I will be describing research done by the Native Medicinal Plant Research Program relating to ethnobotany. The research includes: their botany database, plants collected, Physalis research, osha, at risk plants, asclepius, and echinacea. The core values of this research are Conservation and sustainable harvest of medicinal plants , Respect for Indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants , and Education toward ecological responsibility,

ASR is a cyanobacterial light-detecting transmembrane protein, which communicates to the cell through its soluble transducer ASRT. In this study, we describe a method for cloning ASRT using PCR, vector construction, and transformation for protein expression. We have made progress in cloning and continuing work on purification protocols. We will use immobilized metal affinity chromatography to purify ASRT, and use this protein in subsequent studies on its interaction with ASR. Characterization of ASR’s signal transduction through ASRT has revealed thus far a striking similarity to GPCRs and has potential for use in more cost-effective and precise expression induction in bacterial systems.

The Gravity Lab at Humboldt State is concerned with measuring the force of gravity at unprecedented distance scales. Theories new and old make predictions about how gravity should behave, but accurate measurements of gravitational forces between objects close together have remained challenging. The crux of the experiment lies in sufficiently silencing the non-gravitational forces acting at the measuring site, and accomplishing this requires applying at least a little knowledge from most undergraduate physics classes. The implications of progress in this lab make it exciting to a general audience while remaining beneficial from an undergraduate learning perspective.

Critical care nurses specialize in caring for human responses to life-threatening problems. Nursing confidence in codes has shown direct correlation in improved patient outcomes, reduced time to compressions and adherence to American Heart Association guidelines. Currently, in a high-acuity critical care unit in Northern California, mock code scenarios and simulations are not a common practice. A quality improvement program is being developed to improve resuscitation efforts on this unit. It will include a self-assessment, mock codes and emergency scenario days. The goal is to increase nursing and staff confidence in resuscitation efforts, as well as improve team performance.

This project explores previous English 103 coursework on my discourse community, wildland firefighting, and the atmosphere of the career. It provides a sense of guidance and introduction to the discipline.

Surgical smoke, a byproduct of surgical procedures, poses significant health risks to healthcare workers and patients. However, surgical staff often overlook it as a biohazard in operating rooms. This project highlights the harmful toxins of surgical smoke, including exposure to carcinogens and infectious agents, and the need for policy change to mandate local smoke evacuation. Effective policies and guidelines for smoke evacuation modeled from evidence-based research, combined with adequate education, awareness, and training, can minimize the risks of surgical smoke in the operating room and empower nurse leaders to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

This project is a behavioral study on 4 gull species of Humboldt County. Their agonistic behavior was studied, comparing the frequency of agonistic behavior toward members of other species based on relative body-size. This value was compared with the number of birds of each relative size they had access to. I found that most gulls tended to target members of their own species disproportionately, but Western gulls disproportionately targeted members of other species that were larger and smaller in size. This may have implications on gull behavior and management.

From the primitively-brewed ‘steam beer’ of 19th century Eureka taverns, to the nano-brewed Hazy DIPA in a Crescent City warehouse today -- brewing culture remains a key social element and economic driver in Northern California's Redwood Coast. The Redwood Coast Beer Trail is an experiential destination marketing campaign that applies the principles of gastrotourism to advertise the robust craft brewery scene of Humboldt and Del Norte counties as distinct tourism assets. The Redwood Coast Beer Trail poster is a self-guided, self-paced wayfinding aide that empowers local and non-local visitors to experience the unique oddities and attributes of the region’s craft beer and cider producers.

Myofascial manipulation techniques have gained prominence in pain management due to their ability to address musculoskeletal issues, alleviate pain, and improve overall function. This review encompasses various manual therapy approaches such as trigger point release therapy, and self-myofascial release. These techniques target main symptoms of fascial restrictions, muscle tightness, and trigger points. The aim of these techniques can improve blood flow and as a result restore pain perception in the tissue. Integrating myofascial manipulation techniques with regular exercise therapy and stretching protocols interventions provides a comprehensive approach to pain management.

Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) and California black oak (Q. kelloggii) woodlands are unique ecosystems, yet little is known about their tree establishment patterns, nor the variability of stand structure. Research objectives were: to describe age, stand structure, and tree regeneration in 4 mixed oak-conifer woodlands in northwestern California. Most white and black oaks established from 1850-1910 with rare establishment since 1950 (< 0.05%). Most Douglas-fir trees established since ~ 1950. All sites had high proportions of oak seedling mortality in open stands. These trends likely reflect the effects of altered disturbance regimes enabling the transition to conifer-dominant stands.