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Front Matter, Vol. 77 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

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End Matter, Vol. 77 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

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Tolerance To Disturbance Regulated By Attractiveness Of Resources: A Case Study Of Desert Bighorn Sheep Within The River Mountains, Nevada, Christopher Lowrey, Kathleen M. Longshore

Western North American Naturalist

Human activity may mimic predation risks for wildlife by causing abandonment of foraging sites and increasing expenditure of energy. Animals that can tolerate nonlethal disturbance may minimize these fitness costs. We examine this aspect of the risk–disturbance hypothesis by first analyzing recent habitat use of desert bighorn sheep relative to areas of attraction and disturbance. We then compare and contrast sheep responses to differing levels of anthropogenic disturbance between 2 time periods, 30 years apart. Desert bighorn sheep were tolerant of suburban activity when a consistent forage resource (municipal grass) was provided. Males were more tolerant than females, and females …

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Daily And Monthly Activity Of Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos) Near A Proposed Industrial Project In Coastal British Columbia, Matthew L. Richardson

Western North American Naturalist

The Kitimat Liquefied Natural Gas (KLNG) Plant is proposed for construction adjacent to Bish Creek (Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada). Bish Creek is a corridor for brown bears (Ursus arctos), and 8 camera traps were deployed along the creek for 1442 trapping days in 2014 to determine baseline activity of brown bears. Brown bear activity varied across weeks, peaking particularly in July and September. Within a 24-h day, bears were commonly photographed during hours 5, 6, and 21 and uncommonly photographed during the 3 hours preceding noon and a 4-h period in the afternoon. However, the time of day …

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Space Use Of Female Elk (Cervus Canadensis Nelsoni) In The Black Hills, South Dakota, Tess M. Gingery, Chadwick P. Lehman, Joshua J. Millspaugh

Western North American Naturalist

Following recent elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) population declines in South Dakota, we evaluated space use of elk in response to biotic and abiotic covariates at a regional scale. We built Brownian bridge movement models to examine summer (parturition date to 31 October) and winter (1 November to following year’s parturition date) seasonal movements of radio-collared female elk from 2011 to 2013 at 99% home range and 50% core area contour levels. Our primary objective was to evaluate seasonal movements of female elk in response to drought, vegetation resources, and road density. Higher road densities and increased amounts of …

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Evaluation Of Endangered Lakesucker Rearing In Tributaries To Upper Klamath Lake By Use Of X-Ray Imaging, Molly F. Hayes, Josh E. Rasmussen

Western North American Naturalist

Two species of endangered, primarily lake-dwelling sucker are endemic to the Upper Klamath Basin in southern Oregon: shortnose sucker (Chasmistes brevirostris) and Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus). A third unlisted species, Klamath largescale sucker (Catostomus snyderi), also occurs in the basin. Apart from a small group of adult Lost River suckers documented in a tributary to Upper Klamath Lake in the late 1990s, it is generally believed that though the listed sucker species spawn in tributaries, the larvae out-migrate within days of swim-up, and therefore, there is no juvenile residence in the tributaries. We …

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Status Spillovers, Brian P. Reschke, Pierre Azoulay, Toby E. Stuart

Faculty Publications

When an actor experiences a sudden gain in status—for example, when a scientist wins a Nobel Prize, or a film director wins an Oscar—what does this increase do to the fates of that actor’s many ‘neighbors’? Do they bask in the reflected glory of the prize recipient, and therefore gain with her? Or, does competition for attention ensue, attenuating the recognition neighbors otherwise would have received? We investigate these questions in science. Using expert-assigned article keywords, we identify papers that are topically related to publications of future appointees to the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). In difference-in-difference specifications we …

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Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiome Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy, Jeffrey Gongze Zhao, Laura C. Bridgewater

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2017

Obesity has become a serious health issue in the world (Ogden 2012), and its correlation to the human gut microbiota has been studied extensively since 2007 (Cani 2007). In 2013, researchers identified Enterobacter cloacae B29 from an obese patient’s gut and demonstrated its causal relationship to the host’s obese symptoms( Fei & Zhao 2013). However, there have not been many methods developed to alleviate obesity symptoms through eliminating pathogenic endotoxin-producing bacteria (such as E. cloacae B29), from the host’s gut flora. In this research, I propose a new strategy for treating obesity by using gut microbiome targeted bacteriophage therapy. …

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Playing The Mutating Game, Mitchell Young, Seth Bybee

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Mutation rates may differ from organism to organism. Therefore, many species that are not model organisms are difficult to use in evolutionary studies, especially those focused on genomic scale questions. The focus of this project is to provide 1) inference of mutation rates for several previously unstudied insect species across 12 orders, and 2) comparison of estimated mutation rates with the genetic patterns in each species to test for correlations between genetic architecture and increased rates of evolution.

