
selected from the Structure Function Linkage Database. Two of the genes, E. coli gene ID 646865326 (referred to
as HypRad SAM) and E. coli YliG gene (referred to as MiaB for its MiaB-like character), were amplified by PCR
and attempts have been made to ligate it into pET-14b for expression and further characterization. Two other
genes, C. botulinum GenBank # FR773526.1 (referred to as RadSAM2) and T. neapolitana gene ID 643635766
(referred to as RadSAMsub11), were cloned by Blue Heron, and we have successfully overexpressed, purified, and
quantitated the resulting proteins.
The promise of fungal cryptic genomes toward novel antimicrobial secondary metabolites:
Early assessments using Fusarium graminearum Jeff Gautschi,1 Kristina Smith,1,3 Molly Svendsen,1 Sarah Luelling,1 Jonathan Cook,1 Sandra Loesgen,2 Donovan
Adpressa,2 and Michael Freitag3 / 1Oregon State University-Cascades, Bend, OR 97702; 2Department of Chemistry,
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR 97331
The discovery of novel compounds with antibacterial properties continues to be critically important. One potential
source of these compounds is from the cryptic genome of fungi known to produce biologically active molecules. A
kmt6 mutant of the wheat-blight fungi Fusarium graminearum, developed previously through a H3K27
methyltransferase gene knockout, was shown to express thousands of additional genes as compared to the wild
type organism. In pursuit of early evidence for novel secondary metabolites from liquid broth grow-outs of this
mutant, we uncovered isotrichodermol, a compound not usually produced by the wild type F. graminearum. This
proof-of-concept spurred further studies to screen natural product extracts from the mutant using antimicrobial
disk-diffusion assays. Both the kmt6 mutant and the wild type F. graminearum, however, produce the known
biologically active fusarin C molecule and its analogs in high amounts. This activity can mask activity of non-
23
fusarin C compounds in early screening of extracts. Thus, a panel of five bacteria, including both gram negative
and gram-positive strains, was developed as an early screening tool to differentiate activity due to fusarin C or non-
fusarin C compounds. These early studies provide a promising outlook for pursuing novel antimicrobial agents
arising from the biosynthetic pathways found within fungal cryptic genomes.
In vitro analysis of the thyroid hormone receptor in mitochondrial transcription Kelsey Bruce, Dylan LeGrady, Adan Martinez, and Megan Bestwick / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College,
McMinnvile, OR 97128
The nucleus contains the majority of the cellular DNA, research related to transcription and translation focuses on
these processes within the nucleus and cytosol; however, these processes are also taking place within the
mitochondria which contains a circular genome. Transcription of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) follows similar
mechanisms as nuclear DNA. Specific mitochondrial transcription factors, such as TFAM and TFB2M, regulate
the attachment of the mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) to the promoter and transcription initiation. With
a fully functioning POLRMT, transcription is properly conducted, and transcripts can be translated to protein by
the mitochondrial ribosome. Mitochondrial transcription is a regulatory process within the organelle, and
determining transcription factors involved is important for understanding mitochondrial function and diseases
relating to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Numerous transcription factors are found both in the nucleus and in the mitochondria where their function is not
well understood. One such transcription factor is the thyroid hormone receptor. Previous research suggests that
when the hormone triiodothyronine (T3) is present and taken up in cells, mitochondrial transcription increases.
The mechanism behind the T3 stimulation of transcription is thought to be a coordinated effect by interacting with
both the mitochondrial and nuclear thyroid hormone receptor. Our aim is to analyze the level of interaction that
the mitochondrial thyroid hormone receptor (mt-TRalpha1) has with the mitochondrial DNA and other core
mitochondrial transcription factors in the presence and absence of the T3 hormone. With this information, we
begin to further understand mitochondrial transcription and its implications in mitochondrial dysfunction and
disease.
Characterization of n-butylSnOOH for nanopatterning: solution precursor and film Jenn Amador,1 Trey Dilius,2 Mengjun Li,3 Ryan T. Frederick,2 Sumit Saha,1 Eric L. Garfunkel,3 Douglas A.
Keszler,1 and Gregory S. Herman2 / 1Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331; 2School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
Radiation-sensitive oxo-hydroxo metal clusters have recently set a new standard for nanopatterning performance at
single-digit nm resolution. Compared with conventional polymer photoresists, these clusters have radii that are 3-4
times smaller, which contributes to high resolution and small line-edge roughness. These performance features are
achieved without sacrificing sensitivity. Among the cluster systems studied to date, organo tin species have
attracted special interest because of their high EUV absorption cross sections, high radiolytic efficiencies, and
high-resolution patterning performance. Consequently, they may support high-volume semiconductor
manufacturing. Few studies, however, have described the properties of the solution precursors, the as-deposited
cluster films, and the patterning mechanism. Herein, we describe findings from studies of the commercially
available tin material, n-butyltin oxide hydroxide (n-BuSnOOH), focusing on a 2-heptanone precursor solution and
the films deposited from it. We study solution speciation via NMR, X-ray diffraction, and SAXS and the films by
AFM, XPS, TOF-SIMS, and FTIR. The n-BuSnOOH precursor consists primarily of a unique tin-capped, sodium-
centered Keggin ion. Films studies reveal uniform morphologies, smooth surfaces, and details of compositions and
chemical states. UV exposure experiments demonstrate radiolytic cleavage of the Sn-C bond, which leads to loss
of the butyl group and cluster condensation.
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New colors in substituted α-ZnMoO4 -The role of metal-to-metal charge transfer Swagata Dey, Jun Li, and M. A. Subramanian / Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
97331
The A-site of the α-ZnMoO4 is unique with multiple coordination geometries. In α-ZnMoO4 (Pḹ space group),
Mo6+ ion is tetrahedrally coordinated by oxygen ligands. Two thirds of Zn2+ atoms are octahedrally coordinated by
oxygen ligands forming a distorted octahedra. Remaining one-third is coordinated by five oxygen ligands forming
a square pyramidal geometry. These two distinct geometries serve as possible sites for substitution of 3d transition
metal cations. The origin of color in transition metal molybdates is due to the charge transfer between the A-site
metal and B-Site metal. The A-site of ZnMoO4 has been substituted with Co2+ and Ni2+ resulting in Zn(1-
x)BxMoO4 where x=0.2-0.4 and B=Ni2+ and Co2+. The Ni-substituted solid solution is bright yellow in color, which
is s sharp contrast to the while ZnMoO4 and the lime green NiMoO4. The Co-substituted series is mauve-blue in
color. The charge transfer value for Zn0.8Co0.2MoO4 was found to be 3.16 eV which gives it an attractive mauve
color. The series were characterized using powder diffraction and the charge transfer energies were obtained from
UV Vis data, corrected using the Kubelka Munk function. The sharp increase in charge transfer energy when the
metal in a new coordination environment is unique and has not been explored in these compounds before. We have
been able to manipulate the MMCT values by forming solid solutions in these compounds.
Characterization and alignment of copper nanowires for future display and integrated
circuit applications Srikar Rao Darmakkolla, Mitra Ghobadi, Amanda F. Periera, Irene R. Aguilar, Ivangeline Liu, Ana Jenike, Musa
Tahir, and Shankar B. Rananvare / Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, OR, 97201
Nanomaterials possess significantly improved physical and chemical properties when compared to bulk counter
parts and are the basic components from which emerging and future nanotechnologies will be constructed. The
shape and dimensions of nanomaterials play important roles in determining its unique properties (e.g., optical,
electronic, catalytic, etc.). Especially, copper nanowires (Cu NWs) are highly attractive for a wide variety of
applications due to their high conductivity and cheap precursor cost. Here reported the results of aspect ratio
controlled copper nanowires (Cu NWs) synthesis and optimized reaction conditions for obtaining thin and smooth
surface on nanowires. Unidirectional alignment of the Cu NWs was achieved by coating a thin layer of
ferromagnetic nickel (Ni) on to the surface of Cu NWs (Cu@Ni) and tested the NWs alignment in presence of
magnetic field. Magnetic field assisted alignment of Cu@Ni NWs was explored for the applications of transparent
flexible displays and NWs based interconnects. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental mapping,
Orientation mapping and optical microscopy were employed to study the morphology and topography of as
synthesized nanowires.
Figure 1. Optical microscope images of nickel coated copper nanowires (Cu@Ni NWs) aligned in a single layer
(a) and double layer (b) using a magnetic field assisted method.
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Comparing the reaction pathways of polyoxometalate-based Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 thin-film
precursors Ryan H. Mansergh, Lauren B. Fullmer, Deok-Hie Park, May Nyman, and Douglas A. Keszler / Department of
Chemistry, 153 Gilbert Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
Tantalum oxide and niobium oxide thin films deposited via aqueous solutions of the tetramethylammonium (TMA)
salts of [H2Ta6O19]6- and [H3Nb6O19]5-, respectively, evidence differences one might not anticipate given the
structural similarity of these two Lindqvist ion species. While the [H2Ta6O19]6- specie yields dense and atomically
smooth films, films derived from the [H3Nb6O19]5- Lindqvist ion show significant increases in surface roughness
upon annealing. In addition to a collection of thin-film characterization techniques, the reaction pathways are
compared through the use of temperature-programmed desorption; and film surfaces are compared via X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that while similarities exist in the reaction pathways of these
precursors owing to the thermal decomposition of the TMA countercation, the differences in protonation between
these two species (as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction) are largely responsible for the markedly
different film properties.
Niobium oxide phosphate amorphous thin films for tuning refractive indexes Deok-Hie Park1, Kai Jiang2, Ryan H. Mansergh1, Robert S. Kokenyesi1, Jung-Ho Son3, William H. Casey3, and
Douglas A. Keszler1 / 1Department of Chemistry, 153 Gilbert Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2Inpria Corporation, 2001 Monroe Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330; 3Department of Chemistry, University of
California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616
We have discovered new peroxo-niobium phosphate clusters under acidic conditions and examined their
conversion to thin films. Polynuclear oxo-hydroxometal clusters under acidic conditions provide a unique route to
the formation of dense and atomically smooth thin oxide films. Niobium salts are commonly known to be
insoluble under acidic conditions. In combination with hydrogen peroxide and phosphoric acid, niobium is found
to be readily soluble at acidic pH, forming unique peroxo-niobium phosphate clusters without extraneous
counterions. These clusters can be spin coated to produce thin films of niobium oxide phosphates (NbPOx)
covering the range of P:Nb compositions from 0.5:1 to 2:1. Solution speciation was studied by electrospray
ionization mass spectrometry. Chemical compositions and phases of resulting NbPOx thin films were studied by
electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction. Thermal, structural, and optical properties of NbPOx thin
films including film morphology, density, surface roughness, thickness, refractive index, and band gap were
measured by temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, atomic
force microscopy, X-ray reflectivity, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and optical transmission and reflection
spectroscopy as functions of anneal temperature and P/Nb ratios of thin films. Our findings demonstrate new ways
to stabilize niobium clusters at low pH and how they can be employed to tune the optical properties of thin films.
Structure and selected properties of Zn2.5-xMxVMoO8 (M = Mn, Ni, Co, Cu) lyonsites J.N. Tang, J. Li, and M.A. Subramanian / Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
97331
The lyonsites are a relatively unexplored family of tunneled oxides, with a typical formula A4B3O12, usually
forming in the Pnma space group. Edge-shared AO6 octahedra and trigonal prisms comprise the tunnel, and an
uninterrupted chain of face-sharing AO6 octahedra extends through the center, connected to the tunnel via isolated
BO4 tetrahedra. With precedent for compositional flexibility, this structure type may have potential uses as
inexpensive functional materials. Cationic substitutions were made into the named vanadomolybdate, and were
calcined at 873-1173 K, resulting in colored pellets. PXRD and neutron diffraction data were refined for structural
determination. Magnetic susceptibility and diffuse reflectance measurements were carried out to explore the
structure-property relationships of this series.
26
Self-assembly of multiple small RNA fragments into an autocatalytic prebiotic system T.S. Jayathilaka and Niles Lehman / Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon 97201
The RNA World is the theoretical idea that there was a period in the early history of life on Earth when RNA, or
something chemically very similar, carried out most of the information processing and metabolic transformations
needed for life to emerge from chemistry. Life is based on biopolymers that have the ability to replicate
themselves. Ferris et al. described the abiotic synthesis of long prebiotic oligomers in the range of 20-30, from
activated monomers on catalytic montmorillonite surface. In an effort to find out how life emerged from
chemistry, it would be useful to be able to demonstrate that even shorter RNA oligomers can form stable
catalytically active contiguous ribozymes in vitro. This study describes a system that models prebiotic formation
of a catalytically active ribozyme by the recombination of inactive RNA oligonucleotides. For a prebiotic system,
we use the covalently self-assembling Azoarcus tRNA intron, which was previously described in Hayden &
Lehman (2006). Here we show the fragmentation and covalent self-assembly of the Azoarcus group I intron from
five shorter inactive RNA fragments. Furthermore, this system illustrates that continuous cycles of hydration-
dehydration enhance the chances that random shorter oligomers will recombine. These self-assembly reactions are
being tested under different hydration and dehydration conditions for a lengthy period of time to analyze how early
Earth conditions such as evaporation, and rehydration could affect the replication of an autocatalytic system.
