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Analyzing The Power Of Individual Genes: Maternal Gene Influence On The Serotonin Transporter Gene, Patrick O'Connell, Dr. James Dee Higley Apr 2014

Analyzing The Power Of Individual Genes: Maternal Gene Influence On The Serotonin Transporter Gene, Patrick O'Connell, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The present analysis considers a mother gene-by-infant gene interaction of the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (hereafter 5-HTTLPR). This is to our knowledge the first study to analyze this type of interaction. Two principle variants of this gene, a short allele (related to decreased 5-HTT expression), and a long allele, have been identified in both human and nonhuman primates. This provides 3 distinct genotypes: the homozygous short allele (ss), the heterozygotes (Ls), and the homozygous long allele genotype (LL); which have been shown to influence a variety of behaviors, principally those related to impulsive aggression (Higley & Barr, 2008) and anxiety …

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Enhancement Of Mass Transfer And Electron Usage For Syngas Fermentation, James J. Orgill Apr 2014

Enhancement Of Mass Transfer And Electron Usage For Syngas Fermentation, James J. Orgill

Theses and Dissertations

Biofuel production via fermentation is produced primarily by fermentation of simple sugars. Besides the sugar fermentation route, there exists a promising alternative process that uses syngas (CO, H2, CO2) produced from biomass as building blocks for biofuels. Although syngas fermentation has many benefits, there are several challenges that still need to be addressed in order for syngas fermentation to become a viable process for producing biofuels on a large scale. One challenge is mass transfer limitations due to low solubilities of syngas species. The hollow fiber reactor (HFR) is one type of reactor that has the potential for achieving high …

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Comparative Temperament Assessment Between Mother And Infant: A Preliminary Look At Cross-Fostering, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley Apr 2014

Comparative Temperament Assessment Between Mother And Infant: A Preliminary Look At Cross-Fostering, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Environment can shape temperament, although temperament is thought mainly to be biologically inherited. Thus, mothers’ temperament is often similar to the infants’ temperament. Previous studies in rhesus monkeys have shown that infants have a similar temperament to their mothers, and that there is a potential genetic influence.1 In fact, the rh5-HTTLPR (serotonin transporter gene) and the rh-MAOA-LPR gene have been linked to affecting temperament, interacting between the mothers and infants. However, only male infants exhibit this effect; female infants’ temperament was not correlated with their mothers’ temperament.

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Inheritance Of Social Dominance In Rhesus Macaques, Mason Bennett, Dr. James Dee Higley Apr 2014

Inheritance Of Social Dominance In Rhesus Macaques, Mason Bennett, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many species of primates have complex social systems and hierarchies. These social structures help in forming an identity and establishing a place in the world. Depending on one’s ranking in the social hierarchy there may be physiological, psychological, and emotional consequences. A primate with low rank may suffer greater stress, have less access to resources or social support, and have a higher chance of mortality (Sapolsky, 2004).

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Effects Of Locus Of Control On The Neural Mechanism Of Error Processing, Kaylie Carbine, Dr. Michael Larson Apr 2014

Effects Of Locus Of Control On The Neural Mechanism Of Error Processing, Kaylie Carbine, Dr. Michael Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Performance monitoring is the ability to assess behavior and make necessary adjustments (Ullsperger & von Cramon, 2001). Performance monitoring can be examined through event-related potentials (ERPs), which are indicators of the brain’s electrical activity in response to a specific stimulus (Luck, 2005). One specific ERP is the error-related negativity (ERN), which is a negative peak that occurs 50 to 100 ms after an erroneous response (Dehaene, Posner, & Tucker, 1994; Gehring, Goss, Coles, Meyer, & Donchin, 1993). Although there are many theories regarding the functional significance of the ERN, it is believed to signal when there is an internal detection …

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When Science Meets Art: Understanding The Results And . Methods Of The American Sagger Process, Jason Palmer, Brian Christensen Apr 2014

When Science Meets Art: Understanding The Results And . Methods Of The American Sagger Process, Jason Palmer, Brian Christensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The aims and purposes of this ORCA funded research project were two fold; first the funds would be used to renovate a heavily used kiln in the ceramics department to allow for greater atmospheric control, operator’s ease of use, and general safety. Second we would begin an investigation into the underlying forces that caused the characteristic color patterns inherent in the American Sagger process in an attempt to replicate these patterns in a more precise, controllable, and visually appealing way. Our hope was that through using rigorous scientific methods and controlled experimentation we would not only gain an understanding of …

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Use Of Humanized Mice To Study The Production Of Human B Cell Lineage, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges Apr 2014

Use Of Humanized Mice To Study The Production Of Human B Cell Lineage, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our study focuses on the development of an animal model capable of reproduce cellular responses as in humans. For years humanized mice have been used in the study of infectious diseases. The goal of this research was to document, characterize and record the existence of human B cell lineage and penetration into different tissues of humanized mice.

