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Destabilization Of The Medial Meniscus: A Non-Genetic Approach To Inducing Osteoarthritis In Mice, Christopher Stockdale, Joshua Lloyd, Dr. Robert E. Seegiller Aug 2013

Destabilization Of The Medial Meniscus: A Non-Genetic Approach To Inducing Osteoarthritis In Mice, Christopher Stockdale, Joshua Lloyd, Dr. Robert E. Seegiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease that causes discomfort and pain due to the degradation of the articular cartilage found on the surface of bones within the body’s joints. A properly functioning joint has a strong network of articular cartilage that can handle the constant strain caused by the use and movement of the joints. Individuals who suffer with OA have a compromised cartilage network that can result in softening of the cartilage, rough joint surfaces, fissures in the cartilage, and eventually direct bone on bone contact within the joint.

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A Study Of Biological Photonic Crystals In The Effects Of Beta Amyloid On Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In Alzheimer’S: Internal Opal Scale Structures Of Iridescent Beetle Species In The Cerambycidae Family, Andrew Romney, Dr. Sterling Sudweeks Aug 2013

A Study Of Biological Photonic Crystals In The Effects Of Beta Amyloid On Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In Alzheimer’S: Internal Opal Scale Structures Of Iridescent Beetle Species In The Cerambycidae Family, Andrew Romney, Dr. Sterling Sudweeks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For the past two years, I have worked in Dr. Sterling Sudweeks’ research lab experimenting with neurotransmitter receptors that are implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s Disease. When functioning normally, these receptors act as ion channels which open upon binding nicotine or acetylcholine and are thus appropriately named nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAcRs). nAcRs’s are found at the neuromuscular junction as well as in nervous tissue and are comprised of 5 subunits. Dr. Sudweeks’ previous research suggests that the alpha 3 and beta 2 subunits are the most common subunits in receptors in the hippocampus, which is the primary area of …

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Inhibition Of Notch Signaling Increases Neurogenesis In The Ophthalmic Trigeminal Placode Without Expanding The Domain Of Neurogenin2 Expression., Brian Wright, Dr. Michael Stark Aug 2013

Inhibition Of Notch Signaling Increases Neurogenesis In The Ophthalmic Trigeminal Placode Without Expanding The Domain Of Neurogenin2 Expression., Brian Wright, Dr. Michael Stark

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The ever-increasing knowledge regarding cellular regulation and programming requires important insights into the biochemical pathways that determine a cell’s fate. For example, the ability to take a stem cell and grow it into a neuron will directly depend on our knowledge of the steps used in the embryo for normal neurogenesis, or the formation of neurons. The ophthalmic placode (a region of thickening cells) of the trigeminal nerve provides a valuable model for studying sensory neurogenesis, since it gives rise exclusively to sensory neurons. This nerve provides tactile sensation to the upper region of the face.

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Establishing The Spondyloepiphyseal Congenita Heterozygous Mouse As An Animal Model For Human Osteoarthritis, Michael Henderson, Dr. Robert Seegmiller Aug 2013

Establishing The Spondyloepiphyseal Congenita Heterozygous Mouse As An Animal Model For Human Osteoarthritis, Michael Henderson, Dr. Robert Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis (OA) causes discomfort and immobility to millions of Americans every year. Due to the high demand for patient pain relief and improved mobility, scientists are seeking to understand the pathway of OA and develop drugs which would illuminate the onset of, and/or the progression of, OA.

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The Cerebral Cortex As An Effect Site For Anesthetic Induced Unconsciousness, Ryan Martin, David Busath Aug 2013

The Cerebral Cortex As An Effect Site For Anesthetic Induced Unconsciousness, Ryan Martin, David Busath

Journal of Undergraduate Research

General anesthetics are widely used today in medicine. Their molecular mechanisms however, still remain a mystery. For centuries, general anesthetics were thought to be “drugs without receptors” because of the lack of knowledge about their mechanism of action (Hemmings, et al., 2005). While some advances have been made by Neuroscientists and Biologists there is still a lot that is not known about general anesthetics. The exact location of general anesthetic action is thought to be complex, but two particular locations have been suggested—the cerebral cortex and the midbrain. Detailed understanding of where general anesthetics act is important because it would …

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The Role Of Htra1, Ddr2, And Mmp-13 Proteins In The Mechanistic Pathway Leading To Osteoarthritis In Sedc Mice, David Holt, Robert Seegmiller Aug 2013

