Fine Arts

Authors: Thomas Caldwell. Mentors: Dustin Shipp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In this research project, we have transformed an existing Raman spectroscopy simulation, enhancing its performance and capabilities through the integration of parallel computing with GPU acceleration. This significant improvement in computational time allows us to break through previous computational limitations, enabling more sophisticated and complex applications of the simulation. We are currently focused on two main objectives: assessing the viability and potential of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) for deeper tissue analysis, and exploring the possibilities of topographical imaging using Raman techniques.

Authors: Jaylee Montague, Skylar Belka, Gabe Espinoza, Geoff Zahn, Alma Laney. Mentors: Alma Laney. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In May of 2022, a several unidentified trees on Utah Valley University (UVU) campus property exhibited severe virus-like symptoms including: mosaic patterning; yellowing, curling, deformed leaves; and flaking bark. Due to the presence of unidentified aphids and after a literature search, we began investigating the sample for a +ssRNA virus. Extensive testing and RNA sequencing using the MinION v9.4.1 and the cDNA PCR Barcoding kit revealed that neither a ssRNA nor a dsRNA virus were present in the samples, thus, it was suspected that a DNA virus could be the cause. We utilized Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) on extracted DNA. Following the RCA, gel electrophoresis revealed a strong amplicon larger than 10 kb, suggesting the presence of a DNA virus. Sequencing of the viral genome from the RCA product using the MinION vs10.4.1 chip showed that the mulberry did contain baculoviruses and large DNA viruses. Unfortunately, though, the MinION did not get results for DNA plant viruses, so we sent samples for RNAseq on the Illumina NovaSeq, with results still pending. This is significant since it is likely that the other symptomatic plants near these trees—including redbud and spirea—were infected with the same virus due to RCA amplification in those samples and the presence of the same potential aphid vector. Mechanical inoculations to several herbaceous hosts were done using infected spirea tissue. Furthermore, to our knowledge this is the first report of a DNA virus infecting spirea and redbud in the United States.

Authors: Kylee Fernandez. Mentors: Gennie L Parkman. Insitution: University of Utah. Evaluating the role of LRRC1 in melanoma growth and metastasisThe development of brain metastases is a critical problem in Utah, regardless of the novel therapies created for melanoma. The melanoma mortality rates in Utah are 31% higher than the national average and the melanoma incidences are 80% higher. To lower these incidences, our research is aimed at investigating targets in melanoma that play a crucial role in brain metastasis and can be identified as therapeutic interventions.LRRC1 is a gene known as Leucine Rich Repeat Containing 1. LRRC1 is involved in early-stage adipocytic differentiation. Altered gene and protein expression of LRRC1 is observed in melanoma potentially due to the vital role LRRC1 plays in adipose stem cells that differentiate by adopting the phenotypic, biochemical, and functional properties of more terminally differentiated cells. To evaluate the effect of LRRC1 on melanoma growth and metastasis, we are using an established autochthonous in vitro and in vivo model of melanoma based on the RCAS/TVA avian retroviral system. The results of this study will have tremendous potential to contribute to the understanding of the genetics of this heterogeneous disease.

Authors: Adriana Bibo, Nicole Losurdo, Nichole Link. Mentors: Nichole Link, Cindy Greaves. Insitution: University of Utah. Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by occipital frontal circumference (OFC) more than two standard deviations below the mean. It can be accompanied by comorbidities including intellectual disabilities, seizures, and other developmental phenotypes. Microcephaly is attributed to malnutrition and exposure to toxins or infection during pregnancy, but genetic mutations are also a leading cause. To investigate the genetic mechanisms behind microcephaly, our lab collaborates with a physician who has completed whole exome sequencing for two hundred microcephaly patients. He identified potentially pathogenic human variants, which we are studying using Drosophila melanogaster as our model organism. We screened for loss of function phenotypes through RNAi knockdown of fly orthologs to determine if these genes are necessary for brain development. In our primary screen, we found that RNAi knockdown of Bx42 in neural stem cells or post-mitotic neurons causes significantly reduced brain lobe volume. In our current study, we are assessing potential causes for reduced brain lobe volume. We seek to determine if RNAi knockdown of Bx42 in neural stem cells or neurons affects cell number, proliferation, or death in developing brains.

Authors: Grace Moore. Mentors: Aaron Olsen. Insitution: Utah State University. AbstractAnimal care technicians for research labs have many responsibilities in order to maintain the integrity of a research project. However, it is difficult to determine what tasks will require most of a technician’s time and effort. Thus, it is proposed that tracking what each individual does during a given shift can allow supervisors and technicians to create an efficient schedule of how they will work and provide a standard for individuals to meet every day. This project consists of tracking in detail what an animal care technician does in a given “shift”, including observation hours, handling and restraining, working in different biosafety levels, cleaning and prepping caging, and changing the caging. This data collection, over several months of work, finds relationships between tasks, the frequencies of being completed, and the time they take. The key tasks of an animal care technician are observing, providing nourishment, maintaining clean environments for both the researchers and the subjects, and maintaining supplies and accurate records. Additionally, many hours are dedicated solely to observing the animals to ensure their health and safety. Moreover, cleaning and prepping of caging or supplies are completed more than half of the time during a given shift. Finally, working with a given species may require more time to complete a task (such as cage changing or cage preparation) compared to another species despite the task being the same. If each technician were to track their tasks and create a profile of personal statistics, they would be able to easily determine how long a task should take. Moreover, a supervisor would be able to determine if a technician is working more efficiently or even falling behind during daily tasks. Overall, these findings could be used to incorporate better time management or planning for institutions to know what more time or resources may need to be devoted to in order to maintain a safe environment, provide exceptional care for the subjects, and follow every protocol.

Authors: Sylvia Lee, Ainsley Parkins, Rodolfo S Probst. Mentors: Rodolfo S Probst. Insitution: University of Utah. Mutualisms between ants and plants are ubiquitous interactions and have been evolving for over 100 million years. Studies have been done on systems wherein the plants provide nutritional resources for ants, but the dynamics of mutualistic interactions in environments where host plants do not provide obvious nutritional rewards continue to remain elusive, raising questions about their co-evolutionary histories. In these circumstances, associated fauna, such as mealybugs and soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae and Coccidae), serve as intermediaries of the association, providing honeydew (enhanced plant sap) as a main food source to their host ants. However, the identity of the insects involved in these associations and their co-evolutionary history with ants is poorly understood. By focusing on samples collected in Costa Rica from 33 colonies of the Neotropical plant-ant genus Myrmelachista (Formicinae: Myrmelachistini), we sequenced DNA barcodes (cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 [CO1]) using Oxford Nanopore Technology and employed Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for both the Myrmelachista ants and their associated fauna. We aimed to identify their taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships and identify unique interactions between ants and their associated fauna. We recovered DNA barcodes for eleven Myrmelachista species and seven putative species of mealybugs (n=5) and soft scales (n=2). For the seven putative species of Coccoidea, our DNA barcodes, when compared to available sequences from the NCBI database, recovered an average of 85% match similarity. The closest matches associated our putative species to Old World Coccoidea taxa, reinforcing the need for taxonomic studies of this superfamily for the Neotropical region. Each putative species of soft scales was found uniquely associated with two Myrmelachista species (M. flavoguarea and M. cooperi). For all eleven Myrmelachista species, five were associated with two putative mealybug species. One putative mealybug species was associated with five different Myrmelachista species; one was uniquely associated with M. nigrocotea. Same associations were found between the associated fauna of M. flavocotea and M. lauropacifica; M. haberi and M. RSP027; M. plebecula, M. meganaranja, and M. osa, respectively. These results suggest that there may be unique associations between some Myrmelachista species and their Coccoidea associates, unconstrained by the ant phylogeny. Our findings also provide insights on Coccoidea taxonomy, emphasizing NGS DNA barcoding as a tool to illuminate how ant-plant associations might have evolved.

