Follow

• 

  Diversity and community of macroinvertebrates in Timpanogos Caves, Utah

  Erika Frandsen and C. Riley Nelson

  The Timpanogos Cave System consists of three caves in American Fork, Utah. In 2003, the National Park Service (NPS) commissioned Dr. Riley Nelson and laboratory students to conduct a survey of the diversity and abundance of terrestrial arthropod species found within the caves. Over the two years they sampled in Timpanogos Caves, they identified 55 species of macroinvertebrates in an unpublished report. In the 20 years since the last sampling, many environmental factors could have changed in these caves, contributing to an overall decrease in both abundance and biodiversity of fauna. Therefore, we repeated the sampling done by the Nelson lab in 2003-2004 for the duration of May 2023-October 2023 to compare the two time periods’ macroinvertebrate communities.

• 

  Advancing Mycotoxin Detection: Multivariate Rapid Analysis on Corn using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)

  Allison Gabbitas, Gene Ahlborn, Kaitlyn Allen, and Shintaro Pang

  Background and Purpose: Mycotoxin contamination on food and feed can have deleterious effect on human and animal health. Agricultural crops may contain one or more mycotoxin compounds; therefore, a good multiplex detection method is desirable to ensure food safety. In this study, we developed a rapid method using label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to simultaneously detect three common types of mycotoxins found on corn, namely aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN), and ochratoxin A (OTA).

  Methods: A SERS nanosubstrate was applied on the agricultural crop (i.e., corn) and mixed briefly with mycotoxins present on the surface. Raman spectral data were acquired using a Raman microscope equipped with a 785 nm laser.

  Results: The intrinsic chemical fingerprint from each mycotoxin was characterized by their unique Raman spectra, enabling clear discrimination between them. The limit of detection (LOD) of AFB1, ZEN, and OTA on corn were 10 ppb (32 nM), 20 ppb (64 nM), and 100 ppb (248 nM), respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to predict concentrations of AFB1, ZEN, and OTA up to 1.5 ppm (4.8 μM) based on the SERS spectra of known concentrations, resulting in a correlation coefficient of 0.74, 0.89, and 0.72, respectively. The sampling time was less than 30 min per sample.

  Significance: This study demonstrates the promising application of this method for rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins on corn, which may be extended to detecting other types of mycotoxins in food and feed, as well as to detecting mycotoxins in other settings, such as water or soil.

• 

  Fishing for Neurocircuitry: Identifying Multi-Sensory Integrating Neurons in the Optic Tectum of Zebrafish

  Suehelen A. Garcia, Adeline Hamilton, KariAnne Jex, Erika C. Marks, Jordan T. Yorgason, Tracianne B. Neilsen, and Arminda Suli

  The superior colliculus (SC) is a mammalian midbrain structure involved in multimodal sensory integration and is implicated to have a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Although the presence of multisensory integrating neurons (MINs) in the SC has been well documented by electrophysiology techniques, little is known about their morphological or molecular characterization. To identify and study MINs, we utilized SC’s non-mammalian homologous structure–the optic tectum (OT)–in the genetically tractable model organism zebrafish. In this process, we generated transgenic lines that allowed for fluorescent detection of neuronal activity by expressing the genetically engineered calcium indicators: cytoRGECO and H2B-jRGECO1a, respectively in mechanosensory hair cells of the ear and OT. To activate the vestibular sensory pads in 7 days-post-fertilization (dpf) larvae, we used a piezoelectric actuator probe. We found that upon the application of this vestibular stimulus in the posterior cristae (PC), some OT neurons showed time-locked activation. This indicates that OT circuitry in 7dpf larvae is mature enough to receive vestibular stimuli. Furthermore, when 7dpf larvae were sequentially and simultaneously exposed to vestibular and visual stimulations (1 second pulse of 488nm light), we found OT neurons that responded to concurrent stimuli and showed characteristics of multisensory integration. Identification of MINs in the zebrafish OT sets up the stage for better morphological and molecular characterization and their role in neurodevelopmental disorders using a genetically tractable model.

