2020 Abstracts

Bird, Devin; Nufer, Teresa; Wu, Bridget; Edwards, Jeffrey (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Edwards, Jeffrey (Brigham Young University, Physiology and Developmental Biology)

Drug addiction is a consequence of neural plasticity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), an area of the brain's reward system, in which higher levels of dopamine are expressed. Research suggests that decreased activity of inhibitory _-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the VTA could be the cause of increased activity of dopaminergic cells in the VTA, and thus mediate opiate addiction (Tan). However, not much additional research has been performed to evaluate the plasticity of VTA GABA neurons and the role they play in addiction. Why are VTA GABAergic cells being inhibited and how? We hypothesize that inhibitory inputs onto GABA neurons in the VTA directly affect the degree of inhibition of VTA dopaminergic cells. Additionally, we hypothesize that GABAergic neurons of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) is a source input that extends into the VTA and inhibits VTA GABAergic neurons. We believe that inhibition from these LH neurons induces plasticity of VTA GABAergic neurons.

Through the use of optogenetics we have been able to isolate precise GABAergic pathways that lead into the VTA. Specifically, we have isolated input sources from the LH. These optogenetic experiments, in combination with electrophysiology, have allowed us to measure the specific effects that LH GABA neurons have on VTA GABA neurons. Currently, our data suggests that LH GABAergic cells do induce long-term depression (LTD) in VTA GABAergic cells, however, it is too soon to make any conclusions. Although experiments are still underway, we believe that LH GABAergic neurons play an important role in the drug addiction pathway by inhibiting VTA GABAergic neurons and inducing plasticity.

McRae, Elisa; Solis Leal, Antonio; Giler, Noemi; Karlinsey, Dalton; Quaye, Abraham; Berges, Bradford (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Berges, Bradford (Brigham Young University, Microbiology and Molecular Biology)

HIV-1 infects CD4 T-cells by inserting its genome into a cell's genetic sequence. CRISPR technology allows for gene editing within the cell, causing a break in DNA sequences targeted by specific guide RNAs. Plasmids encoding CRISPR and guide RNA (gRNA) genes, in the context of lentiviral delivery vectors, will be transfected to produce two lentiviral vectors. In vitro experiments include human T cells that will be transduced with the lentiviral vectors and analyzed with flow cytometry to determine cells that express CRISPR and gRNAs. These cells will then be sorted to create a population of cells that express both the CRISPR and gRNA genes and will then be infected with the NL4-3 strain of HIV. For in vivo experiments, human hematopoietic stem cells will be transduced with the lentivirus vectors, after which they will be transplanted into humanized mice, thus producing a human-like immune system for testing the efficacy of our anti-HIV approach. After the human immune system has sufficiently developed in the mice, HIV-1 will be introduced. We expect that human immune cells with CRISPRs will be protected against HIV infection and death due to the use of gRNAs. These cells are postulated to no longer be susceptible to HIV-1 infection, thus preventing further cell lineages from becoming infected. We will analyze data for three main endpoints: 1. Cell killing of HIV, 2. HIV rebound due to the high mutation rate of the virus, 3. Amount of HIV replication, examined by assessing the viral RNA outside of cells using Q-RT-PCR. Data from this project will support whether cells transfected with CRISPR and guide RNAs offer cell lineages that adequately disrupt the HIV-1 genome. Efforts of this study hope to address HIV infection in humans following trials with humanized mice.

Mitchell, Emily (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Arnold, Kristen (Engineering, Applied Science & Technology, Interior Design)

The design in this space will be used to keep the building fresh and calm with all of the changing that will be happening. This non-profit is here to help out women who are running from abusive relationships. Union Station is large enough so that they can house many different families or individuals. Giving them a space where they can get checkup when they are too afraid. There will be security in this locations so women will feel safe. (Aolain) There will be checkup rooms as well as therapy rooms where they can talk with someone private. There will be plenty of space to sleep for everyone that comes into this facility. To create a sense of home is to give them a space where they can have their own time and own space. (Falk, Wijk and Persson) There will be a small cafe and small store where they can buy small items for themselves or for their children. There will be classrooms for both the women and the children where everyone can learn to better themselves. Using the calming color of soft blue and soft green the space will be there for the women. (Instablogs.com) It will help with their fears of the unknown. The space will reflect the way that the women want with their time at the location. To be happy and healthy with themselves or their families. The space will have energy efficiency for this historical building. (Martinez-Molina, Tort-Ausina and Cho).

