2014 Abstracts

Madison Landreth, Weber State University Life Sciences Enterococcus, a bacterial genus that normally inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of animals, can be pathogenic to humans, causing urinary tract infections, sepsis and other serious diseases. It is also one of the major causes of hospital acquired infections. One important complication of those infected with Enterococcus is the fact that these bacteria often have a high level of antibiotic resistance, making effective treatment of patients more difficult. While Enterococcus is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract, it can survive outside its host in the environment, even in adverse conditions, such as the Great Salt Lake (GSL). In this experiment, hundreds of isolates of Enterococcus were collected from the Great Salt Lake, from various sites along the Weber River which flows into the GSL and from clinical sources. Isolates were tested for different phenotypic characteristics and for their resistant patterns against certain antibiotics. Preliminary results of the Kirby Bauer disk-diffusion assay demonstrated that 47% of enterococcal isolates from the Great Salt Lake were resistant to one or more of the five antibiotics compared to 98% of the clinical isolates. In contrast, in a previous study, as few as 15% of Enterococcus isolated from the fresh water sources were resistant to one or more of the five antibiotics. These data may have implications concerning the importance of anthropological impact on rates of antibiotic resistance in this genus.

Jeremy Rehm, Brigham Young University Life Science The recent surge of interest in personality differences between individuals of a single population or members of differing populations has generated numerous new hypotheses that may aid in elucidating patterns of ecology and evolution that were previously considered improbable. Two hypotheses relevant to fish biology relate the size of an organism from a certain predation environment to the level of boldness it exhibits. The first of these (predation hypothesis) predicts small individuals living with predators should not express boldness comparable to their larger counterparts, whereas the other (metabolic hypothesis) predicts the exact opposite. Our study investigated these hypotheses using two sister-taxa fish species in Panama (Brachyrhaphis roseni and B. terrabensis) that exhibit two size classes (large and small) and live in differing predation environments. Additionally, because males are smaller than females in both species, we could look at size-boldness relations within each species. The study, as in others, defined boldness as the amount of time for an individual to emerge from a shelter and into an unfamiliar territory. When the species are analyzed collectively, our results support previous findings that fish from high-predation environments tend to be bolder than those without predators; males tend to be bolder than females; and both mass and standard length positively correlate with boldness. However, within species analyses find that mass and standard length have no significant relation to boldness, and gender was only significant in the predation-exposed B.roseni, where males were bolder. These interesting findings contrast with previous studies, and lead us to question the value of these size-related hypotheses in the process of speciation and, ultimately, evolution.

Ethel Tackie-Yarboi, Westminster College Life Sciences The brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana are an important source of nutrients for many of the over 15 million migratory birds that visit Great Salt Lake (GSL) in Utah each year. As well as being a source of food, the brine shrimp are an intermediate host to cestode parasites that infect many of the bird species. Although the effects of cestode infection in brine shrimp and the contribution of brine shrimp to cestode circulation in birds have been studied, little research has yet addressed the rate of cestode infection or molecular phylogeny of these cestodes. We collected brine shrimp from three sites in GSL and tested individuals for cestode infection using previously identified and newly designed cestode specific PCR primers that amplify the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. Our preliminary results showed that the Spiral Jetty site from the North arm of GSL had a 2% infection rate, the Antelope Island site from the South arm had a 45% infection rate, and the shrimp collected at the Black Rock site, also in the South arm, had a 32% infection rate using our cestode specific PCR assays. We also have preliminary DNA sequencing results that demonstrate that we are amplifying cestode DNA, which is most closely related to members of the genus Hymenolepis. Our data suggest that there may be a higher prevalence of cestode infection in the shrimp in the South arm than those from the North arm of the Great Salt Lake. Our goal is to extend our study in order to better identify the species of cestodes that infect brine shrimp using further DNA sequencing and to expand our infection rate samples to better estimate the percentage of the brine shrimp population that is infected by the cestode parasites, as well as test samples from several years.

Cynthiann Heckelsmiller, Weber State University Life Sciences Heavy foot traffic compacts soil, leading to decreased gas exchange, water permeability, and reduced nutrient cycling. Plant communities are defined by the availability of nutrients, water, and other resources.

Charlee Byers, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Agave utahensis (Utah agave) plays a critical role as a keystone species in its native habitat. A rise in frequent, intense fires across the range of these habitats threatens to eliminate Utah agave populations, and consequently limit its genetic diversity. Characterizing the genetic diversity of Utah agave and its subspecies will help in restoration efforts to protect the species. We constructed primers to amplify microsatellite markers of two subspecies of Utah agave, ssp. kaibabensis and ssp. utahensis. Using these markers, we determined the level of polymorphism within four populations of each of the two subspecies.

Sean Studstill, Weber State University Life Sciences Imidacloprid is a popular systemic insecticide that has been applied to our staple crops for two decades. According to the EPA, it is persistent in the environment and at risk of effecting non-targeted organisms. Imidacloprid is an insect neurotoxin; however it is also known to be toxic to various aquatic species in concentrations as low as 37 ppb. Ingestion of imidacloprid causes paralysis in organisms through the blockage of postsynaptic nicotinic cholinergic receptors. We sought to find out how toxic imidacloprid is to brine shrimp and what kinds of physiological reactions occur upon exposure.

Jake Gamboa, Brigham Young University Life Sciences It is estimated that approximately 350,000 people in the United Stated die annually from post-myocardial infarction arrhythmias. A majority of these people will undergo a surgery that results in partial or complete removal of the stellate ganglion and other nerve fibers of the pharyngeal space in an attempt to prevent over stimulation from the neurons to the area of dead heart tissue and, therefore, future arrhythmias. However, without a somatomototopy, it is unclear what physiological effects partial or full sympathectomies may have. We will create a three-dimensional map of the pharyngeal space nerve plexus which will, in turn, allow for a more accurate and precise surgery.

Josh Hall, Weber State University Life Sciences Reproduction in birds is extremely conservative with the vast majority of the birds adopting bird-egg contact incubation to maintain an appropriate microclimate for embryonic development (Deeming, 2004). The Great Salt Lake is a vital nesting site for American Avocets (Recurvirostra Americana) that shows extreme temperatures and hostile environments where nest success can be as low as 1 -14% (Cavitt, 2008). Constancy of incubation, i.e. the time that the eggs are in contact with an adult, is a major indicator of nest success and environmental conditions. Our goals were to examine some of the costs natural selection places on embryos and parents to maintain a constant embryo temperature. We hypothesized that incubation attentiveness would increase across the nesting cycle. Over 200 AMAV nests were surveyed. Thermal probes were used to record various nest microclimates at every minute. A pseudonest with painted chicken eggs was also created and a thermal probe was placed to measure the ambient temperature without any adult incubation. A motion sensitive camera was placed over nests to examine differences in parental care. Nests will be divided into three phases: early, mid, and late incubation. Thermal data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and mean variance values to calculate how incubation constancy varied throughout these phases. We expect this data to tell us more on how natural selection is working on these populations and some possible theories of how this developed.

