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2013 Abstracts

Recreating Fremont Corrugated Pottery: An Exercise in Experimental Archaeology

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Charles Wilson, Brigham Young University Anthropology The purpose of this project has been to recreate a poorly understood Fremont (A.D. 300-A.D. 1300) ware known as corrugated pottery. Little is known about corrugation other than it seems to have made its appearance late in the Fremont world around A.D. 1100. Exactly how Fremont potters made corrugated pottery is a sparsely visited subject in publications. Attempting to recreate corrugated pottery, an exercise in experimental archaeology, has already suggested that corrugation was not only decorative, but played a role in the construction of corrugated vessels. Obscure practices of bygone Fremont potters will come to light as experiments progress.

Discovering Quotidian Kiev in Three Social Classes

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Danielle Leavitt, Brigham Young University English/Russian While the former Soviet Union touted economy and a single social class, the socioeconomic differences that have emerged within Ukrainian families in the twenty years since the fall of the Soviet Union are widely unexplored. Our research comes in the form of creative nonfiction essays, which examine and contrast the everyday experience of Ukrainian families–specifically Ukrainian women–within three disparate socioeconomic classes. Based on a summer-long field study in Kiev, Ukraine living with three families in contrasting socioeconomic circumstances, our essays observe and explain facets of Ukrainian culture that are commonly misunderstood, yet deeply spiritual and culturally significant to Ukrainians. Our project explores the day to day workings of three Ukrainian families in suburban low class, urban middle class, and upper-oligarchical class, searching for stories describing quotidian life within their varying circumstances. There will be particular emphasis on the experiences of women. The project is presented in creative non- fiction essays stemming from observations, historical research, and the experience of the Ukrainians with whom I interacted. Ukraine (specifically its capital, Kiev) has a rich cultural and political history and a flowering modern culture heavily influenced by deep-rooted traditions, superstitions, and beliefs. Little creative nonfiction writing contributes to the exploration of both sophisticated and unsophisticated Ukraine. Our goal is to do just that; to delve into the human, commonplace intricacies of varied Ukrainian life through observation and writing.

A Geographic Information Systems Analysis of Africanized Honeybee Habitat: Preliminary Results

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Nathan Gill, Brigham Young University Geography The Africanized honeybee first entered southern Utah within the last five years. This invasive species reduces pollination and honey production and is therefore costly to the farming industry and local apiaries. Additionally, Africanized honeybees are extremely aggressive and pose a threat to the health and well-being of Utah’s residents. The aim of my study is determine if Africanized honeybee habitat in Utah can be accurately modeled through remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems analysis. Locations of known Africanized honeybee presence and absence, acquired from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s ground reference data, were used to identify the characteristics of suitable habitat. Criteria that we considered include minimum temperature, precipitation, distance to water, elevation, slope, aspect, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, among others. I have identified the conditions for suitable habitat and I am in the process of designing a model to identify Africanized honeybee habitat across Utah. After the model has been refined, it will be tested against additional locations of presence and absence acquired from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. The modeled habitat will help the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and other organizations to focus efforts to educate the public about the dangers of Africanized honeybees in specific locations that are at high risk.

Family Caregivers in Home Hospice

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Edie Kieu-Mi Nguyen and Cassandra Nguyen, University of Utah Nursing Home hospice care is a growing area within the health care system. However, because of the difficulty in gaining access to these patients and caregivers in the home, research findings have been slow to keep pace with this growth. While hospice has been at the forefront of family-centered care, explicitly stating that the unit of care is the family, there has been little empirical research to show who is actually involved in this care in the home on a regular basis. Hypothesis: Our goal of this project was to describe who is present at the nurse home visit with the patient. Research Method: This research, part of a larger intervention study, involved reviewing audio recordings of home hospice visits to set up a coding system for future communication coding. During this review, we also identified and documented those present during the visit. Results: In our sample of 115 home hospice visits, 12 nurses caring for 13 patients spent an average of XXX minutes each (SD=XXX) in the home. We have found that caregivers are present 80% of the time. Our data shows that a spouse is present in 28% of visits. In 58.3% of visits, a daughter is present, while sons are present in only 3.1% of visits. Implications: It is important to know who is present at the visit and how long they spent with the patient to increase our understanding of what goes on in home hospice care. This research has implications for improving patient care. For example, in order to promote a more family orientated home care; more family members should participate in nurse visits. This descriptive research can be used in practice for hospices to know who to expect during patient home visits, as well as to incorporate the family members better into the patient care plan.

PP2A Activation is Required for Lipid-Induced Arterial Dysfunction in Mice

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Xin Wan, University of Utah College of Health, and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes We hypothesized that PP2A activation is required for lipid-induced, ceramide-mediated arterial dysfunction. Mice haploinsufficient for dihydroceramide desaturase (des1+/-) and their wild-type littermates (des1+/+) were infused (iv) for 6 h with lard-oil (LO) or vehicle (veh). Subgroups of LO and veh mice were treated (1.5 mg/kg IP) for 3 days prior to infusion with the PP2A inhibitor LB1 (Lixte Biotechnology, NY). LO increased ceramide accrual in arteries from des1+/+ but not des1+/mice. Palmitate (3 h x 500 uM) increased (p<0.05) PP2A activity, and impaired (p<0.05) insulin-stimulated p-eNOS(S) 1177 to eNOS in endothelial cells, and these responses were negated by LB1 (4 uM; n=5-8). Endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation of femoral arteries (~ 150 um i.d.) was assessed using acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively (n=3 mice / group, 3 vessels / mouse). ACh-mediated (2×10-8, 3×10-8, and 6×10-8 M) relaxation (%) was less (p<0.05) in LO des1+/+ (30±2, 41±3, and 61±4, respectively) vs. veh des1+/+ mice (48±4, 67±6, and 73±6, respectively). Endothelial dysfunction observed in LO des1+/+ mice was less severe when ceramide accrual (i.e. LO des1+/mice) or PP2A activation (i.e., LB1 +LO des1+/+ mice) were prevented. SNP-evoked vasorelaxation was intact among groups. LO-induced ceramide accumulation induces endothelial dysfunction that is dependent upon PP2A activation. ADA1-12-BS-208, 2R15HL091493

Procedural Violations That Could Cause Hospital Acquired Infections

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Nicole Kelbert, University of Utah Nursing Introduction:

Activation of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1 by Wood Smoke Particulate Material

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Darien Shapiro, University of Utah Pharmacology and Toxicology Exposure to wood smoke particulate matter (WSPM) has been linked to exacerbation of asthma, development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and premature death. Combustion-derived PM (cdPM) such as cigarette smoke (CS), diesel exhaust (DEP), and WSPM, activate transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) which promotes neurogenic inflammation/edema and airway irritation/cough. The mechanism of TRPA1 activation by DEP and CS involves the electrophilic/oxidant binding (3CK) and menthol-binding (ST) sites, and a novel mechanosensitive site. We hypothesized that WSPM would activate TRPA1 through one or more of these sites similar to other cdPM. Pine and mesquite PM were generated in the laboratory. Both types of WSPM particles activated TRPA1 in human TRPA1 over-expressing HEK-293 and primary mouse trigeminal (TG) neurons. WSPM also activated TRPA1 in A549 cells, a human alveolar adenocarcinoma cell line, which has recently been shown to express TRPA1. HC030031, a TRPA1 specific antagonist, attenuated the calcium flux due to WSPM treatment in both human A459 cells and mouse primary TG neurons. Differential activation of TRPA1, as a function of particle size, demonstrated that PM2.5 m were most potent. Several known chemical components of WSPM, including 3,5-ditert-butylphenol and agathic acid were TRPA1 agonists. Both WSPM and agathic acid activated TRPA1 primarily via binding the 3CK site, based on inhibition of calcium flux by glutathione and mutation of the 3CK site. Conversely, 3,5-ditert-butylphenol activated TRPA1 through the ST site. This study established the mechanism by which WSPM and associated chemical components activated TRPA1 which may help tailor effective therapeutic treatments for WSPM pneumotoxicity. Support: NIEHS ES017431 and the University of Utah Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device does not Impair Coronary Arterial Function After Implantation

