Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Showcase Abstract 2020

Frank Lloyd Wright and Ralph Waldo Emerson: Truth Against the World

Frank Lloyd Wright and Ralph Waldo Emerson: Truth Against the World

Primary author: Ayad Rahmani

Primary college/unit: Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Ask Frank Lloyd Wright scholars about the role that Ralph Waldo Emerson played in the intellectual development of the iconic architect and all will recognize it. But very few will know what to do it. Some might even go so far as to question the merit of pairing the two in one study, arguing that beside a passing mention of the sage by the architect the two moved in two different circles, the first literary, the second architectural. And yet this proposal insists otherwise, namely that it would be difficult to fully grasp Wright’s architectural range and ideas without also studying him through the lens of Emerson. He may not have devoted an essay long explanation to the sage but he did reference him when talking about issues as related to nature, self-reliance and the poetic. The two shared a concern for the direction America was taking, now well into the 19th century, largely divided along economic and political lines. What America they thought they had signed up for was no longer the one that they were currently experiencing. America was drifting father and father from its original project and something had to happen to steer the ship back on course. Nothing short of changing the American mind was at stake, Emerson advocating for it through words, Wright through architecture. How the former informed the making of the latter is the aim of this proposal, covering the span of a book-length project of six chapters and one introduction.

Sleep improves when hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) administered before and after methadone dose reduction for adults with opioid use disorder

Sleep improves when hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) administered before and after methadone dose reduction for adults with opioid use disorder

Primary author: Raymond Quock
Co-author(s): Marian Wilson; Lillian Skeiky; Karen Stanek; Tamara Odom-Maryon; Devon Hansen; Matthew Layton

Primary college/unit: Arts and Sciences
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Up to 80% of adults undergoing medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder report reduced sleep quality and quantity [Sharkey et al., Drug Alcohol Depend 113:245-248, 2011]. Earlier we reported that HBOT—100% oxygen at greater-than-atmospheric pressure—reduced signs of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine-dependent mice [Nicoara et al., Brain Res 1648:434-437, 2016]. To study the effects of HBOT on self-reported and objective measures of sleep in adults with opioid use disorder, 31 participants (11 males, 20 females) were randomized into HBOT (n=17) or control (n=14) arms. HBOT was administered for five consecutive days in 90-min sessions at 2.0 atmospheres absolute in a 12-seat sealed, pressurized chamber. Participants agreed to a 10% reduction in their daily methadone dose or 5 mg, whichever was smaller, on Day 2 after HBOT on Day 1. The PROMIS Sleep Disturbance short form, an assessment of self-reported sleep quality, was the primary sleep measure collected at baseline, and post-HBOT at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. For a sub-sample (n=7) of those in the HBOT arm, objective sleep measures were captured one week pre- and post-HBOT via wrist-worn actigraphy. PROMIS results showed that the mean sleep disturbance for the control group increased over time but decreased for the HBOT group. Actigraphy results from the HBOT group showed a ~30-min increase in total sleep time and a 16-min reduction in sleep onset latency post-HBOT. These findings support the hypothesis that sleep quality and quantity can improve when HBOT is administered before and after opioid dose reduction.

Marijuana Use and American Indian/Alaska Native Youth in Washington State

Marijuana Use and American Indian/Alaska Native Youth in Washington State

Primary author: Faith Price
Faculty sponsor: Elizabeth Weybright

Primary college/unit: Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth have higher rates of marijuana use than their peers nationally. However, substance use trends differ by region and there is immense diversity amongst Tribes. In addition, many AI/AN youth are from multicultural heritages, a group typically ignored by research.