Authors: Ainsley E Parkins, Sylvia Lee, Elizabeth J Heath, Thomas Petitjean, Kyle Cink, Kyle Kittelberger, Cagan Sekercioglou, Rodolfo S Probst. Mentors: Rodolfo S Probst. Insitution: University of Utah. Biodiversity loss poses a significant threat, requiring accurate species assessment and conservation strategies. Non-invasive and cost-effective techniques should be prioritized, especially when dealing with threatened vertebrate fauna. By focusing on cryptic Eastern European species within the genus Emberiza (Passeriformes: Emberizidae), we designed an affordable molecular pipeline (including DNA primers and bioinformatics) integrating DNA barcoding with Nanopore sequencing to address species boundaries and provide conservation information for avifauna diversity. We conducted non-invasive DNA extractions from individual feathers of 192 specimens collected in the Aras River Riparian Corridor (ARRC), an important ecological hotspot in Turkey. By targeting the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (CO1) region, our goal was to differentiate Emberiza taxa and identify potential cryptic lineages while using cutting-edge next-generation sequencing (NGS) of multiplexed specimens with portable Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Our focal study examined boundaries in Emberiza subspecies (E. shoeniclus shoeniclus and E. shoeniclus caspia) with subtle morphological differences, utilizing DNA barcoding and Nanopore sequencing. We obtained 182 Emberiza DNA barcodes. Clustering analysis recovered a paraphyletic assemblage (n=32) and a clade, the latter recovering majority of the barcodes (n=150), separated by at least 8% genetic difference. In both cases, we observed a mixture of barcodes from the nominal subspecies and Caspian subspecies, suggesting that cryptic morphological characteristics are not reflected in genetic separation. Our results also suggest putative cryptic Emberiza species, highlighting the importance of the ARRC for conserving avian diversity. We demonstrate that our pipeline, integrating real-time Nanopore sequencing with non-invasive DNA barcoding, can be used for conservation initiatives (particularly aiding cryptic species identification). This study expands our knowledge of avian diversity and highlights the potential of NGS DNA barcodes as a powerful tool for aiding conservation efforts amidst biodiversity loss.

Authors: Alexander Romano, Matthew Hesterman, Rachel Hill, Melodie Weller. Mentors: Melodie Weller. Insitution: University of Utah. Sjogren’s Disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disease diagnosed by symptoms of reduced tear and saliva excretion, accumulation of lymphocyte foci in the salivary glands, and the occurrence of antibodies against Ro (SSA), La (SSB), and nuclear proteins. The cause of SjD is unknown, though previous studies have detected the sequence and antigens of Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) in the minor salivary gland acinar, ductal, and adipose cells of patients with SjD; without the typical presence of a Hepatitis B coinfection. In this study, murine models were transduced with Adeno-associated virus containing expression cassettes for Luciferase (control), small, large, or a combination of both small and large HDV antigens to evaluate the impact of HDV antigen expression on salivary gland function and SjD autoimmune disease development. After a ten- or four-month period, the models were analyzed. Findings included a significant increase of inflammation for samples expressing both small and large HDV antigens, a significant increase of anti-SSA(La) antibodies in samples expressing the short HDV antigen, and a correlation between increased overall inflammation and decreased overall saliva flow. Performing qPCR methods verified the amount of HDV in the submandibular glands and Illumina sequencing portrayed an increase in glycolysis and beta oxidation metabolism in models with detectible HDV sequence. The models showed significantly increased IgM expression in the HDV exposed murine models, without significant change of other antibodies. Future plans include an ELISA diagnostic assay to verify the antibody levels and further sequencing analysis. With this information we can build a better picture of the direct mechanisms of HDV-mediated changes in salivary gland dysfunction and determine the extent that HDV can inducing systemic SjD symptoms.

Authors: Bradley Lawson, Lukas Keller, Marshall Burrows, Sam Perkins, Emery Wheeler. Mentors: Ronald Sims. Insitution: Utah State University. Subcritical water hydrolysis (SWH) is a developing method of processing organic materials/waste without the use of acids and alkali materials. SWH lyses peptides differently than acid hydrolysis and can produce Maillard products, which have various effects in cell culture. In this study, a batch-mode pressure vessel with a semi-continuous sampling apparatus will be used to optimize temperature and retention time for the hydrolysis of Chlorella vulgaris biomass for the development of serum-free (or low-serum) cell culture media. Hydrolysis will be done at temperatures from 140°C to 300°C and retention times from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. The SWH products will be assessed for their general protein content, lipid content, bioactivity, and carbohydrate content. These efforts will be of use to Upside Foods in its efforts to create sustainable and ethical cultured meat products.

Authors: Jane Damstedt, Kasey Cole. Mentors: Kasey Cole. Insitution: University of Utah. In this project, we are analyzing faunal remains recovered from Utah’s House Mountain Range in the Tubafore cave system to create a paleoecological baseline of life in that location over the past 1000 years. All animals have relatively consistent ecological tolerances and preferences, so comparing the data from the information obtained in this study with contemporary accounts of mammalian ecology in the same area will be useful in evaluating the role of anthropogenic climate change in mammalian ecosystems. In this project, I am identifying the animal remains to the lowest level of taxonomic classification possible to determine what kinds of species richness and environment were present at the time in which the animal was alive. Creating an accurate record of the animals found in this cave assemblage is critical because very little is known about the species richness of the Great Basin area. This data will then be stored and compared to modern zoological data, which came from online databases Actos and Vertnet. The information gathered from this project can be used to inform conservation and sustainability efforts aiming at preserving biodiversity in Central Utah’s Mountain Ranges.

Authors: Ada Cottam Allen, Mikhael T Semaan. Mentors: Mikhael T Semaan. Insitution: University of Utah. Regularly buoyed from thermodynamic equilibrium by complex and fluctuating environments, living systems must continually respond and adapt to external stimuli. Recent tools from stochastic thermodynamics place concrete energetic and entropic bounds on these processes, for systems arbitrarily far from equilibrium both in and out of steady-state conditions, and thus reveal mechanisms by which these systems absorb and dissipate energy to function. Here, we leverage these tools to simulate and calculate the thermodynamic signatures of several models of sodium and potassium ion channels---channels crucial to propagating action potentials in mammalian neurons---as driven by biologically-realistic action potential spiking protocols. Thus uncovering their detailed energetic responses to such complex environmental conditions, these results enable detailed comparison between the thermodynamic functionality of each channel type with driving one would expect in-vivo. When applied to competing models of the same channel, these tools also provide additional criteria for model selection; to this end, we close by calculating expected ionic currents, directly facilitating comparison with dynamically-driven patch-clamp experiments.

Authors: G. Colton Gardner, Lynasi Gapelu, Sohom Mookherjee, Sihem Boudina, J. David Symons. Mentors: J. David Symons. Insitution: University of Utah. With the prevalence of cardiovascular disease increasing world wide and its precise mechanisms remaining elusive, the need for novel treatments is urgent. Autophagy is a conserved process whereby dysregulated intracellular proteins are escorted to the lysosome for recycling. Emerging evidence indicates that autophagy is important in maintaining endothelial cell (EC) proteostasis and function. My laboratory showed that autophagy repression in adult mice ECs produces arterial dysfunction, and indexes of autophagy are repressed in ECs of older mice and humans which display concurrent EC dysfunction. Sequestosome 1 (p62) tethers proteins and enables their entry into the autophagic pathway. The contribution from EC p62 to cardiovascular and metabolic function is unknown and experiments are needed to investigate this. Thus, p62 will be depleted from ECs of adult male and female mice (p62iEC-/-) via tamoxifen regimen, and results will be compared to animals wherein EC p62 is intact (CON). The efficacy and specificity of EC p62 depletion will be evaluated in ECs and vascular smooth muscle by qPCR and immunoblotting. Three adjacent 1 mm thoracic aorta sections will be obtained 14 days after the tamoxifen regimen. The central aorta section will be used to measure intrinsic mechanical stiffness by wire myography, with the other two used to find lumen diameter and intimal medial thickness. These measurements will help create Stress vs. Strain curves and the Elastic Modulus, which will be compared between the groups to show the differences caused by p62 depletion. We expect p62 depletion from ECs to increase intrinsic aortic stiffness.