Tor1 and yeast longevity via chronological lifespan assay Amelia Keyes and Megan Bestwick / Department of Chemistry, Linfield College; McMinnville, OR, 97128
TOR, Target of Rapamycin, is a highly conserved signaling pathway in eukaryotic organisms that was discovered
in the 1990s through its inhibition by rapamycin. There are two complexes formed, TORC1 and TORC2, with
TORC1 having either Tor1p or Tor2p and TORC2 having Tor2p. TOR pathway impacts metabolism, growth, cell
cycle progression, macromolecule biosynthesis, and autophagy through nutrient sensing. Inhibition of Tor1p
results in limited anabolism and halted normal cell cycle progression through the translation of defensive proteins
involved in cell adaption and tolerance to environmental stress. Stress signaling through creation of reactive
oxidative species (ROS) causes similar cellular response to Tor1p inhibition. It has been previously demonstrated
that reduced TOR pathway signaling extends chronological lifespan in the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae
by increased mitochondrial respiration, which increases the translation of defensive proteins that help reduce
cellular damage by ROS. Additionally, it has been shown that a number of proteins in the TOR pathway have a
response to rapamycin inhibition, most notably Sod1, Sod2, Ctr1, and Lys7. However, double gene deletion
strains of Δlys7/Δtor1, Δsod1/Δtor1, Δsod2/Δtor1, and Δctr1/Δtor1 are not well-characterized for their effects on
S. cerevisiae longevity. In this work, partial inhibition of TOR by deletion of TOR1 can be studied through S.
cerevisiae longevity via a chronological lifespan assay, with intention of studying the double gene deletion strains
of Δlys7/Δtor1, Δsod1/Δtor1, Δsod2/Δtor1, and Δctr1/Δtor1.
Understanding the structure-property relationships of the ferroelectric to relaxor
transition of the (1-x)BaTiO3-(x)BiInO3 lead-free piezoelectric system Alicia Manjón-Sanz, Caitlin Berger, and Michelle R. Dolgos / Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, Oregon, 97331
A structural and electromechanical investigation has been performed on (1-x)BaTiO3 – (x)BiInO3 in the region 0.03
≤ x ≤ 0.12. A gradual structural phase transition has been observed where the structure changes from tetragonal
(P4mm) and passes through two regions of coexisting phases: 1) P4mm + R3m in the range 0.03 ≤ x ≤ 0.075 and 2)
Pm3m̅ + R3m for 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.12. The properties also transition from ferroelectric (x ≤ 0.03) to relaxor ferroelectric
(x ≥ 0.05) as the dielectric permittivity maximum becomes temperature and frequency dependent. This transition
was also confirmed via polarization-electric field measurements as well as strain-electric field measurements. At
the critical composition of x = 0.065, a moderate strain of ~ 0.104% and an effective piezoelectric coefficient (d33*)
of 260 pm/V were observed. The original purpose of this study was to demonstrate the polarization extension
mechanism as predicted in the literature, but due to the ferroelectric to relaxor transition, this mechanism was not
27
found to be present in this system. However, this demonstrates that BaTiO3-based lead-free ceramics could be
modified to obtain enhanced electromechanical properties for actuator applications.
Unexpected biotransformation of the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat yields aniline-containing
fungal metabolites Donovon A. Adpressa1, Kayla Stalheim1, Philip J. Proteau2, and Sandra Loesgen1 / 1Department of Chemistry; 2College of Pharmacy. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330
The diversity of genetically encoded small molecules produced by filamentous fungi remains largely unexplored,
making these fungi an attractive source for the discovery of new compounds. However, accessing their full
chemical repertoire under common laboratory culture conditions is a challenge. Epigenetic manipulation of gene
expression has become a well-established tool for overcoming this obstacle. Here we report that perturbation of the
endophytic ascomycete Chalara sp. 6661, producer of the isofusidienol class of antibiotics, with the HDAC
inhibitor vorinostat resulted in the production of four new modified xanthones. The structures of chalanilines A and
B and two adenosine-coupled xanthones were determined by extensive NMR spectroscopic analyses and the
compounds tested in cytotoxicity and antimicrobial assays. Surprisingly, incorporation studies with deuterium-
labeled vorinostat indicate that the aniline moiety of vorinostat itself is incorporated into the structure of
chalaniline A. Thus, the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat induces Chalara sp. 6661 to not only produce adenosine-
coupled xanthones, but also to create new modified polyketide structures by providing an aniline precursor,
resulting in “unnatural” natural products. Our study represents the first report of fungal biotransformation of the
HDAC inhibitor vorinostat.
Effects of N-terminal disease mutations on HspB1 polydispersity Amanda Clouser1, Rachel Klevit1, and Thanh Chu2 / Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle,
WA; 2Department of Chemistry, Reed College, Portland, OR 97202
Every cell uses carefully regulated mechanisms for maintaining proteostasis in order to survive. Naturally or under
stress, proteins will misfold and aggregate, often leading to cell death and disease. Small heat shock proteins
(sHSPs), a class of molecular chaperones, are responsible for holding aggregation-prone proteins in a soluble state.
These sHSPs are found in all kingdoms of life and are implicated in numerous human diseases. HSPB1 (Hsp27),
the human sHSP addressed here, has mutations associated with severe neurological disorders and is seen
upregulated in certain types of cancer. HspB1 exists as an ensemble of oligomers of varying sizes (dimers to
~50mers) that readily interconvert subunits. This makes it a polydisperse protein. Three known classes of
interactions hold together sHSP oligomers: (1) ACDs (alpha crystalline domain) form dimers that serve as building
blocks for larger oligomers, (2) Conserved “IXI” motifs in the CTD bind neighboring ACDs, and (3) NTDs
interact in a heterogeneous manner that remains ill-defined. Modifications in the NTD of HSPB1 alter both
oligomeric propensity and chaperone ability, prompting investigation into structural mechanisms for these effects.
From our SEC spectra, we see that the NTD mutations affect oligomeric distribution and also chaperone ability as
shown in our fluorescence assay. At the same time, using SEC, we found that phosphorylation mimic mutations
(D3GXG) in HSPB1 NTD cause the oligomers to dissociate to form dimers and adopt altered local structure, as
shown in our CD spectra. When we introduce the NTD mutations to this D3GXG dimer background, the oligomers
have different distribution and chaperone activity. In addition, to study the kinetics of this system, we optimized
28
FRET to compare subunit exchange rate between wild type and mutated HspB1. In general, these observations,
together with more structural data from NMR, can help establish the elusive structural mechanism of the
intrinsically disordered HspB1.
The role of materials chemistry in designing advanced color inorganic pigments Elena A. Medina, Jun Li, and M.A. Subramanian / Department of Chemistry. Oregon State University, Corvallis,
OR, 97331
The searching for new, cheap, stable and non-toxic color inorganic pigments is one of the challenging task of
materials chemistry. Various colored inorganic oxides having different structures and shades have been prepared
and characterized using different methods and techniques: X-ray and neutron diffraction, UV-VIS and near-IR
spectroscopy, color characterization (L*a*b* parameters), magnetic properties measurements. Apatite-type
(Ba5Mn3-xMxO12Cl: M = P, V; x = 0-3.0), hibonite-type (AAl12-xMxO19: A = Ca, Sr, RE (rare earths) or any
combination thereof; M = Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu coupled with one of the following: Ga, In, Ti, Sn, Ge, Nb, Ta, Sb)
and Li2Mn1-xTixO3 (x = 0-1.0) compounds have been synthesized using solid state reactions. The color of Ba5Mn3-
xMxO12Cl (M = P, V; x = 0-3.0) series changes from white (x = 3.0) through turquoise (x = 1.5) to dark green (x = 0)
with increasing amount of manganese. Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr and Cu are chromophore ions and they are responsible for
the color of the hibonites. Rietveld refinements of neutron data showed that Ni2+, Mn2+ and Fe3+ occupy the
tetrahedral site, Mn3+ has a preference for both tetrahedral and octahedral sites, Ti4+ and Sn4+ for octahedral site in
the hibonite structure. Li2Mn1-xTixO3 (x = 0-1.0) samples show bright orange colors varying from dark brick red (x
= 0) to orange (x = 0.5) and light orange (x = 0.8). All studied phases have relatively high reflectance in the near-IR
(700-2500 nm) region, they can be promising materials for “Cool pigments” applications (paints, rubber, cosmetics
etc.).
Probing A-site disorder in iridate pyrochlores: Bi2-xCaxIr2O7-δ Gabriella Giampaoli1, Jun Li1, Arthur P. Ramirez2, Arthur W. Sleight1, and M.A. Subramanian,1 / 1Department of
Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 2Department of Physics, University of California, Santa
Cruz, CA 95064
The pyrochlore structure is very diverse and has many different practical applications. Pyrochlore iridates for
example are known for bearing the prerequisites for topological insulators due to the size of iridium, as well as the
propensity for spin-orbit coupling. Topologically insulating states have also been known to exist in Bismuth based
materials. A solid solution of the series Bi2-xCaxIr2O7-δ was synthesized up to x=1.0 in air, via standard solid state
synthesis. Phase purity was confirmed through X-ray and neutron diffraction analysis. Structural, magnetic, and
29
electrical properties were measured and analyzed to delve into the structure-property relations of the system. With
increasing Ca content, the system was found to undergo a unique structural distortion, where the calcium atom
shifts from the ideal crystallographic position, and pairs with an oxygen vacancy. This is the first time such a
distortion on the A-site has been mapped using neutron diffraction; normally pair distribution function (PDF)
analysis is used. Both high and low temperature electrical resistivity measurements (and concurrent thermopower
measurements) showed that the materials were metallic, as the resistivity is increasing with increasing temperature,
where the majority charge carriers change slightly in some of the compositions as the samples are heated,
suggesting that the conductivity could be performed through electron or hole migration. The magnetic
susceptibility measurements showed that the compounds were all pauli paramagnetic.
UV irradiation of thymine molecules and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Kelsey Mauk and Andrew Johnson / Math and Science Department, Concordia University, Portland, OR, 97211
When irradiated with UV light, adjacent pyrimidine bases undergo a photochemical reaction to form cyclobutane
pyrimidine dimers (CPD). Although this damage is often repaired, CPDs can cause issues with DNA replication
and transcription, and are believed to be one of the major sources of carcinogenic mutations created through DNA
replication. Although CPDs can be formed between any two pyrimidine bases, the most common dimers formed
are between two thymine molecules. Previous studies have shown success in the creation of thymine dimers by
irradiating frozen thymine solution with UV light, however techniques of analysis vary. Gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry (GCMS) is an effective method to easily separate and analyze organic compounds in a short amount
of time, however thymine is not volatile enough to be used in GCMS on its own. Because of this, thymine must
undergo derivatization in order to increase its volatility. In this study, we aim to determine a simple and cost-
effective method for synthesizing and analyzing thymine dimers within an educational lab setting, using gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry as our technique of analysis, and isobutyl chloroformate (IBCF) as our agent
of derivatization.
30
GEOGRAPHY
Section Chair:
Ted Eckmann
University of Portland
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Optimizing photovoltaic angles and rooftop coverage of solar panels versus vegetation in
Oregon Amanda M. Adams, Nicole E. Statler, and Ted C. Eckmann, / Department of Environmental Studies, University of
Portland, Portland, OR 97203
This study installed an automated weather station and measured solar radiation for a full calendar year to calculate
optimal tilt angles for photovoltaics in Oregon, accounting for clouds and multiple scattering. We then used these
results to mathematically model the energy and economic savings for vegetated roofs and roofs covered in varying
numbers of photovoltaic panels, accounting for installation costs, loan costs, state carbon taxes proposed for Oregon,
stormwater management discounts, and other relevant factors. In addition, we modeled the optimal ratio of
photovoltaics to vegetated roof area for newer and older buildings, along with returns on investments. Our results
quantify how, in Oregon and similar locations, photovoltaics produce higher return on investment than do vegetated
roofs for new office buildings, while vegetated roofs produce a better return on investment than do photovoltaics for
older buildings, whether used as offices or residences. This is significant because in many parts of Oregon, buildings
have photovoltaics when a vegetated roof would have been more cost and energy efficient, while other buildings
have vegetated roofs when photovoltaics would have been more cost and energy efficient. Our study suggests
potential applications such as modifying incentive programs and other policies to properly account for building age,
use, and other relevant factors to ensure building owners make the most energy-efficient decisions.
