Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Importance Of The N-Terminal Negative Residues In Human Prmt1, Brooke Siler

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Many essential physiological pathways, such as cell proliferation, gene expression, and cardiovascular health are regulated by Protein Arginine Methyltransferases (PRMTs) through methylation of arginine residues in protein substrates. Understanding how PRMTs interact with their substrates is pivotal to understanding the biological role of these enzymes, and fundamental to the goal of identifying possible sites to be inhibited through drug therapy. Natural variations in the N-terminus of the PRMTl enzymes and data collected in our lab suggest that the N-terminus is important for activity and/or the binding of protein substrates. Preliminary data collected had led us to hypothesize that the negatively …

Developing An Optimized Light Spectrum For Plant Growth And Development, Kevin Richard Cope

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a rapidly developing technology for plant growth lighting and have become a powerful tool for understanding the spectral effects of light on plants. Several studies have shown that some blue light is necessary for normal growth and development, but the effects of blue light appear to be species dependent and may interact with other wavelengths of light as well as photosynthetic photon flux (PPF). Here we report the photobiological effects of three types of white LEDs (warm, neutral and cool) on the growth and development of radish, soybean, and wheat. All species were grown at two …

Comparing Trophic Level Position Of Invertebrates In Fish And Fishless Lakes In Arctic Alaska, Katie Fisher

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Arctic lakes are likely very sensitive to the effects of climate change. Thus it is important to understand the current food web dynamics and energy flow within these lakes, to better understand how they will change in the future due to the effects of a rapidly changing climate. In order to contribute to this understanding, my project consists of an analysis of stable isotopes of carbon (delta 13 C) and nitrogen (delta 15 N) from invertebrates among fish and fishless lakes in arctic Alaska, to compare their trophic level positions and primary energetic sources. I collected pelagic invertebrates from 5 …

Escherichia Coli: Levels Found In Suva Water And The Implications To Fijians: A Case Study Of The Vatuwaqa River, Hesper D. Kohler

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Urban migration is causing a high increase in the population of Suva, Fiji, and the population is growing at a rate that exceeds development planning and infrastructure. Several squatter settlements are established within the city limits where raw sewage, containing infectious pathogens and diseases, is released into the waterways. This study focuses on the area accumulation of the pathogenic bacteria from fecal contamination in the form of E. coli down the Vatuwaga River. E. coli is used as a water quality indicator because, if it is present, other possible pathogens and viruses such as cholera and salmonella could be present. …

Spectrum Noise Exposures - Analysis And Control Implementation, Kyle Lynn Naylor

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Dee Glen Smith spectrum at Utah State University has a reputation of having one of the loudest student sections in the nation. For years, students have taken pride in creating a home court advantage by creating an extremely rowdy and loud atmosphere. Many would agree that this is what makes USU basketball so special.

Elevated noise levels, however, have the potential of creating a health hazard to both employees and spectators. Elevated noise levels can cause negative acute effects such as headache, dizziness, nausea, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The most likely acute affects that students, employees, and …

Modulation Of Neuronal R-Type Ca2+ Channels (Cav2.3) By G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Lauren S. Page

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Neuronal R-type Ca²⁺ channels (Ca_v2.3) are expressed at high concentrations within the cortex, hippocampus and striatal regions of the brain, where they participate in neuronal excitability and synaptic signaling. This pattern of expression may signify a connection between Ca_v2.3 channel function and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Huntington's Disease (HD). Both of these disorders are caused by inadequate secretion of the neurotransmitter dopamine within the striatum. The first step in characterizing the potential importance of Ca_v2.3 in PD and HD is to examine its modulation by G-protein-coupled dopamine receptors. Specifically, …

Preservation Effects On Common Macroinvertebrates Of The Intermountain West, Megan Paxton

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Dry mass/wet mass ratios are essential for estimating energy flow through ecosystems, determining energy budgets, and studying energy allocation in organisms. Preserving specimens by freezing or storing them in ethanol has known effects on the wet mass measurements. These storage methods are used regardless of their effects - altering the wet mass and thereby changing the mass ratio for the organism. We evaluated the effects of ethanol storage and freezing on six different taxa from the Interrnountain West: Hesperoperla, lsoperla, Rhithrogena, Drunella, Arctopsyche, and Rhyacophila. All the taxa studied except Hesperoperla and Rhyacophila showed a significant loss in …

Ebt At Farmer's Markets Is A Snap, Amanda Spackman

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Research Question: How can farmers' markets best implement the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to increase sales and provide low income individuals with access to fresh, local produce?

This paper will discuss the use of SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) at farmers' markets, with particular emphasis on the Cache Valley Gardener's Market as an example. Lack of access to adequate food is a major issue in the US. When farmers' markets work in conjunction with the federal SNAP program they can help individuals who struggle with food security to gain access to local food. There are many benefits …

An Application Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy As It Relates To Children, Laura Anne Wright

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper expounds upon a modem therapy which has emerged as an effective, albeit less conventional, mode for the treatment of people with Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is a therapy based on the premise that an effective way of coping with unwanted cognitions, such as those present in OCD, is for one to focus on life ideals and values. This approach contrasts with the conventional method of remedying the symptoms of a mental disorder such as OCD before pursuing life goals. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has several dimensions which will be discussed.

Development Of A Genetic Marker To Differentiate Between Pulex Irritans And Pulex Simulans, Colby Russell Kearl

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Pulex irritans and Pulex simulans are zoonotic flea vectors of plague and other infectious diseases. P. irritans have historically been known to use carnivores as a host, while P. simulans primarily parasitizes omnivores. To fully understand arthropod-borne infectious disease transmissibility and potential for geographical spread, it is important to differentiate between these two flea species. Traditional taxonomy uses the flea's male morphological features to distinguish species. There are no observable morphological differences between the female P. irritans and P. simulans. Molecular markers of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) have been successfully used in other insect organisms to differentiate …

Thermal Microhabitat Preference Of The Common Side-Blotched Lizard, Uta Stansburiana, Maria Goller

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Ectotherms are especially susceptible to changing temperature conditions within their environment. To limit temperature fluctuations they must behaviorally regulate body temperature by moving between microhabitats of different ambient temperatures. By actively selecting specific substrate temperatures within a heterogeneous thermal environment, an individual could attain preferred body temperature and approach internal thermal homeostasis for periods of time. Ambient temperature dependence should thus force an individual to select those microhabitats that present optimal thermal conditions. Because dynamic thermal microhabitat structure is difficult to assess, the extent to which lizards employ behavioral thermoregulation is not well understood. Therefore, there is a need to …

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 …