Digital Commons Network^™

Parenting Strategies In Early Childhood Education, Benjamin G. Gibbs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Over the course of 2 years, we have completed an ambitious project. Across three diverse elementary schools, from the years 2011 to 2012, we interviewed over 110 parents and almost 20 teachers, principals and administrators. We also conducted surveys of a majority of elementary school parents, and attended all schools activities.

Dataset On Political Institutions In Authoritarian Regimes Around The Worlds, Joel Selway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

1. Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met

The Dataset was completed and two papers were produced. One has been sent out for review and the other presented at an annual political science conference.

Enhancing Social, Emotional, And Language Learning In Children With Language Impairment, Bonnie Brinton, Phd, Martin Fujiki, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We were extremely grateful to receive a 2016-2018 Mentored Environment Grant. Our project was entitled Enhancing Social, Emotional, and Language Learning in Children with Language Impairment. The purpose of this project was to employ a multiple baseline, single subject design to investigate the efficacy of a social communication intervention designed to foster emotional and language learning simultaneously for children with developmental language disorders (language impairment). The treatment program was designed to be administered within the service delivery model (and constraints) of the public school system.

A Race Against Time: Deciphering Evolution And Describing New Species Of Threatened Tropical Stick Insects (Phasmatodea), Michael F. Whiting

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Funding was received in 2016 to support mentored research into the phylogeny and evolution of stick insects. Specific goals include providing students with scientific design experience, field-based research experience, collections-based experience, molecular lab experience, bioinformatics experience, and experience in presentation at national meetings and publication in peer reviewed journals. One particular focus was to describe new stick insect species, but it became clear very quickly that the phylogeny portion of this work was essential before any new species could be described, so we concentrated our efforts on stick insect phylogeny. The following is a brief summary of accomplishments.

Development Of Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Q-Pcr) Assays For The Detection And Identification Of Drug-Resistance Genes In Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Cre), Richard A. Robison, Ph.D.

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I. The Specific aims for the project were as follows:

1. Develop q-PCR assays for the various carbapenem-resistance genes, such as KPC, IMP, VIM, and NDM-1, and then multiplex them into single assays that can be used to quickly characterize an isolate.

A Nonhuman Primate Model Of Anxiety-Induced Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, J. Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the final report for the MEG Grant titled: A nonhuman primate model of anxiety-induced alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The formal phase of the project ran from June 1 through August 23, 2016, with the students learning how to safely work with their research subjects, joining a research team, and collecting their data. Following the formal phase, the students returned to BYU where they used the data they and the other students collected to write scientific manuscripts and posters to present their data. Eight students took part: Elizabeth Wood, Alexander Baxter, Natalie Lange, Travis Norseth, Esther Page, Spencer …

Mentoring Astronomy Students Through Extensive Research (Master), Dr. Michael Joner

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This Mentoring Environment Grant (MEG) proposed using the Brigham Young University West Mountain Observatory as a mentoring environment where students would experience what it is like to do research at a fully operational observatory by doing a wide variety of observations at regularly scheduled times over the course of several months during the spring and summer terms. The primary project in 2017 involved making nightly monitoring observations of the active Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509 in support of a worldwide campaign involving more than a dozen ground–based and space–based observatories. In 2018, the primary monitoring campaign for extragalactic objects was …

Understanding The Wind-Dominated Landforms Of Saturn’S Moon Titan Through Earth Analogues, Jani Radebaugh, Eric Christiansen, Shannon Tass

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The largest moon of Saturn, Titan, has a thick atmosphere of nitrogen and a pressure similar to that of Earth at the surface. There are winds, strong enough to have produced two wind-dominated landforms similar to those on Earth – vast fields of sand dunes and smaller collections of wind-carved ridges, or yardangs. We seek to understand the relationships between the observed landforms and the winds and surface materials required to form them, both on Earth and Titan. This study of the shapes of winddominated landforms, dunes and yardangs, will help answer key questions about the surface of Titan at …