Novel methods for measuring microclimates inside large buildings to evaluate energy
efficiency Carla I. Cerda and Ted C. Eckmann, / Department of Environmental Studies, University of Portland, Portland, OR
97203
This study’s goal was to assess energy efficiency in buildings using over a dozen microclimate stations developed
by this study, each of which measures 15 atmospheric parameters at multiple heights with temporal resolutions down
to 2 seconds. This study also deployed thermal imaging cameras to analyze temperature changes within and outside
the buildings. By arranging these monitoring systems in spatial patterns like evenly-spaced arrays/transects, or
inside/outside building entrances, air ducts, and other features of interest, we measured the microclimates within and
near several buildings across multiple seasons in Portland, Oregon. Results show phenomena such as airflow exiting
the building and its effects on outdoor temperatures, as measured by an evenly-spaced array of microclimate stations
with a regression of air temperature versus distance from the building exhibiting an extremely strong correlation (R2
>0.999). Most other relationships investigated, such as indoor wind speeds, temperature differentials, pressure
gradients, and airflow directions are statistically highly significant (P < 0.0001) and reveal numerous opportunities
to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, such as by identifying conditions that result in air leakage and
quantifying heat gains/losses. This is important because the inefficiencies identified by our study not only produce
higher utility bills than necessary, but also make buildings less sustainable due to their increased energy consumption
and resulting impacts on global climate.
31
Oregon nuisance odor policy and its implementation Ted C. Eckmann / Department of Environmental Studies, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
Oregon state laws prohibit businesses from emitting odors which cause a nuisance, and Oregon’s Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) is responsible for implementing these laws. The first major test of these laws occurred
in 2016 when the Northwest Region of DEQ concluded a Daimler Trucks North America facility, which assembles
and paints heavy trucks, was not a source of nuisance odor. A parallel study by the University of Portland (UP)
contradicts this finding, but uses far more data: the UP study employs over 20,000 odor observations plus over
100,000 wind measurements, as compared to the DEQ study that uses only 760 data points and does not account for
spatial or temporal biases in their sampling. This presentation contrasts the methods and results from DEQ versus
those from UP, demonstrating the UP study is scientifically valid while DEQ’s study is not. UP’s results show that
paint odors were detected most frequently to the northwest of the Daimler plant, mostly when winds blew from the
southeast, suggesting Daimler’s facility is a likely source for much of this odor. Applications include information to
mitigate industrial odors in the area by reducing emissions from the source, or altering schedules so that emissions
only occur when winds would not push these odors towards nearby residential areas and thus not cause a nuisance.
This presentation will also examine Oregon’s nuisance odor laws and their implementation, plus highlight
recommendations based on the UP study for improving nuisance odor policy in Oregon and elsewhere.
Developing new soils to improve green roof performance in Oregon Summer L. Grandy, Brooke A. Holmes, Georgia L. Hastie, Zoe M. Shaw, and Ted C. Eckmann / Department of
Environmental Studies, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
In 2009, the University of Portland installed a green roof (also called an ecoroof) atop a campus building composed
of a monoculture of sedum species with a water retention fleece and a soil with a high field capacity. By 2014, the
ecoroof had been almost completely outcompeted by invasive grasses. To improve upon ecoroof design, this study
planted five sedum species native to Oregon, with one plant from the Dudleya genus in anticipation of Oregon’s
future climate as a result of climate change, and put all these plants in three new substrates that we developed with
varying drainage abilities. This two-year study monitored ecoroof performance by measuring soil moisture,
obtaining plant spectra, collecting micrometeorological data, and calculating vegetation indices including NDVI
(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index). This study developed a
new vegetation index to account for color variations in sedums called SGRVI (Sedum Green Roof Vegetation
Index). Sedum album in a soil with better drainage had the largest SGRVI increase and largest absorbency during
the study. Sedum species also showed lower variability in absorbency differences between substrate types than the
Dudleya genus, indicating Dudleya's higher sensitivity to substrate type. We concluded that this combination
would be the most effective on ecoroofs in Portland to reduce the urban heat island effect and reduce a building’s
energy consumption. Applications include improving ecoroof performance and cost effectiveness in Portland and
other similar climates.
Understanding evacuation capacity of an area through network performance analysis Kevin Henry1, Jeff Peters2, Amy Schweikert2, and Nathan Wood1 / 1United States Geological Survey, Western
Geographic Science Center, Portland, OR; 2United States Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center,
Menlo Park, CA
Communities across the United States are exposed to natural hazards that can require a mass evacuation of large
populations. Some hazards have enough warning time to suggest that evacuees can use personal vehicles to reach
safety. Therefore, it is important to understand the constraints of a road network under the load expected during a
mass evacuation. This can inform pre-hazard planning to mitigate losses associated with the inability to evacuate
from future extreme events. Geographers with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Geographic Science Center
will present a methodology for identifying the evacuation potential of an area through GIS demand modeling and
traffic simulation. The analysis results in two network performance metrics, one which describes congestion and
another that describes density and overall usage. These can be used to inform road capacity improvements and
emergency management positioning, respectively. These metrics can be mapped to identify specific sections of a
road network that are important during an evacuation. A case study of Bay Farm Island in Alameda, CA was
performed to develop and test the network performance analysis. Results show that 1-3% of the overall length of
roads can be seen as highly important to evacuation. Additionally, simulated mitigation in the form of road
32
capacity improvements on these links results in an average of 11% reduction in the time required to evacuate all
exposed populations, up to a 31% reduction. This study demonstrates that the methodology can be used in areas
with complex transportation networks where specific constraints to evacuation are unknown.
Modelling water quality trends in the Han River Basin, South Korea Janardan Mainali and Heejun Chang / Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR
The water quality is an important aspect of the health of the human and aquatic ecosystem. There are many factors
affecting physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. We analyzed spatial and temporal dynamics of
eight different water quality parameters- temperature, PH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved
oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solid (SS) - for
204 stations in the Han River Basin (HRB), South Korea. We also explored the relation between changes in water
quality parameters with dynamics of various biophysical and socio-economic variables. The Mann-Kendall test
was run for seasonally averaged monthly water quality parameters of winter, spring, summer, and fall from the
early 1990s to 2015. We use percentage land use, average elevation, slope, and population density at different
spatial scales as predictors of different water quality trends and use varieties of modeling approaches, including
ordinary least square regressions and geographically weighted regression (GWR). We find that a higher number of
stations reveal decreasing trend of water temperature in fall, and winter season while increasing trend in summer
and spring. There is an increasing trend of pH in most of the stations in all seasons. A higher number of stations are
with decreasing trend of TN in all seasons except winter. The TP is decreasing in most of the stations, in all
seasons except in the fall. The DO is increasing in all seasons with no stations with reduced DO over time, while
BOD is decreasing in most of the stations. The COD trend is mixed with about a quarter of stations having both
increasing and decreasing trend in most of the seasons. The concentration of SS is significantly decreasing in the
majority of stations. We explored the potential reasons behind these mixed signals of temporal trends of various
water quality parameters. The results of this work offer insight for managing water quality in relation to changing
the climate, land use, and socio-economic regime.
Thinking about Portland Metro’s Metroscope forecast Richard Lycan / Institute on Aging, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Portland Metro is responsible for coordination of land use and transportation planning in the Portland region. Their
planning responsibilities require them to develop population forecasts for the region. To product their forecasts
they developed the Metroscope model, an urban simulation model of the Herbert-Stevens variety. It provides
forecasts of population and housing units down to the census tract level as well as information on housing type and
tenure, income, household size, and the presence of children in the household. The results of the forecasts have not
been very available to the public. To open up this valuable data source the author developed an Excel spreadsheet
query tool. The tool will be described and the demonstrated. The Metroscope forecast will be compared to other
forecasts for the region, namely the county age/sex forecasts by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis (OEA)
and with census tract level forecasts by a Hamilton-Perry type model. A Hamilton-Perry model is a simplified
version of the cohort component model except that the data for Hamilton-Perry is wholly based on cohort age
group trends in the 2000 and 2010 Census and requires no assumptions about fertility, mortality, and net migration.
It extrapolates recent trends. The Metroscope, OEA, and Hamilton Perry models produce quite different results.
The Metroscope model boldly forecasts changes in how people will be housed and in the geography of these
changes. Many other programs depend on accurate population forecasts and so understanding how the results of
how and why the forecasts differ is important.
33
GEOLOGY
Section Chairs:
Scott Burns
Portland State University
Melinda Shimizu and Jeffrey Myers
Western Oregon University
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
The Late Miocene Canyon Hills Flora, Western San Bernardino County, CA: Oak-laurel
forest from lowlands west of the San Andreas Fault Jeffrey A. Myers1 and Diane M. Erwin2 / 1Department of Earth Science, Western Oregon University, Monmouth,
OR 97361; 2University of California, Berkeley, Museum of Paleontology, 1101 Valley Life Science Building, UC
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720; [email protected]
Fossil plants from paper shale of the ~ 7 Ma (Late Miocene) Soquel Member of the Puente Formation recovered
during excavation of the Canyon Hills housing project, Western San Bernardino County, California, provide an
important window into the geologically recent history of the California flora west of the San Andreas Fault (SAF).
The flora was deposited prior to formation of the modern SAF, when the San Bernardino region lay at the latitude
of modern northern Sonora, Mexico. The fossils are remarkably well preserved, and are interpreted to have been
deposited by turbidity currents at bathyal ocean depths. The Canyon Hills assemblage contains 11 identified taxa,
including a rush, two members of the laurel family – including the ubiquitous Miocene Persea coalingensis
(Avocado), two willows, two cottonwoods, two oaks, sycamore, and laurel sumac. Leaf margin analysis of the
flora yields a mean annual temperature estimate of ~ 22o, and the composition of the assemblage is consistent with
broadleaved evergreen oak-laurel forest growing in a subhumid, warm temperate/subtropical climate with no
significant winter frost, and at least some summer precipitation. The composition of the Canyon Hills assemblage
resembles that of other lowland late Miocene assemblages from west of the SAF suggesting the broad distribution
of a lowland oak laurel vegetation from Mexico through northern California, prior to formation of the modern
West Coast deserts starting in the late Miocene. Comparable summer-wet, warm temperate/subtropical lowland
forests are uncommon on the summer-dry West Coast today.
Spindle-like microfossils from the 3.0 Ba Farrel Quartzite of Western Australia Austin C Robinette and Gregory J Retallack / Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon Eugene, OR
97403-1272
Archaean spindle-like microfossils of the 3.0 Ga Farrell Quartzite and 3.42 Ga Strelley Pool Chert of Western
Australia and the 3.43 Ga Kromberg Formation of South Africa have attracted very different biological
interpretations. The spindle-like structures may have been the resting cysts of prokaryotic photosynthetic marine
planktonic cells. Expectations for that interpretation include radially symmetrical shape, limited size range (5-30
μm), limited range of carbon isotopic composition (δ13C -25±5‰ for cyanobacteria; δ13C -34±5‰ for sulfur
bacteria), few appendages or attached filaments, and no internal bodies. Another idea is that the spindle-like
structures were sporangia of Actinobacteria, now best known as prokaryotic soil decomposers. Expectations for
that hypothesis include asymmetric and elongate shape, large size (5-100 μm), highly varied carbon isotopic
composition (δ13C -13 to -50 ‰), attached filaments and multiple internal bodies. The spindle-like structures in
thin section show an elliptical shape with flange-like projections. Our 3D imaging of the structures confirms that
most are asymmetrical and more like a calzone than a discus. Published isotopic compositions of spindle-like
microfossils are quite varied (δ13C range of -30 to -40.5 ‰). We have also noted filaments attached to one end,
and occasionally coming from walls. They are much larger (20-60 µm in length) than other spheroidal microfossils
in the same thin section. Most spindles are empty of inclusions, but some have as many as three near-spheroidal
internal bodies. Our observations support interpretation of the spindle-like microfossils as actinobacterial
sporangia of permineralized paleosols.
