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The Unexpected Symbol Of The New Woman: Ella Ferris Pell's Salome, Megan Ashley Snow

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that Ella Ferris Pell's 1890 painting, Salome, provides a unique interpretation of the ideals of the New Woman, specifically in terms of reclaiming female power through Salome's confidence in her sexuality. By examining the cultural context in which Pell exhibited her painting, as well as her background as an artist, I hope bring to the light the significant ways in which Pell's Salome participates in the construction of the New Woman in late nineteenth-century culture. Since Pell was an American woman who trained and exhibited in both the United States and France, this paper explores the …

Enzyme Encapsulation, Biosensing Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, And Bio-Therapeutic Expression Platforms Using Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, Seung Ook Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a powerful protein expression platform where protein synthesis machinery is borrowed from living organisms. Target proteins are synthesized in a reaction tube together with cell extract, amino acids, energy source, and DNA. This reaction is versatile, and dynamic optimizations of the reaction conditions can be performed. The "œopen" nature of CFPS makes it a compelling candidate for many technologies and applications. This dissertation reports new and innovative applications of CFPS including 1) enzyme encapsulation in a virus-like particle, 2) detection of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the presence of blood and urine, and 3) expression of …

The Ogcleaner: Detecting False-Positive Sequence Homology, Masaki Stanley Fujimoto

Theses and Dissertations

Within bioinformatics, phylogenetics is the study of the evolutionary relationships between different species and organisms. The genetic revolution has caused an explosion in the amount of raw genomic information that is available to scientists for study. While there has been an explosion in available data, analysis methods have lagged behind. A key task in phylogenetics is identifying homology clusters. Current methods rely on using heuristics based on pairwise sequence comparison to identify homology clusters. We propose the Orthology Group Cleaner (the OGCleaner) as a method to evaluate cluster level verification of putative homology clusters in order to create higher quality …

Transition From Cardiovascular Disease To Cancer As The Leading Cause Of Death In Us States, 1999-2014, Michael C. Harding, Evan Thacker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 1900 the three leading causes of death in the United States were pneumonia and influenza; tuberculosis; and gastritis, enteritis, and colitis.¹ However, through a combination of improved sanitation, the discovery of antibiotics, and the advent of vaccination programs, deaths from infectious diseases subsided and soon gave way to chronic diseases.² Shortly after the turn of the century, diseases of the heart became of the number one cause of death, and in the 1940s, cancer began consistently appearing at number two. Since then, heart disease and cancer have remained firmly entrenched as the number one and two causes …

Making Old Stories New In The Anthropocene: Reading, Creating, And The Cosmological Imagination In Darren Aronofsky's Noah, Kellianne Houston Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Darren Aronofsky's 2014 film Noah as a pattern for metafictionalizing narratives into thinking stories as we confront the uncertainty and challenges of the Anthropocene. While Ecocriticism has sought for the development and promotion of nature writing and environmentally oriented poetry and fiction- "new stories" that will shape a stronger environmental ethic"”it has placed too much responsibility for the environmental imagination on what we read rather than on the more important question of how we read. My argument addresses the readerly responsibilities that, if met, have the power to transform old stories and old habits of mind into …

Posthuman Maturation In Amie Kaufman And Jay Kristoff's Illuminae: Re-Conceptualizing The Human For Adolescence And Artificial Intelligence, Gregory Alaric Williams

Theses and Dissertations

In order to empower adolescents, this thesis examines how the adult conception of the human in humanism disempowers adolescents. This thesis examines this process in Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's Illuminae, a work of young adult science fiction with non-traditional text structures. In consequence of their disempowerment, the adolescent Kady and artificially intelligent AIDAN impersonate human authorities in order to gain control over their lives. When these attempts fail, Kady and AIDAN transition from a humanist conception of the human, as an isolated self that balances rationality and emotionality, to a posthuman conception of the human, a distributed self …

Metallization Of Self-Assembled Dna Templates For Electronic Circuit Fabrication, Bibek Uprety

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the deposition of metallic and semiconductor elements onto self-assembled DNA templates for the fabrication of nanodevices. Biological molecules like DNA can self-assemble into a variety of complex 2-D and 3-D architectures without the need for expensive patterning tools. In addition, self-assembled DNA templates can be designed to controllably place functional nanomaterials with molecular precision. These characteristics make DNA an attractive template for fabricating electronic circuits from biological molecules. However, electrically conductive structures are required for electronic applications. While metallized DNA nanostructures have been demonstrated, the ability to make thin, continuous wires that are electrically conductive still represents …

