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Articles 91 - 120 of 283
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Byu Undergraduates Execute A Familial Study Of Non-Demented Individuals In High-Risk Alzheimer’S Disease Pedigrees, John S.K. Kauwe
Byu Undergraduates Execute A Familial Study Of Non-Demented Individuals In High-Risk Alzheimer’S Disease Pedigrees, John S.K. Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Successful enrollment in and completion of graduate programs requires a constellation of skills. Students must be prepared to plan and execute experiments, present their findings both verbally and in manuscript form and interact effectively with senior scientists in the field of their choice. In this MEG I will mentor four undergraduate students (Kevin Boehme, Lyndsay Staley, Kaitlin Bell and Mark Wadsworth) as they develop skills in study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, presentation and networking while identifying genetic factors that protect individuals from Alzheimer’s disease.
Linking Water And Carbon Cycles To Train Students To Meet 21st Century Grand Challenges In Environmental Science, Richard Gill
Linking Water And Carbon Cycles To Train Students To Meet 21st Century Grand Challenges In Environmental Science, Richard Gill
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The central aim of this proposal is to provide opportunities for students from diverse academic backgrounds to work collaboratively on a number of federally funded environmental change experiments across four of Utah’s ecosystems—Mojave Desert, Great Basin Shrub Steppe, Subalpine Tall Forb, and Colorado Plateau Grassland. This proposal funded 4 students from life sciences and engineering.
The Central Aim Of This Proposal Is To Provide Opportunities For Students From Diverse Academic Backgrounds To Work Collaboratively On A Number Of Federally Funded Environmental Change Experiments Across Four Of Utah’S Ecosystems—Mojave Desert, Great Basin Shrub Steppe, Subalpine Tall Forb, And Colorado Plateau Grassland. This Proposal Funded 4 Students From Life Sciences And Engineering., Mark C. Belk
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The proposal was to compare life history characteristics and the cost of reproduction tradeoff among populations of a burying beetle (Nicrophorus orbicollis). We conducted two major experiments with the MEG funding directed toward this goal. Both experiments required that we collect beetles from the wild and then raise their offspring in the lab to document responses. First, we compared lifetime reproductive output among two populations at two distinct temperatures. Second, we evaluated parentage of offspring (using newly developed molecular techniques) after manipulation of parental care.
Association Of Rare Genetic Variants To The Development And Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Cameron Schmutz, Dr. Keoni Kauwe
Association Of Rare Genetic Variants To The Development And Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Cameron Schmutz, Dr. Keoni Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder and is the leading cause of dementia.1,3 It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and is the only one that has no adequate prevention or cure. AD is characterized by a progressive loss in cognitive function and memory loss. Neuropathological symptoms include loss of neurons and synapses, extensive accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Alzheimer’s disease has been identified as a proteopathy disease due to the extensive accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.1,2,3 This project focused on the research of a rare genetic variant in …
Evolution Of Ectoparastism In Earwigs (Insect: Dermaptera), Michael Naegle, Dr. Michael Whiting
Evolution Of Ectoparastism In Earwigs (Insect: Dermaptera), Michael Naegle, Dr. Michael Whiting
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Dermaptera (earwigs) is a small order of insects, typically characterized by the presence of cerci on the abdomen that are modified into forceps-like appendages (Giles, 1963). Dermaptera includes approximately 2200 extant species comprising 11 families (Kocarek 2013). The majority of earwigs are free-living feeding on detritus and other plant material (Sakai 1987). Two families, Arixeniidae and Hemimeridae are ectoparasitic, associating with Malay Peninsula bats and giant murid rats of sub- Saharan Africa respectively (Jarvis 2005).
