Digital Commons Network^™

Is Montana’S “24/7 Sobriety Program” Deterring Drunk Drivers?, Jessica C. Stevens

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Nationally and at the state level policy makers are continually seeking ways to effectively deter drunk drivers and lower the risk and social costs they impose on society. Alcohol related accidents account for nearly $60 billion in damages in the United States each year. Montana is no exception to this problem. In 2008, Montana was ranked the deadliest state based on per capita Driving under the Influence (DUI) fatalities. To combat this issue Montana piloted the “24/7 Sobriety Program.” The predominant goal of the program was to increase the likelihood and severity of punishment for repeat offenders as well as …

Fish Food: Characterizing Aquatic Invertebrate Communities On The Upper Clark Fork River, Nicholas S. Voss, Diana Six

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The 2015 RESPEC Clark Fork River Fishery Assessment identified a reach of the Clark Fork River between Rock Creek and Flint Creek with low trout densities relative to the rest of the river. While examining a variety of potential causes, researchers noted a lack of information on aquatic invertebrate communities, which are a critical food source for trout. To investigate whether benthic invertebrates might account for the difference in trout densities, I used a kick net, yard stick, and flow tracker to sample aquatic invertebrate communities in six locations (three in a low trout density reach and three in a …

Missoula’S Homeless Children: Effects Of Homelessness On Mental, Emotional And Social Health, Sarah L. Shapiro

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The mental, emotional, and social health of children are greatly affected by being homeless. Being homeless as a child could effect a person’s coping skills and lead to mental health issues that increase the likelihood of substance abuse , suicide attempts, or adult homelessness. The purpose of this research project is to explore the negative effects of homelessness on Missoula children, and to identify services that could be useful in combating those effects. Methods for this project, included two data collection strategies. First, a literature review was completed for the purpose of enhancing understanding about the effects of homeless on …

Characterization Of Rna Aptamer Binding To Rift Valley Fever Virus Nucleocapsid Protein, Ilona C. Csik, Katherine Hornak

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause hemorrhagic fever in humans and miscarriage in livestock. There is currently no cure for RVFV.

Viral nucleocapsid protein (N) binding to viral RNA is crucial for RVFV replication, transcription, and genome protection. If N-RNA binding is prevented, RVFV will be unable to propagate in a host. This suggests that disruption of N-RNA interaction is a good potential therapeutic strategy for a new class of antiviral drugs. To exploit this target, molecular details about how N recognizes its preferred RNA binding sites must be elucidated.

The Lodmell laboratory previously …

Disaster Relief: A Monitoring & Evaluation Framework For Kopan Monastery, Shiva-Nandan Arens

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The April 2015 Nepal earthquake was the largest such event since 1934. It killed thousands, injured tens of thousands, and left an estimated two million homeless. The property damage was estimated to be equivalent to 25% of Nepal’s GDP. The chaos caused by the earthquake was soon compounded by a complex political gridlock and resulting blockade, which has only recently been resolved. In this catastrophic setting, the non-governmental organization response was difficult to coordinate, and occurred with reduced capacity due to inadequate or total lack of access to resources. Kopan Monastery temporarily shifted the locus of its work to the …

Effectiveness And Parent Acceptability Of Yeti For Children With Autism, Phillip A. Thomas, Mackinzie Tilleman, Emelyn Falley, Ana Fernandez-Prieto

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience social communication deficits that have been associated with loneliness, fewer friendships, and less satisfaction with friendships (Bauminger & Kasari, 2000). One in four children also have symptoms such as irritability, arguing, and defiance (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2013). Research studies have shown that social skills group interventions significantly improved youth’s social interactions, such as an increase in communication with peers and greater use of greetings (Barry, Klinger, Lee, Palardy, Gilmore & Bodin, 2003). Further, parents’ acceptability of social skills groups is also important to ensure that the intervention is meeting their child’s needs. Few …

Effects Of Hydration On Physiological Indicators During Heat Acclimation, Nicole E. Mickelson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Effects of hydration on physiological indicators during heat acclimation

N. Mickelson, M.Schleh, B. Ruby FACSM, C.L. Dumke FACSM

University of Montana, Missoula, MT.

