Digital Commons Network^™

Quantifying Predictive Value Of Biological Data Types In Machine Learning Models Of Cancer Outcome, Samantha Jensen, Stephen Piccolo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Precision medicine is a growing movement toward utilizing molecular diagnostics to guide medical decisions. It is particularly useful when applied to cancer treatment, as knowing details about cancer stage, genetic pathology, and tumor type can inform life-saving decisions. Increasingly, physicians may use genetic, proteomic, epigenetic, and expression data to determine treatment strategy and even choose specific chemotherapy drugs1.

Using Remote Video Systems To Measure Effectiveness Of Small Scale Mpas In Saipipi, Samoa, Calvin Quigley, Dr. Richard Gill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Coral reefs represent an invaluable natural, providing $30 billion dollars of fishing and recreational profits worldwide, and housing nearly a quarter of the oceans species [1, 2]. However, threats such as climate change, ocean acidification, coastal development and overharvesting have destroyed more than a fifth of the worlds coral reefs in recent decades[3]. One of the most common management plans that has been implemented to help protect and restore coral reefs is the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs)[4]. MPAs have been proven to be effective in helping restore fish populations and coral cover, however the majority of MPAs are …

Effectiveness Of Hospital Disinfectants Against Clostridium Spores, Bejamin Ogilvie, Richard Robinson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Clostridium is a genus of anaerobic spore-forming bacteria notable for causing human infections. C. difficile has an especially high impact, affecting roughly 453,000 individuals in the U.S. in 2011 (1). C. tetani and C. perfringens infections occur much less frequently, although they remain clinically important. Disinfecting objects contaminated with Clostridium is challenging, as Clostridium spores are resistant to extreme temperature, desiccation, and most chemicals (2, 3). Clostridium is also frequently found within soil, making it a likely contaminant on almost any piece of medical equipment (3).

Currently, the U.S. EPA only requires sporicidal disinfectant efficacy tests against C. sporogenes, a …

Could Tk1 Suppress The Immune System And Promote Tumor Development?, Joshua Keller, Roman Kovtun, Kim O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cancer is a widespread disease that affects millions of people worldwide and in many cases is difficult to treat. In order to find new and better treatment, it is important to understand how this disease progresses. Thymidine Kinase 1 (TK1) is a recognized biomarker that is upregulated in cancer cells compared to healthy tissue. Although this protein is normally found inside the cells (cytosol), it becomes upregulated on the surface of malignant cells. Moreover, recent research shows that TK1 expression is further upregulated in breast cancer tissues that undergo a transition from stationary (epithelial) cells to more mobile (mesenchymal) cells. …

Regulation Of Trophoblast Invasion By Pyruvate Kinase Isozyme M2 (Pkm2): Preemptive To Pkm2 Activation Decreases Iugr Symptoms In Mice Exposed To Second-Hand Smoke, Juan Mejia, Juan Arroyo, Ph.D.

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The placenta is an organ composed of highly vascular tissue. It plays an essential role in healthy fetal development as a mediator of gases and nutrients between the mother and fetus. Many complications can occur in this stage of fetal development, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) when the placenta’s invasive and vascular roles are inhibited. IUGR is an obstetric complication that affects over 10% of the population causing harmful symptoms to the fetus and mother. Physiologically, in the first trimester, high trophoblast cell invasion occurs, and the spiral arteries dilate to create a low resistance, high capacity vessel capable …

Nrf2 In Protecting Against Valproic Acid-¬‐Induced Oxidative Injury During Cellular Differentiation, Alyssa Palmer, Jason Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The causes of the majority of birth defects remain largely unknown today. However, many chemicals known to cause defects are also known inducers of oxidative stress, resulting in faulty cellular function. This suggests an important link between oxidative stress and normal and abnormal embryonic development [1]. Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance in the production of reactive molecules derived from oxygen called reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although basal levels of ROS are necessary in order for normal cell function to occur, an overabundance of ROS interact with molecules that they shouldn’t, disrupting vital cellular pathways. This is …

Cd5 Deficient Mice Exhibit Altered Cognitive Function In Behavioral Studies, Tyler Cox, Dr. Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The immune system plays a role in protecting and maintaining the central nervous system (CNS). 1Dysfunctions within the immune system can affect the CNS and it is associated with diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Having an imbalanced activation of immune cells within CNS results in cognitive impairments. CD5 is a protein on the surface of T cells and certain B cells that inhibits cellular activation and prevents immune cells from reacting too strongly to antigens and causing autoimmunity to our own tissues. Modulating CD5 and the immune system could affect the CNS and cognitive function. Observations …

