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Downhill Treadmill Running Does Not Induce Muscle Damage In Fvb Mice, Brenda Benson

Theses and Dissertations

Downhill treadmill running is a commonly used method to cause exercise-induced muscle damage, especially in rodents. Previous studies have evaluated which muscles in rats are more prone to damage. However research using downhill run mice (DHR) has shown some inconsistencies in which muscle is best analyzed for damage. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify the damage in various muscles in a mouse after a single bout of DHR. Methods: Male FVB mice (5 months) were injected with Evans Blue dye (EBD) and then either used as control (CON) or run downhill (-16°) at 20 meters per minute …

Snf1 Mediated Phosphorylation And Activation Of Pas Kinase, Bryan D. Badal

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient sensing kinases sense available nutrients and regulate cell activity accordingly. Three of these enzymes are AMP regulated kinase (AMPK, or Snf1 in yeast), PAS kinase, and target of rapamycin (TOR), are conserved from yeast to man and have overlapping function. AMPK and Snf1 are important in sensing when nutrient status in the cell is low and down regulating energy consuming pathways. PAS kinase is required for glucose homeostasis in the cell, and responds to glucose levels. TOR senses nutrients such as amino acids and upregulates cell growth pathways primarily through protein synthesis. Due to the varying nature of these …

Hunting, Elizabeth Knight

BYU Studies

"I married a hunter" are the opening words of this personal essay about the author's relationship with her husband and his relationship with nature. He is a wildlife biologist who also hunts. But "Lad is a hunter, not a killer, a distinction important to him in the face of the gun-crazed, shoot-anything, 'D'ja gitcha a buck?' culture that surrounds the sport." Woven skillfully into accounts of two separate hunting trips are observations on family, friends, death (and her aversion to it), and her own cancer scare. At the end of the second trip, Lad's uncle does kill an elk, and …

Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx Californianus) Home Range And Habitat Selection In West Texas, Andrea E. Montalvo, Dean Ransom Jr., Roel R. Lopez

Western North American Naturalist

We studied Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) habitat use during spring and summer 2011 on the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch in the Red Rolling Plains of west Texas. We captured 9 roadrunners (1 male, 8 females) and fitted each with a 10-g backpack-style radio-transmitter. We relocated roadrunners 2–4 times per week from February to August. Roadrunners used a mean minimum convex polygon home range of 43.0 ha, a 50% core range of 11.9 ha, and 33% overlap between adjacent home ranges. Home ranges were approximately half the size of those reported in a recent study of roadrunners in …

Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus Idahoensis) Habitat Selection: Does Sagebrush (Artemisia Sp.) Age Influence Selection?, Robert J. Edgel, Janet L. Pierce, Randy T. Larsen

Western North American Naturalist

The pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) is a sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligate that depends on sagebrush habitats for food and cover throughout its life cycle. Invasive species, frequent fires, overgrazing, conversion of land to agriculture, energy development, and many other factors have contributed to recent declines in both quantity and quality of sagebrush habitats required by pygmy rabbits. Given declining availability of sagebrush, there is a need to identify characteristics of suitable pygmy rabbit habitat. Although habitat selection information exists from several western states, data is limited for pygmy rabbits in Utah at the extent of …

Herbeal Feeding Behavior Of The New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus Hudsonius Luteus), Greg D. Wright, Jennifer K. Frey

Western North American Naturalist

We report the first observations of feeding behavior by free-ranging New Mexico meadow jumping mice (Zapus hudsonius luteus). We made observations during a radiotelemetry study of Z. h. luteus in the floodplain of the Rio Grande at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro Co., New Mexico, in 2009 and 2010. We observed Z. h. luteus eat the achenes or seeds of the order Cyperales: common threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens), spikerush (Eleocharis spp.), saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), Saunder’s wildrye (Elymus saundersii), Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus …

Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of Merriam's Wild Turkeys In The Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, Mark A. Peyton, Sarah R. Kindschuh, Lance J. Bernal, Robert R. Parmenter, Philip S. Gipson

Western North American Naturalist

Merriam’s Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is a species of interest for managers and is considered economically valuable through wildlife viewing and hunting. We captured, radio-marked, and monitored 49 turkeys (27 males, 22 females) over a 3-year period (2008–2011) in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Annual Kaplan–Meier survival estimates varied among years (range 0.33–0.80). Lowest seasonal survival of 0.42 (SE 0.14) occurred during winter 2010 (1 Dec 2009–31 Mar 2010). We observed 20 fatalities of the 49 monitored turkeys. Predation by bobcats (Lynx rufus) and pumas (Puma concolor) accounted for …