The Role Of Htra1, Ddr2, And Mmp-13 Proteins In The Mechanistic Pathway Leading To Osteoarthritis In Sedc Mice, David Holt, Robert Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the present study, we report OA in a mouse model that, like the human families presented by Kannu et al., bears a heterozygous mutation in the Col2a1 gene but has a phenotypically normal skeleton.1 The mouse mutation was named sedc by Donahue et al. because when homozygous, it produces feature that resemble the most common clinical phenotypes of SED congenita in humans, including abnormal epiphyses, flattened vertebral bodies, and problems with the eyes and ears.2 The mutation consists of a single base pair substitution in exon 48 of the Col2a1 gene, which changes an arginine to a cysteine in …

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Isolating Mononucleosome Core Dnas To Be Used In The Encode Project, Elliot Winters, Dr. Steven M. Johnson Aug 2013

Isolating Mononucleosome Core Dnas To Be Used In The Encode Project, Elliot Winters, Dr. Steven M. Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project has its roots in the nationwide mission named “ENCODE” for the “ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements” the purpose of which is to map the functional elements of the human genome. The human genome was successfully sequenced in 2001, (Consortium T.I.H.G.S., 2001) but the functional units acting on the DNA are largely unknown in biomedical research. For example: the DNA contained in almost every cell of the human body is identical, encoding the same genes in each cell.

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Lifetime Dietary Exposure To Soy Isoflavones Is Beneficial To Prostate And Testicular Health In 100-Day Old Male Long-Evans Rats, Benjamin Hogan, Dr. Edwin Lephart Aug 2013

Lifetime Dietary Exposure To Soy Isoflavones Is Beneficial To Prostate And Testicular Health In 100-Day Old Male Long-Evans Rats, Benjamin Hogan, Dr. Edwin Lephart

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that are structurally and functionally similar to estradiol. Isoflavones are a major type of phytoestrogen that can be found in foods such as soy beans, tofu, and soy milk. They have become popular due to the health benefits they effect by binding to estrogen receptors throughout the body. However, while their action is similar to that of estradiol, they are non-steroidal and therefore less potent.

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A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay For Rapid Detection And Differentiation Of Burkholderia Mallei, B. Pseudomallei, And B. Thailandensis, Chinn-Woan Shih, Richard Robison Aug 2013

A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay For Rapid Detection And Differentiation Of Burkholderia Mallei, B. Pseudomallei, And B. Thailandensis, Chinn-Woan Shih, Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As stated in the proposal, my focus has been with three bacterial species of Burkholderia: mallei, pseudomallei, and thailandensis. Burkholderia mallei is the causative agent of glanders, an abscess-forming infection that is predominantly found in the equine population and is capable of being transmitted to humans from infected animals. There is documentation that B. mallei was used as a biowarfare agent in World War I (Gee et al., 2003).

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Exploring Phylogenetic Relationships, Origins Of Claws, And Loss Of Functional Eyes In Decapod Lobsters (Infraorder Astacidea, Achelata, Glypheidea, Polychelida), Dohyup Kim, Dr. Keith Crandall Aug 2013

Exploring Phylogenetic Relationships, Origins Of Claws, And Loss Of Functional Eyes In Decapod Lobsters (Infraorder Astacidea, Achelata, Glypheidea, Polychelida), Dohyup Kim, Dr. Keith Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The order Decapoda represents a species-rich and economically important group of crustaceans. Among decapods, lobsters play a huge role of monetary significance, bringing in billions of dollars each year to world fisheries.

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Resolving Genetic Relationships Within Shrimp-Like Decapods And Tracing The Phylogenetic Significance Of Morphological Traits Within Caridea (Crustacea: Decapoda), Jennifer Rasmussen, Dr. Keith Crandall Aug 2013

Resolving Genetic Relationships Within Shrimp-Like Decapods And Tracing The Phylogenetic Significance Of Morphological Traits Within Caridea (Crustacea: Decapoda), Jennifer Rasmussen, Dr. Keith Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Shrimp-like decapods–including sergestoids, penaeoids, carideans, procaridids, and stenopodideans–are a species-rich and morphologically diverse group of crustaceans. Some taxa, such as the penaeoids and carideans, are economically important, bringing in billions of dollars each year to world fisheries. The economic importance of this group, together with their distinctive morphology and ecological diversity, makes shrimp-like decapods popular research subjects in all fields of biology.

