Fine Arts

Authors: Zach Moore, Owen Benzley, Austin Flitton, Frederic Schaper, Jared Nielsen. Mentors: Jared Nielsen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Objective: Identify neural networks that are associated with panic disorder symptoms through lesion network mapping.Background: Panic Disorder is a neurological disorder in which one experiences unexpected and reoccurring panic attacks. Panic attacks can be characterized by the following symptoms: trembling, racing heart, excessive fear and worry, weakness, tingly hands, chest pain, or a feeling of unreality. A proposed circuit for panic disorder includes the amygdalofugal pathway, which deals primarily with the amygdala. The lesion network mapping method uses functional connectivity to identify neural networks associated with symptoms arising from brain lesions. This is a benefit compared to previous studies done on panic disorder because it relates brain circuits to symptoms rather than individual regions.Methods: 21 lesions causing Panic Disorder were found in the literature, traced on a standard template, and analyzed using lesion network mapping. Specifically, lesion networks for each lesion were calculated using a large cohort of healthy control resting state scans (N = 1000). In our sensitivity analysis, overlap between lesion networks was observed. Results: Of the 21 lesion networks, 14 (67%) positively overlap on the parahippocampal gyrus in the sensitivity map; 13 (62%) positively overlap at the ventral tegmental area in the sensitivity map.Discussion: Symptoms of panic disorder may be associated with the parahippocampal gyrus and ventral tegmental area of the brain. These results found are unique compared to previous studies, but do have general connections.

Authors: Joshua Evans, Allison Voyles, McKenzie Bellon, Julianne Grose. Mentors: Julianne Grose. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Alpha-crystallin B (CryAB) is a small heat shock protein that acts as a molecular chaperone and plays an essential role in cytoskeletal organization and myofibril function. Human mutations in CryAB have been associated with various diseases, such as cardiomyopathy and cataracts. However, the precise molecular pathways and protein substrates of CryAB are not yet fully understood and require further investigation. This project aims to increase understanding of CryAB by determining proteins that bind wild-type versus disease-causing variants using yeast two-hybrid screens. It also involves testing for binding specificity of variant-binding partners. A series of these Y2H screens gives valuable information regarding the binding patterns of CryAB, showing distinct binding partners for different alleles of CryAB. Overall, the project provides greater insight into the molecular functions of CryAB as well as a better understanding of the dysfunctional pathways of its disease-causing variants—a factor which may, in the future, have potential applications to the treatment of related diseases in a clinical setting

Authors: Noah Bezzant, Mikayla Kimball, Ashley Allan. Mentors: Brent Feland. Insitution: Brigham Young University. BACKGROUND: General knee pain is a common complaint among both athletes and older adults. Osteoarthritis is a common etiology for knee pain that can interfere with function during aging and can be assessed by validated questionnaires. It remains unclear whether there exists a dose–response relationship between cartilage loss and pain worsening. Articular cartilage thickness of the femoral condyles can be measured by ultrasound imaging and few studies utilizing this form of measurement exist. It is currently unknown if articular cartilage thickness measured ultrasonographically correlates with pain related ratings in aging athletes. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess whether articular cartilage thickness at the femoral condyles as measured by ultrasound imaging has any relationship to knee pain as rated by the modified KOOS (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) survey in senior athletes over the age of 50.METHODS: Data was collected from 35 volunteers (participants in the Huntsman World Senior Games) in St. George, Utah, 2023. All subjects (22 females: mean age = 64.9 ± 6.6 yrs, Ht = 158.7 ± 35.6 cm, Wt= 66.3 ± 10.0 kg; 13 males: mean age = 67.3 ± 8.3 yrs, Ht = 179.3 ± 10.7 cm, Wt= 84.3 ± 13.4 kg) signed an approved consent and completed a modified KOOS survey before being seated on a table, with their back flattened against the wall directly behind them. They were then asked to bring either knee as deeply into flexion against their torso as possible; approximating 120°-140° of knee flexion, depending on the range of motion the subject was capable of. In flexion, the patella was shifted inferiorly enough to expose the femoral condyles so that a short axis image of the articular cartilage was obtained and the thickness of the cartilage was assessed at 3 points.ANALYSIS: All data were analyzed using JMP ver16.2 with a Pearson product pairwise correlations to determine if a relationship between average cartilage thickness correlates with pain subscale scoring from the KOOS in males and females. Correlation between age and thickness was also examined.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were no significant correlations between the pain subscale score and cartilage thickness in males (p=.6998, r=0.1316), females (p=.8733, r=0.0392), or combined (p=.7308, r=0.0655) in this group of senior athletes. Age and thickness was not significantly correlated (p=.1232, r= -0.2877), but did show a trend of decreasing cartilage thickness with age. The addition of more subjects should show age and thickness to be negatively correlated with each other.

Authors: Ishmael Elliott Molina-Zepeda, Brandt Jones, Myke Madsen, Douglas Sborov, Brian Avery, Nicola J. Camp . Mentors: Nicola J. Camp. Insitution: University of Utah. Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a malignancy of plasma cells and one of the more common hematological malignancies (6.3/100,000 new cases/year). Although treatments have improved, most patients fail their first line of treatment and ultimately do not survive beyond 5 years. Identifying patients at high risk of failing treatment early is a critical need. SPECTRA is a statistical technique developed by the Camp Lab to characterize global gene expression (the transcriptome) by representing it as multiple quantitative tumor variables. Spectra variables allow gene expression to be incorporated into predictive modeling to identify high-risk groups.Transcriptome data for myeloma cells was available from 768 patients in the international CoMMpass study where 39 spectra variables were derived. Each patient has a value for each of the 39 variables (their spectra “barcode”); patients can be compared for each bar in the barcode. Predictive modeling using spectra variables was successful in identifying risk groups for time to treatment failure, such that a patient’s tumor transcriptome can be used to predict whether they are at high risk of having their treatment fail earlier.To replicate the CoMMpass data findings, we collect and process local biological samples from MM patients at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). We collect bone marrow samples, which are then cell-sorted to identify tumor (CD138+) cells. RNA is extracted from these cells and sequenced to generate transcriptome data. Then the spectra barcode is calculated.Utilizing the SPECTRA technique provides a more complete understanding of MM by better characterizing the tumor. Each spectra is a tumor characteristic. Our future research includes an investigation of whether inherited variations (in normal DNA from saliva or whole blood) are associated with the transcriptome risk score. We are also pursuing the SPECTRA technique in several other cancers.

Authors: Jared Wieland, Jacob Herring. Mentors: Jeffery Tessem. Insitution: Brigham Young University. A central attribute of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is beta cell damage. This damage commonly affects beta cell’s ability to secrete insulin and regulate blood glucose levels. Nkx6.1 is a beta cell transcription factor essential for proliferation, differentiation, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Hyperglycemia is detrimental to beta cell function and function. We hypothesize that hyperglycemia may negatively affect the expression and activity of beta cell transcription factors, including Nkx6.1. To provide an understanding of the effects of hyperglycemic conditions on Nkx6.1 expression, INS-1 832/13 beta cells were cultured in hyperglycemic conditions, then primary rat islets were treated for the same durations of time. Here, we present transcriptional, translational, cellular localization, and degradation of states of Nkx6.1 over 48 hours of hyperglycemic culture conditions both in vitro and ex vivo models. Comprehension of the mechanisms involved in hyperglycemic downregulation of Nkx6.1 is imperative to the development of treatments for diabetes.

Authors: Sofia Denise Flowers. Mentors: Lauri Linder. Insitution: University of Utah. Background and Purpose: In the year 2023, roughly 9,000 children will be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. Dealing with a potentially fatal diagnosis is already difficult for many grown adults, let alone a young child. The aim of this project is to describe caregiving experiences of parents and children with cancer as related through feedback comments within written and oral feedback to proposed items to measure self-efficacy for managing their child’s symptoms and behaviors used to manage their child’s symptoms.Methods: This project involved a secondary analysis of qualitative data from 21 parents (19 mothers; mean age 38 years) of school-age children with cancer who participated in a study to establish the content validity of instruments to measure aspects of symptom management. Data consisted of interview transcripts and free responses to the content review surveys. The data were then uploaded to Dedoose. My mentor and I worked independently to identify statements pertaining to parents’ experiences in managing their child’s symptoms and responding to the child’s cancer diagnosis. We then met together to reconcile content and then organize parents’ statements into categories and subcategories. Results: 101 excerpts were extracted from the transcripts and included for the secondary analysis. Excerpts were grouped into four main categories: informational resources, social support, emotional support, and medication management Within these four main categories, subthemes of professional staff support, managing child attitude and mood changes, and balancing between being a parent and their child’s medical advocate were present. Conclusion: The insights gained from this project can guide the information healthcare providers need to provide better care to the child and additional support to parents. This can allow professional staff to get a stronger understanding of not just the family’s medical needs but their informational, social, and emotional needs as well.