Doman, Abby (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: Wolfe, John (Dixie State University, Humanities)

Jean-Paul Sartre argues in his essay, “Writing for One’s Age,” that all pieces of literature are influenced by the time period they are written in. This essay takes Sartre’s argument and analyzes the select works from four American pragmatists – Charles Sanders Peirce, John Dewey, William James, and Richard Rorty – through this lens. I also review Sartre’s literature in the light of his own philosophy. By taking into consideration the impact of prominent ideas of each pragmatist’s time period, a conclusion can be drawn for which ideas are relevant for the age they were written for and which ideas are consistent for the human condition. Therefore, the philosophies of American pragmatists can be reexamined to eliminate the contamination of the historical context.

Tylka, Kelsie (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Petersen, Jerry (Humanities and Social Sciences, English & Literature); Vogel, Charles (Humanities and Social Sciences, English & Literature)

Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent is a tale of political intrigue and morality. Many critics believe the narrator of this tale is purely "aesthetic"; however, I argue that the narrator is essential to the plot and to exposing the purpose of the novel, which is spotlighting humanity and moral choice. The first clue to the centrality of the narrator was Conrad's failure to adapt his novel to a theatrical production. This failure intrigued me as the characterization, viewpoint, and structure of the novel seemed ideal for theatrical adaptation. The question is, what was the root of Conrad's botched attempt at a theatrical production? I came to the conclusion that the narrator was essential to the plot and the ethos of the story. For this presentation, therefore, I intend to map out how and why the narrator is indispensable, as well as give a foundational groundwork on the Greek Theater and chorus. Turning to scholarship from both literary and theater experts, I will highlight the importance of the narrator within the novel, as well as, offer a suggestion as to how The Secret Agent could be effectively adapted into a successful stage production. I present the narrator of The Secret Agent as a stand-in for the classic Greek chorus through analyzing the narrator's function as a principal character in the story. Moreover, the utilization of the narrator's "anti-dramatic" commentary is a method of alienation that encourages the reader to reevaluate morality and humanity within the novel. Finally, I hope to engage both literary and theater scholar's alike to reevaluate the functionality of the narrator and to encourage a second look at the possibility of a successful theatrical production.

Roberts, Katie (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kinkead, Joyce (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

The internet has provided students with countless opportunities for success and learning, online grammar checkers and blogs playing a significant role for many in their pursuit of education. Grammar blogs offer tips, tricks, and examples to help people learn grammar, while grammar checker websites, such as Grammarly, use AI technology to automatically review pieces of writing, sometimes offering plagiarism checks and citation suggestions with a paid subscription. While these websites proclaim to make all the difference in students' writing, are English majors finding these helpful? This research seeks to understand what upper-division English majors think of online grammar checkers.

Maria Stokes (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Burnett, Brandon (Weber State University, Chemistry)

This paper considers the relationship between new technologies and the history of astronomy. Using a comparative framework, I show some of the ways in which new technological introductions alter scientific practice. I argue that this dynamic is a historical pattern. To make this case, I juxtapose two astrophysical developments: the invention and early uses of optical telescopes in the early seventeenth century, most famously by Galileo, and the introduction of gravitational wave detectors beginning with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). The former has been heavily examined by historians of science; the latter is almost exclusively of interest to astronomers and physicists. In constructing this comparison, I examine primary sources such as Galileo's Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Related to Two New Sciences and consult other commentaries on seventeenth-century astronomy, particularly remarking on the optics used in the Galilean telescope. I then provide a survey of gravitational wave astronomy. This comparative study evidences the importance of both empirical data and networks in the development of science. Such a conclusion is significant as it carries implications for the relationship between scientific and non-scientific communities.

Sanchez, Mary; Martin, Cayla; Butler, Jaimi; Parrott, David (Westminster College)
Faculty Advisor: Butler, Jaimi (Westminster College, Great Salt Lake Institute); Parrott, David (Westminster College, Biology)

The Great Salt Lake is one of the largest migratory stops for many species of birds in North America. Along the banks of the Great Salt Lake, at Rozel point, there are tar seeps, where some species of birds have gotten entrapped and died. These petroleum seeps are both naturally occurring and human created at Rozel Point. The temperature that the seeps become sticky, the possibility of prey animals drawing predators in, and the appearance of the tar seeps are all important aspects of why birds are drawn to these seeps. Using motion sensor cameras and temperature monitoring devices, the animals that are visiting the tar seeps and the temperature variation of the seeps were monitored. One of the largest human created oil wells at Rozel Point was recapped in January of 2019. The impacts of this recapping was monitored throughout the summer of 2019 to determine if there are fewer birds entrapped due to the reduction of oil escaping from the ground at this well.

