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Possible Mechanisms Behind Impaired Glucose Metabolism In Niacin-Deficient Mice, Sierra Lopez Apr 2021

Possible Mechanisms Behind Impaired Glucose Metabolism In Niacin-Deficient Mice, Sierra Lopez

Student Research Symposium

Niacin, a component of vitamin B3, is necessary for the synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme in many biologic functions, including a number of metabolic processes that regulate glucose and fat homeostasis. Humans obtain niacin in its dietary form, common in meats, nuts, legumes and some leafy vegetables. While severe niacin deficiency, or pellagra, has been drastically reduced in the United States, some populations remain vulnerable to deficiency, particularly pregnant women, cancer patients, the elderly and alcoholics. Age-related NAD deficiency is emerging as being positively correlated with cognitive decline and impaired dermal repair.. At the …

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Efficacy Of A Yfv-Specific Monoclonal Antibody In The Treatment Of Yf In A Hamster Model, Ryne Christiansen Apr 2021

Efficacy Of A Yfv-Specific Monoclonal Antibody In The Treatment Of Yf In A Hamster Model, Ryne Christiansen

Student Research Symposium

The yellow fever virus (YFV) is a flavivirus found mainly in South America and Africa. Infection may result in fever, chills, jaundice, nausea, and vomiting. Outbreaks may have up to 50% case mortality. Although Yellow Fever (YF) is a highly preventable disease through the use of an effective vaccine, there are no approved antivirals for this disease. An effective antiviral is necessary to treat infected individuals in areas where the YF vaccine was not used and an outbreak of YF occurs. In this study, female Syrian golden hamsters were infected with YFV and treated with YFV-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Weight …

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Detecting Dna Oxidation In Sperm, Alexie Zwerdling Apr 2021

Detecting Dna Oxidation In Sperm, Alexie Zwerdling

Student Research Symposium

Declining body-wide levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) that are present in normal aging men are linked to decreased sperm quality and DNA integrity. When NAD is low, the amount of oxidative stress on the DNA appears to be increased, due to the limited regeneration of the antioxidant glutathione, which is NAD-dependent. We therefore hypothesize that the increased sperm DNA damage in the aging male is caused by an elevated formation of 8-oxoguanine in the DNA, caused by increased oxidative stress when NAD levels are low. To test this hypothesis, a transgenic mouse model (ANDY mouse) was used to create …

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The Influence Of Predation Risk On Coyote Behavior: An Application Of The Matching Law, Jeremy Haynes, Sarah Thompson, Andalyn Hall Apr 2021

The Influence Of Predation Risk On Coyote Behavior: An Application Of The Matching Law, Jeremy Haynes, Sarah Thompson, Andalyn Hall

Student Research Symposium

Over the past several decades, coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded substantially across a range of habitats. Consequently, coyote expansion into urban and rural areas has led to increased conflicts with humans. The success of coyote expansion across habitats is often attributed to their ability to flexibly adapt to changes in their environment. Our study is designed to examine how coyotes adapt their foraging strategy under predation risk as an aspect of their behavior that could contribute to their successful expansion across habitats. To quantify foraging strategy, we are using the matching law to characterize choices between two food sources. The …

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Comparative Study Of The Microbiome Of The Native Plant Ceanothus Velutinus (Snowbrush) From Different Locations And Greenhouse Studies, Jyothsna Ganesh Apr 2021

Comparative Study Of The Microbiome Of The Native Plant Ceanothus Velutinus (Snowbrush) From Different Locations And Greenhouse Studies, Jyothsna Ganesh

Student Research Symposium

Climatic change is one of the biggest threats to the ecosystem and biodiversity by enhancing environmental stresses. Environmental stresses such as biotic and abiotic stresses affect plant health and reduce crop production. The rhizosphere microbiome of a plant plays a significant role in a plant's defense against various biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we are investigating the microbiome diversity of bulk soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere of Ceanothus velutinus, snowbrush. Ceanothus is an evergreen native plant that is usually found in dry areas and thrives well in harsh conditions. The snowbrush samples were collected from different locations 1920m, 1950m, …