Authors: Isaac Stubbs, Skyler Russell, Melissa Blotter, Maxwell Holmes. Mentors: Ryley Parrish. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Status Epilepticus (SE) is a severe medical condition marked by continuous seizures lasting over 5 minutes. When SE becomes resistant to anticonvulsant drugs, the condition is known as Refractory Status Epilepticus (RSE), which lacks effective treatments and has a mortality rate of 38%. RSE lacks effective treatments partially due to our limited understanding of the mechanisms that lead to patient drug resistance to commonly used anticonvulsants. This study aims to address this knowledge gap in two pivotal ways.First, we have employed a high-density multi-electrode array (HD-MEA) with acute mouse brain slices to better understand RSE propagation patterns and various seizure states with unparalleled spatial precision. The HD-MEA allows us to record from the entire brain slice with 4096 electrodes sampling electrophysiological activity at every 60 micrometers for many hours at a time. Our data demonstrates that different seizure states, such as phasic seizure-like events, short duration epileptic discharges, or RSE itself, occur within both the same brain region and in different brain regions simultaneously. With our novel data visualization software, we can visualize the unique propagation of this phenomenon. These findings indicate that RSE might be a progressive event, challenging conventional understanding of RSE. Second, we are currently exploring a potential pharmacoresistance mechanism that may contribute to the patient entering RSE, which suggests that changes in the chloride reversal potential may lead to a phenomenon known as depolarizing GABA. Depolarizing GABA may negate the effectiveness of the currently used antiepileptic drugs that rely on standard physiological chloride conductance to effectively limit seizure activity. We are studying this drug resistant mechanism with the HD-MEA by introducing anticonvulsant drugs to acute mouse brain slices during the evolution of RSE to locate a critical point at which the slice becomes resistant to these compounds.We hope this study will illuminate the complexities of RSE by revealing its progressive nature and drug resistant properties.

Authors: Mikayla Kimball, Noah Bezzant, Ashley Allan, Josh Sponbeck. Mentors: Brent Feland. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Ultrasonic analysis of patellar tendon thickness in active older athletesBACKGROUND: Recent research has suggested that patellar tendon loading through exercise and resistance training can help maintain and increase patellar tendon thickness in older adults. Limited research exists that identifies the average thickness of patellar tendons in younger athletes, however, it is unknown if this thickness remains or is maintained in older adult athletes who have maintained a very active lifestyle.PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine how gender correlates to patellar tendon thickness in the proximal and middle patellar tendon of active older athletes participating in sporting events at the Huntsman World Senior Games.METHODS: Data was collected from 59 volunteers (participants in the Huntsman WorldSenior Games) in St. George, Utah, 2022. All subjects (34 females: mean age = 61.09 ± 7.00 yrs, Ht = 162.41 ± 25.73 cm, Wt= 66.29 ±11.38 kg; 25 males: mean age = 68.68 ± 7.03 yrs, Ht = 178.21 ± 8.63 cm, Wt= 84.42±10.90 kg) signed an approved consent form and then sat on a treatment table with their legs relaxed and dangling off. The probe was placed vertically below the kneecap and an ultrasonic image was taken. Each image showed a small section of the patellar for reference. Each ultrasonic measurement showed the middle and proximal thickness of the patellar tendon. ANALYSIS: All data were analyzed using JMP ver16.2 with a stepwise multiple regression analysis to determine the effect of age, height, wt and gender on patellar tendon thickness. A sex*location mixed model was used to determine differences in middle and proximal thickness between gender. Data were normally distributed, not requiring transformation.RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Proximal tendon measurements were thicker than middle tendon measurements on both sides (p=0.0001). There was no significant difference either proximal tendon thickness (p=0.9323) or middle tendon thickness (p= 0.3993) between left and right sides. No significant difference between male and female tendon thickness at either location (p=0.7700). Proximal tendon thickness was greater and this has been found to be greater in younger athletes with a history of patellar tendinopathy. Aging athletes may also have a history of knee pain episodes that could have contributed to this finding. The lack of gender differences in thickness measures was surprising, but may be a result of the level of activity of senior athletes. In the future studies should look to compare active vs non-active aging athletes, more specific age range differences, and how knee replacements and other injuries affect patellar tendon thickness.

Authors: Caroline Cowley, Megan Jewell, Brenda Mendoza, Aubrey Cluff, Ryan Summerhays, Jason Hansen. Mentors: Jason Hansen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Approximately 8 million newborns manifest a birth defect every year worldwide. One of the most common birth defects involve disruptions in musculoskeletal development. Oxidative stress has been found to propagate teratogenesis. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx1), an oxidoreductase, is an important antioxidant regulator required for proper embryonic development. Trx1 knockouts have been found to be embryolethal prior to implantation. A preliminary study to assess osteogenesis was conducted using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) originating from transgenic conditional Trx1 knockout embryos. Upon confluence, MEFs were stimulated to undergo osteogenesis via commercially available media. A subset of cells were treated with doxycycline (DOX) prior to and throughout the culture period. MEFs were maintained over a 21 day period in a reduced oxygen environment. MEFs were then fixed in formalin and stained with Alizarin red to determine the degree of osteogenesis. MEFs treated with DOX were unable to undergo proper osteogenesis. While this would suggest that osteogenesis is regulated through proper functions of Trx1, it is unknown how Trx1 regulates osteogenesis in utero. Because Trx1 deletion is lethal prior to implantation it has been historically difficult to study the role of Trx1 during organogenesis. With the development of the DOX-inducible Trx1 conditional knockout mouse, we can now target specific developmental periods and evaluate post-implantation processes like osteogenesis. Using proper transgenic mice and breeding schemes, DOX-inducible Trx1 conditional knockout embryos were treated in utero with DOX through the dam’s drinking water, starting on gestational day (GD) 8.5. The embryos were collected on GD 16.5, fixed in 95% ethanol, and then skinned. To visualize bone and cartilage, the embryos were placed in ethanol and subsequently stained with Alizarin red and Alcian blue. The staining showed that embryos lacking Trx1 were significantly stunted in their skeletal maturation. With this data, we are the first to show that during organogenesis, the musculoskeletal system is affected by deletions of Trx1 at specific periods of development. Under oxidizing conditions which exceed the capacity of the oxidoreductase pathway of Trx1, Trx1 exists primarily in its oxidized form and can no longer reduce proteins that have been turned off by oxidation. Our Trx1 deletions model a highly oxidized state in which Trx1 is dysfunctional. Because regulatory redox control of protein activity is required for proper embryonic development, exposure to oxidizing environmental conditions specifically affecting Trx1 redox state may target the disruption of the musculoskeletal system.

Authors: Tayler Fearn, Caroline Torgensen, Vern Hart. Mentors: Vern Hart. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) is a newly developed modality used to measure phase shifts introduced by fine-scale structures in cells. These phase shifts can be used to distinguish healthy and malignant cells, providing a diagnostic marker for early cancer detection. However, this process, in which diffracted light interferes with incident light, requires collecting scattered photons at large angles, representing high spatial frequencies and short wavelengths. The highest frequencies, needed to reconstruct small details in cells for improved image quality, occur at distances of several centimeters from the central bright fringe. As such, these signals are faint and difficult to collect experimentally. We propose the use of deep learning to synthetically extrapolate diffraction patterns at large distances, where measurements are difficult. In prototyping this method, we will present results produced by a generative adversarial network (GAN), trained using existing data of watercolor paintings to preform style transfer and image extrapolation. This will be an essential step in working towards the larger goal of developing GAN’s that can accurately extrapolate diffraction images.

Authors: Grant Rousseau, Kenneth Harrington, Jamie Jensen. Mentors: Jamie Jensen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. We know that evolution acceptance is low in the United States, and a perceived conflict between evolution and religion is a big predictor of whether someone accepts or rejects evolution. Helping undergraduates accept evolution involves multiple teaching strategies, including teaching evolution with a reconciliatory approach, increasing their knowledge of evolution, and introducing role models (scientists who maintain religious beliefs) to the students. However, because some students have higher scientific reasoning abilities than others, they may find certain evolution teaching strategies more beneficial than others. In our study, we assessed scientific reasoning ability, change in evolution acceptance, and teaching strategy rankings with surveys before and after evolution instruction. We predicted that students who possessed more scientific reasoning skills would rank evolution knowledge above role models when asked which strategy was most influential in helping them accept evolution. However, we saw that scientific reasoning did not appear to moderate the effect of evolution knowledge. Role models were more important in increasing evolution acceptance, regardless of scientific reasoning skills. This reinforces the importance of having a role model present when teaching evolution to religious audiences.

Authors: Drew Allred, Vern Hart. Mentors: Vern Hart. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Surgery remains one of the most common and effective treatments for a variety of cancers, especially those that form solid, localized tumors such as breast and colorectal cancers. During these treatments, the palpable lesion is surgically resected with the assumption that cancerous cells have metastasized to nearby tissues. As such, surgeons will excise a tissue margin surrounding the tumor in hopes of removing any additional cancer, thus preventing further spread of the disease. However, this process is time-consuming and requires specialized expertise from a trained pathologist to verify that all cancer has been removed. Furthermore, if the pathology report indicates that not all cancerous cells have been extracted, additional follow-up visits and surgeries are typically required. In recent years a number of non-invasive technologies have been developed which seek to map cancerous cells in whole tissues. Training and validating these methods still requires a reliable ground truth, typically provided by an annotated pathology report. We propose a simpler model in which two cell species were co-cultured to provide a heterogeneous training sample. One of these species (PANC-1) was transfected with a vector coding for a fluorescent marker to represent healthy tissue, while the other species (COS-7) remained untreated, representing cancerous cells. An experiment was then conducted using a coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) system, in which laser light incident on the cells was used to quantify phase shifts produced by each cell type. Fluorescent microscopy was then used to create a map of transfected and non-transfected cells for comparison. Results will be presented demonstrating a correlation between the phase shifts produced by the two cell types and the corresponding fluorescent images, potentially facilitating optical cell identification without the need for pathology.