Hydration of wildland firefighters (WLFF) during heat acclimation trials may impact performance by reducing physiological strain. By inducing dehydration in a controlled setting, physiological adaptations such as increased sweat rate and cardiovascular strain may be enhanced. PURPOSE: To investigate the impact hydration status (dehydrated/ euhydrated) has, through mitigated fluid delivery, on levels of hydration (% dehydration), sweat rate (SR), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). METHODS: Ten aerobically fit male subjects (age=23.0±0.9, weight=82.1±4.6kg) underwent …

Errt-C: A Treatment For Trauma-Related Nightmares In Children, Jasmine Talbert, Susan Ocean

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

More than five million children in the United States are exposed to some form of trauma each year (Pfefferbaum, 1997). Victims may develop a variety of posttraumatic stress symptoms, including PTSD. Sleep disturbance and nightmares are potential side-effects of trauma that can have detrimental results on the well-being of the child. ERRT, or Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescription Therapy was designed and proven effective in the treatment of trauma-related nightmares in adults. This treatment was recently adapted for use with children, known as Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescription Therapy-Child Version (ERRT-C). ERRT-C incorporates practices from well-established child-focused trauma treatments as well as …

Photoionization Cross-Sections And Rydberg Resonance Identifications Of Br+, Dylan Gross

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Absolute single photoionization cross-section measurements for Br⁺ are reported in the photon energy range of 17.0 to 32.4 eV. The merged beam technique which uses counter-propagating ion and photon beams was used for these measurements. One Rydberg resonance series is presented, which originates from the ³P₂ parent ion state of Br⁺ and converges to the ²P_3/2 final product ion state of Br²⁺. The ground state and meta-stable state ionization thresholds for Br⁺ and Br²⁺ are not yet confirmed, but are discussed. Analysis of each Rydberg series is calculated using quantum …

The Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions On Working Memory Capacity, Emelyn Falley, Mackinzie Tilleman, Phillip Thomas, Janeal Mcdonald

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Researchers have sought to determine more effective methods of improving learning outcomes for decades, but have more recently examined mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Mindfulness is characterized as being completely present in the current moment, and has been shown to have potential positive implications for attentional abilities and working memory capacity (Mrazek, Franklin, Phillips, Baird, & Schooler, 2013), or the limited workspace that alternates between processing demands and storage. MBIs have been shown to increase working memory capacity (WMC), increase positive affect, and protect WMC from erosion during high stress situations (Jha, Stanley, Kiyonaga, Wong, & Gelfand, 2010). Although previous research (e.g. …

Strengthening Early Mathematical Foundations: Number Recognition, Mary C. Burns

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Children enter elementary school with a diverse range of mathematical understanding, and students’ preliminary mathematical experiences can have a lasting effect on their self efficacy and attitudes towards school. Number recognition is an essential skill of early numeracy that allows for students to develop a strong mathematical foundation to build upon, and instructing these skills early is vital for children to view education with a positive outlook. Unfortunately, many students struggle with this facet of early numeracy.

This study focuses on how one ‘intensive’ kindergarten student’s number recognition skills were affected by individualized interventions. It explores where the student struggled …

The Role Of Rnase Y In Rpos Transcript Processing In Borrelia Burgdorferi, Zhibing Zhou

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Borrelia burgdorferi is the bacterial agent that causes Lyme disease. The pathogenic bacteria are transmitted to vertebrates through tick feeding and are maintained in nature in an enzootic cycle. The expression of outer surface protein OspC is essential for B. burgdorferi to move from the tick to a mammal. Alternative sigma factor RpoS is responsible for inducing gene expression for OspC production during the enzootic cycle. RpoS is encoded by two versions of RNA: a long one, which is hypothesized to be required for transmission from the tick, and a short one, which is thought to be involved in infection …