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Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery In Cutthroat Trout Subspecies Using Genome Reduction, Barcoding, And 454 Pyro-Sequencing, Derek D. Houston, David B. Elzinga, Peter J. Maughan, Scott M. Smith, John S. K. Kauwe, R. Paul Evans, Ryan B. Stinger, Dennis K. Shiozawa Apr 2014

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery In Cutthroat Trout Subspecies Using Genome Reduction, Barcoding, And 454 Pyro-Sequencing, Derek D. Houston, David B. Elzinga, Peter J. Maughan, Scott M. Smith, John S. K. Kauwe, R. Paul Evans, Ryan B. Stinger, Dennis K. Shiozawa

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Salmonids are popular sport fishes, and as such have been subjected to widespread stocking throughout western North America. Historically, stocking was done with little regard for genetic variation among populations and has resulted in genetic mixing among species and subspecies in many areas, thus putting the genetic integrity of native salmonid populations at risk and creating a need to assess the genetic constitution of native salmonid populations. Cutthroat trout is a salmonid species with pronounced geographic structure (there are 10 extant subspecies) and a recent history of hybridization with introduced rainbow trout in many populations. Genetic admixture has also occurred …

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Orca Undergraduate Research Award – Final Report, Michael Daetwyler Apr 2014

Orca Undergraduate Research Award – Final Report, Michael Daetwyler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While working on my undergraduate degree, I studied an interesting strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis. This particular strain produced an unidentified substance, which was lethal to other Gram-positive bacteria. I immediately thought that this substance might prove advantageous in treating infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria. To begin investigating that possibility, I grew the strain of S. epidermidis near clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycinresistant Enterococcus (VRE), antibiotic resistant bacteria that plague hospital patients around the world. Amazingly, the strain of S. epidermidis was lethal to all of the isolates that it was tested against.

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A Multi-Faceted Approach To Improving Adamts13 Deficiency Prediction Algorithm, Steven Nevers, David Brandt, Matthew Biggs Apr 2014

A Multi-Faceted Approach To Improving Adamts13 Deficiency Prediction Algorithm, Steven Nevers, David Brandt, Matthew Biggs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite previous work by our group and other researchers, the existing methods to predict ADAMTS13 deficiency are inadequate. Through the use of machine learning techniques applied to mined patient data we have improved the accuracy and efficiency of our existing ADAMTS13 deficiency prediction algorithm. In conjunction with ARUP Laboratories, who pioneered the original work, we have continued to improve the algorithm accuracy. Significant correlation for severe ADAMTS13 deficiency was seen for four of the observed variables: indirect bilirubin, reticulocyte percentage, creatinine, and platelet count; a fifth variable, D-dimer, just missed significance but performed well.

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Synthesis And Purification Of The Glycosphingolipid Csa-13, Tyler Olsen, Dr. Paul Savage Apr 2014

Synthesis And Purification Of The Glycosphingolipid Csa-13, Tyler Olsen, Dr. Paul Savage

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The need for novel antibiotic mechanisms is prevalent. Common antimicrobial medicines such as penicillin, ampicillin and vancomycin have started becoming obsolete as resistant strains of bacteria become more widespread. The main problem with antibiotics is the rapid mutations that bacteria undergo. Eventually one cell will develop resistance, and then have that mutation selected for as patients undergo antibiotic therapy. Bacteria are rapidly changing to combat the many new antibiotic variants that have come out.

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Biological Pathways In Determining Personalized Treatments, Ariana Hedges, Dr. W. Evan Johnson Apr 2014

Biological Pathways In Determining Personalized Treatments, Ariana Hedges, Dr. W. Evan Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

At the current state of diagnostic capability, two patients with the same cancer diagnosis may respond very differently to the same treatment. Unfortunately, failure to respond to a particular treatment wastes valuable time and may result in disease progression that may be detrimental for the patient. Therefore, diagnoses finely tuned to individual patients would better guide treatment while eliminating the trial and error that is often part of current medical practice.