Authors: Maddy Howard, Brooke Dension, Shanna Groesbeck. Mentors: Sandy Wilson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. AbstractThere are many systemic diseases that are linked to oral health. This literature review specifically examines different studies and academic journals that have studied the relationship between oral health, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Obesity is linked to the patient's oral health in many ways. When patients are consuming large quantities of food more often than normal, this results in a more acidic environment along with energy for bacteria to grow. One study found a correlation between obesity and risk factors such as “frequency of brushing teeth, smoking, tooth loss, gingivitis, and dental caries (Yilmax & Somay, 2021). This article discusses the strong correlation between oral health and heart disease. Several studies emphasize the importance of dental hygienists educating their patients about the link between their oral and cardiovascular health. The articles conclude that treating periodontal disease more effectively and aggressively could lead to a marked reduction in coronary heart disease rates and vice versa.Diabetes and periodontal disease is also examined at length in this literature review. Diabetes and periodontitis is described as a ‘two-way relationship’. Evidence shows that individuals with diabetes, type 1 or type 2, are 34% more likely to develop periodontal disease. On the other hand, individuals experiencing periodontal disease are 53% more likely to develop diabetes (Wu, et al., 2020). This literature review will explore the importance of oral health in keeping your entire body healthy.ReferencesArora, A., Rana, K., Manohar, N., Li, L., Bhole, S., & Chimoriya, R. (2022). Perceptions and practices of oral health care professionals in preventing and managing childhood obesity. Nutrients, 14(9), 1809. 10.3390/nu14091809.Batty, G. D., Jung, K. J., Mok, Y., Lee, S. J., Back, J. H., Lee, S., & Jee, S. H. (2018). Oral health and later coronary heart disease: Cohort study of one million people. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 25(6), 598-605. 10.1177/2047487318759112Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Defining adult overweight & obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deraz, O., Rangé, H., Boutouyrie, P., Chatzopoulou, E., Asselin, A., Guibout, C., Van Sloten, T., Bougouin, W., Andrieu, M., Vedie, B., Thomas, F., Danchin, N., Jouven, X., Bouchard, P., & Empana, J. P. (2022). Oral condition and incident coronary heart disease: A clustering analysis. Journal of Dental Research, 101(5), 526-533. 10.1177/00220345211052507Sanchez, P., Everett, B., Salamonson, Y., Ajwani, S., Bhole, S., Bishop, J., Lintern, K., Nolan, S., Rajaratnam, R., Redfern, J., Sheehan, M., Skarligos, F., Spencer, L., Srinivas, R., & George, A. (2017). Perceptions of cardiac care providers towards oral health promotion in Australia. Collegian, 25(5), 471-478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.11.006Preshaw, P. M., Alba, A. L., Herrera, D., Jepsen, S., Konstantinidis, A., Makrilakis, K., & Taylor, R. (2012). Periodontitis and diabetes: A two-way relationship. Diabetologia, 55(1), 21-31. 10.1007/s00125-011-2342-yWu, C.-Z., Yuan, Y.-H., Liu, H.-H., Li, S.-S., Zhang, B.-W., Chen, W., An, Z.-J., Chen, S.-Y., Wu, Y.-Z., Han, B., Li, C.-J., & Li, L.-J. (2020). Epidemiologic relationship between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. BMC oral health, 20, 204. 10.1186/s12903-020-01180-wYilmax, Busra. & Somay, Efsun. (2021). Is obesity a problem that threatens oral health in adults? Cukurova Medical Journal, 46(3), 1215-1221. DOI: 10.17826/cumj.950243

Authors: Danielle Terry, Seth Helton, Michael Creer. Mentors: Austin M Green. Insitution: University of Utah. With anthropogenic influence increasing worldwide, it is important to understand how wildlife behavior changes in response to urbanized landscapes. Urban ecosystems represent relatively novel landscapes with unique threats and opportunities that can completely restructure species’ population composition and dynamics. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) have been shown to alter their temporal activity in response to urbanization across their range of the Intermountain West of the United States. In this study, we will investigate the effects of anthropogenic influence on mule deer temporal activity behavior across two distinct life stages: fawning and non-fawning. Data for this study will come from the citizen science camera trapping project, Wasatch Wildlife Watch. The full project area is separated into two study sites: “Rural” and “Urban”. This study will be based around the wild-to-urban interface of the Central Wasatch Mountain Range and the Bear River Mountain Range, which composes some of the most highly recreated portions of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, receiving approximately 9,000,000 visitors annually (U.S Forest Service). We will investigate the proposed differential effects of anthropogenic influence and urbanization on mule deer diel activity patterns in the fawning vs. non-fawning life stages. Also, we will inquire whether intraspecific responses in mule deer diel activity alter interspecific interactions, especially with fawning predators, and how these responses might interact with environmental factors. We predict that anthropogenic influence and urbanization alter the diel activity patterns of fawning mule deer more than non-fawning deer and that the presence and activity of fawn predators (e.g., coyote [Canis latrans]) would have a stronger effect on fawning deer activity than non-fawning deer activity.

Authors: Barry Gyman. Mentors: Cody Reeves. Insitution: Brigham Young University. The purpose of this paper is to qualify and analyze the leading driving forces in determining the success of healthcare innovations in a variety of subspaces in the healthcare industry. Health is one of the largest markets in America and is almost universally relied upon. As the systems and technologies of healthcare are innovated and improved upon, the quality and efficiency of this care stands to increase, potentially benefiting both those who provide care, those who receive care, or both. The healthcare industry offers a plethora of niches needing innovating and the potential of high economic return for the producers, and yet only a small portion of innovations are adopted and successfully integrated with some areas having a failure rate approaching or exceeding 90% (Sun et al., 2022)(Jacobs et. al, 2015). What propels these few successful innovations towards adoption that so many other innovations fail to achieve? Through the analysis of dozens of papers researching success robustness in various healthcare fields, such as pharmacology and technological innovation, we will summarize the data in search of shared commonalities among successful innovations. Sun, D., Gao, W., Hu, H., & Zhou, S. (2022). Why 90% of clinical drug development fails and how to improve it?. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B, 12(7), 3049–3062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2022.02.002Jacobs, S.R., Weiner, B.J., Reeve, B.B. et al. Determining the predictors of innovation implementation in healthcare: a quantitative analysis of implementation effectiveness. BMC Health Serv Res 15, 6 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-014-0657-3

Authors: Marie Gibb. Mentors: Francine Jensen. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Maternal mortality, also known as maternal death, is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. (MacDorman et al., 2021; Spelke & Werner, 2018). The United States is the only developed nation where the rates of maternal mortality are rising, and they have been rising for twenty years (Simpson, 2019; Spelke & Werner, 2018). This incidence represents a maternal health crisis in the United States. On average, 700 women in the United States die each year from pregnancy-related complications. This equates to 17.2 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births (Simpson, 2019). Currently, the maternal mortality rate for Utah is higher than the national average at 21.5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). According to More than 60% of these deaths are preventable (MacDorman et al., 2021; Simpson, 2019).The leading causes of maternal death in the United States are hemorrhage, preeclampsia, eclampsia, hypertension, embolisms, and cardiomyopathy, which often lead to cardiovascular disorders (MacDorman et al., 2021; Simpson, 2019). The Utah Health and Human Services (2023) reported that increases in heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, mental health disorders, and other chronic conditions complicate pregnancies and are contributing to maternal mortality in Utah. The American Heart Association has cautioned that pregnancy complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm delivery are linked to maternal heart disease later in life (Parikh et al., 2021). Research suggests that each episode has a cumulative effect (Marill, 2021), meaning, the more pregnancies women have, and the more complications women have during pregnancy, the more elevated their risks are in general for cardiovascular disorders as they age. A qualitative survey was sent out using snowball sampling to women over the age of 18 in Utah asking about their understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and current health conditions. Findings showed that women were unaware of their potential cardiovascular risks associated with pregnancy. Raising awareness regarding these cardiovascular risks may be the number one preventative strategy, as women are the ones who bear the personal and physical risks. If pregnant women are aware of their cardiovascular risk factors, they can be empowered to raise concerns when necessary. Future interventions may include educating all women of childbearing years about cardiovascular risks prior to pregnancy, as well as more frequent screening of women during and after delivery (Marill, 2021). ReferencesMacDorman, M. F., Thoma, M., Declcerq, E., & Howell, E. A. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality in the United States using enhanced vital records, 2016‒2017. American Journal of Public Health, 111(9), 1673–1681. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2021.306375Marill, M. C. (2021). Getting to the heart of America's maternal mortality crisis. Health Affairs, 40(12), 1824-1829. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01702Parikh, N. I., Gonzalez, J. M., Anderson, C. A. M., Judd, S. E., Rexrode, K. M., Hlatky, M. A., Gunderson, E. P., Stuart, J. J., & Vaidya, D. (2021, May 4). Adverse pregnancy outcomes and cardiovascular disease risk: Unique opportunities for cardiovascular disease prevention in women: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 143(18), e902-e916. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000961Simpson, K. (2019). Maternal mortality in the United States. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 44 (5), 249-249. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000560.Spelke, B., & Werner, E. (2018). The fourth trimester of pregnancy: Committing to maternal health and well-being postpartum. Rhode Island Medical Journal (2013), 101(8), 30–33.Utah Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, March 16). Complete health indicator report of maternal mortality. Retrieved Sat, 09 September 2023 from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health website: http://ibis.health.utah.gov. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/complete_profile/MatMort.html

Authors: Sierra M Mellor, Madilyn Brandt, Nathaniel Eberhart, Samuel Flor, Julianne H Grose. Mentors: Julianne Grose. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Continued use of antibiotics has driven the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which cause infections that prove difficult to treat. Therefore, it is crucial that alternative treatments for bacterial infections are developed. One such promising method, known as phage therapy, utilizes viruses that infect bacteria. However, compared to the high abundance of bacteriophages, relatively few have been isolated and sequenced, with little known about their gene products. Here we have isolated two phages, SummitAcademy and AJGecko, against the host bacteria Gordonia rubripertincta. Gordonia belongs to the Actinobacteria class containing many pathogenic bacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and so analysis of SummitAcademy and AJGecko can provide insight into the evolution of this family. Genomic comparison of conserved genes between SummitAcademy and other Gordonia phages identifies 14 hypothetical proteins as unique to SummitAcademy. Subsequent liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) of CsCl-purified SummitAcademy confirms expression of many predicted gene products, verifying the annotation. Several peptides generated through mass spectrometry also provide evidence for extending predicted start sites of gene products. Further characterization of virion proteins and gene products of SummitAcademy can add to the overall knowledge of this cluster of phages and potential phage therapies against Gordonia or related infections.