• 

  Exploring Changes in Micro-Invertebrate Species Composition in Rock Pools of the Colorado Plateau

  Hamer Goolsby, Russell Rader, and Sara Schenk

  • In ecology, desert rock pools form an ideal model ecosystem. These typically isolated pools a small enough that a researcher can observe the entire system and record everything going into and out of this aquatic system. This removes one of the most important confounding factors for observational studies in ecology, making rock pools an important system to understand.
  • The rock pools of the Colorado Plateau in the western United States consist of three main types: 1) scoured pools in temporary stream channels that violently flood during rainstorms (locally called Tinajas), 2) shorthydroperiod pools which are shallow depressions (< 0.6 m deep) that thaw in March and dry by the end of April , and 3) long hydroperiod pools which are deep pools (1-3 m) that thaw in March and persist until June.
  • Meiofauna (animals that can pass through a 500-micron sieve but cannot pass through a 40-micron sieve) play a role as a link between the microscopic and macroscopic communities in an ecosystem. Meiofauna have been seen to stimulate microbial activity and increase bacterial abundance, increase photosynthetic activity in microalgal biofilms, and provide an essential food source for many macroscopic invertebrates and juvenile benthivorous fishes.

• 

  Distinguishing Leukemic Cells Using Fractal Chromatin Patterns and Machine Learning

  Abigail Gordhamer, Ryan Cordner, and Paul Young

  One of the most important tests in the clinical laboratory is the Complete Blood Count, which involves identifying the white blood cells in a patient’s blood. The respective counts of the different white blood cell types correlate with various states of health and disease and are critical to diagnosing diseases such as leukemia. Leukemic cells (blasts) are considered especially difficult to distinguish, and it is of the upmost importance that these cells are identified correctly. To aid in the process of leukemic cell identification, we quantified fractal patterns in the chromatin of white blood cells and used the data to identify cells with a random forest algorithm. By distinguishing between cells with the help of a machine learning algorithm, we hope to improve accuracy and efficiency in the clinical laboratory and more easily identify leukemic cells.

• 

  Population Monitoring of Beaver Mountain Groundsel

  Autumn Gudmundsen, Loreen Allphin, Madison Huie, and Steve Flinders

  2nd Place Poster Design

  • Beaver Mountain groundsel, Packera castoreus, is a rare flowering plant, endemic to the Tushar Mountains of Utah (fig.1 & 2).

  • P. castoreus has been classified as high priority for monitoring and conservation by the Utah Native Plant Society1.

  • The plants in the Tushars are some of the least studied in Utah.

  • There have been conservation concerns for rare alpine species recently due to increased threats. Threats to this species include:

  • Grazing from large ungulates (mountain goats, deer, & elk)2

  • Human impacts, especially hiking1

  • Climate change1

  • To better understand the impacts of these various threats on P. castoreus, we monitored populations from 2018-2022 and assessed plant morphology, community composition, and population data.

  • This research is part of a larger project on rare plant communities in the Tushars and provides analysis of one of the rare plant species of the project’s focus.

• 

  Phylogeny of Hetaerina (Odonata: Calopterygidae): Settling taxonomic issues

  Reganne Leigh Hales, Seth M. Bybee, Laura N. Sutherland, Melissa Sanchez Herrera, and Samantha Standring

  Recent phylogenetic work within Hetaerininae based on Sanger data highlighted classification issues (e.g., non-monophyly between the genera), however no changes were proposed at that time. We explore the phylogeny of Hetaerininae using a targeted enrichment approach (AHE) of 20KB (18.5KB of nuclear and 1.5 of mitochondrial DNA) in an attempt to resolve any discrepancies.

• 

  The Changing Tumor Microenvironment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

  Mackenzie Hansen, Kim O'Neill, Qin Zhou, Yoko DeRose, Magdalena Kovacsovics, Benjamin Brintz, Benjamin L. Witt, and Siwen Hu-Lieskovan

  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in the United States, and non-small cell (NSCLC) is the most common type. An increasingly prevalent treatment in the last few years for NSCLC has been immunotherapy. However, for immunotherapy to be the most effective, we need to have a better understanding of how the immune system interacts with cancer in all stages. Specifically, we need to know where the immune cells reside, how they interact with each other, and how these populations change as the disease progresses. To define the tumor microenvironment, we stained 27 whole tumor slides with a panel of 7 markers and identified the spatial distribution of immune cell types around the tumor. We then compared that information across stages to see how it changed over time.

• 

  Role Models v. Knowledge: Should we Use Different Evolution Teaching Strategies for Students with Varying Levels of Scientific Reasoning Skills?

  Kenny Harrington and Jamie Jensen

  What We KNOW:

  Learning the mechanisms of evolution (sometimes), i.e., Knowledge…

  and having a Role Model present both serve to increase evolution acceptance.