This study used data from tenth grade respondents to the Washington Healthy Youth Survey from 2006-2018 to explore marijuana use prevalence rates amongst AI/AN-only and multicultural AI/AN youth in Washington state and the risk and protective factors influencing their substance use. Statistical analyses revealed both AI/AN-only and multicultural AI/AN HYS respondents had significantly higher marijuana use prevalence rates than their non-Native peers. Both groups of AI/AN youth were also initiating marijuana use at significantly younger ages than their non-Native peers. In addition, AI/AN-only and multicultural AI/AN tenth graders reported significantly higher means of risk factors and lower means of protective factors than non-Native youth. However, many of the risk and protective factors associated with marijuana use for non-Native youth were not significantly predictive of marijuana use for AI/AN-only youth, nor, to a lesser extent, multicultural AI/AN youth.

This study’s findings suggest that research needs to be inclusive of multicultural AI/AN health, a substantial segment of the AI/AN population that is at high risk and generally overlooked. In addition, both AI/AN-only and multicultural AI/AN youth have unique risk and protective factors from the general population which may better explain marijuana use patterns. Prevention programs must address these unique needs if they are to effectively serve AI/AN populations.

Complementary effects of adaptation and gain control on sound encoding in primary auditory cortex

Complementary effects of adaptation and gain control on sound encoding in primary auditory cortex

Primary author: Jacob Pennington
Co-author(s): Alexander Dimitrov; Stephen David
Faculty sponsor: Alexander Dimitrov

Primary college/unit: Arts and Sciences
Campus: Vancouver

Abstract:

A common model for the function of auditory cortical neurons is the linear-nonlinear spectro-temporal receptive field (LN STRF). However, while the LN model can account for many aspects of auditory coding, it fails to account for long-lasting effects of sensory context on sound-evoked activity. Two models have expanded on the LN STRF to account for these contextual effects, using short-term plasticity (STP) or contrast-dependent gain control (GC). Both models improve performance over the LN model, but they have never been compared directly. Thus, it is unclear whether they account for distinct processes or describe the same phenomenon in different ways. To address this question, we recorded activity of primary auditory cortical neurons in awake ferrets during presentation of natural sound stimuli. We fit models incorporating one nonlinear mechanism (GC or STP) or both (GC+STP) on this single dataset. We compared model performance according to prediction accuracy on a held-out dataset not used for fitting and found that the GC+STP model performed significantly better than either individual model. We also quantified equivalence between the STP and GC models by calculating the partial correlation between their predictions, relative to the LN model. We found only a modest degree of equivalence between them. We observed similar results for a smaller dataset collected in clean and noisy acoustic contexts. Together, the improved performance of the combined model and weak equivalence between STP and GC models suggest that they describe distinct processes. Therefore, models incorporating both mechanisms are necessary to fully describe auditory cortical coding.

Field Recordings of Nez Perce Native Singers, 2019-2020

Field Recordings of Nez Perce Native Singers, 2019-2020

Primary author: Melissa Parkhurst

Primary college/unit: WSU Center for Arts and Humanities; WSU School of Music; NW Public Broadcasting
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

WSU’s Pullman campus is located on the traditional lands of the Nimiipuu, known also as the Nez Perce. Song has long permeated all aspects of life for the Nez Perce people, giving power, protection, and healing, and transmitting knowledge that solidifies community bonds.

Since the time of contact, the intense pressures of colonialism, missionization, land dispersal, boarding schools, and acculturation have changed and augmented the Nez Perce body of song. New religions (e.g., the Feather Religion and Washat / Seven Drum) emerged on the Plateau. Nez Perce musicians returned home from boarding schools to start jazz combos and swing bands such as The Nez Percians. More recently, Nez Perce youth have spearheaded community and campus powwows, drum groups, and dance competitions.

Since June 2019, our project team has recorded singers at Talmaks, Idaho; Lapwai, Idaho; and here in the recording studio at the WSU School of Music. In spring 2020, we will record culture bearers in Pendleton, Oregon. Singers choose which songs they wish to record, how their recordings will be used, and where the recordings will be archived.

Many of the singers are older and the bodies of songs they know constitute inestimable cultural treasures. The songs contain extensive history, teachings, and traditional knowledge. Young people can hear the voices of their grandparents and know that their culture is alive and thriving today within the Nez Perce Reservation and beyond.