Authors: Isaac Gillins, Zoe Thompson. Mentors: . Insitution: Utah Valley University. The pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene is expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary and is cleaved into several peptide hormones. One of these is melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), which is involved in food intake and energy expenditure. A mutation in the POMC gene can result in a rare condition in which the subject displays early-onset obesity characterized by severe hyperphagia (i.e. excess hunger). Affected subjects may also show a lack of pubertal development. In this experiment, we will study mice with a mutation in the POMC gene. They show some of the same symptoms as humans with a POMC mutation, including hyperphagia, obesity & infertility. Specifically, we will investigate the estrous cycle in female mice to determine if they are cycling normally. The estrous cycle, similar to the menstrual cycle in humans, is characterized by changes in reproductive hormones, and can be divided into four stages: proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus. Cells lining the surface of the vagina have been previously collected using a pipette smear technique. Each stage can be characterized by the proportion of three cell types: epithelial cells, cornified cells, and leukocytes. These cells correspond to the fluctuating hormone levels during the estrous cycle. Images of these samples will be assessed for the composition of cells to determine the stage of the estrus cycle, and whether or not the cycle displays normal patterning. Because POMC-deficient mice are infertile, we hypothesize their estrous cycles may be atypical. For example, the estrous cycle of the POMC-deficient mice may appear in irregular order or with one stage being predominant over the rest. If the estrous cycle is atypical, then we will measure the hormones directly to confirm that the infertility is caused by changes in hormonal regulation. This will help us to understand more about how the POMC gene affects reproductive function.

Authors: Zach Hendry, Carson Cunningham. Mentors: Micah Shepherd, Kent Gee. Insitution: Brigham Young University. The number of rocket launches per year has been increasing dramatically since 2015, with more rockets launched in the year 2022 than had ever been launched. With the increase in the number of launches per year, it has become increasingly important to understand the impact of rocket launches on the greater environment and community. One important aspect of a rocket launch is the level of acoustical energy that is produced during liftoff. Instantaneous pressure values have been regularly recorded up to 180 dB. Due to these high levels, it’s become important to be able to accurately predict the noise produced by a rocket. One powerful tool used in predicting this sound is the crest factor. The crest factor is an acoustical measurement that shows the difference between the maximum sound pressure (i.e. the crest) compared against the averaged value of the sound pressure. Additionally, this information is vital for planning acoustical equipment in order to avoid measurement clipping. This presentation will be about crest factor analyses performed on the Antares NG-19 rocket launch from August 2023.

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 computation time allows us to break through previous computational limitations, enabling more sophisticated and complex applications of the simulation. The principal applications we will be assessing are the viability and potential of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) for deeper tissue analysis, exploring the possibilities of topographical imaging using Raman techniques, and the advanced application of chemical imaging of microscopic tumors. This expanded scope demonstrates the simulation's potential in early cancer detection.

Authors: Nathan Vaughan. Mentors: Jeffery Tessem. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by a loss of functional beta cell mass, and impaired glucose homeostasis. Elevated glucose levels in the body are known to be the cause of a plethora of debilitating illnesses. Hyperglycemia negatively effects beta cell function, resulting in impaired insulin secretion and cell death. Two key transcription factors involved in beta cell development, function, and proliferation are Nkx6.1 and Pdx1. We have shown a binding interaction between these Nkx6.1 and Pdx1 and have shown that they co-regulate various genes necessary for beta cell maturity and function. Preliminary data indicate that elevated glucose concentrations downregulate Nkx6.1 mRNA and protein, as well as Pdx1 mRNA. However, the effect of elevated glucose concentrations on Pdx1 and Nkx6.1 binding interaction and subsequent function remains largely unexplored. Here we demonstrate the effect of hyperglycemia on the Pdx1-Nkx6.1 interaction, and the effect on expression of Pdx1 and Nkx6.1 downstream target genes. Understanding the effect of hyperglycemia on this interaction will allow us to better understand the stress that a beta cell is under during diabetic conditions, and to develop interventions to ameliorate these effects.

Authors: Emmalie Parker. Mentors: Heather Thiesset. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Changes in health insurance due to the Affordable Care act created a bridge for college students to remain on their parent or guardian’s health insurance for a longer period of time. However, little is done to close the gap of education deficiency in the area of health insurance literacy during this time. While most students in a universal health system have relatively few options to choose from, students in the US are faced with many different plans through employment or the open marketplace. Therefore, in order to ensure adequate access to care, it is imperative that students understand the fundamentals of this system in the US. This quantitative cross-sectional survey sampled 500 currently registered UVU students to assess their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and healthcare utilization. This data was stratified by age and sex. Descriptive statistics and chi2 analyses were performed. This study showed that disparities in healthcare literacy affect healthcare utilization and can be a catalyst for long-term healthcare access issues for students and their families.

Authors: Quinn Gerber, Lucas Carpenter, Jacob Clemons, Cindy Kin. Mentors: Cindy Kin. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Introduction: It is vital that patients are adequately prepared for surgical intervention. To meet this need, many medical centers have adopted prehabilitation protocols. The aim of this study was to establish an in-depth comprehension of the attitudes towards surgery and barriersand preferences to prehabilitation for patients identifying as Latino, in order to develop a preliminary framework for adapting prehab programs to best meet the needs of this specific patient population.Methods: We conducted qualitative semi-structured in-person one-on-one interviews with Latino patients who had recently undergone major abdominal surgery. The interviews, conducted at an academic medical center, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English (as needed), iteratively coded, and discussed by four researchers to reach consensus. We used thematic analysis to identify shared attitudes held by patients and common barriers to the adoption of prehabilitation programs. Analysis of these attitudes and barriers, along with stated patient preferences, led to the development of several ideas that physicians can implement to increase prehab adoption among Latino patients.Results: We interviewed 16 patients, at which point we reached thematic saturation. The patients were on average 52 years old (range 20 to 79) and 50% were women. Our pooled kappa score was .92, indicating a very high degree of concordance among the coding researchers. We identified five common attitudes held by Latino patients regarding surgery: anxiety associated with hospitalizations and surgical procedures, deep trust in physicians, reliance on positivity, tight-knit families/communities, and prominent religious and cultural beliefs. A lack of understanding, physical limitations, a reactive/delayed approach to healthcare, dietary barriers, and mental barriers emerged as obstacles to prehabilitation adoption. These attitudes and barriers, along with direct patient feedback, led us to identify several programmatic priorities that may increase adherence to prehab. These components consist of face-to-face interaction, increased communication, patient and physician collaboration in program development, and family/support group engagement in surgical preparation.Conclusion: Our study provides physicians preliminary insight into customizing prehabilitation programs to best meet the needs and customs of the Latino community, including anxiety associated with hospitalizations, strong social support, and a dominant role of religious faith in coping with illness. We identified several critical components that may make prehab more culturally competent and thus more likely to be adopted by patients. These include in-person coaching, increased information about the upcoming operation and recovery, and engagement of family members. We recommend that healthcare teams committed to prehabilitation consider these needs to make their programs more attractive and accessible to their Latino patients.

Authors: Brock Sheehan, Bryson Edwards, Ivanna Soto, Justice Vance, Tyler Haywood, Jefferey Goddard, Logan Seegmiller, Mohammed A. El Saidi, Wissam R Zaidan , Asmahan El-Ezzi , Dr. Ruhul Kuddus. Mentors: Dr. Ruhul Kuddus. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Association of Cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) rs4648298 and Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) rs20417 Polymorphisms and Prostatic diseases Among Lebanese MalesBrock J Sheehan1*, Bryson Edwards1, Ivanna Soto Medrano1, Justin Vance1, Tyler Haywood1, Jeffrey Goddard1, Logan Seegmiller1, Mohammed A. El Saidi2, Wissam R. Zaidan3, Asmahan A. El-Ezzi3, 4, Ruhul Kuddus11Department of Biology, 2Department of Strategic Management and Operations, Utah Valley University, Orem UT; 3Radioimmunoassay Laboratory, Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, Beirut Lebanon; 4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon. *- presenting author.Background: COX-1 and COX-2 genes encode prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthases (PTGS) isoenzymes, involved in inflammation and possibly neoplasms. The genes are expressed in the prostate gland. Both genes have several polymorphisms. Here we examine the association of rs4648298 (A-G transition) and rs20417 (G-C transversion) polymorphisms and prostatic diseases. This research was approved by the Utah Valley University IRB.Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from a blood sample of 56 healthy volunteers, 51 volunteers with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and 61 volunteers with clinical prostate cancer (PCa). Genotyping was conducted through PCR-RFLP analyses. The restriction enzymes used were BaeGI (for rs4648298) and AciI (rs20417), respectively. Alleles with the restriction site were considered recessive. The association was inferred through statistical analyses of the distribution of the genotypes (BB, Bb, and bb or AA, Aa and aa), and allele frequencies among the controls and the affected groups. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered significant.Results: The distribution of the genotypes is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all three groups. The b allele of the COX-1 gene is extremely rare (less than 3%), and no significant association between the B or b allele or BB, Bb, and bb genotypes and prostatic disease was observed. The a allele of the COX-2 gene is more common in the BPH group (p=0.011), but not the PCa group (p= 0.472) or the combined affected group (p=0.068) compared to the control group.Conclusions: There is no association between the rs4648298 polymorphisms of the COX-1 gene and prostatic diseases. The a allele of the rs20417 polymorphisms of the COX-2 gene is associated with higher risks of BPH and possibly PCa. The small sample size, sampling from one ethnic group, and the low distribution of the b allele in the Lebanese population are limitations of this study.

