Architecture

Authors: Dante Celani, Laisha Noyes, Candice Johnson, Seun Onileowo, Randy Klabacka. Mentors: Randy Klabacka. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Increased accessibility to next generation sequencing technology (NGS) has facilitated genomic research in diverse biological disciplines studying non-model organisms (which constitute 99.99% of all organisms on Earth). However, most techniques in NGS require mapping of raw-sequencing reads to a refence genome, this presents a challenge for studies involving non-model organisms since no con-specific reference genome is available for the vast majority of these species. Researchers facing this challenge frequently use the reference genome of a related taxon. While it is understood that read mapping efficiency is inversely related to evolutionary distance between read and reference taxa, the exact nature of the relationship is unknown. To examen this we mapped whole genome sequence data from four Aspidoscelis lizard species (“whiptails”) to twenty-eight genomes of varying relatedness across the vertebrate tree of life. We examined the relationship of mapping success to phylogenetic distance and assessed the relationship between these variables.

Authors: Allie Pace, Conner Bennett. Mentors: Marzieh Ghasemi. Insitution: Utah Tech University. The city of Saint George is reported as one of the fastest-growing cities in the USA with more than 40% change in its population from 2010 to 2022. With increasing population and subsequent consumerism, Saint George has seen a significant increase in waste production. Analyzing the data recorded by Washington County Solid Waste, revealed that municipal waste disposal has increased from about 136000 Tonnes in 2015 to around 227000 Tonnes in 2021. The preliminary data analysis showed that the maximum waste production mostly occurred in the peak season from March to May with approximately 20000 Tonnes of waste produced on average during these months in 2020. The purpose of this research is to study the trends in waste generation in Washington County, City of Saint George over the past 10 years. As a part of this research, the waste composition, the average waste production per household, and the possible factors that may contribute to changing waste production and composition will be investigated.

Authors: Trevor Ashby, Elizabeth Maclennan. Mentors: Gabriela Chilom. Insitution: Utah Tech University. This study explores the influence of organic amendment on the water retention and wettability of desert soils, which are traditionally challenged by limited water availability. The water retention was assessed by gravimetric methods and the wettability changes were assessed by using the contact angle and ethanol droplet methods. The aggregation and morphology of the soils was examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Application of organic amendments to desert soils altered their wettability, water retention, and aggregation in a manner not directly tied to the quantity of organic material incorporated. These alterations are indicative of complex soil-organic matter interactions that transcend mere carbon addition and underscore a multifaceted response of desert soils to organic amendments, which cannot be predicted by the amount of organic carbon alone.

Authors: Christopher Galbraith, Derek Langford, Hillary Wadsworth, Eliza White, Erin Taylor, Lauren Ford. Mentors: Jordan Yorgason. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Microglia are monocyte derived immune cells and exhibit complex signaling behavior that include phagocytic activity to threats and prolonged neuronal activity. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a known chemoattractant for microglia, but how chemoattraction is modulated by other transmitters is not well understood. ATP is co-packaged and released with dopamine, thus the present work examines microglia morphology and motility in the context of these two transmitters. Microelectroiontophoresis and multiphoton microscopy were used in brain slices from transgenic mice to examine effects of dopamine and ATP signaling on microglia. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transitioned the microglia from ramified to amoeboid morphology over a period of 4 hours. LPS also increased both dopamine and ATP release, as measured by fast scan cyclic voltammetry on a similar time course. Surprisingly, dopamine itself did not act as a chemoattractant to microglia, despite increasing after LPS treatment. By examining this relationship between neuronal and microglial activation we can better understand the complex circuitry of the reward pathway and immune system activation.

Authors: Daniel Luke Isemonger, Jacob Cecil, Noah Moffat, Nathaniel Horne, Jordan Yorgason. Mentors: Jordan Yorgason. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Anxiety disorders are increasingly prevalent, and can be exacerbated by drug use, which can contribute to further drug seeking behavior. The underlying neural mechanisms of this relationship are not fully understood, but dopamine transmission is thought to play a key role. The goal of this project is to develop innovative tools to elucidate the role of dopamine and drugs of abuse on anxiety-like behavior and its relation to drug seeking in mice. Specifically, dopamine sensors and 2-photon microscopy via implanted endoscopic lenses, will be used to image dopamine dynamics in the NAcc of behaving mice while they are engaging in a virtual environment (VR) mimicking drug exposure and stress conditions. Using the simulation, mice are exposed to fearful stimuli, which will be related to behavioral responses (movement distance, speed, direction) and extracellular release events. By combining these techniques, we will be able to gain a deeper understanding of how dopamine terminal signaling contributes to drug seeking. This research has the potential to shed new light on the neural relationship between drugs of abuse and anxiety. This could help to inform the development of novel drugs and treatments for this disorder.

