Digital Commons Network^™

Why Do We Care?: A Natural History Of Noddings’ Ethical Theory, Walter Jason Niedermeyer

Between the Species

Noddings’ theory of caring, which is nearing its 35^th anniversary, has failed to garner the attention of the more classical theories of ethics. This slight may be due to its relative youth, or the historical support for other constructs, but if examined through the lens of evolutionary biology, the validity of Noddings might be tested. Using recent discoveries from the emerging fields of cognitive ethology and neuroscience, I have evaluated whether there exists evolutionary underpinnings for her theory. My analysis makes it apparent that the empathy and altruism required for the practice of caring are as much a product …

Xenotransplantation, Subsistence Hunting And The Pursuit Of Health: Lessons For Animal Rights-Based Vegan Advocacy, Nathan M. Nobis

Between the Species

I argue that, contrary to what Tom Regan suggests, his rights view implies that subsistence hunting is wrong, that is, killing animals for food is wrong even when they are the only available food source, since doing so violates animal rights. We can see that subsistence hunting is wrong on the rights view by seeing why animal experimentation, specifically xenotransplanation, is wrong on the rights view: if it’s wrong to kill an animal to take organs to save a human life, it’s wrong to kill an animal to eat that animal to save a human life or improve …

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 10/10/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Nozick’S Libertarian Critique Of Regan, Josh Milburn

Between the Species

Robert Nozick’s oft-quoted review of Tom Regan’s The Case for Animal Rights levels a range of challenges to Regan’s philosophy. Many commentators have focussed on Nozick’s putative defence of speciesism, but this has led to them overlooking other aspects of the critique. In this paper, I draw attention to two. First is Nozick’s criticism of Regan’s political theory, which is best understood relative to Nozick’s libertarianism. Nozick’s challenge invites the possibility of a libertarian account of animal rights – which is not as oxymoronic as it may first sound. Second is Nozick’s criticism of Regan’s axiological theory, which is best …

Executive Committee - Agenda, 10/10/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 10/5/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Academic Senate - Agenda, 10/3/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Natural Sounds On California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus Beecheyi) Vigilance And Predator Detection, Christopher M. Garvin, My-Lan T. Le, Clinton D. Francis

STAR Program Research Presentations

Many animals rely on the acoustical environment for functions spanning mate attraction, navigation and predator and prey detection. However, recent research suggests that the context of the acoustic environment can greatly influence the propagation and reception of acoustic signals and cues, potentially interfering with the ability of animals to perceive important environmental cues. Here, we sought to determine whether natural sounds influence vigilance and predator detection in the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi). In a manipulative field experiment, we measured squirrel vigilance behavior under three conditions: playback of river rapid noise, playback of cicada chorus noise and a control, unmanipulated …

Investigating The Role Of Regulation In Resilience Of Microbial Communities Under Fluctuating Environmental Conditions, Asaad Ahmed, Serdar Turkarslan

STAR Program Research Presentations

Gene regulatory networks are thought to be a vital contribution to microbial resilience in a fluctuating environment. Known gene regulatory networks were utilized to elucidate how the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibro vulgaris regulates its survival in its relative fluctuating environment while evolving to form a symbiotic relationship with the archaeal organism, Methanococcus maripaludis. By using transposon gene knockout methods to form transcription factor mutants in Desulfovibro vulgaris, the effect on the regulatory network is observed when the bacteria is co-cultured with Methanococcus maripaludis. Transferring methods to simulate fluctuating environments were used to induce transcription of regulatory genes. To measure the extent …

Differential Growth In Santa Rosa Island’S Restoration, Marisol Gonzalez, Ken G. Niessen, Morgan A. Eales, Kathryn Mceachern

STAR Program Research Presentations

Restoration biology is a relatively new branch of biology and many restoration practices, while transferable, require some degree of tweaking. This is because the same plant ecosystem might be at different levels of ecological ruin and heavily influenced by everything from soil quality, to mountain aspect and sunshine levels, to fog-interception rates. Additionally, different plants of the same ecosystem might respond differently to varying treatments. The plants of this study are located on Santa Rosa Island, off the coast of Santa Barbara in Southern California. For the restoration at Soledad Ridge, the treatments include three combinations of drip-irrigation lines, erosion-control …