Mena Davidson, Westminster College Life Sciences Urban stream syndrome is the phenomenon of stream degradation as streams run from their sources through urban areas, which is exhibited by nutrient loading, decreased dissolved oxygen, changes in channel structure, and increased turbidity and rapid flow events. This can have a direct negative effect on our recreation, drinking water, and the ecosystems surrounding the streams. To discover if urban stream syndrome occurs in the Salt Lake Valley, we monitored pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved nitrates, and collected macroinvertebrates in three streams monthly. We analyzed total abundance, species diversity, and percent pollution sensitive species to assess the macroinvertebrate communities, as known indicators of water quality. Preliminary data shows a significant decrease in percent sensitive species in the urban areas as compared to the nonurban areas over 10 sampling periods. We found decreased biodiversity and fewer sensitive species in urban areas, although we found no difference in total abundance. These findings indicate that urbanization in the Salt Lake Valley leads to degradation in riparian ecosystems and suggest that further investigation is needed to identify the mechanisms leading to this degradation.

Goyeun Tun, University of Utah Life Sciences Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) are disorders which their symptoms and treatments are not clearly known. CFS and FMS are not life threatening diseases; however, they can affect patients’ quality of life because they experience symptoms including exercise intolerance, need for bedrest, and debilitating chronic pain and fatigue with these disorders. The research from Dr. Light’s lab has shown that moderate exercise for 25 minutes causes changes in mRNA levels in CFS and FMS patients but not healthy controls. The objective of our study was to examine changes in white blood cell gene expression of CFS and FMS patients both on Lyrica and on placebo in a double-blinded, cross-over design (where each study subject was his or her own control) by using quantitative PCR gene expression analysis. The lab routinely analyzes blood samples for 48 different genes from study subjects and healthy controls collected before (baseline) and then 8, 24, 48 hours after exercise moderate exercise. My focus was on changes in expression of two ATP-responsive purinergic receptors, P2X7 and P2Y1, which have not been studied after exercise in CFS and FMS but have been associated with chronic inflammation and pain in animal models. White blood cell layers (buffy coat) were collected from samples, RNA was extracted and converted to cDNA. 384 well PCR plates were robotically loaded from 96 well source plates, then the PCR reaction was run in an ABI 7900 thermal cycler that tracks fluorescence in “real time” (real time qPCR). Analysis of results is in progress and will be reported on the poster.

Xin Wan, University of Utah Life Sciences Endothelial dysfunction exists in individuals with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Markers of endothelial dysfunction include reduced phosphorylation (p) of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) to total eNOS (p-eNOS:eNOS), and attenuated endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. Free fatty acids (FFAs) are elevated in individuals with DIO and T2DM. Our laboratory has shown that when: (i) endothelial cells are incubated with saturated FFA palmitate; (ii) mice are infused with lard-oil; and/or (iii) when mice are fed with high-fat diet, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) binds directly with eNOS. When this occurs, the association among Akt-Hsp90-eNOS is disrupted, p-eNOS:eNOS is impaired, and endothelium-dependent dysfunction occurs. This is prevented using pharmacological and genetic approaches that limit production of FFA metabolite ceramide. It is unknown whether PP2A inhibition per se is protective. We hypothesized that arterial dysfunction in obese vs. lean mice is prevented by PP2A inhibition. Seven-week-old, male, C57B16 mice consumed standard (CON, n=20) or high-fat (HF, n=20) chow for 12-weeks. Subgroups (n=10) of CON and HF mice received IP injections of saline (vehicle; V) or Lixte Biotechnology 100 (LB1, 1 mg/kg/day) for the last 14-days. Preliminary experiments verified that LB1-treatment for 3 and 21 days decreases (p<0.05) arterial PP2A activity. HF mice gained weight and developed peripheral glucose intolerance vs. CON mice regardless of LB1 treatment. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation was impaired (p<0.05) in HF-V vs. CON-V mice, but dysfunction was less severe (p<0.05) in HF-LB1 mice. p-eNOS:eNOS was reduced (p<0.05) in arteries from HF-V vs. CON-V mice, but p-eNOS:eNOS was similar in arteries from HF-LB1 and CON-LB1 mice. Akt and Hsp90 co-immunoprecipitation with eNOS was impaired (p<0.05) in HF-V vs. HF-CON mice, but this was not observed in arteries from HF-LB1 and CON-LB1 mice. These findings suggest that PP2A activity suppression in vivo is sufficient to preserve endothelial function in obese mice.

Teresa St. Pierre Nufer, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Acute stress has been shown to decrease Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. Stressed animals also show signs of anxiety and suffer decreases in spatial memory tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation. Conversely, exercise has been shown to increase spatial memory task performance in mice, attenuate anxiety-like behaviors and enhance neurogenesis and LTP in the dentate-gyrus. While the effects of stress and exercise have been examined independently, there is currently a lack of experimental evidence that connects how stress and exercise, when experienced by the same animal, might modulate LTP in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. In our ongoing study, mice have been separated into a control group, a stress group (restraint and tail-shock), and an exercise with stress group where mice have voluntary access to a running wheel (for 30 days) before undergoing the stress protocol.

Janweb Lagazo, Brigham Young University Life Sciences The scientific community and the general public have long been interested in the effects of water pollution. Most studies on water pollution have focused solely on industrial pollution, but have failed to consider the potential impact of pharmaceuticals that unintentionally accumulate in aquatic ecosystems via wastewater treatment effluents. The purpose of this study is to advance our understanding on how these wastewater effluents affect aquatic ecosystems in Utah. We quantified the concentration of select pharmaceuticals in Hobble Creek using mass spectrometry. Then we sampled above the treatment plant, at the effluent outlet, and downstream of the effluent to determine pre-effluent and post-effluent drug concentrations. We are currently using this preliminary data to investigate how common endocrine disrupting, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-anxiety drugs may potentially affect the aquatic ecosystem of the endangered Chasmistes liorus, commonly known as June sucker.

Caitlin Carter, Utah Valley University Life Sciences High-frequency (HF) ultrasound (20-80 MHz) has been previously used to detect differences in microstructures and cell materials of different breast tissues types. These differences were used to distinguish between benign and malignant pathologies in different breast tissues. This same technology is predicted to be able to improve methods of detecting changes in cellular activity before changes in pathology take place. The purpose of this study was to use HF ultrasound to detect changes in the actin cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix (ECM), and integrin signaling, therefore differentiating the molecular subtypes associated with these changes in cell biomechanical properties. It is predicted that these cellular changes will also be associated with changes in the ultrasonic properties of breast cancer cells. The ability to rapidly and inexpensively detect the genetic changes or molecular subtypes of breast cancer would greatly impact and personalize patient treatment as well as provide more precise surgical removal of malignant and premalignant tissue. In order to test this hypothesis, four different breast cancer molecular subtypes including luminal A, luminal B, Her2+, and basal (triple negative) were grown as monolayer cell cultures. These subtypes were chosen because of their range of aggressiveness (luminal A as least aggressive and basal as most). After growth at different seeding levels, cell cultures were tested with a HF ultrasound system using a 50 MHz, 6.35-mm diameter immersion transducer and pulse-echo transmission. The data was compared to simulations using multipole expansions which predicted ultrasonic scattering based on possible variations in the biomechanical properties of malignant cells. The analyzed data showed differences in the spectra of waveform signals between each tested breast cancer molecular subtype. It is anticipated that this technique would provide an efficient and cost-effective method for differentiating between different molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