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Development Of A Lethal Rodent Model Of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection For Preclinical Antiviral Drug Testing, Rhett Fackrell Apr 2021

Development Of A Lethal Rodent Model Of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection For Preclinical Antiviral Drug Testing, Rhett Fackrell

Student Research Symposium

Lymphocyctic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an Old World arenavirus belonging to the family Arenaviridae. The natural host is the common house mouse, with about 5% of the population persistently carrying and shedding the virus. LCMV is spread to humans through the aerosolized excrements of rodents or passed from mother to fetus through the placenta. Some of these cases lead to aseptic meningitis or meningoencephalitis with permanent neurological damage possible. Studies indicate that 2-5% of people are positive for serum LCMV antibodies [1]. LCMV infection has also occurred in organ transplant recipients, with nearly all cases being fatal [2]. There are …

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Maintenance Of Water Systems With The Bear River Health Department, Kaden Bunch Apr 2021

Maintenance Of Water Systems With The Bear River Health Department, Kaden Bunch

Student Research Symposium

The Bear River Health Department (BRHD) is one of the 13 local health departments that work to promote and protect the citizens of Utah. Within the department, there are dozens of divisions, one such overseeing maintenance and approval of public water systems and pools. Public water systems are prone to bacterial growth, whether caused by those that use these systems, construction, or simply an animal that slipped in. To solve this issue, BRHD and the state of Utah actively monitor these public systems to ensure the health of those that use them. This is done by measuring chlorine levels in …

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Using Handmade Cloning To Reduce Oocyte Mitochondria In Reconstructed Embryos, Laura Adams Apr 2021

Using Handmade Cloning To Reduce Oocyte Mitochondria In Reconstructed Embryos, Laura Adams

Student Research Symposium

Mitochondrial heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one population of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in one cell, can cause metabolic issues and reduced ATP synthesis, even at relatively low levels. The presence of this condition in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos likely contributes to reduced prenatal and postnatal viability: the majority of the oocyte’s mitochondria is still present at the time of nuclear transfer, as well as through any further embryonic development post-fusion and activation. Though the somatic cell also contributes its mitochondria (which can successfully communicate with its nucleus), the oocyte’s mitochondria compose a greater proportion of the total …

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Bioactive Excipients In Cytomegalovirus Treatment, Andrew Kjar Apr 2021

Bioactive Excipients In Cytomegalovirus Treatment, Andrew Kjar

Student Research Symposium

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a herpes class virus, is prevalent among the U.S. population. Congenital CMV infection is a leading cause of progressive hearing loss in children. Current treatments focus on ganciclovir, an engineered small-molecule drug. While ganciclovir treatments are the clinical gold standard, toxic side effects such as reduced blood cell counts can occur with prolonged treatment. In an effort to improve treatments, quercetin and Pluronic F68 nanoparticles (QF68) were screened as an excipient. Excipients are added to drug formulations to improve treatment properties; in this study QF68 and ganciclovir were coadministered.Two cell lines were investigated: (1) fibroblasts (connective tissue) and …

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Investigating The Primary Production Of Bear Lake's Filamentous Algal Blooms, Maycee Page Apr 2021

Investigating The Primary Production Of Bear Lake's Filamentous Algal Blooms, Maycee Page

Student Research Symposium

Filamentous algae blooms(FABs) have been appearing on the Western Shore of Bear Lake within the last couple of years with minimal research done on them. Through YSI meter sampling of light and dark trials of Bear Lake’s Eastern and Western shores and Fluorometer analysis of samples of filamentous algae taken from each site, gross primary production(GPP), net ecosystem production(NEP), and community respiration were calculated. Through graphical analysis between many of the factors that were accounted for, one statistical significance found was between the mass in milligrams of periphyton produced and the gross primary production. The two have a negative correlation …

