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2018 Abstracts

MafA’s Ability to Enhance β-cell Function

November 11, 2020 04:54 PM
Aaron Leifer; Jasmine Banner; Collin Christensen; Trevor Lloyd; Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University

The Value of Activity-Based Costing Systems to Small Businesses

November 04, 2020 10:20 AM
Braden Bybee, Southern Utah University

The History of Water and Vegetation in Bears Ears National Monument, Southeastern Utah

November 03, 2020 03:16 PM
Morgan Abbott, Utah Valley University

Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitors Play a Role in Blocking β cell Proliferation

November 03, 2020 03:09 PM
Parker Booren; Talon Aitken; Samuel Grover; Nathan Jensen; Jackie Crabtree, Brigham Young University

Surrogate Model of Propeller on Propeller Fluid Interaction

November 03, 2020 03:04 PM
Austin Schenk, Brigham Young University

Schur Rings over Infinite Cyclic Groups

November 03, 2020 02:00 PM
Nicholas Bastian; Jaden Brewer, Southern Utah University

Impact of Micro- and Nano-Structured Surfaces on Condensation Heat Transfer Effectiveness

November 03, 2020 01:24 PM
Jacob Butterfield, Brigham Young University

The effect of monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric cocoa flavanols on β-cell proliferation

November 02, 2020 10:17 AM
Matt Austin; Brooke Smyth; Lauren Manwaring; Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University

Tracking Statistics in New Grade Level Program

November 02, 2020 10:07 AM
Gareth Houston-McMillan, Dixie State University

Investigation of Merging Flames in Horizontal and Vertical Geometries

November 02, 2020 10:03 AM
Max Butler; Caleb Harper, Brigham Young University

Nkx6.1 and its Effects in Aged β cells

November 02, 2020 10:01 AM
Parker Booren, Brigham Young University

La Casa de Bernarda Alba as a reflection of Spain during the Francoist era

November 02, 2020 09:50 AM
Alejandra Portolés Colás, Southern Utah University

Investigating the Impact of Community Engagement Projects on Project Leaders

October 30, 2020 05:59 PM
Elizabeth Obray; Kristin Wilson-Grimes; Sennai Habtes, Southern Utah University

Barriers to the proliferation of aged β cells through overexpression of Nkx6.1

October 30, 2020 10:15 AM
Parker Booren; Nathanael Jensen; Talon Aitken; Samuel Grover; Jackie Crabree, Brigham Young University

Does Pdx1 Enhance Functional β-cell Mass?

October 29, 2020 08:25 PM
Aaron Leifer; Jasmine Banner; Collin Christensen; Trevor Lloyd; Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University

Effects of Binge Eating on Self Confidence and Body Image

October 29, 2020 07:39 PM
Hailey Boggess, Utah Valley University

The Impact of Competition on Plant Water Use Efficiency

October 29, 2020 07:27 PM
Rosanise Odell, Westminster College

The Use and Ownership of the Toothbrush in San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala

October 29, 2020 02:56 PM
Mackynzie Parry, Utah Valley University

Britain’s Role in the Unification of South Africa and the South Africa Act in the Early 20th Century

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Madelaine Campbell, Brigham Young University This research looks at Britain’s release of her former colonies during the 20th century, and the motivations behind their actions. South Africa moved towards unification in 1908 with Britain’s support in the drafting of the South Africa Act and Lord Selbourne’s involvement in the National Convention. By examining original communications within the British government regarding South Africa and the parliamentary papers surrounding the South Africa Act the British motivation towards its former colonies becomes apparent. In this case study of South Africa’s movement towards independence, we see that Britain wanted to give as much control to the South African delegates as possible without relinquishing their hold on the natural resources and strong leadership that South Africa provided. In their quest to maintain a good relationship with South Africa, Britain overlooked some of the damaging decisions made by the South African leaders which led to racial and class conflict in South Africa later, during the rest of the 20th century.