  Some have suggested that scientific reasoning ability predicts evolution acceptance, while others refute this.

  We HYPOTHESIZE that students’ scientific reasoning ability moderates the effect of Knowledge on evolution acceptance. We PREDICT that those with higher reasoning skills will find Knowledge more compelling than Role Models.

• 

  Exploring Soil Plant Relationships to Inform Seed Selection for Rangeland Restoration

  Mallory Hinton, April Hulet, Matt Madsen, Raechel Hunsaker, and Shannon Nelson

  Seeding plants post disturbance on rangelands is a challenge due to unique ecological and environmental conditions such as:

  • Limited water availability1

  • Invasive species2

  • Soil health3

  • Native seed supplies4

  One of the key factors to address these challenges and have a successful seeding is to understand the relationship between soil properties and the plants that grow within them.

• 

  Tardigrade niche partitioning

  Samantha Hougaard and Byron Adams

  The two types of Tardigrade (also known as Tardigrade), Ramazzottius and Echiniscus, coexist in the same environment. It could be assumed that they partition their resources by food type to avoid competition. To test this theory, I limited the two tardigrade groups to one food source.

• 

  Effects of grass species and soil types on early successional forb species

  Raechel Hunsaker, April Hulet, Matthew Madsen, Mallory Hinton, and Derek Tilley

  Many early successional plant species have been considered weeds because of their lack of forage value for livestock (Whitson and Burrill, 2009). However, these early successional plant species have the potential to aid rangeland restoration in a variety of ways including:

  • Food source for pollinators (Dumroese et al., 2016).

  • Soil partitioning for climax communities of native perennials (Tilley et al., 2022).

  • Competition against invasive annual species (Leger et al., 2014). To determine which early colonizing (or pioneer) species have the greatest restoration potential, interspecific competitive interactions should be evaluated.

• 

  Effects of Post-Translational Histone Modifications on Transcription Rate

  Jacob Hunter, Steven Johnson, Aaron Bohn, Sarah Ricks, Sarah Hodson, David Bates, and Steven M. Johnson

  DNA structure and organization in eukaryotic cells significantly impacts the regulation of geneexpression, cellular properties and overall behavior. At the most fundamental unit of this organization,~147 bp of DNA wraps 1.7 times around a histone octamer core, forming a collective unit called thenucleosome. Positioning and occupancy of nucleosomes around promoter elements of genes is knownto be a strong regulator of transcription in eukaryotic nuclei. Post-translational modifications (PTM’s) tothe protruding N-terminal tails of histone proteins are known to influence chromatin structure and thusgene expression; however, relatively little is known about the residual effect of histone PTM’s ontranscription rate.

• 

  Changes in Environmental Conditions Affect the Two Isoforms of SNAP-25 Differently

  Joseph Jackson, Dixon J. Woodbury, Tanner M. Blocker, Samuel W. Shumway, Jarom S. Sumsion, Thomas Weed, Jason Carlson, Nathan Mumford, and Ryan Poland

  In the brain, neurons communicate via releasing and detecting neurotransmitters. Release occurs through exocytosis, following fusion of synaptic vesicles to neuronal cell membranes. This process is driven by formation of a dynamic quaternary protein structure known as the SNARE complex. SNAP-25 contributes two alpha helical domains to this complex. Neurons express SNAP-25 in two distinct isoforms, SNAP-25A (25A) and SNAP-25B (25B). These two isoforms vary by only 9 amino acids and are expressed differently depending on brain region and the developmental stage of the neuron [1]. The primary structures of 25A and 25B and their effect on SNARE complex formation have been studied [2]. However, the difference in secondary structures of 25A and 25B are still being explored. Using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, we illustrate differences in the secondary structure of 25A and 25B following exposure to a variety of environmental conditions and other factors. We show that temperature, redox state, and alcohol differentially alter the secondary structure of SNAP-25 isoforms. Although 25A and 25B function similarly under normal physiological conditions, we hypothesize that the differences observed provide the cell with appropriate responses under different environmental stresses. During different stages of development and in different regions of the brain, neurons presumably select the isoform that best meets the cell’s needs.

• 

  Effects of Predation on Cognition in Brachyrhaphis Rhabdophora

  Elizabeth F. Jenkins and Jerry B. Johnson

  RESEARCH QUESTION

  Does “predation environment” affect the cognitive abilities of the tropical fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora?