Authors: Andrew Call. Mentors: John Chaston. Insitution: Brigham Young University. The main goal for this project is to confirm previous predictions of specific genes that may influence flies’ dietary preference to consume lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The preference of LAB is a normal phenotype that flies have, because the bacteria is essential for their gut microbiota. A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) by another student in my mentor’s lab predicted genes that lead flies to prefer to consume diets that have live LAB. This genetically determined fly phenotype was measured by calculating the frequency and number of times the flies would choose the LAB inoculated diet over a control diet. My role will be to test if 7 genes have the influence predicted by this previous analysis. The experiment will follow close with the one previously performed by the student who predicted the genes I’m testing. I’ll be using a flyPAD which has a small arena (cage) that will hold one fly. Inside that arena are 2 wells that contain food. These wells have sensors attached to them, so each time the fly takes a sip of food, an electronic signal will be sent to a computer that keeps track of the number of sips from each well, the duration of each sip taken and time in between each sip and graph all the results taken for comparison between a control group and the test groups. I will starve 48 female mutant drosophila melanogaster for 3 hours prior to the experiment and then place them inside the flyPAD where I have previously placed 1 μl of 1:1 yeast-glucose diets in each well, however I will inoculate 0.05 μl of LAB in one of the diets. I will track each sip the flies take from each of the two foods for 1 hour. To measure accurately, there will be 2 controls also being tested. I will use flies that do not contain the genetic mutation and I will also have control arenas where both food wells do not contain LAB.I expect that any mutant that has a reduced preference for LAB-inoculated diet relative to the control diet represents a validated prediction of the previous study. In some cases, there may be no variation in preference for the control or LAB-inoculated diet, indicating a gene that does not contribute to fly preference for LAB in the diet. If none of the mutants tested validate the genome-wide association predictions, I will go back to the gene list and select one additional subset of genes to test if these influence the genetic prediction. We previously focused on genes that had multiple hits in the previous experiment, regardless of how significant the predictions were. In this second round, I will simply select the ten most significant remaining genes. Overall, this project will help confirm the previously selected genes with their association with a diet preference of lactic acid bacteria, improving the gut microbiota of Drosophila melanogaster.

Authors: Hunter Nelson. Mentors: Jamie Jensen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Burnout is a mental condition resulting from prolonged stress in work or school. The Healthcare workforce experiences burnout much more than other career fields and many students in undergraduate STEM are pursuing a career in this field. The Pre-Health degree is one of the most competitive and demanding majors in STEM and we expect there to be high levels of burnout amongst these students. Our purpose was to gather and analyze data on the goals and burnout of pre-health care undergraduate students. We used surveys to collect data from students ranging from Freshmen to Seniors. The survey asked students questions regarding their goal motivations and feelings of burnout. Our results display a correlation between mastery-avoidance and experiencing burnout. By understanding these relationships, we can better help pre-health students avoid burnout.

Authors: Rebecca Kreutz. Mentors: John Chaston. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Previous studies of the relationship between Drosophila melanogaster and its microbiome have shown that the bacteria in fruit flies can have a large effect on life history strategy. Higher proportions of Acetobacter, a genus of aerobic bacteria, correlate with faster development to reproductive maturity and higher, earlier fecundity. Greater proportions of Lactobacillus, a genus of anaerobic bacteria, correlate with lower initial reproduction but longer lifespan and maintenance of somatic cells. Despite this, the determinants of a Drosophila’s microbiome are still not well understood. This study will explore the relationship between the depth of the food that flies mature in and the proportion of anaerobic bacteria found in the flies. To test this, I will prepare vials with varying amounts of food, place fly eggs in them, inoculate them with a mixture of Acetobacter and Lactobacillus, homogenize the flies that mature, and compare the proportions of bacteria across the different food depths. Greater food depth will mimic food that is more rotten, because as fruit rots it becomes softer and the fly larvae are able to burrow deeper. As the flies gain greater access to the inside of the fruit, there may be an increase in the proportion of anaerobic bacteria in the fly’s gut, due to the reduced access of the bacteria to the air. Because different food depths can simulate different fruit ages, this study may be able to establish a relationship between the season the flies mature and their microbiome.