Verstegan, Richard; Foxe, John; Arblaster, Paul (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Sand Alexa (Caine College of the Arts, General Studies (Arts)); Duncan, Jennifer

Horrifying and under scrutinized the Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum Nostri Temporis (1587) depicts endless pages of sixteenth century torture methods inflicted upon Catholic martyrs, leaving sufficient room for questions waiting to be answered. The largest and most pressing question this book offers is why it was created. When exploring different conclusions to such a question it is important to understand the contextual history and nature of a rare object such as this. There is probable cause that this book was created in response to John Foxe's Book of Martyrs, which was published 24 years prior to the publication of the Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum Nostri Temporis. It is also possible that the author of the Theatrum Crudelitatum, Richard Verstegan who was an Anglo-Dutch Catholic, was a propagandist supporting the idea that martyrdom was a form of resistance to oppression of religion at this point in history. There is sufficient evidence supporting this theory. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs there are limited illustrations of torture merthods where as in Verstegan's Theatrum Crudelitatum there is an overwhelming amount of vivid and equally horrifying engravings depitcing Catholics as weak. It is equally important to take a look into the author's personal history to gain more explanations for the creation of the Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum Nostri Temporis. Richard Verstegan was an Anglo-Dutch Catholic that studied English at Oxford University without obtaining a degree. It is thought that he left due to his religious beliefs at the time. He was later a propagandist of Duke and Guise before settling in Antwerp, Belgium where he published and illustrated his work. This rare book even served as a precedent as to what happened to those not of the Protestant faith. The Theatrum Crudelitatum Haereticorum Nostri Temporis by Richard Verstegan was created for both personal reasons and propagandistic opportunity.

Anderson, Bethany; Ward, Hannah; Froerer, Cecily (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Gillam, Sandra (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Department); Gillam, Ron (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Department)

Children with language disorders face difficulties in producing organized and complex narratives. Many different assessments have been designed to allow clinicians to evaluate a child's narrative ability. The Test of Early Written Language - 3 (TEWL) is a formal test to assess the early written narrative abilities of children. Valid and reliable tests of the written language skills of young elementary age children are needed for assessing the outcomes of narrative interventions for children who are at-risk for language and literacy impairments.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the TEWL is a valid measure of narrative language in written stories by children who are at-risk for language and literacy problems.

Narrative samples from 189 children ages 6-11 were gathered as part of a larger study. Narrative samples were transcribed and scored using the Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language (MISL) rubric that assesses language microstructure and macrostructure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were computed to determine the extent to which the total raw scores on the TEWL were related to MISL microstructure, macrostructure, and total scores. Item analyses were conducted to determine whether a subset of items on the TEWL differentiate between writing mechanics and written language. Results are critical for using the TEWL as a valid outcome measure in studies of interventions for oral and written language comprehension and production.

Call, Emily; Manesse, Alana (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Colton, Jared (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

What visual rhetoric was used in the women's suffrage movement and how was it effective? There were many forms of persuasion in the women's suffrage movement, some of the greatest examples being the visual rhetoric. Rhetoric in this analysis will be defined as linguistic and visual elements crafted with the purpose to persuade the viewer to believe in the presented truth and to conform with the represented female identity. For this presentation we will focus on two political cartoons from the suffrage movement: one pro-suffrage piece, Henry Mayer's "The Awakening" (1915), and one anti-suffrage piece, "Looking Backward" by Laura E. Foster (1912). While suffrage is often discussed through a feminist lense, we will apply a cultural rhetoric analysis as our primary research method with supporting analysis coming from a feminist perspective. Our analysis will use cultural frameworks with a focus on the cultural theorist Stuart Hall. Cultural rhetoric focuses our analysis on the values and practices of English and American culture in the 20th century rather than solely looking at the object of analysis. In that context, we will examine the rhetorical strategies the artists use to craft arguments to persuade the viewer to accept the "truth" they are presenting. Through the comparison of opposing pieces of propaganda, we will also show that truth is relative to the viewer. Through Hall's frameworks, we will analyze ideas about fixed meaning in the images, female representation in a culture, and the audience's response to rhetoric. As we examine these particular elements in conjunction with cultural rhetoric, the audience will gain insight into how pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage propaganda used similar rhetorical techniques to persuade its viewers.