Characterization Of Mutant Chemokine (C-C) Motif Receptor-Like 2 (Ccrl2) And Its Role In Inflammation And Alzheimer’S Disease, Meganne Ferrel, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is identified as a proteopathic disease that results from an extensive accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Several researchers have discovered that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contains biomarkers for AD such as Amyloid-beta and tau. Neuritic plaques in AD are surrounded by activated microglia and astrocytes which can initiate complement and inflammation in the presence of amyloid-beta. Macrophage inflammatory protein chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4) is a biomarker found in CSF. A high level of expression is associated with risk of developing AD. CCL4 is expressed in a subpopulation of reactive astrocytes and …

Histone Post-Translational Modifications And Nucleosome Positioning: A New Layer In The Histone Code Hypothesis?, Andrew Earl, Dr. Steven Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nucleosomes are the fundamental unit of chromatin organization. They consist of an octamer of histone proteins (two of each H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) wrapped around by 147 base pairs of DNA. Their positioning and occupancy around important genetic elements such as enhancers and promoters are some of the most important means of epigenetic regulation: changes in expression of genes that reflect a change in something other than DNA sequence. For example, highly-expressed genes are generally associated with low nucleosome occupancy, whereas inactive genes are associated with high nucleosome occupancy. It has also been shown that the positioning of nucleosomes …

Multiculturalism: The Search Of Home Through Roots And Tentacles, Daniela Ferreira, Brian Christensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

When this project was conceived, my idea was to exhibit how juxtaposition of marine creatures and perennial plants would help further the discussion of multiculturalism and the idea of home. The project consisted of traveling to the Audubon Park in New Orleans to observe century old oaks known for their majestic roots, extensive size and elongated branches. Following this, I would travel to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, in California, to focus on their cephalopods in the Tentacles exhibition. In better understanding these forms I would draw from nature to better explain multiculturalism via paintings and/or ceramic works.

Antenatal Exposure To Secondhand Smoke Impacts Growth And Cardiopulmonary Energetics In 4-Week-Old Mice, Kaleb Egbert, Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a well-established cause of respiratory illness in infants and children who live in environments where exposure is common. Recent studies have been performed to examine the potential effects of SHS exposure on fetus’s before they are born1. The data collected suggests that antenatal exposure to SHS impacts cardiovascular and respiratory function through childhood and may even have lifelong ramifications, even if the exposure is terminated shortly after birth. In our study, we sought to determine the impact of SHS exposure during development in the womb would have on 4 week-old mice, or the equivalent of an …

We Don’T Need Another Hero: Historiography And The Sophie Digital Library’S Science And Technology Collection, Michael Evans, Robert Mcfarland

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Sophie Digital Library is an online library and resource center for works produced by German-speaking women. These works are focused on the publications from pre- 17th century through the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the group of women in Germany living during this time faced many challenges and one of them was being underrepresented in historical works published from their research and achievements. The Sophie Digital Library consists of works produced by German-speaking women from this time frame that help to highlight their successes that have assisted in shaping the future for other women who strive to achieve something great. …

Cell Free Single Stranded Dna Concentration In Csf As Biomarker To Diagnose Alzheimer’S Disease, Taylor Avei, Dr. John Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The neuropathology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is well-known as a degradation of neural connections in the brain caused by multiple deposits of Amyloid-beta peptide plaques as well as neurofibrillary tangles of tau proteins [1]. Because of this and successful research, both Amyloid-beta 42 and tau protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid currently serve as important biomarkers for the diagnosis of AD according to the New Research Criteria for the Diagnosis of AD provided by the International Working Group (IWG) [2].

Morphological Variation In Alfaro Cultratus Across Varying Stream Flow Regimes, Kaitlyn Beard Golden, Jerald B. Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alfaro cultratus is a freshwater fish native to Costa Rica.1 The common name for Alfaro cultratus is ‘the knife edge livebearer’. It is named after its sharply keeled ventral surface which allows for movement through river currents with speed and agility. Yet this species is a live-­bearer, meaning it gives birth to free-­swimming young rather than laying eggs. Its shape does not allow for the normal distended abdomen during pregnancy like other live-­bearers. This morphology likely provides advantages in high flow regimes, but produces costs for reproductive investment. To begin looking at this paradoxical evolutionary trait, I looked at the …

Clinical Vs Neuropathological Diagnosis In Alzheimer’S Disease Research, Gage Black, John S. K. Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and affects millions of people worldwide. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United states and the only disease in the top 10 causes of death that does not have a disease altering treatment. Due to the complex nature of the disease, it is difficult to confirm whether a patient has AD or a different form of dementia. Misdiagnosis of AD and other dementias could be leading to the use of inaccurate data in genetic studies specific to AD. In 2014, Beecham et al. collected data from …

Observations Of Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog Predation By A Native Frog, Snake, And Giant Water Bug In A Central California Intermittent Stream, Robert A. Leidy, Rachael Ryan, Hana Moidu, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Michael T. Bogan, Stephanie M. Carlson

