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: Investigation of Possible Periglacial Involution Structures: Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado; Possible periglacial involution structures exposed in several road cuts within Mesa Verde National Park (MVNP) were documented and analyzed to determine whether the structures originated from periglacial processes. GIS-based surface analyses including slope, aspect, and timberline approximation were performed to favor north, northeast, and northwest facing slopes, low gradient, and timberline above 2,400 meters (7,874 feet). The suitability analysis confirmed that the MVNP area could have sustained periglacial features during the last glacial maximum. The relict soil structures found in the study area were also analyzed based on size, location within the soil layers, soil composition, degree of deformation, and the interpenetration and irregularity of the structures. Based on our analyses, we conclude that the relict structures found in MVNP likely formed by freeze-thaw processes. Other geomorphological processes that could potentially produce similar soil structures, including mass wasting, differential loading, springs, drainage channels, bioturbation, glaciation, and liquefaction, were considered. Our study suggests that these processes would not have produced the relict soil structures and we conclude that the relict soil structures are involutions. Previous studies conducted in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado (Blagbrough, 1994; Gillam, 1998; and Marker, 1990) suggest that a periglacial environment could have existed at the lower elevations and latitudes in southwest Colorado. The results of this study indicate that a periglacial environment capable of producing involutions existed in southwest Colorado at elevations as low as 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) and as far south as about 37° N latitude.

: Investigation of Silver Concentrations in Galena and Tetrahedrite at the Highland Mary Mine, San Juan County, Colorado; The Highland Mary mine of the Eureka Mining district in the western San Juan Mountains has produced silver rich ore since the Colorado mining boom of the early 1870's. Galena and tetrahedrite were suspected to be the dominant silver-bearing minerals in the ore, but the concentrations of silver in the minerals was not constrained. Argentiferous galena was widely documented in the western San Juan Mountains, with minor silver occurring in tetrahedrite. Electron Microprobe geochemistry of galena and tetrahedrite demonstrates that tetrahedrite is the dominant silver-bearing species in ore at the Highland Mary mine. Galena has concentrations of silver of 0.01 to 0.03 wt. % while tetrahedrite contains from 0.02 to 13.4 wt. % silver. At the Highland Mary mine tetrahedrite is the more economic mineral, but many questions remain about the physical and chemical controls on the distribution of these argentiferous minerals in the region. This research reinforces the importance of establishing the metal concentrations in different mineral phases for both mineral exploration and development.

: Investigation of Stroke Volume Response to Incremental Exercise in Cyclists of Varying Fitness Levels; Stroke Volume (SV) is the amount of blood pumped out the left ventricle of the heart after each contraction and is a measure of the efficiency of the heart. Knowing SV is important for both non-athletes and athletes, because as SV increases an individual's capacity for work increases as well. Several studies have shown little change in SV with incremental exercise. However, other research has shown that SV can change with increasing levels of exercise and produce five types of response: plateau, plateau with a drop, plateau with a large drop (>20%), plateau with a secondary increase, and progressive increase. It is possible that the difference in SV response observed in previous studies was due to participant fitness level, however it is still unclear what specifically accounts for changes in SV response amongst individuals.72 cyclists completed a graded VO2 max test (GXT) on a cycle ergometer. Subjects completed a 5-minute warm up at 100 watts for men and 80 watts for women. Following the warm-up, resistance was increased in 3-minute intervals by 25 watts for men and 20 watts for women, until subjects reached volitional exhaustion. Expired gas samples were collected in 10 second averages using a metabolic cart, and were used to determine relative VO2 peak. SV was measured using bioimpedance and was analyzed in between the warmup and cool down periods of the test. Relative VO2 Peak was used to categorize fitness levels. Using relative VO2 peak subjects were grouped into three levels of fitness: untrained (n=12), moderately trained (n=25), and highly trained (n=24). Results showed significant difference between the peak HR of untrained and highly trained groups. Significant differences were also found between the moderately trained and highly trained groups. There was no significant difference between untrained and moderately trained groups for peak HR. SV response showed no single dominant reoccurring patterns throughout fitness groups. Plateau with a drop occurred in the greatest frequency, occurring in nine subjects in both the moderately and highly trained group.

