Pacific McGeorge School of Law
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Voices in Red & Black
No full textMy work explores the intersection of design, activism, and social change, using visual language as a tool to amplify urgent political and humanitarian messages. This exhibition focuses on the impact of student-led protests in Serbia, reflecting the power of collective action and the role of design in mobilizing movements. Drawing inspiration from protest graphics, I employ bold typography, stark contrasts, and urgent color schemes particularly red and black to evoke resistance, urgency, and remembrance. My posters and visual narratives are designed to be more than just images; they are calls to action, meant to be carried in the streets, shared across platforms, and embedded in public consciousness. The pieces in this exhibition reference slogans and symbols from the protests, reflecting themes of accountability, transparency, and anti-corruption efforts. They serve as both documentation and provocation, urging viewers to engage critically with the realities of systemic injustice. By translating the energy of protest into design, I aim to highlight the power of visual storytelling in activism. These works are not just statements; they are an invitation to remember, to resist, and to demand change
STEM Adventures: Fostering Student Engagement
No full textWe created a STEM Club at an elementary after-school program to provide students with an alternative activity to promote student engagement and spark an interest in the STEM fields. Students in grades 1-6 had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities that included engineering challenges and science experiments. Feedback from students and staff suggested a great deal of enthusiasm for experiments and the STEM field itself. The project successfully fostered interest in young learners for STEM subjects
Peptide Synthesis for Potential Therapeutics
No full textPeptides have a variety of applications, and are formed by linking two or more amino acids through peptide bonds. Peptides with certain amino acid sequences have shown anti-cancer activity. Our primary focus is to synthesize oligopeptides with different amino acid sequences. These peptides are carefully synthesized in precise sequences to ensure their efficacy. Additional studies will be carried out using complementary cell based experiments to understand the potential therapeutic effects that peptides may have. The solid phase peptide synthesis begins with rink amide resin, which serves as the structural foundation for the peptide. After filling a vessel with the rink amide resin, it undergoes an initial deprotection step using 20% piperidine in dimethylformamide (DMF), in order to remove the F-moc protecting group found in the resin. Once the protecting group is removed, the resin is washed with methanol (MeOH), Dichloromethane (DCM), and DMF, to further remove any unwanted reagents. The resin is then coupled with the appropriate amino acid. In the coupling process, DMF, Hexafluorophosphate Benzotriazole Tetramethyl Uronium (HBTU), and N,N\u27-Diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) are mixed with the amino acids. Once synthesized, the peptide is cleaved from the resin and undergoes purification to remove any impurities. Finally, the peptide is lyophilized, which further isolates the desired product. The synthesized peptides were validated by mass spectrometry, confirming their identity and amino acid sequence
Determining Prevalence of Dog Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) and Vector Species from Dog Parks in Sacramento-Yolo County, CA
No full textDog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a mosquito-borne filarial nematode that primarily affects domestic dogs, causing potentially fatal cardiopulmonary disease. Transmission occurs during mosquito blood feeding, but which mosquitoes serve as the primary vectors in the Sacramento-Yolo region of California remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of D. immitis in mosquitoes collected from dog parks and to identify the species most associated with infection. Mosquitoes were collected by Sacramento-Yolo Vector Control District, pooled and screened for D. immitis DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 129 mosquito pools tested, preliminary analysis identified 22 potential amplification products, while the majority tested negative. PCR products were visualized by gel electrophoresis, with potential positives indicated by the presence of a ~193-base pair (bp) band, the expected product size for D. immitis. These amplicons were purified and submitted for Sanger sequencing to confirm. Results will be shared with the Sacramento-Yolo Vector Control District. These findings will help identify key vector species contributing to regional transmission and provide essential data to guide surveillance priorities and mosquito control strategies that support the prevention of heartworm infection in both domestic and wild canids
Efficient Route Planning between Stations in NYC: A Dijkstra Algorithm Approach