Authors: Austin Green, Gaby Karakcheyeva. Insitution: University of Utah. As the world’s human population continues to concentrate within urban areas and these landscapes continue to expand worldwide, wildlife is under pressure to adapt to novel environmental disturbances. Along urban-wildlife gradients, and especially within less developed areas, human recreation can affect wildlife behavior. These effects may be most apparent during peaks in human recreational activity. In addition, climatic conditions such as aridity and precipitation can also alter wildlife behavior. Understanding the interactions between these two pressures, human activity and climate, can help us understand how wildlife behavior will be affected as human populations grow and climate warms. In this study, we will use data from a large-scale citizen science camera trapping project to assess whether periodic increases in human recreational activity paired with arid climates will elicit behavioral responses across multiple mammal species in northern Utah, U.S.A. Specifically, we will assess whether increases in human recreational activity during the weekend affected mammalian temporal activity patterns at the community-wide and species-specific level, taking into consideration if these trends are amplified in areas that are arid and low in precipitation. I hypothesize that increased human recreational activity will alter wildlife behavior, in general, however this change in behavior will be amplified in drier, hotter areas. I predict that during the weekends human activity will increase, leading to general decreases in activity, mobility, and breeding behavior across species, and this will be amplified in hotter and less vegetated areas. However, I predict that naturally diurnal species will be more affected than nocturnal species as they attempt to avoid overlap with humans, leading to changes in species-species interactions.

Authors: Aljexi Olsen, Hali Lukacs. Mentors: Eddy Cadet. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Utah Lake is the third-largest freshwater body west of the Mississippi River and serves as a vital resource for just over 600,000 Utah Valley residents through agriculture, residential and recreational purposes. In addition to its utility, Utah Lake provides a haven for biodiversity for numerous species within its wetlands. Despite its utility and importance, the lake faces two significant challenges in the form of Trace Metal (TM) pollution and the encroachment of invasive plant species known as Phragmites australis (P. australis). Despite considerable investments of time, money, and resources by various state agencies to address these concerns, their success has been limited due to the agency’s isolated efforts for these large multifaceted issues. TM, though naturally occurring in the environment, has been found to be toxic to both people and the ecosystem when at elevated levels. P. australis, is a robust and fast-growing macrophyte, possessing remarkable adaptability to and tolerance for poor soils, enabling it to rapidly outcompete native species. Due to P. australis resilience and aggressive nature, many colonies have grown around the lake regardless of soil conditions. Studies have shown that P. australis has been utilized for remediation purposes around water bodies by extracting TMs from sediment. While P. australis must be addressed, can it be used as part of the solution by identifying TM polluted areas? This study aims to discern the variety in TM absorption by P. australis in both unpolluted and polluted sites in the wetlands surrounding the hyper-eutrophic Utah Lake. We selected nine sites around Utah Lake, considering their land use and proximity to pollution sources. At each site, three replicate samples encompassing P. australis, soil, and water were collected. These samples underwent a meticulous process, including washing, weighing, grounding, sieving, acid digesting using a CEM MARS 6, and analysis for TM content within an ICP-MS. Our preliminary findings reveal that in both unpolluted and polluted sites, soil concentrations of As and Cd exceeded background levels (11.73, 1.53 in unpolluted sites, and 27.47, 6.63 in polluted sites, respectively). Notably, in select polluted sites, such as UVU, P. australis displayed a remarkable capacity to hyper-accumulate As, with a transfer factor of 167.14% compared to the lowest unpolluted sites, like Lindon, which showed a rate of about 10%. Across all sites, the accumulation of Cr was relatively consistent (ranging from 17.13 to 19.7 ppm), irrespective of biomass. The examination of TM concentrations, transfer factor rates, and TM accumulation based on biomass suggests that P. australis may serve as a valuable biomarker for identifying TM-polluted sites. This research holds significant relevance, as it could offer state agencies a swift and effective means to pinpoint TM-polluted areas. Moreover, the areas where P. australis is thriving may be leveraged for phytoremediation efforts in TM-contaminated sites, providing an environmentally friendly solution to address this pressing concern.

Authors: Jacob Armstrong, Tyler Standifird. Mentors: Tyler Standifird. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Lower Limb Asymmetries in Unilateral Jump Mechanics as Possible Risk Factor for Injury in Collegiate WrestlersJacob Armstrong and Tyler Standifird 1Utah Valley University, Orem, Ut. Injuries impose a multi-faceted burden on athletes, coaches, and sporting organizations, encompassing physical, financial, and psychological ramifications. Determining risk factors and identifying them in athletes has been a widespread goal amongst researchers and practitioners in attempts to reduce injuries. Investigating Limb asymmetries, or limb imbalances, has been a common approach in identifying such factors but has shown inconsistent correlations with injuries (Melony, 2018). Moreover, much of the current research investigates asymmetries of outward limb performance (i.e., Strength, flexibility, jump performance etc.) and not asymmetries of internal joint mechanics. Identifying relationships between internal joint asymmetries and lower limb injuries can further aid coaches, practitioners and sporting organizations in effectively identifying injury risks. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate internal joint asymmetries of the lower limbs during unilateral jump testing and their association with injuries in collegiate wrestlers. Methods: 23 healthy Division 1 NCAA collegiate wrestlers performed single leg depth jumps from a 12-inch platform unto force plates (Bertec Inc 1000 hz). Additionally, markerless motion capture technology was used to collect video data using Qualisys Mocap cameras (Qualisys North America, Inc. Buffalo Grove, Ill). Imagery was then processed in Theia (Theia Markerless, Inc. Kingston, Ontario) to produce 3d joint locations for all the joints of the lower extremity. Each wrestler performed 3 jumps with the left leg and then 3 with the right leg for a total of 6 jump attempts. 7 total variables were calculated and recorded in Visual 3D software (Dolomite Enterprises, LLC. Tallahassee, FL) for each wrestler and leg: drop max vertical force, vertical loading rate on drop, peak knee adduction angle, peak knee abduction moment, peak knee adduction moment, peak knee flexion angle, peak knee extension moment. Averages, standard deviations and percent differences were also calculated and compared between limbs. Injury history data was also collected from each participant from the year 2021 - present day.Results: Averaging found asymmetries in peak knee adduction angle with the left knee being greater than the right by 4.9 degrees (p=0.001), peak knee abduction moment with the right knee being greater than the left by .95 newton meters (p=0.001), and peak knee adduction moment with the left knee being greater than the right by .44 newton meters (p=0.001). All significant asymmetries were found in the frontal plane. No significant asymmetries were found in the sagittal plane. Injury history report found a total of 24 seperate lower limb injuries within the described timeframe. 16 associated with the right limb and 8 associated with the left. A total of 5 ACL injuries, 8 MCL injuries, 5 LCL Injuries, 3 meniscus injuries, and 3 ankle injuries. Conclusion: Asymmetry trends in collegiate wrestlers potentially indicate that internal joint asymmetry is specific to sport or activity. Also, internal joint asymmetry could be a potential indicator for training protocols for overall better movement and health within the studied population. Asymmetrical values of the peak knee adduction angle, peak knee abduction moment, and peak knee adduction moment combined with the frequency of knee injuries of the participants indicate possible positive correlations between the magnitude of asymmetry discovered and injury risk.

Authors: Gabe Matthews, Easton Eddie. Mentors: Jennifer Meyer. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Diabetes is a prevalent chronic health condition associated with significant complications, including diabetic kidney disease. The accumulation of elevated glucose levels in cells triggers an upregulation of NADPH Oxidase (NOX) expression, contributing to diabetic kidney disease. NOX activation results in an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing oxidative stress and cellular proliferation. Pterostilbene, recognized for its natural antioxidant properties, has demonstrated efficacy in reducing oxidative stress across various cell types. This study focuses on elucidating the NOX pathways in endothelial cells exposed to hyperglycemic conditions and assessing the extent of oxidative stress reduction with the introduction of pterostilbene. To quantify cellular oxidative stress, we will employ an Amplex Red assay to measure superoxide and hydrogen peroxide levels within the cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) will also be utilized to assess NOX protein gene expression at the mRNA level. To complement these methods, a western blot analysis is conducted to quantify NOX protein concentrations under distinct environmental conditions. Our research aims to shed light on the potential of pterostilbene as a therapeutic agent in mitigating oxidative stress associated with hyperglycemic conditions in endothelial cells.