• 

  Establishing a Normative Respiratory Baseline for Diaphragmatic Breathing in the Geriatric Population

  Madison M. Jensen, Connor J. Wright, Ty K. Hacking, James D. Mead, Ulrike Mitchell, and Lauren Adams

  Respiratory function can be assessed through lung volume measurements such as tidal volume and vital capacity. It can also be assessed by measuring diaphragm mobility and thickness. The diaphragm is a muscle that contributes up to 75% of normal lung ventilation. It averages 1-2 cm of excursion during quiet breathing; this increases significantly to about 7-11 cm during forced breathing. Aging has influences on respiratory function. Diaphragmatic muscle strength decreases, and lung function, capacity, and compliance also decline. There is a steadily growing elderly population in the US and globally. Due to an aging population and the significance respiratory function plays on mortality and morbidity, establishing normative, baseline values to represent respiratory function in a geriatric population in age specific ranges is imperative. The aim of this study is to present normative data on diaphragmatic and overall respiratory function for a healthy, normally active, geriatric population using non-evasive methods including ultrasound technology.

• 

  Is eDNA concentration in Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Affected by Nanotube Coating?

  Brooklyn Z. Jones, Bradford K. Berges, and Lucy C. Bowden

  1st Place Oral Presentation

  • ~30% of artificial joint failure is caused by infection1

  • 80-100% of patients who receive external fixator pins will experience an infection2

  • Most of these infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus

  • S. aureus forms biofilms (surface-associated collections of bacteria) that are extremely difficult to treat

  • eDNA provides structure and protection to the biofilm

• 

  Cattle Resource Selection on Late Fall Sagebrush Steppe Habitat in Idaho, United States

  Larry Cole Kempton, April Hulet, Jim Sprinkle, Randy Larsen, Jameson Brennan, Dan Lauritzen, Sawyer Fonnesbeck, and Justin Hatch

  Introduction Targeted cattle grazing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for controlling invasive grasses like cheatgrass in sagebrush-steppe ecosystems1. However, there's a lack of understanding about cattle distribution and their preference for invasives during the dormant season. One statistical model that provides insights into cattle distribution and the selection of resources (e.g., vegetation) is the Resource Selection Function (RSF) model2. Our research objective is to utilize a resource selection function to predict the probability of cattle selecting a particular location, in our case areas with higher cheatgrass abundance, based on environmental variables. The development of a resource selection function will provide a valuable tool for targeted grazing management, promoting efficient land use, aiding in resource planning, and contributing to the overall health of livestock and the ecosystem.

• 

  The Role of Sirt7 in Beta Cell Function and Insulin Secretion

  Trevor C. Kendrick, Jeffrey S. Tessem, and Connor Littlefield

  Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by an inability of beta cells to produce or secrete insulin due to decreasing beta cell mass, a condition induced by beta cell death or overuse. Current treatment consists of daily administration of insulin to diabetic individuals. We have shown that Sirtuin 7 (Sirt7), a deacetylase located in the nucleus, directly interacts with Nkx6.1, a transcription factor essential for beta cell function and proliferation. We have shown that one of the post translational modifications that impinges on Nkx6.1 activity is acetylation. Given Sirt7’s role as a deacetylase, and published reports demonstrating its impact on glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), we hypothesized that the interaction betweenNkx6.1 and Sirt7 maybe needed for the Nkx6.1 mediated enhancement of glucose stimulated insulin secretion. Here we present data regarding the interaction between Nkx6.1 and Sirt7 in terms of Nkx6.1 acetylation status, effect on GSIS, and the effect of cultured glucose concentration on this interaction. These findings may be leveraged to develop interventions to better treat patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

• 

  Understanding The Impact of Post-Translational Modifications on Nucleosome Positioning

  Bronwyn Kennington-Nitz, Steven Johnson, Sophie Lo, Michael Mann, and David Bates

  The placement of histones along DNA is known to be a significant factor in determining gene expression in eukaryotic cells, with post-translational modifications (or PTMs) helping modulate gene expression by acting as an intermediate to other factors. Using the Lys>Gln and Acetyl-Lys mutations of H3, our working hypothesis is that acetylation will decrease the overall strength of positioning, and that mutations will have an identical or nearly identical effect on nucleosome positioning.

