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Following is a roundup of recent research at NC State University for use by the media as briefs or as background for stories. Faculty and News Services contacts are listed after each item. News releases on all stories, along with video releases and radio actualities for selected stories, are accessible at News Services' Web site at www.ncsu.edu/news. Color digital copies of photos are available by contacting NC State News Services at 919/515-3470 or newstips@ncsu.edu. Getting the Public Involved in Public Policy Three NC State University faculty members are examining a concrete method to give the public a voice in public policy, specifically in issues of biotechnology and genetically modified foods. Modeled on Denmark's citizens' consensus conferences - which allow non-expert public citizens to make policy recommendations to the Danish government - NC State researchers held the North Carolina Citizens' Technology Forum to educate non-scientists on matters of biotechnology, provide expert answers to questions, and help citizens come up with a set of policy recommendations based on consensus. Dr. Steven B. Katz, associate professor of English who specializes in the rhetoric of biotechnology communication with the public, organized and provided the introduction to a symposium at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting, Feb. 14-19, in Boston. He discussed the political necessity and social value of public communication in biotechnology decision-making, and the relationship of science and citizens in a democracy. Katz's colleagues, Dr. Patrick Hamlett, associate professor of multidisciplinary studies, and Dr. Jane Macoubrie, assistant professor of communication, were co-primary investigators of the forum, and presented their research findings. They studied the amount citizens learned over the course of the conference, their sense of trust in their fellow citizens, and the decision logic - or nature of logic that leads a group to a particular decision - utilized by citizens. Media contacts: Dr. Steven
B. Katz, (919) 515-4119 or sbkeg@unity.ncsu.edu;
Dr. Patrick Hamlett, (919) 515-7999 or phamlett@ncsu.edu;
Dr. Jane Macoubrie, (919) 515-9746 or jane_mac@ncsu.edu;
or Mick Kulikowski, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu. Surprise! 83-Million-Year-Old Egg Yields Well-Preserved Dinosaur Embryo
The dinosaur egg, found in Alabama
more than 30 years ago, is thought to be the first with an embryo
ever found in the eastern United States. The embryo is thought to
be that of a Lophorhothan, a duck-billed dinosaur known to have lived
in the area now covered by modern-day Alabama. Media contacts: James Lamb,
(919) 515-6276 or jplamb@unity.ncsu.edu,
or Greg Thomas, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or greg_thomas@ncsu.edu. Study Finds Working Memory Can Be Boosted By Expressive Writing In a groundbreaking study, NC State
psychologist Dr. Kitty Klein has discovered that expressive writing
- writing about one's deepest thoughts and feelings - increases working
memory. Previous studies on working memory, which is a temporary warehouse for the storing and manipulation of information, theorized that a person's capacity was fairly fixed and unalterable during much of life. Klein's study showed improvements in working memory after just three 20-minute sessions over a two-week period. "Expressive writing is more
than just keeping a journal or a diary," Klein. "It's about
integrating feelings and thoughts and then coming to grips with a
stressful memory. Writing takes a stressful memory and gives it an
order so it doesn't keep popping up and interfering with other cognitive
tasks." Beside the boost in working memory,
Klein believes her study also provides some hard facts to previous
speculation that expressive writing can improve health by reducing
stress. Media contacts: Dr. Kitty
Klein, (919) 515-1719 or kitty_klein@ncsu.edu,
or Mick Kulikowski, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu. DNA Evidence Reopens Case of Irish Potato Famine A study by NC State scientists finds
that the strain of pathogen blamed for the Irish potato famine of
the 1840s isn't actually the culprit. Led by Dr. Jean Ristaino, the NC
State study - the first to ever extract and analyze DNA fingerprints
of 150-year-old leaves preserved from the great blight - found no
trace of the widely suspected 1b haplotype, or strain, of the late-blight
pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Instead, the analysis points a finger
at one of three other late-blight haplotypes - none of which previously
had been considered prime suspects - and even raises the possibility
that the epidemics were caused by an unknown haplotype which became
extinct or mutated into a different strain shortly afterward. "Our data emphasize the importance
of using actual historic specimens when making inferences about historic