Rage And Sage: Therapeutic Modalities For Copd, Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Funding available through this MEG award has provided an opportunity for me to meet many academic objectives I’ve determined to be important at BYU. We have been successful in conducting pilot studies that reveal possible roles for SAGEs in ameliorating mechanisms of lung inflammation induced by and cigarette smoke (CS). Despite improvement in personal air quality during the past few decades, the rationale for studying mechanisms leading to adverse health effects remains important. This MEG award specifically provided opportunities for students to conduct meaningful research that led to the observation that alveolar epithelial cells and bronchiolar epithelial cells experience elevated …

Byu Undergraduates Solving The Genetic Causes Of Alzheimer’S Disease, John Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Successful enrollment in and completion of graduate programs requires a constellation of skills. Students must be prepared to plan and execute experiments, present their findings both verbally and in manuscript form and interact effectively with senior scientists in the field of their choice. In this MEG I will mentor three undergraduate students (Sheradyn Hamilton, Kristen Cockriel, and Moroni Chalita) as they develop skills in study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, presentation and networking while identifying genetic factors that protect individuals from Alzheimer’s disease.

T Cell Immunotherapy Of Infection Disease And Cancer, Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project was focused on improving the immune response to infectious disease and cancer. We have engineered T cell receptors with 1000-fold increase in affinity and will characterize their value as diagnostics and therapeutics. In addition, we examined changes in T cell function due to the co-receptor CD5. We also examined how T cell responses to infection are dependent upon metabolic and epigenetic regulation.

A Blueprint Or Change: How Punk Music In Belfast Affects Activism Today, Hannah Williams, Jacob Hickman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Though art can be found in all walks of life, it lends itself particularly well to the expression of political frustration. During the deeply rooted religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland, commonly referred to as the Troubles, many artists and musicians used their creativity to speak out against the violence of the conflict. Born into a society of religious division and hatred, youths of the 1970s and 1980s often turned to the local punk music movement in order to bridge and speak out against the religious divide. Many believe this was critical to eventual peace in …

Explaining Variation In Support For Refugees And Recent Immigrants In The United Kingdom, Katy Smith, Joshua Gubler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

On the heels of the Brexit vote and growing anxiety accompanied with leaving the European Union, immigration in the United Kingdom persists as a breaking point between native Britons, immigrants, and recent asylum seekers. To dispel the fervent animosity between these groups, humanization needs to occur in order for each party to see the others as their equal and develop long-term peaceful solutions. Decreasing ethnic conflict is often accomplished through increased positive interactions between groups. The perception is that many more refugees are being admitted into the country and yet most Brits are not acquainted with any. Introducing citizens to …

A Regional Party In Yorkshire?: The Proof Is In The Pudding, Elizabeth Whatcott, Dr. Joel Selway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Within the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have all gained regional assemblies which manage local affairs including health care, economic growth, education, and other services. However, the Parliament in Westminster has devolved few responsibilities to local authorities in England. Under the Blair premiership, the government began a process of referendums that would introduce regional assemblies into the Northern regions, but after the North East referendum rejected the proposal in 2004, the devolution process sputtered to a halt. However, regionalism may be gaining new life in England. The Yorkshire Party, a regionalist party that explicitly seeks a regional assembly …

How To Get The Attention Of Government Officials: A Test Of The Effectiveness Of Social Proof Treatments, Aubriana Wolferts, Darren Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Social proof treatments—informing people about the behavior of their peers—have generally been shown effective in influencing subjects to engage in behavior due to a psychological desire to conform.1 Social proofs are more effective when they describe what peers typically do rather than what peers generally approve of, and when the social proof is more salient and closely related to the desired behavior.2

Evaluation Of An Eeg Task For Detecting Latent Infections, Ryan Weels, Savanah Bishun, Bruce Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ultimately our goal is to develop methods for diagnosing neuropsychiatric illnesses through measurement and analysis of the electrophysiological stream of consciousness. In this project we test how well EEG adaptations of the Sternberg (1966) memory search task and the n-back cognitive task can discriminate between individuals who are positive for Herpes-simplex-1 and healthy controls.