Population-Based Analysis Of Cetp Identifies Association Between I405v And Cognitive Decline: The Cache County Study, Caitlin Munger, Dr. John Kauwe
Population-Based Analysis Of Cetp Identifies Association Between I405v And Cognitive Decline: The Cache County Study, Caitlin Munger, Dr. John Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease and is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. There are currently no successful therapies to prevent or treat LOAD, and predicting disease status remains a challenge1. Apolipoprotein E (APOE)—a gene involved in cholesterol regulation—is the strongest genetic predictor for LOAD. Because of the association between APOE and LOAD, cholesterol levels were suspected and have since been shown to increase LOAD risk2. Similar to APOE, the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) gene facilitates cholesteryl ester and triglyceride exchange between lipoproteins3 and is found in the same pathway as APOE, …
Heteroplasmic Mitochondria Project, Lyndsay Staley
Heteroplasmic Mitochondria Project, Lyndsay Staley
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Unfortunately, my Heteroplasmic Mitochondria project was picked up by a commercial entity whom we had asked for the sequenced genomes, but they beat me to the answer before releasing the sequenced genomes. I worked on another project involving Alzheimer’s disease genetics. I was able to do the initial analyses in a genome-wide association study of cerebrospinal fluid levels of 59 Alzheimer’s Diseaserelated analytes from the Rules Based Medicine panel in two independently collected and measured series (ADNI and Knight ADRC). Now I am working with these results to further our knowledge of the genes that cause AD. We will be …
Genetic Variants In The Apoe Gene Region Responsible For Change In Cerebrospinal Fluid Ab42 Protein Levels, Spencer Foutz, Dr. John Kauwe
Genetic Variants In The Apoe Gene Region Responsible For Change In Cerebrospinal Fluid Ab42 Protein Levels, Spencer Foutz, Dr. John Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
For the last several years, the e4 allele in the APOE gene region has been a strong determinant of the development of Amyloid Beta plaques in the brain’s cerebral spinal fluid. As these plaques aggregate, the deposits become increasingly deadly to neuronal cells, and can eventually lead to Alzheimers’ Disease. While the e4 allele is a strong indicator of change in Amyloid Beta levels, there are believed to be other genetic variants within the APOE gene region that also greatly influence this protein. Our purpose was to further evaluate previous studies on this gene region in order to determine other …
Robust And Versatile Bioinformatic Pipeline Development, Ryan Hillary, Dr. Seth Bybee
Robust And Versatile Bioinformatic Pipeline Development, Ryan Hillary, Dr. Seth Bybee
Journal of Undergraduate Research
With the many advances in sequencing technology and exponential growth of computational capacities there comes a huge demand for processing larger and larger quantities of data. With respect to Biology there can be hundreds of gigabytes of data that can be involved in a single research study that requires computational analysis. Since each research project is unique in terms of design and desired outcome, the programs and tools that are required can vary greatly, but there are some analyses that are similar and can be compiled and optimized. The current research being conducted by Dr. Bybee focuses on the visual …
Biodiversity And Distribution Of Entomophilic Nematodes In Utah’S Mojave Region, Westen Archibald, Dr. Byron Adams
Biodiversity And Distribution Of Entomophilic Nematodes In Utah’S Mojave Region, Westen Archibald, Dr. Byron Adams
Journal of Undergraduate Research
To better understand the diversity and distribution of entomophilic nematodes in Utah’s Mojave region, I have begun a project that’s purpose is to develop phylogenetic maps of 55 nematode species that I have already extracted from the soils of the Beaver Dam wash ecotone. This project involves both the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships to recover biodiversity, and generating a species distribution map for the Beaver Dam wash ecotone.
Assessment Of Trem2 Rs75932628 Association With Alzheimer’S Disease In A Population-Based Sample: The Cache County Study, Josue D. Gonzalez Murcia, Cameron Schmutz, Caitlin Munger, Ammon Perkes, Aaron Gustin, Michael Peterson, Mark T. W. Ebbert, Maria C. Norton, Joann T. Tschanz, Ronald G. Munger, Christopher D. Corcoran, John S. K. Kauwe
Assessment Of Trem2 Rs75932628 Association With Alzheimer’S Disease In A Population-Based Sample: The Cache County Study, Josue D. Gonzalez Murcia, Cameron Schmutz, Caitlin Munger, Ammon Perkes, Aaron Gustin, Michael Peterson, Mark T. W. Ebbert, Maria C. Norton, Joann T. Tschanz, Ronald G. Munger, Christopher D. Corcoran, John S. K. Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Recent studies have identified the rs75932628 (R47H) variant in TREM2 as an Alzheimer’s disease risk factor with estimated odds ratio ranging from 2.9 to 5.1.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery In Cutthroat Trout Subspecies Using Genome Reduction, Barcoding, And 454 Pyro-Sequencing, Derek D. Houston, David B. Elzinga, Peter J. Maughan, Scott M. Smith, John S. K. Kauwe, R. Paul Evans, Ryan B. Stinger, Dennis K. Shiozawa
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery In Cutthroat Trout Subspecies Using Genome Reduction, Barcoding, And 454 Pyro-Sequencing, Derek D. Houston, David B. Elzinga, Peter J. Maughan, Scott M. Smith, John S. K. Kauwe, R. Paul Evans, Ryan B. Stinger, Dennis K. Shiozawa
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Salmonids are popular sport fishes, and as such have been subjected to widespread stocking throughout western North America. Historically, stocking was done with little regard for genetic variation among populations and has resulted in genetic mixing among species and subspecies in many areas, thus putting the genetic integrity of native salmonid populations at risk and creating a need to assess the genetic constitution of native salmonid populations. Cutthroat trout is a salmonid species with pronounced geographic structure (there are 10 extant subspecies) and a recent history of hybridization with introduced rainbow trout in many populations. Genetic admixture has also occurred …
A Multi-Faceted Approach To Improving Adamts13 Deficiency Prediction Algorithm, Steven Nevers, David Brandt, Matthew Biggs
A Multi-Faceted Approach To Improving Adamts13 Deficiency Prediction Algorithm, Steven Nevers, David Brandt, Matthew Biggs
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Despite previous work by our group and other researchers, the existing methods to predict ADAMTS13 deficiency are inadequate. Through the use of machine learning techniques applied to mined patient data we have improved the accuracy and efficiency of our existing ADAMTS13 deficiency prediction algorithm. In conjunction with ARUP Laboratories, who pioneered the original work, we have continued to improve the algorithm accuracy. Significant correlation for severe ADAMTS13 deficiency was seen for four of the observed variables: indirect bilirubin, reticulocyte percentage, creatinine, and platelet count; a fifth variable, D-dimer, just missed significance but performed well.