Is Dna Available For Analysis In Convict Fry, Convict Wrigglers, Dead And/Or Preserved Fish?, Yasamin Haider

STAR Program Research Presentations

A coastwide bloom of the toxigenic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia in 2015 resulted in the largest reCryptoheros septemfasciatus is a species of cichlid fish (family Cichlidae) that varies phenotypically from population to population. We do not know the relatedness of the different populations of C. septemfasciatus in the many geographically close rivers of northern Costa Rica. To determine this, we will ultimately need to collect many fish and/or tissues at many sites in the wild. It is critical that we know whether we are able to obtain DNA from various tissues (e.g fin clips) and/or from fish fry. I assisted in creating …

Synthesis Of Ms-Labile Crosslinker To Determine Protein- Protein Interaction Networks In Various Biological Systems Using Crosslinking Mass Spectrometry, Parisa Tavakoli-Dehaghi, Isil Hamdemir, Jie Luo, Jeff Ranish

STAR Program Research Presentations

The purpose of this research is to synthesize a crossinker that is MS-labile and that produces fragments under MS (mass spectrometry) conditions that allows masses of the peptides determined by the name of LXR-SEB (Labile Crosslinker Reagent-Succinic Ethanolamine Biotin). The samples were prepared in a wet lab at the Institute for Systems Biology, tested using crosslinking MS methods, and finally purified using FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography). The results were further analyzed by myself and my mentor, Dr. Isil Hamdemir. The final results showed that we did successfully obtain pure tEB and LXR-Amine, however, SEB was not obtained in the …

Comparative Analysis Of Zero-Order Hillslope Carbon And Nitrogen Heterogeneity Using Solid And Liquid Samples, Corinne K. Webb, Ed Hunt, Eunice Villasenor, Katerina Dontsova

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) at Biosphere 2 near Tucson, AZ is a unique and singular experimental setup in which scientists are able to tackle large-scale earth science questions involving soil formation, nutrient cycling, and chemical weathering in a way that is unavailable in true Earth systems. Three identical zero-order 330 m^2 drainage basins are each filled with 330 m^3 of ground basaltic tephra with a loamy sand texture sourced from northern Arizona for its capacity for carbon sequestration. To obtain information on accumulation of carbon/nitrogen on LEO slopes as a result of biological and abiotic processes, six soil cores …

Diversity, Distribution And Dynamics Of Larval Cephalopods Off Northern California, Anacena Zander, Eric P. Bjorkstedt

STAR Program Research Presentations

Cephalopods are the fastest growing invertebrate, often putting on 3- 5 % of their body weight each day. Due to the nature of their diet, their body mass can be up to 80% protein, offering humans an easy and fast source of protein. This offers fisheries a new option to explore. The main problem behind wild-catching Cephalopods, is the issue of where they are. This study examined retrospective larval Cephalopod samples collected from 2009-2017 to examine trends in the diversity and distribution of the larvae. Notably, some of the collected data was taken during the warm water event that started …

Chemical Gardens: The Effects Of Organic Compounds On Inorganic Precipitates, Michelle R. Hooks, Laura M. Barge, Paul Webster

STAR Program Research Presentations

Chemical gardens are inorganic, self-organizing precipitates that form when metal salts are added to a solution of another precipitating ion, e.g. adding iron (II) chloride crystals to sodium silicate solutions. The self-assembly of these inorganic membranes, the maintenance of gradients across them, and the effects of organic compounds on their mineralogy / morphology are of particular interest in understanding similar geological structures at hydrothermal systems in Earth’s early oceans, as well as in putative hydrothermal vents elsewhere in our solar system (such as on Saturn’s moon, Enceladus). Chemical gardens provide a method of recreating these geological “hydrothermal chimneys” which are …

Regeneration Of Blood Vessels Within Diabetic Wounds After Treatment With Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Angel V. Contreras Cardenas, Tomas Rojo-Castro, Alan Alex, Gabriel Bascara, Rosalyn Isseroff, Thomas R. Peavy