populations," Ristaino said. The Irish potato famine killed more
than 1 million people and forced another 2 million to emigrate from
Ireland. Media contact: Dr. Jean Ristaino,
(919) 515-3257 or jean_ristaino@ncsu.edu,
or newstips@ncsu.edu. Bug Off! Genetic Basis of Insect's Resistance to Engineered Crops Found
"Not only will knowledge about this gene enable us to detect the early signs of pests evolving resistance to the current engineered plants, it may also allow us to modify the plants so they will be defended against the new pest strains," Gould says. Media contact: Dr. Fred Gould, (919) 515-1647 or fred_gould@ncsu.edu, or newstips@ncsu.edu. Permeable Pavement Provides Friendly Alternative to Asphalt NC State faculty are driving in and
out of a lot of parking lots, all in the name of research. But William
Hunt, an urban storm water extension specialist, and Dr. John R. Stone,
associate professor of civil engineering, are actually working to
discover how well some new eastern North Carolina parking lots, constructed
of permeable pavement, are performing. Permeable pavement is a multi-layer
construction material that allows storm water to drain naturally through
the soil below, rather than becoming runoff with the potential to
contaminate soil and water with oil and other pollutants. The contemporary
construction technique involves layering materials to create a parking
lot that is both permeable to water and sturdy enough to support heavy
cars. Although the costs of permeable pavement
parking lots are a bit higher than those of traditional asphalt lots,
"The total cost could be less because permeable pavement may
reduce the amount of money put into infrastructure such as ponds and
storm drains," Hunt says. Media contacts: Dr. John R.
Stone, (919) 515-7732 or stone@eos.ncsu.edu,
William F. Hunt III, (919) 515-6751 or bill_hunt@ncsu.edu,
or Linda E. Rudd, Engineering Publications, (919) 515-3848 or linda_rudd@ncsu.edu. Better Clothing through Chemistry Research at NC State could lead to
longer-lasting and better-working protective fabrics, such as flame-retardant
children's clothing or odor-inhibiting socks and shirts. Instead of treating the surface of fabrics with protective polymer coatings that can wear thin and lose effectiveness from use or repeated washings, NC State researchers, led by Dr. Alan Tonelli, KoSa Professor of Polymer Science, are imbedding the polymers that make up the fabric itself with various additives. Lab tests show that fabrics and films made this way provide greater protection and retain their flame-retardant or antibacterial qualities longer than materials treated with conventional surface coatings. The new process can potentially aid
a host of fabrics and films, including items such as antibacterial
medical gowns, dressings and sutures. Media contacts: Dr. Alan Tonelli,
(919) 515-6588 or alan_tonelli@ncsu.edu,
or Greg Thomas, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or greg_thomas@ncsu.edu. Scientist Fights to Protect Hemlock Forests from Tenacious Insect
That beetle feeds exclusively on
the adelgid, even during the adelgid's hibernation stage, and doesn't
seem to pose a threat to native insect species. Hain also hopes tostudy isolated
stands of hemlock trees that have lived as long as seven or eight
years after infestation. "Is the survival of those trees site-specific
- because of where the trees are located - or is there something genetic
that allows them to resist the hemlock woody adelgid?" Hain asks.
His research will attempt to answer this question, find existing or
new resources to control the adelgid, and, as a result, bring life
back to the hemlock forest. Media contact: Dr. Fred Hain,
(919) 515-3804 or fred_hain@ncsu.edu,
or newstips@ncsu.edu. Nodding Off Not an Option in These Introductory Science Classes Welcome to the classroom of the future
for introductory science classes, where passive acceptance and sleep
during lectures are strictly verboten. Teams of students collectively
come up with solutions to problems posed by a roving instructor. Thought-provoking
problems are based on real-world quandaries, forcing students to collaborate
and think critically. The future is here for this type
of educational reform at NC State. A program called SCALE-UP - or
Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs
- is changing the ways educators think about the workings of introductory
science courses. SCALE-UP established a highly collaborative environment
that includes hands-on interactive activities in courses for up to
100 students. Lecture and lab sessions are not separated; instead,
the two are seamlessly joined to create a new classroom paradigm. The program was researched and conceptualized
by NC State's Dr. Bob Beichner, associate professor of physics, and
has found its way into the introductory chemistry classes of Dr. Maria
Oliver-Hoyo, assistant professor of chemistry. "We are changing
the learning environment to make big classes feel like small ones,"
