2020 Abstracts

Hutchison, Cortland; Preece, J. Caleb; Seibold, Tanner; Feland, J. Brent (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Feland, Brent (Life Sciences, Exercise Science)

BACKGROUND: Muscle morphology changes with age and the fibrous/fatty infiltration should affect the overall stiffness of aging muscle. However, little info intrinsic stiffness as measured by SWE is available on aging muscle and the effect of gender using this measurement is not clear.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine how gender affects cross sectional area (CSA) and SWE of both the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle of the dominant leg in active older athletes participating in the HuntsmanWorld Senior Games.
METHODS: Data was collected from 116 volunteers (participants in the Huntsman World Senior Games) in St. George, Utah, 2019. Subjects (62 males: mean age = 68.9 ± 7.8 yrs, Ht = 177.4 ± 8.1 cm, Wt= 85.4±20 kg; 54 females: mean age = 66.9 ± 8.5 yrs, Ht =164.4 ± 7.2 cm, Wt= 69.8±18 kg) signed an approved consent form and then lay prone on a treatment table for ultrasonic measurement of both CSA and SWE of both heads of the gastrocnemius.
ANALYSIS: All data were analyzed a generalized linear model analysis using SPSS ver25 comparing CSA and SWE of both medial and lateral gastrocnemius heads by gender with age, height and weight as covariates.
RESULTS & CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that gender would affect both CSA and SWE with males exhibiting increases in both CSA and SWE values. We found a significant difference in CSA of both the medial and lateral gastroc (p=.000 for both) between genders, but no significant difference in lateral gastroc SWE (p=.337) or medial gastroc SWE (p=.320). Both age (p=.004) and weight (p=.000) were also found to significantly affect CSA and SWE between genders. The larger CSA values for men in this study may be more of a function of overall body size and weight since both populations are active athletes.

Hirschi-Forster, Jeanallie; Mendoza, Matthew; Van Oene; Nicholas ; Payton, Jullian (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Clark, Daniel (Science, Microbiology)

The purpose of this research is to obtain quantitative data about possible sources for Salmonella contamination including tributaries to the Great Salt Lake, namely, the Jordan River, Weber River, and Bear River in Utah. We will also analyze specific water and soil sources near poultry farms for possible contamination. In recent studies, there is a greater number of produce items that have been found to contribute to Salmonella outbreaks. Contaminated water used for irrigation of these crops has been implicated as the causative agent for food contamination.

Bacteria found in these waterways are enriched using selective and differential media. This means, the media provides Salmonella species with required nutrients to grow effectively while differential media inhibits the growth of non-Salmonella species. The enrichment media that is used during this process is 3 X Tryptic Soy Broth and Gram-Negative broth. Gram negative broth is used as an enrichment step, but also selective in that it inhibits growth of other organisms. The two types of differential media would be XLT4 and MSRV. Salmonella is a motile bacterium and thus branches out from its original location of inoculation. This creates a halo-like growth pattern that makes it possible to differentiate Salmonella on MSRV plates. Once Salmonella is confirmed through the MSRV and XLT4 media, sequencing of its two CRISPR loci is completed. These two chromosomal regions have been shown to be distinct in different serovars, and as such, they can be used to distinct what subspecies is present in the sample.

Tuttle, Jared; Payne, Andrew; Obray, J Daniel; Steffensen, Scott (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Steffensen, Scott (Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology)