A Comparison of the Use of Light and Darkness as Symbols in El sÌ_ de las ni̱as by Leandro MaratÌ_n and Don Juan Tenorio by JosÌ© Zorrilla

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Brayden Jackman, Southern Utah University An analysis is made which seeks to identify the ways in which authors utilize symbols in their writing to convey specific messages. Particularly, it discusses how these messages and the use of symbols may vary and why. Two theatrical works are identified as the basis of this study. The first is entitled El si de las ni̱as and is written by Leandro MoratÌ_n. The second is Don Juan Tenorio and was written by JosÌ© Zorrilla. Both of these authors are Spanish and the two works were written within a few decades of each other. However, these authors pertain to different cultural and literary movements. Leandro MoratÌ_n, is a neoclassical author, while JosÌ© Zorrilla, is a romantic author. Due to the nature of the material used and the field of study, the paper is written in Spanish. It first gives a brief overview of the cultural ideas that were circulating at the time that both of the previously mentioned authors were actively writing. It later identifies key characteristics in literature of their respective movements, giving examples of how they are used within the text. It then identifies the use of specific symbols, light and darkness, within each of the two works, and discusses how the authorå«s use of them impacts the message that they are conveying. The conclusion is then made that the placement of symbols within the context of a story is key. Symbols evoke emotions, which can subtly emphasize key points that the author tries to make while simultaneously helping the audience to better connect with them.

Disability Awareness Using the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Kimberly Tarnasky, Kelli Egan, Brigham Young University The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award recognizes authors, illustrators, and publishers of high quality fictional and biographical children, intermediate, and young adult books that authentically portray individuals with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), intellectual disabilities, and Down syndrome. The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award was created to make an impact toward the general public’s recognition of the positive societal contributions of individuals with developmental disabilities, greater understanding and acceptance of teachers and school-aged peers of students with developmental disabilities, and encouragement of authors and illustrators to publish quality literature including characters with developmental disabilities. Eleven picture books and 27 youth and adolescent chapter books were found to be eligible for the award, and were analyzed. Preliminary results indicate a high proportion of characters with ASD compared to other developmental disabilities, almost twice as many males as females, and almost all characters who are Caucasian. Additional content analyses will be conducted and completed by January, 2018. Investigations will include: how the character with the developmental disability interacts with others, develops family relationships, and how exemplary practices are portrayed. Considering the eligible books for the 2018 award helps us come closer to conclusions regarding the trends of developmental disabilities throughout children’s literature. We will provide suggestions for using these books in K-16 classrooms.

The Peaks that Beckon Me: My Story of the Utah Mountains

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
How do creative writers use research? I spent the summer of 2017 conducting personal research, a combination of imagination and hands-on exploration, on the Wasatch Mountain Range. I used works by Utah’s Terry Tempest Williams and Amy Irvine, who write about their love for and challenges with the region, as a backdrop for my own research. With funding from the Institute of Mountain Research, I chose to write about my own relationship with the Utah mountains. What do these mountains tell me about my life, family, history, and more importantly, how do they help me process trauma? My research included hiking along the Wasatch range, reading Williams and Irvine, taking pictures, and interviewing people. Sometimes I was alone, and other times I was accompanied by my fiancé, using the landscape to reflect on the death of his father. I turned a compilation of memories, reflections, and experiences into a long-form work of creative nonfiction, with multiple stories presented in vignettes. These are stories about people and nature, about trauma and healing, about loss and discovery. I hope to be given an opportunity to share these stories with an audience. You can view snippets of my writing here. The final product will be published on this website later this year: https://medium.com/the-mountain-commons/summer-2017-research-project-report-7a49e882f9e3

Does Pdx1 Enhance Functional ë_-cell Mass?