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Reverse-Engineering Gene Networks That Can Remember Using The Manifold Boundary Approximation Method, Andrew White, Mark Transtrum

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Observable biological behaviors result from the interactions of microscopic elements, which form complex systems that we can model mathematically. Ideally, mechanistic models should predict a biological system’s behavior without misrepresenting the system’s biochemistry. The method of model reduction known as the Manifold Boundary Approximation Method (MBAM) [2, 3] can help us identify which parts of a model are relevant for explaining a particular behavior. This project applies MBAM to gene transcription networks that exhibit a behavior known as “memory,” the ability to retain cellular decisions to activate or silence genes. We hypothesize that MBAM can help us model the behaviors …

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Natural Selection In Samoan Metabolic Pathways, Sage Wright, John Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

One of the leading causes of death in Pacific Islanders is diabetes or other metabolic diseases [cdc]. This may be due to the idea that the thrifty genotype hypothesis contributes to the increase in type 2 diabetes [Southam]. The thrifty genotype hypothesis suggests that certain genes that encourage an increase in body fat were beneficial for our ancestors in times of famine. During periods where food was plentiful, these genes would act so that they would deposit fat in order to better survive during famines. It allows individuals to store nutrients that they would need when food was no longer …

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Membrane On The Frontier, Erin Wu, David Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Antimicrobial chemokines is a type of host defense protein that play an important role in the natural defenses of many organisms such as defending skin and mucosal tissues against bacterial infections.These peptides have a net positive charge, which contributes to membrane permeabilization and/or cell penetration. It has been observed that CCL28, an antimicrobial chemokine, binds to the surface of bacteria, however, it is not known how they bind, or what they do, to cause bacterial death. Research has demonstrated that Yersinia pseudo tuberculosis with mutations in lipopolysaccharide Oantigen and core synthesis genes (rfaD mutation) exhibit increased binding affinity for the …

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Development And Application Of Quassiclassical Direct Dynamics Program For Organic And Organometallic Reactions, Nathan Wohlgemuth, Dan Ess

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Organic and organometallic reactions are generally assumed to follow statistical mechanical models of reactivity and selectivity that correspond to transition state theory. However, in recent years there have been several organic reactions that have been shown to be controlled by post-transition state reaction dynamics. While some direct dynamics programs are available (VENUS, ProgDyn, etc.) they are generally difficult to use and have little documentation. To overcome this problem, we created a molecular dynamics software suite (called DynSuite) that interfaces with the electronic structure program Gaussian 09. We used this software to perform known examples of direct dynamics simulations for organic …

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Dwarf Mistletoe And Breeding Bird Abundance In Ponderosa Pine Forests, Thomas J. Parker, Carol L. Chambers, Robert L. Mathiasen

Western North American Naturalist

Southwestern dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. cryptopodum) parasitizes ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). It can kill severely infected trees and induce the growth of dense masses of branches that can affect foraging and nesting habitat for wildlife. We tested the hypothesis that higher densities of breeding birds would be correlated with higher levels of southwestern dwarf mistletoe in ponderosa pine forests of Arizona. We estimated densities of 15 species of breeding birds and measured 26 habitat elements in 19 stands. Average dwarf mistletoe ratings (DMR) ranged from 0.0 (uninfested) to 3.7 (severely infested). Although we observed higher …

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A First Survey Of Metazoan Parasites In The Fishes Of Lake Powell, Utah, Aaron M. Brooksby, Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Mark C. Belk

Western North American Naturalist

Lake Powell (Colorado River drainage, Utah and Arizona, USA) is an important and unique fishery comprising several nonnative fishes. There are no previous studies of the parasites of the fishes of Lake Powell. We provide a general survey of the metazoan parasites found in the numerically dominant fish species of the reservoir. We collected and surveyed for parasites in 236 fishes of 8 species. We found 832 parasites comprising 13 species. All of the parasite species we found are widespread throughout North America and other parts of the world. Six of the 13 species of parasites we found have been …

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Computational Predictions Of Β-Hairpins Containing Bulky Dehydroamino Acids, David W. Kastner, Ankur Jalan, Steven L. Castle