Authors: Sydney Larsen. Mentors: Joshua Steffen. Insitution: University of Utah. Pollen preserves are crucial to maintaining Apis mellifera’s hive health. This pollen provides bees with a source of protein, amino acids, lipids, and other nutrients that are vital for larvae development (Dharampal et. Al, 2019). In addition to providing these essential nutrients, bee collected pollen also provides the hive with an excellent source of external pollen-borne microorganisms. These microbes provide a variety of benefits including serving as a major dietary requirement for larvae, assisting in biochemical processes such as bee bread fermentation, and assisting in bee resistance to pathogens (Gilliam, 1997). Despite the importance that these organisms play on bee health, there is currently little research on how the microbial composition of bee foraged pollen changes throughout the foraging season in response to abiotic and biotic factors. Rapid advancements in DNA metabarcoding approaches and DNA sequencing technologies have made the assessment of hive level foraging patterns easily accessible. We attempt to leverage the benefits of these new approaches to characterize how microbial composition in pollen provisions changes in relation to shifts in foraging preferences. Here we describe general patterns plant foraging behaviors for two hives across a single foraging season. In addition, we describe the variability of microbial diversity associated with pollen across this same time frame. Our initial description plant and microbial communities present in pollen provisions suggest that pollinator foraging preferences play a significant role in pollen associated microbial communities. This will allow for further research into how the presence of specific beneficial microbes is affected by changes in climate, floral availability, pathogen presence, etc..ReferencesDharampal, P. S., Carlson, C., Currie, C. R., & Steffan, S. A. (2019). Pollen-borne microbes shape bee fitness. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 286(1904), 20182894.Gilliam, M. (1997). Identification and roles of non-pathogenic microflora associated with honey bees. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 155(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1097(97)00337-6

Authors: My Nha Quyen Tran, Cindy Greaves. Mentors: Martin Horvath, Cindy Greaves. Insitution: University of Utah. I have been studying the DNA repair enzyme MutY found at the Lost City thermal field 3000 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean with conditions similar to those that may have shaped the origin of life. With no sunlight and very little oxygen, life at the Lost City is driven by chemical transformations in rocks at extremely high levels of pH and temperature. DNA in all organisms strictly follows base pairing rules in which A pairs with T and G pairs with C. We all think of oxygen as beneficial, but it can cause damage to DNA. Oxidized guanine (OG) violates the base pairing rules and pairs with A. This causes mutations, which can lead to changes in the genetic information. The mutagenic potential of OG was a challenge that had to be solved early in the emergence of DNA-encoded life. The enzyme MutY functions in suppressing mutations and therefore protects us from developing cancer by finding and removing A from OG:A mispairs. In my effort to replicate conditions at the Lost City so as to explore how the DNA repair enzyme MutY evolved to function in this strange environment I need to purify the enzyme. I used DNA cloning to attach the MutY-encoding genes to a soluble bacterial protein called GST that hopefully will make it easier to purify the MutY proteins. Encouragingly, these fusion proteins expressed well in bacteria and appeared to be soluble. I am now exploring different conditions looking for optimal enzyme activity, which I predict to be different from what familiar bacteria can tolerate. Basic science research on how DNA repair enzymes adapted to the strange environment at the Lost City may inform future translational applications to treat and cure cancer and thus ensure a healthy society in Utah.

Authors: William Lee, Rishab Nayak, Cecilia Knapp, Camila Soderholm. Mentors: Ryan Stolley. Insitution: University of Utah. Recent publications have shown pyridine carboxylate functionalized aza-crown ethers coordinate strongly to a number of rare earth elements. Considering their strong coordination, we have modified these crown-ethers with a number of hydrophobic moieties to allow for adsorption to non-polar substrates to enable packed bed isolation of these elements to address the broad use and limited availability of these elements.

Authors: Nathan Jackson, Ryan James, James Crutchfield. Mentors: Mikhael Semaan. Insitution: University of Utah. Symbolic dynamics allows for modeling---and designing for---the effects of imperfectly measuring a time series of data, by partitioning into a finite number of possibilities. The resulting time series of discrete symbols is then made especially amenable to information-theoretic methods for understanding its temporal structure and correlation. In particular, as long as the partitioning scheme is generating, the resulting estimations for entropy rate---the rate at which the process creates information---converge to a measure of chaos in the underlying system, a dynamical invariant.However, the entropy rate is not sensitive to what kind of generating partition: colloquially, an instrument must be at least accurate enough, but can be more fine-grained as desired. In contrast, its breakdown into a piece which affects future measurements (“bound”) and a piece which does not (“ephemeral”) depends quite dramatically on the choice of generating partition. We ask, then: is there a canonical partitioning scheme for which the full suite of information measures relate to dynamical invariants?To tackle this, we simulate the well-known tent and logistic maps, sweeping over all two-boundary partitions, calculating the full information anatomies for each. We find that ephemeral and bound information are extremized by the single-boundary coarsest generating partition, suggesting a canonical role for the simplest “good enough” instrument. The remaining multivariate measures, meanwhile, reveal hitherto-unseen structure in the process of imperfect measurement.

Authors: Gregory Skinner. Mentors: Yi Yin. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Materialism and consumerism have been linked to higher levels of loneliness, an increased focus on extrinsic goals, various social challenges, and lower overall well-being of individuals (Fumagalli et al., 2022; Pieters, 2013). Previous research has linked people with higher levels of consumeristic/materialistic values to a lower frequency of intrinsic and pro-social pursuits (Nurhajayanti, 2019; Sheldon & Kasser, 2018). The area of discussion has primarily often looked at relationships and societal-level challenges separately and has a limited assessment of platonic personal relationships. This study adds to this discussion by addressing the gap in more friendship-oriented relationships, looking at how the same set of individuals are affected in both personal and societal connections, as well as seeing how various individual factors, such as religious affiliation and socio-economic class may impact these effects. This research will use mixed research methods, including surveys and in-depth interviews, to see how individual attitudes toward consumerism relate to their behavior and values toward their immediate social circle and larger communities. The samples were gathered from among the United States population and were collected at random through the use of online collection methods. The participants were contacted through the use of snowball sampling as well as the use of online platforms which include SurveySwap and SurveyCircle to acquire representative samples. The survey data will be examined through the use of multiple regression analysis. The interview data will be reviewed through thematic analysis. The addition of this study will increase our understanding of not only how consumerism and materialism affect the individual’s well-being but also their capacity to meaningfully connect with their various communities.

Authors: Sage Wettstein, Kaicee Postler, Rachel Arocho, Julie Nelson. Mentors: Kaicee Postler. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Research has shown the efficacy of improving and strengthening family relationships through family life education programs (FLE; Darling, et al., 2019). The Stronger Families Project (SFP) at Utah Valley University (UVU) is a FLE program offered to the community to provide skills regarding communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and general family function (Stronger Families Project, 2023). The current study aims to identify qualitative themes of satisfaction among participants from SFP across three semesters, including Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Fall 2023. Qualitative data has been taken from satisfaction surveys administered in the final session of the program to determine the elements of the SFP program that have the most positive effects on families. Thematic analysis will allow for comprehension of the data in an aggregate form, with specific quotes to support identified themes. Implications for future research and practice will be discussed based on identified themes.

Authors: Alexa Bailey, Sophie Daines, Joshua Bennett, Carlos Moreno, Scott Weber. Mentors: Scott Weber. Insitution: Brigham Young University. As the understanding of cancer pathophysiology continues to increase, there is an increased focus on the role of T cells in targeting cancerous cells and tumor sites. Recently, it was demonstrated that CD5, a transmembrane glycoprotein found on T cells, plays a key role in negatively regulating T cell activity. CD5 also significantly impacts T cell metabolic profiles by increasing oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR). We are now investigating the role of CD6, a related membrane protein found on T cells, and its effect on regulating T cell proliferation and metabolism by measuring the proliferation rates and metabolic profile of T cells from a CD5/CD6 double knockout murine model. Because tumor microenvironments are vitally important in determining the immune system’s response to cancer, differences in metabolism may yield new insights for developing immunotherapy techniques.

Authors: Benjamin VanDreew. Mentors: Kal Munis. Insitution: Utah Valley University. America as we know it today is politically very polarizing, divided, and full of misinformation. In this climate, buzzwords have become as prominent as ever either being spouted by politicians or news outlets or even trickling out to the public. In 2023 the word “woke” became a popular buzzword and is used in all sorts of contexts. So much so that in a lot of ways “woke” has lost any of its original meaning that was trying to be conveyed. In this study, I am out to discover what “woke” really means to Americans from all different walks of life. We have set up a conjoint list experiment that will be sent out in the form of a survey featuring randomized options. We will be able to get a better look at what aspects of American life people feel are the most “woke” and help define what the buzzword really means. This research will give us a deeper look into modern American culture and help provide clarity to this polarizing subject.