No full textEfficient public transportation is critical for major cities. The New York City (NYC) Subway is a prime example, transiting on average millions of riderships every week in 2023, and, as such, optimization of transit routes is important. This presentation introduces a methodology for optimizing routes within the NYC Subway system, employing Dijkstra’s algorithm for computational analysis. Each station is represented as vertices in a weighted graph, with weights corresponding to distance between two stations. The results demonstrate significant improvements in route planning efficiency, providing commuters and system planners with a robust tool for enhanced journey planning and network management in one of the world’s largest and busiest urban transit systems. The presentation explains the algorithm thoroughly, accompanied by a small-scale example for better comprehension. Additionally, coding implementations are included to extend the algorithm’s functionality. Limitations of the approach, such as the scaling system used for time and cost, are also discussed
Revealing Telomerase Expression in Sea Star Embryos: Implications for Regeneration and Anti-Aging Mechanisms
No full textTelomerase, an enzyme crucial for the maintenance of telomere length and cellular longevity, plays an important role in cellular aging, cancer, and regenerative processes. Cellular aging is a complex biological process that involves the progressive decline in cellular functions and regenerative capacity. This research focuses on in-situ bio staining techniques to investigate telomerase expression in aging tissue. Using targeted colorimetric probes, we were able to detect telomerase mRNA expression in various tissue samples in sea stars. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that sea stars age in a healthy manner and this may be due to widespread telomerase expression. Continued study of telomere biology in sea stars may offer potential therapeutic strategies for age-related disease in humans
Do You See the Problem? A Literature Review on Ethical Decision Making Across Professional Fields
No full textTo better understand the literature on ethical decision-making, we performed a systematic literature review to gather information about the quantity and content of scientific articles on individual behavior and decision-making processes when encountering potential ethical dilemmas in helping professions. Four databases (PsycINFO, Business Source Complete, PubMed, and Google Scholar) were searched using six different ethics-related terms and combinations. A backward citation search was done to ensure complete coverage of the topic. Articles were coded as experimental research or nonexperimental (conceptual papers, literature reviews, or other). This approach allowed for a focused analysis of evidence-based findings on ethical considerations in behavior analysis and decision-making. Among the 311 nonexperimental articles, 49.1% were from business, 12.7% from behavior analysis and clinical psychology, 5.5% from biomedical ethics, 16.4% from other fields, and research ethics accounted for 3.6%. Among the 55 experimental articles, 46.9% were from business, 18.6% from behavior analysis, 14.8% from clinical psychology, 4.2% from biomedical ethics, 13.8% from other fields, and research ethics accounted for 1.6%. Research ethics had the smallest representation, which is troubling given the current replication crisis (Wiggins & Christopherson, 2019). The foundational value of knowledge becomes threatened when unreplicable and inaccurate findings are published, then causing harm both in scientific and non-scientific communities relying on what is supposed to be beneficial research. There is a disproportionately higher focus on ethics in the business research literature compared to the other areas, including behavior analysis. We believe it is crucial that more research be done on ethical decision-making in behavior analysis to ensure practitioners can identify possible ethical dilemmas across professional and nonprofessional settings before demonstrating ethical decision-making processes and behavior
Evidence-based seed sourcing and restoration strategies for climate change-threatened California vernal pools
No full textClimate change is driving more extreme and unpredictable precipitation patterns, which threaten the growth and survival of rare native plants. In California, significant amounts of public and private funds are being allocated towards the planting of native plants to restore habitats, but the market supply for native plants/seeds is small and sometimes cost-prohibitive. Despite the need for genetically diverse seeds that can adapt to environmental changes, evidence-based methods for seed sourcing remain underdeveloped, and there is a lack of consensus on what specific issues are preventing restoration practitioners from sourcing appropriate native seed for restoration projects. Our lab is developing evidence-based seed sourcing recommendations for two endangered native plants which are solely found in Californian vernal pools, rare ephemeral wetlands that have experienced 95% habitat loss in the state due to human land development since European colonization.
