10274 research outputs found
Sort by
The Effect of Spaced Retention Learning in C. elegans
No full textThe behavioral movement of C. elegans was assessed after pairing two opposing stimuli during a training protocol. Blue light naturally drives C. elegans to move forward, while mechanosensory stimulation drives C. elegans to inherently move backward. Previously, it was found that when these two stimuli were paired, this led to a novel pausing response up to ten minutes after training (Pribec, 2022). To increase memory retention for one hour, the training protocol was increased to include three blocks of training. There seemed to be different responses to the twenty-minute and one-hour retention groups, which may suggest a pausing response closer to one minute, but a habituation response in the one-hour retention group. Further analysis of behavior is needed to form any conclusions about behavior in relation to the spaced retention of learning
Preservation of Historical Industrialization Trends in Bellingham Bay Sediments through PAH Contamination
No full textPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants consisting of two or more fused benzene rings. These molecules are either pyrogenic (originating from combustion processes) or petrogenic (originating from petroleum) in origin. PAHs are generally hydrophobic and tend to adsorb onto sediment particles, where they can be preserved and negatively affect aquatic organisms. Some PAHs are also probable human carcinogens, with 16 being classified as priority pollutants by the EPA. While measurable PAHs have been documented in Bellingham Bay via surface sediment grabs, to our knowledge, PAH analysis with depth in a sediment core has not been performed. This study aims to explore the potential of sediment cores from Bellingham Bay to examine historical trends in PAH concentrations and their potential connection to the industrialization history of the area. Sediment samples (n=19) were taken from two sister vibracores (VC09 R1 and R2) collected offshore of the Fairhaven neighborhood in Bellingham, Washington. These samples were analyzed for parent and alkylated PAHs via gas chromatography with mass spectral detection. PAHs were found in all 19 samples, with concentrations ranging from 939 to 4204 ng/g . Peak concentrations in the core occurred at 25 and 130 cm depth. Considering estimated sedimentation rates at the coring site, PAH spikes may correlate with historical pollution-causing events such as the 1999 Olympic Pipeline explosion and the industrialization of the Bellingham Bay shoreline in the late 1800s to early 1900s. PAH ratios to determine sourcing were also examined, with the majority of ratios pointing to a mostly pyrogenic origin. The results of this study indicate that historical trends of PAH release in Bellingham are preserved in Bellingham Bay sediment. Sediment cores from Bellingham Bay can therefore serve as a useful archive of anthropogenic activity in the local area
Art & Place
No full textDocumentation of a series of art pieces inspired by local ecosystems, environments, and species of Bellingham. This project explored the process of working with natural materials to make mineral and plant-based pigment, encompassing different mediums such as cyanotype, watercolor and ink drawings, and photography. The purpose of this project was to consider how a greater connection to nature is accessible through art and the value of this connection across disciplines. This PDF includes spreads from a booklet presenting the art pieces that resulted from this project
Addressing the Low Levels of Civic Education in the United States: A Proposal for Improving Washington State High School Civics
No full textIn this paper, I examine students’ experiences with civics courses and propose a high school civics class that incorporates learning about the Washington State Legislature. Additional research demonstrates that the level of civic education is declining. According to a National Center for Education report, 2022 showed “the first-ever score decline in civics and a continuous decline in US history by eighth graders. The scores reveal that only…22 percent of 8th graders achieved proficiency or higher in civics…and nearly a third had not reached a basic understanding of civics.” Additionally, the research I found and the survey I conducted show that civics education classes students take focus on students gaining knowledge and understanding of the federal government, with the measurement of their knowledge being the ability to pass the United States Citizenship exam. The lack of understanding regarding civics isn’t just among eighth graders; it is also true among college students. I conducted a survey of students from the Honors program and the Political Science Department to learn about their experiences in high school civics courses. The results showed that a majority of the classes they took pertained to the federal government and not to the state. Thus, there is an overall lack of civics knowledge, particularly at the state level. To improve students\u27 knowledge about the state level of government, I’m proposing adding to Washington’s high school civics curriculum information and content focusing on the Washington State government, because it is often a level of government that is overlooked and an easier level of government to enter and interact with.
[The course syllabus is included as a supplementary file.