Lauren Archibald, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Increased intake of selenium (Se) and soy have both been shown to reduce risk for prostate cancer, especially if these dietary treatments are combined. The purpose of this project is to determine how the timing of Se supplementation of either a low- or high-soy diet affects prostate cancer risk. [C57BL/6 X FVB] F1 TRAMP (TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate) male mice were fed stock diets low or high in soy. Half of the mice received Se supplementation (4.0 mg Se/kg BW as Se-methylselenocysteine) by gavage 5 d/wk in a 2 X 2 factorial design. Se supplementation began at conception, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, or 18 weeks of age. The mice were then sacrificed at different stages of maturation (4, 12, 18, and 24 weeks). Our results showed that, at 12 weeks of age, urogenital tract weights, a measure of prostate proliferation and tumor volume, were significantly reduced by Se supplementation (p<0.001) and by soy (p=0.044), independent of time of dietary intervention. Histological scores of prostate cancer progression also showed a protective effect of Se supplementation (p=0.030). At this writing, statistical analysis of data from mice sacrificed at 18 weeks is in process. Data derived from 18-week mice, combined with our previous findings from 12-week animals, will allow us to chart the progress of prostate cancer in this model. In addition, results will show how dietary Se and soy may alter disease progression and how the timing of dietary intervention may determine its effects.

Claudia Gonzalez, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Cortisol has been shown to be a potential bio-marker as it discriminates between individuals with and without depression (Rush et al., 1996 and Ising et al., 2007). However, cortisol has not been used to predict variation in temperament extremes that lead to pathological behaviors in adulthood. In order to examine the relationship between cortisol and temperament extremes, data from the bio-behavioral assessment (BBA) was used. The BBA data base includes data collected from over 2,700 infant rhesus macaques located in California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC). During the BBA four blood samples per subject are obtained and later assayed for plasma cortisol levels. In this study, the plasma cortisol response levels were looked at in a holistic form encompassing all individual cortisol samples. The four points of plasma cortisol concentrations were used to extract patterns of response per subject which provided classifications for each of the monkeys. The pathological patterns of cortisol response were characterized by abnormal plasma cortisol levels in response to Dexamethasone suppression testing and adrenocorticotropin ACTH injections. The variability in plasma cortisol patterns was then compared to BBA temperament ratings of vigilance, gentle, nervousness and confidence. These results showed that 12 of the 26 possible patterns of response were significantly (p<.05) related to each of the temperament ratings of vigilance, gentleness and confidence. Thus cortisol response patterns can be used both as biomarkers for vigilance, gentleness and confidence, and as potential predictors for pathological behaviors in adulthood.

Benjamin Gann, Utah Valley University Life Sciences (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (2-Butenal) was shown to inhibit various inflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-kB pathway. A pull-down assay proved 2-butenal to bind to IKKb and was proposed as an active site kinase inhibitor through molecular docking experiment. However, 2-butanal has a highly conjugated aldehyde group that makes it very unstable. Therefore, we have designed more stable 2-butenal analogues and prepared them using Heck reaction. Molecular docking experiment shows that many of them have a greater affinity to IKKb.

Jeffrey Leavitt, Utah Valley University Life Sciences Central Research Question: Heptageniidae is a large family within the order Ephemeroptera (mayflies). This family consists of over 500 described species. Recently a study was done across 200 of the species to break them up into subfamilies, and genera. The studied concluded that there are 29 genera and three subfamilies Ecdyonurinae, Heptageniinae, and Rhithrogeninae (Wang, 2004). Furthermore, Ogden et al. (2009) proposed that the families Arthropleidae and Pseudironidae were derived heptageniid lineages. The phylogenetic relationships of Heptageniidae, Arthropleidae, Pseudironidae, to other closely related families are inconclusive. We propose to study these three families and the three subfamilies of Heptageniidae in detail via molecular systematics.

Clair Bidez, Westminster College Life Sciences Changes to stream ecosystems due to urbanization are known to degrade riparian ecosystems through multiple stressors including increased erosion and sedimentation, expansion of impervious surface leading to altered flow regimes, degradation of riparian vegetation and habitat, and nutrient contamination. Ultimately, such degradation can inhibit ecosystem services such as contaminant filtration and nutrient cycling. This study examined the effects of urbanization on the function of riparian communities in three streams in the Salt Lake Valley watershed. We attempted to characterize these changes through monthly monitoring in urban and non-urban reaches of the same streams. Specifically, we measured periphyton biomass (as measured by chlorophyll-a) as a known indicator of nutrient pollution and a proxy of riparian health. In addition, we monitored water quality parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen, and dissolved nitrate concentration. The urban reaches of the streams contained 3.6 to 9.3 times the dissolved nitrate concentration as their non-urban counterparts. Mean stream periphyton biomass was positively correlated with mean stream nitrate concentration for each reach. These findings point to urbanization as a potential source of ecosystem degradation in the Salt Lake Valley. They suggest that long-term monitoring is warranted, along with an in-depth investigation into the ultimate mechanisms responsible for the degradation.

Spencer Alexander, Dixie State University Life Sciences Antibiotic resistance has increased with each new developed medication, creating new problems as bacteria become more difficult to defeat. Some of these bacteria are resistant because they can excrete an extracellular polymeric substance known as a biofilm. The polysaccharide-based biofilm matrix allows the colony to communicate, absorb nutrients, and exchange genetic material giving it an advantage in possible resistance through plasmid exchange. At present, there are no effective antimicrobial agents that can safely treat and prevent resistant bacteria like ORSA. Biofilms have a negative impact ranging from human pathogenesis down to economic expenses. In order to break down established biofilms, we utilized newly developed organic salts known as ionic liquids. These novel liquids have been observed to prevent bacterial colonies and biofilm formation, possibly by introducing intermolecular interactions that disrupt the chemical bonding in biofilms. The morphology of the microbes was characterized and observed to determine the effect of the ionic liquids on biofilms. Inhibition studies were also performed to determine antimicrobial efficiency of the ionic liquids as a function of organic structures. These novel ionic liquids provide an unprecedented, effective and efficient method to combat resistant bacteria, which could have tremendous impacts in achieving sterile environments in medical and remote settings.

Adam Jorgensen, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Arrhythmia is a serious heart defect that effects 14 million people in the United States. It is characterized by irregular rhythm in the electrical impulses of the heart. Arrhythmia can cause sudden cardiac arrest and stroke. Recent developments in cardiac ablation have helped in the treatment of arrhythmia. Cardiac ablation works by scarring tissue in the heart, thus preventing abnormal electrical signals to travel through the myocardium. The three-dimensional map created in this project will improve the accuracy of cardiac ablation by offering a more dynamic view of the human heart and associated nerve branches. By properly articulating the intricate nerve branching of the heart, surgeons will be able to better target the nerves themselves when scarring heart tissue, thus allowing a less invasive procedure.