A subpopulation of ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA neurons express connexin-36 (Cx36) gap junctions (GJs). Activation of GJ-mediated electrical coupling between VTA GABA neurons supports brain stimulation reward and alcohol reward is lowered in Cx36 KO mice due to a hyper-dopamine (DA) state. The aim of this study was to further evaluate the role of a subpopulation of Cx36+ VTA GABA neurons in alcohol reward and dependence. To accomplish this study, we customized a Gq-coupled Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) viral vector to only express in Cx36+ neurons (AAV8.hCx36.hM3D(Gq)-mCherry.WPRE.rBG) in the VTA. The hM3Dq viral vector was infused into male CD-1 GAD GFP mice and male Wistar rats. The animals were then given 10-14 days to recover prior to experimentation. A control virus (AAV9.CB7.CI.mCherry.WPRE.rBG) was used for comparison. We implemented standard cell-attached mode electrophysiology to evaluate the effects of clozapine-n-oxide (CNO; the ligand for DREADDs) on VTA GABA and DA neuronal activity. We found a robust enhancement of VTA GABA neuron firing rate in hM3Dq+ neurons with 20 _M CNO ex vivo. Surprisingly, while investigating CNO effects on VTA DA neuron firing rate, we found that CNO activation of hM3Dq+ VTA GABA neurons increased DA neuron activity, suggesting that Cx36+ VTA GABA neurons indirectly modulate local VTA DA neurons. Intraperitoneal CNO (3 mg/kg) also enhanced the firing rate of VTA GABA neurons in vivo. Administration of CNO reduced ethanol consumption (drink-in-the-dark paradigm) in both ethanol naïve and ethanol dependent hM3Dq-injected mice as compared to controls, suggesting that activation of Cx36+ neurons in the VTA is enough to block ethanol consumption in both naïve and dependent animals. Taken together, these findings support previous studies indicating that enhanced electrical coupling between VTA GABA neurons is rewarding and promotes reward and lowers the hedonic value of ethanol.

Aitken, Talon; Jensen, Daelin; Baxter, Melanie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffrey (Brigham Young University, NDFS)

Diabetes Mellitus, a condition characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or effectiveness, affects over 8.5% of the adult US population. Both type one and type two diabetes have the common characteristic of a decrease of functional beta-cell mass from the islets of Langerhans, located within the pancreas. The upregulation of genes known to induce beta-cell growth and proliferation results in an increase of functional beta-cell mass in young cells but not in their aged counterparts. This age-related occurrence - under nonpathologic conditions — is poorly understood. For this study, the morphological differences between young islets and aged islets are studied to provide insight as to the reason behind this refractory behavior. Immunostaining methods show significant contrast been percentages of insulin-positive beta-cell area in the pancreata of young vs. old-aged rats.

Miller, Jacob; Cheung, Aaron; Novilla, Kirsten; Crandall, Aliceann (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Crandall, Aliceann (Life Sciences, Public Health)

Existing literature demonstrates a strong relationship between childhood experiences and adult health outcomes. The Differential Susceptibility to Environment Theory suggests that there are several factors, including personality and physiology, that effect a child's sensitivity to adverse and advantageous experiences. A sample of 246 adults (ages 19-57) were asked questions about extroverted personality characteristics, adverse and advantageous childhood experiences, and several measures of adult health, including executive functioning, perceived stress levels, depression, and past smoking habits. The sample was then stratified based on level of extroversion scores with the top quartile being labeled as "extroverts", the bottom quartile as "introverts", and those in between as "ambiverts". Regression analyses were then used to assess the relationship between childhood experiences and each adult health outcome. The results of the study showed that the extroverted individuals experienced more positive health outcomes after more advantageous childhood experiences, as well as decreases in adult health outcomes after more adverse childhood experiences. These results suggest that extroverts more than introverts are more sensitivity to environmental influences in childhood. More research is needed to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that increase environmental sensitivity among extroverts.

Burgoyne, Jake; Leavitt, Steve (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Leavitt, Steve (Life Sciences, Biology)

In show caves, artificially lighting is intended to highlight intricate cave formations for visitors. However, as an unintended consequence, artificial lighting promotes the growth of diverse biofilm communities termed Lampenflora that gain their energy from these novel light sources. Lampenflora, which generally consist of algae and cyanobacteria, discolor formations and introduce novel ecological interactions in simple cave ecosystems. Lampenflora communities have been understudied mainly due to technological limitations and difficult accessibility. However, by characterizing these communities, we can better monitor their impact and develop effective strategies for their removal. Using metagenomic high-throughput sequencing, this research provides the first molecular-based perspective into lampenflora diversity in cave systems in the Great Basin. The data collected, generated, and analyzed is vital in understanding Lampenflora biodiversity and how these communities develop. Furthermore, it offers ecologists a novel perspective on the use molecular detection to understand biodiversity within cave systems.