Moments | A Personal Collection of Portraits
No full textThis hour-long video is a series of portraits that are recreations of Andy Warhol\u27s series of Screen Tests (1964-1966). Through this reinterpretation of his original vision through a 21st Century digital lens, each portrait is framed through an unbroken take of contemplative stillness. Shot in digital video but adhering to the formal constraints of Warhol\u27s originals, the project explores the idea of stillness and performance. The video also functions as a personal collection of memories of its creator as he sifts through old video projects
A Comparative Study on the Correlative Role of Active Site Loop Conformation and Flexibility in Staphylococcus aureus Sortase A’s Enzymatic Activity
No full textMany different proteins decorate the surface of bacterial cells. A cysteine-transpeptidase, sortase, binds, cleaves, and ligates target proteins to the bacterial surface by acknowledging a specific motif within surface protein precursors. Our previous work showed that a structurally conserved ß7-ß8 loop near the active site of Staphylococcus aureus sortase A (referred to as saSrtA in this document) enzyme plays an important role in activity and specificity, however, its exact contribution to the saSrtA catalytic mechanism is not fully understood.1 saSrtA undergoes an allosteric activation upon calcium binding at the C-terminus of the ß6-ß7 loop.2 We predicted that the conformational shift of the ß7-ß8 loop from a closed to an open conformation, upon allosteric activation by calcium, directly impacts catalytic efficiency. We found an important hydrophobic interaction between Y187 in the ß7-ß8 loop and P94 in an adjacent alpha helix. We predicted that interrupting this interaction by negative-negative charge repulsion would push the loop into an open conformation by introducing the P94D mutation, increasing enzymatic activity. Here we use several saSrtA variants (WT, pentamutant (5M), and P94D) to show that the P94 position strongly influences the ß7-ß8 loop conformation and flexibility and that introducing mutations at P94 elevates the substrate P2 position to an affinity modulator. By heteronuclear solution NMR15N-HSQC experiments, we calculate the Kd for these 3 variants. These constructs were also applied to the development of a protein-based FRET reporter assay. Holistically, this research improves the tools available for sortase-mediated ligation technology
Assessing the effects of atmospheric heat waves on the exchange between Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet
No full textThe Salish Sea is a complex estuarine system with cultural, economic, and biological significance for multiple nations. The circulation of the Salish Sea is dependent on tides and density-gradients driven by freshwater introduced into the system primarily from rivers. The discharge of these rivers is being impacted by climate change; with less snowpack and more rain in the winter months the average summer river discharge is weakening in response. In addition, record-breaking atmospheric heatwaves accelerate glacial recession and anomalous flooding events in the summer. This research explores the impact that these atmospheric heatwaves may be having on the circulation of the Salish Sea, with a focus on the exchange between Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet. I hypothesize that anomalously high river discharge out of the Skagit River impacts the along-channel density gradient between Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal that weakens the deep-water inflow over the sill into Hood Canal. Using publicly-available monitoring data, I explored the available time-series spanning 2006-2023. Within this historical record 2006, 2008, and 2021 show that anomalously high river discharges out of the Skagit River weaken deep-water inflow over the sill between Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal. Additional investigation shows that this mechanism is modulated by the tides, requiring the freshwater discharge to align with a strong tidal signal that vertically mixes the water to depths below 80 meters. The year 2020 shows when river discharge corresponds with a neap tide there is not any noticeable change to the deep-water exchange
Addressing the Impact of Timing Jitter on Visual Evoked Potentials to Faces
No full textEvent-Related Potentials (ERP) are EEG responses that are time-locked to external stimuli and reflect underlying cognitive processing. For accurate recording of ERPs, it is necessary to include information about the stimulus. Modern computers introduce variability between the request to render an image to a monitor and when the image actually appears. This jitter may decrease the amplitude of the measured ERP components. Using a light-sensitive diode to detect stimulus onset, we determined how differences in onset timing impact latencies and amplitudes of select ERP components related to visual face processing. Results indicated that the majority of the component amplitudes are impacted with the exception of the EPN. This impact highlights the importance of using objective measures of stimulus onset when using visual stimuli for ERP experiments.
[A document with an explanation of the project poster is included as a supplementary file at the bottom of this page.
Silk Silhouettes: A Practical Exploration of Fabric Drape and its Applications
No full textThis capstone explores the construction techniques of women’s fashion. Focusing on bias-cut garments, I took inspiration from designers who popularized this technique. The project encompasses the design and construction of two bias-cut dresses while considering fabric drape and movement in relation to artistic design
Databases Save Time: Turning inconsistently formatted data into digestible analytics while learning the do’s and don’ts of CS project management
No full textThis paper dives into the WWU CS Senior Project experience and provides some tips to follow for future students. First, I walk through the basic overview of the CS senior project. It will talk about how one gets a project, what the 3 basic sections of the project are and what the timeline for those sections is. Once the basic overview is covered, I will walk through my project. This includes a basic description of what it was and how it went in terms of sticking to the timeline. From there, I reflect on my own experience. I will discuss what I would change about my team’s methodology, including more clear communication and better meeting structure. The paper concludes with a discussion about the need for efficiency in working and how it is often misconstrued, and how students have an opportunity to embrace it