Umove: A Mobile Sub-Maximal Fitness Test Application For Wheelchair Users, Stefan Riemens, Lisa Morgan

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Determining human fitness can easily be accomplished through numerous examinations and testing methods. A majority of such tests are produced exclusively for individuals capable of free and unhindered movement. Limited attention has been paid to the evaluation and determination of fitness of wheelchair-bound individuals with various degrees of paraplegia. Professor James J. Laskin published an article in the Journal of Exercise Physiology concerning a cadence-based sub-maximal field test for predicting maximal oxygen consumption in wheelchair basketball athletes. Our goal is to employ his research in the development of a portable fitness application that promotes healthcare accessibility. The program is an …

Hip Flexor Extensibility And Its Correlation To Hip Hyperextension And Lower Back Pain In Dancers, Tessa Richards

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In the world of ballet, flexibility and strength are the keys to success. A leg extended to extraordinary heights is equated with beauty and expertise, whereas a lower height is seen as lesser quality. Dancers are trained from their first ballet lesson to reach their toes to the utmost end of their range of motion, and push themselves beyond the regular restrictions of the human body. Despite the pressure put on dancers to be extremely flexible, tight hip flexor muscles (the rectus femoris and the iliopsoas group) are a common complaint, restricting hip hyperextension (called an arabesque). To compensate for …

Effects Of Mindfulness Based Interventions On Mind Wandering In Students, Mackinzie S. Tilleman, Phillip A. Thomas, Emelyn Falley, Brandon Kipp, Ana Fernandez-Prieto

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Effect of Mindfulness-based Interventions on College Students’ Mind Wandering

Recent research has found that the human attention span has decreased to a short eight seconds, one second shorter than a goldfish (Patrick, 2015). Research suggests the mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) improve individuals’ attention abilities, including working memory capacity (Kane & McVay, 2012). Mind wandering is one aspect of attention, and is defined as thoughts flowing freely without any direction or control of the individual having them. One study found that even eight minutes of a mindfulness activity decreases mind wandering (Mrazek, Smallwood, & Schooler, 2012). These results show that short …

The Implications Of Teachers’ Perceptions Of Lgbtqia+ Youth, Kenzie L. Nash

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

People belonging to a sexual or gender minority are more likely to experience significant amounts of stigma and prejudice, specifically in school settings. Often times research looks at students’ perceptions of a school climate as a whole, but does not generally address the repercussions of the specific components it is comprised of. The current study examines how teachers’ perceptions of students’ LGBTQIA+ identity correlates with their overall sense of identity. Participants were 67 LGBTQIA+ identified youth who completed a survey examining correlates among different dimensions of identity status, identity reassurance, and sense of self. Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients were computed …

Togiak Archaeological Site Hair Samples- What Species?, Clare Super

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Molecular Anthropology lab at UMT will conduct DNA analysis on ancient hairs to determine what species they came from. Dr. Kristen Barnett, an anthropology postdoctoral scholar, obtained these samples from the Old Togiak archaeological site, the location of the half mile long remains of an ancient village on the southwest coast of Bristol Bay, Alaska. The site contains 62 house mounds and has been studied using surface/subsurface mapping technology and thirty-six core samples. In ten of those core samples, eleven unidentified hairs were found. I will be assisting in mitochondrial DNA analysis of the hairs, focusing at first on …

Iran Nuclear Agreement: Good Choice Or Bad Deal?, Mikaela J. Koski

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The nuclear deal between Iran and the US, along with other western nations, that came to fruition in the summer of 2015 has been characterized both as a positive change in US foreign relations and as an ill-conceived decision that could produce deadly consequences. Regardless of differing opinions on the content, the Iran nuclear deal will yield outcomes with international ramifications. This project analyzes the potential of the deal through the lens of the historical relationship between Iran and the United States to give much needed context to future interactions. Past US-Iranian relations will provide an indication of undertones that …

