2020 Abstracts

Winters, Blaine; Dustin, Tracy; Escobar, Jeana; Ostlund, Megan (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Blaine, Winters (Brigham Young University, Biology)

Background:
Evaluation of patients who have fallen varies significantly between nurses as well as health care facilities. In many cases, injuries go unrecognized or their identification is delayed due to poor or incomplete assessments and follow-up.

Purpose:
The purpose of this project was to design a standardized post-fall assessment for geriatric patients residing in long-term care and community settings.

Methods:
A literature review revealed that in the past 10 years, very few studies were conducted on post-fall assessments, and the majority of these studies were conducted outside of the United States. Due to the lack of current literature on the subject, the Advanced Trauma Life Support algorithm was used as a framework for the development of the post-fall assessment.

Outcomes:
A post-fall assessment evaluation was developed which includes the production of a standardized post-fall assessment flowchart, accompanied by a documentation guide. A training video was also produced to illustrate the use of the assessment tools and to allow nurses to practice their new skills.

Implications for Practice:
The standardized post-fall assessment tools will lead to more thorough evaluation and follow-up of patients who have fallen in long-term care or the community setting. This will lead to more rapid treatment of identified injuries as well as fewer missed injuries.

Teaching Methods:
Participants will receive training on the post-fall evaluation method, how it was developed and how it will be implemented.

DeNiro, Adara; Cao, Erhu; Wang, Qinzhe; Wang, Jinliang (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Cao, Erhu (University of Utah, School of Medicine)

The kidneys are responsible for several essential bodily functions critical to our survival. These include filtering blood and excreting metabolic waste into urine. Two proteins, polycystin-1 and polycystin-2, interact in renal tubules and promote the normal development and function of the kidneys. However, the proteins' actions are not well understood. Polycystin-1 and Polycystin-2 are encoded by the PKD1 gene and the PKD2 gene respectively. A mutation in either of these genes can lead to Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), a common inherited disease leading to progressive renal failure. Several extrarenal manifestations occur as a result of ADPKD including hepatic cysts and intracranial aneurysms. Ultimately, ADPKD often leads to end-stage renal disease that requires dialysis or transplantation. Currently, there is no cure for ADPKD due to setbacks regarding structural determination of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Proteins. Some setbacks are the inability to view the regulatory cytosolic domains of the PKD1/PKD2 channel in atomic detail and understand the function(s) of the polycystic kidney disease proteins. My project examines the ability of Fabs and nanobodies to bind to the PKD2 channel and the PKD1/2 complex as this potentially facilitates structural determination. This is done by stabilizing cytosolic domains and/or promoting a more uniform orientation distribution of these proteins essential for imaging by cryo-electron microscopy.

Hildt, Alyssa; Anderson, Abby; Miles, Leslie; Valentine, Julie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Miles, Leslie (Brigham young University, Nursing); Valentine, Julie (Brigham Young University, Nursing)

Purpose: To describe characteristics that impacted sexual assault (SA) patients' reports of pain and subsequent pain treatment.
Research Question(s) / hypotheses: 1. What percentage of SA patients complaining of pain received any treatment? 2. What associations exist between SA variables and reports of pain and pain treatment?
Methodology: Retrospective chart review (n=1,652) of SA examinations (2017-2018) was conducted in several counties in Utah, representing 80% of the state. 241 variables were entered into SPSS. Approximately 64% of SA cases reported pain. Descriptive statistical analysis of SA patients reporting pain was conducted on the following variables: pain location, pain severity, gender, race, age, relationship to suspect, pre-existing medical conditions, pre-existing mental illness, suspect actions, time between assault and exam, physical injuries, anogenital injuries, and pain treatment (pharmacological and non-pharmacological).
Findings: On a scale of zero to ten, reported pain mean level 5.68 with a median of six. Eight percent of patients who reported pain did not have a documented pain level, signifying an incomplete pain assessment. Three most common pain locations were the genitals (40%), abdomen/pelvis (31%), and head (24%). Those with mental illness, medical problems, or reported history of SA prior to age 14, were more likely to report pain. Despite the prevalence of pain amongst SA patients, a large majority (78%) received no documented pain treatment. However, some patients received the following: 16% NSAIDs or Tylenol; 5% narcotics; and only 0.1% received non-pharmacological treatment.
Implications: All SA patients should be assessed and treated for pain. SA examination forms should include treatment type, including treatment provided by the emergency department. Nurses should take the lead in advocating for pain treatment in SA patients.
Conclusion: This is the largest study of SA patients' pain assessment and treatment and helps create a comprehensive picture to understand patient and variables that impact pain.