Authors: Lillian Davis, Paul B Frandsen. Mentors: Paul B. Frandsen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Insects of the order Embioptera (webspinners) typically live in colonies that can cover the ground of entire fields with their silk-constructed galleries, providing them with camouflage from predators and cover from the rain. Uniquely amongst silk-producing insects, webspinners possess silk glands in their forelimbs and, like spiders, retain the ability to produce silk throughout their life history. They typically live together in semi-social colonies, feeding off of decaying plant matter. Previous studies have been limited to morphological descriptions of species, testing various qualities of their silk, and a few molecular studies based on short DNA sequences. Here we present the genome of Apostonia ceylonica, a webspinner species from India, providing the first embiopteran genome assembly, opening the door to a multitude of analyses. At a haploid size of approximately 3.1 gigabases, their genome is significantly larger than previous estimates, containing a significant number of repeating segments. This data provides valuable information for future studies into the genes that control silk production, information for identifying this species through meta-barcoding, and data that could improve phylogenetic trees. By evaluating the effect of repetitive elements on their oversized genomes, we gain insights into the evolutionary history of Apostonia ceylonica.

Authors: Hazel Ticas, Daniel Scott. Mentors: Daniel Scott. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The COVID-19 pandemic’s results, though highly publicized throughout its early years, fell out of the media’s attention over time. Despite the lower volume of media coverage, the effects of the pandemic remain ongoing. In an effort to maintain accurate information about the most current impacts of COVID-19, this study will review relative COVID-19 case amounts compared to population density for four populations during the omicron peak between the years of 2021 and 2022.. The four populations are: counties in New York, United States; counties in California, United States; a collection of the largest counties from the other 48 United States, and the states in Sweden. The population density for each of the four populations was corrected using Google Maps in order to eliminate areas that didn’t have any residents, but were part of the county or state boundaries. Boundaries have been defined as anything thats stops the spread of COVID-19, said boundary can be geographical or self-isolation. We aim to analyze the data trends of how Omicron spreads in relation to population density and boundary effects by comparing the ratio of virus spreadability to boundaries on each population. The goal is to create a model that can be applied to COVID-19.

Authors: Tiba Hasan, Elise Larsen, McKell Gillins. Mentors: Jodie Lopez. Insitution: Utah Valley University. AbstractThis paper discusses studies that have researched the most effective forms of teeth whitening and the mechanism behind it. Studies discuss the oxidation of double bonds which in turn lighten the chromogens impacting the overall coloration of dentition. The three main forms of treatment that were considered in these studies include in-office treatment, at home treatment and OTC products. At home overnight bleaching proved to have the best results for both immediate and post 10 week results. At-home treatment under dentist’s care involves lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide ranging from three to ten percent thus it takes longer time than in-office treatment (Leh, B. 2018). Factors such as food intake, beverages, smoking, and oral hygiene care can all impact the efficiency of bleaching methods. While some toothpaste brands, like charcoal toothpaste, claim to whiten teeth, research suggests that these abrasive toothpastes may lead to enamel wear. Furthermore, studies have compared the effects of chemical and herbal toothpaste and found that both can produce similar whitening effects. However, chemical products tend to be more harmful compared to herbal alternatives As dental esthetics have become increasingly important to western populations, more whitening products are readily available for consumer use. Studies warn about the adverse risks and effects of dental bleaching to be aware of for both the consumer and those applying or prescribing bleaching methods, therefore it is important for hygienists and others in the dental field to become educated and aware of the increasing bleaching product selection.

Authors: Michaela Lovejoy, Rylee Udom, Lindsey Fry, Hailey Roubidoux, Makayla Dunbar, Kali Hunt, Mandy Gibbs, Lisa Welch. Mentors: Lisa Welch. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Traditional dental radiography education necessitates the exposure of both clinician and patients to radiation to build clinician skill. Virtual reality (VR) may enable practitioners to learn valuable hands on skills without the use of expensive equipment and without patient or operator exposure to radiation. The purpose of the research is to determine if access to practice in virtual reality (VR) using a specifically designed application, builds skill competency in dental radiology compared with traditional practice methods. A convenience sample of 24 first year dental hygiene students at Utah Tech University were recruited and randomly assigned to the test and control groups. Test group participants were given access to a VR headset with a dental radiology skill practice application installed. Control group participants were given access to traditional dental radiography skill practice methods. To encourage participation, an incentive of a $10 Amazon gift card upon completion of the study was offered. Data will be collected via skill competency evaluation at two-months, mid-term grade scores and final grade scores from the participants’ dental radiology laboratory course. To increase internal validity and reliability, investigators responsible for skill competency evaluation will be blinded and undergo both intra and inter-rater reliability testing to 95% agreement. Upon completion of the Fall semester 2023, data will be analyzed using ANOVA repeated measures between factors accounting for the two independent variables of traditional practice and practice in VR and the dependent variables of competency assessment scores, mid-term and final clinical course grades. Alpha will be set at 0.05. Should it be determined that practice in VR contributes to student learning, VR may enable students to practice additional health science skills in a safe, low stakes environment; thus, increasing student experiential learning and contributing to increased student and patient safety.

Authors: Britt Wyatt, Alyssa Habel, Jess Cusick, Heath Ogden, Josh Premo. Mentors: Dr.Britt Wyatt. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Vaccines are crucial to maintaining healthy communities as they provide immunological protection against a variety of infections (Geoghegan, S. et al. 2020). By providing immunity, vaccines prevent serious illnesses, reduce disease severity, and protect communities. However, in 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared vaccine hesitancy (resistance to getting vaccinated) as one of the top 10 dangers to global health (Dubé, Ève, et al. 2021). Previous studies have shown that certain communities are more vaccine hesitant than others. For example, individuals who are religious, conservative, Black, and women have been found to be more vaccine hesitant than other individuals (Savoia, E. et al., 2021) (Gowda C. & Dempsey, A., 2013). Therefore, we wanted to investigate vaccine hesitancy at an open enrollment institution that serves a unique student population where ~70% of students are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ~30% are non-traditional (over the age of 24) (UVU IR, 2023). Compared to the overall 1.6% of individuals in the United States who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Pew Research Center, 2023), the identities of the students attending the open enrollment institution are vastly underrepresented in education research that has been conducted at other institutions. To investigate vaccine hesitancy, a survey was given to 1,444 students in the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester asking questions around vaccine safety and support. Preliminary results indicate that 70% of non-religious students will choose to be vaccinated against known and new diseases compared to 37% of religious students. 53% of non-religious students think that vaccine mandates are appropriate compared to 25% of religious students. These results indicate more vaccine hesitancy with religious students compared to non-religious students. As religious students make up most of the student population, results can help inform instructors and/or other stakeholders on scientific literacy topics to support in the academic setting. Lastly, further investigation on the intersectionality of identities will be explored such as gender and religion as women make roughly 80% of health-related decisions in their family unit. If religious women are more likely to be vaccine hesitant, development of strategies to support those students in making evidence-based decisions could be a future aim.

Authors: Coleman Judd, Alexander Beagley. Mentors: Michelle Culumber. Insitution: Weber State University. Due to the overuse of antibiotics in industrial, agricultural, and medical settings, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming more prevalent in various unique settings. We set out with the goal of identifying antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the Great Salt Lake waterfront. After isolating colonies on agar containing the antibiotic Tetracycline, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and identified three separate Enterobacteriaceae species all exhibiting varying levels of antibiotic resistance. We performed an array of biochemical and physiological tests to further distinguish the Enterobacteriaceae species. Full spectrum biochemical tests indicate two near identical species followed by a third, novel species as both a phenotypic and biochemical outlier. Antibiotic resistant bacteria within the Great Salt Lake region present an ever-growing dilemma of clinical and environmental danger that accompanies antibiotic resistant microbes.

Authors: Anthony Cornwall, Jake Rhea, Travis Ficklin. Mentors: Travis Ficklin. Insitution: Utah Tech University. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation among various barbell tracking methods for both validity and between-method variability. Back squat and snatch lifts were simultaneously tracked using three systems: a corded linear transducer system (Tendo), a laser-based system (Flex), and a reflective marker multi-camera motion capture system (3D). The 3D system was considered a gold standard for validation. Nine repetitions each of barbell back squat and a snatch lifts were executed. Each system simultaneously tracked peak velocity, peak power, mean velocity, mean power, and displacement of the barbell for both lifts. All correlations were tested using Pearson Product Moment, with alpha set a priori at 0.05. Correlations among tracking methods were high for the back squat, and considerably lower for the snatch lift. Correlations for displacement were poor among all methods (-0.63 < r < 0.65). Correlations for velocities and powers were strong in the back squat (0.79 < r < 0.99), but weak-to-moderate for the snatch (-0.31 < r < 0.63). A discussion will be presented of tracking methods and lift mechanics, which can explain some, but not all, disparities among methods.

Authors: Dylan Snook, Anthony Cornwall, Travis Ficklin. Mentors: Travis Ficklin. Insitution: Utah Tech University. The purposes of this study were to (a) experimentally measure the moment of inertia of a regulation baseball and (b) use the same method to measure the new moment of inertia of a modified baseball about orthogonal axes. The moment of inertia (I) of a rolling sphere follows the form I = k*m*r2, where m = ball mass, r = ball radius, and k represents a constant specific to the ball. Because baseballs are multi-layered of varying densities, they were not treated as a solid spheres. The balls were rolled multiple times down a plane inclined at 4.55 degrees and acceleration was derived by video tracking the ball using a camera with optical axis perpendicular to the plane of the ball’s motion. Position and velocity were derived during the rolling acceleration, and the slope of velocity was taken to be the rolling acceleration (acc). This was then used in the equation: k = (g sin(theta)/acc) – 1, where g is the acceleration due to gravity and theta is the angle of inclination of the plane. The variable k was calculated based upon average acceleration over many rolling trials and then used to finally calculate I for each ball. Results for the regulation ball and for the modified balls will be presented for multiple axes.

