Digital Commons Network^™

Vaccine Stabilization With Spider Silk, Mallory Wootton

Student Research Symposium

Most vaccines must be stored between 2 - 8°C to maintain their efficacy, with some vaccines requiring temperatures as low as -70°C for long-term storage. These temperature requirements pose issues for vaccine distribution, notably to remote/rural areas, in hotter climates, and low- and middle-income countries which are largely dependent on vaccine imports. [1]

Determining The Function Of Type Iv-B Crispr-Cas Systems, Eric Jenkins, Brendon Guinn

Student Research Symposium

CRISPR-Cas systems are a diverse group of prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that defend against Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) such as bacteriophages and plasmids. CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins bind to guide RNAs (crRNAs) transcribed from a DNA repeat array (CRISPR array) containing spacers complementary to MGEs. Upon infection by a MGE, the Cas protein-crRNA complex binds to the target sequence in the invaders genome and cleaves the nucleic acid.

Distributor-Specific Variability In Balb/C Mouse Mortality Following Sars-Cov-2-Ma10 Infection, Taylor Kerr

Student Research Symposium

In recent years SARS-COV-2 has become a rapidly expanding area of research. To model human infections, this virus was adapted to mice enabling valuable insight into these processes.² Mice are often an effective research model due to their low cost, short reproduction time, and ability to adapt to a wide variety of viruses. Research into these immunological responses is crucial in developing vaccines, treatments, and furthering our understanding of this virus' behavior.¹ However, genetic variability in mouse models may be confounding previous and on-going research.

Activation Of Enkephalinergic Neurons Modulate Pain Within The Brain, Lucy N. Scribner, Oakley M. Statham, Greydon R. Durrant, Callie M. Newson

Student Research Symposium

The endogenous opioid system, consisting of three neuropeptides and canonical receptors, is ubiquitously expressed throughout the brain and is heavily involved in modulating pain[1]. However, research has placed tremendous focus on investigating the receptors of this system, and less attention has been devoted to the peptides. One such opioid peptide, enkephalin, is notably absent within the pain center of the brain, the periaqueductal gray (PAG)[2]. To further understand the role enkephalins play in modulating pain, we aimed to target and activate specific enkephalin-containing neurons that connect to the PAG. By activating these enkephalinergic projections, we hypothesized that this would lead …

Effects Of C-Section Birth On Vasopressin 1a Receptors In The Prairie Vole Brain, Caleb Hart

Student Research Symposium

The goal of this study was to understand how the brain might change depending on the birth experience: a vaginal birth or a cesarean section. C-sections have been associated with an increased risk of obesity and other behavioral and metabolic health conditions that are related to the function of hypothalamic hormones in the brain¹. Vasopressin is one neuropeptide hormone that is produced in the hypothalamus and influences a variety of metabolic functions and behaviors, including water balance and social pair bonding². This study used prairie voles to assess the effect of birth experience on the brain …

Seasonal And Sex-Based Variation In Coyote Responses To Social Olfactory Stimuli, Giuliana Carneiro

Student Research Symposium

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are socially complex, often forming strong pair bonds that can persist across multiple breeding seasons³. Scent marking, particularly urine marking, is a key form of communication used to establish territory, convey reproductive status, and maintain social hierarchies¹. This behavior is influenced by factors such as sex and season, and is central to understanding their social dynamics⁴. This preliminary study is part of a broader investigation into coyote behavior, specifically examining how these factors affect responses to olfactory stimuli from familiar and unfamiliar individuals².

In this study, coyote …

Drivers Of Recruitment For A Population Of Cutthroat Trout In Northern Utah, Abbigail Lane, Austin Garner

Student Research Symposium

• Understanding recruitment dynamics informs effective management of sensitive populations (Camp et al. 2020).

Latency To Approach Social Olfactory Stimuli In Female Coyotes: Pairmate Vs Sibling, Jenny Malm, Caroline Long

Student Research Symposium

• Scent marking is a common form of communication among mammals, including coyotes¹.