Troy Madsen, MD; Brennen Holt, MD; Chad Agy, MD; Rachelle Perkins, BS; Margaret Carlson, BS; Jacob Steenblik, MPH, MHA; Joseph Bledsoe, MD; Gerry Doyle, MD (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Madsen, Troy (University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine)

Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is a deadly, nondiscriminatory condition affecting all races, ethnicities, genders, and ages. There are an estimated 300,000-600,000 Americans affected every year. Sudden death is often the first symptom in a quarter of those with a PE. Chest pain is also a frequent symptom, yet it may be indicative of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Pleuritic chest pain, defined as pain worsening with inhalation, is associated with non-ACS diseases, its presence is considered when evaluating a patient's risk for PE versus ACS. The proposed project, under the supervision of Troy Madsen M.D, attempts to determine the patients' overall risk of PE or ACS when presenting to the Emergency Department with pleuritic chest pain. The project also aims to evaluate the efficacy of using pleuritic chest pain history in a PE diagnosis. PE being of the most under-diagnosed conditions affecting hospitalized patients, this study specifically looks to include pleuritic chest pain in the decision-making process for diagnosing PE. While other studies look at age, malignancy, thrombophilia, and estrogen, our study evaluates all data collected from the presentation to the ED through the thirty-day phone call to determine the prevalence of PE in those with chest pain as their chief complaint.

Jensen, Daelin; Aitken, Talon; Baxter, Melanie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University; Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science)

As of 2017, over 400 million people were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. This is becoming a worldwide concern as the number of people affected by diabetes is growing at an alarming rate. Functional pancreatic β-cell mass is responsible for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels through the production of insulin. A hallmark of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is a relative or absolute loss of functional β-cell mass and, consequently, decreased insulin production. Two possible approaches for replenishing the β-cells are: 1) replacement through cadaveric donors and 2) regeneration of endogenous β-cells. A major impediment to these approaches is that aged β-cells are refractory to genes that are known to induce proliferation in young β-cells. It is currently unknown why aged β-cells are refractory. . We hypothesized that age-dependent changes to the proliferative capacity of β-cells are influenced by increasing levels of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKI). CDKI's bind to cyclin-dependent kinases, effectively halting the cell cycle and proliferation. Here, we demonstrate the expression of the Ink4 and Cip/Kip families of CDKI's by mRNA and protein expression in five week old and five month old Wistar rat β-cells. Greater understanding of the proliferative mechanisms of the β-cell will allow greater application of the aforementioned treatments.

Wik, Daniel (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Wik, Daniel (Science, Physics and Astronomy)

Mergers between galaxy clusters are some of the most energetic events in the universe, driving shock fronts in the intracluster medium (ICM), an X-ray hot plasma permeating the cluster. Shock fronts heat thermal electrons, causing an increase in their temperature. The mechanism by which this occurs is undetermined, with two models being proposed to explain the phenomenon. The first proposes direct shock-heating and the second suggests indirect adiabatic compression, with the electrons subsequently equilibrating with ions heated by the shock. We utilize NuSTAR observations, advantaging its effective area at higher energies, of a shock in the merging cluster Abell 665 in order to discriminate between the models. To do so, a temperature profile was constructed across the shock, utilizing spectral fitting, and compared against the models' predictions. In addition, temperature maps across the cluster were generated to better understand the merger event as a whole. We find that the temperature profile is suggestive of the shock model but is not yet statistically significant, due to NuSTAR's comparatively worse spatial resolution. As a result, we apply a novel joint fitting technique to NuSTAR data and Chandra observations in order to statistically distinguish between the models for the first time, accounting for the scattering of photons due to the PSF. Understanding these processes increases our understanding of the magnetic field of the ICM, allowing for mass determination, permitting galaxy clusters to be used to constrain cosmological studies.