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Combating Loneliness In Assisted Living Facilities: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Social Work Practitioners Working With Older Adults, Annie Alexis Romano Apr 2021

Combating Loneliness In Assisted Living Facilities: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Social Work Practitioners Working With Older Adults, Annie Alexis Romano

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

It has been well documented that social needs do not change with aging (Teater, Chonody, & Davis, 2021), but often, older adults are left out of the conversation when it comes to loneliness and the feelings that come with social isolation. In the same way that researchers are de-stigmatizing the mental health conversation for youth and middle-aged adults, we need to bring to light the issues that come with those who live in assisted living facilities or nursing homes and the social issues presented in that population.

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Roles Of Nad+ In Testicular Aging And Epigenetic Sperm Modifications, Renata Hoskova Apr 2021

Roles Of Nad+ In Testicular Aging And Epigenetic Sperm Modifications, Renata Hoskova

Student Research Symposium

Since 1980, the average age of first-time fathers has been increasing. With increased age, sperm chromatin quality and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels are reduced. In order to condense around protamines, sperm DNA undergoes breaks, at which time epigenetic reprogramming occurs. In humans, about 2% of DNA stays wound to histones in spermatozoa. Histones carry post-translational modifications that control gene activity and have the potential to transmit epigenetic information to the offspring. Analysis of epigenetic sperm modifications is being conducted within niacin deficient versus niacin replete mice. The experimental plan includes the characterization of histone exchange in elongating spermatids via …

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The Need For Diverse Representations Of Sámi People In A Modern World, Kylie Smith Apr 2021

The Need For Diverse Representations Of Sámi People In A Modern World, Kylie Smith

Student Research Symposium

The 2010s saw an increase in the use of Sámi religion and culture as a resource in popular culture products. Two notable 2019 animated children’s movies rely heavily on Sámi culture, traditions, and characters to accomplish their narrative goals. The Netflix original movie Klaus, directed by Spanish filmmaker Sergio Pablos presents an origin story for Santa Clause wherein a Sámi group becomes a labor force comparable to Santa’s elves. Created in consultation with Sámi Parliament, Disney’s Frozen 2 introduces a group of Indigenous people called the Northuldra, which are intentionally modeled after the Sámi people. This presentation examines these texts, …

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May Swenson And Using Poetry In The Form Of Self Discovery, Isabelle Quigley Apr 2021

May Swenson And Using Poetry In The Form Of Self Discovery, Isabelle Quigley

Student Research Symposium

“How did May Swenson use poetry to help discover who she wanted to be, and how she stayed true to herself?” May Swenson’s poetry represents a lot about who she was as a person, and the different views she carried. Studying Swenson and her life, we see she explored who she was after growing up in a Mormon family and widely Mormon society. Swenson didn’t stick to the religious standards she was taught as a young girl, but they helped her explore who she was and wanted to be. She wrote poetry continuously throughout her life, and many of her …

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Fecal Microbiota Transfer (Fmt) From Tumor-Bearing Mice Fed The Total Western Diet (Twd) Does Not Contribute To A Higher Tumor Burden In Mice Fed A Healthy Diet, Porter Green Apr 2021

Fecal Microbiota Transfer (Fmt) From Tumor-Bearing Mice Fed The Total Western Diet (Twd) Does Not Contribute To A Higher Tumor Burden In Mice Fed A Healthy Diet, Porter Green

Student Research Symposium

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Diet and gut microbiome have shown to influence the development of colitis associated colorectal cancer (CAC). For this study, the goal was to determine the association between colon inflammation, diet and microbiome in the development of CAC in mice. The primary objective of this study was to determine the contribution of gut microbiota from mice donors who have previously consumed one of two basal diets: 1) the standard AIN93G diet, which is designed to promote rodent health; and 2) the total Western diet (TWD), …