The Next Urban Giants: Building Resilience and Equity into Growing Megapolitan Regions by Greening the Urban Human-Natural System

The Next Urban Giants: Building Resilience and Equity into Growing Megapolitan Regions by Greening the Urban Human-Natural System

Primary author: Julie Padowski
Co-author(s): Patricia Townsend; Brad Gaolach; Anand Jayakaran; Martha Aitken; Maggie Anderson Fasy; Kevan Moffett; Kim Zentz

Primary college/unit: Center for Environmental Research, Education & Outreach
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:
Urbanization has played a profound role in shaping human society over the past century leading now to the rise of Megapolitan regions (defined as having >10 million people by 2040). Understanding the economic, social, and environmental challenges associated with megapolitan development would benefit from robust and coordinated urban sustainability initiatives and will be critical for helping to shape a sustainable future.

In July of 2019, the WSU Metropolitan Center hosted a workshop funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Sustainable Urban Systems Conference and Workshop Awards. The workshop brought together a select and diverse group of 40 experts responsible for implementing sustainability initiatives across academia, industry, local governments and non-profits to: 1) identify the key challenges megapolitan regions and their adjacent communities and natural spaces face as urbanization continues, 2) explore the myriad approaches used in megapolitan regions to address these challenges, and 3) synthesize this information to identify priority research areas that a research network could promote for improving urban systems sustainability.

Group perspective, knowledge, experience, connections, and collaborative and big-thinking mindset were the greatest asset for thinking about those most critical megapolitan challenges and opportunities. The workshop produced three products that were shared across participants’ networks a (1) white paper to NSF, (2) “Green Print” for work managers and practitioners to help them transition material from the conference into their daily work, and (3) scope of work for informing future education and outreach products. A peer-reviewed synthesis journal article is currently in progress.

Identification of two noncanonical members to the CCp gene family of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina

Identification of two noncanonical members to the CCp gene family of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina

Primary author: Sezayi OZUBEK
Co-author(s): Heba F. Alzan; Reginaldo G. Bastos; Carlos E. Suarez
Faculty sponsor: Carlos Suarrez; Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey(TUBITAK)

Primary college/unit: College of Veterinary Medicine
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Babesia bovis and B. bigemina are responsible for bovine babesiosis, a tick borne disease that causes important economic losses in many tropical and semi-tropical regions worldwide. The CCp protein family, containing LCCL motifs, is differentially expressed on gametocytes of apicomplexans, including Plasmodium and Babesia. Knocking out Plasmodium CCp genes blocks development of the parasite in the mosquito vector, making the CCp proteins potential targets for transmission-blocking vaccines. Although six LCCL protein family members (CCp1-5 and FNPA) have been identified in Plasmodium falciparum, only genes encoding for homologous of the CCp1-3 proteins have so far been reported in B. bovis and B. bigemina. In this study, we describe the presence of two additional CCp-related genes (CCp5 and FNPA) in the genomes of B. bovis and B. bigemina. Similar to other apicomplexan CCp proteins, the newly identified CCp proteins also have a signal peptide (B. bigemina CCp5 and FNPA) and a transmembrane domain (B. bovis FNPA), consistent with surface expression. Consistent with their putative role during sexual reproduction of the parasite in the tick gut, RNAseq analysis sugests that none of the CCp genes are highly expressed in the blood stage, and at negligible levels in kinete stages. The pattern of expression of the new CCp members during distinct developmental stages of B. bovis and B. bigemina will be explored in further studies.