Walker, Carson; Burke, Tyler; Tanner, Call; Chaston, John (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Chaston, John (Brigham Young University, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)

Host-microbe interactions can dramatically influence Drosophila melanogaster phenotypes, but few studies have explained how these microbes are recognized by the host. For example, fruit flies from one area, Maine, prefer to consume diets inoculated with Lactic Acid Bacteria (LABs) over diets containing Acetic acid bacteria (AABs); whereas flies from another area, Florida, show no preference for either LAB or AAB. However, the bacterial mechanisms responsible for this preference are unknown. My follow-up analyses further suggest the hypothesis that Maine flies avoid AAB, rather than are attracted to LAB. Therefore, I propose a forward genetic approach to define the AAB processes that shape this fly preference. I will do this by comparing the feeding preferences of Maine and Florida flies to diets incorporated with LAB versus specific bacterial molecules, such as acetic acid, peptidoglycan, and lipopolysaccharides. Alternatively, if these molecules do not mediate the effects I will perform a metagenome wide association assay (MGWA) to identify genes linked to this preference. Together, these approaches will help to reveal the bacterial factors that influence fly feeding preferences.

Holdaway, Bailey; Emily, Martin; Kettenring, Karin (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kettenring, Karin (S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, Watershed Sciences Department);

Seeds are the primary revegetation method for Great Salt Lake wetlands, however, the density and the priority timing to sow seeds are not clear to wetland managers due to a lack of Great Salt Lake specific revegetation research. Having too low a native seed sowing density could allow unwanted species like the non-native invasive plant Phragmites to reinvade. Too high of a density and density-dependent mortality of sown native seeds could occur, resulting in wasted seeds and unneeded costs for resource-limited managers. In addition, the priority timing (i.e., the relative time and order that seeds are sown) of sowing is also vital for revegetation to favor natives over unwanted invasives. Therefore, our research goal was to determine the optimal seed sowing density and timing priority for reestablishing Great Salt Lake native wetland plant communities. We conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment with two native sowing densities (3 and 5x the standard sowing density in the region) and three native seed mix sowing timings (4, 2, or 0 weeks prior to sowing Phragmites seeds). We determined the cover of the native plant community and Phragmites at the end of the growing season across the 6 treatment combinations. We found the greatest reduction in Phragmites cover when the native seed mix was sown 4 weeks prior to Phragmites, particularly at the higher native sowing density. A 2-week priority effect did not significantly benefit native species over Phragmites. These results suggest that native seed mixes in Great Salt Lake wetland restorations need to sown much earlier in the summer growing season than when Phragmites seeds germinate and at a very high density to reduce Phragmites cover overall. Though, managers may need to greatly reduce Phragmites seed densities in the seed bank and in the vicinity of restoration sites before revegetation efforts begin.

Spruance, Lori; Augustine, Madi (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Spruance, Lori (Life Sciences, Public Health)

Youth sport programs are an opportunity to increase physical activity, but the food environment may be detrimental to improving and maintaining health. From a previous study, parents indicated that they would like guidance and direction in a top-down approach from coaches and administrators; yet, understanding the administrator experience relative to the youth sports food environment remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to understand that experience. Semi-structured qualitative interviews will take place with administrators across the state of Utah. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis will be conducted to identify salient themes. A peer-reviewed publication and multiple presentations will result from the study conducted.

Hansen, Wade; Stockard, Alyssa; Anderson, Elizabeth; Yorgason, Jordan; Sudweeks, Sterling; Wu, Jie; Steffensen, Scott (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Steffensen, Scott (Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology); Yorgason, Jordan (Life Sciences, Physiology & Developmental Biology); Sudweeks, Sterling (Life Sciences, Physiology & Developmental Biology)

