Life Sciences Commons^™

Working Like A Dog: Literary Analysis Of Multifactorial Service Dog Outcomes., Sarah Brinck

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

What makes a service dog successful? Whether it is genetics or the environment they are raised in, the definition of a successful service dog is complicated. Organizations that set out to train service dogs depend on successful outcomes to continue operating. That makes it particularly important to determine and understand the primary factors that impact the success or failure of dogs bred and/or trained for service dog programs. Given the complexity of the requirements for effective service dogs, it can be costly for an individual or an organization to neglect any factors that contribute to success. Individual components of what …

A Music Composition Through The Use Of Animal Sounds, Andy Nguy

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The knowledge on animals has been studied over many years by researching and understanding animal behavior and creativity with music. Bioacoustics shows a great deal when it comes to collecting sounds through many principles for sound data collection. With saved recording of animals, music, speeches, and so much more, it has impacted the way music is created through technology. Music production has been advancing in many creative ways. The foundation of sound manipulation is musique concrète. The project uses these concepts of audio recording and digital sounds to produce a composition that includes animal sounds.

Young Germ Cell Depleted Ovaries In Post-Reproductive Mice And Its Effects On Immune Function, Mckenna Walters

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

It has previously been shown that young, cycling ovarian transplantation in aged female mice increased the general health and life span in regard to their post-reproductive health. It has further been hypothesized that this enhancement of health is directly influenced by the ovarian somatic cells. To address this hypothesis, transplants of young germ cell depleted and germ cell containing ovaries were performed on female mice. The purpose of this study is to continue to discern the reproductive influence on aging health, specifically in the area of immunological well-being. Control group mice were separated by age and treatment mice were subsequently …

Analyzing Fear Free Veterinary Practices And Their Effectiveness In Managing Client And Patient Fear, Anxiety, And Stress, And The Profitability Of These Techniques, Heather Hamblin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Fear-Free veterinary techniques are a new approach to caring for patients and clients in the veterinary clinic that have gained a great deal of popularity and traction. However, many veterinary professionals are left to question whether the utilization of these practices is resulting in a big enough change in client and patient stress levels to make it worth implementing these methods. This research looks into the views of veterinarians and clients on the effectiveness of these practices, and the competitive advantage of having a fear-free certified clinic from a business point of view.

Fermentation Of Prebiotics In Whole Food Powders By Probiotic Lactic-Acid Producing Bacterial Strains To Identify Synbiotic Combinations, Michaela Brubaker

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Dietary interventions with probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and prebiotics, complex dietary fibers that promote LAB growth, may favorably shift the gut microbiome to reduce colorectal cancer risk. Our primary hypothesis was that the LAB strains NCFM Lactobacillus acidophilus and HNO 19 Bifidobacterium lactis would thrive in the presence of agave, green banana, black raspberry, baobab fruit, or pomegranate peel whole food powders by fermenting their oligosaccharide (OS) components into lactic acid end products. LAB strains were cultured in media with no carbohydrate, purified OS, or one of the whole food powders. LAB strains cultured with agave appeared to grow …

Percussive Behavior In The Southern Resident Killer Whale (Orcinus Orca) Population At Lime Kiln Point State Park, Rylee Jensen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale (Orcinus orca, SRKW) is an iconic species in the Pacific Northwest. Although many ecological aspects of this population have been studied, including population dynamics, genealogy, diet, and habitat-use patterns, why SRKW perform above-surface "percussive" behavior such as breaching, cartwheeling, pectoral fin slapping, tail lobbing, and dorsal fin slapping remains unclear. In the present study, a) individual percussive behavioral data was recorded during the summer of 2016 to evaluate trends by age and sex class, and b) an existing long-term data set on SRKW was analyzed to compare the relationship between the seasonal …

Manipulation Of Ovarian Function Significantly Influenced Glucose Metabolism In Cba/J Mice, Kyleigh Ann Tyler

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Menopause is associated with a decline in overall health in women. One health aspect impacted is glucose metabolism. As women experience menopause, their metabolism declines dramatically. The current study addressed the influence of ovarian somatic cells on the improvement of metabolic health through transplantations of young, germ cell-depleted ovaries. The purpose of this study is to expand the understanding of female reproductive health on metabolism. Control mice were grouped by age and treatment mice were age-matched. Treatment mice were placed into one of three groups: 1) mice received germ cell-depleted ovaries, 2) mice received germ cell-containing ovaries, and 3) mice …

A Review Of Osteoarthritis, Madelin Brooke Session

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which plagues many older animals and humans. It is a disease that is characterized by the degeneration of joint cartilage, inflammation, as well as chronic pain and stiffness that results from this disorder. Unfortunately, most of the treatments for this painful and chronic disease mostly involve pain management and temporary relief strategies. These strategies usually include pain medication, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injectable lubricants, as well as surgical techniques. However, because these treatments are just temporary fixes meant for pain management and to improve quality of life they must continue throughout the remainder of the …