Bryan D Merrill, Brigham Young University Life Sciences The spore-forming bacteria Paenibacillus larvae causes American Foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious disease that is lethal in honey bee larvae. P. larvae is the most serious pathogen affecting honey bees. Its increasing antibiotic resistance has led to more research in characterizing bacteriophages which infect and destroy P. larvae. Of the 13 P. larvae phages that have been described in publications, six have been fully sequenced and are currently available for genomic analysis. To understand how P. larvae phages are related to each other and to other phages, the computer program Phamerator was used to analyze more than 100 phage genomes and group phage genes into “phams” based on similarity. Through analysis of grouped phage genes (structural proteins, terminases, recombinases, etc.) we can better understand in vivo replication strategies and evolutionary history of these P. larvae phages.

Bradley Prince, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Learning and memory occur due to adaptive brain changes in response to our environment. These changes are mediated by synaptic plasticity, particularly within the hippocampus, where spatial and declarative memories occur. Plasticity can either strengthen or weaken synapses, known as long-term potentiation (LTP) or long-term depression respectively. While many forms of synaptic plasticity are N-methyl-D-Aspartate receptor-dependent, recently endocannabinoids were identified to mediate several new forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Endocannabinoids bind to receptors such as cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), and mediate several forms of plasticity, including in the hippocampus. However, new research has demonstrated a non-CB1/TRPV1-dependent endocannabinoid synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. While the receptor(s) involved is currently unknown, several potential candidate receptors that bind the endocannabinoid anandamide have been identified. These are orphan G-protein coupled receptors (GPRs) whose distribution in the brain and/or function is unknown. GPR55 is of particular interest as it activates second message systems, including increasing intracellular calcium. Using quantitative RT-PCR, electrophysiological and memory behavioral tasks we examined hippocampal GPR55 expression and function. GPR55 is indeed expressed in hippocampus of both rats and mice. Cellular expression is currently being examined and appears to be rare in interneurons and more likely expressed by pyramidal cells. Interestingly, application of the GPR55 agonist LPI (2 µM) to wild-type mice demonstrates a decrease of LTD in brain slices. This LPI effect was not noted in GPR55 knock-out mice in the presence of LPI. This data suggest GPR55 is physiologically relevant in the hippocampus. This is the first direct evidence we are aware of that a novel endocannabinoid receptor directly effects hippocampal LTD. Because neurodegeneration that affects memory is typically associated with an increase in LTD, this provides a potential target to slow the advance of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Chance Christensen, Utah State University Life Sciences Affective disorders such as depression, phobias, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder impair the ability to time in the seconds-to-minutes range, i.e., interval timing. According to the Relative Time-Sharing (RTS) model, presentation of task-irrelevant distracters during a timing task results in a delay in responding suggesting a failure to maintain subjective time in working memory, possibly due to attentional and working memory resources being diverted away from timing. Given that some anxiolytic medications have beneficial effects on attention and working memory, e.g., decreasing emotional response to negative events, we hypothesized that they would result in a decreased effect of distracters on the timekeeping abilities. We investigated the effect of acute administration of anxiolytic medication when anxiety-inducing task-irrelevant distracters were presented during an interval timing task, using methods similar to Matthews et. al. (2012) Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 6(111): 1-12. Results are discussed in relation to the brain circuits involved in RTS of resources, and the pharmacological management of affective disorders.

Hailey Shepherd, Dixie State University Life Sciences Previous studies of canyon tree frogs (Hyla arenicolor) in Zion National Park have shown that some populations test positive for a dangerous fungus in the Chytridiomycosis family. This fungus has been linked to large population losses worldwide in many keystone amphibian species, but appears to have no effect on populations of H. arenicolor. Since Chytrid fungal growth is inhibited at high temperatures, we hypothesized the frogs are able to rid themselves of the fungus because they bask in the sun. During the summer of 2013 we swabbed frogs in multiple slot canyons to test for the presence of the fungus. We also recorded skin temperatures of the frogs we swabbed. Skin temperatures were as high as 38 C°, which is above the previously established lethal threshold of 28 C° for Chytridiomycosis. Our data support the idea that these frogs may be able to rid themselves of infection by allowing skin temperatures to raise enough to become intolerable for this fungus. This is the first known evidence of wild amphibian populations showing a behavior that may clear the infection. If further research supports these findings, it could lead to more effective allocation of limited conservation resources.

Ashtyn Smith, Westminster College Life Sciences Methylmercury (CH3Hg) is a neurotoxin that accumulates in lakes and streams due to the action of microorganisms, which can produce this biologically relevant organic form from elemental mercury (Hg). Therefore, the activities of microorganisms become key to understanding the balance of Hg and CH3Hg in the movement through the food chain in any ecosystem. Many species of microorganisms are resistant to Hg and can thrive in polluted waters. Recent studies have shown that Hg resistance in microbes can stem from one of two gene pairs, merAB or hgcAB. The merAB system allows the organism to covert CH3Hg into elemental Hg. Conversely, the hgcAB system coverts Hg into CH3Hg. Thus, it is important to determine how the microbial community of Great Salt Lake, Utah is affecting the CH3Hg concentrations in the lake. In order to determine the genotype of the lake’s halophiles, “salt-loving” organisms, microorganisms were collected from the deep brine layer in eight areas of the lake. The microorganisms were then isolated and cultivated on increasing concentrations of HgCl2. Halophiles from these samples have been isolated on 25 ppm HgCl2 at various salinities, demonstrating a robust resistance to Hg. PCR amplification and genetic sequencing will be used to determine the gene mechanism of mercury resistance (merAB or hgcAB) as well as the 16S rRNA gene, which will aid in identification of the species. Should this study identify GSL microorganisms that exhibit the merAB genotype, these organisms could potentially be utilized as bioremediators of the CH3Hg pollution in the lake.

J Andrew Chappell, Utah Valley University Life Sciences In a joint effort with Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, students from Utah Valley University are using high-frequency (HF) ultrasound to test the pathology of surgical margins from breast cancer conservation surgery. The method, developed by Dr. Timothy E. Doyle, provided significant results in a NIH-funded 2010 feasibility study. The results of the study indicated that peak density, the number of peaks and valleys in the HF ultrasonic spectrum, correlates to breast tissue pathology. This technology would allow surgeons to test – in the operating room – whether a surgical margin was clean or if cancer still remained in the margin. This advancement would decrease the amount of return surgical visits a patient must undergo, reduce costs for patients and hospitals, reduce breast cancer recurrence rates, and ultimately increase the survival rate of patients with breast cancer. During the ultrasonic testing, the students work in a team of four in a room outside of the surgical suite. Specimens are brought in by the surgeons’ team and tested immediately following resection. The margins are approximately 3x20x20 mm in size, and are oriented using a small staple inserted by the surgeon in one corner and a stitch on one side. The margin is tested at specific locations depending on the size of the margin and then sent to pathology for analyses. Pathological results and HF ultrasound results will be compared for correlation at the end of the study, which is expected to last about one year. The study will include approximately 80 patients, 360 tissue samples, 1400 tested locations, and 4,300 data points. The goal of the study is to evaluate the accuracy of the method in determining margin pathology. If successful, the method will be moved into clinical trial.

