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2013

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The Effects Of Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6, And Tumor Necrosis Factor On Aldosterone Release From The Bovine Adrenal Cortex, Todd A. Richards, Dr. Allan M. Judd Sep 2013

The Effects Of Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6, And Tumor Necrosis Factor On Aldosterone Release From The Bovine Adrenal Cortex, Todd A. Richards, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The adrenal is an endocrine gland that is important for the release of steroid hormones and cathecholamines. The adrenal gland is closely associated with the immune system. This association is closely linked by the release of cytokines. Cytokines are a diverse group of proteins first isolated within the immune system but have now been identified in numerous tissues, including those of the endocrine system. The principle cytokines affecting the adrenal gland are interleukin-1 (IL-alpha and IL-beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). These cytokines can regulate adrenal function, particularly during increased stress and disease, and because they are produced …

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Taxonomy Of Animal Hair Using A Scanning Electron Microscope, Britten D. Sessions, Dr. Wilford M. Hess Sep 2013

Taxonomy Of Animal Hair Using A Scanning Electron Microscope, Britten D. Sessions, Dr. Wilford M. Hess

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), selected mammalian species were studied to determine hair cuticular patterns. Although other studies have been conducted on mammalian hair, there exists no classification or taxonomy of Western U.S. mammals using an SEM.

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The Pan American (2013-09-26), Norma Gonzalez, Lea Victoria Juarez Sep 2013

The Pan American (2013-09-26), Norma Gonzalez, Lea Victoria Juarez

UTPA Archives - The Pan American Newspaper

Vol. 70, No. 5

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Preservation Of Mexican Harvest Mice, Daniel Hardy, Dr. Duke Rogers Sep 2013

Preservation Of Mexican Harvest Mice, Daniel Hardy, Dr. Duke Rogers

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The preservation of wildlife has been a growing concern in Mexico. Specifically, the natural habitat of many Mexican mice has been rapidly diminishing over the past few decades. A more extensive understanding of these types of animals will help contribute to increasing the awareness of the rich diversity of Mexican biota and augment the conservation efforts in this area of the world.

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Phylogenetic Analyses Of The Burrowing Members In The Freshwater Crayfish Genera Fallicambarus And Procambarus In Arkansas, Timothy D. O'Connor, Dr. Keith A. Crandall Sep 2013

Phylogenetic Analyses Of The Burrowing Members In The Freshwater Crayfish Genera Fallicambarus And Procambarus In Arkansas, Timothy D. O'Connor, Dr. Keith A. Crandall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There are an estimated 338 taxa of freshwater crayfish in the United States, with approximately 48% considered to be endangered, threatened, or of special concern (Taylor et al. 1996). Life history information for the majority of the primary burrowing species is lacking because they dig deep burrows and venture out only during breeding periods. Burrowing members of the genera Procambarus and Fallicambarus are found in seasonally moist habitats across Arkansas, such as roadside ditches and open pastures. To date, no phylogenetic study has been conducted that establishes a phylogenetic framework for the classification of these elusive species.

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Lichen Flora Of Boulder Mountain, Aquarius Plateau, Wayne County, Utah Usa: An Altitudinal Comparison Of Lichen Communities, Steven Leavitt, Dr. Larry St. Clair Sep 2013

Lichen Flora Of Boulder Mountain, Aquarius Plateau, Wayne County, Utah Usa: An Altitudinal Comparison Of Lichen Communities, Steven Leavitt, Dr. Larry St. Clair

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Lichen ecology is a facet of biology that remains relatively unexplored in many parts of the United States. Lichens can play an important role as indicators of local environmental conditions, as lichen species density and community structure are significantly affected by airborne contaminants and other anthropogenic influences. Obtaining baseline ecological data for local lichen communities will make it possible to continually monitor local communities and evaluate future changes in community structure.