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Pharmacological Characterization Of The Oxytocin Receptor Antagonist L-368,899 For Coyote Receptors, Mckenna Rich, Hillary Ihrig Apr 2021

Pharmacological Characterization Of The Oxytocin Receptor Antagonist L-368,899 For Coyote Receptors, Mckenna Rich, Hillary Ihrig

Student Research Symposium

The neurohormone oxytocin influences many physiological pathways in animals, aiding in social behaviors, pair bonding, social recognition, and maternal behavior. A common strategy used to observe the influence of oxytocin on these behaviors is to disrupt oxytocin signaling, by blocking the oxytocin receptor (OXTR). This blockade can be achieved using antagonists which bind to the receptor and inhibit the subsequent activation of intracellular signaling pathways. We aimed to determine whether the commercially-available OXTR antagonist L-368,899 selectively binds to OXTR in coyote brains. L-368,899 selectively binds to OXTR in primates and has been used in animal behavior studies to block oxytocin-dependent …

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Cytokine Indicators Of Inflammation In Mice Fed A Western Type Diet, Eliza Owens, Emily Mortensen Apr 2021

Cytokine Indicators Of Inflammation In Mice Fed A Western Type Diet, Eliza Owens, Emily Mortensen

Student Research Symposium

Colorectal cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The risk of colon cancer increases in individuals who suffer from colitis, which is inflammation of the colon lining. Colitis is common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The development of colorectal cancer is complex and can be associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, which has been shown to be affected by diet. Disruption of the gut microbiome can lead to the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria which can contribute to disease. Pathogenic bacteria and other bacterial byproducts that manage to cross the epithelial …

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Removing The Threat, Maintaining The Lore: Wolves In Medieval Icelandic Literature, Mia Jensen Apr 2021

Removing The Threat, Maintaining The Lore: Wolves In Medieval Icelandic Literature, Mia Jensen

Student Research Symposium

Wolves (Canis Lupus) have appeared as villains and antagonists in popular culture for centuries. Children grow up hearing stories of anthropomorphic wolves stalking and tormenting young girls in the woods and associating the animal with the phrase, “the big bad wolf.” In addition to fables and lore, negative wolf associations are prominent in idioms such as the wolf in sheep’s clothing or getting thrown to the wolves. These associations were created by cultures that relied heavily on livestock. However, deceitful, villainous, and demonic traits followed wolves in cultures that did not interact with the animal. This is the case with …

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May Swenson: The Rise Of The Reluctant Feminist, Emily Gould Apr 2021

May Swenson: The Rise Of The Reluctant Feminist, Emily Gould

Student Research Symposium

Lesbian. Woman. Feminist. These are just a few of the labels that others tried to impose on May Swenson throughout her life. However, Swenson revolted against the bonds that others tried to place on her. She did not want to be secured to labels, conform to groups, or be shackled to restrictive societies. Rather, she found her solace in her own soul, and her peace through her individual perspective. Swenson lived her life according to her standards, her beliefs, her doctrine, her conscience, and through her poetry she encouraged others to do the same. One of Swenson’s most anthologized poems, …

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Novel Approach For Sex Identification In Equine Forensic Samples Using Pcr Amplification, Jessica Felts Apr 2021

Novel Approach For Sex Identification In Equine Forensic Samples Using Pcr Amplification, Jessica Felts

Student Research Symposium

DDX3 is a ubiquitous gene in mammals that codes for a protein in the DEAD-box protein family. This protein is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase, which denotes its involvement in altering the structure of RNA1, functions as a transcriptional regulator1, and is proposed to be involved in the nuclear export of retroviral RNA1. The DDX3 gene is located on the X-chromosome between base pair 34,831,836 and base pair 34,847,409 (15,573 total base pairs). In addition, there is a homologous gene located on the Y-chromosome between base pair 6,194,312 to bp 6,199,142 (4,917 total base pairs). The Y-chromosome homolog, however, contains unique …