We conducted a field experiment planting seeds sourced from different populations/years into created vernal pool wetlands. Our preliminary results show greater growth and reproductive rates at higher planting elevations in the pools. Seed source had some impacts on germination rates, growth, and reproduction, with one of the two species showing increased growth and reproductive output from local seeds when grown under favorable precipitation conditions. Additionally, using an anonymized web survey of CA restoration practitioners, our lab characterized the financial and logistic barriers to adopting evidence-based seed sourcing practices. We found that grant timelines are much shorter than seed production timelines, creating a supply and demand disconnect, and that an overemphasis on local seed sourcing in the restoration ecology field has led to prioritization of local seeds above sourcing for genetic diversity and climate adaptive traits.These are some of the initial projects being investigated by our new Cal Restoration Ecology research lab in the Biology Department at University of the Pacific. Through our work, we are producing data that can support evidence- based strategies for restoration seeding, and are identifying key barriers to evidence based restoration that can be addressed at the policy level in partnership with conservation non-profit organizations
The Squirrel Heart, Temperature, and Hibernation
No full textSome mammals have evolved to hibernate during periods of low resource availability, such as during colder seasons in temperate climates. During hibernation, animals cycle through states of torpor and short periods of arousal. When going into torpor, these mammals will drop their body temperature to around 4oC to conserve energy normally used to keep warm. This leads to a reduction in enzymatic activity and metabolic rates. To investigate the importance of hibernating at 4oC compared to warmer temperatures (12oC, 20oC, 25oC, 30oC) and how normally active tissues function at these temperatures, heart samples were collected from hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis). We isolated proteins from the samples and prepared them for LC-MS/MS, which involved protein denaturation, reduction, alkylation, digestion, peptide desalting, and peptide quantification. Mass spectra produced by LC-MS/MS were used to identify proteins, quantify their abundances, and then compare them between Tb groups. In total, we identified 1228 proteins in the ground squirrel heart proteome. Examples of proteins that differed in abundance between temperature groups included succinate dehydrogenase assembly factor 2, which was higher at colder temperatures and hemoglobin subunit beta, which was higher at warmer temperatures. This information can be applied in future studies about hibernation, especially in the context of temperature fluctuations caused by global warming. Looking at the differences in proteins present during hibernation in lower versus higher temperatures will allow for future predictions on how mammals\u27 abilities to hibernate will be affected. Hibernation is an important process performed by mammals since it allows for survival during harsh conditions, which in turn helps increase their lifespan. In future studies, differences in protein expression can anticipate the fitness of hibernators affected by climate change
Plant-based Bioactive Compounds Protecting Skeletal Muscle Health in Exercise and Diseases
No full textBackground: Skeletal muscle health is critically influenced by oxidative stress and inflammation, particularly under conditions of eccentric exercise or metabolic disorders such as obesity. Plant-based bioactive compounds, such as avenanthramides (AVA) from oats and oleocanthal (OCT) from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), have demonstrated promising protective effects against these stressors by modulating oxidative and inflammatory pathways.
Purpose: This study hypothesizes that dietary AVA and OCT protect skeletal muscle functions by mitigating oxidative damage and inflammatory signaling in response to eccentric exercise and high-fat diet-induced metabolic dysfunction.
Results: Oat AVA supplementation significantly attenuated downhill running (DR)-induced skeletal muscle damage in young adults. Plasma creatine kinase (CK) levels, a marker of skeletal muscle injury, were reduced by 19.5% and 23.6% at 24 and 48 h post-exercise, respectively (P\u3c0.05). Neutrophil respiratory burst (NRB), a key source of reactive oxygen species, was significantly lowered across 0–48 h post-exercise (P\u3c0.05). AVA also decreased pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and G-CSF, increased anti-inflammatory biomarker IL-1Ra, and reduced adhesion molecules including sVCAM-1 and MCP-1 (P\u3c0.05), suggesting modulation of immune cells recruitment and oxidative stress. Additionally, AVA alleviated muscle soreness at 48 and 72 h post-exercise measured by pain rating scale (P\u3c0.05). Meanwhile, OCT, a phenolic compound in EVOO with ibuprofen-like properties, has previously demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effects through cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition. In our high-fat diet-fed rat model, EVOO supplementation improved mitochondrial biogenesis through PGC-1α activation, and preserved skeletal muscle mass by reducing muscle atrophy-related genes MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 while increasing antioxidant enzymes SOD2 and catalase (P\u3c0.05). In addition, high-fat diet-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions were restored by upregulating mitochondrial fusion protein MFN2 and suppressing mitochondrial fission protein DRP1 (P\u3c0.05). When combined with exercise training, OCT further enhanced muscle protection from high-fat diet, supporting its synergistic role in exercise training to protect metabolic health in high-fat diet.
Conclusions: Plant-based bioactive compounds offer natural, food-derived strategies to reduce exercise- and diet-induced muscle inflammation and oxidative damage. These findings lay the groundwork for translational applications of these bioactive compounds in sports nutrition and chronic disease prevention