Albert Pope, Utah Valley University Life Sciences Few animals are capable of using the creosote plant, Larrea tridentate, as food because of a high level of toxic secondary compounds. Some exceptions to this rule are Neotoma lepida and Dipsosaurus dorsalis which are both capable of sustaining themselves on this desert bush. In 2013, Magnanou et al helped identify heightened transcription of genes correlated with digestion of creosote in N. lepida. Building upon their findings, we explore whether the genes for digesting creosote are under an elevated evolutionary rate for D. dorsalis. We have obtained transcriptomes from whole blood of four Iguaninae species: Ctenosaura pectinata, D. dorsalis, Sauromalus ater, Cyclura lewisi yielding an average of 4 GB of DNA sequence data (~51,000,000 fragments) each. Using Velvet in Sequencher we assembled these data, recovering greater than 6000 unique RNA transcripts per transcriptome. We search through the contigs to identify genes in Iguaninae transcriptomes that are homologous to those showing differential expression in Lepida. Using BLAST, we retrieve homologous genes from the public NCBI database of Anolis carolinensis and other reptiles. Lastly we construct phylogenetic trees of each gene and investigate the rate of change along each reptile lineage.

Dusting Day, Brigham Young University Life Science Atherosclerotic vascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and death in the United States. Approximately 1.4 million surgical procedures are required every year for treatment of vascular disease and its subsequent issues. While saphenous vein and internal mammary artery grafts are most commonly chosen by physicians, many patients who are in need of arterial grafts have vessels that are not ideal for grafting because of damage to the vessels or disease. This introduces the necessity for synthetic blood vessel grafts that function precisely as natural vessels in vivo. Our blood vessel research team has entered the tissue engineering field in its most exciting effort: the scalable rendering of cell-seeded vascular constructs with rapid prototyping machines or 3D printers. We have built and are modifying a 3D printer to deposit living endothelial and smooth muscle cells into vascular structures. Using agar, alginate, or collagen gels as placement media, cells can be arranged in shapes resembling multilayered artery tubules and proliferate to form functional arteries. The endothelial layer and smooth muscle layer of cells interact to secrete a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) between them. We have successfully cultured endothelial cells and are perfecting our technique of harvesting aortic smooth muscle cells for culture. These cells will be encapsulated in a gel we have optimized for cell adhesion and proliferation and will then be printed with our rapid prototyping machine into the shape of a blood vessel. After proper cell growth and secretion of the ECM we will subject our synthetic graft to tensile strength testing, thrombosis tests, and eventually implantation into an animal for observation of any immunogenic effects. Our project’s success would bring an array of new treatment options through biomedical engineering that would save many lives of those who suffer from cardiovascular disease.

David Money, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Interest in animal personalities, and particularly the effect that different environments have on personality, has increased dramatically over the past decade. Understanding how individuals vary in their behavior, and if there are consistent differences among populations from divergent selective environments, lays the foundation for studies focusing on the contribution of divergent behavior in species formation. To date, studies that have focused on how personalities differ across ontogenetic stages have failed to compare populations that occur in dramatically different environments. Our study attempts to fill this void by studying the ontogeny of personality in populations that have evolved in environments with different levels of risk (i.e., predation vs. no-predation). We tested the expression of different personality traits evolution across ontogeny (i.e., from juveniles to full grown adults) in two sister species of live-bearing tropical fish, Brachyraphis roseni and B. terrabensis. These species have evolved in different selective environments, with B. roseni having evolved in an environment where predators were present, while B. terrabensis evolved in an environment lacking predators. We assessed the boldness expression of individuals from several groups in populations, namely juveniles, small adults, and large adults. To measure boldness, we used an emergence test, and also an exploration and activity test (i.e., ratio of movement to idleness during an allotted time period). Our study provides evidence for an important relationship between predation environment and the evolution of personality traits across ontogeny.

Aimee Newsham, Dixie State University Life Sciences Millions of people are infected yearly with resistant pathogens, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a biofilm-forming pathogen that is often transferred to patients from contaminated surfaces. Therefore, improved methods to destroy biofilm-encapsulated pathogens or to prevent their initial formation are required. This research is focused on the development of a safe treatment against biofilms by integrating organic salts, or ionic liquids (ILs), into different surfaces. Textiles were integrated with ILs to prevent formation of biofilms/bacterial growth, and were also treated post-exposure to determine if the biofilms could be destroyed post-contamination. Effectiveness of newly designed ILs were tested via inhibition zone studies on LB agar plates, and post-treatment samples were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy for presence of bacteria. The bacteria tested included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli. These microbes are similar to MRSA in that they form biofilms comprised of extracellular proteins, DNA and polysaccharides. Bacterial colonies encapsulate themselves with biofilms to provide protection from threats, including antibacterial drugs. By integrating ionic liquids into textiles, formation can be prevented by IL solvation and sequestering of the extracellular biofilm components, including the proteins and DNA. This research could have tremendous implications regarding defeating bacteria that are resistant to existing treatments due to biofilm encapsulation. Additionally, the results could lead to new antimicrobial textiles and new approaches to prevent adherence and growth resistant biofilm-encapsulated pathogens.

Danielle Holliday, University of Utah Life Sciences Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) induces visceral obesity in adulthood, specifically among males. In male rat offspring, IUGR increases visceral adipose tissue (VAT) over subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). VAT and SAT functions are regulated by estrogen signaling, and suppressed estrogen signaling contributes to obesity development. Estrogen signaling is composed of estradiol and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ). Estrogen receptors regulate the expression of several obesity related genes, such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL). However, the effects of IUGR on estrogen serum levels and signaling in the adipose tissue are unknown.

Derek Harris, Dixie State University Life Sciences The presence of extracellular DNA (eDNA) in various environmental and biological media has become the subject of growing interest in the field of research. In media such as bacterial biofilms, it has been shown to play a vital role in their structure and antimicrobial properties. Existing methods for extraction of pure eDNA from these media are complex and problematic; particularly from biological media where cells containing genomic DNA are also present. Novel surfactants have been developed, whose miscibility and polarity are easily tuned to suit a variety of conditions necessary for eDNA extractions. They can accomplish extraction of pure eDNA through concurrent hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions in a single step, while remaining unreactive with the surrounding media or lysing cells and exposing genomic DNA. We have shown by spectrophotometric quantification that these surfactants extract measurable amounts of DNA into a water-immiscible solvent layer, which can then be removed from the media. The DNA can then be further amplified and purified for analysis. Further refinement of extraction methods utilizing these surfactants could prove a tremendous asset to research attempting to elucidate the possible genetic content of eDNA and the mechanisms behind its often crucial role in environmental and biological media.

Brett Gardiner, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Normal human anatomy used in the classroom is not reflective of variations confronted in pathology subjects. Current commercialized models are not products of real data, rather representations of it. While learning complicated medical anatomy, students take an enormous stride from the anatomy lab to situational surgical settings. 3D models can bridge this gap in medical education without patient risk, particularly for the brain where surface regions have strong associations to specific physiological activity. Subject specific models are especially advantageous for comprehending real surface morphology of neurologic diseases. Using rapid prototype technology, we have developed an accessible process to produce physical 3D models from specific MRI data of stroke and Alzheimer’s subjects. The neuroanatomical abnormalities modeled from real data by our 3D printouts will educate students on the anatomical variations encountered in an authentic clinical scenario of neuropathology. Our project consists of three phases: (1) image acquisition, (2) post-processing imaging data with segmentation, and (3) 3D printing. By delineating cortical regions we are providing a unique multidimensional facet of clinically accurate data not before available to the classroom. This powerful and versatile technique can allow students and professionals to visualize the inherently complicated structures as seen in clinical neuropathology. From students in the classroom, lawyers in the courtroom or preoperative surgical explanations, these customizable models will resemble real anatomical information. Through rapid prototyping of specific subject data, unique variations in pathology can be reviewed outside of the clinical setting. Beyond its potential use by teachers, lawyers and doctors can benefit from a 3D production to enhance their explanations of anatomical variations from specific pathological subject data.