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2017

Bulky α,β-dehydroamino acids (ΔAAs) can improve the proteolytic stability of peptides that contain them, presumably by altering the shape of the backbone of the peptide and by stabilizing folded states through their rigidifying effect. The stabilizing effects of ΔAAs that contain at least one hydrogen atom at the β-carbon are well-known, but the role of bulky ΔAAs that contain fully substituted β-carbons in the stability of larger peptides is less explored. To better explore the conformational contribution of α,β-dehydroamino acids in β-hairpins we performed NMR-based structural calculations to confirm our experimental observations. We used the simulated annealing program CYANA to …

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Preserving Optical Confinement In Pecvd Sio2 Waveguides By Control Of Thin-Film Stress, Steven Jay Hammon

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) have developed an optical biosensor that can quickly analyze a sample to detect any type of nucleic acid based organism, such as viruses or bacteria. The biosensor's reliability over time is compromised due to water absorbing into the SiO₂ waveguides of the chip. It was hypothesized that keeping the thin-film stress of the waveguides close to zero would slow or stop water absorption from occurring. Completion of this thin-film study relied upon a new plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) machine and a new 3-D optical profilometer, both of which were installed in …

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Preparing Non-Native English Speakers For The Mathematical Vocabulary In The Gre And Gmat, Irina Mikhailovna Baskova

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop vocabulary materials to aid non-native English speakers, specifically Russian speaking test-takers, in their preparation for the mathematical sections of the General Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) in terms of English mathematical vocabulary. GRE and GMAT preparation materials and practice tests published by the Educational Testing Service, Kaplan, and Barron's were analyzed with the help of computer software. This data was then used to determine which key words to include in the vocabulary tool, which is now available on Quizlet (www.quizlet.com). The developed materials were further proofread by …

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Phylogenetic Relationships, Species Boundaries, And Studies Of Viviparity And Convergent Evolution In Liolaemus Lizards, Cesar Augusto Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I have connected different evolutionary studies of Lioalemus lizards. In Chapter 1, I followed an integrative approach to delimit species in the Liolaemus walkeri complex. Using mitochondrial markers, morphological data, bioclimatic information and methods appropriate for each data type, we found that the name L. walkeri was covering three new lineages. Three new species were described and one of them (L. chavin) is now categorized as Near Threatened in the IUCN red list. In Chapter 2, I change the subject from species boundaries to the study of viviparity and placentation. In this paper we employed …

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Characterizing Current And Geologic Phosphorus In Utah Lake Sediment Using Field Samples, Laboratory Methods, And Statistical Analysis: Implications For Water Quality Issues, Hani Yousef Abu Hmeidan

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for aquatic life forms and plays a major role in the algae blooms that occur in lakes and reservoirs. It is considered a primary limiting nutrient of phytoplankton growth in streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Excess amounts of phosphorous may cause excess growth and biomass of algae. If phosphorus is available in excess, often from sewage and industrial discharges, the high levels in a lake or reservoir can lead to eutrophication. Utah Lake is a shallow, basin-bottom lake in a semi-arid climate with sediments that are thousands of feet thick. Starting 165 years ago, humans have …

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Alterations In Tight Junctional Proteins And Their Effects On Pulmonary Inflammation, Joshua B. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The lungs represent one of the earliest interfaces for pathogens and noxious stimuli to interact with the body. As such, careful maintenance of the permeability barrier is vital in providing homeostasis within the lung. Essential to maintaining this barrier is the tight junction, which primarily acts as a paracellular seal and regulator of ionic transport, but also contributes to establishing cell polarity, cell-to-cell integrity, and regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. The loss of these tight junctions has been documented to result in alterations in inflammation, and ultimately the development of many respiratory disorders such as COPD, Asthma, ARDS, and pulmonary …

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Faculty And Eal Student Perceptions Of Writing Purposes And Challenges In The Business Major, Amy Mae Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last 50 years, research has explored the writing assignment types and purposes found in undergraduate courses, including discipline-specific writing for the business major, which is one of the most popular fields of study for international students in the U.S. Many studies have explored faculty perceptions of writing challenges students exhibit when writing for business; however, few studies have compared both faculty and student perceptions of student writing challenges. The purpose of this study was to investigate business faculty perceptions of the writing challenges exhibited by students for whom English is a second or additional language (EAL) compared to …