34
The enigmatic fossil Protonympha from the Devonian of New York Gregory J. Retallack / Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
Protonympha is an enigmatic fossil represented by two species from the Middle (P. transversa) and Late Devonian
(P. salicifolia) of New York. Although interpreted in the past as a polychaete worm or starfish arm, Protonympha
is not found with marine fossils, but with fossil plants of a community dominated by lycopsids. This community
was a swamp woodland of Lepidosigillaria whitei, with ground cover of Haskinsia colophylla, fringing brackish to
freshwater coastal lagoons of the Catskill Delta. Protonympha shares with Ediacaran Vendobionta a quilted body
of unskeletonized biopolymer that is unusually resistant to burial compaction. In overall form, Protonympha is
most like the Ediacaran genus Spriggina. Protonympha has branching and tapering tubular structures radiating
from the bottom. These rhizine-like structures, thallus stratification, and internal chambers revealed by
petrographic thin sections, suggest affinities with lichenized Fungi. As for Cambrian Swartpuntia, and Ordovician-
Silurian Rutgersella, Protonympha may have been a post-Ediacaran vendobiont.
Volcanic rocks of the Oligocene to Miocene Western Cascade Volcanic Series in the
eastern part of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Southwest Oregon Jad D’Allura / Chemistry Department, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, 97520
Rocks of the Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene Western Cascade Volcanic Series crop out in the eastern
portion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southwestern Oregon. Rock types range from porphyritic
silicic basalt to rhyolite lava flows including heterolithologic and monolithologic breccia as well as volcanic
sandstone, rhyolitic tuff, and dikes. A significant change in volcanic chemistry occurred during the Oligocene to
Miocene transition. All rocks are inclined toward the north and northeast. Due to deep burial, these rocks have
suffered diagenetic to low grade (zeolitic) metamorphic alteration. Plagioclase is the dominant phenocryst
followed by two pyroxenes, hypersthene and augite, as well as ubiquitous titanomagnetite or magnetite.
Hypersthene is always the first pyroxene to form followed by augite. Olivine, represented mostly by its alteration
product iddingsite, occurs in the most mafic lavas. Augite, plagioclase, and opaques continue to crystallize in the
groundmass. Fractures form a prominent northwest-trending fabric and likely control concomitant or later
northwest-trending faults. Some dikes, also affected by diagenesis or low-grade metamorphism, follow the same
trend suggesting emplacement during or shortly after formation of the fractures. That relation suggests early
formation (during the middle to early Miocene before the eruption of Late Miocene High Cascade volcanoes) of
the area’s structural fabric.
Late-Miocene to Early-Pleistocene volcanism in the 7.5’ Parker Mountain Quadrangle of
Southern Oregon Martin Harris / Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403
Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene High Cascade volcanic rocks in the Parker Mountain Quadrangle of
Southwestern Oregon range from silicic basalt to basaltic andesite lava flows with rare breccia. At least six
unique flow units are identified. The Basaltic Andesite of Grizzly Mountain is the oldest (6.5 +/- 0.2 Ma) and is
the only unit containing clinopyroxene (3-4%) as well as olivine phenocrysts. The Basalt of Fall Creek (3.64 +/-
0.38 Ma) wraps around the north and western sides of Grizzly Mountain. The Basalt of Pinehurst Inn (3.4 +/- 0.09
Ma) is distinguished by its vesicular and often diktytaxitic texture. The Basalt of Juniper Glade based on relative
field locations is likely younger than the Basalt of Fall Creek and the Basalt of Pinehurst Inn. That basalt is
uniquely fine grained containing very small olivine and plagioclase phenocrysts. The Basalt of County line (2.02
+/-0.07 Ma) containing euhedral olivine crystals and a fine-grained groundmass lies in the northwestern part of the
quadrangle. The Basaltic Andesite of Parker Mountain with large glomeroporphyritic clots of olivine and
plagioclase is the youngest unit (1.8 +/- 0.2, 2.2 +/- 0.15, and 2.48 +/- 0.5 Ma) developing a large, gently sloping
shield volcano. On an AFM diagram the flows plot on both sides of the calc-alkaline-tholeiitic curve. Extensional
stresses could periodically widen conduits allowing rapid ascent whereas slower ascent at other times would favor
more crustal mixing and magma differentiation.
35
Terroir of the Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon Scott F. Burns / Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, [email protected]
Terroir is the relationship between geology, soils, climate and wine that produces different tastes in wines. It is the
Taste of the Place. I have divided the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon into three distinct terroir areas for wine
grapes: North Side, South Side and North. I define the dividing line between the two sides of the valley as being
the I-5 Highway which splits the valley. The northern side of the Rogue Valley is mostly weathered Tertiary
volcanic bedrock (Tn) of the Cascade Mountains. The rocks are a mixture of basalts and andesites with some
rhyolites, but they are between 10-40 million years old and are highly weathered. As a result, the soils are very
clay rich. There are also some alluvial fans near the rivers , but they too are made of clay rich soils. On the north
side one finds 12 wineries with a total of 247 acres in grapes. The slopes are mainly SW facing so the vineyards
get abundant heat, especially in the afternoon. The grapes are primarily warm weather grapes like cabernet
sauvignon, merlot, tempranillo, syrah, and viognier. About 10 % of the grapes are pinot noir and pinot gris. The
terroir of the south side of the valley is completely different from the north side. The geology is almost all alluvial
fans and stream terraces. There are 20 vineyards here with a total of 420 acres in grapes. Eleven of these
vineyards are owned by Quail Run Vineyards. Some of the fans are have fine-grained soils with few gravels and
cobbles on them, but others (like Stone River Winery and Pebblestone Cellars) have abundant coarse-grained
gravels and cobbles in the soils. The slopes are NE facing which means they are cooler in the afternoon allowing
grapes to be both warm climate grapes and cool climate grapes (160 acres of this area are in pinot noir grapes).
This portion of the Rogue Valley has very little interaction with the maritime air masses, and some feel that it is
also perfect for growing Rhone varietals. I have defined the North Rogue Valley as the Del Rio Vineyards at the
north end of the Rogue Valley and Sam’s Valley which is just over the hill to the north. There are five vineyards
in the region with 560 acres in grapes. A couple of the vineyards (Folin and Agate Ridge) are on the Tertiary
Volcanic bedrock (Tn) just like the north side of the Rogue Valley, but the majority of the acreage of this region is
on a group of alluvial fans which have better drained soils. The Del Rio Vineyard is the perfect example of an
alluvial fan vineyard. Grapes of this province are mainly warm climate grapes, but the 200 acre expansion of the
Del Rio Vineyard is totally pinot noir and pinot gris. Some say this area is perfect for growing Rhone varietals and
tempranillo. Climate-wise, Sam’s Valley does have temperature inversions in the winter, and in 2013 an inversion
caused a lot of loss of vines in the vineyards there.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Deuterium values from hydrated volcanic glass: a paleoelevation proxy for Oregon's
Cascade Range Tessa Carlson / Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Deuterium ratios (δD) of hydrated volcanic glass have been used to reconstruct Cenozoic paleoclimate. However,
the reliability and proper sample preparation protocol are currently debated. The Cascades are an excellent location
to study the validity of hydrated volcanic glass as a paleoenvironmental proxy for several reasons. Moisture is
derived from a single oceanic source and falls as orographic precipitation in the Cascades, leading to a
characteristic altitude effect, or inverse relationship between elevation and the isotopic composition of meteoric
water (δD). Additionally, past studies have inferred uplift of the Cascades since the Miocene based on changing
fossil assemblages and other isotopic proxies including carbonates and fossil teeth. In this study, hydrated tuff
samples from the lee of the Cascades were rinsed with hydrochloric acid and sonicated before glass shards were
hand-selected and analyzed for δD and wt. % water. These preliminary results show δD values becoming enriched
with time, the opposite trend of other paleowater proxy studies. A possible explanation for this trend is
contamination due to inadequate removal of precipitates from ash surfaces. Recent research asserts that
hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching during sample preparation is necessary to accurately measure δD values of
syndepositional water. The same ash units will be reanalyzed after preparation using HF abrasion and heavy liquid
separation. The data from these two subsets will be interpreted in the context of modern water across the range, as
well as other paleowater proxy and geologic studies to determine the usefulness of volcanic glass as a
paleoelevation proxy in the Pacific Northwest.
36
Melting in the mantle wedge: Quantifying the effects of crustal thickening and viscous
decoupling on melt production with application to the Cascadia subduction zone Jiaming Yang / Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Arc magmatism is sustained by the complex interactions between the subducting slab, the overriding plate, and the
mantle wedge. Partial melting of mantle peridotite is achieved by fluid induced flux melting and decompression
melting due to upward flow. The distribution of melting is sensitive to temperature, the pattern of flow, and the
pressure in the mantle wedge. The arc front is the surface manifestation of partial melting in the mantle wedge and
is characterized by a narrow chain of active volcanoes that migrate in time. The conventional interpretation is that
changes in slab dip angle lead to changes in the arc front position relative to the trench. I explore an alternative
hypothesis: evolution of the overlying plate, specifically thickening of the arc root, causes arc front migration. I
investigate the effects of crustal thickening and viscous decoupling of the shallow slab-mantle interface on melt
production using 2D numerical models involving a stationary overriding plate, a subducting plate with prescribed
motion, and a dynamic mantle wedge. Melt production is quantified using a hydrous melting parameterization. I
conclude that crustal thickening beneath the arc front modifies the rate of melt production and induces a separation
in fore-arc and back-arc mantle melt generation; and viscous decoupling limits the trenchward extent of melt
production.
37
HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL STUDY OF
SCIENCE
Section Chair:
Randall Smith
Portland State University
THE HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS SECTION,
OREGON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE WILL NOT CONVENE THIS YEAR
The History and Philosophy of Science, Social Science and Environmental Ethics Section of the Oregon Academy
of Science (OAS) will not convene or assemble this year. There were conflicting and tragic elements that came into play,
but we will again convene in 2018. Thank you for your interest in this section.
Last year we convened a special symposium on the occupation of the Malheur national Wildlife Refute, which
occurred January 2 — February 11, 2016. You may recognize the important discussion that has developed about the role of
public lands in conservation and the development of continuing environmental ethic in the face of troubling disruption of
governmental programs. We hope to continue this discussion when we reconvene next year.
In this climate, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) has found it necessary to issue a booklet on guidelines if
you, as a scientist, are personally or professionally attacked, or if your work is attacked in an intimidating or demeaning
way. This is deeply troubling as we have a history of the abuse of ideas in our history of science.
During this year, I would welcome ideas and letters from you on these concerns so that we may address them next
year. If you send an e-mail, please begin the subject line with the All CAPS bracket [OAS], as it will help sort your ideas
from unknown or blocked mail.
Better yet, please write to me by regular mail:
Dr. Randall W. Smith,
Portland State University,
Department of Physics,
P.O. Box 751-PHY,
Portland, Oregon 97207
.
Thank you for your continuing interest in this OAS section and in the complex history and philosophy of science
and the environmental and scientific ethics that are critical for a rational future in good science and science education.
Sincerely,
Randy
Randall W. Smith, Ph.D., Chair
Oregon Academy of Science,
Section on the History and Philosophy of Science
38
PHYSICS
Section Chair:
Scott Prahl
Oregon Institute of Technology
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Experimental realization of a single-photon quantum Cheshire cat James P. Ashby and Peter D. Schwarz, and Maximilian Schlosshauer / Department of Physics, University of
Portland, Portland, OR 97203
The quantum Cheshire cat is a quantum paradox in which a quantum particle becomes separated from one of its
properties. Here we report the first experimental realization of a quantum Cheshire cat based on single photons. In
our experiment, a photon is sent through a modified Sagnac interferometer with displaced paths (Figure 1). We
probe the presence of the photon and its polarization in the two arms of the interferometer by placing a weak
absorber (realized as a Brewster-angle glass slide) into one arm, and by performing small polarization rotations in
the other arm. The effect of these weak quantum measurements is registered by analyzing the resulting changes in
the postselected state of the photon after passage through the interferometer. In excellent agreement with
theoretical predictions, we find that the final detection signal is sensitive to a measurement of photon presence only
in one arm of the interferometer, while the polarization rotation affects the signal only if carried out in the other
arm. Since the measurements of presence and polarization are performed simultaneously, these observations imply
that (in the sense of the ensemble averages described by quantum weak values) the photon is present in one arm
while its polarization is found in the other arm. This separation of the photon from its polarization establishes a
photonic quantum Cheshire cat.
Figure 1: (PL) 405-nm diode laser; (DC) beta-barium borate down-conversion crystal; (BS) nonpolarizing beam
splitter; (GS) microscope glass slides; (HWP) half-wave plate; (PBS) polarizing beam splitter.
39
The (weak) gravitational field of a Dirac monopole Ella Banyas and Joel Franklin / Department of Physics, Reed College, Portland, OR 97202
We establish the gravitational detectability of Dirac monopole using a weak-field limit of general relativity, which
can be developed from Newtonian gravity by incorporating energetic sources. We verify that the resulting potential
matches the weak-field limit of two different solutions to Einstein’s equation of general relativity: one associated
with the magnetically monopolar spray of field lines emanating from the semi-infinite solenoid that forms the
“string” of the Dirac monopole, and the other associated with the field-energetic source of the solenoid itself. We
calculate some representative interesting trajectories of test particles in the vicinity of the string to demonstrate the
exotic signature of the monopole’s gravitational field, and comment on the issues of detectability and gauge
freedom.