Qualitative Assessment Of Coyote Olfactory Behavior In Response To Urine Stimuli, Sophie Isom, Caroline Long

Student Research Symposium

• The coyote (Canis latrans) marks territorial boundaries with scent cues.¹

Does Bacillus Mycoides Inhibit The Growth Of Botrytis Cinerea?, Jaymen Brough, Macy Brooks, Jackson Bronsell, Brent Bowler

Student Research Symposium

Botrytis cinerea is a fungal pathogen shown to threaten agricultural stability. In attempts to find biological controls against such pathogens, some bacteria have demonstrated antifungal properties. Among these, Bacillus mycoides has been identified as a potential producer of antifungal agents that may be relevant to agricultural, horticultural, and medical settings (Kahn et al., 2018). In an effort to identify the effectiveness of B. mycoides as an antifungal biological control, we have tested whether Bacillus mycoides inhibits the fungal growth of Botrytis cinerea.

Exploring The Role Of Ethanol In Bumblebee-Yeast Interactions, Austen Grizzell

Student Research Symposium

Why care? Bumblebees are known to be attracted to yeasts present in nectar when foraging. Yeasts produce ethanol via fermentation of sugars found in flower nectar and bee honey. Ethanol may act as a foraging cue for bumblebee species. This has wider implications for plant-pollinator interactions, including the pollination of dozens of bumblebee-pollinated crops such as tomato, eggplant, and strawberries.

Utilizing Enzymatic Microalgae Hydrolysates For Cellular Agriculture, Maelyn Andreasen, Sophia Hessami, Eli Sheley, Elise Barton

Student Research Symposium

UPSIDE Foods is working to produce chicken products to address the growing global food insecurity crisis.¹ Industrial scalability is limited due to the requirements of cell culture. Through collaboration with the company, we are working to supplement their existing media to drive costs down and improve cell viability.

Gastric Survivability Of Streptomyces Narbonensis, Laramie Johnson, Laurel Hilterbrand, Ephraim Mohr, Eliza Lewis

Student Research Symposium

Human sciences and medicine have continually been advancing, and taken off in the last few centuries. This has included the development of many new medicines, antibiotics, and disinfectants. Antibiotics have to be able to survive and perform its duty within the human body, despite the changes in pH that occur naturally within the body in response to stimuli (Cotter, 2003). If a bacteria is unable to adapt to the pH environment of the human body in which it is placed, it will not be able to survive and continue to reproduce. The bacteria may be able to adapt via membrane …

Mathematical Modeling Of Color Perception Using Differential Equation, Siavash Pooretemad

Student Research Symposium

Color perception begins in the retina, where three cone types (L, M, S) detect light and initiate neural signals. These signals are processed by horizontal and bipolar cells to form opponent color channels: red-green (RG), yellow-blue (YB), and light-dark (LD). Perception is not solely based on physical input but also shaped by neural adaptation and context.

This project models color perception using a differential equation approach, simulating how color contrast and adaptation emerge from interactions between photoreceptors and lateral inhibition.

We hypothesize that a system of differential equations can model how retinal cone cells respond to and process light intensity, …

Laparoscopic Articulating Arm: In Collaboration With The Xenocor Saberscope, Zac Hastings, Lizbeth Pugliese, Rebecca Sweeten, Dallin Thomas, Dallin Treasure-Areno

Student Research Symposium

• Laparoscopy a minimally invasive procedure performed through small incisions using a laparoscope, a camera-equipped instrument, along with specialized tools.

• Laparotomy or "open" surgery, requires a large incision to perform an abdominal operation.

Peribacillus Simplex Does Not Exhibit Antimicrobial Properties Against Staphylococcus, Dallin Thomas, Jordan Wheeler, Natalie Yoho

Student Research Symposium

Antibiotics are powerful drugs that combat previously fatal diseases. These miracle drugs have saved countless lives, but have the tendency to be misused. They are used incorrectly to treat patients who don't need them, and given to animals for non therapeutic use. Antibiotics are also known to pollute soils and groundwater all around the world (3). As antibiotics are found more readily in the environment, they encourage evolution, recombination, and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (5). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (6) antibiotic resistance kills at least 1.27 million people worldwide for diseases that used to …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy-Enhanced Behavior Therapy As An Intervention For Trichotillomania And Excoriation Disorder (Skin Picking): A Review, Michael P. Twohig, Leila K. Capel