Authors: Megan Ritter Martin, Alley Fausett, Kristin Davenport, Malisa Brooks, Kent Hinkson. Mentors: Malisa Brooks, Kent Hinkson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. AbstractBackground: Present-day college students confront record-high levels of anxiety. In 2022, 36.9% of college students reported that anxiety affected their academic performance compared to 21.9% in 2015. This surge in anxiety presents a pressing concern. Prolonged anxiety poses a significant risk, potentially triggering various mental health challenges, including substance abuse, depression, and suicidal ideation and behaviors. Moreover, the adverse impact of anxiety on concentration and learning can result in academic difficulties that can persist throughout one’s life. Despite ongoing research, the correlation between anxiety and its influence on students’ academic performance remains inconclusive, primarily due to conflicting findings in prior studies within this domain.Methods: This study was designed to investigate the connection between academic achievement and anxiety, specifically in college students. A total of 1,359 University students from various US universities participated in this study from 2021 to 2022. Anxiety was measured by the General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) scale, and academic performance was measured by Grade Point Average (GPA) and other markers of academic performance. To investigate potential mediating pathways, zero-order correlations were used to analyze the relationship between variables of interest. Further, t-tests were used to examine differences in key variables among demographic groups (e.g., veteran status, gender, race, ethnicity, etc.).Results: There was no statistically significant relationship found between students' academic achievement and their degree of anxiety. However, several academic performance variables besides GPA had inverse associations with anxiety. Further, several deleterious academic activities (for instance, “turning in a paper or assignment late”) were shown to be moderately associated with anxiety. Considered together, these findings suggest that anxiety has a complicated relationship with the GPA of the student, but multiple pathways connect it to academic performance.Conclusion: The present study contributes to the current literature surrounding the relationship between anxiety and academic performance. While traditionally, research into academic performance often focuses solely on GPA, additional academic performance variables were explored, providing insight into other relationships of potential significance. This creates an opportunity wherein the field may be able to better understand and support students by recognizing the impacts that anxiety has on their academic performance. These results highlight how crucial it is to treat mental health issues to improve university students' academic performance.

Authors: Emily Cherrington, Sam S Ingram, Chloe E Loveland, Ryanne Welch. Mentors: Olga Kopp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Ocimum basilicum, commonly known as Genovese basil, is a frequently grown herb in the Lamiaceae family. It is used in food cuisines around the globe and is easily grown as a fresh-market herb for restaurants, farmer’s markets, and grocery stores. Basil has many antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties, but it is most commonly used as a culinary ingredient to add flavor to various dishes. Basil is very sensitive to cold, requiring well-draining soil with temperatures of 18°C to 27°C for germination. Consistent soil moisture is also necessary for optimum growth, and it prefers to stay moist to keep from drying out. In the face of global climate change, it becomes imperative to determine the adaptability of crucial agricultural crops -like basil- to varying nutrient levels in different substrate types across diverse environmental conditions. A plant's capacity to thrive in distinct substrates is intrinsically linked to the unique requirements of its seeds. The choice of substrate serves as the foundational element for cultivating healthy plants. This study centers on examining three pivotal aspects related to substrates: moisture retention, nutrient accessibility, and fungal growth. This led us to question whether the germination success of Ocimum basilicum differs depending on the substrate type. To test this question, we will plant Genovese basil seeds in four distinct substrate types: standard germination mix, 80/20 peat-perlite blend, compost-enriched soil, and an agar medium. Following their placement in the respective substrates, all seeds will be grown in a controlled growth chamber, subject to identical lighting conditions and a consistent temperature of 22°C to ensure uniformity across all treatments. At intervals of 1-2 days, diligent observations will be made to detect signs of germination. Once germination becomes apparent, we will meticulously document the results. Subsequently, this collected data will undergo analysis using the R Language. We anticipate that substrates rich in nutrients (specifically agar and standard germination mix) will exhibit heightened germination success. Investigating how substrate type affects the germination success of Genovese basil offers valuable insights with broad applications in horticulture and agriculture. It can enhance agricultural practices by pinpointing optimal soil choices for specific crops, increasing substrate efficiency to minimize resource wastage, and promoting sustainable and economical cultivation methods. Furthermore, this research contributes to a deeper comprehension of the environmental ramifications of crops and the diversity of crops in both controlled laboratory settings and natural environments.

Authors: Emmaline M Saunders, Michael A Stearns, Ami Ward. Mentors: Michael Stearns. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The Tuolumne Intrusive Suite (TIS), Sierra Nevada, California, accumulated magmatic rock from 95 to 85 Ma. Ar-Ar biotite dates require that temperatures within the TIS remained above ~300°C until ~79 million years ago. The protracted thermal history resulted in five texturally and chemically distinct units that young towards the center and was recorded by chemical and isotopic re-equilibration of the minerals. Challener and Glazner (2017) demonstrated that amphibole phenocrysts from the Half Dome Granodiorite (Khd) experienced greenschist-facies metamorphism. Amphibole phenocrysts host abundant inclusions of biotite, chlorite, feldspar, titanite, epidote, and apatite, which are interpreted to have crystallized via breakdown of magnesiohornblende. Additionally, Al zoning suggests fracturing and subsequent healing of the amphibole crystals occurred at near- or subsolidus temperatures. New EPMA and LASS-ICP-MS analyses of texturally related amphibole, titanite, feldspar, and biotite from the equigranular Khd place limits on the timing of amphibole breakdown and contextualize the low-temperature re-equilibration of many of the major minerals in the rock. Most of the amphiboles analyzed contain 0.5–6 wt. % Al2O3 corresponding to actinolite compositions, while feldspar pairs record ~475 ºC apparent temperatures. Titanite grains (re)crystallized between 91–80 Ma and contain 25–825 ppm Zr, which correspond to apparent temperatures between 550–710 ºC (150 ± 50 MPa, aTiO2 = 0.5 ± 0.1). The distribution of Zr in titanites is bimodal with the majority having <200 ppm Zr. Titanites younger than 87 Ma have decreasing Zr content and titanites included within actinolite amphibole contain the lowest Zr content (25–50 ppm) and youngest dates (85–80 Ma). Melt-present crystallization of titanite began at ~91–90 Ma, followed by both near and subsolidus (re)crystallization from ~88–86, concluding with titanite growth via hornblende breakdown from 82–80 Ma. These data taken together with previous investigations provide a continuous record of the rock’s chemical evolution driven by incremental emplacement and subsequent episodic autometamorphism of the equigranular Khd, and critically, any inferences regarding magmatic processes in the TIS must first account for the metamorphic re-equilibration of the rock.

Authors: Arahi Perdomo, Brooklyn Moore, Erin Kerr, Hula Santiago, Kylie Kay, Sarahi Joyner. Mentors: Krista Ruggles. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This research initiative centers on the experiences and learning outcomes of preservice teachers (PSTs) from Utah Valley University who volunteer to teach in the San Juan School District (SJSD) and the Navajo Nation. Our primary aim is to understand how this cross-cultural teaching experience shapes their future teaching practices, perspectives on diversity, and inclusion in education.Preservice teachers play a critical role in the future of education This study examines how their participation in a unique cultural context can enhance their preparedness as educators. By engaging in volunteer teaching assignments within the Navajo Nation, these students gain exposure to diverse cultural backgrounds; fostering cultural awareness and sensitivity.We seek to show the transformative impact of this experience on their personal and professional growth. Through interviews and observations, we will explore the challenges and opportunities faced by preservice teachers and how this experience influences their teaching philosophies and aspirations.Our ultimate goal is to determine how such immersive experiences can contribute to the development of culturally responsive pedagogy. We believe that these preservice teachers, with their enriched perspectives, can become advocates for diversity and inclusion not only within their classrooms but also within the broader educational landscape and society.This research holds the potential to inform teacher education programs and policy discussions regarding the value of cross-cultural experiences in teacher preparation. By shedding light on the impact of volunteer teaching in the Navajo Nation, we hope to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on fostering more inclusive and culturally aware educators, ultimately benefiting students and society as a whole.

Authors: Chance Witt, Devan Hill. Mentors: Jianlong Han, Seth Armstrong, Sarah Duffin. Insitution: Southern Utah University. We study the steady state solutions of a Lotka-Volterra model with crowing effects when delta=2. A nonstandard numerical scheme is proposed, and numerical experiments predict the long term behavior of the numerical solution.