From crystallographic information in curated databases to 3D printed models I. Cheung, Paul DeStefano, and Peter Moeck / Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, OR
97201
This talk will discuss effective methods to convert information on atomic arrangements in molecules and crystals
to 3D print files. General background on 3D printing will be provided and we will also report on our first
experiences with a Cube 3D printer that 3D Systems Corporation donated to our research group. Common to all
three methods, we concentrate in this talk on the two that we found to be most effective. Both methods require as
input crystallographic information in the form of CIF (Crystallographic Information Framework) files. Such files
may found at http://www.crystallography.net/cod the website of the Crystallography Open Database (COD) and its
mirrors (e.g., http://nanocrystallography.net). The COD is an open-access collection of crystal structures organic,
inorganic, metal-organic compounds and mineral with more than 170,000 entries. While the CSD (Cambridge
Structural Database, http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/structures) collects the structure of all organics without a
subscription to this database, one can download individual structural files at the free service part of the CSD
website, but we found it is not very helpful. W.Kaminsky [1] created Cif2VRML allowing for visual manipulation,
it requires one-click but only for Windows. CIF files from anywhere into this program all can be converted in CSD
to 3D printed files as VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) for multiple colors and STL (Stereolithography)
file for a single color. In previous testing, this method successfully converted more 30,000 from COD into VRML
format and more than 10,000 to STL format. Both methods are effective for almost everybody who would like to
make models themselves.
[1] Kaminsky, W. et al. One-click preparation of 3D print files (*.stl, *.wrl) from *.cif (crystallographic
information framework) data using Cif2VRML, Powder Diffraction, 29(S2), S42-S47, (2014).
Dealing with non-disjoint plane symmetry groups Andrew Dempsey and Peter Moeck / Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201
Existing crystallographic image processing (CIP) programs such as CRISP, EDM, and 2dx, are incapable of
automatically determining the plane symmetry of a 2D periodic array of physical objects that has been imaged with
a minimum of systematic imaging errors. Instead, these programs provide plane symmetry deviation quantifiers
[1], which assist the user in estimating by inductive reasoning the most-likely plane symmetry of the
aforementioned 2D periodic array of objects. In all cases, it is up to the user to select the most-likely group on the
basis of up to three symmetry deviation quantifiers, namely the Fourier coefficient phase residuals, the Fourier
coefficient amplitude residuals, and the extinction ratios, which must be interpreted according to arbitrarily-set
thresholds and certain “rules of thumb [1].” This reliance on arbitrary thresholds results directly from the fact that
many of the 17 crystallographic plane symmetry groups are non-disjoint, and as such there exist certain inclusion
relations between them [1]. Inclusion relations, or nested models, complicate model selection on the basis of noisy
data in that any distance measure will always favor the least-constrained model [2]. We announce the ongoing
development of a CIP program utilizing new deviation quantifiers based on geometric Akaike Information Criteria
40
[1,2]), that will be capable of automatically determining the most-likely plane symmetry of a 2D periodic array of
objects from a noisy image. Furthermore, we mention our ongoing work as custodians of the CIP Wikipedia page.
[1] Bilyeu, T.T., Crystallographic Image Processing with Unambiguous 2D Bravais Lattice Identification on the
Basis of a Geometric Akaike Information Criterion, M.S. Thesis, Portland State University, 2013.
[2] Kanatani, K. “Geometric Information Criterion for Model Selection,” Int. J. Comput. Vision, 26, 171–189,
1998.
Find, build, and export information for 3D printing of your favorite molecules and crystal
structures at two dedicated websites Paul DeStefano, Peter Moeck, and Izzy Cheung / Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201
As 3D printers require instructions, the Nano-Crystallography Group at Portland State University is in the process
of creating two websites (http://nanocrystallography.org/3d-convert/ and
http://nanocrystallography.research.pdx.edu/3d-print-files/convert/) where such instructions are created,
interactively, for the atomic arrangements of virtually all known molecules and crystals.
We will prepare a “pipeline” into which crystallographic information enters from two curated open access
crystallographic databases, is manipulated to create the desired 3D models, and then is exported in either STL
format (the standard format for stereolithography, i.e. typical monochrome 3D printing) or VRML/X3D (the ISO
standard for web-enabled 3D graphics and color 3D printing). The two aforementioned databases are the North-
American mirror of the Crystallography Open Database and the Open Access Crystallography project that our
group has maintained for more than a decade. Users may upload their own structural information in the
Crystallographic Information Framework format if it cannot be found among the over 350,000 previously
contributed entries. Following a recent paper [V. Scalfani et al., J Cheminform 8, 66 (2016)], Bob Hanson’s
Jmol/JSmol atomic arrangements visualization applets (http://jmol.sourceforge.net/ and
https://sourceforge.net/projects/jsmol/) will be integrated into our sites. This tool interprets CIF data loaded directly
from the databases. Unlike other modelling software, Jmol/JSmol runs in the web-browser, no need to install it. It
produces a digital 3D model and interactive visualization. Users may then easily manipulate the model to create
their most desirable representation, e.g. a “mini-crystal” by packing many unit cells into blocks. The designed
model can then be exported to a 3D print file.
Listening to lasers, the building of a simple photoacoustic spectrometer Mike Hopkins1, Jim Goeks2, Brien Schultz2, and Ryan Lerud1,2 / 1Department of Physics, Portland State University,
Portland, OR 97201; 2CID Biosciences, Camas, WA 98607
Herein lies the makings of a sensor for gaseous materials due to the technique known as photo-acoustic
spectroscopy. Whereby a gas filled metallic tube of known resonance has an impingement to its open aspect a
beam of photons of known colour and at a specified rate such that the rate of incoming light corpuscles matches the
natural standing wave frequency for the column of gas within said tube, to wit resonance. Through foresight of the
molecular orbital theory and historic datums on the subject of infrared spectroscopy one naturally comes to the
employment of absorbance of less energetic photons transfiguring energy to kinetic motions within a known gas
species as a mechanism for spectroscopic analysis. Many fortnights gone by, a device of these humours was
constructed and found not wanting in capability, herein lies a paper shewing and a telling of its constructor.
Irreversible matrix remodeling between cells and cellular interactions with collagen
bundle Jihan Kim and Bo Sun / Department of Physics. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR 97331
When cells are surrounded by complex environment, they continuously probe and interact with it by applying
cellular traction forces. As cells apply traction forces, they can sense rigidity of their local environment and
remodel the matrix microstructure simultaneously. Previous study shows that single human carcinoma cell (MDA-
MB-231) remodeled its surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) and the remodeled matrix was reversible.
However, ECM microstructural change between a pair of cells is significantly different from a single cell case.
Highly densified collagen bundle was formed between a pair of cells. In this study, we examined microstructure of
41
collagen bundle and cellular interactions along the bundle using quantitative confocal microscopy. The result
shows that irreversibility of collagen bundle is correlated with stress dwelling time. The bundle becomes more
permanent as cells apply traction force longer. Highly aligned and densified bundle become more rigid than
surrounding ECM.
As a result, cell forms more actin fibers, which is a key element for cell traction force, towards the bundle direction
than other directions. Due to the actin dynamics along the bundle, cell pairs tend to migrate toward each other.
Altogether, this study provides insights of cell-cell interactions within ECM and their responses as a direction of
migration.
Goals and methods of observing the radio Sun during an eclipse Bob McGown1, and Robert Ewing2 / 1Portland State University, Portland, OR; 2Portland Community College,
Portland, OR
During the August 21, 2017 eclipse, there will radio artifacts visible in some seldom explored areas in solar radio
wavelengths of 10.714cm, 11.32cm, 21.2cm, 1.2245m and 49.18 meters. This will be measurable by means of
diffraction, as the eclipse displays unusual optical and radio shadow bands. One of our goals is to observe and
measure the Umbra radio shadow and the Penumbra radio shadow of the total eclipse on the disc and limb of the
Moon. Using advanced FM Ham recording receivers and radio telescopes, we will interface the receivers with
computers and data logging software. Another one of our goals is to record type I, II, III, IV, and V solar events
with unique clarity shortly before and after the eclipse, using an ICOM 7300 transceiver below 74 MHz.
Calculations of the flux density can be derived black body spectrum, Boltzmann’s constant and limb temperature.
Radio observations will compare information of emissivity of the outer regions. The corona streamers are only
visible during totality and other unusual artifacts like the magnetic sector boundaries. The corona radiation that is
at 100,000 to 700,000 km radius from the solar surface is also measurable in radio frequencies, visible above the
limb of the Moon’s disc during the eclipse.
High-field terahertz carrier dynamics in carbon nanotubes Ali Mousavian1 , Byounghwak Lee1, Michael J. Paul1, Zachary J. Thompson1, Andrew D. Stickel1, Eui Yun Jang2,
Yong Hyup Kim2, Jisoo Kyoung3, Dai-Sik Kim3, and Yun-Shik Lee1 / Department of Physics, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331; 2 School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National
University, Seoul 151-744, South Korea; 3 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University,
Seoul 151-747, South Korea
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have exceptional electrical and optical properties which have inspired unique
applications in nanoscale optoelectronics. In particular, the high-field electrodynamics of CNTs at terahertz (THz)
frequencies are of great interest not only for fundamental materials research but also for practical applications such
as high-speed electronics. We present an experimental study demonstrating anisotropic nonlinear THz
transmission in free standing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). Unidirectionally aligned free-standing
MWNTs form a quasi-one-dimensional semi-metallic structure and exhibit highly anisotropic linear and nonlinear
THz responses. Unlike a typical conducting medium in which strong THz pulses induce transparency, intense THz
fields enhance absorption in MWNTs, which suggests that strong THz fields efficiently generate charge carriers in
MWNTs. For a better understanding of the THz induced nonlinear effects, we carry out THz time-domain
spectroscopy of the MWNT samples for the parallel polarization configuration. We obtain the complex refractive
index of the MWNT samples analyzing the amplitude and phase spectra of the transmitted THz pulses. The fitting
curves based on the Drude model agree well with the experimental results. The real part of permittivity is
spectrally flat and negative, while the imaginary part shows a pattern inversely proportional to the frequency,
corresponding to free-carrier contribution. Surprisingly, the THz induced absorption does not monotonically
increase when the MWNTs are optically excited. THz fields induce transparency at intermediate field strengths,
indicating that exotic quantum effects such as resonant quantum tunneling govern the photocarrier dynamics in
MWNTs.
42
Ca2+ signaling response to UV light in HUVEC cells Garrett Potter and Bo Sun / Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97330
Understanding the signaling behavior of vascular endothelial cells is vitally important from a human health and
pharmacological standpoint that has traditionally been studied via cell isolation and utilization of a large chemical
toolbox. Recently, however, developments in cell-light interaction have emerged as an effective tool for studying
cell signaling behavior that avoids some of the pitfalls of more traditional approaches. This research has identified
a previously unreported Ca2+ signaling response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to UV light.
Using simple microfluidics and a tunable UV source, we have demonstrated control over the Ca2+ response
allowing for the characterization of the UV response and identification of the underlying mechanism. Our results
show that the Ca2+ response is both wavelength and power dependent. We have also found that the HUVEC cells
are capable of integrating UV dosage by exhibiting ratchet like behavior. Finally, we determined the underlying
pathway involved in the Ca2+ response to UV light.
Quantum Learning Edmund D. Williams / Amity High School, 807 S Trade St., Amity, OR 97101.
Since the time of the Aristotle, people have wondered what part of humans makes us different from other species
and even from the ground we walk on. The Greeks responded that humans have a soul which gives us our
consciousness and intelligence. Progress in science says that it is our brains that gives us our intelligence and
works via a string of firing neurons. Knowing this, people have attempted to recreate intelligence in computers
since computing came into existence. While computers have made amazing progress in the past 50 years,
researchers have yet to make a computer with intelligence. This paper examines one of the bare requirements for
artificial intelligence: learning. While there have been many programs created that react to a set of criteria to make
decisions, there have been very few quantum algorithms made to simulate intelligence. However, to give a
computer the ability to learn on its own is the true challenge in making intelligent programs. In this project, the
learning rates of quantum computer algorithm, classical computer algorithm, and a champion algorithm (an
algorithm that will not make mistakes) were compared as they faced off in a series of Tic-Tac-Toe games.