Psychology Faculty Publications

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) – enhanced behavior therapy (A-EBT) is the most empirically supported treatment for trichotillomania. The data supporting A-EBT for excoriation disorder (skin picking) is small but growing. In this paper we review the model behind A-EBT including support for targeting psychological inflexibility as well as the use of more traditional behavioral procedures to reduce non-focused behaviors. To date there are 15 studies investigating A-EBT for trichotillomania and skin picking across ages and treatment delivery methods (individual, group, telehealth, and asynchronous web-based delivery). The work has occurred by multiple research teams. Data on process of change is …

Dataset: Compositional Analysis And Hydrothermal Liquefaction Of A High-Ash Microalgae Biofilm, Jacob Watkins, Hamza Abdellaoui, Elise Barton, Clayton Lords, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Student Research

This dataset contains biochemical composition data and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) yield results for a high-ash microalgae biofilm which was cultivated in effluent from a mesophilic anaerobic digester using polyethylene rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABRs). These data were originally collected for use in a techno-economic analysis of biocrude, biodiesel, and bioplastic production from algae that was cultivated using RABRs for municipal wastewater reclamation.

Biochemical data for the microalgae biomass includes bulk protein, measured both using the Bradford protein assay and by multiplying total N; carbohydrate content, measured using a 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone / dithiothreitol (MBTH/DTT) assay; total lipid content, measured using a …

Ecological Restoration And Ecosystem Memory Of Wildlife Forage And Understory Diversity In A Young Pine Monoculture Plantation In Central-Interior British Columbia, Julia Claire Bizon

Aspen Bibliography

Ecological restoration has recently taken center stage in the rehabilitation of degraded forest ecosystems to improve multifunctionality, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat conservation. The research summarized herein assessed the efficacy of variable stand density thinning (200, 400, and 600 stems/ha) and artificial canopy gaps (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 ha in size) as potential restoration treatments to enhance wildlife forage and native biodiversity in a young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Wats.) forest in central-interior British Columbia. Field data collection was conducted from May-August, 2023 to assess the early response (1-3 years post-treatment) of the forest …

Rethinking Behavior - Spring 2025, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Spring 2025, Volume 8, Issue 3

Exploring Biostimulant Efficacy Under Limited Fertilizer And Water In Utah's Watermelon Production, Evan Christensen, Milena Maria Tomaz De Oliveira, Prakriti Nepal, Youping Sun

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

The western U.S. has recently experienced some of the driest conditions on record, and Utah has been in a multi-year drought (2019-2023) that affected the agricultural sector, including vegetable producers. While vegetables are not a primary agricultural crop in Utah, they are still an important part of the horticultural economy with 763 farms growing 6,138 acres. As the fourth largest acreage vegetable crop in Utah (almost 10% of the acreage) watermelon and related crops in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae (nearly 36% of total vegetable acreage) are important to vegetable growers. Watermelon is a water-intensive crop and requires an adequate supply …

Use Of Electrical Household Appliances And Risk Of All Types Of Tumours: A Case-Control Study, Shabana Noori, Abdul Aleem, Imrana Niaz Sultan, Afrasiab Khan Tareen, Hayat Ullah, Muhammad Waseem Khan

Biological Engineering Student Research

Introduction: The use of electrical appliances using extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) has increased in the past few years. These ELF MF are reported to be linked to several adverse health effects. However, only a couple of studies have been conducted on the association between risk of tumours and use of electronic devices using low frequency (LF) EMF. Methods: We studied the use of common household electrical appliances and suspected risk of tumours in a multi-hospital-based case-control study. In total, 316 patients were included in the final analysis. Results: The study results showed a below unity risk for …

Streamlining Field Note Analysis: Leveraging Gpt For Further Insights, Saríah López-Fierro, Umar Shehzad, Alireza (Sina) Zandi, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

As an integral part of qualitative research inquiry, field notes provide important data from researchers embedded in research sites. However, field notes can vary significantly, influenced by the researchers' immersion in the field, prior knowledge, beliefs, interests, and perspectives. As consequence, their interpretation presents significant challenges. This study offers a preliminary investigation into the potential of using large language models to assist researchers with the analysis and interpretation of field notes data. Our methodology consisted of two phases. First, a researcher deductively coded field notes of six classroom implementations of a novel elementary-level mathematics curriculum. In the second phase, we …

Bird Richness As A Mediator Between Greenspace And Mental Health Relationships, Sihao Chena, Huaqing Wang, Wenyan Xu

