University commends research breakthrough by Whittemore Peterson Institute

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome discovery by University of Nevada School Medicine partner featured in Science magazine

RENO, Nev. – Today it was announced that a recently identified retrovirus has been linked to a debilitating neuro-immune disease, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). The retroviral link was discovered by scientists from the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI), located at the University of Nevada School of Medicine on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, and their collaborators from the National Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic.

Judy Mikovits, director of research for WPI and leader of the team that discovered this association is an adjunct faculty member in the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Her team recently published the groundbreaking findings in the journal, Science, one of the world’s leading journals of original scientific research, global news and commentary. The team’s findings mark a major breakthrough in understanding the origins of this disease that affects more than one million people in the United States.

“This is an incredibly significant discovery for those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and it has important implications for the world of science and medicine,” said University of Nevada, Reno President Milt Glick. “Scientific breakthroughs are often iterative, and a finding of this magnitude can lead to additional discoveries and new research frontiers.

“We believe in partnerships and are delighted to have the Whittemore Peterson Institute on our campus. This scientific breakthrough speaks to the level of research happening in Nevada, and this will only be magnified with opening of the Center for Molecular Medicine which will be the future home of the Whittemore Peterson Institute.

“On behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno, congratulations to the researchers with the Whittemore Peterson Institute and their collaborators from the National Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic. Their work – which is inspired, shared and supported by Harvey and Annette Whittemore – will have a lasting impact on the diagnosis and treatment of this syndrome and potentially other neuro-immune diseases.”

The Center for Molecular Medicine, currently under construction, will be home to the Whittemore Peterson Institute and will open fall 2010.

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Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.

Jane Tors
Special Assistant to the President
University Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
jtors@unr.edu
775.784.1880   phone
775.784.1422   fax

RENO, Nev. – If you couldn’t believe your eyes when you saw the recent photo of a purported record-breaking 771-pound stingray, you may have been on to something. 

“While the photo is genuine and there’s no denying that this is a huge stingray, the stingray in the photo was never weighed,” University of Nevada, Reno conservation biologist Zeb Hogan said. He is lead researcher for the “Megafishes Project,” a joint venture with the National Geographic Society which aims to find, study, and protect the world’s largest freshwater fish.

Stingray caught from small boat with fishing rod and reel

News of the catch spread quickly. However, contrary to initial media reports, it is unknown if this fish, which was tagged and released in central Thailand on January 28, 2009 as part of the National Geographic expedition, is truly the world’s largest freshwater fish, he said. The fish, caught by volunteer angler Ian Welch from a small boat using a rod and reel, will be featured in an upcoming documentary airing on the National Geographic Channel.

“Surprisingly, we caught the stingray again four weeks later on Feb. 28,” Hogan said. “It’s still hasn’t been weighed so it still isn’t known if it’s a record breaker. We estimated the weight based on previous catches and simple ‘back-of-the-envelope’ calculations.”

Hogan, along with his team of researchers and anglers on site at the time of capture, approximate the fish’s weight to be between 550-770 pounds. An even slightly larger fish than the one tagged would almost certainly be a world record freshwater fish, he said.

“In terms of disk width, this is the second largest stingray I’ve seen, the largest was in Cambodia in 2003,” Hogan said. “This recent fish was very thick, so it may have weighed more.”

The big winged fish was caught the second time about four kilometers from the original site by local anglers who work with his team. Researchers immediately released it. The find could mean that the ray population is smaller, or less migratory, than originally believed. The tagging, tracking and sometime recapturing are how biologists estimate abundance of fish populations, Hogan said. Biologists continue to track the big fish’s movements using an array of underwater listening devices designed to detect tagged fish.

Hogan and his team have tagged 18 of this species of stingrays (Himantura chaophraya) as part of the recently established research project on the stingray in central Thailand for the University of Nevada, Reno, the Thai Department of Fisheries, the sport-fishing company Fishsiam and the National Geographic Society sponsored Megafishes Project. This species is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

If he can get more funding for the project, Hogan hopes to eventually tag 40-50 stingrays for the research study, the first ever ecological study of the giant freshwater stingray which was discovered only 20 years ago. Freshwater giant stingrays are among the largest of the approximately 200 species of rays. They can be found in a handful of rivers in Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

“We aim to determine its conservation status, its abundance, its maximum size, whether or not it’s a true freshwater species, whether or not regional populations interact and its migratory patterns and critical habitat,” he said.