Andersen, Jacob (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: DeSchweinitz, Rebecca (Brigham Young University, History)

During the 1912 Lawrence, Massachusetts Textile Strike, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a speaker and organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), planned to address local workers at a Greek Catholic Church. Before she stepped to the pulpit, a local priest forbid her from speaking because she was a woman. She only spoke to the audience that night after she convinced the priest that she "spoke as an organizer, not as a woman." This incident hints at the complex and often contradictory role of gender in the IWW. Indeed, many scholars have argued that while the IWW preached universal human equality, in practice they maintained a limited, domestic vision for women. Francis Shor, in particular, has argues that the IWW's approach to gender constituted a kind of "virile syndicalism," in which their aggressive tactics were a form of "masculine posturing" in defiance of industrial capitalism. While an important insight about the role of gender in the IWW, few scholars have used his theory to understand women's experiences in the IWW. This paper will examine the role of gender in the IWW through the lives and experiences of three women: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Matilda Robbins, and Jane Street. All three women came from different backgrounds and made unique contributions to the IWW, yet the IWW's virile syndicalism circumscribed their activities within the bounds of the IWW's narrow gender ideology. The lives of these women suggest that virile syndicalism in the IWW limited the role of Wobbly women and curbed the IWW's ability to effectively organize workers in the long term. Indeed, the IWW notoriously struggled to maintain an organized base of workers; their distinctly gendered tactics may help explain why.

Gonzalez Herrara, Cindy; Garcia, Ignacio (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Garcia, Ignacio (History)

Guillermo Balderas became the first Hispanic, Spanish speaking bishop in the United States in the 1930s. By understanding his background in serving the church, we come to understand his views of the Mormon gospel, and through him, we get a glimpse of the Hispanic Latter-day Saints living in El Paso, Texas, and indirectly others across the United States. By looking at his life, we learn about the struggles of being Latter-day Saint and Mexican on the northern side of the southern border. Guillermo was also the son of Apolinar de Jesus Balderas, the second Spanish-speaking branch president in the United States.

Guillermo's family immigrated to El Paso, Texas in 1910.2 The community he lived in was segregated and he went to school in a segregated public school system. Guillermo's life spanned a time when Mexicans and Mexican Americans were starting to find their voice within their communities, and in the larger society. While he did not participate in politics or the activism of his time, Guillermo brought an ethnically-focused perspective to his religion. Part of that perspective came from his friendship with people of the Third Convention--a Latter-day Saint insurgency against the American church in Mexico--and also he lived experiences as a brown man in American society. For this presentation, I will discuss a letter he sent to church authorities when he was released and replaced by the first white bishop of his ward, and changes were made to minimize the wards "Hispanic ways". While he was unsuccessful in lobbying for his ward members, Guillermo, nonetheless, previewed some of the "outside imposed" concepts that have hampered Hispanic wards in developing their identity. At the same time, his letter reveals some of the concepts that Hispanic leaders in the church have carried out in their ministry. Through his dedication and faithfulness in the church, we see a reflection of what many Hispanic Latter-day Saints experience during this time. Despite the challenges, he continued to become a devoted leader within the church and helped many people within his congregation. He became an advocate for those of his color while still seeking to educate his white brothers/sisters.

Lengele, Alexius (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Seaboch, Melissa (Salt Lake Community College, Anthropology)

Primate defecation behaviors contribute notably to forest growth and diversity because primates are important seed dispersers in their environment. Understanding these defecation patterns is important to understand how primate populations impact tropical dry forests. Preexisting research on Allouatta seniculous (red howler monkeys) avoided defecating near their foraging and resting areas, potentially to avoid parasitic infection from contaminated feces. The goal of my research is to test whether the same pattern is found in A. palliata, the mantled howler monkey. I predicted that A. palliata would not defecate near their food resources as a parasite-avoidance behavior. La Selva Biological Station, where this research was conducted, is located in Sarapiqui, in northeastern Costa Rica. Data were collected in May 2017 at the beginning of the rainy season. Using all-occurrence sampling, I recorded all defecation events for A. palliata and whether any group members were feeding. I recorded 15 instances of defecation. Howler monkeys defecated in the same area where they had been feeding 46.7% of the time (n=7) and they defecated in an area where feeding did not occur 53.3% of the time (n=8). My hypothesis, that A. palliata would not defecate near food resources, was not supported as the data showed no bias toward non-feeding areas versus feeding areas. These results differ from prior research of Alouatta in the Amazon Basin, Venezuela, and Brazil, which all reported evidence of parasite-avoidance in defecation behavior. My sample size is small, and my data were collected in a short time span, likely contributing to this discrepancy. Additionally, the parasites infecting those species in South America may not be present in this Central American location, suggesting a lack of the need for this adaptive behavior.