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Searching For Nascent Peptides That Cause Ribosome Stalling, Shankar Parajuli, Dr. Allen Buskirk Apr 2014

Searching For Nascent Peptides That Cause Ribosome Stalling, Shankar Parajuli, Dr. Allen Buskirk

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ribosomes are molecular machines that synthesize all the proteins for all living cells. Ribosomes sometimes stall and cannot complete the synthesis of a given protein. Some peptides interact with the ribosome during their own translation and induce stalling.1 The SecM and TnaC peptides in E. coli, for example, have been found to play a key regulatory role in translation of genes found on the same mRNA.2

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Electrospray Of Bacteria Intact And Viable, Sara Pratt, Dr. Daniel Austin Apr 2014

Electrospray Of Bacteria Intact And Viable, Sara Pratt, Dr. Daniel Austin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project we wanted to see if bacteria can survive a process called electrospray ionization (ESI). While bacteria survival of ESI has not previously been demonstrated, viruses survivability has1. The process of ESI consists of spraying a solution of the desired analyte in a strong electric field. Solution flowing through a capillary forms a Taylor cone at the end from which charged droplets emit. As solvent evaporates, the droplets break apart. As solvent continues to evaporate, that process is repeated and eventually forms individually charged particles once all the solvent is evaporated. The ESI in this experiment is done …

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Bioactive Lipid Analysis Of Asthma-Induced Lung Tissue With A Focus On Biomarker Identification, Mackay Merrill, Dr. John Prince Apr 2014

Bioactive Lipid Analysis Of Asthma-Induced Lung Tissue With A Focus On Biomarker Identification, Mackay Merrill, Dr. John Prince

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Initially, the goal of my project was to search for biologically active lipids in the lung tissue of mice with and without asthma (as opposed to those which simply form the membranes of cells) and determine if any of these lipids could serve as indicators of the disease. Over the course of experimentation, the focus shifted to these membrane (or structural) lipids. I planned to find indicative lipids (biomarkers) using mass spectrometry and statistical analysis.

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Establishing The Theoretical Relationship Between Bayesian Inference And Dynamical Structure Functions For Network Reconstruction, Julius Adebayo, Dr. Sean Warnick Apr 2014

Establishing The Theoretical Relationship Between Bayesian Inference And Dynamical Structure Functions For Network Reconstruction, Julius Adebayo, Dr. Sean Warnick

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A system-level understanding of the functioning behavior of a cell requires an accurate representation of the underlying networks of gene and protein interactions. Network reconstruction is an area of systems biology that attempts to reconstruct the network of regulatory interactions from available measurements using a mathematical framework. Developing a theoretical relationship between Bayesian inference methods and dynamical structure functions is an important first step in developing unique qualitative processes that correctly infer network structures [1], [3].

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The Use Of Social Support Groups With Women Suffering From Postpartum Depression: Centeringpregnancy Model, Sarah Passey, Dr. Ana Birkhead Apr 2014

The Use Of Social Support Groups With Women Suffering From Postpartum Depression: Centeringpregnancy Model, Sarah Passey, Dr. Ana Birkhead

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a subtype of major depression affecting 10-20% of new mothers around the world, with onset within 6 months after childbirth (Norman, Sherburn, Osborne, & Galea, 2010; Xie, He, Koszycki, Walker, & Wen, 2009). “It is a serious problem that affects a woman’s health and well-being, marital relationship, as well as the offspring’s health and wellbeing” (Xie et al., 2009, p.1). The mother’s feelings of hopelessness can lead to isolation and a lack of maternal/infant bonding and attachment. It is believed that the duration of this debilitating depression is determined, in part, by the accessibility of support …

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Mucosal Vaccines And The Ability To Produce Immune Responses In Select Mucosal Tissues, Kaitlyn Vance, Dr. Eric Wilson Apr 2014

Mucosal Vaccines And The Ability To Produce Immune Responses In Select Mucosal Tissues, Kaitlyn Vance, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Mucosal surfaces are the main portals through which pathogens enter the body of an organism. Previous research has shown that mucosal immunity effectively prevents the entry of pathogens at these surfaces, thus disrupting an infection before it begins; this immunity can be achieved by mucosal vaccination (1). The homing mechanisms of lymphocytes in the mucosal immune system, however, are not yet fully understood. This mentored research project was designed to deepen the understanding of how the mucosal immune system operates. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of mucosal vaccination in producing localized immune responses by attempting to reproducibly create a …

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The Role Of Trpv1 In Hippocampal Plasticity, Andrew Wallmann, Dr. Jeff Edwards Apr 2014

