Earlier Snowmelt Adversely Affects Alpine Plant Reproduction, August Lawson, Megan Demarche, Meredith Zettlemoyer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Alpine ecosystems, a high-elevation habitat found above treeline, are experiencing rapid rates of climate change. Climate change results in warmer, drier conditions and increasingly early snowmelt. However, we have a limited understanding of how climate change affects alpine plant population dynamics, including flower, fruit, and seed production. Recent evidence suggests that seed production declines as snow melt occurs earlier. In summer 2023, we monitored populations of three alpine plants, Minuartia obtusiloba, Phlox condensata, and Silene acaulis. These three species are long-lived, low-growing cushion plants commonly found in alpine habitats across the globe. We quantified fruit production of these …

The Pharmacist's Role In Reproductive Justice, Ann Killen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The pharmacist’s role in an outpatient setting is expanding from one focused solely on dispensing medications to one that collaborates with other healthcare professionals to offer clinical services. Pharmacists are professionally equipped to offer consultations regarding reproductive health services, as they are experts in medication therapy management and are easily accessible in community settings. Twenty states in the U.S. currently have laws permitting pharmacists to consult with patients and prescribe birth control, and several other states have similar legislation in progress. In rural states, pharmacists can bridge the gap many patients face in accessing quality reproductive care through this advancement …

The Youth Forest Monitoring Program: Informing High School Students, Prescribed Fire Management, And The Broader Community, Caitlyn Sena, Elizabeth Burke

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this project is to explore whether citizen science can fill important prescribed burn research gaps as well as helping local communities better understand prescribed burning in general. The project proposes looking at the Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP)—a high school citizen science program out of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest—and the data that has been collected on prescribed burn impacts by the program as a case study. The YFMP provides learning experiences to high school students in ecological data collection through commonly applied methods outlined in the Rapid Forest Assessment (RFA). RFA is a relatively …

Understanding The Role Of Maternal-Fetal Tissue Communication In The Evolution Of Genomic Imprinting And Disruption Of Placental Development, Ashlin K. Slanger

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Understanding the role of maternal-fetal tissue communication in the evolution of genomic imprinting and disruption of placental development

Ashlin Slanger¹, John Statz¹, Fernando Rodriguez¹, Jeff Good¹

¹Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana

The placenta is a fast-evolving organ in mammals and has been hypothesized to be a hotspot for the evolution of genomic imprinting. Imprinted expression is a form of gene regulation by which some genes show parent-of-origin dependent allelic expression bias and is critical for successful mammalian development. Studies of placental gene expression in hybridizations between mouse species have shown disruption of placental expression in several genes including …

Thomas Brown Castles: A Portrait Of Service Beyond The Front Lines, Lauren Paige Van Cleaf

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Thomas Brown Castles was born on August 10th, 1922, the seventh child of European Immigrants William and Catherine Irwin Castles. He grew up in a tiny Montana town called Superior, taking in everything it had to offer. Thomas dedicated his life to those around him, serving others in any way he could: local politics, running a family grocery store and serving the United States in World War II. The purpose of this project is to bring to light his powerful actions, while also allowing his experiences to shed light on the 20th-century history of Veterans Affairs and life after the …

Assessing American Attitudes: Welfare Perceptions Over Time By Race, Gender And Education, Liliana H. Silver

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Income and wealth inequality in the United States have skyrocketed since the 1970s, making the country increasingly unequal (Hout 2021; Lee 2023; Piketty and Saez 2014). Researchers disagree on whether overall support for redistribution in the United States has changed in the last several decades (Ashok et al. 2016; Lee 2023; Pittau et al. 2016) but recent studies suggest the country has seen a significant political realignment based on race and education. Education levels are increasingly becoming major determinants in this voter realignment (Kitschelt and Rehm 2019). Much of the literature on attitudes toward welfare exists in political science or …

The Impact Of Past Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence And Coercion On Abortion Attitudes, Grace M. Bintz, Selina Hardt

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Recent changes to the abortion laws across the United States have had a profound impact on the psychological well-being and overall health of women. The extent and ways that people support or oppose access to abortion may be influenced by personal experiences of sexual violence and coercion. To understand the implications of legal actions towards women’s reproductive health, this study explores associations between abortion attitudes and experiences of reproductive coercion, non-partner sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and perceptions of people actively seeking abortion access. In this study, participants were asked about their personal attitudes towards abortion, and their experiences of …

Sex Workers, Homicide, And Content Analysis, Caitlin Carvalho

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The current analysis is on the language used to describe sex workers who are victims of homicide. It explores the types of words used to describe the victims, specifically the use of the word prostitute. The main objective of this project is to examine the potential biases in the language used in academic and online news articles to describe sex workers who are victims of homicide. The methodology is a content analysis with the only guidelines being that the articles need to include any description of sex workers as victims of homicide. This allows for comparison of contemporary pieces and …

Disinformation's Detriment To Democracy: A Russian-African Case Study, Jorgia R. Hawthorne

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The research project will revolve around Russian disinformation campaigns in Africa and the effects of those campaigns on African democracies. The project will also include explanations of the intersection of reliable information and functioning democracy as well as Russian motivations behind the campaigns.