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Elizabeth Johnson, University of Utah College of Health, and Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes Constant-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are implanted in heart failure patients to assist the heart in pumping blood through the body either temporarily as a “bridge” mechanism until a heart transplant or permanently as a destination therapy. The blood flows constantly with an LVAD contrary to the natural pulsatile flow of the human heart. We wanted to determine if this constant flow attenuated the function of the arteries. A transmural biopsy was taken from seven male patients (52±6 years old) when the LVAD was implanted (pre) and again 142±2 days later upon LVAD explant (post). Arteries were obtained from the pre and post tissue biopsies. Vessel function was assessed using isometric tension techniques. After Lmax tension was determined for each vessel, the contraction-response curve of each vessel was tested using potassium chloride (KCl, 10-100 mM). Next the vessels were pre-contracted to ~65% maximal tension and treated with bradykinin (BK, 10-6 to 10-10 M) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 10-4 to 10-9 M) to determine, respectively, endothelium-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation. Maximal KCl-evoked contraction (0.99±0.22 and 0.69±0.14 mg tension development / μm vessel length), maximal BK-evoked vasorelaxation (64±13% and 80±7%), and maximal SNP-evoked vasorelaxation (92±3% and 92±4%), was similar in arteries obtained from pre (n=13 arteries, 206±40 μm i.d.) and post (n=14 arteries, 288±24 μm i.d.) transmural biopsy samples, respectively. These preliminary data indicate that coronary vascular function is not attenuated by LVAD implantation.

Production of Biofuel Methyl-butenol in Cyanobacteria

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Israel Worthington, Utah Valley University Science and Health The Nation and world’s dependency on fuels has steadily grown over the last several decades. The world’s consumption of oil dramatically increases in the United States and peaks at approximately 20 million barrels of oil each day. Predictions of decreasing fuel reserves and increasing costs have made the development of a renewable fuel source increasingly appropriate. Much research has been done using the fermentative process to produce biofuels as an alternative fuel source, but the research attempting to utilize photosynthetic bacteria as a producer of alternative fuels is relatively undeveloped. In this research, it was attempted to transform cyanobacteria with the gene necessary to produce the enzyme methyl-butenol synthase, which catalyzes the production of the biofuel methyl-butenol. The gene for methyl-butenol was successfully transformed into cyanobacteria on a plasmid, and production of the enzyme methyl-butenol synthase was successfully detected via western blotting. The production of an alternative fuel source using photosynthetic bacteria could create a cheap, renewable, and more environmentally friendly source of fuel.

Dynamics of Vascular Development with Conotruncal Banded Heart in Chick Embryo

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Mikaelyn Miles, University of Utah Pediatrics Altering myocardial growth interferes with hemodynamic parameters such as blood flow or pressure, and subsequently alters vascular development. We hypothesized that experimentally increasing hemodynamic stress by conotruncal banding during early heart development would result in a remodeling of the arterial wall. The outflow tract of a stage-21 (3_-d) chick embryo was constricted with an overhand knot of a 10-0 nylon suture, and the embryo was returned to the incubator. Normal embryo was not operated. We harvested the embryo at stage-34 (8-d), and fixed the heart in diastole with 0.025 μg/Kg diltiazem in 4% paraformaldehyde. Transverse sections of the carotid artery were stained with H&E staining, and the dorsal aorta was treated with rhodamin-phalloidin-smooth muscle antibody staining. En face sections of the aorta were examined under confocal microscopy. Morphometric analysis was quantitated using customized MatLab software for filament-actin alignment and density. Data are presented as mean±SEM, and analyzed by Student’s t test and ANOVA with statistical significance defined as a p value of less than 5%. Both right and left carotid arteries in the conotruncal banded heart had a thinner vessel wall when compared to the arteries of the normal embryos. Some vessels in the conotruncal banded hearts displayed dilation and variation in size between the right and left coronary arteries. The overall filament length in the dorsal aorta between the normal and banded hearts (39.8±4.3 vs. 29.6±2.7 μm, respectively) was statistically different (p<0.05). The filaments were also widely spaced in the conotruncal banded hearts. Altered growth in the developing heart caused by altering the hemodynamics results in secondary abnormalities in development due to abnormal vascular architecture. These factors may be important in the understanding of myocardial development with defects such

Results of Interventions Among Anemic and Malnourished Children in an Impoverished Ecuador Community

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Samantha Webber, Brigham Young University Nursing Background: In November of 2012, a small group from BYU’s College of Nursing returned to Guayaquil, Ecuador to measure anemia indicators post interventions in school age children. In May of 2012 a larger group, including students, from BYU’s College of Nursing had visited Guayaquil for the fourth consecutive year to assess malnutrition and anemia rates in school age children. This multi-phase research project which began in May of 2009 found that nearly 41% of the children in this area suffered from anemia (below 11g/dl as per WHO guidelines). The adverse effects of anemia for these children can include: weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and poor concentration. Anemia may result from deficiencies of iron, B12, folic acid, and may also be the result of intestinal parasites. A nutrition survey conducted among these same school children showed that daily intake of iron, B12, and folic acid were below recommended levels. Intervention: In May of 2009 Hogar de Cristo (HDC), a non-profit organization, began distributing 6 to 8 ounce bottles of soy milk as a school snack for each school-aged child at a few of the schools in the area. A local pharmaceutical company who supplied vitamin and iron supplements during the first year of the soy milk distribution, reassessed anemia rates in those children in November of 2009. The BYU College of Nursing continued to assess school- aged children for measures of anemia and growth and development in 2010 and 2011 as directed by Hogar de Cristo. After 2011 it was difficult to correlate anemia and soy milk because of changes in the sample from year to year. In May of 2012 the BYU College of Nursing shifted their focus to four interventions with the aim of determining which one would best lower anemia rates. The study focused on students at four schools in the perimetral area, each school received one of the interventions as an adjunct to soy milk: vitamin supplements, antiparasites, vitamins and antiparasites, and a control group (soy milk only). Growth and development measures along with rates of anemia were reassessed in November 2012. Results: In May of 2012 the BYU College of Nursing tested 1041 school-ages children for growth and development and anemia. growth and development rate results spanning the four years of testing, and a comparison of anemia rates between intervention groups and control groups.

How HCAHPS Scores and Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement Affect Nursing Care

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Ashlee Manwaring, Brigham Young University Nursing Purpose: To examine how the new policy of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement being based on HCAHPS scores affects nursing care. Rationale: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) mandates that Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement be based on hospital performance and patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is measured nationally through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The HCAHPS survey was development in the early 2000’s to create a uniform measure for patient perspectives regarding their inpatient stay; however, with the HCAHPS scores being related to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, hospitals are required to reevaluate their quality of care from the patient, not medical, perspective. Van Empel et al. (2011) found that physicians and nurses primarily value medical outcomes of treatment. While, at the same time, patient’s value patient-centeredness, even if it means decreasing the desired outcome of treatment. Undertaking: A literature review was completed by searching in CINAHL and Medline. Preliminary research used HCAHPS and Medicare reimbursement as key words. Second, a search was completed using HCAHPS and nursing as key words. All results were published between 2008 and 2012. Outcomes: Kutney-Lee et al. (2009) reported that patient satisfaction was primarily linked with nurse-to-patient ratio, interdisciplinary collaboration and work environment. Research by Robinson and Watters (2010) found the main factor in patient dissatisfaction was feeling like the nurses were short staffed, task-oriented and rushed, leaving the patient lacking adequately communication to understand their situation. Van Empel et al. (2011) reported patients’ willingness to change providers and facilities to received patient-centered care. Conclusion: Nurses have the greatest potential to effect patient satisfaction. Therefore, with the new regulation of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement based on patient satisfaction surveys, nurses have a greater responsibility to ensure patient satisfaction. From the research presented, the main nursing implication is to help each patient feel like their care is centered on what is important to that individual. This can most easily be accomplished by the nurse opening a line of communication with the patient, and then advocating for the patient’s wishes.

Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Neurofibromatosis type 1 and Scoliosis

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Austin Stevens, University of Utah Pediatrics Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant genetic disorder. It affects 1/3500 individuals worldwide (Friedman, 2002). It is classically characterized as a neurocutaneous disorder, but osseous and spinal abnormalities are clearly associated with NF1. These complications are not well understood and rarely emphasized, even though as high as 38% have been reported to have osseous manifestations (Crawford and Schorry, 1999). In particular, the medical management of scoliosis in NF1 is problematic with no consensus on preferred treatment strategies. More information on the natural history and health-related quality of life are needed before effective therapies can be designed as assessment of treatment efficacy is complex and outcome measures difficult to define. Dr. Stevenson and Dr. Viskochil are part of an NF Consortium focused on developing clinical trials in NF1. However, specific outcome measures are needed for these clinical trials. In particular changes in quality of life are an essential part of clinical trials. Our objective is to determine if specific quality of life instruments can be utilized in the NF1 population for the skeletal manifestations. A battery of these instruments were used given that it was not known which instrument would be most appropriate for the various manifestations of NF1. A total of 129 patients were enrolled in this study, and the relevant questionnaires were administered and recorded. Categorical data of health status will be summarized as frequency distributions and differences among groups will be assessed using chi-square tests of proportions. Frequency distributions for interval-scale variables of health status (e.g., HUI single-attribute utility scores) and HRQL (e.g., HUI multi-attribute utility and PedsQL4.0 summary scores) will be summarized as mean, standard deviation, 95% confidence bounds, median, minimum and maximum. T-tests and analysis of variance techniques (including repeated-measures models) will be used to test differences in means between groups.

The Impact of Geography on the Burden of Care for Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Families

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Deborah Nelson, University of Utah Pediatrics Families of pediatric cancer patients are presented with significant emotional, social, and financial challenges. Most children with cancer are treated in pediatric oncology centers located in urban areas and many must travel great distances for therapy. This study aims to evaluate the burden of care associated with pediatric cancer care and to determine the impact of the location of patients’ residence on those burdens. We administered a n=310 (48-item, English) and n=46 (72-item, Spanish) survey to the primary caregiver of patients, ages 0-18 years, diagnosed with a cancer between three to six months prior to the survey. Survey domains included measures of rurality, time from first symptoms to diagnosis, financial burden (travel costs and time, missed work, relocation) and missed school. Survey analysis suggests rural families and those traveling >2 hours to a pediatric oncology center took longer to obtain diagnosis, missed more work days, paid more in travel expenses and relocated more often than families living closer. Of the respondents, 18% were considered “rural” with 38% reporting greater than one-hour travel time and 25% reporting greater than two-hour travel time. Mean onset of initial symptoms to diagnosis was 11.4 weeks for rural and 7.6 weeks for urban patients. Mean out of pocket costs per clinic visit for rural were over three times that of urban patients. Twenty-nine percent (n=102) moved since diagnosis; of that 33% reported moving was directly due to cancer. Fifty-six percent of school-aged patients discontinued school; of those 28% were unable to “keep up” and 10% repeated a grade. Caring for a child with cancer places a significant number of burdens on the patient’s family. This burden appears greater for patients living in rural and distant areas and could effect patient care and access to treatment.

Measuring Nitric Oxide Production by Endothelial Cells Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Jennifer Nhan, University of Utah College of Health, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes The overall goal of our laboratory is to elucidate mechanisms whereby endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) enzyme function and NO bioavailability are impaired in individuals with diet-induced obesity (DIO), type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and insulin resistance. This is a clinically relevant issue because all of these conditions are associated with poor vascular function that might be precipitated by disrupted eNOS enzyme function and NO bioavailability. To study this issue we use model systems including cell culture, isolated arteries, and rodents. It is important to have an accurate, reproducible, and sensitive method to detect NO in each of these systems. The purpose of my work was to optimize the technique of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) to assess NO in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). NO contains an unpaired electron. This structural feature facilitates the measurement of NO via EPR. NO is detected with a spin trap of FeSO4 and diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate (DETC). In the presence of NO, the spin trap forms a NO-Fe(DETC) complex which is detected by EPR. BAECs were grown to 70-80% confluency in six-well plates, and treated with: (i) vehicle (buffer only), (ii) 600 uM of insulin (an NO agonist), (iii) 10 uM of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate salt [LNMMA, an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor], and (iv) three doses (1, 10, 100 uM) of diethylammonium (DEA) NONOate (an NO donor) to serve as a positive control. All treatments contained L-arginine [the substrate for endothelial NOS (eNOS)] and FeSO4 (the spin trap). After a 60-min incubation with treatments (i) (iv), cells were dislodged from each plate, collected, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and NO was detected using EPR. Relative to vehicle treatment, 1uM, 10uM, and 100uM DEA NONOate increased NO production by 50±8%, 150±2%, and 700±26% (p<0.05) respectively. Insulin increased (p<0.05) NO production by 73±4% vs. vehicle, and this response was prevented in cells treated with insulin + LNMMA. These results indicate EPR is a suitable method to detect cellular NO production. My next project is to optimize this technique for use in isolated arteries from experimental animal models.

French Nurses’ Perception of Healthcare Around the World

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Cami Schiel, Brigham Young University Nursing 65 French hospital nurses in Avignon, France were surveyed about their opinions about healthcare. Survey results identified and described French nurses’ perceptions of their health care system as well as other systems. Access to care was a positive aspect of their healthcare system that was identified by a majority of the respondents. Abuse or lack of oversight, and budget deficit were major themes identified as negative aspects of the French healthcare system. The French nurses’ opinions about different countries’ health care systems were compared to World Health Organization [WHO] (2000) rankings. French nurses overwhelmingly ranked France’s healthcare system as number one, which matched the WHO (2000) ranking. 73% of respondents prioritized preventative care over acute treatment. Work and other professional peers were identified as the main sources of influence on French nurses’ perceptions of health- care both French and internationally. Nurses’ opinions heavily influenced other nurses in the workplace. An implication from this study is that nurses can have a powerful impact on others’ viewpoints about healthcare. They are also a valuable resource for identifying strengths and weaknesses of a healthcare system, given their lived experience working in the healthcare system.

Relationships Between Symptoms and the Hospital Care Environment in Children and Adolescents with Cancer

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Kara Vickers, University of Utah Nursing Symptoms related to cancer and its treatments are a significant source of distress for children and adolescents with cancer. Although children and adolescents may receive interventions aimed at alleviating symptoms, the hospital care environment itself may be one that adds to the overall symptom burden. The purpose of this study is to investigate relationships between symptoms experienced by hospitalized children and adolescents with cancer and the care environment on an inpatient pediatric oncology unit. This prospective, descriptive study uses use a repeated measure, within-group design to identify relationships between symptoms and the nursing care environment that can be used to guide future interventions. Participants are 50 children and adolescents (7 to 18 years of age) with cancer. Data collection is occurring over a 3-day and 3-night period. Children and adolescents’ symptoms are measured each shift using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale for patients aged 7-12 years. Participants also answer two open-ended questions about what has bothered them about the hospital environment and what they perceive could improve the hospital environment. Sound and light levels are measured continuously using a sound pressure level meter and data logger placed approximately 48 inches from the child’s bedside. Nursing care activities are measured through counts of care activities occurring during room entries by nursing staff. Room entries are identified using an Axis pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) dome camera. A member of the research team reviews the child’s nursing flow sheet, medication administration record, acuity level, laboratory values, and medical orders each day. Data is presently being collected and will be analyzed using hierarchical mixed effects statistical models. Long-term goals of this project include improving symptom management in the inpatient setting, minimizing modifiable factors in the care environment that cause greater symptom burden, and lastly use the findings to inform hypotheses for a larger intervention studies. Hopefully these studies will target structuring the hospital care environment to minimize the symptom burden experienced by hospitalized children and adolescents with cancer and, ultimately, promote their quality of life.