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Aaron Leifer, Jasmine Banner, Collin Christensen, Trevor Lloyd, Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University Diabetes Mellitus has become a worldwide epidemic affecting over 400 million people. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes result from the body’s inability to produce or respond to insulin in order to regulate blood sugar. In both cases, the insulin secreting ë_-cells in the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans have become endangered and in many cases non-functional. The function of these ë_-cells is defined by their ability to multiply and maintain a steady number, to defend against induced cell death and ultimately to secrete insulin. Since ë_-cell production reaches its peak during fetal development, this would suggest that diabetics have an inactive pathway to produce functional ë_-cells. However, recent studies have identified key transcription factors that aid pancreatic progenitors in becoming functional ë_-cells. Pdx1 is a transcription factor that is active throughout the ë_-cell pathway and found in mature ë_-cells. Research has identified Pdx1 as a key component in helping both ë±-cells and ë_-cells proliferate and even in reprogramming ë±-cells to become functional ë_-cells. Additionally, Pdx1 has been identified to help ë_-cells effectively secrete insulin. We present data demonstrating the effect of Pdx1 adenoviral over-expression on three independent markers of functional ë_-cell mass: 1) cell proliferation, 2) cell survival, and 3) insulin content and secretion. Defining the effect of Pdx1 on each of these parameters will provide further data to explore therapeutic interventions for diabetic patients.

She Does Not Want: Wartime Rape in Goya’s Disasters of War

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Heidi Herrera, Brigham Young University Remarkable in both subject and execution, Los Desastres de la Guerra (Disasters of War) is exceptional in Goya’s oeuvre and in artistic representations of wartime rape. Filled with scenes illustrating the consequences and violence of war, Goya offers an insightful yet ambiguous commentary, particularly in the plates in which rape is presented as a first-hand account; plate 9, No quieren—“They don’t want it”—, plate 10, Tampoco—“Nor do these”— and plate 11, Ni por ésas—“Nor those.” Indicting the French soldiers for the rape of women during the French occupation, the Disasters of War offers offering a brutal and deceptively truthful view on the inevitable and horrible consequences which war and looting wage on women, transforming both viewer and artist into witnesses of the gruesome scenes, implicating both as detached, though unwitting, participants in the sexual violence enacted against these women; the artist in his creation of these rapes and the viewers in their reception of the images. By making the viewer a first-hand witness to these rape scenes, Goya accomplishes greater empathy for the women than other artistic portrayals of rape, however, he also unintentionally sheds a spotlight on the callousness of the viewer, and by extension, the artist himself. Both created and publicly received my men, the scenes of sexual violence shown in plates 9-11 display and discuss the rape of women as a means to an end in which the lives and suffering of these women, fictional or real, are periphery to what acts of sexual violence say about the men who wage war. Although art historians and critics today may consider the beauty of the plate’s compositions, is it at all possible for scenes which portray violence against women, as in the Disasters of War, to be considered beautiful? I would like to address how these images were received when The Disasters of War was released in 1863, considering the plate’s reception by contemporaneous art critics such Enrique Mélida within the context of how rape was understood in the nineteenth century. By comparing They don’t want it, Nor do these, and Nor those to portrayals of rape by Goya and other nineteenth-century artists, in addition to portrayals of rape by female artists, I hope to clarify where Goya’s rape scenes reside on a spectrum of artistic representations of rape, ranging from exploitative to empathetic.

Espa̱a sin esperanza: la visiÌ_n de Larra

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Kolton Pierson, Southern Utah University My research paper deals with the author Jose de Larra in Spain during the Romantic Period. The author is relevant to this period, because of the critiques he makes about the Spanish society and their ways of living. Specifically my research analyzes Larra’s critiques about Spain’s limiting traditions, how Spain rejects new and innovative ideas, and about how Spain has no desire to progress. I also would like to research how Larra’s personal life influenced in his works. Larra lived in France for a large part of his life, and thus had many new ideas that he wanted to bring to Spain. However, the majority of those living in Spain at the time, rejected his ideas, because of their traditions. The primary sources to conduct this research are going to be two of Larra’s most famous works namely, “Vuelva usted ma̱ana” y “El dÌ_a de difuntos de 1836.” In addition, I will use scholarly journals and book chapters relevant to my project. This presentation will be conducted in Spanish, because this is a project completed for one of my upper-level Spanish courses. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate that the vital force of writers differed from that of the general Spanish society during the Romantic Period. In this period, Spain was in a heated contradiction while trying to decide if it was better to open up to the innovative ideas of Europe, especially France and England, or to enclose itself in its own traditions. This research is significant to the literary field, because it shows how many intelligent thinkers of the time had ideas that could really benefit the general public, but out of fear, tradition, or some other motives, the ideas were rejected and forgotten.