Role Of Electrical Synapses In Dopamine Transmission In The Brain, Josh Nelson, Seth Stapley, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Drug addiction has long been a major detriment to society. Its pervasive effects can tear apart the lives of addicted individuals. Many of these individuals go without seeking professional help. In 2015, 22.7 million Americans (8.6 percent) needed treatment for a problem related to drugs or alcohol, but only about 2.5 million people (0.9 percent) received treatment at a specialty facility. This may be due to inadequate treatment methods and therapies in use by professionals. The goal of this project is to better understand the mechanism of dopamine (DA) transmission in the brain in order to develop more effective treatment …

The Effects Of Caffeine On Visual Attention In Caffeine-Naïve Participants, Eva Tveten, Steven Luke

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Controversy exists concerning the effects of caffeine on cognitive function. One of the greatest challenges in resolving this controversy stems from the fact that caffeine is the most widely used drug in the United States, consumed daily by a majority of the population. The frequent and widespread use of caffeine means that most research participants are already using it regularly. When this is the case, effects attributed to caffeine in studies can just as easily be explained by relief from withdrawals. What seems to be an improvement in cognitive function in participants who are given caffeine may simply be a …

Do Support Groups For Medical Patients Reduce Risk For Mortality? A Meta-Analytic Review, Connor Workman, Dakota Jake, Daniel Rallison, Timothy Smith, Phd, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent scientific findings show that loneliness is found among the highest predictors of mortality. This information could prove to be a major influence on future interventions for medical patients. However, the literature is inconclusive on how best to implement these findings in the real world. Given that research is limited, a meta-analysis of all appropriate scientific articles was performed to find how social support affected mortality in a medical setting.

The Sophie Mentored Research Project: Red Vienna Sourcebook And The Critically Annotated Collected Works Of Elisa Von Der Recke, Rob Mcfarland, Michelle S. James

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Without funding there would be no Sophie project, which is why the first item in this report on the Sophie activities during 2017 must be an expression of our gratitude to both the ORCA office and to the College of Humanities, on behalf of the faculty members involved, and particularly, on behalf of the many students whose lives have been enriched in numerous ways by their Sophie work. We are aware of the many projects vying for your attention and funding, and are particularly grateful for the support you have given this project over the years. Your grants have enriched …

Morphological Parsing And Segmentation, Kyle Roth, Deryle Lonsdale

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Morphological parsing is a task where a computer recognizes the meaning that parts of a word contribute to its overall meaning and role in the sentence. Morphological segmentation simply means splitting words up into their component parts, and is simpler than parsing.

The result of my research is two-fold: I applied a VoCRF to morphologically parse a new Basque corpus, and demonstrated the e ectiveness of a paradigm-based approach to morphological segmentation. Initially, I set out to improve upon the VoCRF algorithm to account for previously-known information; unfortunately, the expected improvements to the VoCRF algorithm could not be made because …

Determining The Role Of Cd5 In Regulatory T Cell Function, Charles Teames, Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit the immune response and play a key role in preventing autoimmunity. Unfortunately, Tregs also often prevent an effective immunological response against cancer. CD5 is a T cell surface protein known to regulate the threshold for T cell activation. CD5 is known to influence Treg development, but it is unclear exactly how CD5 impacts the function of Tregs.

Past studies have indicated that mice lacking CD5, known as CD5 knockouts, produce more Tregs than wild type mice (1). It is thought that Tregs from these CD5 knockouts may be more effective in preventing T cells from …

Chemokine Receptor Ccbp2-V41a And Its Role In Inflammation And Alzheimer’S Disease, Allen Weinert, Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The leading cause of dementia in elderly patients is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a degenerating and fatal neurodegenerative condition. AD is a proteopathic disease caused by extensive accumulation of amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. A recent genomewide association study analyzing 59 AD-associated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples statistically associated chemokine receptor mutant CCBP2-V41A with increased CSF protein levels of the proinflammatory chemokine CCL2. CCBP2 is a known binding partner of CCL2. We hypothesized that CCBP2-V41A receptor alters CSF levels of CCL2 and that raised CCL2 levels alters immune cell function, resulting in amyloid beta deposition in the brain (Figure 1).