Informing The Use Of Hyper-Parameter Optimization Through Meta-Learning, Samantha Corinne Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

One of the challenges of data mining is finding hyper-parameters for a learning algorithm that will produce the best model for a given dataset. Hyper-parameter optimization automates this process, but it can still take significant time. It has been found that hyperparameter optimization does not always result in induced models with significant improvement over default hyper-parameters, yet no systematic analysis of the role of hyper-parameter optimization in machine learning has been conducted. We propose the use of meta-learning to inform the decision to optimize hyper-parameters based on whether default hyper-parameter performance can be surpassed in a given amount of time. …

The Effects Of Tether Placement On Antibody Stability On Surfaces, Thomas A. Knotts, Rebecca W. Grawe

Faculty Publications

Despite their potential benefits, antibody microarrays have fallen short of performing reliably and have not found widespread use outside of the research setting. Experimental techniques have been unable to determine what is occurring on the surface of an atomic level, so molecular simulation has emerged as the primary method of investigating protein/surface interactions. Simulations of small proteins have indicated that the stability of the protein is a function of the residue on the protein where a tether is placed. The purpose of this research is to see whether these findings also apply to antibodies, with their greater size and complexity. …

Interaction Between Predation Environment And Diet Constrains Body Shape In Utah Chub, Gila Atraria (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), Trevor J. Williams, Jerald B. Johnson, Mark C. Belk

Faculty Publications

Evolution typically occurs in response to a suite of selective pressures. Yet, many studies of natural selection in the wild only investigate a single selective agent at a time. This can be problematic when selective agents act in non-additive ways. Here we evaluate the interactive effects of diet and predation on the evolution of body shape in the cyprinid fish Utah chub (Gila atraria). We found that both factors and the interaction between them are significant predictors of body shape. This interaction is likely a result of different forms of selective pressures, where predation is a stabilizing selective …

The Role Of Pas Kinase And Cbf1 In Cellular Metabolism, Jenny Adele Pattison, Julianne H. Grose

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The most recent National Institute of Health report concludes that 68.8% of American adults are considered to be overweight or obese1. With this trend in obesity, metabolic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are on the rise. The critical yet basic function of cellular homeostasis is a central component in controlling these diseases. Sensory protein kinases are essential in the phosphorylation of many protein substrates, allowing them to control several metabolic functions and appropriately allocate glucose, maintaining homeostasis in cells. PAS kinase is a sensory protein kinase that is highly conserved and plays a crucial role in …

Splice Site Predictor, Mark Wadsworth, Dr. Perry G. Ridge

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With the advent of nextgeneration sequencing, one of the unintended consequences is the sheer number of genomic variations requiring interpretation. Mutations in splice sites have been shown to contribute to the development of cancer [1], and dementia [2] among other potentially deadly disorders. Roughly 14 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year [3], and roughly 7 million with dementia [4]. Since these diseases cause an incredible amount of suffering, scientists in all fields are driven to search for ways to identify and treat them. These have been particularly difficult to interpret and have been largely ignored by the bioinformatics …

Flies As Bioindicators Of Grazing Pressures In Mongolia, Rebecca Clement, C. Riley Nelson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For over fifty thousand years, humans have affected their surrounding environments in a negative way. As the human population continues to increase, concerns about extinction and other human-influenced problems including climate change, habitat degradation, pollution and introduction of invasive species are becoming more and more difficult to ignore (Oreskes, 2004). Mongolia, with its low population density and richly diverse biogeographical landscape, has retained much of the biota that has been lost in surrounding more populous Asian countries. Much of the fauna is relatively unknown. A growing concern in Mongolia is the commercialization of grazing. Although grazing has been an integral …

Damselflies Of Patagonia: A Phylogeographic Study Utilizing Epic, Taylor King, Seth Bybee

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While working on my original project, “In Situ Hybridization of Opsins in Odonata,” I encountered abundant setbacks that led to refocusing my efforts on a similar project. Patagonian Odonata is one of the most well known insect groups in South America. Within the order Odonata there are two main suborders, encompassing dragonflies and damselflies. It is composed of 36 species in 18 different genera, with 60% of the species and 40% of the genera endemic to the region. We selected two damselfly species, Rhionaeshna variegata and Cyanallagma interruptum to perform the first phylogeographic study of Patagonian Insects. They are the …

Bacteriophages As A Biocontrol Agent Of Soft Rot In Potatoes, Trevor Hodson, Don Breakwell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pectobacterium carotovorum (Pcc) is a principle causative agent of soft rot in potatoes. It causes losses of up to 60% in potato yields in the USA (Mantsebo et. Al, 2014) and approximately $50-$100 million dollars’ worth of losses yearly in multiple types of crops. Because potatoes grow beneath the soil surface, there is no way of treating the potatoes until they are harvested. Even then, no postharvest methods of controlling this pathogen exist (Wood et. Al, 2013). A spray-able bacteriophage cocktail specific to Pcc could save millions of dollars-worth of crops each year by minimizing soft rot.