Religiosity and Psychological Well-Being among People of Color: A Meta-Analysis

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
A majority of the population in North America endorses religious/spiritual beliefs, with the highest levels of endorsement occurring among ethnic minority groups. Despite this important cultural trend, previous psychological research looking at religion and psychological well-being has been focused on White (European American) populations. There is a growing need to further understand the psychological effects of religiosity among minority groups. Given that ethnic minorities are also at an elevated risk of suffering from mental illness, it is in the best interest of both patients and providers to note any factors that may serve as therapeutic support. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to assess the relationship between religious or spiritual beliefs and psychological well-being. We also hypothesized that a number of moderating factors will be revealed through our data analysis. Through our intensive literature review we extracted data from 120 research studies which reported 42,972 individuals’ psychological well-being as a function of their self-reported religiosity/spirituality. Inclusion criteria were studies from 1980 to 2008 that reported correlational data on constructs of religiosity (religious activities and spiritual beliefs) with constructs of mental health, conducted in North America, with populations that self-identified as being racial, ethnic, or cultural minorities. Retrieved studies were coded twice and verified for accuracy. The modal study involved cross-sectional (correlational) data obtained by convenience sampling from community samples of middle-aged adults. All age groups except children were adequately represented in the literature. Notably, most studies (78%) reported African American participants. On average, across all types of measures of well-being, the random effects weighted correlation with participant religiosity/spirituality was .14 (se = .01, 95% CI = .12 to .16, p < .0001). These results show low to moderate correlations between religion/spirituality and mental health among ethnic minority groups. The range of correlations was from -.11 to .55. These associations held up across racial groups. The association was stronger among older populations and samples with greater percentages of female participants. Mental health professionals need to consider client beliefs when providing treatment. Research may need to further assess the degree to which religion and spirituality affect positive psychological functions rather than distress. Likewise, the nature of psychopathology may be such that it alters the very construct of religion that we were attempting to assess. Formulating an empirical basis for these relationships constitutes a major step forward in the implementation of validated spiritually adapted interventions in mental health care for ethnic minorities.

Identifying the Effects of Cocoa Flavanols on Cellular Respiration of ë_-Cells

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Matt Austin, Brooke Smyth, Lauren Manwaring, Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the inability of pancreatic ë_-cells, which secrete insulin, to regulate blood glucose levels. The glucose-regulating mechanisms of these dysfunctional ë_-cells exhibit a gradual insensitivity to insulin, caused by prolonged hyperglycemia. Treatment for individuals suffering from Type 2 diabetes is limited to supplementary insulin injections. However, recent studies have revealed that powerful anti-oxidants called flavanols, which are found in cocoa, affect insulin secretion and glucose tolerance of ë_-cells. We isolated three fractions from the whole cocoa extract: monomeric catechin-rich, oligomeric procyandin-rich and polymeric procyandin-rich flavanols. Because cellular respiration is closely related to insulin secretion, we hypothesize that these fractions may exert their anti-diabetic effects by enhancing cellular respiration. To determine the effects of cocoa flavanols on ë_-cell respiration, we performed respiration assays on INS-1 ë_-cell lines incubated with increasing concentrations of whole cocoa extract, monomeric, polymeric and oligomeric catechin fractions or a control. We present data demonstrating the effect of these compounds on ë_-cell respiration. Advancements based on our research could provide an innovative therapeutic alternative to current diabetes treatment and new insight into the respiratory pathways of ë_-cells, affording new targets for a multitude of potential gene therapies.