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Cancer And The Immune System: A Study Of Cytokine Communication With Macrophages, Charles Daniel Knechtel, Dr. Kim O'Neill Aug 2013

Cancer And The Immune System: A Study Of Cytokine Communication With Macrophages, Charles Daniel Knechtel, Dr. Kim O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Macrophages are a part of the early immune system that interacts with abnormal and foreign cells in your body. They are a non-specific defense system that engulfs foreign cells or stimulates other immune system cells to respond. We know they can play a role in fighting cancer, or promoting it, but we don’t fully understand how. According to Frontiers in Bioscience May 2008, “At late stages tumor-associated macrophages are known to produce molecules directly promoting tumor growth, invasion and metastasis….however, if properly activated, macrophages may control initial tumor development”(Nardin, A., Astado, J. 2008). Cytokines are small signaling molecules that play …

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Ror2/Wnt5a Mediated Directional Limb Outgrowth, Aaron Smith, Dr. Jeff Barrow Aug 2013

Ror2/Wnt5a Mediated Directional Limb Outgrowth, Aaron Smith, Dr. Jeff Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The apical ectodermal ridge (AER) is a small strip of epithelial tissue that is found at the distal tip of the embryonic vertebrate limb and runs from anterior to posterior. It is known that the AER is necessary to maintain the life of mesenchymal cells (interior non-surface cells) of the limb and is also necessary to maintain other important signaling centers in the limb (citations). The AER is also believed to be responsible for patterning the limb along the proximal to distal axis. However, it is unknown what precise role the AER plays in this and researchers have been attempting …

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Amantadine Blockage Of The Influenza A M2 Proton Transporter, Jared Kelson, David Busath Aug 2013

Amantadine Blockage Of The Influenza A M2 Proton Transporter, Jared Kelson, David Busath

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The reproduction of influenza A is very closely regulated by the pH levels maintained both in the cytoplasm and in various organelles of a host cell. To accommodate this, the virus provides genetic coding to assemble an M2 transporter which regulates the flow of protons across the different membranes. Until recently, influenza A was treated with a drug known commonly as amantadine (1-aminoadamantane), which blocked M2 proton transport. Unfortunately, by the year 2005, 91% of known influenza A strains had mutated to the extent that amantadine was no longer an effective reagent (High, 2006 p. 44). The 2009 epidemic of …

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Genetic Investigation Of The Pathology Of Ustilago Bullata, Erin Ladle, Dr. Jeff Maughan Aug 2013

Genetic Investigation Of The Pathology Of Ustilago Bullata, Erin Ladle, Dr. Jeff Maughan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Bromus tectorum L., commonly known as cheatgrass, is an invasive annual grass species that dominates millions of hectares of land in the Great Basin area, in the western United States.1 The widespread invasion of cheatgrass has increased fire incidence in some areas of the Great Basin from every 30-100 years to every 5 years. Moreover, once cheatgrass becomes the dominant vegetative species, it monopolizes resources, significantly contributing to the endangerment of many native plant species.

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Characterization Of Herpes Simplex Clinical Isolate, Daniel Hammond, Dr. Brian Poole Aug 2013

Characterization Of Herpes Simplex Clinical Isolate, Daniel Hammond, Dr. Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project was focused on the identification and characterization of a clinical isolate of Herpes Simplex, the virus family responsible for cold sores and genital herpes. The virus was collected from a 48 year old female who was otherwise healthy. The patient had no previous history of genital herpes. The patient’s sexual partner was also HSV positive. The specimen was collected from a suspected infected genital tract and was submitted for analysis for Herpes simplex virus. Initial analysis using non-specific antibody tests verified that the virus was indeed a member of the herpes simplex family. Further analysis, shown in Figure …

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Analyzing The Homing Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In The Gestational Murine Mammary Gland Via Chemokine Interaction, Taylor Gardner, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

Analyzing The Homing Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In The Gestational Murine Mammary Gland Via Chemokine Interaction, Taylor Gardner, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My purpose was to understand more deeply the process of mucosal immunological response in mice. Specifically, I hoped to understand the role of chemokine interactions in the recruitment of Immunoglobin A (IgA) in mouse colostrum/milk and mammary gland tissue during the gestation period. I focused on the time period just prior to the point at which milk production (and thus relative IgA levels) is upregulated in preparation for feeding young.