Beichner says. Media contacts: Dr. Bob Beichner,
(919) 515-7226 or beichner@ncsu.edu,
Dr. Maria Oliver-Hoyo, (919) 515-2212 or maria_oliver@ncsu.edu,
or Mick Kulikowski, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu. Stay Cool: Technology Extends Eggs' Shelf Life A research team led by poultry and
food scientists from NC State has developed a new technology for cooling
eggs that safely extends egg shelf life and suppresses the growth
of harmful microbes such as salmonella. The technology uses carbon dioxide
gas to cryogenically cool eggs as they are prepared for market. The
gas cools the eggs from 95 degrees Fahrenheit to 45 degrees in just
minutes. Using traditional refrigeration, it takes seven to 10 days
to cool eggs to this optimal temperature. Dr. Ken Anderson, associate professor
of poultry science; Dr. Pat Curtis, professor of food science; and
Dr. Kevin Keener, assistant professor of food science, are the NC
State researchers involved in developing this new technology. Media contacts: Dr. Ken Anderson,
(919) 515-5527 or ken_anderson@ncsu.edu;
Dr. Pat Curtis, (919) 515-9514 or pat_curtis@ncsu.edu;
Dr. Kevin Keener, (919) 515-9518 or kevin_keener@ncsu.edu;
or Natalie Hampton, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication
Services, (919) 513-3128 or natalie_hampton@ncsu.edu. Students Design Vehicles That Can View Nooks and Crannies on Mars Space explorers have long attempted
to search for telltale signs of life on Mars. While satellites are
fine for a bird's-eye view of the planet's surface and ground rovers
can examine the composition of the terrain, a vehicle is needed to
see into the sides of a crater and take readings of the atmosphere
at varying distances from the planet's surface. Enter NC State design and engineering
students. A recent course, part of a research
project sponsored by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, allowed eight
design students and 11 engineering students to collaborate on the
mission to design a model vehicle to would realize explorers' needs.
Students worked directly with NASA scientists and engineers, and transmitted
computer models to JPL scientists over the Internet. The course was taught by Bryan Laffitte,
associate professor of industrial design; Dr. Fred DeJarnette, professor
of mechanical and aerospace engineering; and Jay Tomlinson, research
associate professor and director of the Design Research Laboratory. Media contacts: Catherine
Lazorko, College of Design information officer, (919) 515-8311 or
catherine_lazorko@ncsu.edu,
or Linda Rudd, Engineering Publications, (919) 515-3848 or linda_rudd@ncsu.edu. Scientist Discovers Tiny, Electric-Conducting Wires that Self-Assemble A study initiated by Dr. Orlin Velev,
assistant professor of chemical engineering, has discovered a new
method of growing microscopic wires that can conduct electricity in
a liquid environment. The research shows that colloidal
nanoparticles - dispersed particles ranging in size from 15 to 30
billionths of a meter - can spontaneously self-assemble into wires
when placed under the force of an alternating (AC) electric field,
a process known as dielectrophoresis. The formation of these wires
can be controlled and used in electrical circuits in a wet environment. "When you miniaturize things,
self-assembly is important," Velev says. "With dielectrophoresis,
there is no chemical reaction, no need for soldering, and the electrical
connections are made spontaneously." Eventually, it is expected that these
microwires will be used to connect living cells to electrodes. Media contacts: Dr. Orlin
Velev, (919) 513-4318 or odvelev@unity.ncsu.edu,
or Mick Kulikowski, NC State News Services, (919) 515-3470 or mick_kulikowski@ncsu.edu. Genetics Research Brings Home the Bacon Recent grants from the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are
expanding knowledge in a burgeoning scientific field that has important
implications for our world's future - genomics. NC State has been awarded $6 million
from NIH for the study of statistical and quantitative genomics. It
supports research aimed at determining the genetic basis of complex
traits that are determined by more than one gene - such as disease
susceptibility, behavior and longevity. It also funds related work
to develop new and better methods of analyzing genetic data. The $3 million grant from the USDA
will be used to research the breeding and genetics of the loblolly
pine, one of the Southeast's most economically important tree species.
A multidisciplinary team of tree geneticists, wood chemists and tree
breeders will work to develop the first strains of loblolly pine that
can be grown quickly for specific products, such as boards and paper
pulp. Media contacts: Dr. John Kadla,
(919) 513-2455 or jkadla@unity.ncsu.edu,
Dr. Ron Sederoff, (919) 513-0073 or volvo@unity.ncsu.edu,
or newstips@ncsu.edu. - 30 -
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