43
PSYCHOLOGY
Section Chair:
David Foster
Western Oregon University
Björn Bergström
Pacific University School of Graduate Psychology
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Destruction of or by nature: Response to human-altered environments Cody Welty, Clarissa Toplar, and Ethan A. McMahan / Department of Psychology, Western Oregon University,
Monmouth, OR, 97361
A large number of scholars from a variety of disciplines have stated that being in nature improves psychological
health. However, previous research has not examined the various environment-specific factors that may impact
responses to nature. To address this issue, we researched the effects of human-induced alteration on responses to
natural environments using a between-subjects experimental design. We examined whether exposure to human-
altered versus non-altered natural environments impacted concurrent emotional state and cognitive assessments
with regard to environmental quality and preference. It was hypothesized that participants would indicate more
positive affective responses to the non-altered natural environment and view this environment as more valuable
than the human-altered natural environment. Participants were instructed to watch a seven minute photographic
slideshow using a head-mounted display. The slideshow started with a vignette describing a natural area. The
vignette provided to participants varied, such that half of the participants received a vignette describing a non-
altered or human-altered natural environment. After displaying the vignette, the video transitioned to five
sequential photographs of a natural area. Following the five photos, participants were instructed to complete a
variety of self-reported measures. Data collection is ongoing; however, initial results generally indicate higher
levels of positive affect, lower levels of negative affect, and higher levels of connectedness to nature following
exposure to the non-altered environment when compared to the human-altered environment. Discussion will focus
on the implications of the current findings for theory and research on positive psychological responses to nature.
Examining the work-family-school demands of non-traditional college students and their
satisfaction with life; A mixed methods approach Emily Denning, Danielle Payne, Brittany Cole, and Debi Brannan / Department of Behavioral Science, Western
Oregon University, Monmouth, OR 97361
Non-traditional students are an increasing population of universities, with the National Center for Education
Statistics (2000) reporting that 73% of all new and returning students are considered non-traditional. Non-
traditional students have systematically different needs and experiences than their traditional counterparts, and
research has shown that their school demands interfere with both family and work (Kirby, Biever, Martinez &
Gomez, 2004). To further investigate this important group, this study examined students who were working at
least part time, going to school at least part time, and lived with a family member or partner. Hierarchical
regression analyses found that support from family was key to increasing well-being, specifically support from
family, significantly predicted higher levels of Satisfaction with Life (SWL) t (56) = 2.81, p =.007. Conversely,
when school stressors had a direct impact on family and home life SWL went down significantly, SWL t(56) = -
3.10 p = .003. These results are consistent with the qualitative data gathered in the study. For example, students
reported the positive impact of family support, explaining, “My family is really proud of me and supports my
college education, they want me to succeed in life.” Conversely, one participant told us about the negative aspects
that being a student and working can have on their family, expressing, “School has impacted my family life
44
because I don’t get to spend time with them and because of either work or school, I’m too tired to do anything.” In
sum, results indicated that family plays a very important part in increasing the quality of life for students
maintaining multiple roles. Moreover, it is critical to be aware of role-specific stress for students and the effect it
has on their satisfaction with life.
Marginalization in research: PTSD assessment for people with intellectual disabilities Amanda Kallunki and Lisa R. Christiansen / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR,
97123
People diagnosed with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience abuse at a higher rate than all other disabilities as
indicated by the Bureau of Statistics in the Department of Justice (Harrell, 2015). Similar international data
suggests elevated risk of trauma for people with ID cross-culturally. People with ID are more prone to
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than individuals without ID due to higher rates of risk factors shown to
increase propensity for the disorder (Catani & Sossalla, 2015). While current cross-cultural studies indicate the
need for standardized PTSD treatment and assessment for people with ID, researchers within the United States
have neglected this population in PTSD assessment and treatment. This disparity in PTSD literature marginalizes
people diagnosed with ID by delaying treatment and furthering pathology. Standardizing PTSD assessment in
individuals with ID is vital to early detection, treatment equity, and effective treatment delivery.
Career or graduate school: The steps taken after a psychology degree Kyla N. Bredimus, Rochelle R. Cochrane, Elizabeth Fields, and Tashawna Wright / Psychological Sciences
Department, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR 97361
As career advising becomes an increasingly important educational focus, many psychology programs are
developing approaches to facilitate student career exploration. Alumni are a valuable resource for providing
information about jobs, graduate school, and for countering the myth that “you can’t get a job with a bachelor’s
degree in psychology.” This presentation describes a project designed to connect current psychology
undergraduates with alumni from the same program. Purposive sampling was used to recruit diverse alumni
following different career paths (i.e., graduate school or straight to work), representing alumni who identified as
first generation, nontraditional, Latina/Latino or as a student of color. Trained undergraduate research assistants
conducted semi-structured interviews with alumni (N = 60) to understand decision-making with respect to getting a
job following graduation or attending graduate school. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, checked for
reliability, and then coded and analyzed using the consensual qualitative research (CQR) model (Hill, Thompson,
Williams, 1997). Researchers explored the ideas that emerged when alumni reflected on their ending time as an
undergraduate psychology major and figuring out next steps. Specifically, we considered how alumni chose to
attend graduate school or get a job immediately following graduation. Themes to be considered include
uncertainty about next steps, relationships that influenced decision making, and willingness to explore different
options. Additionally we review researcher biases that can influence the coding process. Benefits for current
students, alumni, and faculty are discussed including implications for career advising.
Emotion regulation differences in successful psychopaths Natalia Kazakova, Björn Bergström / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR 97123
Psychopathy is a social construct that describes a type of personality characterized by lack of empathy, blunted
affect, proneness to boredom, promiscuity, and manipulation for personal gain (Hare, 1999). Criminal psychopathy
is typically diagnosed via the Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003), whereas the Levenson Self
Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995) may be used for assessing psychopathy
in non-incarcerated populations. The DSM-V nests psychopathy under the category of antisocial personality
disorder (ASPD; APA, 2013). Successful, high-functioning psychopathy appears to be three times more prevalent
in the United States than criminal psychopathy (Dutton, 2012), but most research has focused on the latter.
Because psychopathy may be associated with occupational achievement in high-stress environments,
characteristics of successful psychopaths should be better understood and researched as a resource to learn about
emotion-regulation strategies that help them achieve success. Hardiness mediates the relationship between
psychopathy and anxiety (Sandvik, Hansern, Hystad, Johnsen, & Bartone, 2015). In high-stress occupations,
45
hardiness is associated with mental and physical health via adaptive coping mechanisms (Florian, Mikulincer, &
Taubman, 1995). Reappraisal, mentally reframing negative events in a positive way, is associated with
psychological well-being (Gross & John, 2003). Alternatively, suppression involves hiding negative emotionality
and relates to poor mental and physical health outcomes. This research will review extant literature on successful
psychopathy, hardiness, and emotion regulation strategies to examine how successful psychopaths manage stress.
Lastly, conclusions and recommendations will be made for future practical applications and research.
tDCS: A review concerning treatment effectiveness Josephina Losco and Joel Alexander / Department of Psychological Science, Western Oregon University, 318
Todd Hall, 345 N. Monmouth Ave., Monmouth, OR 97361
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has attracted much attention in the last decade, many cognitive
psychologists are exploring its potential to rehabilitate individuals with motor deficits. Yet, the effectiveness of this
treatment remain unknown. tDCS holds promise for stimulation and de-stimulation in the brain. Despite this recent
spike in attention, few studies have investigated the effects of tDCS. In most of the existing studies, tDCS is used
to treat deficits that are a result of stroke or brain injuries. This presentation ultimately resulted in an in-depth
analysis and review to answer the question, “how effective overall is tDCS”? More specifically, which populations
will indicate the most significant improvement due to this treatment, is there a particular part of the brain that is
more responsive to this stimulation, and other statistical findings. 60 articles were used for the analysis meeting the
following criteria: uses transcranial direct stimulation, individuals are experiencing motor deficits or other stroke
related deficits, such as aphasia, and were all empirical articles or meta-analyses. Review reveals relatively
consistent effects regarding tDCS application.
State of resilience health factors in Oregon national guardsmen Alexa Landsman and Lisa Chrisitansen / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR 97123
In the state of Oregon there are currently 5,913 Army National Guard service members. Since 2001, concentrated
war efforts abroad have caused an influx of Reserve service members to be called in to active duty which may
include duty to deploy. Working abroad in combat or noncombat settings continues to significantly impact the
mental health of our Reserve service members. Assessing the risk and resilience factors unique to Oregon's
Reserve population will enable mental health professionals to identify intra- and interpersonal issues that may
preclude this population from an optimal quality of life. Potential risk factors based on literature review are
presented and methodology to conduct an assessment specific to Oregon is proposed.
Single session exposure therapy for children with school-based selective mutism Morgan Bolen, Blake Gimbel, Kate MacLeod, and Björn Bergström / Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR 97123
Selective Mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder that primarily affects school-aged children. It is characterized by
the inability to speak in certain settings (e.g., school), despite being able to speak in other settings (e.g., home, in
the community). Exposure-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Selective Mutism is a multimethod approach
that accounts for symptoms in the larger context of the child’s environment, such as the school setting (Wong,
2010). One-session treatment (OST), a variant of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, combines graduated in vivo
exposure, participant modeling, reinforcement, psychoeducation, cognitive challenges, and skills training in an
intensive treatment model (Davis, Ollendick & Ost, 2009). As noted by Ost (2012), intensive treatment is thought
to produce more rapid and lasting change than spaced practice. Examination of the effectiveness of OST for
Selective Mutism is worthy to pursue because findings could have implications for children from rural or
underserved areas, parents who have limited time for multiple sessions, or others that may have motivational
difficulties attending sessions over a longer term (Davis et al., 2009). Additionally, OST may reduce costs of
intervention and allow clinicians to address client needs in a more efficient manner. Despite the potential benefit of
OST for Selective Mutism, questions concerning comorbid diagnoses and format of delivery must be addressed.
This presentation discusses research for the use of OST for Selective Mutism and proposes areas for further
research in possible utilization of OST as a treatment for this disorder.
46
Predictive validity of Oregon State juvenile recidivism risk assessments for African
American youth Chanel Dismuke, Jane M. Tram, Cassendra E. Caceres, and Tammy Truijens / School of Graduate Psychology,
Pacific University of Oregon, Hillsboro, OR, 97123
In the State of Oregon, youth recidivism rates vary between 20 and 34 percent, with African American youth
experiencing one of the highest rates of recidivism (OJJDP, 2013). The recidivism rate recidivism is made more
startling given that African American youth population hovers around three percent of the total population (US
Census Bureau, 2010). The primary goal of the juvenile justice system is to reduce the rate of recidivism through
rehabilitative services for youth in contact with the juvenile justice system. To meet this goal, two recidivism risk
assessment measures were developed in an effort to identify youth at various risk levels of future offending and
incarceration. The Oregon Juvenile Crime Prevention Assessment (JCP, 2006) and the Oregon Youth Authority
Recidivism Risk Assessment (ORRA, 2011) are currently utilized in every county in Oregon regardless of ethnic
minority status, among other important demographic variables. There is evidence that the ORRA and JCP may
demonstrate less predictive validity with African American youth in the juvenile justice system. The accuracy of
these measures is especially important given the JCP and ORRA influence the type of sentencing and services
youth receive within the juvenile correctional system, which can, in turn, impact future developmental,
educational, and socioeconomic opportunities (Baird, Healy, Johnson, Bogie, Dankert, Scharenbroch, 2013). In
this presentation we will discuss the current study examining the predictive validity and limitations of the ORRA
and JCP recidivism risk assessment measures with African American youth in the Oregon juvenile justice system.
The relationships between grandfathers and young adult grandchildren: An exploratory
qualitative study Bethany Jensen, Gillian Quaal, and Margaret Manoogian / Department of Gerontology, Monmouth, OR. Western
Oregon University, Monmouth, OR 97361
A robust amount of literature has examined the experiences of grandparents, predominantly those of grandmothers,
and their satisfaction with their roles and activities with grandchildren. Yet, little research has evaluated the role of
grandfathers explicitly, from an intergenerational dyadic perspective. As older adults continue to live longer, and
express satisfaction with the role of grandparenting (Connidis, 2010; Reitzes & Mutran, 2004), an in-depth
evaluation of this important intergenerational relationship is necessary. Past research has been overwhelmingly
focused on the perspective of grandmothers; however, investigating the gendered differences among grandparents
is valuable in order to gain an understanding of how older men define and value their roles as grandfathers.
Specific topics addressed in previous research on grandfathers have included reaffirming masculine values through
grandparenting, and the importance of traditional, instrumental family roles to many men in later life (Mann, 2007;
Roberto, Allen, & Blieszner 2001). During our presentation, we plan to share: a) our literature review on
grandparenting roles and relationship outcomes with young adult grandchildren over time with specific focus on
grandfathers; and b) present an overview of our current research project that focuses on dyadic interviews with
grandfathers and young adult grandchildren. Preliminary results will be shared.