Applying Acoustic Beamforming In Sub-Arrays To Jet Engine Noise, David Van Komen, Kent Gee, Tracianne Nielson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In Jet engine noise is a large and complex area of research due to the intricacies of the variety of different mechanisms that produce noise traveling in different directions. The dominate noise source is called turbulent mixing noise (TMN) which is created by the interaction of the column of air mixing with the ambient air. Two types of TMN exist: large-scale TMN, the dominant noise source that travels away from the aircraft in the aft quadrant and fine-scale TMN that travels in all directions1. The second type of noise is known as broadband shock-associated noise (BBSAN), which is generated by …

Religion, Mental Health, And The Latter-Day Saints: A Review Of The Literature (1995-2017), Adrienne Rogers, Daniel K. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There are over 4,000 religions in the world today. One of the core functions of religion is to help individuals find meaning and purpose in life. Several researchers have found that this religious function impacts psychological well-being, often for the better. This relationship between religious belief, practice, affiliation, and mental health has been an ongoing conversation that has generated controversy and debate.

Our research focuses specifically on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how this religion affects the mental health of its members. Several studies have shown positive outcomes regarding Latter-day Saint membership and mental health. Also, …

Unseen, But In Plain Sight: Identifying Developmental Patterns Of Females With Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rebecca Lundwall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met I will document the academic objectives met in terms of posters, presentations and papers.

Pathways To Success: Refugee Families Define Successful Resettlement Outcomes, Stacey Shaw

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Successful refugee adaptation to life in the United States (U.S.) has traditionally been measured in terms of economic self-sufficiency and English language acquisition. While these indicators may relate to independence and acculturation, major questions remain about how refugees fare in the U.S. Recent programmatic efforts incorporate attention to integration, wellbeing, empowerment, and mental health, but these concepts are not consistently defined or measured. This mixed methods study involved interviews with refugees who have been in the U.S. for at least 5 years, to examine which outcomes they consider key to their family’s successful adaptation to life in the U.S. BYU …

Fmri And Qeeg Imaging Of Auditory Function And Source Localization, David L. Mcpherson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of the MEG was to mentor students into an active research environment where new neuroimaging techniques were being developed and utilized to describe the auditory system. Approximately 18 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the project. In addition, approximately an additional 38 students were trained, by students from this MEG proposal, in this technique from Physiology and Developmental Biology and Psychology. Results helped define the role of the right hemisphere in language plasticity. Likewise, further protocol development and adjustments to the current protocol have been implemented.

Increasing The Accuracy Of Molecular Biomarkers Via Evidence-Based Algorithm Selection, Stephen R. Piccolo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In making medical decisions, physicians need observable criteria that they can use to make accurate diagnoses, determine optimal treatments, and estimate a patient’s prognosis. The promise of precision medicine is that molecular-level observations can more accurately predict such information than traditional observations. I worked with undergraduate students at Brigham Young University to develop ways to improve the accuracy of such predictions by optimizing computer algorithms to handle the complexity of large, molecular data sets.

Standardized Education For Parents Requesting An Immunization Exemption For School Entry In Utah: A Mentored Experience, Lacey Eden

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a pedagogical strategy, the purposes of this service-learning activity were two-fold: 1) to provide students with an organized service activity that also met identified community needs; and 2) to help augment the students’ learning, giving them a broader appreciation of any given discipline, and enhance their sense of civic responsibility. Nursing students were mentored through the process of creating an online education module for parents choosing to exempt their children from immunizations and to assist county health departments to fulfill exemption requirements. The students collaborated with the state Immunization Exemption Workgroup, the Utah Association of Local Boards of Health …