Effect of College Readiness Program on Student Motivation for College

Effect of College Readiness Program on Student Motivation for College

Primary author: Oluwasola Oni
Faculty sponsor: Olusola Adesope

Primary college/unit: College of Education
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Previous studies have indicated disparity between first-generation students and students of parents with higher educational attainment (Horn and Nunez, 2000). Consequently, programs have emerged demonstrating success in bridging the gap in increasing college enrollment among first-generation and low-income students. This research explored the effect of the Coug Rise College Readiness Program on students’ motivation to pursue college. This study examined disparity in educational attainment, race, and gender as independent variables influencing student motivation. The two groups of students were assessed (1) continuing high school students (track 3) and (2) prospective college freshmen (track 2). This non-randomized purposive sampling study comprised of 28 first-generation and low-income students (males and females) across 7 racial identities; ten (10) Hispanic/Latinx, six (6) white, three (3) American Indian or Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, one (1) Black or African American, one (1) was Asian and the remain seven (7) were Multi-racial. We performed a test of independence chi-square on SPSS because variables were ordinal and categorical. Findings from this study showed that there was no difference in student motivation based on the level of educational attainment, race, and gender. However, across the different races in the study, all the students confirmed that they were motivated to enroll in college after the summer program. These findings have eliminated the level of educational attainment, race, and gender as factors influencing students’ perception. Hence, it enhanced the influence of the program on student motivation. In conclusion, the study contributes to the growing literature on college readiness programs.

Using eDNA to assess the effects of Sierra Nevada meadow restoration on invasive species and sensitive amphibians

Using eDNA to assess the effects of Sierra Nevada meadow restoration on invasive species and sensitive amphibians

Primary author: Nicolette Nelson
Faculty sponsor: Jonah Piovia-Scott

Primary college/unit: Arts and Sciences
Campus: Vancouver

Abstract:

Managers in the Sierra Nevada are increasingly restoring degraded wet meadows in order to recover essential ecosystem services (e.g. water storage and filtration) and to benefit native wildlife. These projects may increase available habitat for federally-listed amphibians, but some projects have unintentionally prompted the spread of invasive species that negatively impact native amphibians through predation, competition, and disease. In order to assess the effects of meadow restoration on invasive species and sensitive amphibians, we used a backpack sampler to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples at 23 restored and 23 paired unrestored Sierra Nevada meadows during the summers of 2018 and 2019. Quantitative PCR was used to detect the presence of American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), Amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd), and Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs (Rana sierrae). R. sierrae were detected at only one site, which may be explained by the relatively low elevation of study sites and the degraded condition of unrestored meadows. Preliminary analysis suggested that L. catesbeianus were associated with pond-and-plug restoration sites, which result in the creation of novel permanent ponds, and Bd was slightly associated with bullfrogs. Our results indicate that wet meadow restoration in the Sierra Nevada may not be directly benefiting sensitive amphibians. Additionally, pond-and-plug restoration may facilitate the spread of some invasive species more than other restoration methods such as beaver dam analogues that aim to mimic natural meadow formation processes.

A Comparative Study of the Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Santiago, Chile)

A Comparative Study of the Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Santiago, Chile)

Primary author: Vilma Navarro-Daniels
Co-author(s): Maria Serenella Previto

Primary college/unit: Arts and Sciences
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

The Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance houses a huge collection of documents, pictures, videos, and artifacts related to the resistance against Trujillo. It is visited by hundreds of Dominicans from all over the country as well as schoolers and their teachers. Dominicans do not doubt about the dictatorial nature of Trujillo’s rule (1930-1961). Although in Chile there is a Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Chilean people do not share a common memory about the Pinochet Era (1973-1990). My research focuses on the role and impact that the aforementioned museums and the way they were implemented, promoted, advertised, and interpreted from hegemonic centers of political power may have had on nowadays Chilean historical denial of the political genocide that took place under Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in opposition to the well consolidated and shared memory about the atrocities committed during the Trujillo Era that can be observed in Dominican Republic. Thus, my research studies and analyzes these museums in connection to the politics of memory or – conversely— oblivion, the latter also named Historical Alzheimer, and makes progress in the theoretical understanding of museums as components of urban spaces, which are protected and managed in order to achieve very precise goals: Museums are texts, meaning they are narrations that shape nations (Homi Bhabha) and, by doing so, they create a “usable past” (Henry Steele Commager), which, in turn, will form and set up future citizens as either anchored in a shared past or, on the contrary, detached from their own history.