Depression among U.S. military transgender personnel: Mental health treatment Noreen M. Marsland, and Lisa Christiansen / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University Hillsboro, OR
97123
The term transgender describes an individual whose gender identity is incongruent with the sex they were assigned
at birth (Dietert & Dentice, 2015). In 2014, there were 15,500 transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military
(Gates & Herman, 2014). This number is likely to increase given the June 2016 policy change permitting
transgender individuals to openly serve in the U.S. armed forces. Due to the constant discrimination and adversity
faced by transgender individuals, this population is at an increased risk of developing depression (Bradford,
Reisner, Honnold, & Xavier, 2013). Similarly, military members are also at an increased risk of developing
depression due to the nature of the job duties they perform (Bossarte, Claasen, & Knox, 2010). As such,
transgender individuals serving in the armed forces are at an exceptionally high risk of developing depression.
Therefore, mental health providers treating transgender military personnel must be knowledgeable of the stressors
47
unique to this population in order to proficiently apply evidence-based treatment modalities for depression to
transgender clients. This presentation will offer specific recommendations to mental health treatment providers
who may work with transgender military personnel.
Evidence-based behavioral interventions for anticipatory nausea in chemotherapy
patients Peter F. Hildebrand and Björn Bergström / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR
97123
The majority of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy experience nausea and vomiting as side effects of the
drugs. Through classical conditioning, a considerable number of these go on to experience these symptoms before
the presentation of the chemotherapeutic drugs, an effect known as “anticipatory nausea.” Some researchers have
even conceptualized this anticipatory nausea as a type of chemotherapy phobia (Reesal, Bajramovic, & Mai, 1990).
Past research has shown that systematic desensitization significantly reduces both anticipatory and post-treatment
nausea, and it may even prevent the development of anticipatory nausea (Morrow, 1986; Dobkin, 1987). However,
because a portion of chemotherapy patients fail to respond to systematic desensitization there is room for
improvement. This presentation explores evidence-based strategies for improving the behavioral treatment of
anticipatory nausea.
The effectiveness and prevalence of the dissemination of psychological research into
clinical practice and public knowledge Ben Webster / Department of Psychology, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97232
There is a current debate about the effectiveness and ability of public health and psychological research to be
translated into both clinical practice, and the understanding of the general public. While many researchers feel that
their role ends with the successful publishing of a paper, it is also imperative that the newfound knowledge be
quickly and readily available to both the layman and the practicing clinician. This would allow both public and
private organizations to make use of evidence-based health or psychological programs, without having to spend too
much time deciphering the source material. The challenge is to maintain the integrity of the peer-reviewed
scientific process, while at the same time making the findings and conclusions accessible to the general public.
This study will examine the existing literature on the prevalence and effectiveness of the translation of peer-
reviewed psychological and public health research into understandable and available methods of dissemination.
There will be a focus on the most efficient, yet reliable form of translation from research into public knowledge.
There will also be an analysis of the fidelity, or the extent to which the translated material holds true to the original
research.
The relationship between the different facets of resilience and the experience of moral
elevation Krizchelle Magtoto and Sarina Saturn, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Portland, Portland,
OR 97203
Resilience is an overarching term that describes the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or
even significant sources of stress. This current study examined the relationship between two resilience measures,
the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; 2003) and the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA; Friborg et al.,
2003), as predictors of altruism and emotional and physical responses of moral elevation, a prosocial emotional
state elicited by witnessing displays of altruism or moral beauty. After the induction of moral elevation, family
cohesion, as measured by an RSA subscale, predicted stronger emotional and physical responses and altruistic
behavior as opposed to the other four facets of the RSA or the CD-RISC. Moreover, other facets of the RSA, such
as structured style and social competence, show divergent patterns of elevation responses when compared to family
cohesion. Family cohesion was also the only facet that had main effects with emotional and physical responses
and altruistic behavior. These findings underscore the importance of considering different factors of resilience in
psychobiological research.
48
Sex differences in dopamine circuits in the fetal sheep brain
Nicole Stucky, Katie King, and Mark Pitzer / Department of Psychological Sciences. University of Portland,
Portland, OR, 97203
Men abuse illegal drugs at a greater rate than women. Drugs of abuse increase dopamine (DA) signaling in the
nucleus accumbens (NAc). This signaling in the reward circuit begins in a region called the ventral tegmental area
(VTA). Addiction to drugs of abuse in adult animals is correlated with a decrease of the basal dopamine signaling
in the NAc. Using a fetal sheep model to study brain development, we hypothesize that male sheep will have
fewer VTA DA neurons than female sheep. Secondly, we hypothesize that testosterone ((T), the primary male sex
hormone) would decrease DA neurons in the fetal sheep brain. In the current study, pregnant ewes were randomly
assigned to oil vehicle treatment or testosterone treatment. On gestational day 135, fetal sheep were sacrificed for
their midbrains. Midbrains were sliced and stained for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate limiting enzyme in
dopamine’s synthesis, for immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence microscopy. Cells were counted using
ImageJ and statistics were ran in SPSS. A 2x2 ANOVA found a significant interaction in the VTA (p<0.05). Post
hoc analysis revealed significantly fewer TH neurons in control males than in control females (p<0.05) and once
given prenatal T treatments, treatment males had significantly more TH neurons as compared to the control males.
A separate 2x2 ANOVA found no significant differences in the substantia nigra among all groups (p>0.05). We
conclude that T influences DA cell numbers in both sexes, but the mechanisms underlying the divergent direction
of change is more complex than originally anticipated.
You’re voting for who?: The mechanisms behind support for the populist right Karen Garcia / Department of Psychology, University of Portland, Portland, OR, 97203
Right-wing populist movements (RPMs) have been a feature of American politics since the early 19th century.
Supporters of RPMs believe that in a democratic government, the will of ordinary citizens should always prevail
over that of the political elite. The author conducted a study to explore the sporadic nature of RPM popularity, as
well as what is psychologically distinctive about populists relative to non-populists. The study used five survey
scales to measure political ideology, need for cognition, feelings of political helplessness, feelings of vulnerability,
feelings of security, and political interest, as well as a framing manipulation. The study revealed main effects of
consistency in framing (as either populist or non-populist) on a participant’s need for cognition and feelings of
political helplessness. The results suggest that when faced with views inconsistent with their own, populists exhibit
a lower need for cognition than non-populists. It is also suggested that non-populists feel less politically helpless
when their views are challenged than when they are not, while consistent or inconsistent views do not make
populists feel any more or less politically helpless.
The influence of dispositional love on moral elevation Benjamin Nathan Gozun / Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Portland, Portland, OR, 97203
The primary purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between dispositional love and moral elevation, a
prosocial emotional state triggered by witnessing displays of moral beauty. In addition, aspects of altruism were
also looked at with relation to love and elevation. The trait measure of the tendency to feel love (Dispositional
Positive Emotions Scale; Shiota, Keltner, & John, 2006) directly related to the measurement of elevation, which
measures the frequency of experiencing this unique emotional state as well as experience itself. However, no
significant relationship was found between innate altruism (NEO Five-Factor Inventory; Costa & McCrae, 1995)
and elevation. These findings illustrate a strong relationship between love and moral elevation. In addition, this
paper suggests further directions as well as possibilities from these results.
The importance of using automated software in analyzing the mechanisms of facial
expressions in application to contagious yawning Marissa Renda / Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Portland, Portland, OR 97203
Technological improvements in the field of expression research, such as the development of the Computerized
Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT), promise more objective and feasible ways of conducting facial
expression research. CERT gathers information from a series of feature detectors to identify and isolate facial
49
movements, known as AU (action units), that could allow expression studies to replace time-consuming observer-
rater methodologies. The present study serves two purposes: firstly, to examine the composition of a naturally
induced yawn created by the mechanism of yawning contagion, ultimately leading to the development of a yawn-
detection algorithm based on AU, and secondly, to demonstrate the importance of using automated facial
recognition software in expression research. Participants from the University of Portland (n = 38) watched a 3-
minute video of continued yawning behavior to elicit contagious yawning. Those who yawned (n = 19) were used
in developing the yawn-detection algorithm. The purpose of the yawn-detection algorithm was to identify yawn vs.
non-yawn expressions based on the AU output for each participant. A validation test group was used to test the
effectiveness of the algorithm’s yawn detection. The proposed yawn-detection algorithm correctly identified
between yawn and non-yawn expressions among the validation group. These findings convey the effectiveness and
feasibility of automated software compared to lengthy observer-rater methods used in expression research. While
the yawn-detection algorithm created in the present study only examines one application of automated facial
recognition software, its success illustrates the endless possibilities for future applications in facial and emotional
expression research.
Factors influencing human sex trafficking in the United States Gretchen Bye and Lisa Christiansen / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, 190 SE 8th Ave, Suite
260, Hillsboro, OR 97123
This study investigates leading factors contributing to or denying the availability of commercial and sexual
exploitation in the form of human sex trafficking within the United States. In relation to the Cho, Dreher, and
Neumayer (2012) findings concerning predicted rates of human trafficking in European countries, this study
highlights the correlations between gross domestic product (GDP), geographical location of U.S. states and
territories, and rate of reported human sex trafficking cases.
Patterns of humility Madalyn H. Taylor, Nolan Biberston, and Jaime M. Cloud / Psychological Sciences Department, Western Oregon
University, 345 N. Monmouth Ave., Monmouth, OR 97361
The purpose of this research is to explore how communication patterns differ for high and low status individuals.
In particular, we are interested in the contexts in which men and women show modesty and how this behavior
affects perceptions of their status. In Study 1, participants read three vignettes in which they were complimented by
a friend or colleague and were asked to choose the reaction they would most likely give. It was found that women
tended to be more modest than men after receiving a compliment. In Study 2, participants were randomly assigned
to one of three hypothetical scenarios in which they received a compliment from (1) someone of higher status than
them, (2) someone of lower status than them, or (3) someone of equal status to them. Preliminary results from
Study 2 will be presented testing the hypothesis that men and women are more likely to be modest after having
received a compliment from a low status individual than a high status individual.
Cognitive flexibility as a mediating factor between uncertainty and extremism:
Implications for ACT therapy.
Meghan Walls, Morgan Bolen, Natasha Kazakova, and Björn Bergström / School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific
University, Hillsboro, OR 97123.
Social research has investigated how intolerance of uncertainty promotes rigid and extreme thinking that influences
decisional processes. Intolerance of uncertainty describes the propensity of individuals to consider ambiguous
stimuli as negative. Hogg and Adelman (2013) have identified self-categorization as a response to feelings of
distress related to uncertainty. Self-categorization, or alignment with an established group, provides clear
boundaries, expectations around behavior, and membership criteria that insulates individuals in a seemingly
predictable and stable worldview. This phenomenon also speaks to a need for cognitive closure or a “consensually
validated shared reality” in order to reduce uncertainty (Frederico, Hunt, & Fisher, 2013, p.474). The need to
reduce uncertainty leads individuals to conform to group prototypes and commit to extreme beliefs regarding in-
groups and out-groups (Frederico, Hunter, & Fisher, 2013). Behavioral and cognitive changes occur when there is
50
an increase in hypervigilance toward outgroups because they are viewed as comparatively unpredictable, chaotic,
and dangerous (Hogg & Adelman, 2013). Alternatively, when individuals reduce their need for cognitive closure
and increase their cognitive flexibility, the threat of uncertainty becomes less salient. In addition, identifying with
different groups allows people to avoid becoming overly attached to a single paradigm of behavior. The intention
of this presentation is to explore the influence intolerance of uncertainty has on decisional processes and to make
suggestions for how to increase cognitive flexibility and defusion through the acceptance and commitment
therapeutic (ACT) framework. A review of this literature has potential social justice implications due to the
interrelatedness of prejudice and outgroup distinctions.
51
STEM EDUCATION
Section Chairs:
Karen Bledsoe
Chemeketa Community College
Dean Walton
University of Oregon
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Writing to learn in a large enrollment general chemistry course Kristin T. Ziebart, Department of Chemistry / Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331
Most scholars agree that writing is a powerful and effective learning tool. Despite its well-documented
benefits, writing is vastly underutilized in chemistry courses. This presentation will discuss the positive
effects that implementation of short, informal writing tasks has on student learning outcomes, and it will
demonstrate the feasibility of including such tasks in large enrollment general chemistry courses. Data
collected thus far suggest that writing activities are correlated with significant gains in student learning, as
evidenced by exam scores and course letter grades. Student responses to a survey about their experience
with the writing activities were overwhelmingly positive, as they recognized the positive impact that writing
had on their learning and exam performances. Moreover, when instructors are informed of misconceptions
and knowledge gaps on a weekly basis, classroom instructional practices can be adjusted in “real time” as
the course progresses, without having to wait for exam scores to receive this feedback.