Paulding, Anna (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Bradbury, Kelly (College of Science, Geosciences Department)

A dramatic increase in seismicity has occurred in the midcontinent region since 2009 (Rubinstein and Mahani, 2015), causing public concern for the stability of infrastructure and buildings. Several studies have directly linked this seismicity to the reactivation of buried fault systems near the Paleozoic sedimentary bedrock-Precambrian crystalline basement contact as a result of high volumes of injection of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry (Ellsworth, 2013; Keranen et al., 2013).

The reactivation of fault zones due to fluid injection is not only influenced by injection rates but also by the ability of fluids to migrate along or across the contact, which is controlled by the rock properties and geologic setting. To better understand the rock property variations that may occur along the nonconformity interface, we use an outcrop analog site of an exhumed fault near Gunnison, Colorado. My undergraduate research focuses on using a portable handheld X-Ray Fluorescence Unit (pXRF) as a tool to measure compositional variations in outcrop. To directly compare data, a calibration using 16 USGS Concentration Standards as well as 12 analog samples will be used to create a calibration optimized for this specific suite of rocks which informs the accuracy of in-situ field data measurements against laboratory measurements of powdered samples, influencing how future pXRF measurements can be analyzed. Micro-scale variations of major and trace element concentrations reflect alteration and related fluid-rock interactions and may serve as a proxy for fluid migration along or across faulted sections of a nonconformity interface. I propose that calibrated pXRF data and whole rock XRF data is a useful tool for understanding the nature and degree of rock alteration in fault zones and across analog sites nonconformity interface. These data can aid in a more broad understanding of how pXRF data can be used in the field to characterize the nonconformity interface and fault zones.

Hedelius, Bryce; Millecam, Todd; Wingate, David; Della Corte, Dennis (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Della Corte, Dennis (BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Physics); Wingate, David (BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Computer Science)

Substantial progress has been made in the past several years towards the accurate prediction of protein tertiary structures from primary sequence, aided greatly by the integration of machine learning. Current success is based on two-stage protocols: first, the training of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict macromolecular structure restraints, and second, the use of these restraints to construct a folded three-dimensional structure of the target protein. Such a two-stage folding protocol was used by DeepMind in the recent Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction (CASP13), which outperformed all established groups. However, DeepMind has not expressed a plan to publish the code of their AlphaFold protocol. Here we present ProSPr, a network representing the first part of the AlphaFold pipeline for predicting interatomic distances, and demonstrate its abilities in the contact prediction task relative to other state-of-the-art methods. We also investigate and report on the roles of certain input features in prediction quality. ProSPr is made freely available to the scientific community both as source code and a Docker container, which we anticipate will encourage the development of better techniques for assembling protein structures from restraints.

Sagers, Rachel; Nguyen, Andy; Weston, Jake; Grooms, Nicholas; Eggleston, Morgan; Martin, Randy; Coulombe, Roger (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Coulombe, Roger (College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences; Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department)

