The New Journal of Student Research Abstracts 2012 Volume XVII An Annual Journal for Young Investigators and Their Teachers
Copyright Š 2012 by California State University, Northridge and Van Nuys Airport. All rights reserved. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations are those of the individual authors of the abstracts presented in the journal, and do not necessarily reflect the views of California State University, Northridge, Van Nuys Airport, other contributing organizations and individuals, or the journal staff. Permission in writing must be obtained from California State University, Northridge and Van Nuys Airport before any part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system. Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress: ISSN 1558-7932
Staff Editor-In-Chief Steven B. Oppenheimer, Ph.D., Director, Center for Cancer and Developmental Biology and Trustees Outstanding Professor, the CSU System, California State University, Northridge
Primary Associate Editor Helen H. Chun, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biology Department, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Associate Editor Mindy Berman, Mindy F. Berman Communications
Sponsor California State University, Northridge
Contributing Sponsor Van Nuys Airport
VNY Contributors Jess Romo, Airport Manager, and Diana Sanchez, Public and Community Relations Director
Journal Design Alvalyn Lundgren, Alvalyn Creative
California State University, Northridge, Support Dianne Harrison, President; Jolene Koester, President; Harry Hellenbrand, Provost; Jerry Luedders, Vice Provost; Vance Peterson, Vice President; Stacy Lieberman, Associate Vice President; Mack Johnson, Associate Vice President; Jerry Stinner, Dean, College of Science and Mathematics; Larry Allen, Chair, Biology Department; Randy Cohen, Chair, Biology Department; Mary-Pat Stein, Associate Chair, Biology Department; Paul Wilson, Associate Chair, Biology Department; Carmen Chandler and Randal Thomson, Public Relations; John Pepitone, Barbara Caganich and Maureen Fitzgerald, University Development; Scott Perez, Research Support; Hedy Carpenter, Symposium Support; Kavoos Blourtchi, Robert Espinoza, David Gray and Irene Rivera, College Support; John Brown, Mark Felix, Yan-chuen Tung, William Krohmer, Linda Gharakhanian, Vickie Everhart and Cherie Hawthorne, Department Support
Los Angeles Unified School District Collaboration Dan McDonnell
Teacher Training Support Maria Lopez Freeman, California Science Project; Karen Humphrey, Improving Teacher Quality Program; Gerry Simila, Gini Vandergon, Norm Herr and Steven Oppenheimer, Training Leaders
Recognition of Some of the Scientist Mentors Larry Allen, Ph.D.; Lisa Banner, Ph.D.; Larry Baresi, Ph.D.; Edward Carroll, Ph.D.; Randy Cohen, Ph.D.; John Colicelli, Ph.D.; Mary Corcoran, Ph.D.; Cathy Coyle-Thompson, Ph.D.; Steve Dudgeon, Ph.D.; Robert Espinoza, Ph.D.; Richard Flagan, Ph.D.; Janet Kubler, Ph.D.; Jennifer Matos, Ph.D.; Aida Metzenberg, Ph.D.; Stan Metzenberg, Ph.D.; Steven Oppenheimer, Ph.D.; Polly Schiffman, Ph.D.; Ryoichi Seki, Ph.D.; Gerry Simila, Ph.D.; Mary Lee Sparling, Ph.D.; Mike Summers, Ph.D.; Paul Tomasek, Ph.D.; Virginia Vandergon, Ph.D.; Paul Wilson, Ph.D.; Maria Elena Zavala, Ph.D.; Kathie Marsaglia, Ph.D.; Vicki Pedone, Ph.D.; Greg Grether, Ph.D.; David Epel, Ph.D. (evaluation); Susie Hakansson, Ph.D. (evaluation); Norman Herr, Ph.D. (implementation)
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California State University, Northridge & Van Nuys Airport