Proposal Of A New Genus And A New Species Of Chrysomelid Beetle, E. Russell Anderson, Shawn Clark

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The beetle family Chrysomelidae contains many species and genera which are of agricultural importance, which can cause millions of dollars of damage. While studying Triarius, a genus largely overlooked among Chrysomelidae because of its low agricultural impact, we have recognized that Triarius vittipennis (Horn, 1893) differs markedly from other species in several characters that we regard as key. Accordingly, we propose a new genus to accommodate T. vittipennis, as well as a new Mexican species which we are describing and naming now. Additionally, we are describing a second new species, which we place in the genus Triarius.

The Efficacy Of Tgfβ Inhibition Via Sgi-1252 In The Prevention And Reversal Of Diet-Induced Obesity And Diabetes, Blake Dallon, Benjamin Bikman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The growing worldwide incidence of obesity and its associated pathologies, like type 2 diabetes, has received much deserved attention. However, despite this attention and substantial research efforts, little meaningful progress has been made in slowing or reversing the growing cost and trends of obesity worldwide.

As of 2008, almost 10% of medical costs in the United States were incurred due to obesity or other obesity-related diseases¹, with a substantial amount of this cost stemming from the dramatically increased risk of diabetes with excess fat mass². According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more …

Comparative Transcriptomics Of Patagonian Lizards (Liolaemus) And Central-American Casque-Headed Lizards (Coroytophanidae), Megan Mcghie, Jack Sites Jr.

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Introduction This project aimed help identify some of the genomic basis of various phenotypic-genotypic relationships among reptiles. These include the genetic basis of adaption in the following aims: (1) the evolution of hemoglobin subunits and its relationship to high altitudes/hypoxia and (2) comparative analyses on parity modes (oviparity, viviparity, and parthenogenesis). For these purposes, we analyzed published data versus the new data form two charismatic groups of lizards: (1) four species of the temperate Patagonian genus Liolaemus and (2) one species from each of the Neotropical genera Corytophanes and Basiliscus (family: Corytophanidae). Both clades have relative limited or no genomic/transcriptomic …

Effects Of Age And Prior Reproduction On The Cost Of Reproduction In Two Species Of Burying Beetles, Ethan Damron, Dane Jo, Mark Belk

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Understanding how much energy an organism allocates to breeding to maximize reproduction over their lifetime, or the cost of reproduction, is a central idea to understanding the variations in patterns of reproduction among living organisms (Creighton et al., 2009). In most studies of cost of reproduction, age is confounded with prior reproductive experience. As individuals age, they tend to reproduce making it difficult to disentangle these two factors when evaluating costs of reproduction. It is not clear whether reproduction early in life costs the same as reproduction later in life and how much of that difference might be due to …

Polymorphisms Of The 5-Httlpr Gene: Associations To Ern And Depression, Curtis Killpack, Michael J. Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our aim with this study of polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) was to investigate the association between performance monitoring capabilities (i.e., detecting errors in performance using the error-related negativity [ERN] component of the scalp recorded event-related potential [ERP]) against three variations of gene 5-HTTLPR allelic pairs: homozygous short (S/S), heterozygous short-long (S/L), and homozygous long (L/L). The serotonin transporter gene is associated with our ability to cope with stress and regulate serotonin, which affects mood, social behavior, appetite, and sleep (Adam, Doane, Zinbarg, Mineka, Craske, & Griffith, 2010). Previous studies (Barnes, Dean, Nandam, O’Connell, & Bellgrove, 2011) have …

End Matter, Vol. 10

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Vol. 10

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Vol. 10

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

In-Class Participation And Performance Gender Gaps In Introductory Biology Courses: The Instructor Gender Effect, Nicholas Nelson, Liz Bailey