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The Effects Of Point Mutation Saturation On The Loss Of Information In Mutated Dna Sequences, Kimberly Baer, Dr. David Mcclellan Sep 2013

The Effects Of Point Mutation Saturation On The Loss Of Information In Mutated Dna Sequences, Kimberly Baer, Dr. David Mcclellan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The research I am conducting fills a niche in molecular adaptation. My experiment uses accepted methods of reconstruction to evaluate the accumulation of multiple hits at single sites. It is accepted that over time point mutation saturation in specific sequences occurs in a clock-like manner following Poisson-like pattern leading to loss of information in empirical data being very unrecoverable. This area of study shows a gap in scientific knowledge as to how molecules change and develop over time. I want to understand how saturation accumulates and what it means for the loss of information.

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Medical Options For Treating Parasitic Diseases In Ashanti-Mampong, Ghana, West Africa, Whitney Elizabeth Wheeler, Dr. James B. Jensen Sep 2013

Medical Options For Treating Parasitic Diseases In Ashanti-Mampong, Ghana, West Africa, Whitney Elizabeth Wheeler, Dr. James B. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I conducted my research in Ashanti-Mampong, Ghana, West Africa over the course of 3 months. My project was to study the medical options available to patients that had malaria and/or worms.

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Development Of A Novel Human Vestibular Schwannoma Xenograft Model In Scid Mice, John Welling, Dr. Kim O'Neil Sep 2013

Development Of A Novel Human Vestibular Schwannoma Xenograft Model In Scid Mice, John Welling, Dr. Kim O'Neil

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) is a benign, slow growing tumor that arises from the myelin sheath of the vestibular nerve (cranial nerve VIII). The myelin sheath is composed of flat, layered cells known as Schwann cells, which serve to insulate nerve fibers. It is increased proliferation of these Schwann cells which leads to VS tumor growth. As VS tumors grow, they place increasing pressure on cranial nerve VIII, causing hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and balance dysfunction. Eventually VS tumors may lead to brainstem compression and even death.1

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Stromal-Cell Derived Factor-1Α And Macrophages Increased Invasive Potential Of Breast Cancer Cells, Devin Twitchell, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill Sep 2013

Stromal-Cell Derived Factor-1Α And Macrophages Increased Invasive Potential Of Breast Cancer Cells, Devin Twitchell, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Research has demonstrated that in some tumors, up to fifty percent of a breast tumor’s mass is composed of macrophages (1). It is well recognized that macrophages can inhibit tumor growth and, paradoxically, stimulate tumor growth and metastasis depending on the proteins produced (2). Macrophages located within the tumor environment are classified as tumor-associated macrophages. The migration of cancer cells from the primary tumor to a secondary site is a multipart process. How tumors are able to proliferate and invade into foreign areas is still unclear. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the presence of macrophages in primary tumors …

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Multidisciplinary Database For Byu Fag El Gamous Excavations, Ryan Pail Peters, Richard Paul Evans Sep 2013

Multidisciplinary Database For Byu Fag El Gamous Excavations, Ryan Pail Peters, Richard Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 1990, under the direction of Wilfred Griggs, he and six other Brigham Young University (BYU) professors, R. Paul Evans, James Farmer, Marek Kaliszewski, Donald Robertson, Mark Rowe, and Scott Woodward, and at the request of the Egyptian Government Supreme Council of Antiquities, united to begin tissue sampling and DNA analysis of the estimated 150,000 burials at the ancient Fag el Gamous cemetery in Fayum, Egypt, which was utilized approximately between 350 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.

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Improved Culture Technique For Mycobacterium Ulcerans, Neal S. Thomson, Dr. Richard Robison Sep 2013

Improved Culture Technique For Mycobacterium Ulcerans, Neal S. Thomson, Dr. Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Mycobacterium ulcerans is a pathogenic bacterium and is the causative agent of Buruli Ulcer, a common mycobacterial disease similar to tuberculosis and leprosy. Buruli Ulcer is endemic to Western Africa and produces a deforming and sometimes lethal skin disease. One major obstacle for research is the slow growth of the bacterium in batch culture. M. ulcerans currently grows in vitro with a doubling time of about 4.8 days, resulting in an average culture time of 8-10 weeks before the appearance of colonies. This evidence makes it difficult to study M. ulcerans in the laboratory. The goal of my research was …

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Population Structure Of The Cuttlefish Sepia Officinalis From The North Atlantic-Mediterranean Region, Mark Joseph Nolte, Dr. Keith Crandall, Marcos Pérez-Losada Sep 2013