Authors: Lauryn Dupaix. Mentors: Riley Nelson. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Golger’s rule is an ecogeographic rule stating that animals in warm and humid climates are heavily pigmented, whereas animals in colder and drier climates are lightly pigmented. By using previously collected specimens of Proctacanthus sp. from across the U.S., we explore how this rule applies to several species of robber flies over time and geographic space. The average color of thorax was analyzed using a spectrophotometer which were used in correlation tests with climate measurements from where the specimen was collected. We found that this ecogeographic rule was not consistent in all four of the species of robber flies that were analyzed. Therefore, other studies of the applicability of ecogeographic rules are being assessed in this genus. This research helps define morphological variation in a widespread species and open avenues for more morphological analysis of insects in a changing climate.

Authors: Anthony Cornwall, Dylan Snook, Travis Ficklin. Mentors: Travis Ficklin. Insitution: Utah Tech University. The purpose of this study was to discover any relationships between individual finger force capabilities of collegiate pitchers and the spin rates and axes of their four-seam fastballs. NCAA Division-I pitchers participated in the study. Using a hand-held dynamometer, multiple trials of a squeezing task were performed by each pitcher. Five trials were made using both index and middle fingers at maximum isometric effort. Then, in counterbalanced order, pitchers also duplicated the isometric squeeze isolating the index and middle fingers in one-fingered squeezes. Pitchers were constrained to make the maximum effort squeezes in a time frame similar to that of delivering a pitch.Spin axis and rate for their four-seam fastballs were taken from previously collected ball flight tracking using a field Trackman system. Analysis was performed for any relationships among axis tilt and relative finger contribution to total force, as well as spin rates with total isometric force. Additional relationships based upon anthropometric measures of the hand and fingers were also explored and the results are to be presented.

Authors: Syrus Miner, Ryland Day, Justin LeClair, Adam Dimaio. Mentors: Randy Klabacka. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Accurate measurement of the knee joint angle is important for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. With the advancement of wearable technology the measurement of range of motion can now be measured dynamically during exercises. The primary purpose of this research project is to provide a mechanism by which physical therapy outcomes can be improved after knee replacement surgery. This will be accomplished by creating a knee brace attachment that will employ motion detecting sensors to chart the post-op and/or post-injury progression of the movement of the knee joint. It is estimated that approximately 5% of the population over the age of 50 in the United States are currently living with a knee replacement. It has been shown that knee pain has been coupled with depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and an overall lower satisfaction in life. Improved knee function has reduced the dissatisfaction experienced in life as daily activities are able to be retained. While physical therapy helps recovery of range of motion for patients, the incentive for patients to complete tasks at home and the lack of standardized data collection may impede patient recovery times. The desired outcome of this research is to create a device that reports the effectiveness of a patient's treatment by using off-the-shelf electronics to accurately measure knee joint range of motion and communicate it to physicians.

Authors: Caroline Nielson, Connor Baird. Mentors: Robert Kagabo. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Opioid Use Disorders Treatment Related Disparities in Patients with Psychiatric IllnessAuthors: Caroline Nielson, Connor Baird, Robert Kagabo, PhD, MSW, MPHAbstractBackgroundThis study is a review of peer-reviewed articles of Opioid Use Disorders (OUD) treatment among individuals with psychiatric illness. OUD is a subset of substance use disorders (SUD) that is chronic and a growing public health concern. There were 47,000 opioid-related deaths in 2018 in the US; OUD is responsible globally for 68% of the drug-related deaths. OUD can result from either prescribed or non-prescribed opioid use. Some populations such as individuals with psychiatric illness have high rates of prescription opioids yet face opioid use treatment and research-related disparities. This review study examines OUD treatment and research-related disparities among patients with psychiatric illness with the goal to improve treatment among this vulnerable population.MethodsUsing PubMed and PsycINFO databases, we performed a search of journal articles regarding OUD treatment which were published between 2010 and 2023. We then completed a review of the journal articles using narrative overview guidelines. All articles reviewed were from randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies. Examples of search terms used include OUD treatment and mental health; OUD and psychiatric illness RCT studies; and opioid use treatment and mental health. Studies included were those of OUD treatment among individuals with psychiatric illness and or with a DSM5 or DSM4 diagnosis. Any studies that did not include OUD treatment and, or a DSM diagnosis, or RCT design were excluded. To avoid duplication, only one journal article from a study was included. ResultsThere were 18 journal articles reviewed that met the inclusion criteria. Treatment periods ranged from 8-24 weeks. Generally, studies excluded individuals with diagnoses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, or other serious mental health diagnoses. Several studies included participants with a DSM5 or DSM4 diagnosis of OUD, while excluding individuals with other psychiatric or substance use disorders. Most of the studies used pharmacological treatments and only a few studies had combined pharmacological and behavioral treatments. The common medicines in pharmacological treatments were methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.ConclusionOUD treatment and research related disparities exist among individuals with psychiatric illness, yet this is the population who suffer most from OUD. Additional studies regarding OUD treatment among individuals with psychiatric illness are needed to improve OUD treatments and reduce OUD-related morbidity and mortality rates.

Authors: Brynlyn Hastings, Dante Cervantes, Jaime Analuisa. Mentors: Lindsay Chaney. Insitution: Snow College. Ants are a diverse and ecologically significant group of insects, yet their species identification in the field can be challenging due to their small size and morphological variation. In this study conducted at Snow College, we employed DNA barcoding techniques to unravel the ant species diversity within the local ecosystem of Snow College's Campus. Our research aimed to shed light on the ant species biodiversity concerning areas that had more human interference compared to those with little human interference contributing to a better understanding of local biodiversity.

Authors: Joshua Thlaman, Brynlei Luke, Emily Pattee. Mentors: Lindsay Chaney. Insitution: Snow College. We tested if grasshopper species varied based on locations with constant human interaction vs. locations with little to no human interaction within Sanpete county. Due to how close, (a 6 mile radius), the collection locations are, it was logically reasoned that there will be no differences in grasshopper species between Ephraim and Manti Utah.​This study was performed with grasshoppers collected in Sanpete County: specifically, the town of Ephraim, Ephraim canyon, the town of Manti, and Manti canyon. To do this, we collected grasshoppers from each of the mentioned locations, extracted the DNA samples by humanely freezing the grasshoppers and collected small amounts of the grasshoppers, amplified the DNA samples using PCR, and sequenced the PCR products to help identify the grasshopper species collected using BLAST. ​Our experiment results showed that there was a large variation of species collected, as well as many similar species were present in all collection locations. Ephraim housing and Ephraim canyon only had one type of species present (Melanoplus sanguinipes), while Manti housing showed three other species (Melanoplus differentialis, Dissosteira carolina, Trimerotropis pallidipennis), and Manti canyon showed another species type (Trimerotropis cincta). This suggests that there is more variation within Manti housing and Manti canyon, no variation within Ephraim housing and Ephraim canyon, and only some variation between Manti and Ephraim.

Authors: Michal Hansen, Nathan Werner. Mentors: Nathan Werner. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The preparation of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals requires chemical reactions that make carbon-carbon bonds. Carbon atoms of three different hybridazations are known: sp3, sp2 and sp. Most reactions are specific to the hybridization of the carbon atom. We will study a reaction to bond an sp2-hybridized carbon to an sp3-hybridized carbon. This reaction could then be used to make interesting molecules that contain similar bonds. Specifically, the synthesis of 1,3-diphenylpropene will begin with a hydroboration reaction of phenylacetylene with pinacolborane. These two starting materials are combined with a 9-BBN-catalyst and heated to reflux in tetrahydrofuran at 65 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. The hydroboration product is then purified by aqueous extraction and silica gel flash chromatography. The product from the hydroboration reaction contains an sp2-hydridized carbon-boron bond and is then combined with benzyl bromide that contains a sp3-carbon-bromine bond. This is the reaction that we are studying. They are heated in DMF solvent with a palladium catalyst, ligand and base at 90 degrees Celsius for 1.5 hours. Once the reaction is complete, the cross-coupling product is purified by aqueous extraction and silica gel flash chromatography.

Authors: Cate Bateman, Jose Aurelio De La Rocha Tapia, Ethan Fulwood, Arianna Harrington. Mentors: Arianna Harrington. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The Eocene-Oligocene boundary in North America was marked by climatic cooling and drying. This transition is a key time in mammalian evolution, and studying fossils spanning this boundary could yield important information about how fauna responded to the climatic change. McCarty’s Mountain, a fossil rich geological feature located in Madison County, Montana, has long intrigued scientists due to the many insights it holds into the terrestrial fauna of the region. The sites from McCarty’s Mountain date from the Chadronian North American Land Mammal Age, which corresponds to the late Eocene epoch. The geological strata to produce these fossils were thought to have been deposited in a floodplain, yielding remarkably preserved fossils which have been collected and studied since the early 1900’s. However, the microfossils from this locality have been understudied despite the insights it could provide to the terrestrial Eocene-Oligocene transition in North America. In this study, we aim to close this gap by analyzing microfossils picked from matrix collected from McCarty’s Mountain localities in summer 2023. Preliminarily, we have processed about ⅛ of the collected sediments, and have found several identifiable elements including mammalian teeth, vertebrae, and long bones. We will continue this work by washing and soaking the remaining matrix and quantifying the microfossils retrieved. The fossils recovered may provide future insight to changes in microfauna across the Eocene-Oligocene boundary.