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is well known that undergraduate women are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which includes the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (NSF 20011). However, the explanation for this phenomenon is not completely understood. Much research has been done recently and suggests that the “why?” is very complicated and multi-faceted (Smith 2012, Gayles 2014). Reasons can include female students’ sense of belonging, perception of ability, access to a positive mentor, and others (Smith 2012). While biology programs are unique in that female enrollment often exceeds that of males, gender inequities are still seen as postgraduates enter their careers (Handelsman et.al 2005). Because …

A Phenome Wide Association Study Of Multiple Sclerosis And Comorbidities, Scott Frodsham, Mary Davis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified relationships between many different genes and diseases. GWAS studies scan whole genomes of many individuals and then associate genetic variants with diseases that the individuals have. In contrast, a phenome wide association study (PheWAS), looks at the phenotypes of many individuals and associates those phenotypes with one or more genetic variants. Electronic medical records (EMRs) linked to DNA biobanks provide both clinical and genetic data of patients. This study utilizes one such EMRlinked DNA biobank called BioVU from Vanderbilt University.

The Effect Of Gut Microbiota On Cancer Metastasis In Model Organism D. Melanogaster: Establishing An Abnormal Genetic Line Of D. Melanogaster, Andrew Bratsman, John Chaston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, Metchnikoff proposed that putrefactive bacteria living in the digestive tracts of hosts contribute to various disease processes and that modification of microbiota composition through consumption of viable microbes might help to improve health and longevity. This theory of longevity was the basis for the relatively recent trend of probiotic foods, the idea being that “healthy” bacteria could be ingested to produce a positive phenotypic result. The probiotic approach to treatment has been limited to large processes such as digestion or correcting large deficiencies in humans, but as evidence continues to mount …

Phylogeny And Species Boundaries In The “Flying Dragons” Of The Draco Maculatus Species Complex (Family Aamiedae), Randy Klabacka, Dr. Jack W. Sites

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Indo-Burma, comprising most of Mainland Southeast Asia east of India and north of Peninsular Malaysia, is a biodiversity hotspot within Southeast Asia that has been called a contender for the “hottest of hotspots” (Mittermeier, 1999). A remarkable majority of this species diversity remains hidden from human recognition in two areas: (1) undiscovered in natural habitat, and (2) conspicuously masquerading under known taxa. While solutions to the former require continued field work, solutions for the latter require further study of already identified taxa for hidden diversity therein. Indo-Burma is the endemic home to the “spotted flying dragon” (Draco maculatus; …

Examining Gene-Expression Patterns Across Rare Colon Cancer Syndromes To Identify Early Diagnosis And Treatment Options, Douglas Hawkes, Stephen Piccolo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Colon cancer often runs in families. Individuals in these families have a relatively high lifetime risk of developing colon cancer and often develop aggressive tumors at a relatively young age. Currently, genetic testing is the standard way to diagnose hereditary colon cancer; however, many people who develop hereditary colon tumors do not have a mutation in the tested genes. Thus a better diagnostic approach, as well as a better understanding of how to target the underlying molecular causes of hereditary colon cancer, are needed.

Individuals who have a potentially high hereditary risk for colon cancer sometimes do not receive a …

Do Antartctic Tardigrades Survive Better When They Are Wet Or Dry When Exposed To Freese/Thaw Cycling?, Katelyn Hendricks, Byron Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

: Substantial amounts of evidence prove that there are drastic climate changes taking place everywhere on Earth. Antarctica, the home to microscopic tardigrades, or water bears, is no exception. Tardigrades have distinct roles and adaptations that allow them to survive the harsh climates of their environment. Because of climate change in Antarctica, there is a clear increase in the presence of liquid water and freeze/thaw cycles. This correlation raises the question of whether or not the increase of freeze/thaw cycles in Antarctica could result in increased tardigrade mortality. Normally, tardigrades experience the majority of their freeze-thaw cycles in a desiccated …

Meta-Analysis Of Flipped Classroom, Dr. Jamie Jensen, Ratchapong Kaosucharit

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The “Flipped Classroom” is a learning model in which content attainment is shifted forward to out-side of class, and then followed by instructor-facilitated concept application activitiesa in class (Jensen, 2015). It is one of the most rapidly emerging and popular learning models to date. It has become increasingly popular within many educational settings including medical schools. Currently, the flipped classroom has gained such reputation that there are 12,000 educators around the globe who support and implement the flipped classroom model in their institutions, including BYU (Jensen, 2015). The flipped classroom has unique characteristics that differ from traditional classrooms. While the …