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Roles Of Nad In Dna Repair And Response To Oxidative Stress, Micah Forbush Apr 2021

Roles Of Nad In Dna Repair And Response To Oxidative Stress, Micah Forbush

Student Research Symposium

It has become a common trend for people to start their families at a later age, often due to lifestyle choices like achieving career goals first and waiting to achieve financial stability. Along with this trend of increasing parental age comes another, the decrease in fertility. While it is well established that female fertility declines significantly with age, current research is showing that male fertility may be impacted just as much. NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is an important biochemical cofactor in most metabolic reactions, and importantly, is it also essential for DNA repair. As age increases in humans, the amount …

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Could Video Intervention Be The Future? Effectiveness Of Informational Video On Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge, Jennifer Ha Apr 2021

Could Video Intervention Be The Future? Effectiveness Of Informational Video On Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge, Jennifer Ha

Student Research Symposium

The aim of this project is to research whether an informatic video and/or a written infographic will increase knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. The research question is: how effective is an informatic video intervention in increasing knowledge about ASD? The design of this project is a pre-test-post-test design. Participants will complete an ASD knowledge test and then receive either the video intervention, reading intervention, or no intervention (control), and then complete the ASD knowledge test after the condition has been administered. The ASD knowledge test will be randomized to prevent memorization. Participants who have a child with ASD will be …

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Measuring Stress-Induced Hormone Levels In Dusky Grouse, Dominique Davis Apr 2021

Measuring Stress-Induced Hormone Levels In Dusky Grouse, Dominique Davis

Student Research Symposium

Very little is known ecologically about dusky grouse, an understudied upland game bird that is found throughout western North America. They are commonly hunted without comprehensive knowledge of their ecological importance, physiology, and life history. Our study is focused on dusky grouse that inhabit the eastern Great Basin ranges in White Pine County, Nevada where the landscape is predominantly open sagebrush valleys and patchy montane habitats. This species has adapted to living in this harsh, arid environment that is influenced by hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Stressors such as changes in climate, human interference, predation, habitat fragmentation, and …

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Illegal Wildlife Trade Increases Probability Of Zoonotic Disease Spread In The United States, Ryan Bushman Apr 2021

Illegal Wildlife Trade Increases Probability Of Zoonotic Disease Spread In The United States, Ryan Bushman

Student Research Symposium

Illegal wildlife trade is a major contributor to the spread of zoonotic disease in the United States and may potentially lead to further public health emergencies, a significant loss of life, and can cost billions of dollars. The trade of bushmeat and exotic pets are examples of illegal wildlife trade that can result in the spread of zoonotic diseases. These illegal activities are driven by deep-rooted cultural beliefs, financial necessity, and luxurious lifestyles. An analysis of the existing literature on these subjects through the lens of anticipatory intelligence reveals certain areas of the current systems that combat illegal wildlife trade …

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Exploring Canid Monogamy: Characterization Of The Distribution Of Vasopressin 1a Receptors In The Brain Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans), Madeline Measom, Sophia Adamis Apr 2021

Exploring Canid Monogamy: Characterization Of The Distribution Of Vasopressin 1a Receptors In The Brain Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans), Madeline Measom, Sophia Adamis

Student Research Symposium

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide hormone that has been shown to be a factor in the biological basis of social attachment in monogamous species. It functions in the brain to modulate social memory, territoriality, and social attachment between pair-bonded adult mates of the same species. Research has mostly focused on the vasopressin 1a receptors (AVPR1a) in the brains of socially monogamous rodents and non-human primates. These studies demonstrate a critical role of AVP and AVPR1a in the neurobiology of social attachment, especially influencing species-specific, pairbond-related behaviors. Coyotes are a unique species in the context of social research because they …

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Impact Of Fecal Microbiota Transfer (Fmt) On Phenotype Of Mice Fed A Standard Diet And A Western-Style Diet Using A Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Model, Abbey Horrocks Apr 2021