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Neighborhood greenspaces are widely known to benefit bird diversity and human mental health. However, whether bird richness mediates the relationship between greenspace and mental health is unknown. We ascertain such mediation effects in 294 census tracts in Los Angeles City. We obtained greenspace data from one-meter resolution satellite imagery, bird species data from eBird citizen science datasets, and prevalence of poor mental health from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mediation analysis combined with spatial error models was used to assess the mediating effects while controlling for geographic, demographic, and socio-economic factors. We found that the higher greenspace …

Aspen Health On National Forests In The Northern Rocky Mountain Region (2008/2009 To 2024), James T. Blodgett, Kurt K. Allen, Megan Wilson, Bradley Lalande

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a widely distributed species in the western United States, but in the northern Rocky Mountain Region it is a rare forest component. In national forests (NF) of the northern Rocky Mountain Region this species comprises only 1% of the Bighorn, 3% of the Black Hills, and 1% of the Shoshone cover types (DeBlander 2002, Menlove 2008, Witt 2008). Since aspen forests provide increased species richness, support wildlife, are an important component of watersheds, and have aesthetic value, there are concerns regarding the health of this relatively rare forest cover type.

Prey Size Mediates Interference Competition And Predation Dynamics In A Large Carnivore Community, Jack W. Rabe, Wesley J. Binder, Colby B. Anton, Connor J. Meyer, Matthew C. Metz, Brian J. Smith, Toni K. Ruth, Kerry M. Murphy, Joseph K. Bump, Douglas W. Smith, Daniel R. Stahler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Direct competition for resources is especially fierce among predators, leading to disproportionately strong effects on fitness and functional roles. These competitive effects are exacerbated in complex predator guilds with dominance hierarchies that have clear winners and losers. The direct costs of losing these competitions are well understood, but the drivers of such interactions, and their indirect effects on prey, are not. We evaluate the drivers of interference competition for cougars, and how such competition affects cougar-prey dynamics, by leveraging 23 years of cougar predation data from Yellowstone National Park, USA. We show that the effect of prey size is context-dependent, …

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum Aquaticum): Biology And Management Options In Utah, Francielli S. De Oliveira

Spring Runoff Conference

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

• Invasive weed from South America.
• Heterophilic perennial dioecious plant (female in the US).
• Forms dense mats, blocks waterways, and outcompetes native species
• Spreads via rhizomes, stolons, and stem fragments.

Contrasting Effects Of Climate Warming On Hosts And Parasitoids: Insights From Rocky Mountain Aspen Leaf Miners And Their Parasitoids, Alisha A. Shah, Emily Hamant, Juan G. Rubalcaba, Beau Larkin, Andrew A. Forbes, H. Arthur Woods

Aspen Bibliography

Because temperature has pervasive effects on biological rates, climate warming may alter the outcomes of interactions between insect hosts and their parasitoids, which, for many host species, constitute the single largest source of mortality. Despite growing interest in parasitoid-host responses due to climate change, there are few empirical tests of thermal tolerance differences between non-model lepidopteran hosts and their parasitoids and almost none from mountain ecosystems where warming is occurring more rapidly. We examined the thermal ecology of a host–parasitoid interaction in the Rocky Mountains using the wild populations of the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella) and a …

Draft Genome Data Including Functional Annotation Of An Emerging Fungal Pathogen (Neodothiora Populina) Causing A Canker Disease Of Trembling Aspen In Interior Alaska, Ursel M. E. Schütte, Mace Wages, Aaron Buechlein, Jorda P. Kovash, Danielle C. Wrenn, Tereza Smrhova, Andrea Zubrova, Doug B. Rusch, Loretta M. Winton, Gerard C. Adams, Roger W. Ruess, Mary Beth Leigh, Devin M. Drown

Aspen Bibliography

Neodothiora populina is a black yeast-like fungus in the family Dothioraceae. It causes an aggressive canker disease of trembling aspen that results in widespread mortality of aspen across the boreal forest of Interior Alaska. Here we report a high-quality draft genome including functional annotation of this emerging fungal pathogen based on Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequences. Our initial genome assembly totaled 23,960,169 bp and contained 18 contigs, and we identified 7,343 genes. This resource announcement provides new genomic data that are useful long term for improving our understanding of forest health in Alaska.

Soil Health And Water Conservation, Tony Richards

Spring Runoff Conference

What are Healthy Soils? 

• Stable 
• Functional 
• Productive 
• Resilient