An Observation Of Apparent Teaching Behavior In The Pallid Bat, Antrozous Pallidus, Jessie P. Bunkley, Jesse R. Barber

Western North American Naturalist

During a laboratory study of pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) hunting behavior, we observed an interaction wherein an adult female appeared to aid a juvenile male in learning a novel foraging task. This single observation adheres to the 3 requirements of teaching outlined by Caro and Hauser (1992). A female bat experienced with a hunting task modified her behavior in the presence of a naïve observing male, resulting in a cost of reduced food availability to the female when she was hungry, while directing the male to food resources and accelerating his learning of a foraging task. The experienced …

Roost And Forage Site Fidelity Of Western Small-Footed Myotis (Myotis Ciliolabrum) In An Oregon Desert Canyon, Thomas J. Rodhouse, Kenneth J. Hyde

Western North American Naturalist

We describe the roosting and foraging behavior patterns of western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) observed during a vertebrate inventory of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in north central Oregon. We used radiotelemetry to track 9 adult females, including 3 lactating and 6 postlactating bats, during July–September 2003. We found that these bats showed considerable fidelity to a common foraging area at the confluence of the John Day River and a tributary creek along which bats commuted and roosted. Individual bats did not roost together, but each showed high fidelity to local clusters of rock outcrops in …

Tissue Engineering And Regenerative Medicine, Alonzo Cook

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Areas of Interest: Biomedical Engineering; Cardiovascular repair; Stem Cells; Neuroscience; Vision; Renal Function; Orthopedics

Fmri: Methods, C Brock Kirwan

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Uses and location of the BYU MRI Machine

Saints In The Land Of The Porcupine: A Study Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The Ashanti Region, Ghana, Garrett Nagaishi

Library Research Grants

Known by its Akan name, kotoko, the porcupine is the national animal of Ghana and a proud symbol of both peace and power. While harmless and amiable when left undisturbed, the porcupine can be a formidable opponent when it feels threatened. Ghanaians do not hesitate to identify with the porcupine, naming both their national airport and national football team after the animal. The Ashanti, once one of the mightiest empires in West Africa and today a symbol of power and pride in Ghana, revere the porcupine for its courage and dignity in the face of adversity. Latter-day Saints living …

More Than A Feeling: The Transmission Of Affect And Group Identity, Lauren Fine

Student Works

This thesis explores the implications that the transmission of affect (when one person’s emotions are transferred through pheromones and visual cues to trigger a similar affective response in someone else) could have on the study of rhetoric, specifically how we understand rhetorical situations involving large groups. According to Kenneth Burke, our identities are made up of the groups we identify ourselves with, which makes our identities largely based on emotionally connecting with other people. When groups are gathered together, particularly in emotionally charged situations, this emotional connection is often triggered by the subconscious transmission of affect. Transmission can lead a …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Reestablishing The Locale Of California's First American-Designated Place Name On Santa Catalina Island, Ivan H. Strudwick

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

From 1801 to late 1803, captains and co-owners of the Lelia Byrd, William Shaler of Boston and Richard J. Cleveland of Salem, Massachusetts, voyaged to the west coast of North America where they traded for sea otter fur that they then sold in Canton, China. They traveled to the Hawaiian Islands and made a gift of horses, the first in Hawaii, to King Kamehameha I, “the Great.” During 1804–1805, Shaler sailed back to the California coast to continue trading while Cleveland sailed to Boston. Shaler’s narrative of the 1804–1805 voyage is the earliest, most extensive account of California written …

Documenting The Paleontological Resources Of National Park Service Areas Of The Southern California Coast And Islands, Justin S. Tweet, Vincent L. Santucci, Tim Connors

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Paleontological resource inventories for the parks of the National Park Service’s Mediterranean Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network (MEDN) indicate a significant Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic fossil record for the southern California coast and islands. These inventories document over 100 million years of biologic and geologic changes along the Pacific coast of southern California. During 2012, comprehensive paleontological resource data were compiled for Cabrillo National Monument (CABR), Channel Islands National Park (CHIS), and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO). This recent work expands the paleontological resource data previously compiled for each of the parks in 2003 and during the SAMO …

Prehistoric Occupation Of The Interior Of Western Santa Cruz Island, Michael A. Glassow

