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Item Open Access How to Tie Wood Knots(University of Oregon, 2023) Zarate, RiWoods anisotropic nature causes “defects” in lumber creating unwanted curvature. Actuation is activated by fluctuating moisture content within the wood cells making a shrinking and swelling motion (Hoadly 73-90). Laminating two perpendicular layers of wood veneer, one dry (passive) and one with high moisture (active), creates predictable, strong, and scalable self-actuating curvature without additional energy input (fig 1) (Rüggeberg 4-9, Timoshenko 235). Programable actuation is well studied (Vailati 11-12, Tahouni 13), but knots are particularly difficult to choreograph due to the formal combination of bending and torsion (Bhattacharyya 3-4). This study sought to create a self tying veneer knot by honing 2D geometry to laser cut prior to shaping (fig 2a, 2b). Speed was found to be controllable by varying width of bilayers resulting in several wood knots. Increasing elasticity of the veneer in its final curved form opens possibilities for improving material performance by using woods ingrained “physical intelligence” (Siti 1-2).Item Open Access The 2017 Trump Travel Ban and Its Longterm Consequences for Muslims in the US(University of Oregon, 2024-06-06) Mironova, Maria "Masha"Donald Trump’s four-year presidency altered the US sociopolitical landscape in previously unimaginable ways. Among the communities targeted by the administration’s novel legislation were Muslim Americans, who were subject to one of the earliest executive orders the newly elected president signed: the so-called Trump “Muslim ban” or Trump “travel ban,” formally, EO 13769, succeeded by EO 13780. These orders significantly lowered the number of immigrants and refugees to be admitted from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; as a result, 700 travelers were detained, up to 60,000 visas “provisionally revoked” (Hersher). Of note is also the fact that these six states have nothing in common outside of having Muslim majority populations. As a result of the Ban, numerous families were separated, plans for immigration to the US in search of a better life cut short, and anti-Muslim hate affected yet another policy. The executive order, though supposedly aimed at “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry in the United States,” as the full title suggests, had a profound impact on the Muslim population in the US, resulting in not only limits on freedom of movement, but also profound mental and physical health consequences, increased rates of Islamophobic attacks, and familial separation. It is thus the goal of this paper to explore several facets of the consequences of the Ban and outline what they mean, on a personal and structural level for the Muslims in the US and the country as a whole.Item Embargo Eternal Hunger: A Qualitative Analysis of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and its Role as a Driver of the New Nuclear Arms Race(University of Oregon, 2024) Zupo, Dominic; Cramer, JaneThe emergence of a new Cold War and the arms racing it brings has captured the attention of the globe. To understand the drivers of the new global tension the current discourse has overwhelmingly looked to great power politics for explanations. A dominant narrative has emerged that frames the United States as a superpower in decline currently facing increasingly aggressive challenges from China. This study directly challenges that narrative by investigating the role of nuclear weapons laboratories as the possible key driver of this new era of nuclear arms racing and proliferation. Specifically, this thesis uses process tracing and organization theory to explain how Lawrence Livermore National laboratories developed an organizational ethos that sought to master its resource dependence by pursuing influence over the policy that controls the distribution of the resources it seeks. This thesis argues that in doing so Lawrence Livermore acts as a driver of arms racing and in turn the new Cold War.Item Open Access THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL POLICY ON WOMEN'S LABOR MARKET OUTCOMES AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES(University of Oregon, 2024) Dougherty, Caitlin; Davis, JonathanThis study examines the impact of early childhood education and care (ECEC) policies, such as universal preschool, on labor market participation and gender equality in the United States. While there is substantial research on the effects of ECEC in countries with universal welfare systems like Denmark, there is significantly less research exploring these impacts within the U.S. context. This gap is particularly notable regarding how such policies influence labor force metrics, poverty reduction, and economic equality across genders. The findings reveal that a “Preschool for All” policy leads to a statistically significant increase in labor force participation among women by 1.2 percentage points, suggesting enhanced economic engagement. Wage and salary income also exhibit a positive, though not statistically significant, increase of $847.75 each year for the following five years post implementation. The