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Lkb1 Regulation Of High-Fat Diet-Induced Adaptation In Mouse Skeletal Muscle, Ting Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Ad libitum high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity leads to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, altered gene expression, and altered growth signaling, all of which contributes to pathological changes in metabolism. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is an important metabolism regulator. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand how knocking out LKB1 influences HFD induced adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle. To do so, control and skeletal muscle LKB1 knock-out (LKB1-KO) mice were put on either standard diet (STD) or HFD for 1 week or 14 weeks, or put on the HFD for 14 weeks and then switched to STD for 1 week …

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Assessing And Improving Student Understanding Of Tree-Thinking, Tyler A. Kummer

Theses and Dissertations

Evolution is the unifying theory of biology. The importance of understanding evolution by those who study the origins, diversification and diversity life cannot be overstated. Because of its importance, in addition to a scientific study of evolution, many researchers have spent time studying the acceptance and the teaching of evolution. Phylogenetic Systematics is the field of study developed to understand the evolutionary history of organisms, traits, and genes. Tree-thinking is the term by which we identify concepts related to the evolutionary history of organisms. It is vital that those who undertake a study of biology be able to understand and …

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Engineering Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Technology For Codon Reassignment, Biotherapeutics Production Using Just-Add-Water System, And Biosensing Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Sayed Mohammad Salehi

Theses and Dissertations

Cell-free protein synthesis is an emerging technology that has many applications. The open nature of this system makes it a compelling technology that can be manipulated to answer many needs that are unavailable in other systems. This dissertation reports on engineering this technology for: 1) sense codon emancipation for incorporation of multiple unnatural amino acids; 2) expressing a hard-to-express anticancer biotherapeutic and introducing a just-add-water system; 3) a biosensing ligand that interacts with nuclear hormone receptors. Emancipating sense codons toward a minimized genetic code is of significant interest to science and engineering. A promising approach to sense codon emancipation is …

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Search Strategy Development In A Flipped Library Classroom: A Student-Focused Assessment, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson, Megan Frost

Faculty Publications

Librarians at Brigham Young University compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in flipped sessions. However, student evaluations show a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Librarians using a flipped classroom should consider ways to help students make meaningful connections between online tutorials and in-class activities.

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Is Video Enjoyment Deeper For Those With Adhd?, Daisy Kristina Milman

Theses and Dissertations

To find if video enjoyment was deeper for people with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactive disorder) than for their non-ADHD peers, subjects with ADHD, and without, had their eye movement tracked during video exposure to determine average saccade rates. I interviewed subjects using pre-tested statements to establish periods of flow state (a measure of enjoyment). Results indicate that there is a deeper sense of enjoyment for people with ADHD, as subjects with ADHD passed a greater average time in flow state during video consumption (27% compared to 21%). Furthermore, the effects of flow state on the eye movement of those with ADHD …

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The Relationship Between Relational Aggression And Sexual Satisfaction: Investigating The Mediating Role Of Attachment Behaviors, Melece Vida Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between relational aggression and sexual satisfaction, as well as the mediating role of attachment on this relationship. Data came from the Relationship Evaluation Survey (RELATE) comprised of the matched-pair responses of 797 couples in serious dating, engaged, or married relationships. Results showed the greater the perceived relational aggression the lower the sexual satisfaction for both self and partner, regardless of gender. Additionally, it appears a more satisfying sexual relationship can occur when an individual experiences a secure attachment base and can feel confident that his/her relationship is safe. For both …

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Recovery And Range Expansion In A North Central Utah Peregrine Falcon Population, Clark S. Monson

Western North American Naturalist

Peregrine Falcon numbers in much of the Intermountain West rebounded after a decline during the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. However, recent literature regarding the species suggested that little, if any, growth was occurring in populous north central Utah, which once supported a robust Peregrine Falcon population. A concerted reintroduction effort during the 1980s resulted in establishment of nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons on artificial towers where they were originally released as nestlings, but traditional nesting cliffs generally remained vacant. More recently, numerous Peregrine Falcon pairs have been observed nesting on cliffs both within and adjacent to their historical range …

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Functional Traits And Ecological Affinities Of Riparian Plants Along The Colorado River In Grand Canyon, Emily C. Palmquist, Barbara E. Ralston, Daniel Sarr, David M. Merritt, Patrick B. Shafroth, Julian A. Scott

Western North American Naturalist

Trait-based approaches to vegetation analyses are becoming more prevalent in studies of riparian vegetation dynamics, including responses to flow regulation, groundwater pumping, and climate change. These analyses require species trait data compiled from the literature and floras or original field measurements. Gathering such data makes trait-based research time intensive at best and impracticable in some cases. To support trait-based analysis of vegetation along the Colorado River through Grand Canyon, a data set of 20 biological traits and ecological affinities for 179 species occurring in that study area was compiled. This diverse flora shares species with many riparian areas in the …