STAR Program Research Presentations

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects more than 30 million Americans. This disorder leads to a variety of acute and chronic complications, including diabetic ulcers (chronic wounds). Chronic wounds often persist due to poor regeneration of the blood supply which is essential to bring nutrients for healing. Particularly, diabetic individuals are prone to damage in their peripheral tissues which leads to a high prevalence of ulcers in their extremities, often leading to limb amputations. The aim of this study is to improve healing outcomes for diabetics through the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to stimulate healing, in which …

O1 Haplotype Diversity Of The Invasive Colonial Tunicate Didemnum Vexillum In Drakes Estero And Bodega Bay, Cecilia Hernandez, C. Sarah Cohen, Rachel Weinburg

STAR Program Research Presentations

The colonial ascidian Didemnum vexillum is an invasive species with detrimental economic and ecological impacts on ecosystems where it is newly introduced. Populations of this recent marine pest are rapidly expanding along the North American coasts and provide the opportunity to assess whether population proximity and shared environmental factors influence genetic relatedness. The population in Tomales Bay, CA is the most diverse measured to date on the Northeast Pacific coast with the population composed of six different haplotypes; other locations are composed of three or four haplotypes. The diversity in Tomales Bay suggests it be an anomaly or possibly a …

Invasive Species In The Delta: Segmentation And Classification Of Water Hyacinth And Primrose, T’Keyah Hamilton, Carolina Nava, Christopher Potter, Vanessa Genovese

STAR Program Research Presentations

Because of its great beauty, Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth), originally from South America, has been introduced to 4 continents. Furthermore, because of its genetic make-up, high versatility and resiliency, this plant has become a frightening invasive, affecting boating and shipping, farming, water quality and fishermen livelihood wherever it thrives. However, Water Hyacinth (WH) is only 1 of over 84 invasives in the California Delta, which is where we focused our study. We took photographs along the Delta in treated and non-treated areas, and used an ENVI segmentation tool to find the best parameters for discriminating Water Hyacinth and Primrose. Once …

Certifying Batteries For Techedsat Satellites And Adept Before Sending Them Onto The International Space Station, Alex T. Quyenvo

STAR Program Research Presentations

The technological and Educational Nanosatellites or TechEdSat Satellites TechEdSat is a series of CubeSats built by students of San Jose University and student interns of University of Idaho in working with NASA Ames. Since October 2012, NASA has launched a total of 5 TechEdSats. The latest is TechEdSat 5 in March 2017. Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology or ADEPT develops a low ballistic coefficient aeroshell technology that can reduce heat and g-loading during entry. It also enables missions with breakthrough capabilities for long term Mars human exploration. ADEPT enables 10x reduction in peak entry heating and deceleration loads. Batteries …

Comparative Analysis Of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (Poss) Using Tof-Sims, Danielle Baur, Xiao-Ying Yu

STAR Program Research Presentations

Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane, often referred to as POSS, is an important type of nanostructured chemical compound because of its properties which bridge the gap between ceramic and organic materials. POSS has a variety of applications as an additive, a plastic, as well as a preceramic. Some more detailed examples of these categories are thermal modifiers when used as an additive, medical material when used as a plastic, and cladding or electronic coating when used as a preceramic. The two main valuable features of POSS chemical technology are how large the molecule building block is and what the intermediate composition is …

Testing For Variation In Leptasterias Spp. Prey Preference Across Different Populations And Microhabitats, Adam S. Tricomo, C. Sarah Cohen

STAR Program Research Presentations

Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) has affected many asteroid populations on the Pacific Northwest coast in recent years. Because sea stars are keystone predators, the absence of them can severely alter the structure of intertidal communities. As populations diminish, it is important to understand what the preferred prey of sea stars is and how prey preference may affect distribution and abundance of sea stars. This laboratory study examined the prey preference of Leptasterias populations from Friday Harbor, Washington, Humboldt County, California, and Pigeon Point, California. The purpose of the study was to 1) determine if sea stars have a preferred …