Ways and Means to Get the Most Out of a Study Abroad Experience

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Jordyn Whiting, Brigham Young University Nursing Purpose: To demonstrate use of a guide to help nursing students increase cultural competency gained during study abroad programs.Background/significance: In a world of increasing globalization, nurses are more likely to care for patients of a cultural background different from their own. To care for increasingly diverse patients, nurses need greater cultural competence to provide the safest and highest quality of care possible. Study abroad programs have been shown to be an excellent way to provide cultural education for students. The number of students choosing to participate in these programs has more than doubled in the last ten years. However, no research is available from a student perspective on how to plan for an optimum learning experience during study abroad. A research-based guide, from a student perspective, will help students take better advantage of experiences abroad to increase cultural competency. Methods: A literature review using online databases (including CINAHL and MEDLINE) was conducted using search terms such as nursing student, student, cultural competency, cultural sensitivity, cultural awareness, study abroad, international experience, and exchange program. Articles from the online search were used to compile a student guide. The guide includes competence-enhancing activities, formulated using brief anecdotal summaries and trending study abroad outcomes found in the articles. The guide’s framework came from Josepha Campinha-Bacote’s 2002 article, “The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services: A Model of Care,” and its subsequently updated versions (2007 and 2011). With the original version of the guide, there were 16 activities in four categories: cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, and cultural desire. The guide also included 16 blank squares where students could create their own activities. The guide contains a small reflective writing portion where students can think about their experiences as a whole and how they can implement what they learned into practice. A total of 12 students, including the author, used the guide in two different study abroad programs, first while participating in a Global Health and Human Diversity program with the College of Nursing in Tonga in May 2012.

A Retrospective Analysis of Vehicular Accidents Involving Emergency Medical Service and Fire Vehicles

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Jacqueline Rodriguez, University of Utah Health Promotion and Education This is the second phase of an anticipated multistage research study. The first phase was completed Spring of 2012 and data showed that drivers of personal vehicles were having a difficult time hearing Emergency Medical Service (EMS) vehicles when driving with their radio on or while operating a hands-free cell phone which may be a leading factor in many of the estimated 9,000 EMS accidents a year. Information will be collected from accident reports and personal interviews will be conducted with EMS personnel who have been involved in a vehicular accident while driving an EMS vehicle. Similarities found in the interviews and accident reports that may explain why vehicular accidents involving EMS occur will be recorded. The accident reports which will be analyzed will have occurred in the past five years and will have transpired within the State of Utah. One-on-one interviews will be conducted about the accident in the State of Utah and with EMS personnel that have been in a vehicular accident in the past 5 years while driving an EMS vehicle. It is hypothesized that many of the vehicular accidents involving EMS drivers occur due to drivers in personal vehicles not noticing EMS vehicles in enough time to clear the way. It is believe the results gathered from the interview and accident reports will show that drivers do not see/hear EMS vehicles very well when distracted. In the cases where the EMS driver was found at fault for the accident, it may be due to having to resort to unsafe driving practices because they are responding to an emergency and the drivers in personal vehicles are not moving out of the way in a timely manner or simply not at all. It is anticipated that the results of this study should be available late December.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Heather Peatross, Southern Utah University Agriculture and Nutrition Sciences Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is defined as any ingestible herb, supplement, or other substance used to increase one’s health or well-being both physically and mentally. National studies have examined the usage of CAM. In 2007, the latest year surveyed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), approximately 38% of adults in the U.S. were using some form of CAM with the greatest usage among women and persons with higher education and income levels. Non-vitamin/mineral natural products are the most commonly used CAM therapies. Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on CAM over the previous 12 months. Little information regarding CAM use and knowledge in a rural college-age population is available. The purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge Southern Utah University (SUU) students have of CAM, usage by this population, and the reasons for using these products. Do SUU students typically use CAM therapies in their daily lives? Do SUU students use CAM primarily when ill? Are SUU students using CAM as a replacement for traditional (western) medicine? What types of CAM are being used (particularly herbal or dietary supplements)? It is hypothesized that the majority (>50%) of CAM users do not discuss their alternative therapies with a health care physician. Additionally it is hypothesized that students that have been diagnosed, or have a family member that has been diagnosed, with cancer are more knowledgeable/more likely to have used CAM therapies. Four hundred and eighty students were surveyed in a convenience sample of fourteen general education classes at SUU. The survey asked about usage of CAM therapies (including for health or sport performance), overall experience with CAM products used, sources of health advice, and any discussion with their medical physician regarding CAM use. Study results and conclusions are pending.

Dendroclimatology of Range Creek Canyon

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Melanie Cooke, University of Utah Geography Range Creek is a small deeply incised canyon located in south central Utah. It is a remote canyon that has experienced minimal impact to its rich archaeological heritage by European-American settlers during the last two hundred years. The canyon contains hundreds of important archaeological sites and thousands of artifacts from the Fremont culture that inhabited the area from around 800 A.D. to 1350 A.D. Though work has been done on the archeological sites in the canyon, a better understanding of the paleoclimate and environment are needed to help understand why the Fremont culture disappeared so abruptly around 1160 A.D.Dendrochronology has been shown to provide excellent data for reconstruction of climatic conditions. Conifer tree species, including Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga mensiezii), are well-suited for studying past climate through the analysis of their tree rings. In this study, I use increment cores from Douglas fir to build a local history of tree-ring growth rates through time and will compare these results to regionally available climate records. By comparing changes in ring widths with weather station data, including monthly and seasonal temperature and precipitation records, I hypothesize that Douglas fir will provide a sensitive indicator of past changes in winter precipitation. Twelve tree cores collected from climatically sensitive locations during the 2012 summer are being analyzed from Range Creek Canyon. Preliminary analyses of the tree ring series suggests this study will provide a climatic history spanning the past ~300 years. Although this analysis cannot provide direct observation on climate conditions during the period of the Freemont occupation and abandonment of Range Creek, it will provide insights into the natural climate variability occurring within the Range Creek Canyon. All tree cores are being analyzed with ARSTAN and COFECHA software, commonly used by dendrochronologists, and results will be made available at the time of presentation.

Page by Page: Reconstructing an Intellectual’s Drive to Collect

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Allison Fife, Utah State University History In 2004, Utah State University acquired a collection of approximately 1,200 rare volumes about the history of science and technology as a result of a bequest by Peter W. van der Pas. A Dutch immigrant and survivor of World War II, van der Pas proved to be an avid book collector and intellectual. Examining the nature and origins of this collection of rare books has permitted consideration of how this specific collection reflected the particular ambitions and needs of its creator. As a result, my pre-cataloging analysis of the books has developed into attempts to demystify van der Pas. Driven in part by an immigrant background, I believe that van der Pas used this collection both to demonstrate his worth as a scientist and engineer, and to legitimize himself in American academia. Through this sort of analysis, we begin to understand both the ways and reasons that significant book collections come into existence.

Guerrilla Warfare Theory and Praxis: The Case of Revolutionary Leader Ernesto ‘Che’ Cuevara

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Anna Maria Guadarrama, Utah State University Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Guerrilla warfare is an ancient style of armed conflict that continues to be practiced throughout the world today. Many countries and peoples have either taken part in guerrilla warfare or have sought to counteract irregular war with counterinsurgency methods (e.g. United States). This thesis project consists of an analysis of the guerrilla warfare theories and battlefield strategies utilized by Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara—the Argentine-born Cuban revolutionary considered by most people as the premier thinker on the nature of guerrilla warfare. Guevara developed his foco theory of guerrilla warfare based on the model of warfare used successfully during the Cuban Revolution, and then sought to replicate this achievement in The Congo and Bolivia. After a brief introduction on the nature of guerrilla warfare in general, the thesis proceeds to analyze the theoretical writings on guerrilla warfare by Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, as seen in his seminal treatise Guerrilla Warfare: A Method (1963). The thesis then proceeds to analyze Guevara’s application of his foco theory as an on-the-ground guerrilla leader to evaluate the praxis of Guevara’s foco theory during his guerrilla campaigns in Cuba, The Congo, and Bolivia.

Languages and Legends: J.R.R. Tolkien as Philologer, Scholar, Author, and Escape-Artist?