Authors: Allie Baumgartner. Mentors: Chizu Matsubara. Insitution: Utah Tech University. • ABSTRACT: A student’s understanding and comprehension of content specific vocabulary is essential for their learning. However, Multilingual Learners (MLs) can struggle to understand what they are learning when they do not have knowledge of content specific vocabulary. This research focuses on the implementation of strategies into a small group reading lesson. These strategies will work towards increasing students’ understanding of content specific vocabulary words, in the areas of social studies and science. By using the methodology of action research, the research will implement research-based strategies for strengthening vocabulary for students learning English as a target language. This research will be conducted over a six-week time frame, with two focus students that are multilingual learners. The research-based word-learning strategies will be incorporated into the small group consisting of four students, to support their learning. Word-learning strategies are strategies that assist students to ascertain the meanings of words that are unfamiliar to them. Students can then apply these strategies to learning of unfamiliar words that are included in the content reading that they do in another small group. The word-learning strategies will support the students in learning, and understanding the meaning of content specific vocabulary words.

Authors: Dallin Zollinger, Lauren Brooks. Mentors: Lauren Brooks. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Antibiotics are one of the most important inventions in recent history, saving countless lives. However, their use has also caused antibiotic resistance to increase in frequency among bacterial populations at an astonishing rate. This increase in frequency will influence our treatment of infections worldwide since previous treatments will no longer be effective, causing many deaths that would once have been preventable. Streptogramins are a class of antibiotics used to treat infections which bacteria have evolved resistance to. This study was focused on the vatA gene, which encodes resistance to streptogramins in Staphylococcus aureus. Samples were collected from various areas on the Utah Valley University campus, the DNA was extracted, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific to the vatA gene was performed. Gel electrophoresis was then performed to visualize the amplicons generated from the PCR to evaluate the presence or absence of the vatA gene. Through this work, we have identified locations where this gene is found.

Authors: Sydney Holt, Mikaela Cowles. Mentors: Joe Jensen. Insitution: Utah Valley University. We are using Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) to measure distances to giant elliptical galaxies using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These distance measurements will be used to better define the Hubble Constant, and hopefully help resolve the Hubble tension crisis in cosmology. Part of SBF requires a knowledge of the colors of the galaxies to be studied in order to account for variations in age and composition of the stars contained within. To this end, we are using PanSTARRS and DECam data to determine the optical g-z color (464 nm-900 nm) values for galaxies from the Virgo and Fornax clusters out to 300 million light years.

Authors: Isaac Settle, Easton Gray, Bonnie Anderson. Mentors: Bonnie Anderson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Study of mode transitions with an artificially-blown clarinet Isaac Settle, Easton Gray, and Bonnie AndersenAbstractWhile playing the clarinet one might experience what is called a squeak or grunt note. A squeak note is a note that is in a higher register without any change of the keys being pressed. Similarly, a grunt note is a lower shifted note with the same circumstances. Both tend to be undesirable while playing, but often happen when learning how to play the clarinet. A similar occurrence of tonal differences can be controlled intentionally when advanced students enacting the technique called voicing to play the instrument in different registers. This research studied the physical parameters that cause squeak and grunt notes. An airtight box was built to hold the mouthpiece of the clarinet and attached to an air compressor. The effects on mode transitions between registers based on air pressure and where contact is applied on specific parts of the reed of the clarinet were studied. Additionally, a laser vibrometer was used to compare reed vibrations to that of the pitch of the clarinet. This data can help clarinet students as they learn the technique of voicing.

Authors: John Walton, Mason Astill, Jarrett Nelson. Mentors: Dustin Shipp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Our research group is working to create a meta analysis of the variables that affect the efficiency of eddy current braking systems. We are making a track to accelerate marbles made from different non-ferromagnetic materials down an incline, through a photogate to get its initial velocity, then through a solenoid. We are testing several metals for the marbles and solenoids driven by alternating current with different frequencies. The marble after passing through the solenoid will have its new velocity recorded, allowing us to determine the deceleration experienced by the marble.