As a political science and journalism student, I am interested in misinformation/disinformation and how/why it is so influential in the health of a democracy. I’ve done research into these phenomena in the United States, but the Russian attacks in Africa appear to be more coordinated. Additionally, African democracies have become increasingly more unstable and I would like …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Methane Efflux In A Controlled Flooded Forest Inside Biosphere 2, Junior Burks

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Due to its greater radiative forcing potency compared to carbon dioxide, gaseous methane plays a key role in our climate system. Wetland ecosystems constitute a significant portion of the global methane cycle, with one major source of emissions being from annually flooded forests in the Amazon basin. Recent research has shown that tree stems can significantly contribute to the methane flux from waterlogged ecosystems (Pangala et al. 2013, 2017). However, to fully assess the influence of tree stem fluxes on flooded forest methane emissions and the global budget, we need to better understand the spatial and temporal variability of the …

What Goes Around Comes Around, Roger Moore, Nina Vermolen, Mannix Shaffer, Jaiden Stansberry, Carson Cronk, Carson Brandt, Elena Bigart

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

What Goes Around Comes Around

Climate change is a prevalent issue affecting every individual globally. There are many

factors that increase of greenhouse gases, including textile waste. Textiles can have an

extended lifetime, but are often discarded once unwanted or outgrown. One solution to mitigate the negative global impacts of textiles is to apply the circular economy and reuse clothing. Our project not only focuses on defining the circular economy and its implementation, but also highlights waste management, campus sustainability, and education awareness. This project aims to discover how the University of Montana can implement the circular economy in its …

Effect Of El Nino And Sunspot Cycles On Global And Reginal Climate, August Nathan Tolzman

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

While increasing greenhouse gases are causing an increase in global temperatures and precipitation, there is considerable interannual variability in global and regional climate patterns that is not fully understood. This research will be carried out by reading papers on this topic and creating my own graphs with El Nino, sunspot cycles, global climate, reginal climate, and snowpack in Western Montana. The winter of 2023-2024 has been dominated by unusually warm temperatures and a significantly smaller snowpack. A common explanation for these warmer and dryer winters is El Nino events. This year we are experiencing a strong El Nino event along …

Deeply Rooted: The Role Of Indigenized Research Approaches In Camas Restoration Ecology, Tessa Grace Jarden

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Despite being one of the most culturally significant and historically abundant native plants of the Pacific Northwest, common camas (Camassia quamash (Pursh) Greene) has undergone a precipitous decline across its range. This decline, driven primarily by agricultural land-use conversion and wetland drainage, has disproportionately impacted Indigenous peoples for whom camas is a cultural keystone species. For thousands of years prior to colonization, tribes across the Pacific Northwest relied on camas bulbs as a first food and managed camas prairies using Traditional Resource Management (TRM) practices. Camas restoration has emerged as a widespread management priority in recent years, particularly among …

The New Horizon Of Psychedelic Treatment For Mental Health, Emily G. Tschetter

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

For people who have been struggling with mental illness for years, if the limited treatment options of therapy and prescription medication aren’t effective for them, they’re often left feeling hopeless when seeking relief. My project, a feature story that ran in the University of Montana School of Journalism’s Byline Magazine, dove into an emerging treatment for mental illness some Montanans are turning to — psychedelics. I analyzed past news coverage and research on the use of ketamine, psylocibin and MDMA to treat disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, interviewed owners of Montana ketamine treatment centers and interviewed Montanans who …

Interannual Growth-Climate Relationships Of Western Larch After Wildfire In The Northwest United States, Junior Burks

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Montane and mixed-mesic conifer forests in the northwestern United States are burning at rates greater than any time in recent decades, due to the combined impacts of global warming and historical and contemporary land use and land management. Western larch (Larix occidentalis) is a tree of high regional significance, exhibiting a variety of traits that make it resistant and resilient to fire. Because seedlings are generally more sensitive to environmental stressors than adults, the impacts of climate change are expected to be detectable first in juvenile trees. Recent research shows that the natural regeneration of western larch after …

Creation Of A Database And Website For Genome Sequencing Data, Jacqueline Wisdom Olexa