A Qualitative Research Approach To Understanding Challenges That May Inhibit Optimal Usage Of Automatic Milking Systems In Northern Utah, Jessica Christensen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Dairy robotics, i.e., Automatic Milking Systems (AMS), is a relatively new field, one that has great promise to optimize efficiency, production, and animal welfare of dairy cattle. However, despite quantitative research findings that indicate AMS success, dairy farmers still face challenges integrating AMS into their production systems. During the fall of 2018, interviews were conducted with northern Utah dairy farmers regarding their robotic systems. The respondent data was analyzed to reveal repeated problems with the robots. This analysis was then used to direct research in order to propose solutions to the farmers' AMS challenges. Conclusions were then summarized in an …

Managing Dietary Protein In Cattle As A Means Of Reducing Ammonia Emissions To Improve Air Quality, Ashley Houston

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Particulate matter pollution has become a subject of great concern across the globe. Emissions data has revealed that the agricultural sector is making large contributions to particulate matter through ammonia emissions. Beef and dairy cattle are responsible for producing nearly 50% of annual ammonia emissions in the United States. These animals are often fed amounts of dietary protein that exceed recommendations, resulting in increased excretion of urea and ammonia. These compounds combine with nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere to form PM_2.5: particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Research has shown that through proper dietary management …

The Effects Of Hazing On Urban Coyotes, Dakota Reed

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Urban expansion has rapidly increased over the last few decades. Over half of the human population now lives in urban areas (United Nations 2014). This has resulted in many carnivores being forced to adapt and find ways to use urban resources to survive (Bateman and Fleming 2012). While larger carnivores usually end up locally extinct, some medium sized predators like red fox (Vulpes vulpes), coyotes (Canis latrans), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) thrive in urban environments (Bateman and Fleming 2012). Having these carnivores living among humans can have both positive and negative consequences for the …

Relationships Of Beef Cattle Temperament With Feedlot Performance, Jeffrey James Briscoe

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This study determined relationships between beef cattle temperament and their feedlot performance. Thirty-five Angus cross-bred steers and heifers (18 steers and 17 heifers) were placed in the Utah State University feedlot to take part in the feed trial. Cattle temperament was measured by a chute score (CS, ranging from 1 = calm and not moving to 5 = rearing and violently struggling) and flight speed. Flight speed was measured by two observers to determine how long the animal took to travel 12 feet from the exit of the squeeze chute. Feedlot performance was assessed by body weight (BW) measurements, average …

Using Accelerometer Data To Remotely Assess Predation Activity Of Arctic Wolves, Heather Shipp

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) play an important role in ecosystems located in the far northern regions of the world; however, unlike the gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park, little information is available about High Arctic wolves and their impacts on prey populations. This research uses data received from two GPS radio-collared Arctic wolves located in the Fosheim Peninsula on Ellesmere Island. Each radio-collar was programmed to record a position every 30-60 minutes, as well as the wolfs activity movement (forwards - backwards and left - right), which was generated by an accelerometer housed within the radio-collar. This …

Non-Suitable Habitat A Cause For Declining Bobolink Populations In Northern Utah, Bethany Q. Unger

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryxivories, populations are declining in Utah. I characterized the habitat conditions of known bobolink nesting sites in Utah and compared these conditions to those for nest sites in Wisconsin where bobolinks are abundant. My habitat assessment included identifying vegetation species, vegetation cover, pH, temperature, and precipitation at each site location. Vegetation cover different between Utah and Wisconsin nest sites. Precipitation varied for both locations with no correlation between water availability and bobolink presence. One possible driver for the reduction in bobolinks throughout Utah is the drastic increase in temperature. Other possible external factors include livestock grazing, edge distance, …

Effect Of Aggregation At A Winter Feeding Station On Intestinal Parasite Load In Elk (Cervus Canadensis), Morgan Jaromilla Hughes

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Winter feeding stations are used throughout the western US to reduce elk depredation of crops and haystacks on private lands. Many of the unintended effects of such artificial congregation remain unexamined, but generally, across species, locally increased host densities result in increased parasite loads. This adds physiological stress to individual animals and in game species such as elk it could reduce their value to sportsmen. Through laboratory analyses of fresh samples, we recorded nematode egg densities in elk feces collected during two periods ( early and late) in the supplementary feeding season. Mean nematode egg density remained fairly constant in …

Dna Methylation Analysis Of Lin28a & Hand1 In Electrostimulated Genetically Unmodified Porcine Fibroblast Cells Grown In Vitro, Sara E. Calicchia