: Investigation of a Functional Overhead Squat in Predicting Athletic Injury in Division II Basketball Players; This prospective cohort study was performed to analyze the use of the functional overhead squat (OS) in predicting athletic injury in division II basketball players. A total of 26 basketball players participated in the study and were examined while performing a functional OS. Using the video analysis software Spark Motion by Spark Motion LLC, anterior and lateral views of the squat were analyzed. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was done comparing lower extremity injury with range of motion of the ankle, knee, and hip individually. The results indicated that the areas under the curve were 0.559 for the ankle, 0.448 for the knee, and 0.451 for the hip. This study showed that the OS was not effective in predicting athletic injury for basketball players, nor for male and female players individually. Analyzing the range of motion (ROM) of the OS alone is not effective in predicting injury, thus, the study's hypothesis is rejected.

: Investigation of the Mineral Assemblages,and History of Skarn at Diorite Peak, La Plata Mountains, Colorado; Skarns found within a small study area in the Cutler and Dolores formations contain unique mineralogies due to intruding Monzonite-Monzodiorite dikes and sills. The high grade skarn mineralization was found to be commonly controlled by individual layers within bedding planes that contain carbonate and are more chemically reactive under elevated temperatures. Skarn minerals found in the study area include diopside, epidote, adularia, chlorite, scapolite, hornblende, zoned garnet, calcite, quartz and specular hematite. Overall metamorphic history for the outcrop is complex, however, a clear progression of the timing of when individual minerals crystallized from protolith can be seen during different stages of cooling. Crystallization history was interpreted using the petrographic microscope and the peragenetic sequence is as follows: diopside, garnet, calcite, scapolite, hornblende, chlorite, and finally adularia. Minerals that are at equilibrium with one another as well as individual minerals can be used to acquire temperature data due to their chemical stabilities under specific temperatures and pressures. A lower maximum temperature threshold can be set at around 500°C due to the formation temperature for diopside. Due to a previous study by Dr. David Gonzales, an upper maximum threshold has also been set at 650°C due to the lack of reset detrital zircons. Simple lithostatic pressure calculation was completed for the outcrop, which falls within 0.062gpa-0.078gpa. This indicates the rocks within the study area were buried no more than a few kilometers and were relatively shallow during magmatic emplacement. Whole rock analysis using X-ray fluorescence of metamorphic rocks compared to unmetamorphozed protolith indicates an enrichment in K and Na, which is indicative of alkali metasomatism and possible influence of magmatic fluids. Other indications that fluids may have influenced mineralization is the high amounts of Cl within scapolite lattice, the formation of adularia, and flowing bands of hydrous minerals such as epidote and hornblende.

: Is Holistic Management a Suitable Strategy for the Landscape of the Western U.S.?; Holistic Management (HM) is a land management decision-making platform that may be used for the restoration of degraded lands and producing a number of ecological benefits including water infiltration and carbon storage. HM consists of a complex model that incorporates economic, social, and environmental concerns into the management process. Components of the system include items such as historical landscape assessments, setting goals, and adaptability. The model also includes specific management tools of fire, land rest, and managed grazing. This paper explains whether HM is a suitable model for restoring damaged lands in the western U.S. The ecological benefits of the HM grazing technique has been called into question. Papers for both sides of the argument provided references which enabled a snowball effect of sources. The papers in opposition to HM grazing techniques propose that experiments are not repeatable, have been anecdotal, and provided very little quantitative data. HM is a model that is appropriate for the Western U.S., but that does not mean that all components of the model will be appropriate in areas that have different histories, climates or topography. The HM grazing method is one tool in the HM toolbox and while it sometimes plays a pivotal role in rebuilding unhealthy soils, it is not always needed, and should not be used on every landscape, such as wetter soils. Also, the grazing technique should not be isolated from the model and be seen as an all-encompassing solution to degraded soils. HM could be beneficial for degraded soils in the western U.S if goals were set for soil restoration, practiced in watershed scales, incorporated stakeholder input, and had built-in adaptation strategies. There could be a broad range of benefits from increased soil water infiltration and carbon sequestration/storage, to more productive farmland and grass-fed beef, to an easing of the tensions between ranchers and land management agencies.