The scenic mountain views of Cache Valley in Northern Utah stand in stark contrast with the valley's high concentrations of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5), some of the worst reported in the United States. The unique geography promotes formation of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) from nitrogen oxides produced by motor vehicles and ammonia from dairy cow excreta. Winter atmospheric inversions, exacerbated by the mountainous terrain, trap and concentrate air pollutants. Epidemiological studies have revealed an association between PM exposure and early all-cause mortality. Exposure to PM2.5 is also associated with a variety of cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, and neurodegenerative diseases, including myocardial infarction, stroke, COPD, lung cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Previous studies have shown that Cache Valley PM (CVPM) has pro-inflammatory effects, which has been linked to enhanced activation of Akt in human pulmonary epithelial cells. This research examined the cellular responses of human lung (BEAS-2B) cells exposed to CVPM and diesel exhaust particles (DEP), at 1 and 12 µg/ml concentrations of each particle type for a 24 hour exposure period. The CVPM used was collected onto stainless steel plates by a Tisch impactor. Assessment by the comet assay reveal genetic damage to CVPM exposed cells with equal potency to DEP exposed cells. Flow cytometry (p < 0.05) showed CVPM exposed cells had a significant increase in the number of actively-dividing cells compared to control cells. Whole-genome microarray identified affected genes related to inflammatory pathways, as well as activated Akt-dependent pathways. Subsequent qRT-PCR showed that CVPM exposure significantly increased expression of inflammatory markers, including IL-6, CD40LG, PLAG27, and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 (p < 0.05). Immunoblotting confirmed activation of Akt by phosphorylation of Thr308 in both CVPM and DEP exposed cells. This data supports the hypothesis that CVPM may induce pro-carcinogenic pathways with potency similar to DEP.

Ballantyne, Eliza; Buck, Lance; Cox, Zach; Adams, Brittney; Trappett, Matthew; Shipp, Dustin (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Shipp, Dustin (Utah Valley University, Physics)

Understanding how cells metabolize the chemicals around them on a single cellular level is paramount to analyzing the effectiveness of pharmaceutical drugs. Discrepancies between pharmaceutical drug results during lab testing versus in actual patients are an expensive and time consuming obstacle. These differences could be alleviated using Raman spectroscopy by testing based on an overall chemical map instead of individual factors. Raman spectroscopy has great potential to aid this process because of its ability to present a chemical fingerprint of an entire cell without interfering with the cell's natural responses to chemical changes.

Using Raman spectroscopy to develop an additional method for observing cell metabolism will enhance understanding of cell function and advance studies focused on the results of chemical effects on cells in vivo. As a step toward this goal, this project is currently focused on obtaining time-lapsed Raman images of glucose uptake. Using glucose metabolism, we are able to model a system for more complicated pharmaceuticals. This study has explored methods for collecting Raman spectra in vivo, balancing time-dependent data collection with the time-constraint of working with living and changing cells. Raman spectra describing the chemical makeup of glioblastoma cancer cells as they metabolize glucose were analyzed and used to create time-lapsed images during uptake.

Our process presents a new lens for understanding cell metabolism and a potential tool for analyzing an additive's effect on a single-cellular level. We developed a platform and method for measuring chemical changes in cells over time. Next stages for this research include observing how metabolism varies depending on what additives are used for uptake and quantifying metabolic differences between types of cells.

Watts, Austin; Crook, M. B. (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Crook, Matthew (College of Science, Microbiology)

Auxin is a known growth hormone for plants and many plant-beneficial bacteria are known to produce it. It has previously been shown that Rhizobium sp. IRBG74 promotes growth of rice, but the mechanism is unknown. We hypothesized that Rhizobium sp. IRBG74 accomplishes this by production and secretion of auxin. To address this hypothesis, we first performed a bioinformatic analysis to identify putative auxin biosynthesis genes in the genome of IRBG74 using BLAST with known auxin biosynthesis genes as queries. To test whether the genes identified by BLAST play a role in promoting growth of rice, we are making in-frame deletions of each one. Briefly, we use overlap-extension PCR to create and stitch together deletion fragments and then we clone these fragments into the sacB deletion vector pJQ200SK. The target genes are then disrupted by homologous recombination and then deintegration is selected for with sucrose. After this is done we test the mutant to verify the deletion occurred by PCR. Once the deletion mutants are verified, each one is tested on rice seedlings and compared to wild-type IRBG74. Rice growth is quantified by shoot dry weight and by root branching, as measured using ImageJ.