Authors: Webster Madison, Oldroyd Kristina, Shubert Jennifer. Mentors: Shubert Jennifer. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Recent societal events have become benchmarks for understanding how young people interpret and engage with broader social issues. For example, the 2016 election revealed a heightened awareness of systemic racism, inequity, and oppression among youth disapproving of Trump’s presidency, with Latinx groups in particular demonstrating awareness of racism and discrimination across marginalized groups.Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s historic decision to overturn Roe v. Wade ignited nationwide discourse on social issues such as women’s reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, with some interpreting the ruling as perpetuating systemic oppression, a form of cultural imperialism and power imbalance, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups’ access to safe and legal abortions. This study utilizes Young’s (1990) multifaceted oppression framework to investigate how emerging adults demonstrate awareness of oppression in interpreting and responding to societal events.Data came from 104 undergraduate students (Mage= 21.74; 72% Female; 91% White) identifying as conservative, moderate, or liberal. This study collected data from a longitudinal sample through a Qualtrics survey distributed within hours of the Supreme Court decision. Participants responded to open-ended questions regarding their feelings, views, and potential changes in attitudes and behaviors due to the overturn. By applying a coding scheme based on Young’s framework to the narrative responses, evidence of all five dimensions of oppression emerged. Intriguingly, marginalization (i.e., limiting full participation in society) constituted the most prevalent theme, appearing in 52 responses opposing the overturn and 10 supporting the overturn, followed by powerlessness (i.e., inability to make decisions regarding oneself), arising in 40 opposing and 22 supporting narratives. Next, 37 opposing and 33 supporting responses highlighted cultural imperialism (i.e., valuing and enforcing dominant cultural norms). Then, 38 opposing and 8 supporting responses expressed violence (i.e., intentional harm or threat). Finally, only 22 opposing and 8 supporting responses illustrated exploitation (i.e., systemic transfer of resources). These findings suggest that participants across the political spectrum expressed complex reactions to the decision’s ramifications. Evidence of all five facets of oppression in participants’ narratives may shed light on the potential for heightened critical consciousness among individuals navigating the complexities of a post-decision landscape. Further theory building is necessary to understand how young people develop a critical awareness of significant social events and their impact on critical consciousness. Moreover, these findings establish a foundation for advancing critical consciousness theory, particularly concerning period effects and the development of awareness regarding structural privilege, oppression, and inequity.

Authors: Ian Macapagal. Mentors: Joshua Price. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The issue of suicide in the United States constitutes an increasingly concerning economic and public health issue, given the observed rise in suicide rates in recent years and the societal costs incurred by suicides. This paper focuses on the incidence of suicides by firearm, given firearms’ comparatively high usage and lethality in suicides, and investigates the effects of mandatory waiting periods for firearm purchases on the incidence of suicide. Such purchase delays theoretically provide a “cooling off” period, temporarily denying impulsively suicidal individuals the means to commit suicide. This study employs multivariate regression analysis to isolate the effects of having state-level mandatory waiting periods for firearms purchases, as well as the length of such periods, on state-level suicide mortality rates. This analysis is conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of these policies in reducing firearms-related and total suicides, in addition to the extent to which suicidal individuals respond by substituting firearms for other methods.

Authors: Cate Miller, Tyler Free, Brad Bundy. Mentors: Brad Bundy. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Diagnostics are an essential tool in the treatment path for many different types of cancer. They are used to determine the progression of cancer treatment and are critical to increase survival rates. The most common diagnostics are often too expensive or sophisticated to be used on a widespread scale. Using a cell-free protein synthesis system to create a biosensor as a diagnostic can drastically decrease costs, increase convenience, and increase survival rates. We previously engineered low-cost CFPS systems to detect glutamine which would be useful for low-cost biosensing of clinically relevant glutamine concentrations. This work reports our progress in optimizing the CFPS glutamine biosensor for improved performance.

Authors: Riley B. Jackson, Iris Cepeda. Mentors: Michael C Rotter, Kiara Whitley. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Roses (Rosa spp.) are beloved ornamental plants known for their flowers and for their formidable prickles, often referred to as thorns. These prickles are an important part of herbivore resistance in these plants. These mechanical defense structures can vary in shape and abundance and are found along the length of the stems and even the underside of leaves. Although the mere presence of these prickles can cause damage to potential herbivores they also may act as vectors for infectious microbes. Previous studies have shown that other piercing physical defense structures can harbor infectious bacteria, sometimes resulting in conditions such as gangrene, anthrax poisoning, or septic arthritis. This raises the question about their potential implications for human safety particularly when these plants grow in areas of high human use. While roses have similar sharp structures, it is currently unknown if they harbor any pathogenic or defensive bacteria. Our study explores and whether local roses (both native and non-native) have similar or distinct microbiomes and if they possess pathogenic microbes. Understanding these differences would enable us to shed light on ecological relationships between microbes and native versus non-native plants and health risks associated with rose prickle injuries.

Authors: Garrett Johnson, Tyler Free, Brad Bundy. Mentors: Brad Bundy. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is the most common form of childhood cancer. Asparaginase treatment has greatly improved survival rates to 80%. Survival rates increase by an additional 10% when diagnostic treatment monitoring is used to guide treatment administration. Cell-free protein synthesis is a technology capable of detecting Asparaginase in human serum. However, RNases from human samples destroy CFPS activity. RNase inhibitor can be produced at a low cost by the CFPS system to rescue in-vitro protein synthesis activity to enable biosensing. This work reports our work toward developing an at home Asparaginase diagnostic that would enable personalized dosing of Asparaginase and further improve survival rates of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Authors: Joshua Parmley, Acacia Overono. Mentors: Acacia Overono. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Since its founding over a century ago, the American Psychological Association has adopted several distinct roles in its ongoing pursuit of legitimacy, stability, and growth for the field of psychology. Two of its most important roles include the establishment and enforcement of an ethics code and the standardization and development of undergraduate education. These two goals are related; the best way to uphold an ethics code is to ingrain that code into future researchers and practitioners. The APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major 3.0, which lists the APA’s ideal learning objectives for undergraduate programs, attempts to do just that. In its section on ethics training, it places a great degree of responsibility on undergraduate programs to prepare students for a world of bad actors, exploitative systems, and ethical grey areas. To achieve this, the document recognizes that students must develop an ethical skill or proficiency, not just a knowledge of the codes and principles. Unfortunately, Guidelines recommendations for achieving that goal quickly become clouded, as the document wrestles with the various concerns about teaching ethics. Primarily, the Guidelines section on ethics seems conflicted about whether instructors should give students historical examples of psychologists and psychology systems engaging in unethical behavior The Guidelines expresses the concern that presenting students with examples of ethical failures by psychologists will distract students from the learning outcomes or lead them to view the field negatively and abandon it altogether. Accordingly, the APA tentatively recommends that negative examples be shared cautiously, alongside examples of the positive achievements of the field and ethical systems in place. Are the APA’s fears that blunt ethics courses could turn students away from the major valid? Or do the Guidelines recommendations put too little faith in their instructors and students? This study seeks to examine the validity of the APA’s concerns and the efficacy of their recommendations. One hundred and fifty Intro to Psychology students will be divided into three groups. Each group will be instructed in the principles of the APA ethics code using a) no historical examples, b) a balance of negative and positive examples, or c) several negative examples. Participants will then take a survey that measures their ethical proficiency, their memory of the material, and their confidence in the field of psychology. Measurement of ethical proficiency will be adapted from APA measurement tools. We predict that the group instructed with several negative examples, without balancing positive examples, will result in greater measurements of ethical proficiency, better recall, and a slightly lowered level of confidence in the field. We predict this based on the idea that reviewing negative examples in the instructional material will provide students with a specific model of ethical decision-making.

Authors: Matthew Hovorka. Mentors: Connie Ericksen. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This research project examines evidence of individual identity and personhood among perinates, neonates, and young children in the Tiwanaku culture (Western Bolivia, Chile, Peru, A.D. 500-1100) of the ancient Andes. A multifocal approach is taken in examining the topic, and ethnohistorical and archaeological evidence is examined to create a picture of Tiwanaku conceptions of personhood. Through a comprehensive analysis of burial practices, iconography, and ethnohistorical records, this study sheds light on the nuanced conceptions of personhood and individual identity held within the Tiwanaku culture. By delving into the socio-cultural context and material evidence, this research contributes to a deeper appreciation of the complex beliefs and societal values of this ancient Andean civilization.

Authors: Gabriel Hammond, Rebecca Seegraber, Tim Webster. Mentors: Tim Webster. Insitution: University of Utah. Bornean and Sumatran orangutans demonstrate pronounced differences in their social behavior. All orangutans are more solitary than other apes and monkeys, but Bornean orangutans are even less social than their Sumatran counterparts. This contrast is generally attributed to differences in forest productivity between the two islands, as feeding competition is a major cost to social behavior. Variation in sociality between the two species directly impacts male reproductive skew, or the extent to which males can monopolize reproductive success. Sex-biased demographic phenomena such as male reproductive skew can be reconstructed across a lineage’s history by comparing genetic variation across different regions of the genome. Autosomes and the X chromosome are inherited in different proportions, in a population with an equal sex ratio, four autosome copies will be passed down for every three X chromosomes. Deviations in genetic diversity from this expected ratio can be indications of sex biased demographic events. This project is leveraging differential inheritance of chromosomes to explore the role of orangutan socioecology in shaping male reproductive strategies through genomic analysis of reproductive skew across Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.