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As the field of computational genomics continues to expand in both potential and application, it is imperative now than ever to ensure that massive genetic sequencing datasets are properly stored in an accessible manner. This project sought to establish a practical, user-friendly, secure full-stack system for a genomics research lab (the Good Lab; thegoodlab.org) at the University of Montana. A MySQL database and connected web application was ruled the best configuration to maximize utility and accessibility for the lab’s researchers. Building the logical framework for the database, creating the server, and sourcing data occurred over several months. The data ranged …

Once A Loser, Always A Loser: Effects Of Social Defeat In Fruit Flies, Erin Szalda-Petree, Deanna Cuello, Wyatt Ploot

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Animals often behave in ways that align with the underlying social structure of their species. Existing lower in the social hierarchy can have negative consequences for health and well-being, including changes in appetite and depression-like symptoms (Becker et al., 2008). In Drosophila melanogaster, the male social hierarchy is determined by aggressive encounters in which one fly becomes a dominant winner and one becomes a submissive loser. Interestingly, flies that have previously lost a fight are more likely to lose the next one (Yurkovic et al., 2006). This adoption of a “loser” phenotype in turn affects other behaviors such as courtship …

Differences In Internalized Weight Bias Across Eating Disorder Treatment Groups, Kathryn Bick

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Internalized weight bias (IWB) is characterized as the extent to which someone holds stigmatizing attitudes about themselves based on social stereotypes and their perceived weight status. IWB is positively associated with increased disordered eating and adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Moreover, those with eating disorders (EDs) often experience elevated levels of IWB due to societal weight stigma and subsequent preoccupations with body and shape. While the relationship between IWB and eating pathology is relevant across ED diagnoses, and across the weight spectrum, its specific influence on the development and maintenance of an eating disorder is understudied. Current eating disorder …

The Role Of Calcium In The Neural Stem Cell Development, Asher Blue Swan Adams

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Calcium signaling is vital for the development of the nervous system. Calcium acts as an essential second messenger under the control of regulatory mechanisms such as calcium stores, membrane channels, pumps, and intracellular calcium-binding proteins. Its signaling pathways mediate stem cell division, differentiation, and identity. Calcium homeostatic disruptions are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders from hypocalcemia and autism spectrum disorder to schizophrenia. Calcium regulation is widely studied regarding its impact on cell signaling and function, but little is known about its effects on cell fate in neural progenitor cells. Neural progenitor cells give rise to the entire nervous system, and defects …

Assessing The Impact Of Septic Cardiomyopathy On The Right Ventricle: A Serial Echocardiogram Study, Shivika Agrawal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Purpose:

Sepsis frequently manifests as distributive shock and affects several organs, including the heart, which may progress to septic cardiomyopathy (SCM). SCM typically reduces the ejection fraction and causes dilation of the left heart; however, a full understanding of SCM on the right heart is incomplete. Through echocardiography, further qualitative and quantitative alterations in the heart can be identified and guide our clinical management. We aim to identify such alterations in the right ventricle (RV) in patients with SCM through evaluation of serial echocardiography reports.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study (IRB 20-008691) was conducted on 13,969 sepsis patients hospitalized at …

Identifying Cross-Linguistic Language Deficits In Bilinguals With Aphasia Through Picture Identification Task, Mia Cara Parkes, Violet Rosenquist, Ashlynn Everett

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Aphasia, which is the loss of language commonly caused by stroke, can have several implications on grammar production. Significant research has been conducted on ways in which grammar is affected by aphasia, however, little is known about what these deficits look like for bilinguals with aphasia (BWA). This study examines the similarity of grammar deficits between languages by having Spanish-English BWA participate in a picture identification task. This research aims to explore whether deficits in one language influence performance on the other, as well as identify any patterns of cross-linguistic (i.e., the relation between two languages) influence on grammar processing. …

Measurement Of Atmospheric 2,5-Dimethylfuran Using Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometry, Mercedes Tucker

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

2,5-Dimethylfuran (DMF) is a proposed biofuel with low solubility in water and high miscibility with gasoline and diesel oil. DMF can be synthesized from cellulose found in dry plant matter, such as agricultural residues, energy crops, forestry residues, and yard trimmings. Furthermore, it is also found in tobacco smoke, roasted coffee aroma, and biomass burning smoke through combustion processes. When compared to leading industry renewable biofuels like ethanol it has a higher energy density, lower volatility, and a higher-octane level. Many studies have been conducted on DMF’s performance as a biofuel, when added to or compared to current leading fuels …

What Do People With Aphasia Want Out Of An Aphasia Community Group?, Shannon L. Welby, Mckinlee A. Mihelish

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Background: Aphasia is a disorder of language and communication resulting from brain injury. Secondary implications for persons with aphasia (PWA) include depression and social isolation. To help mitigate the linguistic and psychosocial effects of aphasia, PWA may participate in Aphasia Community Groups (ACGs). These are defined as regularly meeting groups composed of PWA who interact and participate in communication activities.