The prevailing view is that enhancement of dopamine (DA) transmission in the mesolimbic underlies the rewarding properties of ethanol (EtOH) and nicotine (NIC). Although the dogma is that EtOH enhancement of DA neural activity contributes to enhancement of DA transmission, DA neurons are not sensitive to rewarding levels of EtOH. However, VTA GABA neurons are sensitive to low-dose EtOH. We have shown previously that EtOH modulation of DA release in the NAc is mediated by α6-containing nicotinic receptors (α6*-nAChRs), that α6*-nAChRs mediate low-dose EtOH effects on VTA GABA neurons and EtOH preference, and α6*-nAChRs may be a molecular target for low-dose EtOH. The aim of this study was to evaluate EtOH effects on VTA GABAergic input to CINs and DA release in the NAc. Using DIO channel rhodopsin-2 (ChR2) viral injections into the VTA of VGAT Cre mice, we found that VTA GABA neurons send an inhibitory projection to CINs, replicating what has been demonstrated by others. Low-dose EtOH (IC50 = 10 mM) decreased optically-evoked IPSCs (oIPSCs) on CINs and enhanced (EC50 = 10 mM) CIN-mediated spontaneous DA release. Surprisingly, oIPSCs on CINs were not blocked by typical GABAA receptor (GABAAR) antagonists, but by GABAR rho-1 antagonists, suggesting involvement of atypical GABARs on CINs that are postsynaptic to VTA GABAergic input. The α6-conotoxin MII blocked the effects of EtOH on spontaneous DA release and optically-evoked DA release in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) ChR2 mice. Chronic administration of NIC enhanced EtOH consumption in the drink-in-the-dark procedure and EtOH preference in the CPP procedure and concomitantly enhanced expression of α6*-nAChRs in VTA GABA neurons, without affecting other nAChR subunits. Taken together, these findings suggest that VTA GABA neuron inhibitory input to CINs is modulated by α6*-nAChRs and sensitive to low-dose EtOH, which may underlie the rewarding properties of EtOH.

Pehkonen, Eliza (Salt Lake Community College)
Faculty Advisor: Seaboch, Melissa (Salt Lake Community College, Anthropology)

Precipitation-associated behaviors have been observed in several species of primate including bonobos (e.g., building leafy shelters), chimpanzees (e.g., drinking, rain dancing displays), and mantled howler monkeys (e.g., licking rain from the air, altering typical behavior based on weather and season). The purpose of this study is to determine if mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) exhibit precipitation-associated vocalizations. A. palliata is well known for its vocalizations, which are the loudest sound made by any terrestrial mammal and are used for a wide variety of communicative purposes, such as attracting mates, defending territory, and deterring predation. Given the purpose with which A. palliata vocalizes and the existence of precipitation-associated behaviors within primate species, including A. palliata, it was hypothesized that A. palliata would vocalize in association with climatic events (precipitation and thunder). To test this hypothesis, 41.75 hours of data were collected on A. palliata over a two-week time period during the rainy season at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. All-occurrence sampling was used to record the timing and duration of all A. palliata vocalizations, precipitation, and thunder events. Events were considered accompanied if they occurred within five minutes of one another. Of the 59 observed vocalization events 53% were associated with climatic events. Of the 20 observed precipitation events 90% were accompanied by vocalizations and of the 37 observed thunder events 57% were accompanied by vocalization. Associated vocalizations occurred before, during and after climatic events, however, during or after were most common. The data indicate an association between A. palliata vocalization and precipitation, confirming the hypothesis. Further research is warranted to investigate a possible purpose of precipitation-associated vocalizations, an understanding of which could provide further insight into A. palliata's behavioral interaction with climatic events.

Smith, June; Mishra, Niharika (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Oberg, Craig (Weber State University, Microbiology); Culumber, Michele (Weber State University, Microbiology)

Non-dairy food options have become a growing cultural necessity, however, providing fermented or probiotic supplemented non-dairy alternatives is difficult. Little is known about the activity and survival of probiotic cultures in dairy alternatives. We evaluated the activities of several probiotics at various concentrations and in different combinations in oat, almond, and coconut beverages. Probiotic culture strains of Streptococcus thermophilus (YFLO1), Lactobacillus rhamnose (LGG), L. casei (Casei 431), and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB12), and commercial probiotic mixtures, YFLO2, and Fresh Q, were inoculated in MRS broth, transferred to MRS agar plates, and incubated anaerobically for 24 hours at 37_. BB12 was grown anaerobically in MRS + cystine broth and agar. Isolated colonies were assayed on API 50 CH panels, and a carbohydrate use panel was developed for each organism. Oat, almond, and coconut beverages were inoculated in duplicate with the isolated strains and incubated in a water bath at 40_. The pH was recorded at regular intervals for up to 41 hours. The oat beverage had the most rapid and significant pH change, when incubated with either YFLO1, casei431, and LGG, dropping between 1.5 to 3 pH units over 3 hours depending on the culture. The almond and coconut beverages did not show rapid pH change with the organisms tested. Due to the quick decrease in pH change, further tests on the oat beverage. It was inoculated with Lactobacillus casei 431, LGG, and YFLO1. Organisms were tested at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% concentrations in oat beverage in triplicate. These inoculations were again incubated at 40°C and pH monitored after 5 hours, then plated on MRS agar plates after 24 hours. Final ranged between 1.0 x 109 - 1.8 x 109 for the 1% inoculum. It appears that these organisms survive, and may even grow in the oat beverage. This research demonstrates that probiotic cultures can grow in non-dairy beverages and can ferment the available carbohydrates and decrease pH. These results provide insights that can be used for beverages, yogurt, ice cream, and other fermented food production.

