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Restoration Of Young Ovarian Function In Post-Reproductive Female Mice Significantly Improves Quality Of Life And Lifespan, Steve Gawrys, Jeffrey Mason

Biology Posters

These studies were designed to elucidate the role of ovarian senescence in the increased susceptibility for postmenopausal females to become subject to disease when compared to premenopausal females. Current dogma hypothesizes that the inability of the senescent ovaries to produce hormones for the reproductively senescent female is responsible for the increase in disease. Preliminary lab work has shown that depletion of germ cells from the ovaries of a young mouse, then a transplanting the germ cell depleted ovaries to a postreproductive mouse produced improved health shown through increased life span and decreased cardiovascular and orthopedic diseases.

Use Of 5-(Perylen-3-Yl)Ethynyl-Arabino-Uridine (Auy11) To Inactivate Rift Valley Fever Virus And Preserve Neutralization Epitopes, Kolton Williams, Brady Hickerson, Brian B. Gowen

Biology Posters

Rift Valley fever (RFV) is a mosquito-borne disease, endemic to Africa, and known to cause abortion in animals and hemorrhagic fever in humans. All enveloped viruses require the fusion of viral membranes with cellular membranes to enter into and replicate inside the host cell. These viruses have a universal objective: find the cell receptors that match the viral attachment proteins and use those to gain access to the cell membrane. The use of aUY11, a monosaccharide (sugar)-based compound, has previously shown to effectively use a biophysical approach in the inhibition of viral fusion of other enveloped viruses1. In this study, …

What Does Self-Reported Likability For Fruit And Vegetables Tell Us About Skin Carotenoid Levels?, Kurtis Hauck, Madison Hauck, Damon Joyner, Heidi Wengreen

Biology Posters

In most cases, individuals who have a higher likeability of fruits and vegetables will consume more and reap health-related benefits because of it. However, other factors influence how the body digests, absorbs, and metabolizes the beneficial nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Biomarkers, like carotenoids are measurable indicators of some biological state or condition. They can be helpful in understanding the relationships between dietary intake of nutrients and the other factors that may influence how a nutrient is being used in the body. Other factors known to influence skin carotenoids include body composition, exposure to environmental pollutants, or illness. Carotenoids …

Hla-G 14bp Polymorphism In Autism, Cameron Page, Michael Benson, Thayne Sweeten, Anthony Torres, Martin Kharrazi, Lisa Croen

Biology Posters

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by deficits in communicative and social behaviors (Meltzer, 2017) . As of 2012 the CDC reported that 1 of 68 children born in the U.S. have ASD (Christensen, 2016). The immune systems of mother and child can be important in ASD. A signaling molecule, HLA-G, helps regulate maternal natural killer cell interaction with the fetus. A defect in HLA-G could increase NK cell activity, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment in the fetus (Carosella, 2008). Our study focuses on a 14 base pair insertion/deletion found in the HLA-G gene of autistic subjects and …

Spidentistry: The Intersection Of Dentistry And Spider Silk, Deven C. Smuin, Thomas I. Harris, Justin A. Jones, Randolph V. Lewis

Biology Posters

Spider silks are an ideal material for periodontal chips/gels because they are biocompatible, biodegradable, lightweight, strong, and create no immune response. Furthermore, the various silks types and forms allow for tunable materials and properties. Spider silk materials may have an advantage over other products because of the ability to release medication more consistently over a longer period of time and be adjusted as needed. Unlike products currently on the market, our chip/gels are biocompatible, which aids in reducing the bodies immune response to periodontal treatment. The ability to incorporate multiple bioactive compounds into the spider silk materials allows them to …

Got Bugs In Your Kefir?, Julienne Henrie

Biology Posters

What is Kefir ? Kefir is a type of fermented milk that is cultured with Kefir grains. Kefir grains make up the probiotic culture used to produce Kefir. These cauliflower-like grains contain mostly lactobacilli bacteria and yeasts held together by Kefiran, an exopolysaccharide structure. (Korsak et al. 2014). Kefir grains are Mesophilic. Mesophilic starters are cultured at room temperature, which allows the probiotics to remain active when consumed. Properties of mesophilic starters also give Kefir the liquid consistency it is known for. (Sarah, 2016). Kefir originated in the Caucasus Mountains thousands of years ago, the name coming from the Turkish …

Culturing Viruses From Wild Deer In Utah, Brennan Winkler, Justin Moscon, Eric Dewart, Annette Roug, Bart Tarbet