Figgins, Anna C.; Hunter, F. Kate; Kapheim, Karen M. (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kapheim, Karen (College of Science, Biology Department)

Certain species of ants, bees, and wasps have some of the most sophisticated forms of cooperative behavior known throughout the animal kingdom. These eusocial insects live in large family groups made up of castes (e.g., queens and workers) that specialize on different tasks within a colony. In many species, division of labor between queens and workers is associated with behavioral and physiological traits such as dominance interactions, ovary maturation, and lipid stores. Remarkably, these large phenotypic differences between castes emerge from a shared genome. This suggests caste differences stem from changes in how shared genes are regulated. We have been investigating the role of a small regulatory molecule (microRNA miR-13b) as a potential regulator of division of labor in bumble bees (Bombus impatiens). We tested the hypothesis that miR-13b regulates division of labor by inhibiting its function using small-interfering RNA (siRNA). We inhibited miR-13b function by injecting a synthetic antagonist of miR-13b (antagomir) into the abdomens of live bees. The average expression of miR-13b in the fat body of bees that received the antagomir injection was 0.52 relative to those that received the control injection (n = 7). This inhibition of miR-13b expression was accompanied by a significant decrease in fat body size. However, the influence of the antagomir only lasted 1 day. Future experiments will determine if the antagomir can influence gene expression longer than 1 day and assess physiological and behavioral changes in B. impatiens after miR-13b is inhibited. Knowledge gained from this study allows us to understand more about the mechanisms underlying social behavior in bees and helps us investigate how behavior is regulated by gene expression.

Stapleton, Michael; DeRose, Justin. (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: DeRose, Justin (S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, Wildland Resources Department)

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is the most widespread coniferous tree in North America, occurring from Mexico to British Columbia and from California to Nebraska. Surprisingly, however, P. ponderosa is largely absent within the center of this range. Previous studies suggest that this absence may be linked to a range of climatic variables, but collectively fail to identify specific climate-growth responses. Using dendroclimatology, we will analyze how a disjunct population of P. ponderosa in northern Utah responds to local climate conditions. We seek to identify which of these variables the species is most sensitive to by correlating the population's average annual growth to a variety of climate composites. Similar tests will be conducted across three treatment blocks throughout the stand in order to distinguish if previous management altered the population's resilience to climate. Our results will help explain the current distribution of P. ponderosa and suggest how that distribution may respond to changing climate conditions.

Funk, Stephen; Wood, Jacob; Catmull, Ashley; Martin, Brett (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: McCleary, Bill (Brigham Young University College of Life Sciences, Microbiology & Molecular Biology)

The survival of the model microorganism E. coli depends largely on its ability to regulate the concentration of nutrients in its cell. This regulation often relies on complex systems of both cooperative and competitive enzymes. One of these enzymes, encoded by the YjbB gene, was known to play some role in phosphate regulation. However, its exact function had not yet been characterized. We attempted to deduce the function of the YjbB-encoded protein in the context of two other phosphate regulatory systems: the PitA/B phosphate transport system and the PpK/X polyphosphate storage system. Using comparative growth curves in both phosphate-rich and phosphate-deprived media, we found that the YjbB-encoded protein protects against phosphate poisoning in the absence of phosphate exporters, suggesting that the protein in question functions primarily as a phosphate exporter as well.

Truman, Jorden (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: Pilkington, Olga (Dixie State University, English)

This paper uses literary analysis and theoretical framework of Regionalism to examine Barbara Kingsolver's novel Flight Behavior. Flight Behavior features Dellarobia, an inhabitant of a poverty-stricken Appalachian town, who discovered that a hill in her backyard became home to millions of wintering Monarch Butterflies. This abnormal flight behavior of the Monarch Butterflies for many in Dellarobia's community is seen as a gift from God, but for the outsiders, it is an ominous sign of climate change. The results of my analysis show that Kingsolver, although praised for her other novels set in the Appalachias, fails to address what Regionalist novels are criticized for: preventing the reader from taking sides with the educated master narrator against the abnormal or aberrant natives. Kingsolver's pursuit of the moral imperative comes at the cost of disparaging and humiliating the communities that makeup Appalachia. The ramifications of Flight Behavior are troubling because this "if you are not with us, you are against us" style of narration is prominent in climate change activist's discourse: creating enemies instead of allies.