Authors: Kendra Johnson. Mentors: Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Insitution: Utah Tech University. This study's objective is to examine how sleep quality is related to attachment and any moderating effect from social support. Sleep quality affects multiple aspects of life including physical and mental health. About 40% of the population is affected by sleep complaints (Palagini et al., 2018). Over time, disturbed sleep can become a risk factor for mental illness and substance use disorders (Adams et al., 2014). According to Gur-Yaish et al., (2020), negative interactions related to attachment disturbances negatively affected sleep quality. Individuals with insecure attachment may be more prone to insomnia and sleep disturbances (Palagini et al., 2018). People with anxious attachment have difficulty trusting that others will be there for them when they are in need. Insecure attachment is measured on two scales: anxious and avoidant. Because of this fear, people with insecure attachment may engage in behaviors intended to reassure them of the other person’s trustworthiness. An individual with avoidant attachment tends to resist close relationships, fearing that others are not reliable (Bowlby 1982). Adults in romantic relationships tend to behave similarly to children and mothers when it comes to attachment pairing (Fraley & Shaver, 1998). When people have insecure attachment, they may be highly activated by relationship ruptures, leaving them anxious and vulnerable to poor sleep quality. The resulting poor sleep quality may be moderated by high levels of outside social support, though with high attachment avoidance, the benefits of social support are less influential. Participants (N = 94) completed the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-RS) scale to measure attachment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Social Support Questionnaire-Short Form (SSQ6). Findings reveal that though the correlation between insecure attachment and sleep was small, the addition of social support revealed some interesting patterns that give insight to the relationship between attachment, sleep, and the effects of social support.

Authors: Ayana Srivastava, Gliceida Galarza Fortuna, Beverly Chigarira, Emre Dal, Chadi Hage Chehade, Georges Gebrael, Arshit Narang, Neeraj Agarwal, Umang Swami, Haoran Li. Mentors: Neeraj Agarwal. Insitution: University of Utah. The utility of ChatGPT in subspecialty consultation for patients (pts) with metastatic genitourinary (GU) cancer.Ayana Srivastava, Gliceida Galarza Fortuna, Beverly Chigarira, Emre Dal, Chadi Hage Chehade, Georges Gebrael, Arshit Narang, Neeraj Agarwal, Umang Swami, Haoran LiHuntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT;University of Kansas Cancer Center, Westwood, KSBackground:Cancer management requires a multidisciplinary approach, often requiring medical consultation from subspecialists. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT, it is hypothesized that these tools may help expedite the consultation process. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ChatGPT in providing guideline-based sub-specialty recommendations for managing pts with metastatic GU cancer.Methods:In this single-institution, IRB-approved, retrospective, proof-of-concept study, pts with metastatic GU cancer over the past 3 years were screened. Those with at least one consultation referral to subspecialty clinics were randomly selected. ChatGPT 3.5 was given the most recent clinic note that triggered sub-specialty consultation. The AI tool was then asked to provide an assessment and plan. Two physicians independently assessed the accuracy of diagnoses made by ChatGPT and subspecialty physicians. The primary outcome was the consistency of ChatGPT recommendations with those of subspecialty physicians. Secondary Outcomes included potential time saved by using ChatGPT and comparison of medical decision-making (MDM) complexity levels between ChatGPT and subspecialty physicians.Results:A total of 39 pts were included. Their primary diagnoses included prostate cancer (51.3%), bladder cancer (23.1%) and kidney cancer (15.4%). The referred subspecialty clinic included cardiology (33.3%), hematology (17.9%), hepatology (2.6 %), hospice (10.3%), neurology (12.8%), pulmonary (15.4 %), and rheumatology (7.7%). The average waiting time for pts to be seen in subspecialty clinics was 44.9 days (SD = 42.4). Of 39 patient’s charts reviewed by ChatGPT, 30/39 (76.9%) had the same diagnosis with consultant sub-specialties. The average diagnoses made by ChatGPT were 8.2, compared with 3.4 made by sub-specialty physicians (p < 0.0001). The accuracy of diagnoses made by ChatGPT was the same, higher, and lower than human physicians in 10 (33.3%), 3 (10%), and 17 (56.7%) cases, respectively. Consistency of treatment plans between ChatGPT and physicians was found in 18 cases (46.2%). ChatGPT recommended additional workup in 32 cases (85.1%). The average number of words written in consultation notes by ChatGPT was 362.7 (SD = 72.9), which was significantly greater than subspecialty physicians (n = 224.7, p < 0.0001).Conclusions:These hypothesis-generating data suggest the potential utility of ChatGPT to assist medical oncologists in managing increasingly complex pts with metastatic cancer. Further studies are needed to validate our findings.

Authors: Hunter Mitchell, Grace Carsey, Maria Balaceanu, Peg Bird, Bridger Lisonbee, Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Mentors: John Jones. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Early experiences in the home have long-term effects on health and well-being. This study will examine the connections between parenting styles and coping mechanisms, shedding light on their implications for child development and adult mental health and well-being. Parenting styles looked at in this study, specifically authoritarian has varied views on expectations, discipline, and rewards (Doepke & Zilibotti, 2017). Parenting styles have been shown to impact how children express themselves, and more specifically their expression of anger (Radomir-Beliţoiu, 2019). The expression of anger may indicate a deficiency in healthy coping skills. When individuals are found without healthy ways of coping, they become increasingly vulnerable to mental health disorders and poor relationship satisfaction. Based on our current understanding we believe that an authoritarian parenting style will be positively correlated with unhealthy coping mechanisms such as avoidance, substance use, and self-criticism. Adult participants (N = 100) varying in ethnicity and age will be recruited to complete the Brief Cope Questionnaire (Carver, 1997) and an adaptive version of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ; Robinson, Mandleco, Olsen, & Hart, 2001) to assess their parent's style of parenting and their ability to cope with challenges. We will run an ANOVA on the collected data using SPSS. We expect to see a correlation between parenting styles and children’s coping skills. It is anticipated that there will be a strong positive correlation in unhealthy coping skills and parental strategies. This study may suggest the importance of educating children and young adults in healthier coping skills and adults in healthy parenting strategies. This education may aid in reducing the frequency and intensity of mental health crisis in adults.

Authors: Patrick R Davies II. Mentors: Acacia Overono. Insitution: Utah Valley University. While there is a dedicated area of the brain for recognizing faces, the efficacy of recognition tasks can vary depending on the context under which they’re performed. The existing literature is undecided on whether anxiety helps or harms tasks relating to emotional content recognition, and some studies have taken steps into researching memory as an additional layer to these recognition tasks. A preliminary study was performed with 16 participants using virtual reality to study the effects of acute anxiety on the ability to correctly identify faces. Participants played either a brief horror game or a brief virtual sandbox in order to induce a desired emotional state, then were asked to complete a brief paired-face identification paradigm. Initial results show that anxiety strengthens identification of neutral emotionally-valent face pairs. Further results may clarify the relationship between anxiety and face identification processes.

Authors: Sophia Dodge. Mentors: Alex Greenwald. Insitution: University of Utah. This project seeks to address the understudied presence of Gambel Oak acorns in the archaeological record of the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, and Southwest regions. While ethnographic data and historical records suggest that Native peoples in this area consumed some Gambel Oak acorns, their recognition in archaeological contexts has been limited. This study aims to assess the viability of methodologies for identifying macrobotanical acorn remains, shedding light on their utilization across different time scales, especially as fallback crops during resource shortages, such as climate shifts. Through experimental methods like burning, parching, and midden simulation we will determine how these methods impact the identifiability of acorns. The research holds significance for our understanding of past human responses to climate change and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous food sovereignty, providing valuable insights into sustainable food sources for the future.