Multivalent Human Serum Albumin ‰ÛÒ Anti-CD20 Fab’ Conjugates for Induction of Apoptosis in Lymphoma Cells

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Christian Kodele, Lian Li, Jane Yang, University of Utah Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is an immune disease mostly of B-cell origin (eighty-five percent of the time) as well as the ninth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Although treatments for NHLs greatly improved following the FDA approval of Rituximab (RTX), refractive malignancies still occur that are nonresponsive and/or resistance to current therapies in at least a third of all patients. This has been attributed both to the inability of immune effector cells (eg., macrophages, natural killer cells) to hypercrosslink ligated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and to Fc receptor (FcR)-mediated endocytosis or ‰ÛÏtrogocytosis‰Û of CD20 antigens. In order to address these clinical obstacles, we designed a novel paradigm in macromolecular therapeutics that can specifically kill cancer cells without a drug. This paradigm is based on the use of anti-CD20 Fab’ fragments in a multivalent system. Crosslinking of CD20 receptors leads to receptor clustering, transfer to lipid rafts, opening of a calcium channel, and ultimately apoptosis. Additionally, the removal of the Fc fragment resulted enticingly in both the rendering of the system to be immune dependent and in decreasing the numerous adverse effects. In this study, we have used human serum albumin (HSA) as the multivalent carrier of RTX based Fab’ fragments. We have covalently attached multiple Fab’ fragments to HSA, characterized the nanoconjugate’s physiochemical properties, and evaluated its efficacy to induce apoptosis of Raji B cells in vitro. The efficacy of the nanoconjugate to induce apoptosis was determined with Annexin V assay and flow cytometry. The interaction of the nanoconstruct with Raji cells was characterized using confocal microscopy of Cy5 labeled conjugates. As predicted, the HSA-(Fab’)x conjugate was able to induce cell death in vitro. The results of the Annexin V apoptosis assay showed that 38.9 percent of the cell population treated with the conjugate became apoptotic, while 13.6 and 15.7 percent of the cell populations untreated and treated with whole RTX mAb became apoptotic respectively. Furthermore, images recorded by use of confocal microscopy suggest that the attachment of HSA-(Fab’)x conjugate to the cell membrane is CD20 specific. While not conclusive, the combination of these results suggest that the mechanism of action involves cross-linking of the CD20 receptor, which subsequently induces apoptosis. We believe these results warrant further investigation of the mechanism of action of HSA-(Fab’)x, as well as the treatment potential of this nanoconjugate.

Barriers to the proliferation of aged ë_ cells through overexpression of Nkx6.1

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Parker Booren, Nathanael Jensen, Talon Aitken, Samuel Grover, Jackie Crabree, Brigham Young University Diabetes continues to grow at a rapid rate, affecting the lives of both young and old. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes lead to eventual ë_ cell depletion (and subsequent decrease in insulin secretion). This can be treated through ë_ cell transplantation from the pancreata of cadavers. Currently, collecting sufficient ë_ cells for one diabetic patient requires pancreata from multiple cadavers. If proliferation can be induced in a donor’s aged ë_ cells, transplantation would become more effective as one donor now becomes sufficient to serve one or two patients. Nkx6.1 is a transcription factor that increases insulin secretion and induces proliferation of young rat ë_ cells (5 weeks) through the upregulation of its target genes: VGF, Nr4a1 and Nr4a3. Aged rat ë_ cells (5+ months) fail to proliferate after overexpression of Nkx6.1. We have also shown that upregulation of Nkx6.1’s target genes is disrupted in these aged ë_ cells. This may be due to changes in expression of a binding partner necessary for Nkx6.1’s upregulation of these target genes or to changes in Nkx6.1 posttranslational modifications that impede binding partner interactions in aged ë_ cells. We present data from co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry experiments that reveal the presence or absence of Nkx6.1’s binding partner in young and aged ë_ cells. Furthermore, we present mass spectrometry results of Nkx6.1 posttranslational modification from young and old ë_ cells. This data will increase understanding on the ability of Nkx6.1 to upregulate its target genes in an aged ë_ cell.