effect on hourly wages shows a 53 cent increase. While both are suggestive of improvement in women’s labor force participation, neither is statistically significant. Additionally, preschool for all slightly increase in weekly working hours by .11 hours, indicating that some mothers might have transitioned from part-time to full-time, leveraging the availability of preschool to balance work and childcare responsibilities. Importantly, the policy contributes to a statistically significant decrease in the poverty rate by 1.3 percentage points. ECEC policies not only support women's entry and retention in the workforce but also act as a double reduction anti-poverty strategy, enhancing economic stability and reducing poverty among women.Item Open Access Sparking Life: Bioelectric Communication During Zebrafish Development(2024) Smallwood, Bently; Lukowicz-Bedford, RachelThis colorful digitally drawn comic explains why zebrafish are used as model organisms in biology and biomedical research. It explores research on connexion based gap junctions and the flow of bioelectricity through the neuromuscular system. Created in collaboration between undergraduate cartoonist Bentley Smallwood and UO researcher Dr. Rachel Lukowicz-Bedford as part of the Science and Comics Initiative, read the comic online here: https://opentext.uoregon.edu/science-comics/chapter/sparking-life-bioelectric-communication-during-zebrafish-development/Item Open Access Cover Art: “aλλος”(University of Oregon, 2024) Black, Oliviaaλλος is a part of the Greek root word for "allergy." aλλος, meaning "other," has held significant meaning for me growing up with a severe allergy to milk. This illustration depicts me as a child during allergy testing. I feel this drawing is representative of the spirit of undergraduate academic endeavors because it represents overcoming the challenges of our past and working them into our identities of the future.Item Open Access Meet the Editorial Board(University of Oregon, 2024)Item Open Access Art Feature: "Portals for Everyday People"(University of Oregon, 2024) Bisheimer, ElleThis photo series illustrates the power of captivating, freeform imagery that can spawn organically in our surroundings. The unique movement of black lines in the images result from the natural composition of the environment as it was; the branches hang above the water, the petals glide upon the pond's surface, the light reflects these forms as the water swirls. The images serve as a glimpse at mystical beauty of ordinary environmental conditions and cycles. Such otherworldly scenes will continue to create themselves without any spectators or interference. However, these portals remain unhidden, and their presence is abundant - we only need make a choice to search earnestly to experience the magic in full.Item Open Access Journal Editorial: "On Libraries Supporting Undergraduate Research"(University of Oregon, 2024) Vieger, RayneIn an unexpected way, the challenge of learning how to do undergraduate research is what led me to a career in libraries. As a freshman and first-generation college student, the imposter syndrome was strong; I lacked confidence in my writing and my voice. I was unsure if my ideas had value, and even if I finally talked myself into thinking I had something to say, I didn’t know how to go about finding the “right” sources or evaluating their veracity. Luckily, I had friends who worked in the library, and early on, it became part of my life on campus.Item Open Access Art Feature: "Autonomy in the Anthropocene"(University of Oregon, 2024) Bisheimer, ElleThis drawing explores several of the complex relationships between human innovation, morality, and how progress is defined through time. Who defines progress, and who is truly capable of harnessing its successes? In our modern era of incessant technological advancement towards an algorithmic perfection, this rather timeless struggle for moral truth inescapably seeps into our interactions with Artificial Intelligence. Most programs seek to minimize capacity for human error in each new advancement, successfully reducing our own ability to hinder progress—and our ability to work within it as well. One could argue this is not far off from efforts towards minimizing human error throughout ancient history. Developments of secular sciences, philosophy, and social reform often incorporated similar goals to progress, yet they were all driven by humans attempting to improve their own kind. What happens if reach a point where we no longer hold agency in our own societal progression? Does erasing our potential for error diminish the value of the art we create? Can we discount the value that AI may provide to humans that were never truly given a stake in the playing field towards progress? It may be impossible to predict, yet it remains a necessity to be considered as lines between virtual worlds and reality blur.Item Open Access Letter from the Editors(University of Oregon, 2024) Taylor, Jay; Schmitt, KylaIt is our pleasure to present Volume 22, Issue 1 of the Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal (OURJ) this spring of 2024. This issue showcases the best undergraduate scholarship