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 9/19/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee, Agenda - 9/19/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Does Breastfeeding Shape Food Preferences? Links To Obesity, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

The first 2 years of life have been recognized as a critical window for obesity prevention efforts. This period is characterized by rapid growth and development and, in a relatively short period of time, a child transitions from a purely milk-based diet to a more varied solid-food diet. Much learning about food and eating occurs during this critical window, and it is well-documented that early feeding and dietary exposures predict later food preferences, eating behaviors, and dietary patterns. The focus of this review will be on the earliest feeding experiences - breast- and formula-feeding - and the unique role of …

Academic Senate Retreat - Meeting Minutes, 9/8/2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Heterogeneity Of Microbial Life In Artificial Landscapes, Roopkamal Kaur, Aditi Sengupta, Peter A. Troch

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) project at Biosphere 2 consists of three replicated artificial landscapes which are sealed within a climate-controlled glass house. LEO is composed of basaltic soil material with low organic matter, nutrients, and microbes. The landscapes are built to resemble zero-order basins and enables researchers to observe hydrological, biological, and geochemical evolution of landscapes in a controlled environment. This study is focused on capturing microbial community dynamics in LEO soil, pre- and post-controlled rainfall episodes. Soil samples were collected from six different positions and at five depths in each of the three slopes followed by DNA extraction …

Understanding The Transition From Benthic Egg To Dispersive Larvae: Observations On The Intra-Capsular Growth And Development Of A Marine Snail (Kelletia Kelletii), Megan N. Wilson

Biological Sciences

It has long been understood that the larval life stage is responsible for the dispersion of many marine organisms across their biogeographic range. Such organisms have a bipartite life cycle, existing in the water column and subject to oceanographic processes as planktonic larvae before settling to suitable habitat along the benthos where they grow and mature. Previous studies have demonstrated that larval growth rate and behavior in the water column can alter larval position in relation to ocean currents and affects their dispersal pathway. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the growth rate of the earliest larval stage …

Influence Of Fibroblasts On Functional Arteriogenesis In A Murine Chronic Hindlimb Ischemia Model, Ashli A. Santos

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) occurs when there is a narrowing or blockage – usually a buildup of plaque - within the arteries that reduces blood flow to tissues which can chronic ischemia. As with most diseases, early detection and proactive treatment are important to maximize prognosis. Exercise effectively treats PAOD, but due to ischemic pain in the limbs, or intermittent claudication (IC), exercise can become painful and difficult. Due to the buildup of plaque, occlusions create an ischemic environment that changes the pressure distribution in collateral networks and increases the shear stress in transverse collaterals. Those two responses signal …

Assessing The Effect Of Nutritional Interventions On Body Composition Changes During Pregnancy In Moderately Malnourished Malawian Women, Megan K. Kitagawa

Master's Theses

Background: Malnutrition can affect the body composition changes that occur in healthy pregnancy, resulting in adverse effects to both the mother and infant. Supplementary foods with high quality protein may result in more favorable changes in lean mass and fat mass in pregnant malnourished women.

Objective: To retrospectively assess changes in body composition in moderately malnourished pregnant Malawian women in response to one of three nutritional interventions.

Methods: Height, weight, MUAC, and TSF were measured in pregnant women with MUAC >20.6 cm and19) were compared using ANOVA. If differences were detected, differences between groups were tested using the Tukey HSD …

Identifying And Reducing Variability, Improving Scaffold Morphology, And Investigating Alternative Materials For The Blood Vessel Mimic Lab Electrospinning Process, Evan M. Dowey

Master's Theses

The work of the Cal Poly Tissue Engineering Lab is primarily focused on the fabrication, characterization, and improvement of “Blood Vessel Mimics” (BVMs), tissue engineered constructs used to evaluate cellular response to vascular medical devices. Currently, cells are grown onto fibrous, porous tubes made using an in-house electrospinning process from PLGA, a biocompatible co-polymer. The adhesion and proliferation of cells in a BVM is reliant on the micro-scale structure of the PLGA scaffold, and as such it is of great importance for the electrospinning process to consistently produce scaffolds of similar morphologies. Additionally, it has been shown that cell proliferation …