Authors: Jared Barrot, Mackenzie Burr, Isaac Packer, Peyton Worley, Delaney Anderson, Jack Davis, Jeffrey Okojie, Ken Dixon. Mentors: Jared Barrott. Insitution: Brigham Young University. In cancer diagnosis, drug testing, and treatment, analysis is done almost exclusively on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples, a process known to cause chemical cross-linking, DNA fragmentation, and degradation. With the push for genetic testing and personalized medicine, cryopreservation of tissue samples has started to gain traction in the research community. We utilized FFPE samples and cryopreserved samples, extracted DNA, and compared the samples using three criteria: DNA purity, quality, and yield. DNA yield, measured on nanograms of DNA to milligrams of tissue basis, demonstrated a five times the yield in cryopreserved samples than in FFPE. DNA purity did not show significant differences between a cryopreserved tissue sample versus a FFPE tissue sample, confirming valid use of FFPE storage methods if purity is the only factor; however, DNA quality was significantly better in cryopreserved tissue samples, with nearly twice the DNA quality number (DQN) than FFPE samples demonstrated, with significant portions of longer base pair DNA fragments present, widening the range of molecular applications of the sample. These cryopreserved tissues provide higher DNA quality, a higher percentage of significantly longer DNA fragments, and increased DNA yield from individual samples, confirming that cryopreservation is a better option than FFPE when it comes to choosing tissue preservation and storage methods. More molecular assays and tests can be run, and smaller samples are necessary when utilizing cryopreservation, proving it to be a better option than the “gold standard” of FFPE, particularly in regards to cancer diagnosis, drug testing, and treatment exploration.

Authors: Peg Bird, Maria Balaceanu, Grace Carsey, Tiffanee Suhaka, Hunter Mitchell, Ives Hong, Tara Caplin, Ed Wu, John T Jones, Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Mentors: John T Jones. Insitution: Utah Tech University. This study examines the relationship between perfectionism and self-compassion. Perfectionism may be beneficial, but often promotes unrealistically high self-imposed standards, a preoccupation with making mistakes, and a compulsivity toward order, leading to self-criticism and self-loathing. Perfectionism results in persistent feelings of failure, indecision, procrastination, and shame, which negatively impact relationships, work-life satisfaction, and overall well-being (Enns et al., 2001; Frost et al., 1993). Self-compassion is directing warmth and care toward oneself during times of suffering and comprises three core components: self-kindness (offering oneself warmth during adversity), common humanity (acknowledging shared suffering), and mindfulness (approaching the experience of pain with presence and curiosity) (Neff, 2003). Self-compassion is associated with mental health and well-being, including a stable sense of self-worth, increased resilience, life satisfaction, and perspective-taking. Furthermore, self-compassion negatively correlates with anxiety and depression, reduced fear of failure, perfectionism, and self-criticism (Barnard et al., 2011; Neff, 2003; Neff et al., 2006). This correlational study will recruit approximately 100 adult participants to evaluate associations between perfectionism and self-compassion. Participants will complete the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Self-Compassion Scale (Frost et al., 1990; Neff, 2003). We anticipate a negative correlation between self-compassion and perfectionism, with higher levels of self-compassion corresponding with lower levels of perfectionism. If this prediction is supported by the data, the study’s outcomes will extend existing research on the potentially deleterious effects of perfectionism and pave the way for the development of interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes among individuals adversely impacted by this trait.

Authors: Natalia Rubio, Madison Farrer. Mentors: Christopher Anderson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging technique used to monitor brain activity by measuring the changes in blood oxygenation levels, especially when presented with stimuli or given tasks. This is due to the principle that active brain regions require more oxygen, resulting in changes of blood flow and concentrations of hemoglobin. These observable results are achieved by diodes placed on the surface of the scalp that emit near-infrared (NIR) light into the skull. The absorption of this light by the hemoglobin in the brain’s blood vessels is then detected, localizing neural activity. Due to its portability and cost-efficient nature, fNIRS is being widely used across various fields of research and clinical applications whereas other neuroimaging methods might be less feasible or practical. Psychologists and neuroscientists are able to utilize fNIRS to understand how different regions of the brain are involved in various cognitive processes. It has been used in studying conditions like Alzheimer's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, autism, schizophrenia, mood disorders, and dementia. In the context of dementia research, fNIRS has emerged as a promising tool . While fNIRS has a low spatial resolution with measurements restricted to the outer cortex of the brain, it enables the study of the progression of dementia by providing real-time data and offering relative tolerance to subject motion. In fact, a neuro-clinic in Provo, Utah (Cognitive FX) has been studying the use of this fNIRS technique on patients with dementia while they perform language tasks. Although no patient data will be used in this study, the use of fNIRS as a technique to learn about the progression of dementia is noteworthy. Therefore, following IRB approval I will perform semi-structured qualitative interviews with two neuro-technicians using fNIRS in this clinic. Items will focus on the strengths and challenges of using fNIRS with dementia patients. Additionally, I will shadow these technicians to gain hands-on experience. Qualitative results will be analyzed and presented. It is anticipated that this research project will raise awareness of the use of fNIRS as a technique in neuroscience as well as its potential to benefit those with dementia.

Authors: Ana Paulina Medellin-Alvarez, Jared Almazan, Tursun Turapov, David A. Kircher, Karly A. Stanley, Gennie L. Parkman, MiKaela N. Field, Katie M. Culver, Silvia Coma, Jonathan A. Pachter, Howard Colman, Sheri L. Holmen. Mentors: Sheri Holmen. Insitution: University of Utah. Despite promising results from recent FDA-approved therapies, many advanced melanoma patients develop resistance to both immunotherapy and targeted therapy. A common resistance mechanism to targeted therapy is upregulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which has also been shown to promote the development of melanoma brain metastases. Historically, AKT inhibitors have failed in the clinic due to their limited efficacy or intolerable toxicity. Proteomic analysis comparing non-metastatic vs brain metastatic primary tumors in mice revealed focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as an AKT1 specific effector and a potential alternative therapeutic target. FAK is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that localizes primarily to focal adhesions to regulate cell migration. To determine whether targeting FAK alone or in combination with the RAF/MEK inhibitor avutometinib reduces brain metastases and prolongs survival, we utilized both autochthonous and syngeneic melanoma mouse models. Mice with either subcutaneous tumors or established brain metastases were treated with FAK inhibitor, RAF/MEK inhibitor, or the combination of FAK and RAF/MEK inhibitors. Each cohort was assessed for tumor onset, growth, metastasis, and survival. Our results show that combined RAF/MEK/FAK inhibition significantly delays tumor onset, causes regression of established tumors, prevents the development of brain metastases, promotes the regression of established brain metastases, and prolongs survival. In addition, patient-derived BRAF V600E melanoma xenograft mouse models resistant to the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib, were sensitive to combined RAF/MEK/FAK blockade. The addition of the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib to these models further enhanced the effect on tumor growth. These results support the initiation of a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of the RAF/MEK inhibitor avutometinib in combination with the FAK inhibitor defactinib in patients with brain metastases from cutaneous melanoma. Additionally, we are assessing non-canonical roles of FAK in modulating the tumor microenvironment to determine whether avutometinib and defactinib also enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition in this disease.

Authors: Corin Marsh, Acacia Overono. Mentors: Acacia Overono. Insitution: Utah Valley University. A variety of memorization techniques have been shown to enhance the ability to recall important information. While many of these techniques focus on repetition and retrieval of verbal information, the drawing superiority effect (DSE, Wammes et al., 2016) is a phenomenon where drawing leads to better recall compared to re-writing. The present study investigates the extent of these findings by combining the DSE with retrieval practice. This experiment utilized a within-subjects, single-blind design consisting of 32 undergraduate students ranging in age from 18 to 42. Participants were tasked with learning 20 vocabulary terms through a guided slideshow, then studied terms through; reading definitions (verbal restudy), viewing images of the definitions (visual restudy), writing definitions (verbal retrieval), and drawing definitions from memory (DSE with retrieval). After a brief distractor task, participants were tested on their recall of the definitions. Finally, subjects completed a shortened version of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and a funnel debrief. Preliminary analyses using a repeated measures ANOVA revealed that re-reading was the study method that resulted in the highest recall scores (M = .57) compared to all other conditions (F (3, 93) = 14.9, p < .001, ηp2 = .324). Further — VVIQ ability showed no significant correlation with participant scores for any of the study methods. These results indicate that re-reading was a more effective study strategy for memorizing vocabulary terms with a short delay when compared to viewing images, writing definitions, and drawing definitions from memory. Future work will examine how longer delays and providing feedback influence may modulate the benefits of re-reading, drawing, and retrieval as study strategies. Keywords: drawing superiority effect, retrieval practice, memory, VVIQ

Authors: Broden Lund, John Jones. Mentors: John Jones. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Pursuing higher education credentials involves a significant investment of money, time, and energy. For many, this investment fails to pay off when students abandon their studies prior to graduation. Identifying factors that influence persistence to graduation has thus been the subject of a good deal of past research. The aim of this ongoing study is to explore the interaction between motivation type, responses to failure, and self-efficacy, on persistence among students at different stages of their academic careers. Participants will be 100 college students currently enrolled at a mid-sized university in the United States. Participants will complete measures of academic motivation, coping strategies in response to failure, and self-efficacy. We predict that the further a student progresses the more intrinsically motivated they will tend to be, and that this shift in motivation will be accompanied by increasing reliance on problem-focused coping and increased self-efficacy. Our results have the potential to provide a more nuanced understanding of the role intrinsic motivation plays in student success. Implications for students, parents, teachers, and administrators will also be considered.