Authors: Ashley Hartwig, Dr. Weeg. Mentors: Matthew Weeg. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The physiological benefits of petting pet cats, dogs, and horses have been thoroughly investigated for decades. Studies suggest that the act of handling and being around pets can offer direct cardiovascular benefits, such as lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as indirect benefits such as lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels. However, the ability of pet reptiles to offer similar benefits has not been explored. In this work, we investigated the effects of reptile handling on the handler, expressed by cardiovascular variables. An automated blood pressure device was used to obtain the blood pressure and heart rate of participants every five minutes over a 20-minute time period. Three different conditions were tested for each participant: one where they handled a snake (Python regius), one where they handled a lizard (Pogona vitticeps), and one where they handled a stuffed animal , which served as the control. Overall, we saw a significant decrease in the systolic blood pressure in subjects during both reptile conditions compared to the control , though there was no change in diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), or heart rate. A decrease in systolic blood pressure has also been documented in studies involving mammalian companion animals. Therefore, our results provide evidence that handling snakes and lizards might provide some of the same cardiovascular benefits as handling cats, dogs, or horses. If so, this lends support to the argument that lizards and snakes can also be considered companion animals. These conclusions can be used to advocate for proper reptile husbandry and conservation efforts to protect native species in the fight against stigmas surrounding reptiles.

Authors: Logan Whitney, Jaren Wilson, Elley Colledge, Jamie Thygerson. Mentors: Jessica Pullan. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Exosomes are nanosized (40-150 nm) extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from cells that play a vital role in the human body's intracellular communication.1 The use of bovine-derived exosomes as a drug delivery vehicle provides an innovative approach to targeted drug delivery4 due to their stability, nontoxicity, non-immunogenic properties, and cost efficiency.5,6,7,8,9 The purpose of our research is to establish and refine a raw bovine milk exosome isolation protocol to determine the quality of exosomes. Current standards for small EV identification are currently being established and regulated by the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) but center around three main categories: proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.2 To refer to EVs as exosomes, they must be of endosome origin, otherwise they are referred to as ectosomes, and must be appropriately referred to by their size.13 Upon isolation, we verified the morphology of the small EV’s using Scanning Electron Microscopy, allowing visualization of the size and shape of the small EVs. Our research methods for the quantification of surface proteins include Rose Bengal Assay12 and Bradford Assay. Examination using exosome-specific cell surface markers, such as CD63, demonstrates protein functionality of the small EVs. Quantification of lipids allows for comparison of lipid concentration to surface protein concentration for further evidence of exosome identification. Lastly, RNA quantification ensured the small EVs met the concentration threshold to be defined as exosomes. The combination of these methods will further the work in bovine milk extracellular vesicles by yielding a low-cost, high-yield protocol for the isolation and characterization of EVs that can be further used as biomarkers, drug carriers, and a variety of platforms of delivery to physiological targets. [1] Rayamajhi, S., Nguyen T., Marasini R., Aryal S. Macrophage-derived exosome-mimetic hybrid [2] Théry, C., Witwer, K.W., Aikawa, E., Alcaraz, M.J., Anderson, J.D., Andriantsitohaina, R., et al. Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018): a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines.  Journal of Extracellular Vesicles 2018; 7:1. [3] Pullan, J. E., Confeld, M. I., Osborn, J. K., Kim, J., Sarkar, K., and Mallik, S. Exosomes as drug carriers for cancer therapy. Molecular Pharmaceutics 2019; 16:1789–1798. vesicles for tumor targeted drug delivery. Acta Biomaterialia 2019; 94:482-494.  [4] He J, Ren W, Wang W, et al. Exosomal targeting and its potential clinical application. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022;12(10):2385-2402. [5] Munagala R, Aqil F, Jeyabalan J, Gupta RC. Bovine milk-derived exosomes for drug delivery. Cancer Lett. 2016; 371(1):48-61. [6] Rashidi M, Bijari S, Khazaei AH, Shojaei-Ghahrizjani F, Rezakhani L. The role of milk-derived exosomes in the treatment of diseases. Front Genet 2022;13:1009338.  [7]García-Martínez J, Pérez-Castillo ÍM, Salto R, López-Pedrosa JM, Rueda R, Girón MD. Beneficial Effects of Bovine Milk Exosomes in Metabolic Interorgan Cross-Talk. Nutrients 2022;14(7):1442.  [8] Mashouri, L., Yousefi, H., Aref, A.R. et al. Exosomes: composition, biogenesis, and mechanisms in cancer metastasis and drug resistance. Mol Cancer 2019; 18:75.  [9] Radha Munagala, Hina Kausar, Charu Munjal, Ramesh C. Gupta, Withaferin A induces p53-dependent apoptosis by repression of HPV oncogenes and upregulation of tumor suppressor proteins in human cervical cancer cells, Carcinogenesis 2011; 11:1697–1705. [10] Wijenayake S., Eisha S., Tawhidi Z., Pitino M.A., Steele M.A., Fleming A.S., et al. Comparison of methods for pre-processing, exosome isolation, and RNA extraction in unpasteurized bovine and human milk. PLoS ONE 2021;16:e0257633. [11] Osteikoetxea X., Balogh A., Szabó-Taylor K., Németh A., Szabó T.G., Pálóczi K., et al. Improved Characterization of EV Preparations Based on Protein to Lipid Ratio and Lipid Properties. PLOS ONE 2015;10:e0121184. [12] Kishore, S.; Maruthamuthu, M. Binding of Rose Bengal onto Bovine Serum Albumin. Proceedings / Indian Academy of Sciences 1993, 105 (4–5), 279–285. DOI:10.1007/bf02866917. [13] Théry, C., Witwer, K. W., Aikawa, E. et al. (2018). Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018): A position statement of the International Society for extracellular vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/20013078.2018.1535750z

Authors: Mackay B Steffensen, AustinRyan A Kirkby, Kieran L Richards. Mentors: Mackay B Steffensen. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Cyanuric chloride, a 1,3,5-trichlorotriazine, serves as a valuable platform for constructing innovative molecules. This project explores the unique reactivity of triazines to synthesize triazine crown ethers—a class of cyclic polyethers with a central cavity capable of selectively binding metal ions and polar molecules. Temperature-controlled nucleophilic aromatic substitution is employed to selectively substitute the triazine ring, providing precise control over the reaction. The first substitution with a primary amine nucleophile occurs rapidly at 0 °C, while subsequent substitutions at room temperature or 70 °C necessitate longer reaction times. This controlled approach enables the incorporation of three different amines.The project aims to synthesize triazine crown ethers through temperature-dependent substitution using two different methods. The first approach employs a diamine with an ether linkage in the presence of a base, facilitating consecutive substitutions to produce the target molecule. Intramolecular reactions are favored, but intermolecular reactions may lead to unexpected yet valuable products. The second method utilizes templated synthesis, taking advantage of the affinity of crown ethers for metal cations to promote cyclization reactions. A traditional route involving post-synthetic cyclization with ethylene glycol is also considered.The successful synthesis of these molecules opens up opportunities for further research, including characterizing their affinity for metals and exploring other unique properties. The acquired knowledge can be applied to construct more complex molecular structures, making this work valuable in materials science, analytical chemistry, and pharmaceuticals.

Authors: Lonnie Ernst. Mentors: Lane Law. Insitution: Salt Lake Community College. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic bacteria commonly found in water. Microcystis aeruginosa is one such cyanobacteria that is found within the waters of Utah Lake. M. aeruginosa produces the microcystin toxin which is harmful to the aquatic life and contributes to the ongoing problem of eutrophication and, if ingested, is also harmful to humans. Alongside this toxin producing cyanobacteria, Utah Lake is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which are highly carcinogenic chemical compounds. This study aims to offer a method of bioremediation by engineering M. aeruginosa to carry a BPH gene pathway that breaks down PCBs. Using CRISPR, this gene would remove the microcystin producing gene and replace it with the BPH gene resulting in the engineered M. aeruginosa to breakdown the PCB contaminants and halt further production of the microcystin toxin.

Authors: Sydney Pruett. Mentors: Roger Gold. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Microbiologically Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) presents an innovative avenue for sustainable construction and environmental remediation. This biogenic process leverages the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea by microorganisms to generate calcium carbonate crystals, offering a green alternative with carbon sequestration potential, enhanced structural durability, and self-healing capabilities. Sporosarcina pasteurii is currently the predominant microorganism employed in biobrick production due to its notable urease activity. This study endeavors to assess the MICP potential of less explored bacterial strains with comparable urease activity levels. The strains under investigation include Sporosarcina ureae, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Additionally, we aim to shed light on the viability of these alternative microorganisms for MICP applications, contributing to a broader understanding of this promising technology's adaptability and potential implications for sustainable construction practices.

Authors: Alix Elliston. Mentors: Lane Law. Insitution: Salt Lake Community College. Cyanobacteria (colloquially known as blue-green algae) are photosynthetic prokaryotes commonly found in water. Several genera of freshwater cyanobacteria, including Microcystis, Planktothrix (Oscillatoria), and Anabaena, produce potent hepatotoxins known as microcystins. Eutrophication and increasing temperatures facilitate an overgrowth of toxin-producing cyanobacteria, referred to as cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs). There are several known cyanophages which infect these genera and there has been some research into the role phages play in regulating cyanoHABs. This study aims to isolate microcystin-producing cyanobacteria from Utah Lake, as well as known or novel freshwater cyanophages which can infect the isolates. Any isolated phage will be propagated, have its DNA extracted and sequenced, and studied for use as a CRISPR delivery vehicle to target toxin-producing cyanobacteria, with the aim of knocking out microcystin biosynthesis.