“It’s clear that this species of giant freshwater stingray has the potential to be the largest freshwater fish in the world,” Hogan said. The current record holder for world’s largest freshwater fish is a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish caught by fishermen in northern Thailand in 2005.

The Megafishes Project is a 5-year initiative to find, study, and protect the world’s largest freshwater fish.  A megafish is defined as any freshwater fish species that grows over 6 feet long or weighs more than 200 pounds.  Approximately two dozen fish meet this criteria, including catfish, carp, trout, sturgeon, sawfish, paddlefish, gar and the giant freshwater stingray.

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Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu .

University researchers have harvested their first outdoor cold-weather crop of algae as part of their collaborative algae-to-biofuels project with their industry partners Enegis, LLC and Bebout and Associates.

The project, using one of two 5,000-gallon ponds at the University’s greenhouse complex on Valley Road in Reno, produced several hundred gallons of concentrated algal slurry. The research has demonstrated that, with the proper technology and species of algae, it is possible to grow algae outdoors year-round in Nevada. The pond was inoculated with a “starter” culture and then the cells grow out until they reach a plateau or stationary phase, which takes two to three weeks. The algae thrived in the outdoor pond despite nighttime temperatures that fell into the low 20s.

“We’ll be analyzing the algae for starches and lipids, the components that can be used for fuel,” said Professor John Cushman, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. A conservative estimate for this harvest is 30 percent lipids and five percent starches on a dry weight basis, less on a fresh weight basis.” The professor oversees the venture along with fellow researchers and graduate students.

The goal is to develop a hardy variety of salt-loving algae as alternative biofuel feedstock, which produces more than half its weight in oil – as well as developing a practical process to grow, concentrate and harvest the algae. The alga variety harvested was selected and cultured by the University, and future varieties will be developed by the University.

Nevada researchers and energy producers are uniquely enabled to leverage the geothermal, high solar radiation, ample land area, and salt basins to produce algae in a scalable and economically viable manner. Use of the uncovered ponds demonstrates that algae can be grown in commercial quantities year-round, even in a temperate climate. This will preclude the need for capital-intensive bioreactors or covered ponds.

The ponds were constructed with the help of industry partners Enegis, LLC and Bebout and Associates. Cushman also received grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation SunGrant Initiative.

“We believe that the methodologies and technologies being developed will result in high-quality biofuel that can compete in price per gallon with both current domestic biofuel production and imported fuels,” Dr. John W. Bebout,  renewable energy expert from Savannah, Georgia and principal consultant and founder of Bebout and Associates, said.

There is a possibility for long-term financial benefits for the University from the development of the growing process and special algae strains.

“We have signed a sharing agreement with Enegis,” Cushman said. “There are possible financial benefits, especially if we file product or process patents.”

Jeffrey Eppink, president of Enegis, said, “this harvest represents the culmination of more than four years of research into developing hardy varieties of algae which produce large amounts of oil or starch as well as developing a practical process to grow, concentrate and harvest the algae.”

Cushman, his partners and students plan to begin growing another crop of algae to be ready for harvest in the early Spring.

# # #

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu .

The Wolf Pack coaching staff relishes the opportunity to face another ACC opponent. “That’s the beauty of it. It is special,” said Nevada head coach Chris Ault, whose team will be playing in its program-high, fourth consecutive bowl game. “Some of the bowls we’re affiliated with don’t have the glamour an ACC team brings.”

The Bowl Championship Series conferences, whose champions earn automatic bids into the most prestigious bowl games each January, are the ACC, the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12, the Big Ten, the Big East and the Pac 10.

The Terrapins and Wolf Pack come into the ESPN nationally televised contest with 7-5 overall records. Maryland is going after a landmark of its own —the program’s next win will be its 600th in 115 seasons of football. Head Coach Ralph Friedgen has led the Terps to a 63-36 record in his eight seasons on the sidelines.

“I don’t know if winning this game is more important to the seniors or to the football program,” said Friedgen in a recent press conference at College Park. “I think 8-5 is a very commendable season, especially with a bowl trip. Winning a bowl game is a springboard into next year, and carries through the whole winter. Recruiting is extremely important right now.”

Among the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams nationally, Maryland defeated four opponents who were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this season. Only BCS championship contenders Florida and Oklahoma performed better, each knocking off five such ranked opponents.