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Although the majority of prehistoric habitation sites on Santa Cruz Island are located within interior areas more than 0.5 km from the coast, little is known about these sites and how their occupation articulated with coastal settlement. To address this lack of knowledge, small-scale excavation was undertaken at 2 interior habitation sites (CASCRI-555 and CA-SCRI-574) in the western sector of the island. Habitation deposits at both sites are <60 cm deep. Radiocarbon dating reveals that CA-SCRI-555 experienced occupation during 3 time intervals: 1800–1400 cal BC, ~2400 cal BC, and ~4400 cal BC. In contrast, dates for CA-SCRI-574 indicate only one time interval: 2800–1900 cal BC. Remains of marine shellfish and vertebrates in the deposits indicate transport of marine foods to both sites. The repertoire of shellfish remains implies that site inhabitants obtained marine foods from coastal areas closest to each site. These interior sites may have been occupied for one or more reasons: (1) as habitation sites occupied occasionally for the purpose of acquiring and perhaps consuming plant food or other interior resources; (2) as easily defended locations given their placement on ridgetops; (3) as way stations during travel to distant parts of the island; and (4) as locations where freshwater is available during dry seasons or years when water is scare at nearby coastal locations. The data resulting from small-scale testing makes evaluating these alternatives difficult, but the variety of food remains, the various types of stone tools, and the wood charcoal from hearth fires all indicate that at least some intervals of occupation were for periods that exceeded a few days. The results highlight the need for data from a large number of interior sites to understand island settlement patterns and ecological adaptation of the island’s prehistoric inhabitants.


Aunque la mayor parte de los sitos habitacionales prehistóricos de la Isla Santa Cruz están ubicados en áreas interiores a más de 0.5 km de la costa, poco se sabe sobre estos …

The Use Of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners In Establishing And Maintaining A Healthy Weight, Derrick Pickering, Mary Williams

Student Works

Obesity is an epidemic and continues to rise. The associated increased risk of mortality and co-morbid conditions is well documented. The use non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) is a strategy being used to manage weight by reducing calorie intake. Research is inconclusive regarding the efficacy of NNS in weight management due to their inappropriate use and also the potential they may increase appetite. To most effectively manage weight, a comprehensive individualized plan must be devise of which proper use NNS may be a part.

Getting Into The Meat Of The Word Of Wisdom, A. Jane Birch

Faculty Publications

Doctrine & Covenants Section 89 is known as the "health code" for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In verse 13 of this scripture, the Lord states, “it is pleasing unto me that they [flesh of beasts and fowls of the air] should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine” (D&C 89:13). Judging from the variety of interpretations this single verse has inspired, it would appear to be deeply enigmatic. Interestingly, most interpretations have been put forward with little supporting evidence. This article is the first comprehensive analysis of the …

Targeting Of Receptors For Advanced Glycation End-Products (Rage) Diminishes Acute Secondhand Smoke-Induced Inflammation In Mice, Tyler Thomas Wood

Theses and Dissertations

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) has increasingly been demonstrated to be an important modulator of inflammation in cases of pulmonary disease. Published reports involving tobacco smoke exposure have demonstrated increased expression of RAGE, its participation in pro-inflammatory signaling and its role in irreversible pulmonary remodeling. The current research evaluated for the first time the in vivo effects of short-term tobacco smoke exposure in RAGE null and control mice compared to identical animals exposed to room air only. Quantitative real time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry revealed elevated RAGE expression in controls after four weeks of exposure and an anticipated …

Caroline Murat: Powerful Patron Of Napoleonic France And Italy, Brittany Dahlin

Theses and Dissertations

Caroline Bonaparte Murat created an identity for herself through the art that she collected during the time of her reign as queen of Naples as directed by her brother, Napoleon, from 1808-1814. Through the art that she both commissioned and purchased, she developed an identity as powerful politically, nurturing, educated, fashionable, and Italianate. Through this patronage, Caroline became influential on stylish, female patronage in both Italy and France. Caroline purchased and commissioned works from artists such as Jean-August-Domonique Ingres, François Gérard, Elizabeth Vigée LeBrun, Antonio Canova and other lesser-known artists of the nineteenth century. Many of these works varied in …

Secondary Dormancy And Summer Conditions Influence Outcomes In The Pyrenophora Semeniperda - Bromus Tectorum Pathosystem, Katie Karen Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

Variable mortality of Pyrenophora semeniperda–infected Bromus tectorum seeds has been referred to as a “race for survival.” Dormant seeds are highly susceptible to P. semeniperda infection. While much is known about primary dormancy little is known about secondary dormancy in B. tectorum seeds. Dormancy status is not the only variable determining outcomes within the Bromus - Pyrenophora pathosystem. Varying temperature and intermittent hydration may strongly influence germination outcomes of B. tectorum in the presence of P. semeniperda. While it has long been assumed that B. tectorum seeds are infected by P. semeniperda in the fall it was recently suggested that …