Alysa Fratto, Westminster College Life Sciences Although the idea of life on other planets is mused over by many, the scientific study of the potential for extraterrestrial life did not begin until the mid-1950s (SETI, 2013). Since then, many technological advancements have been made that make the study of life on other planets simpler, however it is inherently difficult to study the potential for life in an environment that one cannot access. To address this issue, scientists look on Earth for extreme environments that mimic those found elsewhere in the universe.

Joseph Linzey, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Dopamine (DA) D2 receptor expression parallels DA levels in the brain and these autoreceptors on DA neurons been shown to be modulated by long-term ethanol exposure. We have previously demonstrated that VTA GABA neurons also express D2 receptors, and that DA and D2 receptor agonists markedly enhance the excitability of VTA GABA neurons, opposite to their well-known inhibition of DA neurons. Most importantly, D2 receptor antagonists block ethanol inhibition of VTA GABA neurons and D2 receptor expression in VTA GABA neurons down-regulates with chronic ethanol. This study evaluates short-term D2 receptor adaptation in VTA GABA neurons and in DA release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) by acute ethanol. In electrophysiology studies in anesthetized rats, periodic iontophoretic application of DA, or the D2 agonist quinpirole, markedly enhanced VTA GABA neuron firing rate, which was initially inhibited by ethanol, but resulted in latent and marked rebound excitation 30-60 min following injection. Using fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV), we evoked DA signals in the core of the NAc by electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle at the level of the lateral hypothalamus (60 Hz, 24 pulses). Intraperitoneal (IP) administration of ethanol (1.0-3.0 g/kg) dose-dependently decreased the amplitude of the MFB-evoked NAc DA signal. IP administration of the D2 antagonist eticlopride (1 mg/kg) markedly increased (250%) the amplitude of the evoked DA signal. When ethanol was administered after eticlopride it increased the amplitude of the DA signal an additional 42%. These findings suggest that ethanol induced decreases in evoked DA release may be due to autoreceptor feedback. Work is in progress to evaluate the short-term expression of D2 receptors in VTA GABA neurons following acute ethanol and to evaluate the effects of ethanol-induced short and long-term adaptations in VTA GABA neuron D2 expression in mediating ethanol effects on DA release in the NAc.

April Moorer, Weber State University Life Sciences Corexit is a dispersant used in the gulf of Mexico as a reactive measure to counteract the oil spill of April of 2010. Studies reveal that toxicity is produced and has impacted marine life. Research shows that reproductivity is diminished as a consequence. Paralysis, tumor development, and fatalities are also proven to occur. The purpose of this experiment is to study effects on the physiological structure of brine shrimp at various life stages resulting from the exposure to toxicity induced by corexit.

Daniel Loveland, Brigham Young University Life Sciences The monoamine oxidase A (MAOa) gene has been shown to be associated with various social behaviors and disorders such as: aggression, depression, and anxiety (Meyer et al., 2006; Kinnally et al., 2010; Newman et al., 2005); and the MAOa gene interacts with environmental influences to produce its phenotypic effects (Newman et al., 2005; Kinnally et al., 2010). The MAOa gene encodes the enzyme monoamine oxidase A, which is the main enzyme to break down the monoamines into their respective metabolites. An orthologous repeat variant of the MAOa genotype seen in humans has been found in the rhesus macaque: a 5 repeat (R), a 6R and a 7R. This study investigates the influence MAOa genotypes have on central monoamine functioning as measured by cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monoamine metabolites associated with behavioral dysfunction (dopamine metabolite: homovanillic acid-HVA, norepinephrine metabolite: 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylgycol-MHPG, and serotonin metabolite: 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid-5-HIAA). Cisternal CSF was obtained from 136 30-day old infant male rhesus macaques with varying genotypes and rearing backgrounds. We expected to find a rearing by genotype (GxE) effect on the monoamine systems with differences between mother-reared subjects when compared to subjects reared without mothers in peer-only groups. We found significant variability between genotypes; results also showed early rearing modulated this genotypic effect on brain chemistry. This supports our hypothesis that GxE interactions influence monoamine metabolite concentrations, suggesting a possible relationship of GxE interactions on social disorders such as aggression, depression and anxiety.

Brittany Hammontree, Dixie State University Life Sciences Depending on metabolic conditions or dietary preferences, people can often become deficient in critical vitamins and minerals. For example, a number of people are deciding to become vegetarians, and vitamin B12 deficiencies could become a huge epidemic, as this essential vitamin is only obtained through meat products. This issue was the driving force to look deeper into new ionic liquid materials and how they could be used as a transport agent for vitamin B12, along with other vitamins. Ionic liquids are organic salts that are currently being explored in many scientific fields due to their unique properties. However, using ionic liquids as a transporter in transdermal applications has yet to be explored Developing new mechanisms of administering nutrients via transdermal processes can increase the bioavailability and effectiveness of vitamins and minerals that often cannot survive oral administering due to the acidity and molecular absorption via the stomach. This research focused on finding the right ionic liquid with high solubility of the individual vitamins. Several ionic liquids were developed, and the different vitamins were tested for solubility levels. This greater solubility allows for maximum exposure of the vitamin during transdermal delivery. In particular, two different vitamins were tested – vitamin K and Protoporphyrin, a chemical analog to vitamin B12. Additionally, the effect of these ionic liquids on the physiology of the blood and plasma as it enters the body past the skin layers is critical to understand. In addition to transdermal applications of vitamins, transport of these vitamins to other countries and remote locations could have tremendous implications. Ionic liquids tend to increase shelf life of solutes, and the availability to provide these materials during medical missions or service trips would be increased substantially, particularly in more remote settings.

Robyn Kira Omer, Utah Valley University Life Sciences Peak density, which is the number of peaks and valleys in a specified spectral range of high-frequency (HF) ultrasound, correlates to breast pathology in lumpectomy specimens. It has been a question in both previous and current studies, however, whether the thickness of a sample has an independent effect on the peak density. The objective of this study was to discover any correlation, if any, between specimen thickness and peak density in HF ultrasound measurements (10-100 MHz). Phantoms were fabricated from a mixture of water, gelatin, and soluble fiber. Polyethylene microspheres (180-212 micrometer diameter) were embedded into half of the phantom specimens at 0.0003% concentration to simulate tissue heterogeneity. The other phantoms were devoid of microspheres to provide control measurements. Seventy two pitch-catch measurements were acquired in triplicate using 50-MHz transducers, a HF pulser-receiver, and a 1-GHz digital oscilloscope. The waveforms were analyzed to provide spectra and the resulting peak densities were determined. The results indicate that no significant correlation exists between specimen thickness and peak density. The coefficients of correlation for the microsphere and control specimens were 0.366 and 0.652, respectively. The peak density values were most consistent within the control specimens, ranging from 1 to 4. The peak densities for the microsphere phantoms had a greater range of values, varying from 1 to 8. It is believed that the wide variation in peak density for the microsphere phantoms was due to clustering of the microspheres. Future studies will include looking at previous phantom and tissue studies to further investigate the apparent lack of thickness-peak density correlation.