Population Structure Of The Cuttlefish Sepia Officinalis From The North Atlantic-Mediterranean Region, Mark Joseph Nolte, Dr. Keith Crandall, Marcos Pérez-Losada

Journal of Undergraduate Research

An understanding of the relatedness of a population of organisms, or their phylogeny, combined with knowledge of that population’s geographical distribution, can illuminate which geographic forces and events may have played a role in forming the “family tree” of that organism. Therefore past speciation events and the incipient stages of speciation can be discerned when phylogenetic and geographic information is merged. This process, broadly known as the practice of phylogeography or biogeography, is important because it permits researchers to visualize the evolutionary interplay between environment and organism. Additionally, an understanding of an organism’s population structure, or family tree, enables scientists …

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Binding Partners Of The Pho U Protein In E .Coli, Dustin C. Higgins, Dr. William Mccleary Sep 2013

Binding Partners Of The Pho U Protein In E .Coli, Dustin C. Higgins, Dr. William Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Escherechia coli phosphate detection system is coded by a set of genes in the bacterium and is used to regulate phosphate production for metabolic processes. These genes make the PstSCAB phosphate transporter, PhoU protein, Alkaline Phosphatase, PhoR protein, and the PhoB protein. When phosphate is low in the cell’s environment, the system is activated to produce Alkaline Phosphatase.

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Molecular Evolution And The Effects Of Amelioration In Meloidogyne Incognita, Adler R. Dillman, Dr. Byron J. Adams Sep 2013

Molecular Evolution And The Effects Of Amelioration In Meloidogyne Incognita, Adler R. Dillman, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The process of horizontal or lateral gene transfer involves the movement of genetic information in a lateral fashion from one organism to another, regardless of phylogenetic distance. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major mechanism of prokaryotic evolution while its role in eukaryotic evolution remains undecided, with many claims of genes being laterally transferred from prokaryotes to eukaryotes being subsequently refuted [1,2]. Recently, 12 genes of the plant parasite M. incognita have been proposed as being good candidates of HGT. Because certain rhizobial bacteria occupy a very similar niche both inside and out of the plant, and use many of …

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Critical Parameters Influencing Chemical-Induced Apoptosis In Human Lymphoid Cell Lines, Matthew Ben Cook, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill Sep 2013

Critical Parameters Influencing Chemical-Induced Apoptosis In Human Lymphoid Cell Lines, Matthew Ben Cook, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2005, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reported that an estimated 10.9 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the year 2002 (for a total of 24.6 million persons currently living with cancer) and that 6.7 million deaths were attributable to cancer[1]. Around 300,000 new cases of leukemia, with 222,000 new deaths, were also reported. In many cases, the occurrence of cancer in an individual can be attributed to lifestyle choices, such as smoking, diet, exercise, work environment, etc. However, there are also genetic contributors to cancer.

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Characterization Of Phase-Switching Genes In Photorhabdus Luminescens, Tj Bliss, Dr. Byron J. Adams Sep 2013

Characterization Of Phase-Switching Genes In Photorhabdus Luminescens, Tj Bliss, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nearly every living organism derives benefit from living with one or more species of bacteria during some or all of its lifetime. Numerous studies have described the phenotypic benefit that each or either partner receives from associations of this kind, but the molecular mechanisms of such interactions have not been well described. Understanding beneficial bacterial interactions with their hosts are of interest in that information obtained will have implications in identifying mechanistic components of those interactions that may operate similarly in pathogens and can be exploited in combating infection or in describing the interactions between bacteria and more complex organisms …

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Description Of A Novel Mutant Entemopathogenic Bacterium Photorhabdus Luminescence, George Bailey, Dr. Byron J. Adams Sep 2013

Description Of A Novel Mutant Entemopathogenic Bacterium Photorhabdus Luminescence, George Bailey, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescence and the nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora share an intimate symbiotic relationship. Together, the pair preys on insect larva in the soil. Infective juvenile (IJ) nematodes seek out insect hosts by following chemical signals, such as CO2, given off by potential hosts. After locating the insect, IJs quickly invade the larva. In their new home, the nematodes regurgitate the bacteria they have been harboring in their gut. The bacteria immediately begin attacking the insect and then multiply within the fresh cadaver. The nematodes feed on the proliferating bacteria, sexually develop, and reproduce. In addition to acting as the …