The Role Of Trpv1 In Hippocampal Plasticity, Andrew Wallmann, Dr. Jeff Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Until recently, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind memory has been extremely limited. However, recent studies indicate that memory formation is associated with two forms of neuronal plasticity known as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) (Bailey & Kandel, 2008). These are physiological processes that essentially alter the strength of a synapse between two neurons and are of particular importance in the brain region called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is heavily associated with learning and memory and is a frequent target of research for this reason. A novel form of LTP has recently been found within the hippocampus …

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Over-Expression Of Age Receptors In The Adult Mouse Lung A New Model For The Study Of Copd, Megan Stogsdill, Dr. Paul Reynolds Apr 2014

Over-Expression Of Age Receptors In The Adult Mouse Lung A New Model For The Study Of Copd, Megan Stogsdill, Dr. Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) are receptors that can bind a variety of ligands and are members of the immunoglobin family of cell surface receptors. RAGE is found in many tissue types during inflammatory lesions but is found most abundantly in the lung, where it was subsequently discovered (1). It is known to bind to chemicals found in cigarette smoke (2) and has been implicated as a progression factor in a number of diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (3).

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Pas Kinase: A Target For Metabolic Disease, Jordan Mackay, Dr. Julianne Grose Apr 2014

Pas Kinase: A Target For Metabolic Disease, Jordan Mackay, Dr. Julianne Grose

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many diseases that affect humankind are poorly understood. The medical and scientific communities alike rely heavily on basic scientific research to fuel dissemination of knowledge to said communities for further applied research, including clinical and pharmaceutical efforts. Diabetes is still poorly understood despite its prevalence in today’s society. In lieu of the research that has been done so far, PAS kinase is becoming an increasingly promising subject for research as a possible therapeutic target for diabetes. Studies have shown that PAS kinase is involved in metabolic regulation and mouse experiments have been done which show these results.1 As we learn …

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Choose Your Daddy: Genetic Genealogy To Prevent Dairy Cow Production-Related Diseases, Nalani Yamada, Beverly Roeder Apr 2014

Choose Your Daddy: Genetic Genealogy To Prevent Dairy Cow Production-Related Diseases, Nalani Yamada, Beverly Roeder

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dairy cows are bred and utilized to produce large quantities of milk daily and are held to high production standards. Greater production or manipulated production activity can affect the homeostasis state of an animal and lead to production-related metabolic diseases (PRMDs). In a previous study focused on predicting PMRDs in dairy cows utilizing carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios performed at Brigham Young University, the results suggested that there is a correlation between carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in hair, freeze-dried feces, erythrocytes, plasma, and PRMDs. In collaboration with this study previously and based on the results, it was …

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Genetic Factors That Influence Tau Protein Levels In Csf And Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, David Patty, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe Apr 2014

Genetic Factors That Influence Tau Protein Levels In Csf And Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, David Patty, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, affects nearly 6 million Americans. Its effects on the individual range from mild impairment of memory to the complete destruction of the victim’s identity and their ability to perform everyday tasks. They become a heavy burden on their family, requiring constant medical care that often leaves the family with not only emotional problems, but financial stress as well. A study involving a clinical diagnosis of the disease, or case-control study, is limited by the accuracy of a psychiatrist’s judgment of the severity of the disease. This is obtained by a verbal and …

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Determining The Presence Of Micro Rna In The Untranslated Regions Of Adipoq, A Metabolism Gene, Victoria Scott, Dr. John Keoni Kauwe Apr 2014

Determining The Presence Of Micro Rna In The Untranslated Regions Of Adipoq, A Metabolism Gene, Victoria Scott, Dr. John Keoni Kauwe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project is to sequence the untranslated region of the AdipoQ gene and interrogate it for novel genetic variation and potential microRNA sequences. This work will illuminate how adiponectin levels are regulated and provide insights into type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

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Molecular Diversity Compared To Associated Morphological Differences Between Two Species Of Southern Chilean Crabs, Andres Mallipudi, Erwin Barria, Carlos G. Jara, Keith A. Crandall Apr 2014

Molecular Diversity Compared To Associated Morphological Differences Between Two Species Of Southern Chilean Crabs, Andres Mallipudi, Erwin Barria, Carlos G. Jara, Keith A. Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The biologically diverse region of Patagonia is under constant threat of urban development from both external and internal sources. Gaining a thorough understanding of the ecological roles of this area’s organisms is essential to preserving Patagonia’s rich biodiversity. Researching the differences between Southern Chilean crab subspecies led to a better understanding of this taxon, which will help determine its ecological role and will contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of the ecological environment of the area. Examining genetic relationships, divergence times, and morphometric variations between two different types of southern Chilean crabs (A. denticulata denticulata and A. denticulata lacustris) allows …

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Characterization Of The Role Of A Dna-Binding Protein On Regulation Of Dna Replication In Plant Organelles, Cynthia Perry, Dr. Brent Nielsen Apr 2014

Characterization Of The Role Of A Dna-Binding Protein On Regulation Of Dna Replication In Plant Organelles, Cynthia Perry, Dr. Brent Nielsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

DNA replication is essential to all life on earth. Not only does replication occur in the nucleus, it also happens in organelles of the cell: the mitochondria and chloroplasts. In higher plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, the genomes in mitochondria encode proteins which are responsible for DNA replication. These proteins also assist with DNA repair and recombination (Edmondson, AC et. al). One protein from the Arabidopsis thaliana mitochondrial genome is particularly of interest in our research: the single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB). The major function of this protein is to keep the two DNA strands separated while they are being replicated. …

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Diagnostic And Therapeutic Potential Of The Over-Expression Of Nucleotide Salvage Pathway Enzymes To The Plasma Membrane Of Solid, Cancerous Tumors, Daniel Sharp, Dr. Kim O'Neill Apr 2014

Diagnostic And Therapeutic Potential Of The Over-Expression Of Nucleotide Salvage Pathway Enzymes To The Plasma Membrane Of Solid, Cancerous Tumors, Daniel Sharp, Dr. Kim O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Immunotherapy is a developing field in cancer treatment that relies upon the bodies natural defenses to target and eliminate cancerous cells. In order for the immune system to differentiate cancerous tissue from normal tissue there must be some mechanism for targeting only cancerous cells. Without a targeting mechanism, stimulation of the immune system can lead to attack of normal tissue. The use of antibodies to cancer-specific antigens is a viable option to solve this targeting issue. If a cancerous cell specifically expresses a protein on its surface, an antibody to that protein could direct immune cells to the cancerous cell, …

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The Distribution Of The Alpha 5 Nachr Subunits In The Mouse Lung, Jason Porter, Dr. Paul Reynolds Apr 2014

The Distribution Of The Alpha 5 Nachr Subunits In The Mouse Lung, Jason Porter, Dr. Paul Reynolds

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The study of developing tissues is extremely important in the field of biology. Each organ in the body adheres to an extremely complex and organized development process involving specific signaling molecules and pathways. Pulmonary development is no exception. Lung development adheres to intimately orchestrated processes that require precisely regulated reciprocal interactions between developing respiratory epithelium and the surrounding splanchnic mesenchyme. Proper lung development involves both spatial and temporal control of a myriad of factors including transcription factors, growth factors, cell surface receptors, and extracellular matrix constituents. My hypothesis when I began this project was that a5 subunits are expressed in …

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Aer Signals Outgrowth Of Mesenchyme Cells, Owen Owens, Dr. Jeffery R. Barrow Apr 2014

Aer Signals Outgrowth Of Mesenchyme Cells, Owen Owens, Dr. Jeffery R. Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Apical Ectodermal Ridge has been of great interest to those studying the development of the mammalian limb every since it was discovered that the AER is vital to the formation of correct limb patterning and general limb formation. The AER is a ridge of cells located on the tip of the mammalian limb where it signals inner cells, called mesenchyme during development. This study analyzed proliferation, or cell dividing, and apoptosis, or programmed cell death, of mesenchymal cells in the hope to support the hypothesis that the AER signals mesenchymal cells to migrate, not proliferate or undergo apoptosis. We …

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Upr Contributes To Osteoarthritis In The Bardet-Biedl Syndrome Mouse Model, David Nolte, Dr. David Kooyman Apr 2014

Upr Contributes To Osteoarthritis In The Bardet-Biedl Syndrome Mouse Model, David Nolte, Dr. David Kooyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis, affecting more than 26 million people in the United States1. The condition decreases mobility and causes pain. Furthermore, the spending for medical treatment of osteoarthritis is increasing quickly: Spending doubled from 1994 to 2005. With the increasing age of the U.S. population, prevalence of OA is expected to continue rising1. Thus it is important to find effective treatments to alleviate symptoms and/or prevent osteoarthritis. Recent research has shown that osteoarthritis involves more than just the cartilage of the joint. Synovium and adipose tissue contribute to the breakdown of articular cartilage2. Also, …

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