: Is the Animas River Valley Prepared for a Major Flood Event?: A Look Into Mitigation Strategies and Potential Consequences; Originating high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the Animas River has had a century long history with acid mine runoff. The river serves as the primary water source for many downstream farm operations. As a result, the potential for soil contamination is a concern for these farmers. The objective of this study was to understand the consequences that a flooding event could have on farm operations in the Animas River Valley, examine methods used by farmers to limit soil exposure from heavy metals found in the Animas River, and evaluate mitigations tactics being implemented by La Plata County. All four commercial farms in the Animas River Valley were contacted and three responded for an interview. Along with these interviews, Darrin Parmenter La Plata County's Colorado State University extension director for agriculture was also interviewed. Farmers were asked questions regarding flood mitigation, soil contamination, and historical events that could have contaminated their fields. Their responses varied. Two farmers were unconcerned about the threats of flooding and the possibility of soil contamination through irrigation. One farmer was very concerned about the impacts of acid mine runoff affecting his farm through irrigation and flooding. Their polarized responses seem consistent with the community's perception of the condition of the river. Some want change and others feel that it's best to continue with the ways things have been. La Plata County seems to be on the passive side of the debate as there are no mitigation procedures in place for flooding of for lessening the effects of acid mine runoff.

: Isolation and Characterization of a Membrane-Bound Pink Pigment from Acidobacterium Capsulatum; Acidobacterium capsulatum was cultured from acid mine drainage, has optimal growth at pH 3.0 to 6.0, is a chemoorganotroph, contains membrane menaquinones and its genotypes have been identified in environments worldwide. When these organisms are grown in liquid media with glucose as the sole carbon source under aerobic conditions the cells become "pink," allowing the culture to take on the shade of pink lemonade as the cells transition from log to stationary phase. However, when these cells are grown under the same conditions with septum-sealed vials the cells remain "white." The key question being asked in this study is: what is the best method to extract and characterize this pink pigment? Extraction methods involving cell lysis or not, using methanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether and various combinations were tried. It was found that a methanol/diethyl ether-based extraction was the best with the key membrane components extracted in the diethyl ether phase. This phase contained three membrane pigments with characteristic UV-VIS absorbance spectra and unique elution times on a C-18 reverse phase HPLC column eluted with a linear gradient of 1% phosphoric acid to 100% acetonitrile. Final identification of each pigment will be made based on comparison of UV-VIS spectra, elution times and mass spectra analysis relative to standard compounds. This analysis will be done with both "pink" and "white" cells. The preliminary structures of each of these pigments will be completed this fall. Future, studies will look at the distribution and function of the pink pigment in A. capsulatum.

: Jade Mosque; Photograph by Alex Pullen from Fall 2012 - Winter 2013 issue of Images.

: Jamia Masjid; Photograph by Alex Pullen from Fall 2012 - Winter 2013 issue of Images

: Justice for a Bee; Poem by Gemma McLarty

: Kill the Indian, Save the Man: Native American Historical Trauma in College Students; There is clear evidence that past generations of Native Americans suffer significant effects from their history of trauma stemming from the loss of land and culture. The effects of historical trauma in Native Americans have been researched, but only within older generations. This study examined the effects of historical trauma in current Native American college students at a public liberal arts college in the southwest. Seventy Native American students from 28 tribes (56% identified Navajo as their primary tribal affiliation) were surveyed measuring depression, anxiety, resilience, coping abilities, compassion towards oneself and towards others, and historical trauma. We found that the current generation of Native American students continues to experience similar levels of historical trauma as older generations. Native American students who experience historical loss have higher levels of depression, anxiety, negative feelings toward oneself and lower levels of resilience. Interestingly, we found that historical trauma was not correlated with blood quantum, gender, SES or drug and alcohol use. Our findings suggest a need for more research on the effects and potential treatment to increase resilience and reduce the impact of historical trauma.

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