Authors: Tara Caplin, Tiffanee Suhaka, Maria Balaceanu, Peg Bird, Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Mentors: Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Early parent-child interactions have a profound impact on the developing brain, influencing lifelong emotional and social well-being. This review evaluates the Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO), a relationship-based neurobehavioral approach for families and infants three months old and younger. The NBO supports newborns, caregiver’s, and families by providing individualized information on their infants' behavior and competencies. It facilitates communication and intersubjectivity between infants and caregivers during a critical developmental period, while reducing maternal postpartum depression (PPD). Research on the association between the NBO, PPD, and infant neurodevelopment is reviewed and evaluated in high-risk populations. Although evidence supports approaches like the NBO, they are not yet standard in early intervention due to clinicians' lack of training in infant mental health. The NBO is a foundational tool for cultivating positive early relationships with beneficial implications for clinician standard care of newborns and families. Keywords: Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO), early relationships, postpartum depression (PPD), infant development, relationship-based, early intervention.

Authors: Maria Balaceanu, Dannelle Larsen-Rife, Tara Caplin, Peg Bird, Grace Carsey, Tiffanee Suhaka. Mentors: Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding how early experiences with caregivers influence individuals' emotional and relational development throughout their lives. In addition to understanding how an individual interacts with close others, attachment predicts relationship satisfaction (Gardner et al., 2020). Individuals with secure attachments demonstrate greater adaptability in coping and regulating their emotions, leading to improved socio-emotional well-being. In contrast, those with insecure attachment styles tend to encounter difficulties in socio-emotional adjustment (Gardner et al., 2020). This study will examine how insecure attachment is associated with romantic relationship dissatisfaction, specifically those lasting five years or longer. We focus exclusively on romantic relationships lasting five years or more because in adult relationships, each partner serves as an attachment figure for the other (Diamond et al., 2008). Therefore, spouses have the potential to increase each other's attachment security. This means an initially insecure individual can develop earned secure attachment with their spouse's support. Approximately 300 diverse participants over the age of 18 will be recruited for the study. The Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS; Fraley et al., 2011) will assess insecure attachment. The Relationship Assessment Scale (Hendrick, 1988) will assess satisfaction. It is expected insecure attachment will be correlated with lower relationship satisfaction with a romantic partner of five years or longer. Results of the analyses will be presented.

Authors: Mary Harris. Mentors: Joshua Gubler. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Middle Eastern governments typically score at or near the bottom of indices measuring women’s rights and political participation. The Middle East also contains a large saturation of authoritarian regimes. The Arab Spring challenged these regimes' structures and included vast female participation, but there is little existing research to understand the Spring's impact on women's participation and empowerment in the region. This study aims to add to the research by gathering data from the Arab Barometer to plot public opinion surveys before, during, and after the Arab Spring for a variety of countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. A difference on difference t-test shows the statistical difference of change in opinion before and during the Arab Spring. Twenty semi-structured interviews (conducted in Jordan in 2022) supplemented the quantitative analysis attempting to show the causation between the Arab Spring and the growth in public opinion toward women's empowerment. These are conducted under the hypothesis that: Women’s participation in the Arab Spring improved public opinion towards women’s empowerment in the region. The quantitative analysis illustrates a correlation between the Arab Spring and opinions of women's empowerment, but the shifts of opinions are both negative and positive. The data suggests that the negative impact is connected with the second half of the Arab Spring when the governments were subject to more instability. The interview's results differ from the hypothesis and illustrate little connection between the Arab Spring and public opinion of women's empowerment. These results are affected by the lack of movement in Jordan during the Arab Spring. More research is needed to understand the causation of such a phenomenon in other countries.

Authors: Danielle Alvarado, Kasidy Weber, Shannon Buckley. Mentors: Shannon Buckley. Insitution: University of Utah. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a critical role in cancer by regulating the degradation of key proteins involved in cell cycle control, DNA repair, apoptosis, and signaling pathways, making it a crucial mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis and preventingtumor development and progression. The expression levels of F-box ubiquitin E3 ligase, FBXO21, correlates with patient survival in several types of cancer, suggesting a role in tumorgenesis. We have previously shown silencing FBXO21 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines and patient samples leads to differentiation, slowed tumor progression, increased chemotherapy sensitivity, and altered cytokine signaling. Further, we found that FBXO21 ubiquitinates p85α, a regulatory part of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, for degradation resulting in altered PI3K signaling. Although PI3K inhibitors are used in cancertreatment, issues like off-target effects, dose-limiting toxicities, and resistance necessitate further research and development for optimized efficiency and minimal negative effects in targeting the PI3K pathway. To further understand the role of FBXO21 in cancer, we utilized shRNAs targeting FBXO21 in various cancer cell lines to identify the role of FBXO21 in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and alteration of the PI3K pathway. The PI3K signaling pathway is initiated through p85α binding to the catalytic subunit, p110, leading to downstream AKT and mTOR activation. We found knockdown of FBXO21 stabilizes p85α, leading to dimerization of free p85 and decreased PI3K pathway activation. Therefore, we hypothesize that FBXO21 may function as a novel regulator of PI3K signaling, offering an alternative approach to PI3K inhibitors. Our findings suggest that FBXO21 may represent a novel therapeutic target acrossvarious cancer subtypes to target the overactive PI3K pathway. Targeting FBXO21 may enhance the efficacy of current therapies and provide potential benefits for improving patient outcomes in the treatment of cancer, including but not limited to AML

Authors: Jude Werth. Mentors: Alex Shcheglovitov. Insitution: University of Utah. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest brain tumor that affects more than 10,000 people a year. Unfortunately, our understanding of the mechanisms disrupted by GBM is extremely limited. We are unable to safely manipulate brain cells in live patients, and the complexity of human brain networks are difficult to recapitulate in animals. This study employs brain organoids, derived from induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), to model the impact of GBM on neural activity. Organoid batches, grown under normal conditions and co-cultured with GBM cells, were monitored using microelectrode arrays (MEA) to record power in frequency bands. Over time, drugs influencing neural activity were introduced. Significant behavioral distinctions were observed between control and GBM-cultured organoids. Under Bicuculline and Tetrodotoxin, power in GBM organoids exhibited dramatic changes compared to the minimal difference in control organoids. Conversely, 4-Aminopyridine induced increased high-frequency activity exclusively in control organoids. Correlating power in frequency bands with spike activity, this study provides insight on how brain tumors influence neural networks, furthering disease comprehension to eventually develop effective treatment for patients.

Authors: Trenton M. Gibson, Brett E Pickett. Mentors: Brett E Pickett. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Lynch Syndrome, formerly known as Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer, is an autosomal dominant condition characterized by non-functional DNA mismatch repair genes, leading to mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR). Individuals with dMMR have an increased risk of developing cancerous tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI). The aim of this study was to investigate significant perturbations in gene expression among different dMMR variants within Lynch Syndrome, specifically focusing on variants in the PMS2, MLH1, and MSH2 loci. We obtained 55 public RNA-seq human colorectal tumor samples with specific germline dMMR mutations and 20 samples of healthy colorectal epithelium from the GENE Expression Omnibus (GEO). These samples were subjected to a robust RNA-seq data preprocessing and analytical workflow, which involved quality control, trimming, read pseudomapping and quantification using Salmon, identification of significant differentially expressed genes using edgeR, and gene ontology enrichment analysis using Camera. Signaling pathway impact analysis (SPIA) was employed to assess gene pathway perturbations. Our results revealed that tumor samples from individuals with germline mutations in the PMS2 MMR gene exhibited transcriptomic profiles indicating upregulation in pathways related to intrinsic and extrinsic prothrombin activation, fibrinolysis, and uPA/uPAR-mediated signaling, in comparison to other tumor and healthy samples. Previous research has established a correlation between these pathways and tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. These findings provide a foundation for further research to explore the interactions between PMS2 and these pathways in influencing tumor development.