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Antarctic Soil Microbial Food Webs: Molecular Analysis Of Nematode Gut Contents, Kyle Winkler, Dr. Byron Adams Sep 2013

Antarctic Soil Microbial Food Webs: Molecular Analysis Of Nematode Gut Contents, Kyle Winkler, Dr. Byron Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Soils are the basis of agriculture and the sustainability of life as we know it. Despite this fact, we know very little about soil ecosystem function and what biotic organization is required for effective nutrient cycling in soils. In this project, I attempted to better our understanding of soil food web relationships in a simple, natural ecosystem.

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A Novel Asymmetric Phase-Transfer Catalyzed Approach To The Compounds Ragaglitazar And Kuarsoin A, D. Karl Bedke Sep 2013

A Novel Asymmetric Phase-Transfer Catalyzed Approach To The Compounds Ragaglitazar And Kuarsoin A, D. Karl Bedke

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Asymmetric glycolate alkylation plays a key role in the synthesis of complex biologically active compounds. Such asymmetric transformations have largely to date been accomplished by employing chiral auxiliaries which have shown remarkable success in asymmetric synthesis. However, auxiliaries must also be used in stoichiometric amounts and can become quite expensive. A catalytic approach to asymmetric glycolate alkylations presents an attractive option to the use of auxiliaries. Andrus2,3 et al. have recently developed a methodology utilizing phase-transfer catalyst 1 for alkylation of a novel alkoxyacetophenone substrate 2 that can be readily oxidized to its glycolic ester derivative to provide access to …

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Tissue And Intracellular Distribution Kinetics Of Vitamin K, David Hunt, Dr. Robert Davidson Sep 2013

Tissue And Intracellular Distribution Kinetics Of Vitamin K, David Hunt, Dr. Robert Davidson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In June of 2003 I began studying the metabolism kinetics of vitamin K in the Sprague-Dawley rat under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Davidson. This work has since developed into the body of my proposed Master’s thesis. This letter is intended to communicate the progress of this research.

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Degeneration Of Articular Cartilage In The Temporomandibluar Joint Of Mice With Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm), Robert R. Seegmiller Sep 2013

Degeneration Of Articular Cartilage In The Temporomandibluar Joint Of Mice With Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm), Robert R. Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease affecting humans today. This disease leads to premature degradation of articular cartilage in joints, such as the knee, and it can be caused by mutations in collagen coding genes. Collagen is the basic building block of cartilage, so any mutations would affect the response of collagen to outside factors.

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Type Iia Procollagen – Osteoarthritis Biomarker In Dmm Mice, John Mcallister, Kenneth Merrell, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller Sep 2013

Type Iia Procollagen – Osteoarthritis Biomarker In Dmm Mice, John Mcallister, Kenneth Merrell, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Arthritis is a painful, debilitating disease that affects sixty-six million Americans (The Arthritis Foundation 2005). Osteoarthritis (OA), results in joint degeneration caused by cartilage erosion and synovial inflammation. While the causes of OA remain unclear, current evidence suggests that both mechanical and biochemical factors can initiate OA. Ethical and practical issues limiting the availability of human tissue in OA research necessitate the use of animal models. Mice with the disproportionate micromelia mutation (Dmm) exhibit histological characteristics similar to those of humans with OA. Use of Dmm as a model of OA may lead a discovery of a common mechanism associated …

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Does Addition Of The Snare Protein Snap-25 To Syntaxin 1a Enhance Fusion Rates Of Modified Synaptic Vesicles In A System Containing The Minimum Vesicle Fusion Machinery?, Jeremy Curtis, Dr. Dixon Woodbury Sep 2013

Does Addition Of The Snare Protein Snap-25 To Syntaxin 1a Enhance Fusion Rates Of Modified Synaptic Vesicles In A System Containing The Minimum Vesicle Fusion Machinery?, Jeremy Curtis, Dr. Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The original intent of my project was to compare the fusion rates of synaptic vesicles to a syntaxin artificial membrane with and without SNAP-25. Recent research has shown that modified synaptic vesicles may fuse to a syntaxin-only bilayer . Prior to this, the major dogma of the SNARE-induced hypothesis of vesicle fusion has included SNAP-25 as a necessary component.