Choose Your Daddy: Genetic Genealogy To Prevent Dairy Cow Production-Related Diseases, Nalani Yamada, Beverly Roeder
Choose Your Daddy: Genetic Genealogy To Prevent Dairy Cow Production-Related Diseases, Nalani Yamada, Beverly Roeder
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Dairy cows are bred and utilized to produce large quantities of milk daily and are held to high production standards. Greater production or manipulated production activity can affect the homeostasis state of an animal and lead to production-related metabolic diseases (PRMDs). In a previous study focused on predicting PMRDs in dairy cows utilizing carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios performed at Brigham Young University, the results suggested that there is a correlation between carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in hair, freeze-dried feces, erythrocytes, plasma, and PRMDs. In collaboration with this study previously and based on the results, it was …
Genetic Factors That Influence Tau Protein Levels In Csf And Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, David Patty, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Genetic Factors That Influence Tau Protein Levels In Csf And Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, David Patty, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, affects nearly 6 million Americans. Its effects on the individual range from mild impairment of memory to the complete destruction of the victim’s identity and their ability to perform everyday tasks. They become a heavy burden on their family, requiring constant medical care that often leaves the family with not only emotional problems, but financial stress as well. A study involving a clinical diagnosis of the disease, or case-control study, is limited by the accuracy of a psychiatrist’s judgment of the severity of the disease. This is obtained by a verbal and …
Determining The Presence Of Micro Rna In The Untranslated Regions Of Adipoq, A Metabolism Gene, Victoria Scott, Dr. John Keoni Kauwe
Determining The Presence Of Micro Rna In The Untranslated Regions Of Adipoq, A Metabolism Gene, Victoria Scott, Dr. John Keoni Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this project is to sequence the untranslated region of the AdipoQ gene and interrogate it for novel genetic variation and potential microRNA sequences. This work will illuminate how adiponectin levels are regulated and provide insights into type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
Molecular Diversity Compared To Associated Morphological Differences Between Two Species Of Southern Chilean Crabs, Andres Mallipudi, Erwin Barria, Carlos G. Jara, Keith A. Crandall
Molecular Diversity Compared To Associated Morphological Differences Between Two Species Of Southern Chilean Crabs, Andres Mallipudi, Erwin Barria, Carlos G. Jara, Keith A. Crandall
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The biologically diverse region of Patagonia is under constant threat of urban development from both external and internal sources. Gaining a thorough understanding of the ecological roles of this area’s organisms is essential to preserving Patagonia’s rich biodiversity. Researching the differences between Southern Chilean crab subspecies led to a better understanding of this taxon, which will help determine its ecological role and will contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of the ecological environment of the area. Examining genetic relationships, divergence times, and morphometric variations between two different types of southern Chilean crabs (A. denticulata denticulata and A. denticulata lacustris) allows …
Alzheimer’S Disease And Mitochondrial Genome Copy Number, Miles Mckee, Dr. John Kauwe
Alzheimer’S Disease And Mitochondrial Genome Copy Number, Miles Mckee, Dr. John Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this research project was to identify genetic variation, or more specifically variation in the average number of mitochondria per cell, and determine how these variations relate to risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The project started off with a measurement of the ratio of mitochondrial genome copies to nuclear genome copies by using Q-PCR. We checked this because mitochondrial concentration is necessary for normal energy metabolism and cell growth. This heritable trait may be regulated by genetic variation in the mitochondrial genome. We are currently attempting to determine if there is an association that exists between the measured …