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study is to determine what PWA desire to gain from Aphasia Community Groups.

Methods: As the initial step of a larger five-year study, clinicians and researchers at the University of Montana …

Calcium Regulation Of Er To Golgi Protein Transport In Neuronal Cells, Samuel A. Galindo

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Regulatory mechanisms of protein trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are critical to

understand since neurodegenerative diseases involve defects in this process leading to chronic

ER stress and cell death. This study aimed to better understand the calcium regulatory mechanisms of ER-to-Golgi body complex trafficking in hybrid neuroglioblastoma cells (NG108). Specifically, we asked whether proteosomal degradation of transport machinery was involved in the previously demonstrated upregulation of ER-to-Golgi transport evoked by calcium signaling. This was accomplished by NG108 transfection with a fluorescent cargo protein engineered to allow inducible, synchronous trafficking from the ER. Cargo transport was completed for a fixed …

The Influence Of Political Affiliation On Climate Change Attitudes, Isiah Gabriel Mcmillian, Brittany King, Rachel E.G. Williamson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Climate change poses numerous, urgent threats to human existence, yet policy for climate action has occurred at an alarmingly slow rate. In the US, governing bodies have failed to engage in climate action. From withdrawal of the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, to exponentially high greenhouse gas emissions, climate change has been portrayed as a partisan issue — or not an issue at all. Researchers have identified political polarization as one barrier to climate action (Doell et al., 2021). However, other research has demonstrated that the vast majority of individuals agree that climate change is caused by human action, regardless …

Individual And Combined Effects Of Drought And Shade On Growth In Ponderosa Pines, Ella M. Keefer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The frequency, distribution and intensity of drought is expected to increase with climate change. Drought decreases water availability and the production of carbohydrates, both of which reduce growth. Reduced growth is an indicator of future tree death. However, the relative impacts of carbohydrate limitation versus water stress on tree growth is poorly understood. As part of a broader project in the Sala lab, I examined how reduced water and carbohydrate availability individually and in combination affect ponderosa pine growth during and after a stress event. In the summer of 2022, we subjected ponderosa pine to drought to reduce water and …

Effects Of Temperature On The Pison Neural Monitor, Andrew C. Engellant, Alejandro H. Rosales, Jessica L. Moler, Alice L. Held, P. James Straw

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

INTRODUCTION: The Pison Neural Monitor is a wrist worn biosensor that detects neuromuscular signals in the forearm. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on the accuracy and false positive rate (FPR) on the neural monitor. METHODS: Participants (n=6, 28.3±8.9 years, 179.3±9.6 cm, 80.7±15.5 kg, 17.0±2.0 cm wrist circumference) were assigned to either hot (2 males, 1 female) or cold (2 males, 1 female) and completed 6 trials at each temperature in a randomized and counterbalanced repeated measures design. Participants rested in a seated position at three different temperatures in either the heat (35°C, …

Cultural Competence In Healthcare: A Literature Review Of Barriers To The Application Of Culturally Responsive Practice For Physician Assistants, Annabelle N. Decuire

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Abstract

Culturally competent health services for physician assistants (PA), are critical for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities given the common disparities in healthcare. In addressing the multifaceted nature of disparities, the purpose of this literature review is to examine the role and responsibilities of PAs to be culturally competent. Culture is an omnipresent and dynamic process that influences every aspect of how we perceive and interact with others; therefore, it is important to recognize the diverse behaviors and beliefs of patients within respective contexts, rather than solely through the lens of a single culture. Cultural competence encompasses cultural skills, …

Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula, Vincent Gugliotti

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Estimating the probability of habitat use for a particular species is crucial to the direct management and conservation of that species. Without knowledge of habitat preferences, managers cannot effectively focus efforts on vital resources or landscape types. However, modelling probability of habitat use can be done in several ways which leaves room for variation and uncertainty in the estimates produced by each method. This study is an examination of the variation between two estimates of probability of habitat use while focusing on a particular subspecies of elk that inhabits a unique ecosystem relative to other common elk habitats. I will …

Column Packing Efficiency For Hplc Using Low Silica Concentrations, Gabriella Nelson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is an important technique for the separation and analysis of mixtures of nonvolatile compounds such as proteins, peptides, and pharmaceuticals. Stainless steel tubes (“columns”) uniformly packed with chemically modified small-diameter spherical porous silica particles are essential to the method. As part of the “Halogen Bonding Liquid Chromatography” laboratory research with Dr. Christopher Palmer and Dr. Orion Berryman, silica particles are modified with unique chemistries to further develop HPLC separation capabilities. These particles, generated in relatively small quantities, must be packed into columns to allow evaluation of their performance. The halogen bonding modified silica project aims to …