Armitstead, Annie; Grether, Lara; Creech, Kealani (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Watt, Richard (Brigham Young University, Biochemistry)

Lateral Flow Immunoassays (LFI) are simple tests that detect specific levels of antigens or antibodies in patient samples. Requiring only a few minutes, small sample sizes and no read-out equipment, LFI�s are an invaluable and time efficient testing technique. Made up of multiple layers they facilitate the capillary flow of a sample through protein detection zones and can be developed to detect virtually any disease or condition.

Despite the attractive attributes of these tests, the assembly of an LFI strip requires expensive machines, trained personnel, and materials not easily accessible to low-resourced labs or clinics. Developing an innovative point-of-care platform designed to be streamlined, low-cost, and intelligible to the unskilled would open the door of medicine to even the most underprivileged clinics in the world.

We are currently developing a paper LFI that uses a single sheet of copy paper with the ability to filter whole blood as well as replacing high-priced machines with stencils and pens which can still deliver detection proteins to the designated test zones. This avenue of testing is supported by previous experiments we have done with protein pens and tagged antibodies. Using anti-mouse and anti-hCG antibodies as our control and test lines respectively, we spike our sample with hCG mouse antibodies tagged with nanoparticles, and we are able to see binding of both proteins with their respective antibodies. We have seen results in our new testing technique that is easily comparable with currently commercialized LFI's: visual results of binding within 1 min, successful transformation of printer paper into a functional binding platform, and consistent protein binding at a 1/10^5 concentration. Once this concept can be translated to different inks in order to diagnose a plethora of varying conditions, we'll be able to detect diseases and other important biomarkers no matter the limiting low-resource circumstances.

Larson, Rebecca; Jimenez, Misty (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Jensen, Francine (Utah Valley University, Nursing)

Stress is a known barrier to patient recovery. Patients experience increased emotions, such as stress, while hospitalized due to high stakes from risks to life, health and well-being. Patients' emotions can affect their perceptions, future intentions, and behaviors. In pediatrics, the way parents react to their child's illness may affect the children's compliance, emotional response to medical treatment, and even some development processes, demonstrating the premise that there are many possible stressors that can have significant impacts on patients. Hospitals have taken several measures to evaluate patient stress, such as encouraging hospital staff to discuss patient satisfaction surveys with their patient. However, not all patients recognize their own stressors, and some patients may not initially feel comfortable sharing them. For example, a study showed specific stressors that may experienced by patients of different demographics. These stressors may not always be apparent to nurses. Patients' stress can be reduced if the hospital environment fosters perceptions of control, social support and positive distraction. A change in patient environment can promote healing, as evidenced by a hospital, Navicent Health, that demonstrated in their neonatal intensive care unit that reducing stress and anxiety for both newborns and their parents facilitated healing growth and bonding. Nurses can improve the care they provide to patients by learning how to recognize and reduce stressors during the hospital stay.