we have encountered during the 2023–2024 academic year. Strikingly, these articles share a common theme: a focus on the future. Fittingly, we OURJ staffers are now also looking towards the future—the future of our publications, involvement with scholars, and research at the University of Oregon.Item Open Access Predicting Explore-Exploit Behavior from Personality Traits(University of Oregon, 2024) Nashawi, LynnThe explore/exploit trade-off theorizes that individuals learn and make decisions in two different ways. Exploration entails trying new approaches that one is unsure about in order to gain new information. Exploration can be further divided into two subsections: random and directed exploration—choosing randomly when the total uncertainty is high, and choosing the most uncertain option, respectively. Exploitation involves utilizing what one already knows in order to achieve an expected result. Recent research (i.e., Gershman 2018) has demonstrated that different individuals might employ either exploration or exploitation in novel environments, but whether different personality traits influence the strategy that is used is a relatively unexplored area of inquiry. In the present study, we asked 67 participants to complete a choice-based, point-scoring computer task. We instructed participants to collect as many points (in the form of numerical value feedback) as they could by selecting among four options, some of which offered a steady stream of points, and others which were more randomized. Participants also completed an abridged form of the Big Five personality questionnaire. We hypothesized that negative emotionality would correlate negatively with directed exploration, that open-mindedness would correlate positively with both measures of exploration, and that impulsivity would correlate positively with random exploration. We did not find support for any of the three hypotheses; rather, the opposite occurred in negative emotionality and directed exploration (p = 0.018, r = 0.29). These findings can be applied in various fields of research, as they demonstrate variation in types of learning and decision-making styles across different settings.Item Open Access Being Bosnian: The Means and Ends of Territoriality and the Genocide of Bosniaks in the Fromer Yugoslavia(University of Oregon, 2024) Petrik, CharlesThe “Bosnian Civil War” (1992–1996) was a conflict that resulted in the ethnic cleansing of thousands of Bosnian Muslims, or Bosniaks. In the vacuum left by the fall of Communism, religious identification across space opened doors for various populist leaders to campaign for a newly defined Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the 1990 election results, which left a majority Bosniak coalition in power, led to the swift aggression of Orthodox Serbian and Croatian nationalists from the east and west, respectively. This research employs a spatial lens to deeply examine what fueled the genocidal campaigns that ensued, identifying how culture, religion, and history were symbolically challenged through the systematic redefinition of territory. Ultimately, nationalist influences from Croatian and Serbian political spheres played off fears of rising challenges to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s nationhood in the political vacuum post-Communism, resulting in violence and the systematic destruction of spatial identity. Though eventually thwarted by NATO intervention, the mark of this genocide scars the former Yugoslavia’s geopolitical landscape today, providing a brutal example of how redefinitions of space and place can begin and sustain a conflict—and how historical grievances, differences in religious and national identity, and a lack of individualism across territory can be exploited for personal geopolitical ambitions. There exists much scholarship on the Bosnian War, especially in the realm of international intervention; however, this article seeks to provide a novel historical analysis of the conflict by examining how conceptions of territory and those making place within it were reframed for geopolitical purposes before and during the genocide.Item Open Access Childcare in the Free Market Society of F. A. Hayek(University of Oregon, 2024) Bernard, MyraAs free market structures increasingly dominate contemporary life, it is important to examine their influence on social structures as well as economic ones. Seeking to answer questions such as How do market forces interact with social functions like caretaking and interpersonal connection? and Are the values defining social and economic life compatible, or rather, at odds? this paper discusses the limitations of the prolific economic and political theorist F.A. Hayek's argument for a free market economy as the most effective tool in organizing and maintaining a functional society. In a case study of the act of childcare, I argue that a market framework fails to support key elements of social life necessary to a flourishing society, such as relationality and caretaking roles. In demonstrating the market's fundamental incompatibility with the role of childcare through (1) the market’s inability to appropriately evaluate the worth of childcare