Fine Arts

2024 Abstracts

Cloning of ORC2 and ORC4 from HeLa Cells

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Austin Meyer, Gavin Grimmett, Martina Gaspari. Mentors: Martina Gaspari. Insitution: Utah Tech University. DNA can form non-canonical base pairings, resulting in structures distinct from the conventional double helix. One such example is the Hoogsteen base pairing, which can give rise to triple helix DNA. Triple helix DNA plays essential roles in regulating DNA metabolism and gene function, but its unusual nature is inherently mutagenic, sometimes leading to conditions like cancer. Recent research has uncovered that colorectal tumors exhibit significantly higher activity of triplex DNA binding proteins compared to their normal tissue. To explore this correlation, this study aims to employ cell and molecular biology techniques to investigate the relationship between the rise in triple helix DNA binding proteins and the presence of DNA triple helices. We initiated our study by extracting total RNA from HeLa cells, followed by the design and synthesis of specific primers for cloning ORC2 and ORC4 by RT-PCR. The experiment is further designed to analyze the potential consequences of ORC2 and ORC4 overexpression in human cell lines. Expression vectors containing ORC2 and ORC4 will be transfected into WI-38 cell lines comparing them to untransfected ones with hope of observing an increase of the proteins of interest and of triple helix DNA. The cell lines will be lysed, the total protein will be extracted, and Western blot will be conducted for comparison. Triple helix DNA will also be measured by calorimetric melting and high-speed centrifugation.

2024 Abstracts

Analyzing the relationship between genes and survivability of breast cancer using machine learning

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Erick Gutierrez, Sazib Hasan, Vinodh Chellamuthu, Jie Liu. Mentors: Sazib Hasan. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Breast Cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States.In 2023, the American Cancer Society anticipates the diagnosis of 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer, with approximately 43,700 women expected to lose their lives to this disease. It is crucial to undertake research endeavors aimed at discerning genetic sequence patterns to facilitate the classification and treatment of breast cancer. Recent work has shown that Machine Learning techniques are effective at classifying breast cancer using genetic sequences. Our research employs the METABRIC Breast Cancer Gene Expression Profiles dataset and machine learning techniques like Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLP) and Random Forest to explore the link between survivability, treatment, and specific genes in breast cancer patients. Predicting survival based on gene sequences and treatments can inform effective countermeasures and research priorities.

2024 Abstracts

Safety and Fairness in the Courtroom

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Ella Johnson, Aubria Soto, Andrew Bodily. Mentors: Chelsea Romney. Insitution: Brigham Young University. This study investigated the relationship between a sense of safety and a sense of fairness in the courtroom. In the Provo City Justice Court, court customers were offered an optional survey that covered questions about their experience in the courtroom. A section determining an individual’s ability to access the court and a section to see how fairly they felt they were treated were compared. The results reveal a significant positive association between a sense of safety and perceived fairness, indicating that when individuals felt safe in the courtroom they also tended to believe that their trial was conducted fairly (Pearson Correlation = 0.527). It was also found that for the Provo City Justice Court, most court attendees answered high on the scale for both access (M = 4.5/5) and fairness (M = 4.6/5) with 145 participants surveyed. Limitations include not surveying online court attendees and the potential bias of survey responses from those who felt dismissed during their sessions. The court experience can be improved through the creation of programs or measures that will increase not only the safety of the court customers but also their satisfaction with the perceived fairness of their trials.

2024 Abstracts

The Influence of Problematic Media Use on Language Development

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Allison Weston, Summer Snow, Sophia James. Mentors: Sarah Coyne. Insitution: Brigham Young University. As childrens’ minds develop, so does their language, however, the effect of media on language has yet to be firmly established. Our study searched for the effect of screen time on language development, and whether problematic media use (PMU) was a factor in normal or late development of language. Data was gathered from a sample (n=265) of 4 year old children using simple regression for problematic media use predicting language development while controlling for screen time. Although the correlation between screen time and language development has been studied, there is a gap in the literature regarding how PMU may relate to language development.

2024 Abstracts

Thermochronometry dating of apatite (U-Th/He) of Andes Plate Tectonics from the Sierra de Altohuasi

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Charley Beck, Justin Hawkins. Mentors: Alex Tye. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Thermochronometry dating of apatite (U-Th/He) of Andes Plate Tectonics from the Sierra de Altohuasi Charley Beck, Justin Hawkins, Alex TyeDuring the Cenozoic time period plate tectonics caused uplift in the Eastern Cordillera. We constrain the geologic evolution of the southernmost Eastern Cordillera through (U-Th/He) dating. Our results advance our understanding of the convergent plate boundary of the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate. The exhumation event caused the formation of the mountain range found in the Sierra de Altohuasi. Four samples were collected in the Sierra de Altohuasi near the town of Corral Quemado, Catamarca Province, Argentina. The samples were then analyzed using an apatite (U-Th)/He) system. The results indicated exhumation of the Sierra de Altohuasi from 28.6-13.3 Ma. This suggests an episode of exhumation during the Miocene and Oligocene, due to subduction of the Nazca Plate under the South American Plate. These apatite (U-Th/He) ages better constrain the exhumation history of the Eastern Cordillera. Further studies will show correlation of uplift events of the surrounding areas of Corral Quemado. Due to the compressed South American Plate, our data suggests the large mountain range formed under movement of the Nazca Plate.

2024 Abstracts

The Relationship Between Social Media and Body Image

March 21, 2024 12:00 AM

Authors: Fiona Fox, Catherine Schumann, Cameron Monson. Mentors: Sarah Coyne. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Most often, research has looked at the negative effects of social media on mental health. The purpose of this study is to understand the interactions between social media usage and body image, and if there are any ways that social media has a positive impact on body image. This study surveyed children and youth ages 7-17 to gain insight on their social media use and different aspects of mental health. Social media preoccupation and mindfulness were both significantly correlated with body esteem, and a slightly significant correlation was found between positive social media use and body esteem. These findings suggest that mindfulness around social media usage can help mitigate the negative impact on body esteem that many youth experience. Parents can use these findings to have conversations with their children and teenagers about being mindful with social media use and avoiding preoccupation with it.