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Pluripotent (undifferentiated) cells are important for their applications in regenerative medicine. However, gene-based nuclear reprogramming of adult somatic cells is a slow and inefficient process, and poses some risk to recipient patients. Therefore, a major goal within the field of stem cell biology is to find a way to accomplish adult somatic cell de-differentiation using small chemical modulators of gene expression or other non-genomic mechanisms. Pilot studies in our laboratory have suggested that cells exposed to silver ions generated by the passage of a weak electrical current through a silver wire show morphological and gene expression changes reminiscent of de-differentiation. …

The Influence Of Invasive Plants On The Small Mammal Community In A Cold Desert, Trinity N. Smith

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Exotic invasive species can alter ecosystem health. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), Russian thistle (Salsola kali) and tall tumble mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum) are widely distributed invasive plants occurring throughout desert and shrub-steppe communities in the western United States. Due to the relative ease of capture, small mammal community metrics are often used to quantify overall ecosystem health. Studies examining small mammal communities are numerous but few have specifically examined the effects of invasive plants at the community level in arid ecosystems. In this study I examined community level small mammal responses to changes in microhabitat features, …

Mycoplasmas & Mycobacteria: Minimalists At Work, Shalee Killpack

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Mycoplasmas and mycobacteria are two types of opportunistic pathogens whose prevalence and virulence have long been underestimated. As a broad overview, this paper will explore the current understanding of these bacteria as well as some common pathological outcomes they can induce. Chronic infections, such as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and Johne's disease, can have extensive health and economic impacts on animal industries when improperly managed. Contamination of biopharmaceuticals and human variants of disease, are also matters of concern as more research is conducted in these areas. A more detailed understanding of these bacteria is beginning to emerge-a view which reveals mycoplasmas …

Utilizing Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis In Determining Parentage Of Cattle, Nicole M. Elbert

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Parentage identification within cattle herds is an important aspect of record keeping. It is essential for accurate registration within a purebred association and decision making for production purposes, such as replacement heifer and sire selection. Methods used to identify parentage have evolved from utilizing blood protein antigens, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and microsatellites to the current technology of analyzing DNA profiles for differing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In this preliminary study we analyzed genotype data from 1,066 samples obtained from various cattle breeds. These breeds included Holstein, Angus, Hereford, Irish Black, Jersey, Red Angus, Limousine, Charolais, Brown Swiss and …

Analysis Of An Inkjet Printed Strip Assay For Pregnancy Test In Cattle, Alexandra Windley Kelley

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Using commercially available antibodies, we created a modified ELISA strip assay to determine pregnancy in cattle. The anti‐progesterone antibody was printed on small membrane strips via an Inkjet printer. The strips were subsequently analyzed using varying concentrations of progesterone. The objective of this study was to assess this novel antibody printing process and to determine the binding activity of the anti‐progesterone antibody. The long‐term objective is to develop a pen-side pregnancy test that would cost less than $1.00. In this specific study, it was determined that the anti‐progesterone antibody used did not provide adequate sensitivity for visualization required for pen‐side …

Effects Of Supplementing Propionibacteria In Lactation Dairy Diets On Ruminal Fermentation In Continuous Cultures, Karmella Ann Dolecheck

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The aim of the present study was to assess characteristics of in vitro ruminal fermentation when mixed cultures were offered lactation dairy diets supplemented with the direct-fed microorganism, Propionibacterium P63 in continuous cultures. The design of the experiment was a 2 × 2 factorial with 4 replications. Diets based on corn silage and alfalfa hay as the forage sources were formulated; high forage (HF) or low forage (LF) diet with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 60:40 or 40:60 (DM basis), respectively, was combined without or with P63 to form 4 treatments: HF without P63, HF with P63, LF without P63, and …

Application Of Habitat And Occupancy Modeling To A Wood Duck Next Box Program, Jason D. Carlisle

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Programs to augment wood duck (Aix sponsa) nesting habitat by providing artificial nest boxes are commonly implemented. In northern Utah, where such programs are relatively new, I proposed a method to identify sites suitable for deployment of next boxes through a combination of habitat and occupancy modeling using site-specific, biotic, and abiotic, data collected from 105 next boxes over one nesting season in Cache County, Utah. An inductive habitat model was first developed which identified possibly suitable habitat (8.74% of county) based on proximity to hydrologic features. Next, based on comparing competing single-species, single-season, occupancy models using a modified Akaike's …

Effects Of Direct And Indirect Predator Cues On Heteromyid Seed Selection And Seed Fate, Kelly J. Sivy

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Many factors affect foraging behavior of rodents, including predation risk, which is thought to influence seed selection and seed handling by desert rodents in patchy environments. Understanding forces that drive seed selection and seed fate can aid understanding of rodents' impacts on vegetation structure and dynamics. In a feeding arena study, we tested how indirect and direct predation cues influence seed selection and handling behaviors (e.g., scatterhoarding and larderhoarding) of two heteromyid rodents, Dipodomys ordii (Ord's kangaroo rat) and Perognathus parvus (Great Basin pocket mouse), foraging on three seed species. The indirect cue was shrub cover: one half of the …