The Terps topped No. 23 California and No. 20 Clemson in September, defeated No. 21 Wake Forest the next month and dropped No. 17 North Carolina on Nov. 15.

“They played Boston College their last game (a 28-21 loss to the No. 20-ranked Eagles) and they should have beaten BC at BC,” Ault said. “They have some great wins to their credit.”

Maryland will employ an interim defensive coordinator to draw up schemes against Nevada’s second-ranked rushing offense. Coach Chris Cosh left the team to join Bill Snyder’s new staff at Kansas State, and Al Seamonson, who coached the outside linebackers and served as a special teams assistant, is the Terps’ replacement.

“I think Al does a very good job,” Friedgen said. “He is a very solid coach and extremely hard worker.”

Maryland senior defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre said the Terrapins will have to play smart football to contain Wolf Pack quarterback and Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year Colin Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua, who have combined for 32 rushing touchdowns this season.

“They run the ball a lot, and they run the ball well,” Navarre said. “The stats don’t lie, and it’s going to be a challenge. Their quarterback runs the ball really well, so we need to get everything straight with that.”

Kaepernick is the top scoring quarterback in the nation, averaging eight points per game.

Nevada’s ability to run the ball effectively and Maryland’s aptitude for gaining yards on the ground could be focal points of the game, Ault said.

“Controlling the clock is always a major factor in these games,” he added. “Both teams are good running teams.”

Terrapins running back Da’Rel Scott has rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns this season. Friedgen said the offensive line and Scott are establishing their focus as the season ends.

“He’s one of the premier running backs in the ACC and we have to get him to that 1,000-yard mark,” the coach said. That’s definitely a goal for us.”

This is Nevada’s ninth overall bowl appearance, with the Wolf Pack winning three of the eight prior games. Maryland is 9-11-2 in its past bowl appearances.

“Having been there two years ago (for the bowl game) and having played at Boise in conference (a 69-67 four-overtime loss in 2007), the kids won’t be in awe of the blue turf,” Ault said. “No introductions will be necessary.”

Game tickets in the Nevada section at Bronco Stadium are available by visiting the Legacy Hall Ticket Office (weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) on the University of Nevada campus or by calling (775) 348-PACK. These tickets are $50.

Additional tickets for the game are available at http://www.idahotickets.com/. Ticket prices range from $18-$150.

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Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu .

Patrick McDonnell
Publications Writer
University Communications
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
pmcdonnell@unr.edu
775.784.1583 phone
775.784.1422 fax

Tyler, a University of Nevada, Reno hydrogeology professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, is using this thermometer, a standard issue fiber-optic cable, in innovative ways to study a wide variety of hydrological, climatological and geological topics in Nevada and around the world. Through this work, he is discovering new ways to apply this technology to advance environmental research.

His equipment uses a laser to send and receive certain wavelengths along the tiny glass fiber. The amount of travel time in the cable allows Tyler to determine temperature at various intervals by the wavelengths that return. It’s called distributed temperature sensing.

“I actually have about 20 miles of fiber-optic cable, and we’ve used it in a variety of new applications to find out what’s going on in the environment,” Tyler said. “If we know the temperature we can tell what’s happening in an ecosystem. It’s unbelievable the opportunities for research this has opened.”

Tyler and his crew rolled out 700 meters of cable last week in the headwaters of the Great Basin National Park’s Strawberry Creek.

“It’s a small rugged headwater creek where the park service wants to re-introduce Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, the native species,” Tyler said. The creek has a small flow rate and the park service wanted to see if the low flows would be warm enough to support the trout population before planting the native fish.

“At the top of the stream the water temperature stayed above freezing through the night,” Tyler said. “We’ve already learned that and we still have a few days of data gathering to go.”

On another project in June, at Lake Tahoe, Tyler hung three cables 450 meters deep from a research boat and buoys to the lake bottom. He gathered temperatures from every meter of depth. Scientists watched the fluctuating temperatures at the 100 foot level, the bottom of the “warm” water, as every 20 minutes an underwater wave sloshed back and forth across the lake while the surface water was smooth and flat. Seeing the patterns of water movement and temperature layers will help researchers understand nutrient movement at the interface of the warm and cold water, he said.

 In central Nevada, Tyler and his colleagues tugged on hip waders and lowered the fiber-optic cable into the Walker River. They spooled out one kilometer of cable through small riffles of water, deeper pools and through areas of shade and sun. Pinpointing the areas impacted by sub-surface agricultural return flows or groundwater levels will help determine water quality or if the river temperatures are adequate for spawning.