We're All Stressed, It's College: An Exploration Into The Perceptions Of Stress Among College Students, Shelby Lambdin

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Between jobs, clubs, classes, families, roommates, social expectations and the transition into adulthood, the traditional aged college student faces a great deal of stress in their day-to-day lives. Adding to the perplexities of this topic, each individual experiences different perceptions of stress. Physical activity is often recommended to reduce stress, but little research has been done in the context of the benefits of physical activity and stress reduction in college students. This research compares two specific groups of college students that fall within specific criteria. The comparison will be made between any differences in perceptions of stress between students who …

Cladistically Modeling Oldowan Assemblages: Preliminary Insights And Issues, Corey L. Johnson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Phylogenetics are useful for modeling cultural evolutionary relationships between taxa and can be used to reveal patterns of change reflected in the archaeological record. Lithic technology represents an ideal subject for phylogenetic analyses of culture because of its ubiquitous use in hunter-gatherer and early hominin populations, its ecological and memetic malleability, and the vast literature regarding the roughly 3.3 million-year-old lithic archaeological record. The Lower Paleolithic (~3.3-0.6 Ma) archaeological record provides important insight into early hominin evolution and behavior regarding landscape use, migration, and cognitive complexity. Although Lower Paleolithic stone-tools are less morphologically diverse than subsequent technologies, a considerable amount …

Determining Child Abuse Potential With The Child Guidance Interview Subscales, Sabina Sabyrkulova, Jasmine Talbert, Sarah Dahle, Anna Williams, Kenneth Flamand

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

A structured assessment, the Child Guidance Interview (CGI) (Infant/Preschool Form), is being developed to distinguish child abusers from non-abusers. Unlike other instruments, the CGI is designed to defeat the “fake-good” motivations of parents. The CGI presents parents with specific child guidance scenarios involving problematic child behaviors and asks parents to offer their responses. Previous CGI research has established that respondent’s adaptive or maladaptive responses correlate with child abuse potential. However, specific types of adaptive and maladaptive practices have not been investigated. The CGI is intended to identify adaptive and maladaptive practices in six categories originally identified by the Parenting as …

Documenting The Sedimentology Of An Unusual Set Of Gravel Deposits Exposed Along Snowbowl Road, Kyle Brangers

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This study focuses on documenting and interpreting the sedimentology of a set of gravel deposits presently exposed along Snowbowl Road approximately 1.5 kilometers above the intersection of Snowbowl Road with the Grant Creek Road. The gravel deposit is exposed on the north side of the road in a series of artificial exposures which were cut in the 1950’s when the Snowbowl Road was constructed. The deposit consists of a set of discontinuous exposures along ~100 meters of the road, and roughly 6 meters of stratigraphy is exposed. The main gravel deposit is dominated by pebble-sized clasts that are typically angular …

The Effects Of Fluoxetine On Aggressive Behaviour In Betta Splendens, Jeffrey R. Kelly, Clyde Collins

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Previous studies have shown strong evidence that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Fluoxetine reduces aggression and inhibits learning in Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens). While this evidence has been replicated across multiple studies, the behavioral mechanism of Fluoxetine on aggressive behavior and learning is still unknown. In particular, Fluoxetine may produce its anti-aggressive effects by altering the motivational arousal component of aggressive responding or through the sedation of motoric activity. In order to examine these two models, a maze-swimming task for access to reinforcing aggressive opportunities was implemented. Based on previous evidence, researchers hypothesized that subjects would have decreased …

Influence Of Fluid Ingestion On Sweat Rate Status While Exercising In The Heat, Delaney Frazer, Jonathon Chapman

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of differing volumes and temperatures of ingested water on sweat rate while exercising in the heat. Participants exercised for 3 hours in a hot room at WBGT 35.5 and 50% relative humidity. The subjects walked on an electric treadmill at 40% VO2 max, rested for 5 minutes, then completed a 1 mile time trial at peak exertion on a non-motorized treadmill (Woodway Curve), with the remainder of the hour spent resting. Subjects ingested 1 ml/kg body weight of water at ambient temperature or 0.5 ml/kg body weight ice every 10 …