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Effect Of Muscle Stimulation On Gene Expression For Mitochondrial Proteins, Darren Goring, Dr. David Thomson Aug 2013

Effect Of Muscle Stimulation On Gene Expression For Mitochondrial Proteins, Darren Goring, Dr. David Thomson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The original purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of muscle stimulation on gene expression for mitochondrial proteins in mLKB1-KO mice (mice in which the LKB1 gene has been knocked out of the muscles and heart). LKB1 is an important protein involved in the signaling of mitochondrial protein production. The original protocol was to run the mice on a treadmill fast enough and long enough to cause transcription of mitochondrial proteins. I hypothesized that the mLKB1-KO mice would still have some mitochondrial gene expression but to a lesser degree than the conditional mice.

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Genotypic Analysis Of Bromus Tectorum Using Snps, Sudeep Ghimire, Dr. Craig Coleman Aug 2013

Genotypic Analysis Of Bromus Tectorum Using Snps, Sudeep Ghimire, Dr. Craig Coleman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Bromus tectorum, commonly called cheatgrass or downy brome is an exotic annual invasive weed which was introduced to the western United States over hundred years ago. B. tectorum has quickly expanded its range, displacing native flora and causing extensive loss of shrub and rangeland habitats along with supporting devastating wildfires, especially in the intermountain west region. Consequently, this invasive weed’s control is a growing concern. However, current control methods being used like control burning, herbicides, etc. are non-specific and mostly ineffective. Methods of biological control are currently under investigation, of which one of them is using the fungus, Pyrenophora semeniperda …

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Trash Brings A New Diet Water Conservation In Cape Verde, Africa, Tanner Goff, Dr. Bruce Woolley Aug 2013

Trash Brings A New Diet Water Conservation In Cape Verde, Africa, Tanner Goff, Dr. Bruce Woolley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In Sub-Saharan African countries the resource of most significance, we Americans take for granted: water. The African people know this and strive to minimize wasting such a precious resource. However, with little education on how to conserve water, waste is inevitable. The country of Cape Verde is no stranger to a huge water deficit and this water deficit has a direct effect on the diet of the people. Most of the country relies on beans and rice with no variety of vegetables in their diet. The typical Cape Verdeans diet is characterized by “repeated rice meals” and “as the water …

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Yersinia Murine Toxin And Its Potential Role In Preventing Killing Of Yersinia Pestis Via Hympthiocyanate, Sarah Pyne-Gehen, Dr. David Erickson Aug 2013

Yersinia Murine Toxin And Its Potential Role In Preventing Killing Of Yersinia Pestis Via Hympthiocyanate, Sarah Pyne-Gehen, Dr. David Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is transmitted by fleas such as the Oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis. Very little is known about the Y. pestis factors that are important in establishing a transmissible infection in fleas. The Yersinia Murine Toxin (Ymt) is an intracellular phospholipase enzyme that is required for Y. pestis to survive inside the midgut after fleas take an infectious blood meal (1). The basis for the Ymt requirement is unknown.

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Improvement Of Malaria Diagnosis Techniques In Low-Income Areas, Trenden Flanigan, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

Improvement Of Malaria Diagnosis Techniques In Low-Income Areas, Trenden Flanigan, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Malaria causes over 1 million deaths every year worldwide. Due to the difficulty in obtaining a precise diagnosis, combined with nonspecific symptoms in early stages (fever, aches, fatigue), many cases are misdiagnosed. Diagnosis methods are generally done through visual examination of peripheral blood smears or rapid diagnostic tests. Due to transient low levels of parasitemia in patients, these diagnostic methods often result in false negatives. By separating the parasitized erythrocytes from the others, the sensitivity of diagnostic tests improves. This was demonstrated by using a novel blood smear technique that introduces centrifugation and isolation into the conventional smear or by …

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Phou Localization In Escherichia Coli, Austin Callison, Dr. William R. Mccleary Aug 2013

Phou Localization In Escherichia Coli, Austin Callison, Dr. William R. Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Just as simpler systems are studied to better understand more complex systems, E. coli has long been a standard for biological experiments aimed at a more complete comprehension of the mechanisms that propitiate cell life. One of these vital mechanisms in E. coli is the uptake of phosphate (Pi) in varying levels of environmental phosphorous. Pi is a key element involved in cell membranes, DNA, RNA, and metabolism in E. coli. This uptake is accomplished by the cooperation of the PstSCAB2, PhoU, PhoR and PhoB proteins in phosphate poor environments1. PhoU acts as a negative regulator of the Pho operon …

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Development Of Humanized Mice As A Model For The Study Of Neuro-Aids, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges Aug 2013