Stokes, Jessica; Burnett, Brandon (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Burnett, Brandon (Weber State University, Chemistry)

Mechanochemistry has become a growing avenue for materials synthesis, as it typically requires little to no solvent, and often creates different crystalline phases compared to traditional synthetic methods. Liquid-assisted grinding, a form of mechanochemistry, was used to synthesize porphyrin paddle-wheel frameworks (PPFs). Three different crystalline phases were targeted in order to test the viability of this method on this class of materials and observe any difference compared to traditional solvothermal synthesis. X-ray diffraction was used to confirm the formation of each PPF phase. We found that mechanochemistry was indeed successful to sustainably synthesize PPFs. Additionally, we observed a significant difference in phase preference between the traditional solvothermal synthesis and liquid assisted grinding methods.

Covey, Tracy; Alsup, Garrett; Kreinbrink, Alexia (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Covey, Tracy (College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry)

Certain over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, are known to have an effect on the bioavailability of warfarin, enhancing its anticoagulant properties. The goal of this project is to study how varying the concentration of ibuprofen or acetaminophen affects the amount of warfarin bound to blood plasma proteins. To better understand how strong these drug-drug interactions are with warfarin, we proposed capillary electrophoresis (CE) as an analytical method to separate and detect these compounds. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and warfarin have all been analyzed using CE in the literature, so we sought to develop a CE method to separate and detect all three drugs together. We are currently optimizing this method and will use this method to investigate warfarin displacement from plasma proteins by ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

McDowell, Trevor; Durfee Dallin (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Durfee, Dallin (College of Science, Physics)

Interference Pattern Structured Illumination Imaging (IPSII) utilizing Mach-Zehnder Interferometry, allows us to surpass the Abbe Limit of traditional imaging techniques. To aid in this endeavor, my primary objective is to utilize a Michelson-Morley Interferometer with one of the arms being a long-distance, 300mm or greater, linear translation stage. Using the long-distance linear translation stage (LDLTS) to test both the repeatability and as well as angular stability of various LDLTS units so we may take measurements of fringe lines at arcseconds approaching a zero degree of angle. Though many designs currently available for consumer use have the linear repeatability needed, most if not all lack the angular stability needed. As such we are currently experimenting with current designs to see where the variances are and work in improvements so we may design our own LDLTS so we may be able to take such extreme angle measurements. In addition to improving the repeatability and angular stability of LDLTS's, the automation of the kinematic mirror mounts utilizing stepper motors is another primary concern. Our current issue is that we need to be able to adjust the reflecting mirrors on both the x-axis and y-axis and to do this the stepper motors need a travel distance of 27mm along the z-axis. The issue we have is we need a stable mount that addresses any torque lash while keeping them still and allowing movement on the z-axis. Through materials research for what to be used with the LDLTS as well as the stepper motor mounts, we will be able to take data points and processes data at a much greater and more accurate rate than we have in the past. Resulting in more time to conduct experiments and less time waiting for results.

Nanasi Sekona, Ashley Balderrama, Carlos Nunez, Kyle Hendricks, Tyson Hillock, and Dr. Olga Kopp (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Kopp, Olga (Utah Valley University, Biology)