Authors: Sarah Adams, Bailey Bennion, Sara S Rocks. Mentors: Sara S Rocks. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The abundance of microplastics within Earth’s environment is of great concern to public health. Heavy toxic metals like lead and mercury concentrate on the surfaces of microplastics, and can readily enter the biosphere. This poses a risk to humans and other forms of life because of the large amount of microplastics that have been found in even the most remote locations on Earth. Not much has been studied about the origins and presence of microplastics in Utah snow. It would be beneficial to study microplastics in snow because, once the snow melts in the spring, it is a substantial source of water for Utah and communities in the American West. Preliminary data indicates increased concentrations of microplastics in snow samples that originated from ski resorts compared to snow samples in areas with little recreation. The current project further investigates the origins and quantity of microplastics in the snow at the Sundance ski resort. Snow samples from the Sundance ski resort and from a remote location with little human activity are compared. Additionally, the number of microplastics at Sundance between natural and artificial snow samples are compared to see if the plastic components within snowmaking machines generate a greater amount of microplastics in the snow. To investigate if snowboards and skis can release plastics, microplastics in fresh snow are quantified before and after snowboard contact. Because microplastics can also be shed from clothing, researchers also examined samples for fibers generated from winter garments. This project aims to shed light on the sources and number of microplastics in Utah snow, especially the effects of skiing and snowboarding.

Authors: Cole Murphy, Andrew Blazzard, Austin Barney. Mentors: Patrick Steffen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. BackgroundHigher levels of social media use (SMU) have demonstrated associations with higher levels of self-reported stress. However, the association between SMU and physiological markers of stress, such as heart rate variability (HRV), is less understood. We hypothesize that increased time spent each day on social media will be associated with decreased baseline HRV, but only for individuals who report high rates of stress. We also hypothesize that time spent on social media will be associated with decreased baseline HRV for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. When considered together, we hypothesize the largest association between SMU and baseline HRV for individuals with higher levels of both stress and neuroticism.MethodsUsing a sample of 165 undergraduate students, we measured baseline heart rate variability with a 3-lead ECG. We determined the average SMU using the Social Media Use Questionnaire (SMUQ). We also ascertained self-reported stress levels using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and levels of neuroticism using the IPIP NEO Neuroticism Extraversion Openness - PR (IPIP-NEO-120). We will use multivariate regression for our analysis.ResultsResults are undergoing analysis. ConclusionsWhile the use of social media by itself may not have a clear direct association with HRV, it is important to consider the effects of social media use on people with a high emotional state of stress and/or high levels of neuroticism. As public policy continues to be developed for social media, it is important to consider how people with higher tendencies to become stressed and those with higher levels of neuroticism can be affected by social media use if unregulated.

Authors: Gabriela Coca. Mentors: Jocelyn Wikle. Insitution: Brigham Young University. This research project is a response to a policy gap in kinship care in the state of Utah. In conversations with Representative Watkins from Utah, I learned that there is interest among policy makers and policy influencers in improving adoption placements in Utah. There is interest in investigating the benefits and costs of prioritizing kinship care, so that better policy solutions can move forward. This project aims to provide research-based information on both benefits and costs of kinship care as well as to propose viable policy solutions that could improve outcomes for children and families touched by adoption.In the United States today, it is unfortunate to say that there are many kids that are living within homes that cannot provide them the adequate resources to succeed in life. Financial instability, substance abuse, and parents with mental health challenges are all strong predictors of being placed in kinship care (Jedwab et al., 2020; Tian et al., 2023). For these reasons, organizations such as Child Protective Services (CPS) and others are trying to find homes for these kids in which they can feel safe and still progress in life. For many countries, including the US, kinship care is at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to placement options (Jedwab et al., 2020). Kinship care is “any living arrangement in which children do not live with either of their parents and are instead cared for by a relative or someone with whom they have had a prior relationship. Many agencies include agencies beyond blood relatives such as god parents, family friends, or anyone else with a strong emotional bond to the child” (Geen, 2004, pg. 132). Kinship care has proven well in many cases because it brings a lot of stability to children (Jedwab et al., 2020; O’Brien, 2012; Hallet et al., 2023; helps them to understand their identity (O’Brien, 2012), and it allows them to stay close to the family and friends network (Clements & Birch, 2023).Although kinship care has many upsides, it also has many downsides, which is why it has been a difficult topic for many people. For example, research has found that many people who are kinship carers tend to be alone and older and in poor health (Geen, 2024; Clements & Birch, 2023; Farmer, 2009; Burke et al., 2023) compared to carers in the foster care systems. This may limit their ability to take care of children and provide them the adequate resources that they need in order to flourish. Multiple researchers recommend that state governmental institutions provide more training and financial support to kinship carers (Jedwab et al., 2023; Burke et al., 2023) so that they can at least have the abilities and resources to adequately take care of kids found in these situations. At the end of the day though, ideally it would be beneficial for precautions to take place and standards to be set forth so that children do not have to be placed in out-of-home placements in the first place (Burke et al., 2023). ReferencesBurke, S., Bouey, J., Madsen, C., Costello, L., Schmidt, G., Barkaskas, P., White, N., Alder, C., & Murium, R. (2023). Kinship care: Evaluating policy and practice. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 17(3), 647–668. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2022.2091721Clements, J., & Birch, S. (2023). Exploring risk and protective factors in kinship family environments: A systematic literature review of the views of children in kinship care. Educational Psychology in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2023.2243212Geen, R. (2004). The Evolution of Kinship Care Policy and Practice. The Future of Children, 14(1), 131–149. https://doi-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/10.2307/1602758Hallett, N., Garstang, J., & Taylor, J. (2023). Kinship care and child protection in high-income countries: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(2), 632–645. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211036073Jedwab, M., Xu, Y., & Shaw, T. V. (2020). Kinship care first? Factors associated with placement moves in out-of-home care. Children and Youth Services Review, 115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105104O’Brien, V. (2012). The benefits and challenges of kinship care. Child Care in Practice, 18(2), 127–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2012.657610Tian, Y., Ma, Z., & Peng, F. (2023). Positive development of orphans in kinship care: The role of family stability. Child & Family Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13083