Impact Of Fecal Microbiota Transfer (Fmt) On Phenotype Of Mice Fed A Standard Diet And A Western-Style Diet Using A Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Model, Abbey Horrocks

Student Research Symposium

A variety of genetic and environmental factors can affect the composition of the human gut microbiota, including a poor diet. Western diets are typically associated with dysbiosis and other adverse health outcomes that are expressed phenotypically. The primary objective of this study is to determine the contribution of gut microbiota from mice donors who have previously consumed one of two basal diets: 1) the standard AIN93G diet, which is designed to promote rodent health; and 2) the total Western diet (TWD), which promotes inflammation-associated colorectal tumorigenesis. The donors’ microbiota were transferred to a cohort of mice who were fed either …

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Combining Nissl Staining And Digital Densitometry To Accurately Quantify Oxytocin Receptors In The Human Substantia Nigra, Kip Dooley Apr 2021

Combining Nissl Staining And Digital Densitometry To Accurately Quantify Oxytocin Receptors In The Human Substantia Nigra, Kip Dooley

Student Research Symposium

Oxytocin, a hormone present in the mammalian brain, has been shown to be a vital component of social function in animals and may have a role in the social deficits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder in humans. Based on previous studies from our lab, there are oxytocin receptors in the human substantia nigra, a basal ganglia structure in the midbrain that is important in both movement and reward pathways. The substantia nigra contains two subsections that are defined by the neurotransmitters they contain: the pars compacta, which is dopaminergic, and the pars reticulata, which is GABAergic. By localizing oxytocin receptors …

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Bolstering Southeast Asia's Livestock Biosecurity And Climate Change Resilience Essential For Global Health, Madelyn Kunzler Apr 2021

Bolstering Southeast Asia's Livestock Biosecurity And Climate Change Resilience Essential For Global Health, Madelyn Kunzler

Student Research Symposium

A large factor of climate change is its effect on infectious zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can be transferred from animals into humans. Cases of zoonotic diseases have increased as humans have interacted more with animals, and as worldwide travel has become more frequent. It is predicted that 60% of emerging human diseases will be zoonotic. The cases will continue to increase to due climate change. As climate change continues, research has shown that new diseases will emerge from the melting permafrost and ice caps. It is also likely that pre-existing diseases will be able to migrate to …

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Establishment Of A Coyote Brain Atlas: Counterstaining Techniques In A Canid Brain, Auria Staheli, Nate Johnson Apr 2021

Establishment Of A Coyote Brain Atlas: Counterstaining Techniques In A Canid Brain, Auria Staheli, Nate Johnson

Student Research Symposium

Oxytocin is commonly known as “the love hormone,” as it is the neurotransmitter responsible for pair bonding in many mammalian species, including humans. However, it and its related hormone vasopressin also have other very important and wide ranging functions for physical, emotional, and social well-being. The Freeman neurobiology lab is working to map the location of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors within brains of the common coyote (Canis latrans). This work will permit comparisons with the brains of other pair-bond-forming mammals and will further our understanding of how these transmitters and their receptors affect behavior. However, inferring the locations of these …

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Role Of Novel Receptor Gpr171 In Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain, Taylor Edwards Apr 2021

Role Of Novel Receptor Gpr171 In Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain, Taylor Edwards

Student Research Symposium

First-line chemotherapies against solid tumors are highly efficacious in reducing the tumor burden, but have many adverse side-effects including nerve damage, leading to chronic pain. Non-addictive, efficacious pain relievers are an area of active interest, and we propose a novel target to address this pressing issue. GPR171 is a G-Protein Coupled Receptor that was recently deorphanized and was identified to be expressed in the brain in regions that regulate reward, anxiety, and pain. Within the pain circuit, it was shown previously that systemic administration of the GPR171 agonist enhances morphine antinociception in acute pain tests. Preliminary data from our lab …

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