Teaching Legendre transformations with the partial derivatives machine Michael Vignal, Elizabeth Gire / Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, 97331
Numerous physics education researchers have studied student understanding of and difficulty with
thermodynamics. Some common areas of difficulty for students include: equations of state and state
variables; entropy and the second law of thermodynamics; and Legendre transformations and thermodynamic
potentials. Members of the department of physics at Oregon State University developed the partial
derivatives machine as a mechanical system that is analogous to many thermodynamic systems as a tool to
help students in the junior level thermodynamics class reason about thermodynamics. We discuss our use of
the partial derivatives machine to explore student understanding of Legendre transformations through
teaching interviews, in which Legendre transformations are demonstrated and discussed using the partial
derivatives machine analogy. Pilot interviews on physics undergraduate students after their completion of
the thermodynamics unit indicate that the partial derivatives machine may be a useful tool for helping
students better understand Legendre transformations and thermodynamic potentials. Interviews currently
underway seek to build on these findings and to further explore the ways in which the students engage with
the partial derivatives machine, as well as their ability to transfer understanding of Legendre transformations
and thermodynamic potentials from the partial derivatives machine to a thermodynamic system.
Prompted evaluation in calculus based introductory physics MacKenzie E. Lenz, Elizabeth Gire / Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
Physics instructors generally expect students to think about the correctness and reflect on the meanings of
their answers. This answer evaluation process may include a variety of considerations, including checking
units, looking at limiting cases, and thinking about the reasonableness of numbers. In order to encourage
answer evaluation, instructors explicitly prompt for it in class assignments. We examine students’ responses
to such a prompt on homework and exam problems in a large enrollment first term calculus-based physics
course. We will discuss the distribution of strategies students used, student performance with these strategies,
and the extent to which the development of answer evaluation skills was supported throughout the course.
52
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53
AUTHOR INDEX
Abdelhamed, Sherif, 5
Adams, Amanda M., 30
Adpressa, Donovan, 15, 17, 22, 27
Agarwal, Anupriya, 3
Aguilar, Irene R., 16, 24
Ahern-Rindell, Amelia, ii, 2, 3, 6
Alexander, Joel, 45
Amador, Jenn, 23
Anderson, Rianna, 9
Anthony, Seth, 10
Ashby, James P., 38
Atkinson, Elizabeth, ii, 19
Back, Stephen A., 5
Ball, Patrick N., 11
Banyas, Ella, 39
Bar, Morgan E., 2
Barnes, Anthony, P., 4
Beekman, Matthew, 10
Bell, David M., 7
Berger, Caitlin, 26
Berger, Rachel, 21
Bergström, Björn, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49
Bermudez, Alexys, 13
Bestwick, Megan, 19, 23, 26
Biberston, Nolan, 49
Blatt, Philip J., 3
Bledsoe, Karen, ii
Bolen, Morgan, 45, 49
Brandon, McKenzie, 13
Brannan, Debi, 43
Bredimus, Kyla N., 44
Brooks, Virginia L., 7
Brown, Amanda M.V., 11
Brunk, Sara, 20
Bucher, Matthew, 3
Burns, Scott F., ii, 33, 35
Butler, Jennifer, ii
Bye, Gretchen, 49
Byounghwak, Lee, 41
Caceres, Cassendra E., 46
Carlson, Tessa, 35
Caruso, Maya, 14
Casey, William H., 13, 25
Cerda, Carla I., 30
Chambers, R. Carlisle, 19
Chang, Heejun, 32
Cheong, Paul H.-Y., 18
Cheung, Izzy, 39, 40
Chibwe, Leah, 18
Christiansen, Lisa, 44, 45, 46, 49
Chu, Thanh, 27
Clark, Burton, 10
Cloud, Allie, 22
Cloud, Jaime, M., 49
Clouser, Amanda, 27
Cochrane, Rochelle R., 44
Coen, Katareanna, 8
Cole, Brittany, 43
Colla, Chris A., 13
Comstock, Sarah, 8, 9
Crosby, Cole, 20
D’Allura, Jad, 34
Darmakkolla, Srikar Rao, 16, 24
David, Larry, 9
Davis, Cole H., 11
Dempsey, Andrew, 39
Denning, Emily, 43
Denver, Dee R., 11
DeStefano, Paul, 39, 40
Dey, Swagata, 24
Dilius, Trey, 23
Dismuke, Chanel, 46
Dolgos, Michelle R., 26
Dray, Tevian, iv
Duer, Jeff, ii
Dziedzic, Katherine, 11
Eckmann, Ted C., ii, 30, 31
Erwin, Diane M., 33
Esper, Brecken S., 4
Ewing, Robert, 41
Fang, Chong, 17
Fields, Caitlyn, 13
Fields, Elizabeth, 44
Foster, David, ii, 43
Franklin, Joel, 39
Frederick, Ryan T., 23
Freitag, Michael, 15, 22
Fullmer, Lauren B., 13, 25
Fulton, Brantly L., 13
Gable, Kevin P., 16
Gannett, Marshall, W., v
Garcia, Karen, 48
Garfunkel, Eric L., 23
Gautschi, Jeff, 15, 22
54
George, Linda A., 20
Ghobadi, Mitra, 16, 24
Giampaoli, Gabriella, 28
Gilbert, Brian, 13, 19
Gimbel, Blake, 45
Gire, Elizabeth, 51
Goeks, Jim, 40
Gombart, Adrian, 22
Gosman, Raluca, 6
Gozun, Benjamin Nathan, 48
Grandy, Summer L., 31
Greer, Aaron, ii
Groshong, Andrew, 8
Hallstrand, Ricarda, ii, 2
Hallstrom, Chris, ii
Harris, Martin, 34
Hasan, Wohaib, 4
Hastie, Georgia L., 31
Heinsen, Emily, 15
Henricksen, Summer, 9
Henry, Kevin, 31
Herman, Gregory S., 23
Hildebrand, Peter F., 47
Hirsh, Frederick, ii
Hoffman, Angela, 13
Hoh, Eunha, 18
Holmes, Brooke A., 31
Hopkins, Mike, 40
Howe, Dana K., 11
Hutcheson, Rachel, 22
Hutchison, James E., 13
Jacinda Mainord, 20
Jang Eui Yun, 41
Jayathilaka, T.S., 26
Jenike, Ana, 16, 24
Jensen, Bethany, 46
Jiang, Kai, 25
Johnson, Andrew, ii, 13, 15, 29
Johnson, Darren W., 13
Johnson, Joel, 8
Jonathan Cook, 15, 22
Kallunki, Amanda, 44
Kazakova, N., 44, 49
Keillor, Haley R., 11
Kelsey, Bruce, 23
Keszler, Douglas A., ii, 13, 23, 25
Keyes, Amelia, 26
Kim, Dai-Sik, 41
Kim, Hyup Yong, 41
Kim, Jihan, 40
King, Katie, 48
Klevit, Rachel, 27
Kokenyesi, Robert, S., 25
Konrath, Kylie, 22
Kurre, Peter, 5
Kyoung, Jisoo, 41
Lammers, Lance, 10
Lampi, Kirsten, 9
Landsman, Alexa, 45
Lee, Yun-Shik, 41
LeGrady, Dylan, 23
Lehman, Niles, 26
Lenz, MacKenzie E., 51
Lerud, Ryan, 40
Li, Jun, 24, 25, 28
Li, Mengjun, 23
Liu, Ivangeline, 16, 24
Loesgen, Sandra, 15, 17, 22, 27
Losco, Josephina, 45
Lucus, Abigail, 9
Luelling, Sarah, 22
Lycan, Richard, 32
MacLeod, 45
Maertens, Bernadette, 3
Magana, Armando Alcazar, 14, 21
Magtoto, Krizchelle, 47
Maier, Claudia, 14, 21, 22
Mainali, Janardan, 32
Malone, Jared, 22
Maloyan, Alina, 3
Manjón-Sanz, Alicia,, 26
Manogue, Corrine, iv
Manoogian, Margaret, 46
Mansergh, Ryan H., 25
Marsland, Noreen, M., 46
Martinez, Adan, 23
Mason, David, 19
Massey Simonich, Staci L., 18
Matteucci, Christiana, 10
Mauk, Kelsey, 29
McGown, Bob, 41
McMahan, Ethan A., 43
Medina, Elena A., 28
Mengistu, Biruktawit, 3
Meyer, Eli, 11
Moeck, Peter, 39, 40
Morgan, Terry, 2
Morin, Michael, 5
55
Morita, Mayu, 2
Mousavian, Ali, 41
Munjar, Chris, 13
Munro, Amanda, 7
Myers, Jeffrey A., ii, 33
Nafshun, Richard, L., vii
Nazin, George V., 14, 20
Nguyen, My Linh, 4
Nguyen, Steven, 16
Niedermeyer, Walter Jason, viii
Nyman, May, 13, 25
Ogba, O. Maduka, 18
Oliveri, Anna F., 13
Oscar, Breland G., 17
Pang, Audrey, 8
Papenfuse, Lael, 5
Park, Deok-Hie, 13, 25
Parry, Paige E., 7
Paul, Michael J., 41
Payne, Danielle, 43
Peetz, Amy B., 11
Perez-Cervantes, Leslie, 4
Periera, Amanda F., 16, 24
Perkins, Cory K., 13
Peters, Jeff, 31
Peterson, Ashley, 2
Pitzer, Mark, 48
Potter, Garrett, 42
Powers, Donald, 6
Prahl, Scott, ii, 38
Prestholdt, Tara, 7, 10
Proteau, Philip J., 17, 27
Quaal, Gillian, 46
Ramirez, Arthur P., 28
Rananvare, Shankar B., 16, 24
Rawlings, Emily J., 2
Reid, Sawyer, 10
Renda, Marissa, 48
Retallack, Gregory J., 33, 34
Revel, Johana, 22
Robinette, Austin C., 33
Saha, Sumit, 23
Salisbury, Christina, 9
Sarah Luelling, 15
Saturn, Sarina, 47
Schlosshauer, Maximilian, 38
Schmidt, Brandon, 10
Schmitt, John, 2, 5
Schultz, Brien, 40
Schwarz, Peter, D., 38
Schweikert, Amy, 31
Seal, Bruce S., 11
Seely, Kai, 6
Shaw, Zoe M., 31
Shimizu, Melinda,, 33
Sia, Whitney, 7
Sidden, Tessaundra, 10
Siltman, Rachel, 5
Sleight, Arthur W., 28
Smart, James L., 4
Smith, Allison, 19
Smith, Kristina, 15, 22
Smith, Randall W., 37
Son, Jung-Ho, 25
Soumyanath, Amala, 14, 21
Srivastava, Taasin, 5
Stalheim, Kayla, 17, 27
Statler, Nicole E., 30
Stephens, Elizah, 6
Stevens Frederick, 21
Stevens, Frederick, 22
Stevens, Jan F., 14
Stickel, Andrew D., 41
Stucky, Nicole, 48
Subramanian, Mas A., iv, 24, 25, 28
Sun, Bo, 40, 42
Svendsen, Molly, 15, 22
Svendsen, Molly K., 11
Taber, Benjamen N., 14, 20
Tahir, Musa, 16, 24
Tang, J. N., 25
Tang, Longteng, 17
Taylor, Madalyn H., 49
Thompson, Zachary J., 41
Titaleyy, Ivan A., 18
Toplar, Clarissa, 43
Towns, Emily, 19
Tram, Jane M., 46
Truijens, Tammy, 46
Truong, Kevin, 13
Tsintsadze, Vira, 4
Turley, Zack, 10
Turner, Frances, 10
Tyrrell, Christina, 4
Van Emmerik, P.J., 10
Veleva-Rotse, Biliana, 4
Vetter, Calvin, 9
Vetter, Dallyce, 8
56
Vignal, Michael, 51
Vincent, Stefan J., 20
Walls, Meghan, 49
Walser, Matthew, 19
Walton, D.P., ii
Wang, Yanli, 17
Wasala, Sulochana, 11
Webster, Ben, 47
Weilhoefer, 10
Welty, Cody, 43
Williams, Edmund D., 42
Wise, Matthew E., 20
Wood, Nathan, 31
Woodward, Emily, 19
Wrigth, Tashawna, 44
Yang, Jiaming, 36
Zasada, Inga A., 11
Zhu, Liangdong, 17
Ziebart, Kristin, 16
Ziebart, Kristin T., 51