Authors: Parker McKasson, Hannah Hornberger, Sydnee Bond, Olivia Heller, Josh Marchant. Mentors: Patrick Steffen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. BackgroundIntrinsic religiosity is a deeply rooted connection to one's faith. Individuals with high intrinsic religiosity find purpose and meaning through their spiritual connections. Extrinsic religiosity is primarily driven by social or other superficial factors. Individuals with high extrinsic religiosity may be more inclined to participate in religious activities and communities without having a deep connection to their faith. Intrinsic religiosity has demonstrated associations with lower self-reported stress, however, associations between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and baseline heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy measure of the parasympathetic nervous system, have not been studied. Such research has the ability to explain how the complex relationship between religiosity and stress affects overall well-being. We hypothesize that higher self-reported stress will be associated with lower baseline HRV, but intrinsic religiosity will serve as a buffer, such that stress will have a weaker influence on baseline HRV among individuals who are more intrinsically religious. We predict that extrinsic religiosity will have no influence on the relationship between stress and HRV. MethodsA survey and biofeedback study were conducted on a sample of 165 college students. We used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religiosity Scale (IE/R), as well as measured baseline heart rate variability (HRV) using a 3 lead ECG. We will analyze the impacts of stress on HRV across people with varying levels of intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity through a multivariate regression model.ConclusionsReligiosity is not often viewed as a direct contributor to health and wellness, however, when viewed as a protective barrier against stress, intrinsic religiosity could play an important role in an individual’s stress response and wellbeing. In the presence of stressors, we expect intrinsic religiosity to be related to healthier parasympathetic functioning as measured through HRV.

Authors: Vanessa Tuttle. Mentors: Liz McGuire. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Despite significant strides in global gender equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, prompting investigation into public perceptions of women’s leadership. Our research delves into the often-overlooked aspect of female-to-female interactions and their impact on women's self-perception as leaders. We aim to identify the voices that most influence women's beliefs about their leadership abilities, contributing to the broader discourse on gender parity in leadership. Drawing on historical and cross-cultural perspectives, we theorize that women, historically designated as primary caregivers and reproducers of society, play a pivotal role in shaping individuals' beliefs. This designated role may lead women to internalize societal norms that undervalue their leadership capabilities outside the home. We examine the potential impact of empowered female role models on women's confidence in leadership roles. We employ a lab-in-field experiment conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Arusha and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants are assigned to groups with varying gender compositions, engaging in a task where success is dependent upon the leader, followed by a post-treatment survey evaluating their experience, leader, and perceptions of female leadership. Through this experiment, we contribute empirical evidence to the ongoing discussion on gender disparities in leadership and challenge existing theories, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamics that contribute to the confidence gap between men and women in leadership roles. Our preliminary findings from our ongoing research may have implications for strategies aimed at fostering gender equality in leadership, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing women as leaders.