Over the last 30 years, the incidence of fungal infections has gradually increased. Mucormycosis is a fungal infection primarily caused by Rhizopus Oryzae. The majority of patients who develop invasive mucormycosis die within 12 weeks of diagnosis. Mucormycosis is commonly treated with an antifungal agent called Amphotericin B (AMB). When used in high concentrations, AMB causes severe side effects such as nephrotoxicity. It has been reported that 99% of microbes exist as biofilm: thus, there is a direct association between mucormycosis and biofilms. Shockwave has been shown to inhibit living bacteria in biofilm, but few studies have focused on the effects of shockwave on fungal biofilm. Previous work in our lab showed that shockwaves were effective in damaging biofilms of R. oryzae; but at the same time helped promote the metabolism of surviving R. oryzae. This study aims to investigate the proteins expressed in fungal biofilms when introduced to different intensities of shockwave coupled with the treatment of AMB. This will be accomplished by culturing sporangiospores and propagating R. oryzae biofilms. Standardized biofilm will be treated with 0.5 µg/mL AMB in 1% DMSO, and/or shockwave treatment of 300 pulses at 0.19 mJ/mm2 energy density to be measured against a control group. The proteins will be extracted, determined by 2D gel electrophoresis, and identified by mass spectrometry. Studying protein expression resulting from combination therapy of extracorporeal shockwave and AMB on R. oryzae biofilm could progress research surrounding the difficulties of mucormycosis treatments. Particularly, research aimed at counteracting the antifungal and antimicrobial resistance contributed by proteins in the fungi's biofilm.

Jones, Abigail; Hevel, Joan (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Hevel, Joan (College of Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department)

PRMT1 is one of nine known mammalian Protein Arginine Methyltransferases (PRMTs) whose function are to transfer methyl groups from S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) to arginine residues of specific proteins. PRMT1 is known to methylate many different proteins in cells, but the mechanism of target recognition and binding is still unknown. Correct regulation of PRMT1 is critical to proper cellular function; thus, the action of PRMT1 is important to understand. In this study, we seek to elucidate how PRMT1 recognizes and binds its targets by identifying protein substrates of PRMT1 that form a stable complex with the enzyme. Such a protein would allow for additional studies (e.g. crystallographic or cryo-EM studies) to help visualize PRMT1-substrate interactions. Two substrates of PRMT1, TWIST1 and Smad6, have been purified, and the binding affinity of each to PRMT1 has been qualitatively assessed via pull-down assay and Western blot. Ligation-independent-cloning has been used to clone each substrate gene out of a GST-tagged vector and into a His-tagged vector, which will allow for further experiments assessing the stoichiometry of PRMT1-substrate binding.

Vilela, Ernie; Seal, Isaac; Ogden, Heath T. (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Ogden, Thomas (College of Science, Biology Deapartment)

We are interested in using transcriptome data, generated with next generation sequencing technology, to investigate the evolutionary trends of specific genes and their associated expression in mayflies. We generated an additional transcriptome for mayflies. RNA was extracted from a freshly frozen specimen preserved in RNAlater® (Ambion) using TRIzol® Reagent (Ambion) and cDNA libraries were prepared from mRNA. RNA-seq data was generated using a paired-end protocol (PE100) on Illumina HiSeq2000 with an expected 60 million reads. In order to effectively investigate the large amount of sequences, we created a bioinformatics workflow to analyze the newly generated transcriptome data along with previous data for mayflies. The workflow consists of these main steps: Trinity (Assemblying the transcripts), Transdecoder (Identifying candidate coding regions), HMMER (Searching biological sequence databases for homologous sequences). We tested the workflow looking at opsin genes.

Forbush, Micah; Gold, Roger (Southern Utah University)
Faculty Advisor: Gold, Roger (Southern Utah University, Biology)

The health of a horse's teeth and oral cavity is strongly correlated with the horse's overall health and well-being. As a horse ages the oral cavity undergoes many distinct physical changes, which may lead to changes in the composition of the oral microbiome as well. While there has been extensive research performed on the oral microbiomes of healthy horses compared to horses with various oral diseases, very little is known about normal changes to the horse oral microbiome as they age. The aim of this study was to use high-throughput sequencing to compare the oral microbiomes of horses in different age categories. Total genomic DNA was isolated from oral swabs taken from horses in the 7 day-old, 1-7 years old, 8-15 years old and 16+ years old age categories. The V3-V4- region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by PCR and amplicons were submitted for paired-end sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq system. Sample reads were analyzed using the QIIME 2.0 microbiome bioinformatics platform and overall bacterial diversity was compared among age classes.