Agriculture irrigation was also targeted for study in the Walker Basin. Tyler and his crew loaded a spool of fiber optics onto the back end of a tractor and buried two kilometers of it on a Mason Valley field about a foot underground. No other methods are available to measure distributed soil moisture in the root zone over a large area, Tyler said. This data will support water use efficiency studies in the basin.

Besides his work in Nevada, other applications that take advantage of the versatile properties of fiber optics are being found around the world, and Tyler collaborates with a number of researchers and universities. Projects include the dynamics of salt marshes in the San Francisco Bay, coal mine reclamation and acid mine drainage in Germany and water temperature at Devils Hole in Death Valley to help protect the endangered pupfish.

“There is a great deal of work yet to do, the potential is remarkable,” Tyler said.

# # #

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu .

The experiment that subjected a 110-foot long, 200-ton concrete bridge model to a series of earthquake simulations was a success today as the final test applied motions and forces comparable to twice the intensity of the 1994 Northridge, Calif. earthquake. The simulated earthquake was delivered by the University of Nevada, Reno’s state-of-the-art shake tables in its earthquake simulation laboratory.

Video of the final shake test can be saved to your hard drive from one of several links below. The video includes the actual shake test, b-roll and sound bites from interviews with the principle investigator, the director of the Large Structures lab where the earthquake simulation occured and the Dean of Engineering.

Edited version of bridge video: Quick time bridge test

Television stations may download an eight-and-a-half-minute broadcast-quality video package in one of five formats to suit their needs. Please be patient as downloads may take some time.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE LARGE FILES FROM HERE; PLEASE SAVE TO YOUR DESKTOP FIRST BY RIGHT CLICKING THE URL AND THEN CLICKING ON “SAVE TARGET AS” TO SAVE THE FILES TO YOUR HARD DRIVE.

Web preview click here:
http://imedia.unr.edu/Media_Relations/Shake_Table_VNR.mp4

Standard Definition Mpeg2 Program stream codec, 516.2MB:
http://shake.unr.edu/Shake_Table_VNR_480.mpeg

Standard definition in DV25 codec, 1.8GB:
http://shake.unr.edu/Shake_Table_VNR_DV25.mov

1080HD Mpeg2 program stream codec, 995.4MB:
http://shake.unr.edu/Shake_Table_VNR_1080.mpeg

1080HD HDV Codec 1.58GB:
http://shake.unr.edu/Shake_Table_VNR_HDV_1080.mov

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: Dec. 11, 2008
110-foot concrete bridge destroyed in fake quake at University of Nevada, Reno
Researchers pleased with second experiment in series of tests
RENO, Nev. – At 11:04 a.m. today a rumbling was heard at the northeast end of the University of Nevada, Reno as an “earthquake” shook a four-span 110-foot concrete bridge with motions comparable to an 8.0 earthquake. The bridge was in the University’s world famous earthquake simulation laboratory.

The bridge, constructed over many months atop three enormous shake tables, is a test bed for cutting-edge construction technologies of the future. Many of the new materials–including nickel-titanium bars, elastomeric materials, and polyvinyl fiber concrete–are being tested in a bridge system for the first time.

The bridge columns swayed and cracked, with small chunks of concrete falling off the structure. The 400 sensors relayed gigabytes of data through 400 channels as the 10-second quake stressed the quarter-scale model bridge with its 60 cubic yards of concrete and 16,000 pounds of steel.

“These were all new designs, and we’ve learned they performed better than conventional construction,” Professor M. Saaid Saiidi, principle researcher said. “Of the three new designs we tested, two of them had very little damage, we are quite pleased with the results so far.”

This test is the largest of its kind in the United States. The test was part of a series of three tests of materials and design to make bridges safer. The first test in Feb. 2007 used a standard design bridge of the same size and the third bridge test will continue the look at new innovative designs and materials.

“There is no other facility in the country as big and with the equipment we have to conduct these types of tests,” Saiidi said.

Three 50-ton capacity shake tables acted in unison to shake the 200 tons of concrete and steel that swayed, buckled and cracked as twice the acceleration intensity of the 1994 Northridge, Calif. earthquake tore at the structure. The bridge model was shaken with bidirectional forces to realistically simulate an earthquake.