Biology Posters

In the Spring of 2016, two deer showing clinical signs of neurological illness were reported to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The animals were euthanized and post-mortem tissues collected for identification of any disease causing agents. Brain and spleen samples were sent to Dr. Eric Delwart, University of California-San Francisco for metagenomics evaluation. Mobukvirus (described once) and novel picornavirus and bovine parvovirus were tentatively identified. However, cell culture of the viruses is necessary for further characterization and genomic sequencing. If these novel viruses can be cultured, it may be possible to develop serologic tests for additional field investigations in …

The Utah Statesman, March 23, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Patterns In Greater Sage-Grouse Population Dynamics Correspond With Public Grazing Records At Broad Scales, Adrian P. Monroe, Cameron L. Aldridge, Timothy J. Assal, Kari E. Veblen, David A. Pyke, Michael L. Casazza

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Human land use, such as livestock grazing, can have profound yet varied effects on wildlife interacting within common ecosystems, yet our understanding of land-use effects is often generalized from short-term, local studies that may not correspond with trends at broader scales. Here we used public land records to characterize livestock grazing across Wyoming, USA, and we used Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) as a model organism to evaluate responses to livestock management. With annual counts of male Sage-grouse from 743 leks (breeding display sites) during 2004-2014, we modeled population trends in response to grazing level (represented by a relative grazing index) …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes, March 20, 2017, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Election Schedule | Procedures - Leslie Brott
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee - Michael Lyons
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee – Jerry Goodspeed
• EPC March Report – Vijay Kannan

The Utah Statesman, March 20, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

How Should Societies Counteract Overpopulation?, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

As the human population continues to grow, questions arise concerning how to deal with problems that are human in origin: problems like pollution and environmental degradation, resource depletion, and global food shortages. The global population, which currently sits at over 7 billion, is expected to reach 10.9 billion by the end of the century.

Taboo Topics Among Refugees, Jolynne Lyon

Blog Posts

Blog post about shared awareness about disability among refugee communities.

The Utah Statesman, March 16, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Storage Induced Changes In Sensory Characteristics And Viscosity Of Cocoa And Whey Protein Enriched Functional Dairy Drink, H. R. Gupta, S. K. Kanawjia, M. K. Saluja, Prateek Sharma

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

The functional dairy drink product developed in the present study was packaged in LDPE pouches stored at refrigeration temperature 4±1°C. The results of storage studies depict that the product can be stored upto 18 days at 4±1°C without significantly affecting its sensory qualities. Overall acceptability scores decreased from initial 93.0 to 69.2 after 18 days of storage at 4±1°C for the drink enriched with whey protein; for the drink enriched with whey protein and cocoa, the scores decreased from 93.4 to 72.4. The consistency score of the product decreased from 27.5 to 19.5 for whey protein enhanced drink and from …

The Utah Statesman, March 13, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Usu Faculty Senate Minutes, March 13, 2017, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Code 366: Parental Caregiving Modified Duties Code Change - Ronda Callister
• Code 402.12.1-8 Update on Size of Faculty Senate Committee Code Change - Vince Wickwa
• EPC February Report – Michele Hillard
• Code 405.12.1 Review of Faculty (Second Reading) - Ronda Callister

Faculty Senate Agenda, March 13, 2017, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC February Report
• Code 405.12.1 Review of Faculty (Second Reading)

Delivering Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Weight Self-Stigma Through Guided Self-Help: Results From An Open Pilot Trial, Michael E. Levin, Sarah Potts, Jack Haegar, Jason Lillis

Psychology Faculty Publications

Weight self-stigma is a promising target for innovative interventions seeking to improve outcomes among overweight/obese individuals. Preliminary research suggests acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) may be an effective approach for reducing weight self-stigma, but a guided self-help version of this intervention may improve broad dissemination. This pilot open trial sought to evaluate the potential acceptability and efficacy of a guided self-help ACT intervention, included coaching and a self-help book, with a sample of 13 overweight/obese individuals high in weight self-stigma. Results indicated a high degree of program engagement (77% completed the intervention) and satisfaction. Participants improved on outcomes over time …

Liderazgo: Culturally Grounded Leadership And The National Latina/O Psychological Association, Marie L. Miville, Patricia Arredondo, Andrés J. Consoli, Azara Santiago-Rivera, Edward A. Delgado-Romero, Milton A. Fuentes, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Lynda D. Field, Joseph M. Cervantes

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article, collaboratively written by the presidents of the National Latina/o Psychological Association (NLPA), presents leadership as conceptualized and practiced in NLPA. We first identify key leadership constructs in the available literature as well as relevant cultural values, describe liderazgo (leadership) through cultural lenses, and articulate the connections to counseling psychology and the social justice underpinnings that have guided NLPA’s formation and development. We then present a number of events and decisions to illustrate how we have operationalized these organizing principles in both the daily management and long-term goals of NLPA. We conclude with a discussion of the future paths …