and (2) care labor's incongruity with market incentives, I argue that Hayek’s epistemological argument defending the free market as the most effective means of social and economic coordination is erred. Instead, a recognition of and deference towards the influence of social values within economic life is necessary in advancing an equitable society that recognizes and adequately supports the endeavor of childcare.Item Open Access Exploring the Role of Microbiota in the Development of Insulin-producing Cells in Drosophila melanogaster(University of Oregon, 2024) Mullen, NicoleResident microbiota can influence many aspects of host health and disease. Research by the Guillemin lab demonstrates that gut microbiota induce the expansion of insulin-producing beta cells in zebrafish and mice via a bacterial protein, beta-cell expansion factor A (BefA). This study investigates microbiota, bacteria, and BefA protein roles in promoting insulin-producing cell (IPC) development in Drosophila melanogaster, where each brain lobe contains seven IPCs. The study evaluates the effect of germ-free (GF) rearing on IPC numbers in Drosophila and explores whether feeding flies BefA, utilizing transgenic BefA expression, or employing transgenic tsl, a known pore-forming protein, can restore IPC numbers in GF flies. The groups compared were GF, conventionally reared (CV), GF flies fed BefA, and GF flies with transgenic BefA or tsl expression. Tissue-specific Dilp3:GAL4/UAS:GFP and immunohistochemistry treatment enables IPC visualization post-dissection. Findings show fewer IPCs per brain lobe in GF flies compared to conventional, highlighting microbiota's role in IPC development. GF larvae fed BefA exhibit a slight but significant IPC increase per lobe versus conventional, suggesting BefA's potential to mitigate GF effects. Transgenic expression of BefA, using the GAL4/UAS system, demonstrates a trending IPC increase in GF flies, while transgenic tsl expression significantly increases IPCs. These results indicate microbiota's impact on Drosophila metabolic pathways and fundamental cell development, including cells in the gut-brain axis. These insights can be used to direct research and treatment for diseases like diabetes and have implications for microbiota's effect on the brain. Future experiments will explore BefA's properties, including its potential to induce insulin-producing cell expansion through membrane permeabilization.Item Open Access Sex-Based Differences in Plantar Pressure Distribution to Inform Soccer Cleat DesignSaing, Audrey; Karolidis, Emily; Hahn, MikeExisting soccer cleats on the market are biased towards male biomechanical data, which may hinder female soccer players’ performance. This study explores plantar pressure differences between males and females during tasks that simulate dynamic match play with future application to female-centric cleat design. Ten males and nine females were instructed to run a fatiguing protocol on artificial turf. This modified Gauntlet protocol included straight running and changes in direction in five stages of decreasing distance from 1600 m to 100 m. During the third (400 m) stage, plantar pressure data were collected using pedar® insoles in a pair of soccer cleats. Plantar pressure data during four cutting steps and six straight running steps were used to calculate force-time integral normalized to body weight (FTI) in nine anatomical regions of the foot. Independent t-tests were conducted to determine if sex had a significant effect on FTI in each region of the foot. During cutting maneuvers, females had a significantly lower FTI in the medial forefoot (p = 0.029) and significantly higher FTI in the central forefoot compared to males (p = 0.006). While running straight, females had a significantly lower FTI in the medial forefoot (p = 0.016) and lesser toes (p =0.002) than males, while females had significantly higher FTI in the medial hindfoot (p = 0.008), lateral hindfoot (p = 0.002), and medial midfoot (p = 0.007) than males. Future female soccer cleat designs might include modified studs or adapted insole materials in the central forefoot area to best distribute plantar pressure loading while performing dynamic multiplanar movements.Item Open Access Novel Interspecies Interactions of Oral Commensal Corynebacterium and Opportunistic Pathogen Candida albicansRozendal, T.; Jens, KrethSophisticated synergistic and antagonistic relationships within the oral commensal community contribute to host defense against invading pathogens. Dysbiosis in the oral microbiome can lead to oral diseases and systemic health concerns. Of particular interest is the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans and its synergistic interaction with Streptococcus mutans, which promotes virulent hyphae formation and biofilm production in C. albicans. Some fatty acids released by the oral commensal Corynebacterium species are known to inhibit Candida biofilm formation. In this study, we isolated several oral Candida strains to assess hyphae formation when co-cultured with S. mutans. Additionally, we introduced Corynebacterium durum into the co-culture in order to investigate its antagonistic effects on the Candida