Story Generation Ability In Four Children With Language Impairment, Monica Leroy Chamberlain

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project focused on the complexity of story generations produced by four children with language impairment across treatment sessions. Specifically, the participants' utterances were analyzed to determine if the children produced simple story elements and/or more complex cause/effect story elements. The children's utterances were also analyzed to identify emotion words in order to consider the children's awareness of the emotions experienced by characters in the stories. All participants approached the story generation task by describing characters and actions based on pictures from the book. Two participants did not express any causal relationships and two participants expressed some awareness of …

Investigating The One-On-One Master-Apprentice Relationship: A Case Study In Traditional Craft Apprenticeship, Isaac W. Calvert

Theses and Dissertations

Governments around the world are calling for a revival of apprenticeship on a large scale, emphasizing the value of the one-on-one, human interaction between master and apprentice and the teaching involved in that interaction. Although a broader historical view of apprenticeship shares these ideas, certain prominent threads within recent educational research have done a great deal to deemphasize them. Some go so far as to overlook the master-apprentice relationship altogether, assert that masters simply do not exist, and claim that apprenticeship learning happens without any teaching at all. In response to these claims, the researcher took part in an autoethnographic …

An Intonational Description Of Mayan Q'Eqchi', Karl Olaw Christian Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

Q'eqchi' is one of many Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala, C.A. This study provides the first Tone Break and Indices (ToBI) transcription system (Silverman et al., 1992) labeling of Q'eqchi' within the Autosegmental-Metrical (AM) model of intonation (Liberman, 1975; Pierrehumbert, 1980; Ladd, 1996). As an exploratory study into the basic intonation patterns of the language, observations were made on a variety of phenomenon relating to the intonational structure and contour pattern of the language. Three native male speakers of Q'eqchi' each provided 75 spoken sentences designed to best observe the basic patterns of intonation in the language. Each spoken utterance …

Machado De Assis: Uma Nova Leitura Através Das Lentes Do Corpus Lingu?Stico, Liege Christiane Pradera

Theses and Dissertations

O presente estudo analisa dados obtidos através da pesquisa por meio do corpus linguístico que provam estatisticamente o estilo adotado por Machado de Assis. Através da frequência de palavras-chave, escolhas léxicas mais significativas de cada romance e de alguns contos, esse estudo analisou a forma do romancista em criticar a sociedade oitocentista do Rio de Janeiro. Os resultados mostraram a disposição do autor de censurar o cientificismo do século XIX, os anseios e desejos da burguesia, assim como os conflitos da alma humana e a problemática dos relacionamentos da sociedade carioca. Por meio dos dados obtidos, há uma observação do …

Population Genetics Of Greater Sage-Grouse In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Paula S. Dunken

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined population genetics of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Strawberry Valley, Utah located in the north-central part of the state. The Strawberry Valley population of sage-grouse experienced a severe population decline with estimates of abundance in 1998 less than 5% (~150 individuals) of similar estimates from the 1930s (>3,000 individuals). Given the population decline and reduced genetic diversity, recovery team partners translocated sage-grouse from four different populations into Strawberry Valley over 6 years (2003-2008). Translocations have been used as a strategy to increase both population size and genetic diversity in wildlife populations. We assessed whether genetic diversity …

Discovery Of An Allosteric Site On Furin, Contributing To Potent Inhibition: A Promising Therapeutic For The Anemia Of Chronic Inflammation, Andrew Jacob Gross

Theses and Dissertations

Release Date: October 2017

Anemia of chronic inflammation (ACI) is a condition that develops in a setting of chronic immune activation. ACI is characterized and triggered by inflammatory cytokines and the disruption of iron homeostasis. Hepcidin, a small peptide hormone, is the master regulator of iron homeostasis, and rapidly responds to iron supply and demand. Under conditions of chronic inflammation, hepcidin is elevated, and alters the way that iron is absorbed and disrupted throughout the body, resulting in disrupted iron homeostasis through inhibition of the iron exporter protein ferroportin. Anemia arises when insufficient erythropoietic activity combined with inadequate iron supply …

Articulated Spine For A Robot To Assist Children With Autism, Brandon M. Norton

Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects about 1.5 million individuals in the US alone. The consequences of ASD affect families, caregivers, and social structures. This thesis adds to a growing group of people performing research on mitigating the effects of autism through robotics. Children with ASD tend to interact with robots more easily than with other humans. The goal of robotic therapy is not to help children interact with robots, but to generalize the behavior to humans. An articulated spine is a key to human emotional expression through shaping, weight shifting, and flow. Despite this importance, this feature is all but …