Validation Of Genetic Association Between Variants In Ppp3r1 And Mapt And Rate Of Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, David Peterson, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Validation Of Genetic Association Between Variants In Ppp3r1 And Mapt And Rate Of Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, David Peterson, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting more than 4.5 million people in the US. Genetic studies of AD have previously identified mutations in three genes (APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2) and polymorphism in APOE as risk factors. These findings have led to a better understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms. However, half of all AD cases have no known genetic risk factors for disease. Most studies are designed to identify variants associated with risk or age at onset, but rarely cover other important facets of AD, such as disease progression or duration. Previously, Cruchaga et al. identified …
Phenotypic Divergence Of Boldness In Brachyrhaphis Fishes, Joseph Nelson, Jerald B. Johnson
Phenotypic Divergence Of Boldness In Brachyrhaphis Fishes, Joseph Nelson, Jerald B. Johnson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The general public has a fairly good understanding of evolution and how physical characteristics of a species can change to adapt to environmental inconsistencies. In times of drought, flood, or other natural stress that commonly occur in nature, animals must adapt to their surroundings, or die. The example of the Galapagos finches is one of the most popular used illustrations of this concept. The size, shape and usefulness of a finch’s beak were some few of the things that the great scientist Charles Darwin first noticed on his trip to the Galapagos Islands over 170 years ago. As Darwin determined …
Search For Genomic Factors That Influence Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels Of Ykl40, A Novel Biomarker For Alzheimer’S Disease, Mo Lee, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Search For Genomic Factors That Influence Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels Of Ykl40, A Novel Biomarker For Alzheimer’S Disease, Mo Lee, Dr. John S. K. Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in the United States. It is a complex neurodegenerative disorder featured by gradual onset and progression of memory loss combined with deficits in executive functioning, language, visuospatial abilities, personality, behavior and self-care. There are basically two types of Alzheimer’s Disease, familial Alzheimer’s disease and late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease respectively.
The Evolution Of Color Vision In Dragonflies And Damselflies (Odonata), Kelsy Johnson, Dr. Michael F. Whiting
The Evolution Of Color Vision In Dragonflies And Damselflies (Odonata), Kelsy Johnson, Dr. Michael F. Whiting
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Opsins are the genes present in the eye that are responsible for color vision in all animals (Briscoe et al., 2001). Insect vision is particularly interesting because they are able to see different wavelengths of light due to the number and types of opsins present in the eye. Odonata have very large and complex visual systems. However, the only visual system data that has been gathered on Odonates is physiological data, and no molecular data has been recovered yet to support the physiological data. A previous study by Yang and Osorio (1991) identified 5 opsin copies present in odonates. My …
Characterization Of 10 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci In The South American Lizard Liolaemus Fitzingerii With Cross-Amplification In L. Chehuachekenk, Nathan Hanna, Dr. Jack Sites
Characterization Of 10 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci In The South American Lizard Liolaemus Fitzingerii With Cross-Amplification In L. Chehuachekenk, Nathan Hanna, Dr. Jack Sites
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Liolaemus is a genus of lizards that is very common in South America, particularly the southern regions. Distinguishing differences between separate species within the Liolaemus genus has been an ongoing pursuit, one in which Jack Sites and his lab have been extensively engaged. Liolaemus chehuachekenk is a species that is very similar to Liolaemus fitzingerii. Both are found throughout central regions of Patagonia. The purpose of this project has been to provide data to help in distinguishing boundaries, gene flow, historical divergence, and population structure between the two species.