Investigating The Role Of Transcription Factor Ap-2�� In Reproduction, Anne Rachelle Howlett

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The proper formation of gametes is critical for the propagation of species and for the fertility of the individual. The molecular pathways involved in gamete formation remains elusive, therefore, identification of genes involved is an important prerequisite to further our understanding of reproduction. This research will improve infertility treatments and prevention methods in animals and humans. We created mutants that lacked AP-2�� transcription factor after the mouse had entered meiosis and initiated folliculogenesis. The AP-2�� mutants were still fertile and phenotypically similar to normal mice that expressed AP-2�� transcription factor. We also produced mutants that lacked AP-2�� transcription factor during …

A Comparison Of The Amely Gene Sequence In Argali (Ovis Ammon) And Domestic (Ovis Aries) Sheep, Kimberly Elwood

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Amelogenin (AMEL) is a gene responsible for tooth bud development. It is located on the X-chromosome, thus called AMELX, in mammals. AMEL has been shown to be present in fish, amphibians, and reptiles, though the exact location on the chromosome has not been determined. Amelogenin-like gene (AMELY), an AMEL homolog encoded on the Y-chromosome in some mammals, including sheep, cattle, deer, bears, humans, and some primates, is shorter than the sequence on the X-chromosome. It is unknown whether AMELY is transcriptionally active, but it has been found to be useful for human sexing purposes in forensics, archaeology and prenatal diagnosis, …

Investigation Of The Toxic Affect Of Manganese On Ruminal Microbial Digestion And Growth, Erin Dearing

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research investigated the toxic effect of manganese, in a reduced chemical state, on rumen microbial metabolism and growth. The reduced form of manganese is the soluble state found in subsurface waters and has a high red-ox potential. In the study, we investigated the effects of reduced manganese at varying concentrations, on rumen microbial ability to replicate and metabolize carbohydrates. The hypotheses that we tested were as follows: (1) reduced manganese decreases the rate of pH drop associated with rumen culture fermentation of a com based diet and (2) reduced manganese decreases the bacterial growth in rumen culture, as measured …

Identification Of A Genetic Marker For Litter Size In Sheep, Olivia Price

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if the estrogen receptor gene (ESR) could be used as a genetic marker for litter size in sheep. The estrogen receptor gene was chosen because it has been successfully used as a genetic marker for litter size in swine. In this study, DNA dilutions from two experimental flocks, totaling approximately 200 animals, were used. Amplification of exon 1/intron 1 of the ESR gene was performed using PCR. Initial results indicated a polymorphism in the gene when cut with the restriction enzyme Ava ll. It appeared that the gene contained a deletion with …

The Influence Of Connective Tissue In Meat Tenderness (A Histological And Comparative Study), Rachael Anne Adams

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

There are several means of determining the tenderness of meat. Recently, a great deal of effort has been focused on connective tissue, or collagen, as a measure of tenderness. These foci have included biochemical determination of collagen types, the ratios of soluble and insoluble collagen, changes of collagen with age, and abundance of collagen.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the abundance of collage as a means of differentiating levels of tenderness , using histology. Steaks taken from the bovine tenderloin, inside round, and bottom round (eye) were observed histologically using special stains for connective tissue. This method, …

The Influence Of Fluorescent Light On The Development Of In Vitro Fertilized Bovine Oocytes, Jared Bunch

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Advances in in vitro fertilization and in vitro culture techniques have allowed considerable progress in identifying physiological requirements of mammalian embryos. Parrish et al. (11) reported a major breakthrough on in vitro fertilization when his group identified heparin as an important factor for the capacitation of spermatozoa. Capacitation is necessary for fertilization of matured oocytes. During the precoculture era of embryos (prior to 1980), the development of early preirnplantation embryos was vary limited regardless of medium, medium supplement, gas atmosphere, osmolarity or pH used (7). Coculture techniques of fertilized oocytes using somatic cells during in vitro production, particularly of bovine …

The Use Of The Xylose Tolerance Test As An Indicator Of Malabsorption In Cryptosporidiosis, James A. Evans

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan parasite infecting epithelial cells lining the intestinal tract of animals and humans, causes fulminate diarrhea and malabsorption of essential nutrients following damage to the cellular brush border. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the use of a pentose sugar (D-xylose) in a standardized tolerance test as an indicator of malabsorption due to cryptosporidiosis in the dexamethasone (DEX)-immunosuppressed adult C57BL/6N mouse model. One group containing 14 experimental mice (in addition to appropriate control groups) was immunosuppressed using daily intraperitoneal injections of DEX (125 μg/mouse). On day 7 postimmunosuppression, mice were inoculated orally with 104 C. …