Western North American Naturalist

During the summers of 2015 and 2018, we observed predation on Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs (Rana boylii) by a giant water bug (Abedus indentatus), a California Red-legged Frog (Rana draytonii), and a Diablo Range Gartersnake (Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus) adjacent to 3 separate isolated pools along intermittent reaches of Coyote Creek, Santa Clara County, California, USA. To the best of our knowledge, our observations provide the first published record of California Red-legged Frog and giant water bug preying upon Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs. As pool habitat contracts over the course of the dry season, locally …

Cytochrome Oxidase I Sequences From Northern And Southern California Suggest Cryptic Baetis (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) Species, Natalie J. Stauffer-Olsen, Patrick M. O'Grady, Vincent H. Resh

Western North American Naturalist

The geographically widespread mayfly genus Baetis occurs from the subarctic to tropical regions of the world. Many of the 20 described Baetis species in North America are known to show cryptic species diversity. However, studies of Baetis that have examined morphology and genetic diversity have found mixed results in terms of cryptic species, with some studies indicating a complex of related species and others suggesting a single widespread species. We used Bayesian analyses, intra- and interspecific genetic diversity values, and median-joining haplotype networks to compare cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences from Baetis specimens from parts of northern and southern California …

Predation By Long-Tailed Weasels Mustela Frenata During A Richardson's Ground Squirrel Urocitellus Richardsonii Population Outbreak In Southwestern Saskatchewan, Gilbert Proulx

Western North American Naturalist

Long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata) are known to feed on mice and voles. However, in the Canadian Prairies, where Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii) are abundant (particularly during drought periods), long-tailed weasel predation on these medium-size rodents is poorly documented. In this study, predation by long-tailed weasels on Richardson’s ground squirrels was documented from April 2008 to September 2008 in southwestern Saskatchewan during a drought period. I found that Richardson’s ground squirrel remains were the dominant food item in percentage of occurrence, volume, and biomass from April to July. In August–September, however, deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus …

First Documented Observation Of Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma Insularis) Precopulatory Display, Rebecca G. Cheek, Michelle L. Harris, Anna Kennedy

Western North American Naturalist

We report what we believe is the first documented observation of Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) copulation behavior. We compare our observations to the behaviors of other Aphelocoma jays with the aim of identifying potential species-specific elements. There are observable differences between the precopulatory display of the Island Scrub-Jay and that of more distantly related Aphelocoma jays. The display of Island Scrub-Jay and that of the closely related California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) are very similar despite the species being isolated from each other for approximately 1 million years.


Reportamos sobre lo que creemos que es la primera …

The Longest-Lasting Relationship: Patterns Of Contact And Well-Being Among Mid- To Later-Life Siblings, Alexander C. Jensen, Makayla K. Nielson, Jeremy B. Yorgason

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Adults in mid to later life experience shrinking social networks, which may hinder well-being. Siblings may be important sources of social contact. Yet, little is known about adults’ patterns of contact with siblings and how contact is linked to well-being.

Method: Participants included 491 adults from across the United States (M age = 58.96, SD = 6.25; 68% female) recruited online via Amazon Mechanical Turk; they reported on their contact with their sibling in person, over the phone, via email, texting, and social media.

Results: Latent class analysis found evidence for four patterns of contact (classes) among siblings: low, …

The Authentics, Amanda Bishop

Children's Book and Media Review

Daria and her friends strive to be the “authentic” kids at their high school among many who hide who they truly are. But after she is assigned an ancestry project and sends off her DNA to be analyzed, she discovers some shocking truths about herself. Daria was adopted, but her parents never told her. Feeling betrayed and confused, Daria goes on the search for her biological mother. What she discovers is a step-brother, and they instantly fall for each other. Together they scheme for the best way to introduce mother and daughter, as well as to tell both families about …

Extreme Longevity: Discovering Earth's Oldest Organisms, Emilee Bell

Children's Book and Media Review

Shuffle back in time with Jonathan, the 100+ year old tortoise, and witness the evolution of the automobile. Rest beneath the shade of centuries-old trees born when the glaciers melted on the American continent. Peek at the ocean organisms that roamed the earth before humans were even a thought. Kenney beguiles the reader with ancient timelines, winding the biological history of the world with the human history, tying said reader tightly and permanently with the longevity of the plants and animals of this world. Each chapter feels like an epic tale: lone organisms surviving chaos, hunters, pollution, and massive social …

Alex As Well, Erica Sonzogni

Children's Book and Media Review

Alex is born with both male and female body parts. When Alex was born, doctors told his parents that they would have to choose which gender they would like their child to be and then would give the baby hormones to continue that gender. Alex’s parents decide that Alex would grow up being a boy. Once in high school, however, Alex realizes she is a girl, but her parents do not support this decision. In order to make her life more peaceful, Alex switches schools and must face numerous challenges between peers and various adults while she navigates through the …