The Effects of Hyperlipidemia on Pancreatic Beta Cells

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Diabetes affects over 30 million Americans and 185,000 Utahn’s. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are characterized by decreased functional β-cell mass and insulin production. Diabetes also results in increased circulating glucose and fatty acid levels, which damage and destroy β-cells over time. Our study will shed further light on the effects of palmitate, the most commonly made fatty acid in the liver, on hyperlipidemia. In this study we test the specific effects of chronic palmitate exposure on various cell lines acclimated to 0.15 mM, 0.3 mM, and 0.5 mM concentrations of palmitate. We demonstrate the effects of progressive long-term exposure to palmitate on β-cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. We demonstrate mechanistic changes that result in the observed phenotypes. Our goal in this study is to explore how β-cells adapt to exposure to hyperlipidemia, and to define interventions to protect β-cells from the harmful effects of hyperlipidemia.

MafA’s Ability to Enhance ë_-cell Function

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Aaron Leifer, Jasmine Banner, Collin Christensen, Trevor Lloyd, Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University Approximately 9.4 percent of the United States is affected by type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes results from the body’s inability to maintain healthy blood glucose levels due to the loss of pancreatic ë_-cells (insulin secreting cells) or from the body’s insulin sensitive cells becoming insulin resistant. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes results in a loss of functional ë_-cells. The current treatments for diabetes are insulin injections or transplants, many times requiring up to three donors per transplant. Neither option is an optimal cure: insulin injections do not cure the disease, and transplants are not available to the majority of people. We propose that being able to replicate ë_-cells in-vivo would allow us to provide a cure to diabetes. ë_-cells stop reproducing (proliferating) soon after birth except in a few occasions such as obesity and pregnancy, leading us to believe that there are key gene(s) that induce cell proliferation when activated. Finding these gene(s) would present a viable cure, being able to grow ë_-cells in-vivo for transplantation or even injection. The gene MafA is present in mature ë_-cells and previous research has revealed its vital role in the pancreas. MafA is turned on around embryonic day 15.5 and steadily increases expression up until the cell becomes a mature ë_-cell. The time period when MafA is turned on corresponds with when a ë_-cell is proliferating and developing leading us to believe that MafA is crucial to finding a cure. Here we show the effect of MafA overexpression on INS1 832/13 ë_-cell proliferation, survival, and insulin secretion.

FAI: A New Way to Measure State-Anger

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Title: The Fox Anger Inventory: A New Way to Measure State Anger Author: Logan Ashworth, Mentor: Michelle Grimes Affiliation: Southern Utah University Poster Presentation Introduction Tests that purport to measure anger most often measure trait anger as opposed to state anger. There are few measures of state anger available in the public domain. The purpose of the current study was to construct a new measure of state anger, the Fox Anger Inventory (FAI), which records state anger by presenting respondents with a series of items that include emotionally-valenced words as response options. The words chosen for the FAI were taken from the Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW) database (Bradley & Lang, 2017). We hypothesize the FAI will demonstrate adequate internal consistency and construct validity. This project is currently in the IRB approval process, data collection is projected to be complete by December, 2017. Methods Approximately 60 participants will be recruited from Southern Utah University PSY 1010 classes. Participants complete the FAI and the the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2; Spielberger, 1988). The order of completion will be chosen at random. Participants will receive course credit in their PSY 1010 class for completing the survey. Results We predict the FAI will demonstrate internal consistency with cronbach’s alpha estimates of .80 or higher. Further, we predict the FAI will demonstrate construct validity through a positively correlated to the STAXI-2. Conclusion If our hypothesis is supported, this will provide evidence that the FAI is a reliable and valid measure of state anger. Specifically, adequate internal consistency estimates will provide evidence of reliability. A strong positive correlation between the FAI and the STAXI-2 will indicate construct validity. If our hypothesis is not supported our measure will not be a viable tool to measure state anger. Implications for the project, as well as future directions will be discussed.