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Summer Mosgofian-Barry, Dixie State University English-Secondary Education Even avid readers of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work may not recognize how extensively his scholarly pursuits and deep knowledge of ancient languages and legends inform his fantasy writing. As a scholar who not only gave new insight into the art of Beowulf, but also as one who proved the existence of a remnant of Old and Middle English untouched by the Norman conquest, he used his mastery of Germanic languages “Old and Middle English, Old Norse, Old Finnish, Welsh” and even his familiarity of Proto-Indo-European vocabulary, to create linguistic and narrative elements in fictional works like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The connections between his scholarly pursuits and the characters and languages he invented, such as those between Anglo-Saxon syntax and mythology and Tolkien’s idealized Anglo-Saxons, the Rohirrim, as well as those connections between Snorri’s Edda and the Elvish language Quenya, clearly demonstrate his acumen as a philologist. In fact, some of Tolkien’s Middle Earth legends were clearly inspired by his extensive knowledge of, and are even modeled after, ancient writings and legends, including Beowulf, The Wanderer, “The Maid of the Moor” and Grendel, while he also utilized kennings like those seen in, again, Beowulf, “Caedmon’s Hymn”, and Snorri’s Edda. This paper looks at multiple, though certainly not all, of Tolkien’s use of early language forms and legends and in doing so, delivers the following conclusion: Tolkien’s extensive scholarly work and love of many languages, as well as his passion for the mythology of those languages, clearly plays an integral part in his fiction.

Cold War to Holy War: The Soviet-Afghan War and Jihad

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Nina Cook, Utah Valley University History As events of the 1978 April Revolution in Afghanistan played out during the Cold War, U.S. policy makers became concerned about the Soviet sphere of influence and began to fund the Mujahedeen-rebel groups that formed in Pakistan. The Mujahedeen, inspired by jihad, remained divided across ethnic lines, began a religiously inspired struggle against Communist usurpers and oppressors. The United States saw the Mujahedeen as a useful Cold War tool in order to contain Soviet expansion and therefore throughout the 1980’s the United States continued to head the effort to supply the rebels with money and weapons. This aid was crucial in the Soviet decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and contributed to the eventual breakup of the Soviet Union. Yet, many of the Arab Mujahedeen saw this outside the Cold War context, as a victory for concepts of militant Jihad. Thus, the Soviet-Afghan war became a catalyst for the ideas of Radical Jihad, which would lead to a global holy war against the U.S and the West by the al Qaeda network, created during the Soviet-Afghan war, beginning in the 1990s. The significance of the Soviet-Afghan War, then, lies in some unintended consequences for the U.S.: Cold War containment of the Soviets in Afghanistan fueled Jihad, which in turn targeted American interests in an entirely new war.

The Pitfalls of Srngara Rasa

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Shannon McLean, Southern Utah University English The classical Indian writers Amaru, Bhartrhari, and Kalidasa each used the srngara rasa, or erotic mood, in their works. The srngara rasa was considered to be one of the most important aesthetics in Indian literature, and the audience was encouraged to delight in the experience they received from the erotic depictions in the poetry or play. This is very different from the Western treatment of sexuality. Typically, the erotic was discouraged, and in some cases forbidden, to be discussed overtly in poetry, books, and plays, because it was believed to cause more harm than good. I investigated the portrayal of human sexuality in the works of these three authors in order to discover whether their use of the erotic mood encouraged their audience to pursue the benefits of physical love, or whether there existed a different interpretation for its use. Although the Indian writers mentioned above were more open and accepting of human sexuality in their writings than the Western tradition, they also depicted the negative consequences that can result from the indulgence of physical love.

Women in Utah, Shattering Patriarchy during Second Wave Feminism

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Kimberly Williamson, Utah Valley University History “There is nothing particularly interesting about one’s life story,” Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, “unless people can say as they read it, Why, this is like what I have been through. Perhaps, after all, there is a way to work it out.” Humans throughout time have recognized the need for storytelling and have been preserving oral histories. Narratives supplement our historical memory and offer an in-depth account of personal experience and reflections, which allows another to feel a commonality that often dissolves the barriers of race, class, gender, and even time. During the 19th century, the fight for enfranchisement united Utah’s early settlers with national suffragists. Feminists such as newspaper editor, Emmiline B. Wells and “presidentes” of the women’s organization within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), Eliza R. Snow, were in the forefront of this movement. Wells, Snow, along with other women were actively involved in their family responsibilities. However, they also held public and political positions within their communities that were not typical for women of that period. The women’s movement of the seventies recognized that literature wasn’t acknowledging women’s prominent role in society. Not only was there a lack of sources by and about women, but the historiography in general was male dominated. Hence, the LDS church initiated a crusade to collect women’s journals, letters, and other writings of Utah’s pioneers. These sources increased scholarship of Utah’s suffragists, which caused national recognition of the role they played during First Wave Feminism. Nevertheless, there is a trivial amount written about the women in Utah during Second Wave Feminism from the 1970’s to late 1980’s. My research focuses on stories of women in Utah during Second Wave Feminism. I interviewed four women within higher education where they expressed personal experiences that are similar in spirit to Utah’s early settlers. Inadvertently each woman had some connection with the LDS church. My thesis will argue that by extrapolation there were many women, particularly at Utah Valley University who transcended patriarchy to achieve positions of leadership and notoriety. Their personal narratives challenge the feminist theory of patriarchal suppression, which seems paradoxical considering the fact that Utah’s dominant religion, the LDS church, functions as a male governed society.

Dissecting la Rose: A Look at the Thorny View of Courtly Love Presented in Guillaume’s Romance of the Rose

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
A. Emma McFarland, University fo Utah Languages and Literature The Romance of the Rose of Guillaume de Lorris recounts the story of a dreamer who, wandering through a garden, encounters a rose and is overcome with desire for it. While it is undisputed that The Romance of the Rose is an allegory of love, the kind of love it portrays and the stance it takes on the matter remain hotly debated. Is The Romance an ideal depiction of “courtly love” where the rose is the woman admired? Is it an erotic tale of the conquest of desire, the rose symbolizing forbidden sexual aims? This paper conceptualizes The Romance of the Rose as the lover’s quest to attain his erotic desire within the confines of a system of courtly love that valorizes fin amor over fol amor. Romantic love and erotic desire are irreparably alienated from one another within medieval courtship and, here, Guillaume seems to use his allegory to elucidate the harms inflicted by this courtship system. Juxtaposing the woman Rose with the textual image of the rosebush, we see the violence incurred by this love object that has been both exalted into oblivion and objectified into bits. This paper traces the dissection of the rose image, reads the rose as a euphemism of sexual aims, and studies the God of Love as the personification of courtly love’s enforcement. In the realm of The Romance of the Rose, to love is to suffer and both lover and loved are relentlessly subjugated to violence.

Revolution, Reform, and Reticent Voices: A Study of the Dynamic Health System of Nicaragua

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
James Gardner, Utah State University Anthropology Distinct perceptions on healthcare reform exist in every part of a society. This paper examines the volatile healthcare system of Nicaragua and the perceptions of healthcare reform among Nicaraguan medical professionals. Data were gathered through ethnographic field methods including participant observation, informal interviewing, and open-ended questions. The informants were selected from the medical personnel of the E.R. in the Hospital Amistad Japón-Nicaragua in Granada, Nicaragua. First, a framework of the history of Nicaraguan healthcare is discussed. This history is presented as a reflection of the sporadic nature of the Nicaraguan political environment over the last 30 years. The changes in healthcare policy over this time period are then examined through the lens of the hospital’s healthcare providers. Perspectives on public vs. private systems, the limited ability to affect reform, and motivations behind entering the medical profession are analyzed as they pertain to job satisfaction of healthcare workers.