isolates. Our results reveal that C. durum significantly impacts the growth and hyphae formation of C. albicans, providing direct evidence of its antagonistic role in C. albicans pathogenesis. Furthermore, we isolated membrane vesicles from oral Corynebacterium samples, which appear to vary in composition depending on the strain and conditions. Further research is needed in order to elucidate the functional biochemistry of these membrane vesicles and understand their inhibitory mechanisms.Item Open Access Core Temperature and Thermal Sensation Change after Cold Water SCUBA DivingOrman, Tucker; Perez, Makayla; Bradbury, Karleigh; Lovering, AndrewObjective: To measure core temperature (Tc) and thermal sensation (Ts) before and after cold water SCUBA diving in male and female recreational divers wearing wetsuits and drysuits. It has been shown that ∆Tc can be impacted by various anthropometric factors, notably body surface area (BSA)/body mass (BM) but recreational diver research is limited. Methods: 52 subjects (23M, 27F) completed SCUBA dives at varied depths and durations in cold water (10.4 ± 1.9°C) in Oregon (freshwater) and Washington (saltwater). 10 subjects (5M, 5F) wore drysuits with dry gloves and hoods. The remaining 42 (19M, 23F) wore wetsuits (14mm core). Tc was measured before and after each dive using a telemetric pill that was swallowed ~10 hours before the start of the dive. Ts was measured immediately before and after each dive. Results: There was a significant effect of suit type on ΔTc/min (p=0.02) with those in wetsuits having lower ΔTc/min (-0.02 ± 0.02°C/min) than those in drysuits (-0.00 ± 0.01°C/min). In wetsuit and drysuit divers combined, BSA/BM was negatively correlated with ∆Tc/min (P<0.0001, R2=0.3476), and BMI was positively correlated with ∆Tc/min (P<0.0001, R2=0.3285). There was no significant difference (p=0.29) in ΔTs between wetsuit wearers (-2.0±1.0 arbitrary units (a.u)) and drysuit wearers (-1.0±1.0 a.u.). Conclusion: Drysuits were more effective at maintaining Tc throughout cold water dives. Divers with higher BSA/BM ratios and lower BMI had more negative ∆Tc/min. These results suggest cold water divers, especially those with higher BSA/BM and lower BMI, will benefit from using drysuits or thicker wetsuits to maintain Tc during their dives. Funding: This study was funded by the University of Oregon. Temperature supplies were provided by the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine.Item Open Access What Controls Sex Development in Fish?Breslin, Sophia; Postlethwait, John H.; Desvignes, Thomas; Novillo, Manuel; Valdivieso, Alejandro; Chung, Bon-chu; Yan, Yi-Lin; Desvignes, Thomas; Lecointre, Guillaume; Ohara, Isabela Lagana; Shibatta, Oscar Akio; Sidlauskas, Brian; Yokoi, Hayato; Ansai, Satoshi; Schartl, Angelika; Schiavon, Luca; Papetti, Chiara; Lauridsen, Henrik; Garmann-Aarhus, BenedicteIn mammals and in birds, the sex of an individual is determined by its genes. A sex determining gene on a sex chromosome influence the development of ovaries or testes. But sex in fishes is much more diverse! What controls sex development in fish? Sex genes like in mammals and birds? Or do other types of sex determination systems exist in fish? In this short scientific graphic novel, Sophia Breslin, John Postlethwait, and Thomas Desvignes introduce you to the control of sex determination in fish: from the genetic regulation by sex determining genes and sex chromosomes to various cases of hermaphrodism and the influence of the environment, revealing the myriad of different sex determination systems found in fishes.Item Open Access Relief, An Ethical Reflection on Animal Welfare PoemJohnson, Ryan; Parzuchowski, Kimberly; Lundquist, Caroline“Relief” is a poem about anthropocentric moral policy, and a critical reflection on animal welfare designed to provoke questions about why humanity uses non-human species the way we do. The purpose of the poem is not to shame or apply guilt, but to encourage asking ourselves the difficult questions like; Are humans more important than other species? If so, how does that importance give us the right to deem non-human species unworthy of human-like consideration? “Relief” is a poem of accountability that addresses the root of these questions. To write this poem I researched the extent of non-human abuse both in scientific research and in industrial animal farms, and what I found is heart wrenching. I found that there is a trend in how researchers and industrialists justify these abuses, which were primarily focused on levels of sentience and consciousness of non-human species in comparison to the “superior” variation of sentience and consciousness of humans. I don’t believe that humanity should use our own sentience or consciousness as a justification for any kind of abuse. If we don’t examine our anthropocentric scientific and moral beliefs humanity will continue to abuse non-human species, or as it has in the past, use the same justifications to abuse our own kind under a similar premise. I designed “Relief” to force us to examine this difficult to discuss problem, and hopefully force us to think deeper on our reasons for how we treat things that are not us.