Development Of Humanized Mice As A Model For The Study Of Neuro-Aids, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our main goal of this project was to document the existence of human macrophages in the brain of humanized mice. After the accomplishment of this goal, we planned to infect humanized mice with HIV and find out if these human macrophages support infection in mouse brain tissue. We hypothesize that humanized mice will have human macrophages engrafted in the brain and that these cells will become infected with HIV via normal pathways after introduction of virus via other routes, as in humans. By identifying these cells in humanized mice, we plan to develop a mechanism to study the relationship between …

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The Role Of Nectin In Zyxin Localization, Jace Bullard, Dr. Marc Hansen Aug 2013

The Role Of Nectin In Zyxin Localization, Jace Bullard, Dr. Marc Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A major difficulty of treating cancer rises from its ability to metastasize. During metastasis, strong adhesions between cells break, allowing individual cells to separate and migrate to different locations in the body. Strong cell-cell junctions are formed by protein interactions between actin cables and cell junction proteins. Zyxin is an actin regulator that localizes at cadherin-based cell-cell adhesions. Our lab has shown that cells expressing constitutively active forms of zyxin lose the ability to completely detach from each other, a result of maintained actin-membrane associations. How zyxin is localized to the cell membrane is unknown. Given zyxin’s role in maintaining …

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Biophysical Cell Membrane Changes During Chemotherapeutic Drug-Induced Apoptosis, Amanda Berbert, Dr. John Bell Aug 2013

Biophysical Cell Membrane Changes During Chemotherapeutic Drug-Induced Apoptosis, Amanda Berbert, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our project provided us the opportunity to gain insight into how chemotherapy drugs affect the cell membrane and how secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) can work in tandem with these drugs to accelerate the cell death process. The enzyme sPLA2 produces a pro-inflammatory response that plays an important role in wound protection and healing and is also associated with diseases including septic shock, atherosclerosis, and cancer. This enzyme preferentially hydrolyzes cells that exhibit specific physical membrane properties in response to cellular trauma or apoptosis (programmed cell death). We hypothesized that although chemotherapeutic agents work through different mechanisms, the …

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Exploring Folate Uptake In Chicken Understanding Prevention Of Neural Tube Defects, Bret Gardner, Dr. Michael Stark Aug 2013

Exploring Folate Uptake In Chicken Understanding Prevention Of Neural Tube Defects, Bret Gardner, Dr. Michael Stark

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common congenital malformations, afflicting .5- 8/1000 live births (Saitsu, 2003). Examples of such defects include spina bifida and anencephaly, resulting from failed closure of the posterior and anterior neural tube, respectively. The neural tube is the fetal precursor to the central nervous system. Currently the most common and effective method for preventing such defects consists of periconceptional folate intake. In developed countries, sufficient folate (folic acid or vitamin B12) is readily obtained from multivitamins, enriched cereals, or other items in a balanced diet. This preventative treatment, however, remains ineffective in 30-50% of …

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A Nuclear Variant Of Gdf5 May Present Novel Insights On Arthritis Formation, Michael Baldwin, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Aug 2013

A Nuclear Variant Of Gdf5 May Present Novel Insights On Arthritis Formation, Michael Baldwin, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

More than 40 million Americans suffer from the pains of arthritis. Arthritis is characterized by joint inflammation and cartilage deterioration (3). For many years growth differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5) has been associated with cartilage formation and maintenance (4, 1). GDF5 has been traditionally regarded as a secreted growth factor; however, a new variant of Gdf5 was recently discovered in the nucleus. Nuclear Gdf5 (nGdf5) may present a new mechanism by which Gdf5 regulates cartilage development and preservation.

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Determining The Effect Of Toll-Like Receptor-7 On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development, Douglas Baumann, Dr. Brian Poole Aug 2013

Determining The Effect Of Toll-Like Receptor-7 On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development, Douglas Baumann, Dr. Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) is an autoimmune disease that afflicts over 250,000 citizens of the United States. Although much remains to be learned about Lupus, the information gathered so far has proven to be extremely valuable in increasing survival rates and improving the quality of life of Lupus patients. As we continue to put time and energy into Lupus research, the result will be that we will be able to combat the disease more effectively. The first step in combating Lupus is to gain knowledge about the pathogenesis and mechanisms of the disease. By further developing our knowledge, we will …

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Michaelis Research Group, David J. Michaelis Aug 2013

Michaelis Research Group, David J. Michaelis

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Interdisciplinary Organic Synthesis: Organic Synthesis, Catalysis, Materials Science, Nanoparticle catalysis, Inorganic Synthesis, Biocatalysis

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