Kyle Hansen, University of Utah Life Sciences Our brain processes physical stimuli from the world around us to shape how we perceive our environment. In the olfactory system, this processing begins with olfactory sensory neurons that relay information about distinct odorants to a region of the brain called the olfactory bulb. Olfactory sensory neurons express the same odorant receptors converge onto structures within the olfactory bulb called glomeruli. Here, we map lateral interactions between glomeruli to better understand how olfactory information from the environment is processed within the olfactory bulb. Using GCaMP6, a fluorescent calcium indicator, in awake mice we can observe optogenetically-evoked patterns of lateral connectivity between glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. The findings from this study will help clarify potential interglomerular connection schemes and provide understanding of how local circuitry in the olfactory bulb transforms the representations of sensory information before it is relayed to higher brain areas.

Brady Evans, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Nutrient-sensing kinases, such as AMPK and mTOR, play a key role in regulating cellular metabolism. They recognize nutrient levels within the cell and distribute nutrients accordingly. The failure to coordinate metabolic processes can lead to diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer. PAS kinase is another member of the nutrient-sensing kinase group that regulates glucose distribution in the cell. Despite its clear importance, little is known about the mechanisms regarding PAS kinase activation and its function. Studies have shown that mice without the PAS kinase gene are resistant to weight gain and maintain insulin sensitivity when placed on a high fat diet. Weight gain and insulin resistance are associated with increased rates of diabetes, cancer and other metabolic diseases. AMPK is currently the key target for the treatment of diabetes and has been found to be a cancer target as well. The yeast homologue, Snf1, is necessary for activation of yeast PAS kinase. Further studies have shown that PAS kinase is activated under the same respiratory conditions as Snf1. The aims of this project is to determine if Snf1 directly phosphorylates PAS kinase and to determine the effects of this phosphorylation. We have found that PAS kinase is activated quickly when cells are placed under Snf1-activating conditions. In addition, Snf1 is necessary and sufficient for this activation. Snf1 also copurifies with PAS kinase suggesting this activation is direct. PAS kinase purified from wild type verses Snf1-deficient cells shows phosphorylation on two key residues, S1020 and S1035. In addition, Snf1 directly phosphorylates PAS kinase in vitro. Together these findings suggest that Snf1 directly phosphorylates PAS kinase in order to regulate cellular glucose homeostasis

Joe Passman, University of Utah Life Sciences Neurodegenerative disorders and amyloidosis are thought to be a consequence of the misfolding of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). In non-pathogenic states, IDPs are thought to manipulate their configurational ensembles (CEs) – through partially folding and/or forming secondary structure – to create binding sites for the multiple interaction partners necessary for cell-signaling, recognition, and regulation. An obstacle to accurate in vivo understanding of non-pathogenic mechanisms is that little is known about the impact of the crowded cellular environment on the global (i.e. partial folding) and local structural characteristics (i.e. secondary structure) of IDPs. It is difficult to understand why an IDP may misfold if little atomistic structural understanding exists regarding IDP functional mechanisms in non-adherent physiological states.

Shwan Javdan, University of Utah Life Sciences Each year in the United States, over 22,000 new cases of ovarian carcinoma are diagnosed and 14,000 women die from its progressive cancer stages. Anthracyclines, a class of common chemotherapy drugs, have long been the primary treatment for this and many other cancers, but they often leave patients with cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and other adverse effects. Polymer-drug conjugates using poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] (poly-HPMA) are nanosized, water-soluble constructs that accumulate passively in solid tumors by the enhanced permeability and retention effect as well as actively by cell surface targeting methods. As such, they have exhibited reduced toxicity in the body. The goal of this study was to develop a novel, targeted HPMA copolymer-drug conjugate for the treatment of ovarian carcinoma. To accomplish this, an antibody fragment called Fab’, targeted to ovarian carcinoma cell surface antigen OA3, was bound to an HPMA copolymer-gemcitabine conjugate. Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog used in chemotherapy that has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in recent years. The copolymer-gemcitabine conjugate was successfully developed following the synthesis of all the requisite components, including Fab’, diblock chain-transfer agent (di-CTA), N-(2-(2-pyridyldithio)ethyl)methacrylamide (PDTEMA), and polymerizable backbone-degradable gemcitabine derivative. Syntheses of di-CTA and PDTEMA were optimized and then characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography, H-NMR, and mass spectrometry. Monomers were combined by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization, and then the Fab’ fragment was bound to the polymer backbone via a disulfide exchange reaction with PDTEMA. The targeted copolymer-drug conjugate was then verified by fast-protein liquid chromatography as well as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. A number of in vitro tests have demonstrated the properties of an efficient drug delivery system. Flow cytometry displayed active accumulation of the copolymer-gemcitabine conjugate to OVCAR3 cell surfaces. Furthermore, IC50 measurement found promising drug efficacy comparable to modern anthracyclines. Future work will involve in vivo evaluation of the conjugate’s therapeutic efficacy in nude mice bearing OVCAR3-xenografts.

Eliza Warren, Brigham Young University Life Sciences We have previously demonstrated that ethanol inhibition of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in other ethanol-sensitive brain areas, is mediated by GABA(B) receptors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of GABA and glutamate (GLU), and in particular GABA(A), GABA(B) and NMDA receptors, in mediating ethanol inhibition of dopamine (DA) release in the NAc. Using fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV), we evaluated the effects of ethanol on DA release in the NAc core of C57/BL6 and CD-1 mice. In the slice preparation, local stimulation evoked robust, frequency-dependent DA release in the NAc, with maximal release at 20 Hz. Ethanol decreased DA release with an IC50 of 60 mM in C57Bl6 mice. In anesthetized C57BL6 mice, ethanol decreased DA release with an IC50 of 2.0 g/kg. Superfusion of the GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP55845 enhanced DA release 85%, while neither the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline, the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol, the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen, nor the NMDA GLU antagonist APV significantly affected DA release. CGP55845 blocked ethanol inhibition of DA release, while neither bicuculline nor APV altered ethanol’s effects. GABA inhibited DA release at 0.5-10 uM but not at 0.1-1 mM. Compared to ethanol effects on DA release in C57BL6 mice, CD-1 GAD GFP knock-in mice, which only express GAD at 50% levels, were significantly less sensitive to ethanol. As DA release was sensitive to low concentrations of GABA, CGP55845 may act as a GABA(A) rho receptor antagonist, and neither bicuculline nor baclofen had any effect on DA release, ethanol may be acting on extrasynaptic GABA(A) rho receptors on DA terminals to inhibit DA release in the NAc.