Creating a Sense of Home: Examining the Personal Belongings of World War II Servicemen

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Paul Greenhalgh, Weber State University History Much has been written about the tactics and strategies of World War II, as well as the effects of the war on the world. Far less, however, has been written about the cultural aspect of the war experience, and in particular about the day-to-day culture of the servicemen during the war. Archival research at the Library of Congress and The Institute on WWII and the Human Experience at Florida State University yielded the bulk of the primary sources while a review of the literature on WWII and the culture of U.S. servicemen during the war provided context. Additionally, a cross-disciplinary review of psychological literature on pets and their importance to well-being, as well as why it is important for people to create a sense of home, has nuanced the research. This study looks at the personal effects that servicemen had during the war and how their possessions contributed to the creation of a sense of home while they were deployed. Servicemen carried a vast variety of possessions with them that were not Government Issue. These possessions included diaries, pictures of, and letters from, loved ones, Bibles, pets, musical instruments, and talismans. Moreover, in letters and in diaries, these servicemen have described why they personally have carried these objects with them. This study adds to the body of knowledge on the cultural aspect of WWII servicemen, and therefore adds to the overall understanding of WWII and the culture of war in general.

From the Perspective of Barbarians: Kingston’s “The Woman Warrior”

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Katie Patterson Hulett, Dixie State University English, Literary Studies emphasis In the last pages of her memoir, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Maxine Hong Kingston tells the story of the Chinese poetess Ts’ ai Yen, a woman captured by

Finding Social Values from Social Outcasts

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
S. Geneva Balin, Weber State University Anthropology In the past, mythology served as a guide to how life should be lived and provided a context for the condition in which people found themselves. As the sacred gave way to the secular, mythology lost its power to influence and guide the people as it did in the past. Rather than myths, people turned to literature for guidance. These stories have been told and retold through different eras in history. They have also been shared in contemporary forms such as books and movies which now reach a large audience. This paper will examine stories of social outcasts in an interpretive exploration into culture through the lens of literature. The multiple versions “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” reflect the cultures in which they were produced as well as the contemporary cultures that love them. A basis for comparison will be established by first recounting, in summary, the plotline for each of the novels. Then theories relevant to exploring meaning will be approached, notably those of Claude Levi-Strauss, Émile Durkheim, Dame Mary Douglas and Carl Jung. From here, variations of the stories and the history surrounding them can be examined to discover potential social meaning and show the importance of stories as a way to bind a culture together.

The Nature of Fate: Determinism in Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native and George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Melissa Lewis, Dixie State University English Both George Eliot and Thomas Hardy have been called determinists partly as a result of their novels The Return of the Native and The Mill on the Floss. The role of fate or destiny largely guides the plot of these works, regardless of the decisions and merit of the characters. A comparison of the style of determinism between the two authors reveals that George Eliot emphasizes a moral force while Thomas Hardy focuses on a force associated with nature. Eliot’s determinism suggests that the world is determined but that humans still remained morally responsible for their actions, as Maggie is responsible for not feeding Tom’s rabbits or for her lack of decision as she drifts down the river with Stephen Guest in The Mill on the Floss. Hardy tends to be more of a naturalist. The naturalist is a product of post-Darwinian theory that humanity is controlled entirely by nature. For example, the fate of Eustacia Vye in The Return of the Native seems to be controlled by the hand of Egdon Heath. Both novels depict extraordinary characters in a world bent to squash them. These novels reveal that the individual exists as a solitary entity, and the relationship that used to exist between God and individual is now between the individual and society. Both Eliot and Hardy create novels where the world seems determined and cruel and characters that don’t adhere or fit in this mold are eliminated or reduced.

Sentimentality Preserves Our Past

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Hanna Higginson, University of Utah Anthropology The study, “Sentimentality Preserves Our Past” focuses on two branches of nostalgia: sentimentality and historical utility and their relationship to cultural relics. Our approach assumes we can recognize similarities and differences between cultural communities by describing the extent to which individuals are sentimental or utilitarian with regard to their possessions. We are currently collecting data from the northern Utah community and Utah Tongan community. We set up a preliminary exercise asking participants to free list the items they have a difficult time throwing away for sentimental reasons. So far we have collected 40 questionnaires and 13 interviews that focus on the five most referenced items. Our target is to conduct about 45 questionnaires and 45 interviews for each community. For the Utahan population we have enough data to identify an S:U RANK – the ratio between a participant’s measure of sentimentality to the measure of utility. For the 25 questions where a respondent’s answer could be classified as appealing to sentimentality (s) or historic utility (h), we summed the totals then divided it by the sum of the answers appealing to utility (u). All totals above 1 indicate that the respondent prefers protecting items for nostalgic purposes; all answers below 1 indicate the respondent prefers items of utility. The S:U RANK gives a general view into a particular population. From this we can discuss the effect of variables such as age, marital status, children, age of children, and years in Utah on an individual’s preference. Currently, the pattern from the S:U RANK suggests that marital status and children are having the greatest effect on the ratio, but this will become clearer as the interviews progress. The research began as an effort to understand the presence of nostalgia as applied to five common relics among a particular diaspora, in light of the incoming data, this question is developing into an attempt to understand nostalgia in a cultural and universal sense as well.

The “Slave Morality” of the Working Class Promise and the “Domination” of the American Dream

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Betty Stoneman, Utah Valley University Philosophy The “American Dream” and the “Working Class Promise” are ubiquitous ideologies in American culture. For this paper, I will argue these ideologies are social constructs which perpetuate and reinforce discrimination, the social hierarchy and the domination of the American working class. First, I will define the key concepts of this paper: ideology, stereotyping, domination, discrimination, the ideologies of the American Dream and the Working Class Promise. Secondly, I will argue these ideologies, as defined by communications professor Kristen Lucas, lead to discrimination and domination of the working class. I will argue the Working Class Promise is an example of philosopher Frederick Nietzsche’s slave morality, where a lower status group attaches positive values to themselves which only serves to perpetuate discrimination against them. Further, I will argue domination arises from such discrimination by examining a study by psychologists Shannon K. McCoy and Brenda Major regarding positive stereotyping, self-stereotyping, discrimination and domination. Next, I will argue, using sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, both the Working Class Promise and the American Dream are structured and structuring social concepts which reinforce discrimination and domination through exclusion. In line with Bourdieu, I will use social philosopher Louis Althusser’s arguments to show how the Working Class Promise and the American Dream reproduce the roles of the social hierarchy and domination. I will support this demonstration with evidence from McCoy and Major’s study showing how various forms of discrimination are reproduced in society when individuals believe in the American Dream. Having accepted the social insights of these scholars, I would propose, based on the arguments of philosopher Immanuel Kant regarding the intrinsic worth of rational beings and contrary to elitist or socialist views, the solution is for Americans to reject these ideologies.

The Mouth as a Vehicle for Homoerotic Expression: Articulating Homosexuals in Genet’s Querelle

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Echo Smith, University of Utah English and Classics In his novel Querelle Jean Genet depicts homosexual relationships among men, primarily in the navy, as narrated by the character of Lieutenant Seblon. The main object of Seblon’s affections and infatuations is Querelle, after whom the work is titled, the reigning protagonist. As the novel quite overtly depicts the occurrence of sexual acts between men, it is easily read as homosexual literature. However, what I argue is that homosexuals, within the novel, are identified more by verbal expressions than acts of the body. Throughout the text, Genet frequently draws attention to the mouth and the ways in which it expresses, imbibes, or expels. Using Georges Bataille’s theories of the mouth, which also focus on a type of oral release, I opine that one can see the relationship between this orifice and the way in which we, as humans, take in or eject things from our bodies. This notion coupled with Genet’s employment of the mouth as a means of homoerotic expression provides for a queering of the mouth to occur. Therefore, I conclude that the mouth, in the text of Querelle, becomes the orifice through which homosexuality is released from the body, primarily through verbal expression, and becomes the more accurate indicator of the homosexual within the text.

Imagining Undertext

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Catherine Howell-Dinger, University of Utah English While feminist projects have often acknowledged that discourse creates specific material conditions and lived realities, it has rarely been asked how these conditions might influence discourse itself. This paper investigates the politics of textual production and argues that some texts have thought of the material conditions of the narratives which they disclose as inseparable from, and present in, the text itself; however, other texts show a high level of anxiety about their relationship to materiality, and ultimately attempt to suppress this relationship as a means of ensuring a particular privileged position. For example, Toni Morrison’s Beloved has been read by some critics as an example of Kristeva’s semiotic. Pursing this reading further, I argue that a more active conception of the body is present in Morrison’s work than was previously observed by these critics. In Morrison’s work, the body is not simply something that is written; rather, it is something that actively shapes and inflects the text vis-a-vis its own disruption of the text. On the other hand, although the body seems to figure prominently in the work of some authors, such as James Tiptree’s “The Girl Who was Plugged In,” its relationship to textual production is eclipsed in order to maintain political power and hegemonic masculinity. The authorial voice in Tiptree’s work ultimately attempts to cover over its own connection to the feminine body of its composer, Alice Sheldon, in order to give its own feminist message authority.