The UNR research team is taking advantage of unique features of materials such as nickel/titanium alloys, polyvinyl fibers mixed with cement, and rubber materials to potentially revolutionize seismic design of future bridges to help protect lives, prevent damage and avoid bridge closure even when there’s a strong earthquake.

“To save lives bridges are made so they do not collapse, even though they are no longer usable,” Saiidi, said. “The question is, what is the impact of having to close numerous damaged bridges in a city like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco at a time when these bridges are needed the most for fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles?”

The experiment is part of a larger multi-university project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) research program. Other UNR faculty involved in the $2.4 million project are Dr. I. Buckle and Dr. G. Pekcan. Researchers from U.C. Berkeley, U.C. San Diego, Florida International University, Georgia Tech, Stanford University, Kansas University and University of Illinois, Chicago, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and the University of Ljubljana have been involved in other aspects of the project.

# # #

FACT SHEET
Earthquake simulation bridge test
1) SHAKE TABLES
a. Table Size: 14 ft x 14 ft
b. Maximum Specimen Mass: 50 tons
c. Force Rating: 82 tons
d. Number of tables: three biaxial, used as a single unit

2) BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
a. One-fourth scale
b. 210 tons (including additional weight placed on the span)
c. four spans
d. 110-feet long
e. 8-feet wide
f. 10-feet high
g. 60 cubic yards of concrete
h. 16,000 lbs of steel

3) DATA EQUIPMENT
400 channels of data sensors have been installed to monitor its shaking.

4) NETWORK
The project is part of the National Science Foundation’s George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES). The facility is managed as a national shared-use NEES equipment site, with teleparticipation capabilities, to provide new earthquake engineering research testing capabilities for large structural systems through 2014. This NEES equipment site is connected to the NEES Consortium of 15 other universities and the shared-use access and training is coordinated through the collaboratory.

5) FACILITY & EQUIPMENT
The NEES Equipment Site at the University of Nevada, Reno is a biaxial, multiple shake table facility (with three identical biaxial shake tables) that is suitable for conducting of research on long, spatially distributed, structural and geotechnical systems. The facility is also capable of testing conventional structural and non-structural systems by using the tables in large-table mode, and operating them as a single unit.

6) OUTREACH PROGRAMS
The University integrates this shake table equipment into its research program, undergraduate and graduate assistantships and internships, high school summer camps, and K-12 outreach. The University also provides training opportunities for outside researchers through on-site courses and workshops.

7) WHO
Civil and environmental engineering Professor Mehdi “Saiid” Saiidi is the principle investigator of the research project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The experiment is part of a larger multi-university project within the George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) research program.

8 ) WHAT
The bridge model is shaken with bidirectional forces to realistically simulate an earthquake. The structure incorporates several innovative features to be explored for the first time anywhere in the world. The research team will conduct a series of earthquake simulations, with the final test reaching two times that of the 1994 Northridge, Calif. earthquake in terms of acceleration intensity.

9) WHERE
The Rogers-Wiener Large-Scale Structures Laboratory on the east side of the University of Nevada, Reno campus.

10) WHY
The UNR research team is taking advantage of unique features of materials such as Nickel/Titanium alloys, polyvinyl fibers mixed with cement, and rubber materials to potentially revolutionize seismic design of future bridges to help protect lives, prevent damage and avoid bridge closure even when there a strong earthquake.

11) MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Wolterbeek, University Media Relations, 775-784-4547.

###

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.

Mike Wolterbeek
Interim Media Relations Officer
University Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
awolterbeek@unr.edu
775.784.4547 phone
775.784.1422 fax

Click here for video of a previous earthquake simulation.

The University of Nevada, Reno will host an estimated 8.0 earthquake next week and the guest of honor is a 110-foot long concrete bridge. Three large shake tables in the earthquake simulation laboratory will imitate an earthquake to try to destroy the 200-ton bridge model, which has been painstakingly built over the past nine months. There will be bridge supports swaying, concrete shattering and dust flying, not to mention the errie noise of the powerful “earthquake” rumbling through the lab.

WHO: Civil and environmental engineering Professor Saiid Saiidi is the principle investigator of the research project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The experiment is part of a larger multi-university project within the George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) research program.

WHAT: The bridge model is shaken with bidirectional forces to realistically simulate an earthquake. The structure incorporates several innovative features to be explored for the first time anywhere in the world. The research team will conduct a series of earthquake simulations, with the final test reaching two times that of the 1994 Northridge, Calif. earthquake in terms of acceleration intensity.