• 

  Solving the HIV Enigma: Investigating Mutant Long-Term Non-Progressor Vpr Strands

  Megan Knight and Bradford Berges

  Different variants of HIV:

  ➢ Rapid Progressor: aggressive symptoms, quick progression into AIDs

  ➢ Wild-Type: regular symptoms, regular progression into AIDs

  ➢ Long-Term Non-Progressor: little-

• 

  Exploring the Role of Dopamine and ATP in Microglial Motility

  Derek Langford, Jordan Yorgas, Christopher Galbraith, Channing Syme, Brayden Parker, Savannah Evans, Derek Langford, Eliza White, Erin Taylor, Lauren Ford, and Hillary Wadsworth

  ►Recent studies from our laboratory have identified that dopamine and ATP in the Nucleus Accubmens (NAc) are co-released.

  ►ATP is a chemoattractant for macrophages in general, and microglia specifically, suggesting that dopamine and ATP corelease may function to alter microglia activity.

  ►The present work characterizes the effects of microglia activation via lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on dopamine terminal function, and the effects of dopamine and ATP on microglia motility.

• 

  Barriers to HPV Vaccine Acceptance Among Hispanic Immigrants to the US

  Ruth Larson and Brian Poole

  •Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States, making up 18% of the total population.

  •This population has lower rates of vaccination for several vaccines, including the COVID-19, HPV, TDAP, influenza, pneumococcal, and Herpes Zoster (Shingles).

  •Due to the lower vaccination rates, Hispanics suffer from a larger proportional disease burden for many diseases than their non-Hispanic counterparts.

  •Past studies have focused mainly on language barriers, ignoring the complex and diverse culture of Hispanic immigrants that may make an impact on their vaccine uptake.

  • The objective of this study is to identify language and cultural barriers that Hispanic immigrants to the United States face in obtaining vaccines.

• 

  Nkx6.1 and Stx1A as binding partners in pancreatic beta cells

  Jakob T. Lenker, Jeff S. Tessem, and Connor C. Littlefield

  Diabetes is characterized by a loss in beta cell function within the pancreas and the subsequent inability to produce sufficient insulin to regulate blood glucose. While current diabetes treatments focus on delivering pharmaceutical insulin to diabetic individuals, such treatments are temporary solutions and do not address the root of the issue. Instead, our research focuses on potential mechanisms for inducing greater insulin secretion within the pancreas of the individual. NK6 Homeobox 1 (Nkx6.1) is a major transcription factor in beta cells and its overexpression in beta cells is associated with higher insulin secretion. Previous research indicates that Syntaxin 1A (Stx1A) interacts with Nkx6.1; Stx1A is of particular interest due to its role in mediating insulin granule fusion at the beta cell plasma membrane; thus directly impacting insulin secretion. We hypothesize that the interaction between Nkx6.1 and Stx1A may play an important yet understudied role in insulin secretion. Here, we present the results of our efforts to confirm Stx1A and Nkx6.1 interaction in pancreatic beta cells.

• 

  Adapting the Auxin-Inducible Degron (AID) System to the Zebrafish Model Organism

  Dennis Li

  The Auxin Inducible Degron (AID) system is a conditional and reversible protein degradation system naturally occurring in plants. In the presence of the hormone Auxin, the AID tagged proteins are recruited into the plant’s E3 ubiquitin ligase machinery, ubiquitinated, and marked for degradation1. To adapt the AID system to the zebrafish model organism, our lab generated lines co-expressing Arabidopsis Thaliana plant TIR1 protein and GFP tagged with AID (GFP-AID) in superficially-located mechanosensory hair cells (HC) of the lateral line system and in spinal cord neurons found deeper in the body. Upon auxin application, GFP-AID expressed in the superficial HCs was degraded, while GFP-AID in the deeper spinal cord neurons was reduced by 50%. To increase degradation of AID tagged proteins in all tissues, we are currently working on improving the targeting vectors that use viral peptides (v2a) co-expressing TIR1 and a fluorescent protein. Furthermore, to show that this system can be used to degrade endogenous proteins, we are knocking in an AID tag in the genetic locus of the endogenous zebrafish Bassoon A gene. The synaptic cytomatrix protein, Bassoon, has been found in conventional synapses and ribbon synapses (present in mechanosensory hair cells of the auditory and vestibular system, in retinal photoreceptor and bipolar cells and in pinealocytes). In conventional synapses, Bassoon is shown to play an important role in the autophagy of synaptic proteins; however, this role has not been tested in ribbon synapses. By adapting the AID system to conditionally degrade Bassoon A in mechanosensory hair cells, we hope to 1) study its function in ribbon synapses, and 2) demonstrate the future potential of the AID system in the study of synaptic protein function in the zebrafish model organism.