Migrant Head Start in Brigham City, Utah

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Carlos Junior Guadarrama, Utah State University English My poster explores the history of the Migrant Head Start program at the former Indian Intermountain School location in Brigham City, Utah. No one to my knowledge has gathered a history of this program, which operated from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. I intend to explore this Migrant Head Start’s foundations as an informal school for the children of Latino migrants, as well as how it grew and developed over the almost two decades that it existed, before it became the Centro de la Familia de Utah. I plan to interview a former principal, several teachers, as well as former students. I argue that this Head Start played an extremely important educational and social role in the lives of many inhabitants of Brigham City.

The Influence of L1 and L2 on Perceptual VOT Boundaries in Initial-Stage L3

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Jeffrey Green, University of Utah Linguistics Although learning a second language can be difficult, especially for adults, many people believe that once an individual has acquired a second language, it will be easier to learn a third. Individuals may utilize strategies learned from studying a second language (L2) to their study of a third, but this does not necessarily mean that learning a third language (L3) will be easier. As individuals study an L3, their knowledge of both their native language (L1) and their L2 will compete with their developing knowledge of the L3. Previous research has shown that during early stages of L3 acquisition, both L1 and L2 phonology (that is, the underlying sound system of a language) influence the phonology of their L3. This is evident, for example, in learners’ production of some word-initial consonants, such as d, p, and k. Languages differ in the timing between the articulation of the consonant and the beginning of vibration of the vocal folds (voicing) associated with a following vowel sound. This timing is known as Voice Onset Time (VOT). Studies suggest a stronger influence from L2 than from L1 in L3 VOT production. However, learners in these studies had some (if limited) knowledge of the L3, and the influence of this knowledge is unclear. In addition, previous studies have addressed L3 production, but not L3 perception. Research has yet to investigate (i) the influence of L1 and L2 phonology in the very initial stages of L3 acquisition (when the language is totally unfamiliar), and (ii) the influence of L1 and L2 phonology on the perception of VOT boundaries. This study investigates (i) and (ii) by presenting English and Spanish bilinguals with stimuli representing a range of VOT in their L1 and L2, as well as from a third, unfamiliar language in a series of tasks designed to elicit evidence of VOT boundaries in each language. The results of these tasks will be examined to determine whether learners rely more on their L1 or their L2 for processing a third, unfamiliar language. Preliminary results and analyses will be available by February 2013. This research will give important insights into the process of acquisition of a third language.

Look Who’s Talking: Exploring Writing Conference Interactions and Subsequent Revision

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Ryan Krage, Utah Valley University English and Literature Within Freshman Composition Studies, little research has been produced on writing conferences between students and teachers since Laurel Johnson Black’s Between Talk and Teaching: Reconsidering the Writing Conference in 1998. Most published research has not included any systematic information about the nature of the writing conference, a consultation between the student and teacher designed to discuss the student’s paper in order to make changes. Student feedback and involvement in this study is of crucial importance because there is no existing data whether teacher-student conferences are working from a student perspective. The major research question is “What is the relationship between types of teacher-student conference interaction and subsequent revision of students’ papers?” The purpose of the research is to discover what the writing conference between teacher and student accomplishes in terms of better writing outcomes, what the expectations of the student are, and what and how the power dynamics between student and teacher affect the quality and quantity of revision from both student and instructor perspectives. We will examine the connection of students’ perceptions about the writing conference to their final scores and other data. During the spring 2012 semester, we drafted three surveys designed to capture students’ perspectives and expectations regarding the conferences (a pre-conference, post conference, and post final grade). The methodology includes transcribing voice recordings of conferences, collecting student surveys before and after conferences, and collecting students’ rough and final drafts for two papers during the semester. This raw data will be coded into usable data, which will then be analyzed to identify behaviors that facilitate or impede the conference and determine its overall effectiveness. We hypothesize that a dialogic conference will occur when the power dynamic between student and teacher is more equitable, resulting in more student-ownership over the revision process. The extent of student ownership within the revision process will be determined by both the quantity and quality of revision. These findings will, in turn, enable teachers to take a closer look at the nature of their own writing conferences in order to develop better consultations with their students.

Forte! Forte! Sound the Syllogism! Question the Composition! The Relation of Reason and Music in Nietzsche

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Duke Cruz, Westminster College Philosophy This research focuses on the nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, his philosophy, and how that relates specifically to what he thinks about music. In general this presentation will consist of three main parts: 1) analyzing passages on music in a few of Nietzsche’s works, specifically, “The Birth of Tragedy”, “Beyond Good and Evil”, and “Twilight of the Idols’” with supplementary material relating to his philosophy taken from “The Anti-Christ”, and Walter Kaufmann’s biography of Nietzsche “Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist”; 2) showing the relation of music and reason in each example; 3) postulating the importance of this relation. Throughout my research on Nietzsche and his thoughts surrounding music, it is apparent that whenever he discusses music, it is never about the specific score, keys, melodic content, etc. Instead, I found that in most of the passages that I have ran across, Nietzsche’s thoughts on music collide directly and importantly to his philosophy. In this presentation I aim to elucidate what the importance of this relation between music and reason could be for Nietzsche.

What Should Nursing Students Know About Quality and Safety?

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Arlene Johnston, Brigham Young University Nursing Description:

Nursing Students’ First Clinical Experience with Death: A Pilot Study

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Laura Gilpin, Brigham Young University Nursing Purpose/Aims: The purpose of this pilot study was (1) to examine nursing students’ perceptions of their first experience with death in the clinical setting and (2) to determine if curricular changes are necessary to better prepare nursing students effectively cope with their first death experience as a nurse. Background: Death, particularly the unexpected death of a patient, is an emotionally charged, high-stress situation for any nurse. Nursing students encounter scenarios involving death and dying in simulation laboratories, as well as in the clinical setting. In simulation settings debriefing is routinely accomplished and is seen as a critical component of the learning experience. However, Leavy and colleagues (2011) found that even during formal simulation debriefing sessions nursing students were not able to fully process their emotions In real-life clinical settings, the stakes are even higher as nursing students must be able to effectively cope with the death of a patient. Unfortunately, research on students’ first experience with death is limited. Huang and colleagues (2010) found students may not receive adequate support from clinical nursing instructors during the dying process and after a patient’s death. Methods: This was a descriptive mixed methods pilot study. An online anonymous survey was sent to students in the Brigham Young University College of Nursing regarding their first experience with death in the clinical setting (N=306). Students were e-mailed a brief description of the research project and an invitation to participate in the study only if they had experienced the death of a patient. Completion of the online questionnaire implied consent. The participants answered 5 demographic questions and 11 survey questions with the estimated time commitment for each participant being 15 minutes. Results: The online questionnaire was sent to 306 BSN nursing students Approximately 10% initially responded (N=33). A smaller group (N=25) completed the entire survey. Qualitative comments from nursing students who experienced the death of their patient included feeling sad, shocked and uncomfortable. Fifty percent of the nursing students did not receive any debriefing from their clinical instructor following the event.

Theatre Uninhibited By Language

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Brook Owen, Dixie State University Theatre My theory is that theatre can portray emotion and convey a story without verbal communication. As an actor, I struggled to portray emotion while using a memorized script. As I worked through my theatrical training, I was introduced to exercises that took away language. I found artistic freedom in these exercises and formulated a research project to understand what would happen if actors were given freedom from language completely. This research is founded in the works of artists such as mime John Weaver and absurdist Samuel Beckett. One of the most prominent movement artists of our time is Anne Bogart. Her movement technique, called Viewpoints, focuses on the physical aspects of portraying emotion and kinesthetic response. This is where my physical research started. In rehearsal, actors experiment with Bogart’s viewpoints, while responding to different styles of music. Then I begin to move away from Bogart’s research. While allowing them to maintain their own organic choices, I give my actors more specific acting objectives with which to work. For example, “Imagine that your character wants to purpose.” Once completed, the actors talk to me about how the exercise expanded their physical toolbox. One comment from an actor symbolizes the heart of this research. “When the music starts, you think of an emotion, and then you start responding to that emotion. That’s when the character starts to form. And the next thing you know, you have a little story around it.” Repetition of this process will culminate in a narrative movement piece.