Thalamic Morphology In Non-Semantic Primary Progressive Aphasia, Holly Rochelle Paxton

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a clinical dementia syndrome characterized by impairments in language. The presence of Alzheimer disease (AD) neuropathology has been observed in approximately 40% of PPA cases. Cross-sectional and longitudinal features of cortical atrophy in PPA are emerging but less is known about the integrity of subcortical structures, particularly the thalamus. As a major relay station in the brain, the thalamus is implicated in language functioning given its reciprocal connections with perisylvian regions in the cortex. High-dimensional brain mapping was used to characterize thalamic morphology in individuals with and without non-semantic PPA. Further, shape differences were …

The Power Of Motherhood: Leah Widtsoe's Writings On Women's Roles, Influence, And The Priesthood, Ashley Marie Laneri

Theses and Dissertations

The Power of Motherhood: Leah Widtsoe's Writings on Women's Roles, Influence, and the Priesthood Ashley Marie Laneri Department of Religious Education, BYU Master of ArtsThis thesis analyzes Leah Widtsoe's writings in the 1930s. Her primary emphasis was on motherhood. Widtsoe encouraged women to realize the importance of their role as mothers and the positive results a good mother can have on generations to come. Each chapter examines how Widtsoe used motherhood to help women understand their role in the Church and their role in society. The first chapter outlines Widtsoe's personal life and analyzes why motherhood was a central part …

Mismatch Negativity Event Related Potential Elicited By Speech Stimuli In Geriatric Patients, Dana Lynn Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

Hearing loss, as a result of old age, has been linked to a decline in speech perception despite the use of additional listening devices. Even though the relationship between hearing loss and decreased speech perception has been well established, research in this area has often focused on the behavioral aspects of language and not on the functionality of the brain itself. In the present study, the mismatch negativity, an event related potential, was examined in order to determine the differences in speech perception between young adult participants, geriatric normal hearing participants, and geriatric hearing-impaired participants. It was hypothesized that a …

Characterizing The Function Of Pas Kinase In Cellular Metabolism And Neurodegenerative Disease, Jenny Adele Pape

Theses and Dissertations

The second identified substrate of PAS kinase discussed is Pbp1. The human homolog of Pbp1 is ataxin-2, mutations in which are a known risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As diet and sex have been shown to be important factors regarding PAS kinase function, they also are strong contributing factors to ALS and are extensively reviewed herein. Pbp1 is known to be sequestered by PAS kinase under glucose depravation, and it can sequester additional proteins along with it to regulate different cellular pathways. To shed light on the pathways affected by Pbp1, we performed a yeast two-hybrid assay and …

Using Eye Tracking To Examine Working Memory And Verbal Feature Processing In Spanish, Erik William Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Second language acquisition (SLA) has been a dominant field in linguistics research over the past several decades. In this field, researchers have investigated what makes learning the grammar of a second language difficult and they have identified many factors that may contribute to this difficulty, including agreement processing. In linguistic terms, agreement refers to the necessary covariation of grammatical features between two of more syntactic constituents. In prior years of agreement processing research, some authors examined how native speakers process varying grammatical features (e.g. number and gender) in agreement relations. In recent years, however, they have turned towards L2 learners …

A Metagenomic Approach To Understand Stand Failure In Bromus Tectorum, Nathan Joseph Ricks

Theses and Dissertations

Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) is an invasive annual grass that has colonized large portions of the Intermountain west. Cheatgrass stand failures have been observed throughout the invaded region, the cause of which may be related to the presence of several species of pathogenic fungi in the soil or surface litter. In this study, metagenomics was used to better understand and compare the fungal communities between sites that have and have not experienced stand failure. Samples were taken from the soil and surface litter in Winnemucca, Nevada and Skull Valley, Utah. Results show distinct fungal communities between Winnemucca and Skull Valley, as …

Multi-Human Management Of A Hub-Based Colony: Efficiency And Robustness In The Cooperative Best M-Of-N Task, John Rolfes Grosh

Theses and Dissertations

Swarm robotics is an emerging field that is expected to provide robust solutions to spatially distributed problems. Human operators will often be required to guide a swarm in the fulfillment of a mission. Occasionally, large tasks may require multiple spatial swarms to cooperate in their completion. We hypothesize that when latency, bandwidth, operator dropout, and communication noise are significant factors, human organizations that promote individual initiative perform more effectively and resiliently than hierarchies in the cooperative best-m-of-n task. Simulations automating the behavior of hub-based swarm robotic agents and groups of human operators are used to evaluate this hypothesis. To make …