Ryan Watkins, Univeristy of Utah Life Sciences The lymphatic system is responsible for controlling systemic fluid buildup. Lymphangiogenesis is a dynamic process involving sprouting and maintaining new lymphatic vasculature. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is known as a key growth factor through VEGF receptor 2 and 3 (VEGFR2 and VEGFR3). Interestingly, the cornea expresses VEGF-C but is alymphatic. We found that the soluble isoform of VEGFR3, which lacks tyrosine kinase domains, is responsible for the alymphatic nature of the cornea by sequestering endogenous VEGF-C. Although soluble VEGFR3 or soluble VEGFR2 can be useful for inhibition of VEGF-C derived lymphangiogenesis, they also bind VEGF-A. Inhibition of VEGF-A suppresses blood vessel formation, damaging tissue and creating additional side effects. The development of a new anti-lymphangiogenic drug, that only blocks VEGF-C, has many implications: preventing tumor metastasis and reducing rejection rates of tissue and organ transplants. VEGF-C mainly binds to VEGFR3 domain 2 and VEGFR2 domain 3. To develop an anti-lymphangiogenic drug that specifically binds VEGF-C the binding domains were inserted into a vector that produces a recombinant protein (VEGF-C trap) that sequesters VEGF-C, suppressing lymphangiogenesis. Mice in a cornea transplantation model were treated with VEGF-C trap. After 8 weeks, 60% of the treated cornea survived (no rejection) compared to 10% in the empty vector control group. A 60% transplant survival rate is one of the highest rates compared to other single treatment methods. Blood and lymph vessel area was calculated and showed a decrease in lymph vasculature but not blood vessel. Suggesting only VEGF-C activity was affected. In a tumor metastasis model, nude mice will be injected subcutaneously with cultured MCF-7 cells which have been transfected with VEGF-C trap or an empty vector. We expect to see a decrease of lymphatic vasculature in the mice injected with MCF-7 cells containing the VEGF-C trap and ultimately less metastasis.

Preston Manwill, Southern Utah University Life Sciences Members of Anthoxanthum (sweetgrass) have a history of ceremonial and medicinal use. Coumarin, a secondary metabolite produced by the grass, is an anticoagulant and antimicrobial agent. Antimicrobial properties of commercially available European A. odoratum metabolites have been nominally investigated, but no North American species have been studied. Additionally, European sweetgrass is purported to be available in both diploid and polyploid strains. Our research objectives were to: 1) determine if ploidy level strains do exist, and 2) investigate secondary metabolite production and evolution in commercial strains and A. hirtum, a Great Basin native. Using epidermal casts and fuschin staining, differences in guard cells and nuclei were surveyed. Secondary metabolites from the A. odoratum strains and A. hirtum were obtained through steam distillation and a vacufugation protocol that concentrated hydrosols. GC/MS analyses characterized and quantified secondary metabolites. The secondary metabolites coumarin, dihydrobenzofuron, and dihydroactinidiolide were identified, with the first and latter greatest in A. hirtum. Significant guard cell differences between strains, as well as species, were observed. Two ploidy strains of A. odoratum were suggested. A Kirby-Bauer assay tested presence, size and retention of inhibition zones (IZ) produced against soil bacteria. Gram-staining initially characterized bacterial morphs. Secondary metabolites from the diploid strain were most effective against all bacterial morphs, but polyploid metabolites also generated and retained IZ against diploid root associated and non-root associated morphs. The native sweetgrass produced IZ only against root associated bacteria with which it had evolved. Future work will include similar studies of other North American Anthoxanthum species.

Justen Despain, Brigham Young University Life Sciences Mycobacterium ulcerans is an acid fast intracellular bacteria that is the causative agent of Buruli Ulcer, a disease endemic in tropical regions of Africa. The disease starts as a nodule that progresses into a necrotizing skin lesion. Treatment ranges from antibiotic therapy to surgical removal of surrounding skin to stop necrotization of the skin. Owing to the intracellular nature of M. ulcerans, antibiotic therapy can be an ineffective treatment option. It has been previously shown that mycobacteriophage can reduce extracellular bacterial load in mice infected with M. ulcerans. In this study, we propose a method of killing intracellular M. ulcerans by mycobacteriophage using avirulent Mycobacterium smegmaits as a vector.

Lucas Lloyd, Utah Valley University Physical Sciences The high cost of air quality monitoring stations makes it difficult for citizens or local governments to monitor air quality in their own neighborhoods. For example, Utah County, Utah, with an area of 2141 mi2, has only four air-quality monitoring stations: (1) north Provo close to both Provo High School and Brigham Young University (2) Spanish Fork Airport (3) near State Street in Lindon (4) just south of SR-92 on 6000 W in Highland. The air-quality stations monitor levels of CO, NO2, O3, PM-2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns), and PM-10. The objective of this study is to find a much cheaper method of measuring air quality. The objective was addressed by measuring the magnetic susceptibilities of 10 replicates each of the leaves of 12 species of trees (cypress, crab apple, elm, flowering pear, green ash, honey locust, linden, Norway maple, pine, red maple, Russian olive, spruce) collected within a two-mile radius of each of the four air-quality monitoring stations in Utah County. After air-drying and crushing the samples, both low-frequency (0.46 kHz) and high-frequency (4.6 kHz) magnetic susceptibilities were measured with the Bartington MS3 Magnetic Susceptibility Meter. The best correlations between tree leaf magnetic susceptibilities and air-quality parameters were between the three-year average of PM-2.5 and the high-frequency magnetic susceptibility of leaves of pine (Pinus aristata) (R2 = 0.87) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides) (R2 = 0.86). The correlation was used with measured high-frequency magnetic susceptibilities of pine to estimate PM-2.5 in two unmonitored locations heavily impacted by highway traffic (corner of 800 N and I-15 and corner of University Parkway and I-15, both in Orem, Utah) on one day in August 2013. It was found that estimated levels of PM-2.5 were 9.5 µg/cm3 and 8.9 µg/cm3, respectively, which were within the EPA PM-2.5 Standard of 12.0 µg/cm3.

Frederickk Sudbury, University of Utah Physical Sciences Triphenylphosphine stabilized gold nanoparticles were synthesized using a method developed previously by the Jennifer Shumaker-Parry group. Aminated silica colloids were obtained from the Ilya Zharov group. The gold nanoparticles were adhered to the silica colloids using a method developed for another purpose by the Zharov group. The presence of the particles on the silica colloids was confirmed using both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic activity of the gold nanoparticles both with and without adhesion was investigated. It was found that free nanoparticles had significant catalytic activity, in agreement with previous research. Gold nanoparticles attached to silica colloids do not seem to exhibit the same level of catalytic activity as the free particles. It was also found that not all the gold nanoparticles adhered to the surface of the silica particles. Experiments were conducted to determine if there was a critical concentration of silica colloids that would allow for high levels of adhesion of the gold nanoparticles. It was found that only by adding a significant excess of silica colloids to the solution can all the gold nanoparticles be removed from the solution. It was also found that the silica can be saturated with gold nanoparticles by including a small amount of them in a very concentrated gold nanoparticle solution. Further studies for functionalization of the silica colloids and the ability to physically isolate the silica with gold nanoparticles from free nanoparticles are currently in progress.