The Living Apostle: Paschal I and Concordia Apostolorum

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Thomas Skousen, Dixie State University Art Concordia apostolorum, the union of apostles, is found in literature, art, and even the topography of Rome. Rome is unique in the fact that it unites Peter and Paul. Early Christians revered these saints and dedicated two of the most important churches in the city to them. Their deaths in Rome were a crucial factor in identifying Rome as the principal capital of Christendom. As Christianity spread and was accepted throughout the empire, different Christian centers arose, aside from Jerusalem and Rome. In order to maintain its place at the top tier of the Christian hierarchy, the Roman Popes used the idea of concordia apostolorum to not only speak to Roman citizens, but also to pilgrims who visited the city. The use of concordia apostolorum extended into the ninth century with Pope Paschal I’s (817-824) mosaics at Santa Prassede. These have historically been categorized into the Carolingian Renaissance. However, Paschal and earlier popes were trying to create a uniquely Roman Renaissance, and Peter and Paul’s place in art is crucial to their propaganda. The apse mosaic in Santa Prassede employs concordia apostolorum to promote the primacy of Rome. Louis the Pious inherited the empire from his father Charlemagne and surrounded himself with bishops and scholars who questioned the authority of the pope, thus igniting a struggle between the pope and the Carolingians. This paper will show that Paschal I commissioned art that emphasized his role in carrying out the ministerial work of Peter and Paul. In art and in life, Paschal sought to become not only the principal figure in Christianity, a living apostle, but also a chief player in Europe’s political structure.

Transition: An Original Contemporary Ballet Work

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Hilary Wolfley, Brigham Young University Dance The purpose of this project is to enhance the caliber and reputation of ballet in higher education-specifically contemporary ballet at BYU-while strengthening my own choreographic abilities under the guidance and coaching of my mentor, Shani Robison, Associate Professor. I have choreographed an original contemporary ballet entitled “Transition” that explores the ways in which we react to the challenges of change in our lives. Through exploring this theme, creating innovative movement, and rehearsing with talented dancers, I am working closely with my mentor to fulfill UCUR’s mission to creatively contribute to the discipline of contemporary ballet. I recently completed this project as the culmination of my undergraduate work at BYU as a dance major. This is the link to my project as performed last week at the BYU Ballet Showcase: http://youtu.be/j1t0MPcLUyw (DVD available upon request). The BYU Ballet Program has selected me as the only ballet student from BYU this year to represent undergraduate student creative work by presenting my project at the American College Dance Festival Northwest Region at Southern Utah University March 11-15, 2013 (ACDF). During this festival, my piece will be viewed by collegiate dance students and educators from across the country and adjudicated by internationally renowned experts in the dance field.

Identifying High-Risk Flood Scenarios in the Bhutanese Himalayas

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Ryan Smith, Brigham Young University Geological Sciences Bhutan, a remote country in the Himalayas, has an underdeveloped economy that relies heavily on hydro-electric power and agriculture. Glacial lake outburst floods, or GLOFs, threaten both of these sectors of their economy. More importantly, they threaten human lives. In this study, I will estimate the increase in volume of the most rapidly growing glacial lakes in the Bhutanese Himalayas and investigate potential causes of their growth. In addition, I will develop a simple model to simulate the flooding effects of a GLOF on downstream cropland and villages.

Search For Shrodinger Type Structuring In Keplerian System

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Samuel Leventhal, University of Utah Physics The uncertainty existing within the scientific community as to why quantum mechanics (QM) behaves as it does comes from the fact there exists no mathematically sound approach for deriving the postulates of QM. It is the purpose of our research to present a derivation for the postulates of QM through the theory of Scale Relativity (SR), followed by a search for physical signatures of SR in the mechanics of celestial bodies. The construction of SR is based on an extension of the relativity principle to scale transformations coupled with a loss of differentiability. Our first paper presents the derivation of QM through scale relativity. During the SR derivation we also show fundamental qualities of QM, such as the presence of complex numbers in state functions. Lastly, the seemingly unrelated behaviors between relativity and quantum phenomena are shown a single mathematical formulation, only to change form due to scale. The new resolution variable within the adapted Schrodinger equation allows it to become applicable to macroscopic scales allowing us to look at large scale mechanics for signs of SR. Gravitation being scale invariant leads it to be a perfect candidate for experimental purposes. Our second paper investigates whether or not celestial bodies, formed by chaotic gravitational structuring, obey the properties of a Schrodinger equation dependent on the Keplerian potential. If so SR implies solar systems would form along probability distributions predicted by the square magnitude of the Schrodinger-Keplerian wave equation. In theory a planets probability distribution would depend on discrete variables, denoted orbital rank, n=n. In search for SR it is sufficient to see if planets tend to have orbital ranks near integer values. We start by calculating the orbital ranks within various solar systems, followed by testing whether the accumulation of planets’ rank near integer values is a probable event. To test this we take the squared difference between the calculated rank and the nearest integer. As a result we are able to test how likely orbital structuring will be discrete. Our results show a strong certainty that orbital rank is likely to accumulate near integer values.

Raman Spectroscopy Methods to Detect Monomolecular Layers on Oxide Surfaces

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Natascha Knowlton, University of Utah Chemistry The chemical derivatization of oxide surfaces (silica, alumina, glass) is critical to the development of separation media, sensing surfaces, or biocompatible interfaces. Presently, there are few analytical methods that allow the detection and characterization of functionalized monolayers on these surfaces. Raman scattering spectroscopy can provide useful structural information in the form of vibrational spectra of molecules of interest, and it is compatible with oxide substrates. Raman scattering, however, is a very weak effect so that its application to detecting monolayers is challenging. In this work, two approaches to detecting and characterizing molecular layers on oxide surfaces with Raman spectroscopy are compared. First, gold colloidal nanoparticles are deposited onto the surface of interest, which enhance the Raman scattering near the gold surface by surface-plasmon resonance. This technique is suitable for ex situ analysis of monolayers on planar surfaces. Secondly, monomolecular layers can also be detected by Raman scattering on porous oxide supports such as alumina or silica without any optical enhancement due to the very high surface area of these materials. Detection in porous particles is compatible with in situ monitoring of surface derivatization reactions. These two methods are compared for monitoring of reactions of silane-coupling agents and their subsequent functional group transformations on glass and silica surfaces.

Examination and Characterization of Coal Creek Runoff as well as the Impact of Cedar City, Utah

January 01, 2013 12:00 AM
Alyssa Brown, Southern Utah University Physical Science Coal Creek is a perennial stream that runs through Cedar City, Utah and drains into Rush Lake. The basin is a closed basin, meaning that most of the surface water will eventually become ground water, the main source of drinking water for Cedar City. Because of the increase of urbanization of this region in par- ticular, there is a higher probability of pollutants entering the water source and greatly affecting the quality of the drinking water. Most pollutants are characterized as nonpoint source pollution, which is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as, “land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification” and is the leading cause of water quality problems (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). Common sources of land runoff, as defined by the EPA, include septic waste, lawn and garden fertilizers, improperly disposed chemicals, automobile fluids, vehicle emissions, and road deicers (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). In order to characterize the pollutants found in samples and determine the concentration of ions of interest, ion chromatography was used. By determining the identity and concentrations of particular ions, the presence of nonpoint pollution, and the source, may be determined. This study may lead to better indications of where major sources of drinking water pollutants are originating, illustrating the effect that urbanization and rapid population growth have on the quality of both surface and ground water. This will allow better characterization of pollutants and pollution sources in the future.