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, March 2, 2017, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Program Proposals

• Offering a Master of Aviation Science
• Offering a Master of Science in Data Science
• Offering an On-Line Certificate in Engineering Education
• Restructuring the Environmental Studies Bachelor of Science program

Semester Course Approval Reviews

The Utah Statesman, March 2, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Next Steps For The Usu Interfaith Initiative: Engaged Anthropology Meets Interfaith Cooperation On A Public University Campus, Bonnie Glass-Coffin

Interfaith Initiative Research

As a result of Campus Climate research undertaken in the fall of 2013, the USU Interfaith Initiative was developed to address identified needs. The PowerPoint presentation summarizes a few of the curricular and co-curricular programs and events undertaken as part of this initiative to promote interfaith cooperation on our campus.

Influence Of Social Factors On Student Satisfaction Among College Students With Disabilities, Kathleen Marie Oertle, Allison R. Fleming, Anthony J. Plotner, Jonathan G. Hakun

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

A significant body of research on student retention reflects that social and environmental factors influence continued enrollment in post-secondary education and academic success. Yet, for students with disabilities, more emphasis is placed on accommodations, access, and support services without sufficient attention to the social aspect of the student experience. In this study, we investigated belonging as a primary contributor to student satisfaction and examined the degree to which other social factors modified this relationship among a sample of students with disabilities attending public, 4-year universities. A higher sense of belonging was associated with greater student satisfaction in our sample. Through …

Mammography Among Utah Women, Susan R. Madsen, Elyse Barnes, Robbyn T. Scribner

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers among U.S. women and the primary cause of cancer death among women in Utah. Yet, research has found that deaths from breast cancer can be substantially reduced if the tumor is discovered early, and mammography screening is the most effective method for the early detection. However, despite the advantages of mammography screening for reducing mortality, not all women receive screening according to recommended guidelines, and screening rates remain low among certain subpopulations of women. This is also true in Utah; in fact, a recent study showed Utah to be among …

Measuring Extension Program Impacts: 1. Setting Goals And Objectives, Mark Larese-Casanova

All Current Publications

This fact sheet descries the first step in measuring impacts of Extension programs, goals and objectives and includes defining measurable objectives and developing activities.

Cage Efficacy Study Of An Experimental Rodenticide Using Wild-Caught House Mice, Gary Witmer, Rachael Moulton, Celeste Samura

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The availability and effectiveness of rodenticides in the US and elsewhere has been changing for various reasons. As a result, new rodenticide formulations and active ingredients are being investigated in the US and other countries. We conducted a cage efficacy study of a paste bait containing 4.4% alphachloralose. A commercial product of this nature is manufactured and used in parts of Europe. While the formulation we tested was effective (100%) in a no-choice trial with wild caught house mice, it was not effective in two-choice trials (≤ 35%). We surmise that palatability may be an issue as the mice consumed …

Is Razor-Wire An Effective Deterrent For Birds Perching On Security Fences At Airports?, David L. Bergman, Brian E. Washburn

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious risk to aircraft and cost civil aviation in the United States an estimated $957 million annually. Blackbirds and doves in particular have caused some of the most devastating aircraft accidents related to wildlife strikes in the United States and Europe. Birds perching on security fences and other structures are a problem at airports and other locations where birds are not desired. Reduction of available perching sites should make airports less attractive to these species and thus reduce the risk of damaging wildlife strikes. We conducted a series of experiments to determine if 3 …

Pseudorabies Virus Shedding And Antibody Production In Invasive Wild Pigs In California, Samantha M. Wisely, Katherine A. Sayler, Brandon Parker, Rebecca Mihalco, Eric Covington

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Pseudorabies virus (PrV) is a herpesvirus endemic in invasive wild pigs in the United States. The virus has the potential to spill over into domestic herds and wildlife causing extensive morbidity and mortality. We surveyed 35 wild pigs from Kern County, California for evidence of exposure to PrV using serological analysis and for viral shedding using quantitative PCR. All 29 individuals that had sufficient sera to screen for antibody production via serological assay were positive. Two of 35 individuals were found to be shedding virus via genital mucosa. An additional 5 individuals were suspected to be shedding virus either in …

Busy Being Born : Embracing Change In Wildlife Damage Management, Janet L. Bucknall

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In 1965, Bob Dylan released a song called “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”, and it contained one of the decade’s most memorable lyrics – “He not busy being born is busy dying” (Dylan 1965). At the same time sobering and hopeful, the lyrics present purposeful rebirth as the salve for what otherwise would do us in. Wildlife damage management as a profession has been busy being born for decades. The work is bound to human values and communities, social and political priorities, scientific advancements, and landscape and wildlife population changes. Our profession cannot help but evolve.