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Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Front Matter, Vol. 77 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

End Matter, Vol. 77 No. 1

Western North American Naturalist

Tolerance To Disturbance Regulated By Attractiveness Of Resources: A Case Study Of Desert Bighorn Sheep Within The River Mountains, Nevada, Christopher Lowrey, Kathleen M. Longshore

Western North American Naturalist

Daily And Monthly Activity Of Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos) Near A Proposed Industrial Project In Coastal British Columbia, Matthew L. Richardson

Western North American Naturalist

Space Use Of Female Elk (Cervus Canadensis Nelsoni) In The Black Hills, South Dakota, Tess M. Gingery, Chadwick P. Lehman, Joshua J. Millspaugh

Western North American Naturalist

Evaluation Of Endangered Lakesucker Rearing In Tributaries To Upper Klamath Lake By Use Of X-Ray Imaging, Molly F. Hayes, Josh E. Rasmussen

Western North American Naturalist

Status Spillovers, Brian P. Reschke, Pierre Azoulay, Toby E. Stuart

Faculty Publications

Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiome Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy, Jeffrey Gongze Zhao, Laura C. Bridgewater

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2017

Playing The Mutating Game, Mitchell Young, Seth Bybee

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Reverse-Engineering Gene Networks That Can Remember Using The Manifold Boundary Approximation Method, Andrew White, Mark Transtrum

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Natural Selection In Samoan Metabolic Pathways, Sage Wright, John Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Membrane On The Frontier, Erin Wu, David Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Development And Application Of Quassiclassical Direct Dynamics Program For Organic And Organometallic Reactions, Nathan Wohlgemuth, Dan Ess

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dwarf Mistletoe And Breeding Bird Abundance In Ponderosa Pine Forests, Thomas J. Parker, Carol L. Chambers, Robert L. Mathiasen

Western North American Naturalist

A First Survey Of Metazoan Parasites In The Fishes Of Lake Powell, Utah, Aaron M. Brooksby, Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Mark C. Belk

Western North American Naturalist

Computational Predictions Of Β-Hairpins Containing Bulky Dehydroamino Acids, David W. Kastner, Ankur Jalan, Steven L. Castle

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2017

Preserving Optical Confinement In Pecvd Sio2 Waveguides By Control Of Thin-Film Stress, Steven Jay Hammon

Theses and Dissertations

Preparing Non-Native English Speakers For The Mathematical Vocabulary In The Gre And Gmat, Irina Mikhailovna Baskova

Theses and Dissertations

Phylogenetic Relationships, Species Boundaries, And Studies Of Viviparity And Convergent Evolution In Liolaemus Lizards, Cesar Augusto Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

Characterizing Current And Geologic Phosphorus In Utah Lake Sediment Using Field Samples, Laboratory Methods, And Statistical Analysis: Implications For Water Quality Issues, Hani Yousef Abu Hmeidan

Theses and Dissertations

Alterations In Tight Junctional Proteins And Their Effects On Pulmonary Inflammation, Joshua B. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Faculty And Eal Student Perceptions Of Writing Purposes And Challenges In The Business Major, Amy Mae Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Lkb1 Regulation Of High-Fat Diet-Induced Adaptation In Mouse Skeletal Muscle, Ting Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Assessing And Improving Student Understanding Of Tree-Thinking, Tyler A. Kummer

Theses and Dissertations

Engineering Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Technology For Codon Reassignment, Biotherapeutics Production Using Just-Add-Water System, And Biosensing Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Sayed Mohammad Salehi

Theses and Dissertations

Search Strategy Development In A Flipped Library Classroom: A Student-Focused Assessment, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson, Megan Frost

Faculty Publications

Is Video Enjoyment Deeper For Those With Adhd?, Daisy Kristina Milman

Theses and Dissertations

The Relationship Between Relational Aggression And Sexual Satisfaction: Investigating The Mediating Role Of Attachment Behaviors, Melece Vida Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

Recovery And Range Expansion In A North Central Utah Peregrine Falcon Population, Clark S. Monson

Western North American Naturalist

Functional Traits And Ecological Affinities Of Riparian Plants Along The Colorado River In Grand Canyon, Emily C. Palmquist, Barbara E. Ralston, Daniel Sarr, David M. Merritt, Patrick B. Shafroth, Julian A. Scott

Western North American Naturalist