Perfect Pets And Delicious Delicacies: Resolving The Phylogenetic Relationships Within Anomura (Decapoda), Maren Ettinger, Dr. Keith Crandall
Perfect Pets And Delicious Delicacies: Resolving The Phylogenetic Relationships Within Anomura (Decapoda), Maren Ettinger, Dr. Keith Crandall
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of phylogenetics is to understand how organisms are related and how they have evolved. My project focused on understanding the relationships within the Anomura infraorder of the Decapoda. Anomurans encompass a variety of economically important and morphologically diverse crustaceans. They include hermit crabs, mole crabs, king crabs, squat lobsters, porcelain crabs, hairy crabs, and yeti crabs. The anomurans are economically important, especially the king and hermit crabs. King crabs provide monetary revenue in fisheries and are a popular menu item at seafood restaurants. Hermit crabs are commonly found in aquaria trade. Other anomurans are kept as pets or …
Proteomics Approach To Solving Alzheimer’S Disease, Ryan Egbert, Dr. John Kauwe
Proteomics Approach To Solving Alzheimer’S Disease, Ryan Egbert, Dr. John Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Our project has gone according to plan, with a few small modifications along the way. Initially, we had proposed to incorporate gender profiling in attempt to understand the differences in serum proteomics profiles in men and women. Due to the difficulties in carrying out this aspect of the project, we simplified our project to analyze serum differences between Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer’s individuals only. Utilizing the novel capillary liquid chromatography method outlined in my proposal we were able to analyze our serum samples. By comparing the resulting mass spectra using specialized statistical methods we have been able to identify several biomarkers. …
Finding Novel Variants In App, Ps1 And Ps2, That Alter Gene Functionality And Lead To Familial Alzheimer’S Disease, Matthew Cable-Fabiszak, Dr. John Kauwe
Finding Novel Variants In App, Ps1 And Ps2, That Alter Gene Functionality And Lead To Familial Alzheimer’S Disease, Matthew Cable-Fabiszak, Dr. John Kauwe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The planned objective of this mentored research opportunity was to identify families in the Cache County Aging Study that harbored mutations in three specific genes known to cause familial Alzheimer’s disease: APP, PS1, and PS2. This knowledge would have been beneficial because it would have provided important information concerning novel variation that causes disease as well as identify specific families who could be important resources for future studies of Alzheimer’s disease.
Phylogeny Of Ensifera (Orthoptera) And The Evolution Of Acoustic Communication, Jessica Jensen, Dr. Michael Whiting
Phylogeny Of Ensifera (Orthoptera) And The Evolution Of Acoustic Communication, Jessica Jensen, Dr. Michael Whiting
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Ensifera is an insect suborder within the order Orthoptera that includes insects such as katydids and crickets. The evolutionary history of Ensifera is largely unknown, and there is no consensus on the phylogenetic relationships among families within Ensiera. A large part of this is due to inadequate character sampling (insufficient number of families or number of DNA loci used) in previous studies. This study was the most character-rich phylogenetic analysis of Ensifera to date, and we proposed a new hypothesis of relationships between ensiferan families.
Phylogeography Of Patagonian Lizards Of The (Liolaemus Lineomaculatus Complex) Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Rachel Arendt, Dr. Jack Sites
Phylogeography Of Patagonian Lizards Of The (Liolaemus Lineomaculatus Complex) Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Rachel Arendt, Dr. Jack Sites
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Patagonia is an area noted for its breathtaking natural beauty. In addition to famous mountains, waterfalls, and coastlines, it harbors a diverse array of lizards. As you walk through the deserts of Patagonia you can observe several of these lizards scampering about, and you immediately notice that many of the lizards are dissimilar. Obviously their differences have arisen due to the forces of natural selection and evolution.
Using Carbon And Nitrogen Stable Isotopes In Manure, Hair And Blood To Predict Recovery From Gastrointestinal Colic In Horses, Jesse Caitlin Alexis Ford, Beverly Roeder
Using Carbon And Nitrogen Stable Isotopes In Manure, Hair And Blood To Predict Recovery From Gastrointestinal Colic In Horses, Jesse Caitlin Alexis Ford, Beverly Roeder
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Colic, or abdominal pain, is one of the most prominent clinical signs present in many equine diseases. Gastrointestinal (GIT) colic is one of the leading causes of death in horses. The research initiated here at BYU, as a result of earning an ORCA grant, aims to study this issue. This research has the potential to develop an economic diagnostic tool that uses the values of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in manure, hair, and blood to determine if a horse will respond to medical or surgical treatment of GIT colic. This capability would help veterinarians and/or owners choose the best …
Phylogenetic Relationships Among North American Heterodontine Snakes, Douglas Brown, Dr. Jack W. Sites Jr.
Phylogenetic Relationships Among North American Heterodontine Snakes, Douglas Brown, Dr. Jack W. Sites Jr.
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Among extant snakes (~3150 species), Caenophidia or “advanced” snakes are a monophyletic group comprising the great majority of species (~2620) of species (Vidal et al. 2010). The American caenophidian snake fauna comprises five families: the Viperidae and Elapidae – both displaying a front fanged venom system- and the colubroidean families Natricidae, Colubridae and Dipsadidae. The latter is one of the largest families of snakes (>700 species), with all living representatives restricted to the New World. Previous higher level studies generally agree on the delineation of three major clades of Dipsadidae broadly consistent in their distribution, a South American clade …