Wertz, Parker (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Dorsey, Bryan (Weber State University, Geography)

Prevention and predicting spread is the best method of control against invasive species. Land managers require accurate and reliable methods for containment and eradication to prevent land cover change and loss of biodiversity. Ecological niche models exist and are used by ecologists to map habitat suitability, but many rely on presence-absence samples which are difficult to obtain. Maximum entropy species distribution modeling (Maxent) is a popular model that has been increasingly used since it can make valid predictions using presence-only data. Many studies have used Maxent to model species distributions, but few have done so with crowdsourced data since it is more likely to be bias and unreliable. The purpose of this study is to test the robustness of Maxent using crowdsourced presence-only data on Lyrthum salicaria, a perennial herb that invades wetlands and pushes out native flora. The study is set in northern and central Utah, and uses environmental variables in climate, landcover, and topography, with landcover being the most contributive factor to the model. Model performance was very good, even with species data being bias towards areas of higher population, proving Maxent as a worthy method to use in species distribution modeling with crowdsourced species presence data. This results of this study show promise for use in modeling other invasive plants in the future.

Greenhalgh, Mitchell; Merrill, Alex; Lopez, David; Lefevre, Sam; Williams, Greg (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Abbott, Ben (Brigham Young University, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)

The presence of sand and gravel pits around Utah are usually accompanied by public complaints of increased negative health outcomes. The primary risk from these areas is crystalline silica (CS)—the molecule released into the air as a result of crushing rocks and sand. Literature has given mixed results of the potentially harmful effects of crystalline silica. To address the potential health risk of Utah residents from living near sand pits, we performed a meta-analysis on CS-related literature to estimate the true effects of CS on human health. We then used GIS software to estimate the total population in Utah that lives within a 5000-meter buffer of the sand pits in Utah. Using Utah cancer data, birth data, and hospital emergency department data, we created risk ratios for residents within the buffer. The meta-analysis concluded that CS is a weak lung carcinogen. Other research suggests that air pollution leads to low birth weight and preterm births. In our study, lung cancer rates were significantly lower in populations within the 5000-meter buffer. We found no evidence of significant adverse birth outcomes as a result of living in close proximity to sand and gravel pits. Non-malignant respiratory disease also had significantly lower rates within the buffer. These findings are important in determining the role of sand/gravel pit operations in disease incidence in surrounding communities. More research is needed to evaluate confounding factors such as smoking prevalence and socioeconomic status and to investigate crystalline silica in non-occupational settings.

Davis, Morgan; Edvalson, Logan; Busath, David (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Busath, David (Life Science, Physiology and Developmental Biology)

Influenza infection, and subsequent pneumonias, are the cause of over fifty thousand deaths in the United States per year, and, according to the CDC, influenza is the 8th leading cause of death in this country. Research into the pathogenesis of influenza elucidates critical interactions that take place during different phases of infection which can be targeted by novel drug therapies. Our lab has focused on discovering the role of of PDGFR and VEGFR and other Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) in aiding viral infection. RTK activation is reported to be important for successful viral infection, and our project has focused on three different RTKs: VEGFR, PDGFR, and endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR). In these experiments, Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells were bathed in growth medium containing a specific RTK inhibitor, and then infected with the influenza virus. The vitality of the cells was measured using crystal violet staining and spectrophotometer results. The data showed that using a drug called imatinib—a potent PDGFR inhibitor—resulted in the highest cellular vitality while VEGFR inhibitors developed here at BYU also showed anti-influenza activity. This suggests that the influenza virus is at least partially dependent on PDGFR and VEGFR activation to enhance its life cycle. Future experimentation will study which of the many branches of these receptor's phosphorylation cascades are being utilized by the virus.

Backman, Natalia; Ogden, Heath (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Ogden, Heath (Utah Valley University, Biology)

Siphlonuridae is a family of mayflies (order Ephemeroptera) that are nicknamed the "Primitive" Minnow Mayfly family. The family traditionally has consisted of four genera; Edmundsius, Parameletus, Siphlonisca, and Siphlonurus, representing twenty six described species. The family Dipteromimidae was described as a sister group to the family Siphlonuridae (Tojo & Matsukawa, 2003), however, past molecular evidence suggests that Dipteromimidae might nest within Siphlonuridae(T. H. Ogden et al., 2009; T. Heath Ogden & Whiting, 2005). This study aims to use more taxa and more molecular data in order to generate more robust phylogeny for these mayflies. Specifically our goals are to (i) test the monophyly of the family Siphlonuridae; and (ii) compare traditional Sanger sequencing loci to newly generated phylogenomic data from a targeted capture sequencing approach.