Defining the interaction between HDAC1 and p15- regulators of ë_-cell proliferation

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Courtney Smith, Brigham Young University

Deletion of Nr4a nuclear receptors on ë_-cells in hyperlipidemia

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Weston Elison, Brigham Young University

The effect of monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric cocoa flavanols on ë_-cell proliferation

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Matt Austin, Brooke Smyth, Lauren Manwaring, Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University Currently, an estimated 30.3 million Americans have diabetes, and experts predict 54.9 million Americans will have diabetes by 2030. The increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounts for much of this expected growth. T2D is characterized by insulin resistance, which eventually leads to a reduction in functional β-cell mass. Thus, treatments that increase β-cell proliferation, survival, and function have the potential to reverse the effects of diabetes. One treatment that has shown promise is the use of dietary cocoa flavanols. These compounds have shown the ability to prevent the onset of diabetes in mice. Furthermore, a recent study conducted by our lab group demonstrated that monomeric cocoa flavanols improved insulin secretion by increasing mitochondrial respiration. In addition to stimulating insulin secretion, we hypothesize that cocoa flavanols may also confer anti-diabetic effects by promoting β-cell proliferation. To that end, we present data that shows the effect of monomeric, oligomeric, and polymeric cocoa flavanols on β-cell proliferation. Our results also suggest a mechanism by which these compounds stimulate proliferation in β-cells. These findings strengthen the growing body of evidence that dietary cocoa flavanols can ameliorate the effects of T2D.

‰ÛÏYou Need to Stop for a Minute, Just Listen to What I’m Saying:‰Û A Preliminary Report on Perceived Parental Support in Adolescents with ADHD

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Erin Kaseda, Brigham Young University Background: It is estimated that between 5-10% of children and adolescents in the United States have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For adolescents with ADHD, parent-child relationships experience increased conflict and poorer parenting practices. Interpersonal difficulties among both peers and family members put children with ADHD at risk for comorbid disorders, including depression and anxiety. Very little research has been done on children’s own perception of parental support or on the strength of parent’s marital quality as mediating factors on the negative symptomology of ADHD. The project will bridge this gap in the current literature. Methods: 10 adolescents aged 14-19 (M=17, N= 7 female, 3 male) with an official diagnosis of ADHD completed surveys and participated in a semi-structured interview. Participants were asked questions about self-control in school and in home settings, how their relationship with their parents influence their self-control, and their overall perceptions of their parent-child relationships. The interviews were transcribed and coded for factors that improve or hinder adolescents’ comfort in confiding in or sharing their feelings with their parents. Results: Participants were mostly white (50%) or Latino/a (40%) and from middle to high income families (100%). When asked how comfortable they felt sharing their feelings with or confiding in their parents, 33% of subjects reported feeling very comfortable, 40% somewhat comfortable, and 27% as not comfortable. When asked who they tend to go to for advice or support, 30% of subjects reported that there is no one that they are likely to go to. Participants also reported on specific actions their parents take that make it more difficult for them to confide in them. Responses included, ‰ÛÏI can’t tell them the things I feel guilty about‰Û_it’s scary;‰Û ‰ÛÏIf they give me advice that I think [was] a little bit too judgmental, I’ll probably not come back to them;‰Û and ‰ÛÏThere’s just kind of a difference in perspective.‰Û Conclusions: Understanding adolescents’ own perception of parental support and factors that make it difficult for them to confide in their parents has significant potential for clinicians in creating family-based interventions and therapies for adolescents with ADHD. Additionally, the finding that a third of subjects do not have peers or other adults that they feel comfortable going to for support is significant for school-based interventions. Further research needs to be done on the differences in social network size between adolescents with ADHD and their typically developing peers.

Comparison of two common methods used to calibrate motion capture systems

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Ryan Clark; Taylor Dickinson; Johnfredy Loaiza; Kari Beardsley; Dan Geiger, Brigham Young University

Determining the Dominant Axis of Bat Rotation for Division I Softball Hitters in Home Run Swings

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Sutherland Wyatt; Connor Meyerhoeffer, Dixie State University

Determination of the methylation status of the ACE gene

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Jace Buxton, Dixie State University

The Lived Experience of Parents of First-Generation College Students

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Daniel Allred, Utah Valley University

Leaving Burma: An analysis of British policy in the Burmese independence process

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Kylan Rutherford, Brigham Young University

Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiota Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Jeffrey Zhao, Brigham Young University

Possible Prophylactic Treatment for PTSD-Like Symptoms in Rats

January 01, 2018 12:00 AM
Bryson Dabney; Sean Pickard, Brigham Young University