WHERE: The Rogers-Wiener Large-Scale Structures Laboratory on the east side of the University of Nevada, Reno campus. (Media parking is available by the Fleischman Agriculture building off Ninth Street.)

WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. There is a small chance that the date or time could be shifted depending on how the testing progresses. If a date change occurs, we will send a notification.

WHY: The UNR research team is taking advantage of unique features of materials such as Nickel/Titanium alloys, polyvinyl fibers mixed with cement, and rubber materials to potentially revolutionize seismic design of future bridges to help protect lives, prevent damage and avoid bridge closure even when there a strong earthquake.

VIDEO: Broadcast quality video of the event as well as b-roll and short interviews with the principal investigator and other researchers will be available on our website following the final testing. The link to the webpage with the video will be sent out following the testing on Dec. 11.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Wolterbeek, University Media Relations, 775-784-4547.

# # #

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.

In a three-year study of medical records from communities near Hawaii’s Kilauea, Bernadette Longo, assistant professor at the University’s Orvis School of Nursing; and colleague Wei Yang, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, found that children under age 15 were most affected by the volcano. The Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health reported the findings in its November issue.

“We found that the children living near this active volcano emitting sulfurous air pollution were about 6.5 times more likely to suffer from acute bronchitis than children living on the island, but not near the volcano,” said Longo. “Middle-aged adults exposed to the volcanic air pollution had about twice the risk of the disease compared to those who did not live near the volcano.”

Overall, the study found a 57 percent higher risk of acute bronchitis for those living near the volcano. Yang said that while an occasional bout with acute bronchitis usually is not a serious health threat, repeated episodes can develop into chronic bronchitis, one of the chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States.

Longo and Yang previously conducted research by interviewing residents, which led them to believe there was a higher risk of acute bronchitis for those living near the active volcano creating “vog,” as locals call the fog-like volcanic haze. These new findings build on that previous research.

“This study is important because we studied actual medical records, rather than just relying on self-reporting by residents,” Yang said. “These cases of acute bronchitis were diagnosed by clinicians.”

Kilauea is one of about 600 active volcanoes across the globe presenting health hazards to about 600 million people. The World Health Organization identified ambient air pollution as a high priority in 2006, calling for action to assess regional air pollution and the associated health risks for exposed communities.

At Kilauea, where the volcano has been passively emitting vog for about 25 years, the situation has worsened. During the study, January 2004 to December 2006, there was just one vent emitting air pollution, located on the volcano’s east rift. In March this year, a new vent opened up at the summit, doubling emissions.

“It was already emitting over 1,000 tons a day — 100 times the amount deemed to be a major pollutant source by the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Longo.

Longo said that, with this kind of information, residents living near active volcanoes can take necessary precautions, such as staying indoors during high pollution events and wearing masks when there is an ashfall outdoors. In addition, officials can design or adapt buildings near erupting volcanoes to filter out more of the volcanic air pollution. This summer, Longo and Yang began studying how much of the vog was penetrating indoors, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control joined the effort in August.

Most importantly, Longo said, “By having this information, clinicians can be aware of the risk, screen their patients, and provide earlier care if there is disease present. Ultimately, we want to see our research result in a better understanding of the health impact and public health interventions developed for these vulnerable populations.”

# # #

Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.

Claudene Wharton
Media Relations Officer
Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
whartonc@unr.edu
775.784.1169 phone
775.784.1422 fax

The proximity of the crime to campus and student residential areas caused widespread fear among the university student population, as well as the parents, friends and families of students. “Even though the arrest cannot make up for the loss of Brianna, it is extremely satisfying to know that the suspect in this terrible crime may now face the consequences of his actions,” says Garcia, “we hope the arrest will bring some peace to Brianna’s family.”

The abduction last January helped renew the efforts of university police to educate the public on personal safety and awareness. Officers continue to give safety presentations to students, faculty and staff, and have increased the number of free self-defense classes offered. University Police Services has assisted in the investigation, as well as other community efforts by the Bring Bri Justice Foundation, to keep the investigation in the public eye and raise awareness for the victims of sexually motivated crimes.

“We would remind the community that the arrest of this one suspect should not give people a false sense of security, or reduce their desire to be vigilant in practicing personal safety on a daily basis” says Garcia. “University Police will continue to provide information and services, and will continue to urge students to exercise caution and practice sound safety measures both on and off campus.”