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Untitled, Legg Barzee Sep 2013

Untitled, Legg Barzee

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We have previously shown that treatment of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells with a serum-achievable concentration of a biologically relevant form of selenium (Se) dramatically reduces binding of the transcription factor NF-kappaB to its DNA response element, and reduces by half the transcription rates and steady state mRNA levels for anti-apoptotic and other NF-kappaB regulated genes. However, the activation of NF-kappaB is a multistep process (See Figure 1). It is possible that Se could affect various steps in that process ultimately resulting in a decreased binding to DNA. The purpose of this work was to identify those steps in the …

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Molecular Dynamics Of Nystatin Dimers, Brian Knudson, Dr. Dixon J. Woodbury Sep 2013

Molecular Dynamics Of Nystatin Dimers, Brian Knudson, Dr. Dixon J. Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the original goal of the project was to investigate the channel-forming mechanism of Nystatin, I began the project as outlined in the proposal.

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Utilizing Guanidinium Cations To Reveal The Structural And Energetic Consequences Of Covalently Linking Malonyl Gramicidin Monomers, James E. Ricks, David Busath Sep 2013

Utilizing Guanidinium Cations To Reveal The Structural And Energetic Consequences Of Covalently Linking Malonyl Gramicidin Monomers, James E. Ricks, David Busath

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The existence of multicellular organisms is dependent on the concerted activities of scores of individual cells. These vital communication links are supplied by hosts of receptors, hormones, and trans-membrane channels. One of these key links is the gramicidin ion channel, a helical peptide which when dimerized forms an uncharged channel spanning its host membrane.1

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Chondrocyte Apoptosis As A Biomarker In Animal Models Of Osteoarthritis, Luke M. Gessel, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller Sep 2013

Chondrocyte Apoptosis As A Biomarker In Animal Models Of Osteoarthritis, Luke M. Gessel, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Apoptosis, or “programmed cell death”, is one process used by cells to terminate their existence. The phenomenon of an increase of apoptotic cell death in cases of osteoarthritis (OA) has recently become a much disputed topic among laboratories dedicated to the advancement of OA research . The standard progression of OA, based on our current knowledge, shows an increase in cellularity, or cell density, of the cartilage cells known as chondrocytes, followed by a subsequent decrease in this chondrocyte cellularity and a breakdown of the cartilage. Apoptosis would provide a mechanism through which this rapid decrease in cellularity may occur, …

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The Effects Of Galantamine On The Kinetics Of Heteromeric Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Sean Georgi, Dr. Sterling Sudweeks Sep 2013

The Effects Of Galantamine On The Kinetics Of Heteromeric Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Sean Georgi, Dr. Sterling Sudweeks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Modern medicine has dramatically increased the lifespan of individuals in industrialized societies, leading to large populations of elderly adults. With this lengthened lifespan, however, has come an increased incidence in age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. The causes of these diseases are enigmatic and complex, making them difficult to cure or prevent. Rather, current treatments try to delay or slow the progression of such diseases. One such treatment for Alzheimer’s disease involves the drug galantamine, derived from a natural compound in daffodil bulbs. Studies have begun to elucidate the mechanisms through which galantamine alleviates Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, and this project’s …

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Determining Secretory Phospholipase A2 Binding Properties Through The Fluorescent Probe Nystatin, Rachel Williams Bailey, Dr. John Bell Sep 2013

Determining Secretory Phospholipase A2 Binding Properties Through The Fluorescent Probe Nystatin, Rachel Williams Bailey, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nystatin is a fluorescent molecule that has recently been characterized as a probe of phospholipid properties in artificial membranes. The hypothesis purported by my research group was that nystatin binds preferentially to the boundary between ordered and disordered phases of phospholipids in both artificial and biological membranes. My project was to test this hypothesis in biological membranes. By further characterizing nystatin as a probe, our group would have another tool with which to understand the binding properties of the enzyme secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). Secretory PLA2 adsorbs to the surface of cells and hydrolyzes membrane phospholipids to release free fatty …

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