Motor Control Of Force Output In Fresh And Fatigued Muscle Fibers, Jennifer Miller

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Purpose: Since the 1950s investigators focused on the motor control strategies used by the central nervous system to alter the force outputs of skeletal muscle, and have repeatedly observed a highly linear relationship between the forces applied to the environment and the volume of muscle activated to generate this tension. This classical relationship underpins nearly all existing hypotheses on the mechanisms of neuromuscular fatigue, yet it is unknown whether this understanding holds during the activation of fatigued muscle fibers.

Methods: Subjects completed a minimum of 40 exhaustive sprint-running trials (typically 5 trials per lab visit), on a high-speed force treadmill …

Motor Impairments Of Fluoxetine Administration In Betta Splendens, Jeffrey R. Kelly, Jaden Emminger

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The serotonergic neural pathway is highly involved in arousal, learning, attentional, and memory functions. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Fluoxetine functions as a 5HT antagonist on this pathway, leading so many implications on behavioral and neurological function. While evidence from the greater literature has shown significant evidence that Fluoxetine decreases motoric activity in Siamese fighting fish (Betta Splendens) the behavioral mechanism of Fluoxetine on motoric function is still unknown. Fluoxetine may impair the motoric function in subjects through the secondary effect of decreased dopamine transmission in the motor cortex following increased serotonin synthesis in addition to attentional sedation. Additionally, …

Synthesis And Binding Constants For Poly-Amidoxime Uranyl Complexes For Sequestering Uranium From Seawater, Evan W. Mcmanigal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In today's world the need for a constant, easily obtainable power supply is an everyday challenge. One underutilized resource that the world has is nuclear power, namely nuclear fission. Currently there is an estimated 4.5 billion metric tons of naturally solubilized, fissile uranium in seawater, reaching concentration levels close to 3.3 ppb; approximately 1000 times the current estimated amount available for terrestrial mining. This opportunity to move away from terrestrial mining presents both economic and environmental benefits, with the current seawater mining methods posing little to no environmental hazards. Most soluble uranium is in its U(VI) oxidation state, taking the …

The Oaβ1r Receptor Is Required In Peripheral Neurons To Interpret Environmental Information, Edmond D. Brewer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In many species, chemical signals from the environment trigger a variety of possible behavioral responses by an organism including feeding, aggression, and courtship. How neurons located at the periphery receive these signals and mediate the strength of this information before sending it forward to the brain remains unclear. The neuromodulator octopamine (OA, the insect equivalent of norepinephrine) has been shown by experiments from our lab and others to be required to promote male aggression. After OA is released into the extracellular space, it must bind to its receptors to elicit a response. In order to discover how signals from the …

The Oaβ1r Receptor Mediates Octopamine Signaling At The Periphery To Promote Male Aggression, Bryn Sutherland

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In order to survive, an organism needs to be able to interpret their surroundings and rapidly make decisions that lead to an appropriate behavioral response. Identifying and examining the roles of specific groups of neurons that receive environmental information, will enable us to better understand how these decisions are made and what behaviors can occur. Previous results from our lab and others indicate that the neuromodulator octopamine (OA) is required in Drosophila central brain neurons to promote male aggression. After OA is released into the extracellular space, it binds to its postsynaptic receptors to elicit a physiological response. In this …

The Role Of Glycerol Metabolism In The Lyme Disease Agent, Bethany Crouse

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, is maintained in nature through an enzootic cycle, transiting between a mammalian host and tick vector. Following acquisition by a tick, B. burgdorferi uses the sugar glucose from the blood meal to survive. When this source of carbon runs out, the bacterium undergoes a state of nutrient stress. During this time, it uses the sugar glycerol as an alternate carbon and energy source. The glp operon is composed of three annotated genes that enable B. burgdorferi to import and metabolize glycerol. glpD, the last gene in the operon, encodes the enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate …