Poster Presentations
December 6th, 2022
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Union Building Ballrooms

Arts & Humanities

• #60 - Adam Hellewell - Stage Manager on New York Theatre Production The Refugees

  Mentor: Cully Long
  Department: Theatre
  Abstract: From May 15th to June 28th of 2022, a team of theatre scholars from Weber and I went to New York City to collaborate with the theatre company, Adjusted Realists, on their production of The Refugees, written and directed by Stephen Kaliski. Each student had a different job in the production. We collaborated with real professionals with who we worked and learned. Throughout the production, we met with the professionals we were working with outside of the set-aside time for rehearsals and other working time to talk about the professional world of theatre. We learned about the professional world of theatre in New York City and how these professionals lived and worked. In the end, we collaborated on a production that was a moderate success. I learned quite a bit about the professional world of stage management. I also was assigned at the moment to be the house manager for our production. I then collaborated with another professional who worked with the theatre where our production was being done. From both professionals, I learned best practices and techniques for the tasks that each professional tackles each day, while imprinting my own practices to refine my own process. Since this experience, I have had the opportunity to stage manage Weber's Sweeney Todd and many of the skills and best practices were recreated there.

   

• #59 - Tara Lemons - Dancing Through the Stillness

  Mentor: Amanda Sowerby
  Department: Performing Arts
  Abstract: My movement exploration and research for Dancing Through the Stillness revolve around finding expressions that resonate with audiences as reason for human existence, providing possibilities for the struggle that all humanity endures. Science finds that art capable of touching the human soul answers a neurological need to connect with a higher power. My work aims to unify neurotheology with audience receptivity to explore a performative embodiment of the human condition. I believe there is beauty in the struggle to triumph over pain, because in it, we find relinquishment of ego and the will to reach beyond toward a bigger reality. My work hopes to reflect an abiding faith in humanity that extends dance as an expression of life, moving in patterns and rhythms that unite and uplift. Throughout this process, I have worked closely with my dancers to find elements of movement that bring dance to the forefront of our consciousness. For example, anyone with an intuitive connection to the environment we move through, in essence, dances through life. Dance, as I perceive it, is using movement of any kind to intuit the world and our understanding of it. We, as a company, allow our practice sessions to grow an aesthetic that might exhibit a dancer's individual honesty and vulnerability. It is the purest of moments that Dancing Through the Stillness looks at within a dedicated search for accessible and relatable movement.

• #58 - Luis Pineda - Love Bonds Defined by Apps: Analyzing gay relationship maintenance through Media Multiplexity Theory

  Mentor: Sarah Steimel
  Department: Communications
  Abstract: Media Multiplexity Theory (MMT) suggests that interpersonal relational strength both influences and is influenced by the multimedia used to maintain such relationships. Technology use and relationships have been widely explored in interpersonal relationships in general and typically in heterosexual romantic relationships in particular. Research already exploring LGBTQ+ interpersonal relationships notes differences that exist in interpersonal communication patterns compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This autoethnographic study therefore examines MMT in one particular non-hetereosexual relationship in order to begin an exploration in to how multimedia use in non-heterosexual relationhips might relate to interpersonal relationship strength. This study scopes into a cis-male, gay relationship between two partners and suggests that MMT may at least predict media use in two contexts: the cultural perception of social media and multimedia's particular “role” in the courtship process.

Business & Economics

• #57 - Katelyn Tenney - The Willingness to Pay for a Carbon Tax in Utah

  Mentor: Therese Grijalva
  Department: Economics
  Abstract: The purpose of this study is to estimate public acceptability in Utah of a carbon tax (CT) program to mitigate carbon emissions. In 2019, the Clean the Darn Air campaign proposed a ballot measure that would create a CT of $12 per metric ton of CO2 in Utah. Upon failing to gather enough signatures for the 2020 election, they relaunched the campaign for a 2024 ballot initiative. A CT is a solution promoted by economists to correct for a market failure that arises when the full costs of production and consumption are not reflected in market prices. A discrete choice experiment survey method is used to elicit the acceptability of a CT program with various revenue use proposals and to estimate the dollar amount that, on average, a Utah resident would be willing-to-pay (WTP) for a per-gallon gasoline tax. The survey data is analyzed using a conditional logit model to provide the probability of a Utah resident supporting a CT given its attributes. On average, the results show that individuals would be WTP a per-gallon CT of $0.64, $0.54 and $0.46, if revenues are used to reduce grocery sales tax, cleaning local air pollution, and clean energy development, respectively.

Health Professions

• #53 - Hannah Dickinson - Efficacy of Cryotherapy Modalities

  Mentor: Valerie Herzog
  Department: Athletic Training
  Abstract: Cryotherapy and compression are frequently used treatments for acute injury and post-operative healing, but the pricing of these treatments is a major concern in today's healthcare world. A common cryotherapy modality used is the GameReady which circulates ice water through a sleeve while compressing the area, however, it is quite expensive. A relatively new option for cooling and compression is a device called Hyperice, which is a sleeve that has fans attached to blow cold air and is less expensive. In this study, we compared the two modalities for effectiveness in reducing intramuscular temperature. We inserted a thermocouple into the largest girth of the subject's lower leg and measured the decrease in temperature during a 30-minute treatment and during 25 minutes of rewarming. 20 subjects volunteered to participate in this randomized, cross-over trial. There was a statistically significant difference between the two treatments over time. By 5 minutes into the treatment, there were statistically significant differences between the devices, which continued throughout the entire time, with the GameReady causing larger decreases in temperatures. The GameReady lowered the intramuscular temperature more than the hyperice did, indicating that it is more effective. Future research should evaluate the cost-effectiveness of another cryotherapy/compression modalities.

• #54,55,&56 - Wade Mather - Factors Driving High Hospitalization Rates of COPD Frequent Flyers: Age and Comorbidities

  Contributors: Kim Bennion, Tammy Stucki, and Leanne Richardson
  Mentor: Laurel Duncan
  Department: Respiratory Therapy
  Abstract: Background: A 2011-2012 Intermountain Healthcare study investigated factors driving high hospitalization rates of COPD frequent flyers. We repeated this study to detect changes in demographics, treatment, comorbidities, and non-compliance. Following the original study, initiatives were implemented to improve COPD patient care. Additionally, in 2017, the Pulmonary Disease Navigator (PDN) scope was expanded to include COPD. Methods: We extracted adult subjects assigned a COPD exacerbation diagnosis associated with ? 5 visits per year at all Intermountain hospitals. We performed retrospective EMR reviews, including all variables from the original study. To assess differences between cohorts in age, ages were grouped into 30-60 and >60 due to limited data, then compared with a chi-square test. For cohort differences in comorbidities, each variable was compared with a z-test. Pearson correlation was used to identify relationships between comorbidities in the 2020-2021 cohort. Results: We identified 33 subjects. There was a significant difference between cohorts in proportions of cardiac, chronic pain, anxiety and/or depression, and OSA comorbidities. For the 2020-2021 cohort, OSA and diabetes were significantly positively correlated (p = .05). 61% of the 33 subjects are followed by a PDN. Conclusions: A larger proportion of subjects in the current cohort have cardiac, chronic pain, anxiety and/or depression, and OSA comorbidities. At the same time, we extracted fewer subjects, which may conclude that COPD patient care has improved, and remaining frequent flyers have more complex health conditions. We conclude a reduction in COPD frequent flyers and that these subjects have increased comorbidities, possibly due to a concentration of medically complex subjects and a possible shift toward older age.

Science

• #26 - Sabina Akelbek - Perspective Projection in Art and Linear Systems

  Mentor: Sandra Fital-Akelbek
  Department: Mathematics
  Abstract: We will review the principles and mathematics behind perspective projection. We will present examples of how perspective projection and vanishing points can be used to enrich problems of solving linear systems. And we will conclude with examples of optical illusions that are created when the principles of perspective drawings and Euclid's Eleventh Proposition are not obeyed.

• #10 - B. Drake Alton - Increasing Torin 2 binding efficiency in human mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry
  Abstract: Targeting the gatekeeper of all major cellular anabolic processes, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has been a subject of interest for the last 30 years since the discovery of the drug that gave the protein its name, rapamycin. This drug has proven effective in suppressing the immune system in organ transplant patients and the treatment of some forms of cancer however, the clinical effects have been underwhelming overall. Rapamycin is suspected to inhibit only one of the mTOR subtypes and does so without much efficacy. New drugs that inhibit mTOR more effectively are being tried and are showing promising results. Torin 2 is one such drug. This small molecule competitively binds at the kinase region of mTOR as it mimics an ATP molecule in its transition state. Because ATP binding sites are notoriously hard to mimic, strong binding is essential for this drug. Here, we propose various changes to the molecule that increase its binding efficiency while still maintaining high bioavailability.

• #9 - Lee Andersen - Correlation of Increased Diversity and Lower Insect Caused Tree Mortality

  Contributors: Kedric Capron, Lily Evans and Landon Jeffery
  Mentor: Heather Root
  Department: Botany & Plant Ecology
  Abstract: Diversity in an ecosystem can be beneficial to individuals and the ecosystem as a whole by increasing resilience to various stressors. Insect-caused deaths of trees from pests such as Dendroctonus ponderosae, the mountain pine beetle, have been a point of concern in recent years. As the geographical range of various pests expands, there is an increased interest in factors that contribute to resilience to insect-related tree death. Diverse stands of trees may have fewer deaths due to insects by limiting the spread of pests and preventing them from easily moving between host trees. In plots sampled in and around the Uintas, a mountain range found in northeastern Utah and southern Wyoming, an inverse correlation was found between tree diversity and tree mortality caused by insects. The alpha diversity, Shannon diversity indices, and Simpson diversity indices were calculated for 128 forested plots where tree mortality resulting from insects had been documented and found that for all three measures of diversity, mortality of trees related to insects decreased as diversity of the plot increased. Maintaining the diversity of forests could improve resilience to pests overall.

• #38 - Danielle Barbera - Relationships between Uinta Mountain Range Tree Species Diversity and Bark Beetle Induced Mortality

  Contributors: Oliva Thomas, John Carden, Sam Leake and Maggie Turner
  Mentor: Heather Root
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: With the rise of environmental concerns such as climate change, tree deforestation has become a critical conversation point for several parties, such as timber production companies, the US Department of Agriculture, and local community residents. With warmer seasons lasting longer, bark beetle infestations are becoming more problematic, contributing to higher tree mortality. We looked at an observational data study from the Uinta Mountain Range, located in Utah and provided to us by the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA). We hypothesized that higher tree diversity in plots would reduce tree mortality due to beetle infestation. We also considered other indices for diversity, such as evenness and richness. We did not find that plots with fewer tree species suffered from bark beetle infestations more than plots that had a greater number of tree species.

• #16 - Anna Berg - Treating MRSA infections with Amoxicillin

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections result from the common skin bacteria staphylococcus aureus and can develop resistance to antibiotics leading to severe health complications. MRSA infections typically occur in post-surgical or hospitalized patients. Although uncommon, these infections can occur in general society as well. MRSA typically is treated with antibiotics like Linezolid and not antibiotics in the beta-lactam family like amoxicillin. The aim of this research is to evaluate differing binding affinities of the amoxicillin structure to specific MRSA proteins. The plan is to modify the ligand structure to more adequately bind to these proteins. Methods this research will utilize include, docking ligands to appropriate proteins, predicting metabolism of drug molecules through computer applications like SmartCyp, and assessing the drug likeness' through differing rules such as Lipinski's Rule of 5. Through altering the structure of amoxicillin, positive impacts to binding affinities and correlating DeltaG values were observed. Although amoxicillin is not traditionally used to treat MRSA infections in humans, modifications of the original structure could benefit in the treatment of antibiotic resistant staph infections.

• #18 - Joshua Berghout - Extending MDMA Half-Life by Increasing Binding Affinity to SERT

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a drug that binds to the serotonin transporter (SERT), antagonizing its action. Binding prevents the reuptake of serotonin from the synaptic cleft. To improve this drug, we are looking to increase the time that MDMA remains bound to SERT, resulting in longer-lasting effects. We hypothesized that increasing intermolecular interactions or decreasing distances between ligand and receptor amino acids would result in stronger binding, allowing for a longer effect. This is accomplished by molecular modeling using Maestro to dock variations of MDMA to the binding site. Maestro is used to predict distances between interacting regions of ligands and amino acids. A decrease in distances and predicted free energies may indicate an increase in half-life.

• #28 - Kalee Bonner - What potential percentage of the total microbial community is being excluded by selective media within the PARE project?

  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: The Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE) project engages students in global antimicrobial resistance surveillance. Scientists are interested in understanding more about the presence and sources of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through environmental surveillance. The overarching objective of the PARE project is to help scientists understand how antibiotic resistance spreads in the environment, and to people and animals. As per the PARE project manual the MacConkey agar is preferred; for the experiment, though they do provide alternative options; Nutrient Broth Agar, R2A, and 1/100 Nutrient Broth Agar. The recommended MacConkey agar is a selective and differentiating agar that only grows gram-negative bacterial species. R2A Agar is used for the cultivation of bacteria from potable water. While Nutrient agar is a general-purpose media that supports the growth of various types of bacteria. Media that is selective for gram positive is not on the list of media. Even though gram positive human pathogens (such as Staphylococcus aureus, the causative agent of MRSA). We wondered percentage of the total community is being excluded by only using gram-negative selective media in the experiment. I selected an environmental sample soil, used for the PARE project, and plated it on MacConkey (selective for gram-negative bacteria), Mannitol Salt Agar (selective for gram-positive bacteria), and Nutrient Agar (non-selective). After growing the sample on the various types of media, I quantified the number of colony forming units (CFUs) per media type and identified what bacteria each media grew, based on morphological identification. This was verified by assessing the total bacterial community composition from next-generation DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Preliminary results showed that there was growth on all three media types with significant growth on the MacConkey and Nutrient medias resulting in plates that had over 300+ CFUs.

• #29 - Austin Bridges - Home-grown Antibiotics

  Contributors: Jackson Naegle
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become one of the most important topics of concern over the last two decades. Pathogenic bacteria are rapidly becoming resistant to all known sources of treatment, leading to a need to find new antibiotics with which to attack the bacteria, in addition to drastically limiting the over-use and over-prescription of antibiotics in both humans and animals. If we get to a point where bacteria are resistant to all known antibiotics, bacterial infections will become a much greater threat, leading to a drastic increase in infection and death by bacteria that were once easily controlled. Bacteria that secrete antibiotics as both a defensive and offensive mechanism are one of the most common sources of antibiotics, which they do to increase survival in their environment. Actinomyces are a genera of bacteria that have commonly been found to create antibiotics, and are usually found in the soil. In this experiment, we took soil samples from various places across Utah and cultured them in attempt to find bacteria that create antibiotics. We found several cultures that created and secreted antibiotics, which we then isolated and grew against several different strains of pathogenic bacteria and found that our antibiotic-producers were effective at killing selective pathogens. We can use this data to potentially isolate the antibiotic that is being produced and find a way to implement these antibiotics to aid the battle against antibiotic resistance.

• #30 - Branden Brooks - Antibiotic Resistance in a Hospital-Adjacent Soil Sample

  Contributors: Lydia Cottrell and Caden DeYoung
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: One of the biggest challenges facing the medical microbiology community is antibiotic resistance. Bacteria are continuing to become more resistant to antibiotics and in many cases are able to transfer antibiotic resistance genes to other bacteria in their environment. Our project set out to collect and analyze a soil sample from outside of the McKay Dee Hospital Emergency Department in Ogden, UT. Analyzing the sample allowed us to determine the percentage of tetracycline-resistant bacteria in the sample, identify these antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and further test for multi-drug resistance in these samples. We were able to successfully culture, isolate, and sequence 2 tetracycline-resistant bacterial species from our soil sample and determine that they were, in fact, resistant to multiple antibiotics. In this research project, we were unable to directly prove an interaction of these soil bacterium with the hospital. However, through geographic adjacency to a clinical setting, it suggests the possibility of transferring antibiotic resistance genes between a clinical setting and the surrounding environment or vice versa. There is a further need to explore this possibility and subsequently its effects on environmental ecology and medical microbiology.

• #1 - Kelsey Chapman - Proposed Olanzapine derived compounds for the betterment of antipsychotic and antiemetic drugs

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Biochemistry
  Abstract: Olanzapine is most known and used as an antipsychotic drug for patients with schizophrenia or personality disorders. It has recently also been recognized as a good off-label drug that has shown to prevent clinically induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in chemotherapy patients. The reason for olanzapine being effective in these treatments is due to its ability to inhibit many neurotransmitters, but with that it also comes with side effects that can make it a less desirable drug. In this study I will be looking at olanzapine's primary sources of action which is on the dopamine and serotonin receptors. These receptor sites are where negative and positive symptoms, respectively, are primarily seen. They are also the key receptors that are involved with CINV. I will be using computer aided drug design resources to propose compounds that have a higher specificity for the serotonin receptors and decreased specificity for the dopamine receptors in hopes that through further examination or trials that these analogs of olanzapine will show less negative side effects while keeping its integrity as an antipsychotic as well as an antiemetic drug.

• #19 - Cole Clark - Characterization of Histone Deacetylase Catalytic Sites for Selective Inhibition

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Histone deacetylases are primarily responsible for the deacetylation of acetylated histones, which causes DNA to bind to histones and condense into chromatin structures, the form that DNA is stored in. Histones have lysine and arginine residues which give the histone a positive charge, allowing for it to wrap negatively charged DNA into a small package. When lysine residues of histones are acetylated, the chromatin unwinds and allows epigenetic readers to express the gene. Since histone deacetylases are intimately involved in gene expression, controlled inhibition of these enzymes could be a potentially powerful tool for medicine. Currently, the main issue is that most HDAC inhibitors target all HDAC enzymes, which makes them useful as anti-cancer drugs but not precise enough for selective gene expression. The goal of this project is to characterize the catalytic sites of several different HDAC enzymes using molecular dynamics simulations so that specific inhibitors could be proposed. Since each type of HDAC has a slightly different function in the body, I suspect that the binding sites of each HDAC enzyme will have slight differences that could be taken advantage of to propose drugs that would have greater interactions with one HDAC compared to other HDACs.

• #11 - Nathan Crowther - Combatting High Blood Pressure

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry
  Abstract: This study explores the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor prodrug Enalapril. The drug is used by nearly a million people nationwide that suffer from hypertension. This prodrug works wonders by increasing vasodilation and overall heart health, however it has poor oral bioavailability and many possible side effects. Based on the hypothesis, it was presumed that manipulating the structure of Enalapril will make it more soluble, metabolize better, and absorb into the body with more efficiency. By using computer docking programs and ADMET prediction software, the best suited derivative molecules were tested for efficacy within the angiotensin converting enzyme responsible for vasoconstriction. It was found that there are better suited molecules for sufficient enzyme binding as well as resulting in higher solubility, metabolism, and absorption. This information deserves attention as the hypertension community could benefit greatly from lower dosages and greater therapeutic properties. Though in-vivo research will need to be conducted to visualize the first-pass metabolism and the possible introduction of side effects in clinical trials, the refined molecules look promising going forward treating high blood pressure.

• #12 - Maren Dawson - Cobalt's Effect on Cisplatin

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry
  Abstract: Cobalt is known to exhibit anti-microbial properties that inhibits the growth of bacteria. Due to toxicity, it is not used medicinally with drug applications. However, cisplatin, a drug used to treat testicular cancer, has Platinum, which is another transition metal. Cisplatin is effective at helping prevent or slow the cause of cancer, however, it is administered in a solution intravenously which can take six to eight hours. Cisplatin also has many side effects including nausea, dizziness, swelling in legs, ringing in ears, etc. Additionally, it can cause damage to DNA through the production reactive oxygen species and is known to cause nephrotoxicity. My goal is not only to see what happens if you were to swap out cobalt for Platinum but also to decrease the amount of reactive oxygen species produced. You can reduce the amount of reactive oxygen species by decreasing the exposure the molecule has to oxidation. I predict that if Platinum is swapped out with Cobalt and we decrease the number of free radicals in the structure by adding hydrogens, then the amount of reactive oxygen species will decrease, decreasing the toxicity and lessening the side effects of the drug.

• #2 - Trent Dickson - Improving Binding Affinity of Uroguanylin with Virtual Modification

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Biochemistry
  Abstract: In 2016, researchers in China were searching to better medicine used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The medicines used at that time had more severe side effects for patients, so they decided to look at different parts areas that are related to inflammatory bowel disease. They discovered that the protein Guanylate Cyclase-C (GC-C), which is a signaling protein that deals absorption and excretion of electrolytes and water in the stomach mucus membrane, was less present in patients with IBD. GC-C is activated by peptides guanylin and uroguanylin. Now medicines exist that mimic uroguanylin that help treat patients with IBD. The purpose of our experiment is to use the virtual docking program Maestro to compare different structures that are similar to uroguanylin to improve docking scores and better regulation of water and electrolytes in the stomach.

• #39 - Jacob Ellis - Effects of fire on soil nutrients in mountain big sagebrush communities

  Contributors: Anthony Scalise, Nicholas Crowton, Brennen Lockington and Luke Matheson
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Sagebrush communities occupy more than 100 million acres within western North America and represent critical habitat for wildlife. Historically, these communities experienced periodic fire (~20-30 years) that functioned to set-back succession and maintain an open understory. However, invasive plants such as Bromus tectorum, are fire resistant, have taken over much of the understory and has led to an increase in wildfire frequency and intensity (Davies et al., 2012). Frequent fires within ecosystems can volatilize soil nutrients and affect plant recovery (Neary et al., 1999). We examined soil nutrients within three burn sites to determine how the nutrient composition of the soil is altered following burning. Soil samples from recently burned sites were compared to adjacent unburned sites to determine the effects of fire on phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.

• #3 - Naomi Elmer - Opi-void Extension

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Biochemistry
  Abstract: A study was previously compared patient effectiveness of an opioid medication treatment for patients with opioid dependence. The two drugs compared were daily oral flexible dose buprenorphine-naloxone and extended-release naltrexone hydrochloride injection given every fourth week for 12 weeks. The patients who used the extended release naltrexone had greater satisfaction in their treatment and it is inferred it was more effective. I will be exploring the structure of the drug ligand and interactions to see if altering the structure branched hydroxy groups to improve docking in hopes of improving the extended release to be more effective over longer terms. Results will be determined when creating alterations to a structure through amino acid and ligand interaction in the molecule, and improved binding free energy. Some possible alterations could be adding more aromatic rings, or decreasing the molecule size, as well as adding more polar molecules to promote more binding. This research will be done through computer aided design, with molecule modeling on databases like Maestro and One-Click docking on Mcule. I am still within the early stages of research and do not have conclusive data, but I will be providing both results and a conclusion when I can present my findings.

• #31 - Jerzee Findlay - Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment - Retesting Failed DNA Samples from MICR3154

  Contributors: Aerin Song
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment - Retesting Failed DNA Samples from MICR3154 CRE Class Project Dept. of Microbiology, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. As part of our MICR3154-Microbial Ecology CRE lab, we analyzed soil samples collected in northern Utah to test if they had any antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance is important to identify as not only can it have large health consequences for humans, it can also have consequences to food/farming from crops to livestock. As a class, eight separate soil samples were collected and bacteria resistant to the antibiotic Tetracycline were isolated from them. We then extracted DNA from the Tetracycline-resistant bacteria, performed bacteria-specific PCR of the 16S rRNA gene, sequenced their DNA, and analyzed the sequences to identify who the bacteria are. Of the 21 bacterial isolates that the class processed, five failed to amplify with PCR and were therefore not able to be submitted for DNA sequencing. Potential reasons for failing PCR are: A) there was no DNA present (i.e. an error during DNA extraction) or B) the DNA present does not belong to bacteria (perhaps fungi instead). Our group decided to start at the beginning with these five samples and re-extract DNA from the isolated colonies, perform PCR of the 16S rRNA gene, and submit successfully amplified samples for DNA sequencing. Additionally, we collaborated with another group in our class who are studying fungi in samples to see if the ‘failed' samples were due to the isolates being fungi instead of bacteria.

• #21 - Lucia Fortado - Effect of Inlet Tube Diameter and Residence Time on the Evaporation of Organic Aerosol Particles

  Mentor: Demetrios Pagonis
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Evaporation is crucial in airborne sampling, where air outside of the research plane is very cold and the air inside of the research plane is contrastingly hot. The evaporation occurs from the time the aerosols enter the inlet tubes of the research plane to the time the aerosols reach the measuring instrument. In this study, the effect of inlet tube diameter size and the residence time of air in an inlet tube on organic aerosol (OA) evaporation was researched through a semi-volatile organic concentration partitioning model to study such evaporation. The mass fractions remaining (MFRs) in three different OA atmospheric conditions were collected and plotted against varying diameters and residence times. After comparing the summary plots, it was concluded that the extent of evaporation was lowest when diameter was as small as possible at 0.0038m–given the range of 0.0038m to 0.051m– and residence time inside of the inlet tube was as large as possible at 10 seconds–given the range of 0-10s. This partitioning model was made within the computer program of Python, version 3, to allow for open-source distribution.

• #21 - Lucia Fortado - Occupational Exposure and Emissions of Benzene and Toluene at a Household Hazardous Waste Facility

  Contributors: Allison Stanley, Autumn Holloway, Joshua Berghout and Leigh Komperda
  Mentor: Demetrios Pagonis
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Benzene and toluene, two chemicals found in gasoline, can be detrimental to human health and regional air quality. We measured the occupational exposure and emission rates of benzene and toluene at Salt Lake County's Household Hazardous Waste transfer facility. The gas phase concentrations of benzene and toluene while gasoline was being handled at the facility were 0.9 and 1.0 parts per million, respectively. We found that neither concentration exceeded the OSHA short-term exposure limit of 5 ppm and 500 ppm, respectively. However, our measurements indicate that under certain conditions the occupational exposure may present a risk to workers at the site. By simultaneously recording wind speed and direction during our chemical measurements we determined that the site was not a significant contributor of organic compounds into the Salt Lake City airshed.

• #40 - Kamryn Geddes - Prevalence and effects of avian pox and conjunctivitis on a Wasatch Front avian community

  Contributors: Kadie Avis
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: The role infectious disease plays in many wildlife populations remains poorly studied: despite the potential impacts to population demography and vital rates. Consequently, we examined the effects of two diseases, avipoxvirus (Avian pox) and conjunctivitis on a local bird community to determine if they affect physical condition and survival. We sampled the avian community of the shrub-oak foothills along the Wasatch Front. Birds were captured in mist nets and banded with a uniquely numbered US Fish and Wildlife Service legband. All individuals were examined for the presence or absence of avian pox and conjunctivitis. Physical conditions were assessed by weighing individuals as well as scoring the amount of fat deposits. The rate of recapture of infected birds was compared to healthy birds as an approximation of survival. Eight different species were found to be diseased. House Finches were found to have the highest occurrence of avian pox, with the legs being the most statistically significant site of infection. Annual variation showed the year 2021 was more affected than other years.

• #4 - Brenen Halliday - Role of Tropicamide in Parkinsonism

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Biochemistry
  Abstract: The muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have been identified and used as targets for nonselective antagonist drugs in the treatment of Parkinsonism for several years (Betz, A.2007). Investigation of the M4 isomer has been studied in vivo and results from tremulous jaw movements of rats showed the drug tropicamide having some affinity to bind at the site of inhibition of the receptor (Betz, A.2007). The aim of this experiment is to look at different alterations of tropicamide through computer-aided analysis to test the strength of affinity and evaluate better binding to the target. This approach will provide insight to the drug binding to target. To accomplish this, tropicamide will be evaluated through molecular docking from a computer-aided program and based on the results, groups will be added or altered on the parent drug to improve selectivity. Other isomers will be evaluated if needed. The results of which will be presented on the day of presentation. Reference: BETZ, A. J., MCLAUGHLIN, P. J., BURGOS, M., WEBER, S. M., & SALAMONE, J. D. (2007). The muscarinic receptor antagonist tropicamide suppresses tremulous jaw movements in a rodent model of parkinsonian tremor : Possible role of M4 receptors. Psychopharmacologia, 194(3), 347-359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0844-6

• #20 - Madison Hansen - Clomiphene Citrate Effects on PCOS

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women (3). This causes increased androgens levels which leads to several health issues for women including insulin resistance and if left untreated for long enough can also cause ovarian cancer (1). The most common treatment for PCOS is to use a drug called clomiphene citrate which acts as an estrogen agonist or antagonist. This project will focus on sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and estrogen receptor as the binding targets for clomiphene citrate. It was found in previous studies that inhibiting SREBP-1 reduces the effects of PCOS(3). However, clomiphene acts as inhibitor for the estrogen receptor which is not good for women with PCOS. So I will be using 1-Click Docking and Maestro to find how to increase favorability for binding to SREBP-1 and decrease the favorability of binding to the estrogen receptor. The results for this project will be discussed in the conclusion.

• #17 - Emily Hiatt - Plackett-Burman Optimization of KAl(SO4)2

  Mentor: Brandon Burnett
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: KAl(SO4)2 crystals were synthesized and analyzed using Plackett - Burman Optimization, comparing the success of crystallization between viscosity, temperature, and concentration. The Plackett-Burman optimization is used for analyzing a few variables with reproducibility without having a massive amount of trials. Adapting this to experimentation and the lab is difficult, given the lack of technology available to make it accessible. For our experimentation, KAl(SO4)2 synthesis was manipulated in three ways - viscosity (water, propyl glycol, and glycerine), temperature (5C, 22C, and 45C), and concentration (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 g/mL). After a week of crystallization, the middle values of each variable performed the best and had the most measurable crystals. All crystals were measured with an optical microscope for size, and with x-ray diffraction for crystallinity. In order to make Plackett-Burman accessible, a program has been developed to automatically create the trials necessary to run any experiment necessary.

• #24 - Jenaye Kontowicz - Weight Change in Black-Capped Chickadees from October-March over the years of 2019-2022

  Contributors: Kyle Sparks
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Ecology
  Abstract: Winter thermoregulation in small birds requires significant energy expenditures and can have important consequences to overall body condition and survival. We examined overwinter mass change in Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) during the span of four years. The purpose of this study was to examine the pattern of mass change over the winter months. Studying winter mass change can be important in better understanding a species foraging behavior and survival during periods of freezing temperatures. Black-capped chickadees were captured in mist nets, banded with a USFWS legband, measured and weighed at the Weber State University banding station located along the Wasatch Front. Data were collected during the months of October through March over the span of four years (2019-2022). Black-capped chickadee mass and ambient temperature were recorded, as well as the change in individuals' weight over a specific period. A regression analysis was used on the data to examine the relationship between temperature and mass change in Black-capped Chickadees. Results will demonstrate overwinter mass change in a small passerine. Black-capped chickadees' weight fluctuated over the winter months and slowly declined over the warmer months.

• #13 - Jacob Lee - Development of Small Molecules which Inhibit the Activity of Interleukin-4

  Contributors: Chandler Ruping and Raavi Raavi
  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry
  Abstract: Interleukin-4 is a pleiotropic cytokine. When dysregulated, interleukin-4 can be associated with asthma, allergies, and various forms of cancer. In asthma, IL-4 induces airway inflammation, obstruction, and hyperresponsiveness, while in cancer IL-4 activity is linked to promoting tumor progression, immunosuppression, and increase tumor resistance to apoptosis. Using small molecule microarray, 50,000 small molecule compounds were tested for binding to interleukin-4. A small molecule, Nico-52, is the first small molecule inhibitor found for interleukin-4. This compound shows binding affinity to IL-4 in the micromolar range. Previously I have tested homologs of this small molecule inhibitor for further enhancement of affinity and potency for IL-4 inhibition. By changing the structure and composition of one or more of the three rings of Nico-52 but keeping the nicotinonitrile scaffold, inhibition of the cytokine was tested. Multiple homologs of Nico-52 were successfully synthesized. Computer aided drug design was used to create more homologs of Nico-52. There is currently no known crystal structure between Nico-52 and IL-4. For ligand binding I propose binding to IL-4 with the amino acids involved in binding to the IL-4 receptor. Using different programs, the binding energy, logP, and the first pass metabolism were assessed for these compounds. In this presentation, I will present the synthesized homologs and their respective activity for IL-4 affinity and my current work on structure-based drug design to improve binding energy and to raise problems with Nico-52 and its homologs.

• #25 - Erica Lee - Rapid Growth and Tourism Impacts in Moab, Utah

  Mentor: Eric Ewart
  Department: Geography
  Abstract: Communities near national parks, known as gateway communities, have been experiencing changes as national parks grow in popularity. Gateway communities are unique in their attractions and how they are developed to accommodate tourists. These kinds of communities can bring a lot of benefits, but also hardships among the residents. Benefits can include towns booming economically because tourist based needs are being met. But with too many visitors, those who are local to the area feel a lot of pressure when concerning the environment and their lifestyles. In this research, Moab, Utah was used as a case study to explore the residents' perceptions of the impact tourism has brought to their town. This was done via a survey questionnaire distributed to different organizations, schools, and businesses. The results show that with the intense growth of visitors to Moab, major concerns are seen with the degradation of the environment, increasing noise, overcrowding, rising costs of homes and living, and more. Balancing the positive and negative impacts of tourism has become a major effort in the community. But even so, many residents feel they are being overrun by the amount of people visiting.

• #27 - Cade Lindhardt - Rhizobia colonization of Poplar and Evolutionary origin of Nod factors

  Mentor: Matthew Crook
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: Rhizobia are salient bacteria for their ability to fix nitrogen. But to do so, they must form a symbiotic relationship with specific species of legumes. Great interest has been shown in rhizobia for their agricultural benefits. However, the process of rhizobia forming symbiosis with legumes is not fully understood. To establish this symbiosis, rhizobia secrete signaling molecules called Nod factors. If the legume recognizes the Nod factors, it will provide a root nodule, after several steps, to host the rhizobia. This research focuses on a specific strain, Rhizobium sp. IRBG74. When inoculated on rice, IRBG74 has been shown to improve plant growth. We have researched IRBG74 in the two following ways: 1. evaluating the ability of IRBG74 and other strains of rhizobia to colonize the roots of another non-legume (poplar), and 2. determining the evolutionary origin of Nod factors by testing the ability of nod-like genes found in actinobacteria to produce viable Nod factors. Increased knowledge of rhizobia and Nod factors may provide the understanding needed to allow rhizobia to colonize non-legume plants.

• #6 - Faith Luk - In Silico Testing of Green Tea Catechins as IKK inhibitors on the NF-kB pathway

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: Catechin are natural antioxidants found in plants such as green tea that help prevent cell damage in the body and reduces free radical formations. They have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties that may inhibit certain pathways and have therapeutic effects. The nuclear factor kappa Beta (NF-kB) functions as transcription of target genes. It has many physiological responses which controls programmed cell death in proteins of normal and malignant cells, immune response, inflammation, development, oxidative stress responses, and cell adhesion. In the NF-kB signaling pathway, its receptors can induce oxidative stress which are tumor activators. There are molecules that suppress the NF-kB pathway which may have therapeutic potential. Natural products often have beneficial effects but do not make good drugs. Thus, I plan on improving the drug characteristics of epigallocatechin gallate's (EGCG) beneficial redox properties by designing a modified EGCG with better binding to IKK, a key activator of the NF-kB pathway. I will be docking EGCG into the ligand binding site of 3RZF of IKK and exploring the binding energy, ligand docking, and interacting amino acids to improve the therapeutic output of green tea on the NF-kB pathway.

• #5 - Garin Mesarch - Adjusting Opiate Binding Affinity to Mu-Opioid Receptor

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Biochemistry
  Abstract: Mu-Opioid Receptors (MOP) are primary targets for opiates, drugs that cause analgesic effects by inhibiting norepinephrine reuptake. Tapentadol is a synthetically made analgesic that binds to the MOP with a dual action mechanism to inhibit the sodium-dependent noradrenaline transporter. Tapentadol is considered to be an opiate between tramadol and morphine, as far as effectiveness. With a 32% bioavailability rate, Tapentadol has a high first-pass metabolism rate, making it a great drug to adjust its ADMET properties. This would require an adjustment to the drugs molecular structure while keeping or increasing its affinity to the MOP. Using Maestro computer software, I will be able to compare the ligand binding to the MOP of tapentadol and adjusted molecular structures. With a variety of structure modifications, I will take the top three and run them through ADMET prediction software to see how these adjustments will affect their metabolic rates. These predictions can help determine a potential ligand to the MOP with better metabolic effects. The benefits of having an opioid with better metabolic effects could reduce side-effects by reducing enzymatic activity involved.

• #23 - Katherine Meyr - Water Quality Effects of Road Salt on Weber State University Campus' Stormwater

  Mentor: Caitlin Tems
  Department: Earth and Environmental Science
  Abstract: Utah relies on winter precipitation from snow and ice in order to supply water reservoirs, such as groundwater aquifers and streams. While snow and ice are essential as a water resource, they become a hazard for transportation and deicing methods are used in order for humans to travel safely on roads and sidewalks. The most prominent deicing method in the United States is spreading halite, a mineral composed of NaCl, which is commonly referred to as road salt. The widespread use of road salt as a deicing method has been found to have adverse effects on the environment. This project aims to monitor changes in chloride (Cl-) and sodium (Na+) concentrations due to the application of road salt at the Weber State campus and estimate additional inputs of chloride and sodium being released to the city. This study has measured both chloride and sodium in the WSU Duck Pond and at the outlet leaving the pond throughout the fall and winter (2020-21). Initial results show concentrations of chloride released to the city have increased by 329% in the winter. The health effects and significance on local vegetation, soil, and surface water would require additional testing.

• #37 - Elsa Mumford - Nutrition Education in the Grocery Store Setting

  Mentor: Damon Joyner
  Department: Nutrition
  Abstract: Title: Using informational placards to increase vegetable purchases in grocery stores. Objective: Due to a lack of health claims and advertising for vegetables, we sought to evaluate if grocery store vegetable purchases can be increased using health education placards. Study Design: Two grocery stores (FreshCo, Cambridge, ON) with similar shopper demographics were recruited to track vegetable purchases for ten weeks. A staggered start and ABAB (A= baseline, B= intervention) reversal design was used to evaluate if an intervention effect was present. During the intervention phase, informational placards were placed next to targeted produce: zucchini, red pepper, kale, eggplant, red cabbage, and broccoli. Each card was placed below their display stating 2-3 health facts specific to the vegetable, along with a small picture. The first baseline phase lasted two weeks, followed by five weeks of intervention. The next baseline lasted one week, followed by two weeks of intervention. Results: Simulation Modeling Analysis (SMA) was used to determine whether vegetable purchases during the intervention phases significantly differed from the preceding baseline phase. Our analyses did not show any significant deviations between phases for each vegetable (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Grocery store purchases were not affected by the presence of health education placards.

• #32 - Benjamin Packard - Multi Drug Resistance in Serratia marcescens Isolated from Duck Pond in Clearfield Utah

  Contributors: Caden Probert, Aiden Bailey and Saiman Sadiq
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: Antibiotic resistance among different species of bacteria has become prevalent worldwide ever since the first antibiotics were introduced into the world healthcare system. Multi Drug Resistance is an increasingly common phenomenon that occurs when bacterial species develop mechanisms of defense against more than one type of antibiotic medication. Bacteria was cultured from a water sample from Steed Park, Clearfield, Utah. Sample was diluted and subjected to various concentrations of tetracycline. DNA analysis of the colony revealed S. marcescens. Serratia marcescens is a gram negative bacteria prevalently found in soil and water. S. marcescens is associated with many diseases including respiratory and urinary infections, eye infections and even endocarditis. Due to the widespread existence of S. marcescens, it was valuable to discover the possibilities of multi drug resistance in strains of S. marcescens. Knowing the species and initial antibiotic resistance of our bacterium, we conducted a Kirby Bauer test on it to determine if it was resistant to additional antibiotics. Additionally, we tested the ability to transmit these antibiotic resistance genes into chemically induced competent E. coli cells. Five different antibiotic disks were used during the Kirby-Bauer test. Results showed that the S. marcescens was resistant to Erythromycin along with Tetracycline, but did not show significant resistance to other antibiotics. We then extracted plasmids from this antibiotic resistant S. marcescens and induced competent E. coli. Results indicate that the transformed E. coli are also resistant to Tet after growing them on 3 mg/ml Tet media. The research we conducted was important because it demonstrated the near ubiquitous nature of antibiotic resistance genes. As antibiotics are continually used, and sometimes abused, it is likely that these horizontally transferable genes will continue to spread among bacteria and become more abundant.

• #14 - Brandon Paredes - The Ultimate Guide to Altering Tamoxifen

  Mentor: Tracy Covey
  Department: Chemistry
  Abstract: Tamoxifen is an aggressive drug that is used to treat receptor-positive breast cancers. Another critical role is that it is used in patients who are highly prone to breast cancer. Although the drug is no longer used and was superseded by Anastrozole. Looking deeper into the properties of the drug it is noted that the log(p) value is 7.1. Which violates one of the rules from rule 5, better known as Lipinski's rule. In seeing that the log(p) doesn't meet ideal values I want to improve aspects of the drug that give a better log(p) value which could lead to better absorption. The Drug targets in tamoxifen are estrogen receptors alpha and beta. The software and modeling programs are given, I could use to alter tamoxifen, seeing if the changes made give better log (p) values, while simultaneously seeing how it docks in select proteins. So far, no results have been established as tests are still being conducted. Tamoxifen, like any drug there is always an aspect that can be improved. Looking into existing complications of drugs and making alterations for either better or worse can lead to unprecedented discoveries.

• #33 - Alexandria Payne - Optimizing DNA purification methods of environmental soil samples for DNA Sequencing

  Contributors: Sarah Dabb
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: As a part of our MICR3154-Microbial Ecology CRE lab, we collected soil samples from around northern Utah and isolated antibiotic-resistant bacteria from them. While our classmates decided to follow up on the few bacteria they were able to grow from these soils, we decided to explore more of the ecology of the soil itself - looking at all the bacteria present in the soil through DNA sequencing. We extracted total environmental DNA from all six soil samples our class collected and conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to verify that we could amplify bacteria from the DNA, which is an essential step before DNA sequencing. Unfortunately, only one of the six samples amplified, meaning the other five either didn't have bacteria in them or (more likely) the samples were dirty with inhibitors, preventing the PCR from working. Measurement of DNA concentration and purity by Nanodrop spectrophotometry indicated that there was plenty of DNA in all of the samples, however most of the samples had low purity (i.e. the DNA was too dirty for molecular biology). The good news is there are various methods for cleaning up dirty DNA - including the use of magnetic beads. We performed a DNA purification method with magnetic AMPure beads and re-ran the Nanodrop measurements for DNA concentration and purity. Even with using the beads, the purity of DNA still had some issues, as the purity levels were not in a good range for PCR amplification. These results suggest that when DNA purity is really low, additional methods of DNA purification will be needed in order to get DNA ready for PCR and sequencing. While not the desired outcome we were looking for, this research has helped inform future workflows for extracting, purifying, and sequencing DNA from environmental soil samples.

• #7 - Christina Pluemer - Trends in Temperature and Precipitation Aid in Lodgepole Pine Mortality by Mountain Pine Beetles

  Contributors: Evelyn Linford, Josh Groat, Boston Frasier and Elizabeth Thurgood
  Mentor: Heather Root
  Department: Botany
  Abstract: Lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta) are ecologically and commercially important. Mountain pine beetles (MPB) cause mass tree mortality in lodgepole pine communities in Utah. Increased temperatures and lower precipitation were documented in the Uinta Mountain range. Using data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, we compiled total beetle tree mortality rates ranging from 2001 to 2017 in the Uintas. We then compared precipitation and temperature data from The University of British Columbia Center for Forest Conservation Genetics ClimateNA_MAP at the Bear River Ranger Station for the corresponding years. Trends in lodgepole mortality were compared to trends in average temperature and mean precipitation. A major spike in tree mortality happened in 2010. This year was preceded by three years of high temperatures and low precipitation. This evidence suggests that prolonged periods of drought and above-average heat trigger mass die-off events in lodgepole pines. We would predict to see another massive die-off following the years 2019-2022 due to similar trends of drought and record-high temperatures.

• #34 - Isaac Roy - Does Treatment of C. diff & colitis in-home lead to Vancomycin-resistant in other home residents?

  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: C. diff is an abbreviation referring to infection caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile and resulting in the inflammation of the colon. C. diff is notoriously challenging to treat and generally medications, including vancomycin and metronidazole are prescribed. Vancomycin is a very powerful antibiotic that is also used to treat MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). MRSA has caused over 100,000 deaths since 2019, demonstrating how powerful this vancomycin is and why it is important to monitor if there are vancomycin-resistant bacteria present after a patient is treated with it. Samples were taken from the restroom of the home of the patient who was treated with vancomycin, as well as the brother of the patient who shared the restroom with the patient. Pour plates containing 2.55ug/ml of vancomycin and 10ug/ml of amphotericin B (to stop fungal growth) were then inoculated with 100ul of 10^-1 through 10^-4 Nutrient Agar broth which had been incubating for 1 week. The plates were then incubated at 37C for 48 hours and removed and counted. The results were that there was no growth on any of the antibiotic plates which showed that there were no vancomycin-resistant bacteria present in either sample, suggesting that C. diff infection that is treated with vancomycin does not lead to antibiotic resistance in the home and members of that home.

• #35 - Zachary Sink - Isolating Amphotericin B Resistant Fungi from Local Soil

  Contributors: Emily Ficklin, Michelle West, Ethan Stryker and Natalie Pollock
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance has become increasingly prevalent in the environment since the development and use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medications. Risks associated with microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance involve increased susceptibility to illness or spread of disease, potentially without reliable treatment. While attempting to isolate antibiotic-resistant bacteria from a local soil sample, we ended up isolating fungi resistant to a common antifungal medication called Amphotericin B. After confirming the eukaryotic nature of these cells by microscopy with a chitin-staining procedure, we identified the unknown fungal isolates using 18S rRNA PCR, Sanger sequencing, and a BLAST search. We optimized the fungal primers ITS1 and ITS4 for the annealing temperature by testing 6 different temperatures between 50°C and 60°C and found that 55.4°C was the optimal temperature. By testing three types of isolated fungi with Kirby Bauer tests we also found that one was intermediately resistant to a 20µg dose of Amphotericin B, and another was completely resistant. Through these procedures, we have confirmed that fungi present in local soils of Weber County, Utah are developing or have developed Amphotericin B resistance.

• #44 - Finnian Smith - Aquatic and Terrestrial Subsidies in Strong's Creek

  Contributors: Sean Lagerquist and Brieana Vela
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Strong's Creek is a step-pool stream located in a confined valley of the Wasatch Mountains of Ogden, Utah, which experiences seasonal flows in response to snowmelt. As a headwater stream, it has no upstream sources to provide nutrients to its aquatic residents; instead, it relies on terrestrial inputs called subsidies. Subsidies are an exchange of resources between habitats wherein the stream supplies the riparian zone, and vice versa. To show that Strong's Creek exhibits subsidies we analyzed three different aspects of subsidy; first we observed the presence of long-jawed orb weavers (Tetragnathidae) and water striders (Gerris) as predators who catch emerging aquatic invertebrates; then we sampled macroinvertebrates within the water column and benthos; lastly we examined leaf packs and what trees supplied the leaves. Our results found that there is a positive relationship for aquatic and terrestrial subsidies, showing that terrestrial predators like the spider and strider would consume macroinvertebrates emerging from the water, and that leaf packs consisting of maple, oak, and birch leaves would provide food and a habitat for aquatic invertebrates; both predator and prey. Examples such as these show the potential for subsidies to exist within small headwater streams, which may lead to further study.

• #41 - Preston Snider - Substrate Preference Among Functional Feeding Groups

  Contributors: Stella Urry and Breanne Jones
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Substrate size varies across stream habitat subtypes. Such variations among substrate size allow macroinvertebrates of various different functional feeding groups to form preferences, which in turn allows aquatic ecosystems to foster a greater diversity of fauna and flora. In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship between macroinvertebrates of different functional feeding groups present in Strong's Creek in Ogden, UT, and the types of organic substrate present (coarse vs fine particulate organic matter) in a given reach of the stream. We found that the large majority of detrital functional feeding groups sampled preferred areas of our study habitat rich in fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) and drew the conclusion that filtering collectors and other detritivores present in aquatic ecosystems prefer areas rich in FPOM because of the more easily accessible energy sources. Additionally, we found that species of non-detrital functional feeding groups (predators and shredders) had a preference for several different substrate types, with an overall preponderance towards favoring substrate types rich in coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM). We believe that these observed preferences provide evidence for the importance of substrate diversity within aquatic ecosystems.

• #8 - Allison Stanley - Does intraspecific density relate to beetle mortality in Engelmann Spruce & Lodgepole Pine?

  Contributors: Cecilia Gibby, Paige Gleason, Allesandra Lomeli Vega and Brais Marchena Fernandez
  Mentor: Heather Root
  Department: Botany
  Abstract: Members of the subfamily Scolytinae, more commonly known as bark beetles, prey on trees by burrowing into the phloem layer, severely stressing the tree and ultimately causing fatality in the tree. Picea engelmannii (Engelmann Spruce) and Pinus contorta (Lodgepole Pine) are the two main tree species in the Uinta Mountains in Utah that are susceptible to bark beetle infestation. With increasing variability in climatic conditions, higher tree mortality rates due to bark beetles have been observed. Since past studies show that bark beetles are host specific, we hypothesize that areas with higher density of the same tree species (intraspecific density) leads to an increase of deaths from beetles. For the purpose of this study, we measured whether or not intraspecific density of the Engelmann Spruce and Lodgepole Pine relate to a higher mortality due to beetles in the Uinta National Forest. We found no correlation between percent mortality rates due to insects and intraspecific density. Further research would be needed in order to determine whether or not intraspecific density has any influence on beetle mortality on Engelmann Spruce and Lodgepole Pines.

• #45 - Olivia Strong - The Reali-TEA of Decomposition and Elevation

  Contributors: Abbigail Makin
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Decomposition can be invisible and overlooked when examining the important aspects of ecosystems. Despite this invisibility, decomposition plays a fundamental and indispensable role in nutrient cycling and biomass breakdown. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms and elements of decomposition are important for understanding ecosystem function. In this study, we aimed to add to the understanding of decomposition by examining how elevational changes affect overall rates of decomposition. We expected that even in the early stages of decomposition that elevation will significantly impact decomposition rates and overall, we expect an inverse relationship between elevation gain and decomposition rates. To test this, we ran a litter bag study, in which small organza bags of green tea leaves were buried at six various elevations and left to decompose for 25 days. Upon retrieval, bags were dried and weighed, and the percent dry mass loss (which is equated to total decomposition) was determined. The results of this study add to previously established knowledge about the influences of the environment on decomposition rates. Accordingly, this research contributes information on the local relationship between elevation and decomposition when other factors, such as immediate habitat and aspect, are controlled.

• #46 - Olivia Strong - Functional Feeding Groups and Habitat Characteristics

  Contributors: Rachel Taylor, Joshua Groat and Zoey Galbraith
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Ecosystems are composed of varying functional feeding groups (FFGs), a classification for the ways species feed within their specific habitat. Microhabitat diversity can play a role in their location, variety, and abundance. Invertebrates were collected and recorded to show the diversity within Strong's Creek in Ogden, Utah. During the initial collection, the species diversity consisted of collectors, scrapers, and predators with an absence of shredders. Our scrapers to shredders and collectors ratio was 1.2 showing reliance on instream primary production. Our filtering collectors to gathering collectors ratio was 0.875 meaning fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) transport was high. The ratio of scrapers and filtering collectors to shredders and gathering collectors was 3.125 demonstrating stable substrate is widely available. Our predator to all other groups ratio was lower than expected, at 0.0303 meaning prey turnover is low. After the initial leaf fall, we returned to the study site to sample leaf packs and found an increased shredder presence. In our experiment, we went from having a significant lack of shredders to an abundance which indicates that diversity fluctuates with the environment due to leaf fall. This data adds to previous knowledge of FFGs and habitat characteristics.

• #36 - Bryson Taylor - Transferring Multi drug Resistant Genes into e.coli

  Contributors: Michael Young
  Mentor: Katrina Twing
  Department: Microbiology
  Abstract: The world is experiencing an antibiotic resistant crisis as more bacteria continue to mutate and gain resistance. The biggest contribution to the antibiotic resistant crisis is due to hospital and their misuse/overuse of antibiotics. Humans are reservoirs for these bacteria which can get carried outside and deposited into the soil. Once in soils, the bacteria are capable of acquiring additional antibiotic resistant genes, as well as sharing their antibiotic resistant gene via plasmids. isolated bacteria resistant to the antibiotic Tetracycline from soil outside of McKay Dee Hospital's emergency department. Through DNA sequencing, we were able to identify that the bacterium was Stenotrophomonas, which is a gram negative bacillus and is normally found in the environment and in clinical samples. We then performed additional tests to determine if it was also resistant to other antibiotics, including Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Erythromycine, Sulpha/trimeth, and Ciprofloxin. We found that the isolated Stenotrophomonas was not only resistant to tetracycline but also erythromycin and amoxycillin. Next, we tested if the Stenotrophomonas we isolated is capable of sharing its tetracycline-resistance genes with other bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, by performing a transformation experiment. During this experiment, we isolated the antibiotic resistance gene from our culture and attempted to induce the transformation (uptake of environmental DNA) by special E. coli cells. We hope to find that through these plasmids contain multi drug resistant genes and are capable of being transferred to other bacteria. With this information further tests to prevent gene transfer can be done to help the antibiotic resistant crisis experienced today.

• #62 - Victoria Thaxton - Feeding Ecology and Dietary Overlap Within Owl Species

  Contributors: Tyler Jorgensen
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Two species of owls, Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) and Barn owl (Tyto alba) were selected in northern Utah to be studied at a trophic level. This study questioned if there would be any dietary overlap within these two owl’s diets, and observed prey abundance within their diets. Ten nesting locations were identified for collection of owl pellets and ten owl pellets were randomly taken from each location for dissection. Barn owls and Great horned owls shared territory within these locations; however this did not result in any niche competition, as the barn owls are strictly nocturnal while Great horned owls are more adaptable to a crepuscular lifestyle. It’s expected that owls inhabiting grassland-type habitat would exhibit a higher affinity for mammal prey items in their diet, while owls that inhabited a forested-type habitat would exhibit a prevalence for avian prey items in their diet. The wetland and marsh habitats are expected to have a variety of both mammal and avian prey. This information is important towards owl conservation and their foraging behavior in order to preserve nesting habitat sites.

• #42 - Brilee Thompson - Comparing bird populations over 50 years

  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Recent work has demonstrated that North American bird populations have experienced precipitous declines over the last 50 years (Rosenberg et al. 2019). Robust population size estimates indicate a net loss of nearly 3 billion birds, or 29% of 1970 abundance (Rosenberg et al. 2019). We examined the change in the avian scrub-oak community along the Wasatch Front by comparing data collected in 1973- 1974 by a former Weber State College Professor to data collected from 2019-2022 at the same study site. Species occurrence at the study site was determined by both point counts and mist netting. Change in both species richness and occurrence will be presented.

• #61 - Elizabeth Thurgood - Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program Internship

  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: This summer I had the amazing opportunity to work for the State of Utah’s Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Recourses, DWR, Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program also knownas GSLEP. I got to experience taking and processing data samples and population counts of migratory water birds that use the GSL, the physical water and brine shrimp from the GSL. As an intern I was able to expand my knowledge and skills to make me a better worker and team member for future jobs and career. Seasonal opportunites like this are for student just like me and the students at Weber State, to expend the class and lab learning into the field and get real work experiences.

• #15 - Jeremy Trentelman - Recycling Waste Electronics Through Mechanochemical Processes

  Mentor: Brandon Burnett
  Department: Chemistry & Biochemistry
  Abstract: This study presents the use of mechanochemical chelation of metals from waste mobile phones as a greener method of extracting toxic, critical and economic constituents from pulverized samples. Mobile phones were pulverized in a blender resulting in a powder that was separated by particle size. The resulting powder was added to a stainless-steel shaker mill with two 5 mm stainless steel balls, an organic chelating agent, and water. The mixture was milled for 99 minutes at 30 Hz. Post milling, the resulting slurry was separated into liquid and solid fractions. The liquid fraction was investigated via X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy to determine the identities of elements extracted. We report that this method was successful in mass extraction of nineteen elements. This study also investigated the effect of different chelating agents under the same conditions, including citric acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), and thiosulfate. Under these conditions citric acid separated fourteen elements, preferentially bonding with Iron. EDTA separated ten elements and preferentially bonded with Iron. Thiosulfate separated fourteen elements and preferentially bonded with Silver. The extraction produces a complex matrix and further separation would require additional study, but the chelates selected have methods for recycling for reuse.

• #47 - Tabitha Turner - Terrestrial Influences on Stream Ecosystems

  Contributors: Kathryn Wilde, Andrew Gorges and Charlie Magnuson
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Stream ecosystems can be heavily influenced by terrestrial inputs such as plant litter. Leaves from different plant species decompose at varying rates, providing nutrients on different timescales. As the nutrient composition within a stream changes with the seasons, the macroinvertebrate assemblage also changes, influencing the presence of functional feeding groups (FFGs). Our study surveyed how seasonal leaf fall influenced macroinvertebrate assemblage in Strong's Creek. Our expectation was to see an increase in shredders as the amount of terrestrial coarse particulate organic matter increased in the fall. Our study area was Strong's Creek, which is considered a step pool, and multiple sampling methods were used to obtain macroinvertebrate samples. In the study site there were a variety of tree species for terrestrial leaf input and several boulder and cobble sizes for macroinvertebrate habitats. We found collector gatherers were by far the most abundant FFG collected prior to leaf fall. Abundance of shredders greatly increased after leaves had fallen. A variety of tree species were observed within leaf packs. Their decay patterns provide important insights about the energy available to the FFGs throughout the year. The dynamics of stream ecosystems are influenced by changes in terrestrial inputs throughout the year.

• #48 - Tade Wilson - What can we learn about a stream ecosystem based on macroinvertebrate assemblage?

  Contributors: Ana Tidrow, Gustavo Medina and Nicole Hunter
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: For this study we utilized Functional Groups (FFG's) to deduce some of the key tenets of a small stream ecosystem. FFG's are an in-depth description of an organism's trophic role combining metrics such as food preference, feeding mechanism, and size of the food consumed. Further analysis of FFG ratios found within an aquatic system can provide insight into the varying mechanisms of said system such as substrate stability, trophic indices, and nutrient flow dynamics. Our study site was a five meter stretch of Strong's Creek, located in Strong's Canyon, Ogden, Utah. To determine the FFG's present within the site we utilized kick and Surber net sampling techniques to gather macroinvertebrates, preserved individual macroinvertebrates, and identified them down to the genus level. Known life histories of the identified macroinvertebrates allowed us to assign them to their respective FFG's, which we utilized to further determine the ratios present within our system. Our analysis showed Strong's Creek is a heterotrophic system dominated by FPOM featuring strong top-down predator control. This result highlights the efficacy of FFG sampling not only as a stream analysis tool but also as an informative starting point for undergraduate students beginning to hone their research techniques.

• #49 - Shelby Wilson - Diversity of Functional Feeding Groups by Substrate

  Contributors: Brooklynne Ball and Ailee Justo
  Mentor: Christopher Hoagstrom
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Macroinvertebrate functional feeding group (FFG) assemblages vary between different substrates found in aquatic ecosystems. The different substrate types macroinvertebrates are found on, and the feeding groups that they are categorized into, help distinguish their roles in a stream ecosystem. We investigated these relationships within a single pool/riffle section of Strong's Creek, a first order step-pool stream located in the Wasatch Mountains. We used kick net sampling and hand sampling techniques to collect macroinvertebrates within our study site. Observed FFG's in Strong's Creek included: shredders, scrapers, predators, filtering collectors, and collector gatherers. In this study, substrates were sectioned into downed wood, leaf packs, and inorganic substrates. Identifying which FFG's were present on each substrate helped us to determine the relative importance of each substrate to the macroinvertebrate community. Using Strong's Creek as a reference, we determined which FFG's may exist in similar stream habitats. Our results showed that the composition of FFG's varied based on substrate type. Scrapers were most prevalent on inorganic substrates while shredders mostly utilized leaf packs. Gatherers used each substrate equally, showing no habitat preference. Substrate type had little impact on predator presence and they were found on all substrates.

• #43 - Shaelynn Wood - Avian Pox and House Finches

  Contributors: Allison Pierce, Noelle Foster and Caroline Stephens
  Mentor: John Cavitt
  Department: Zoology
  Abstract: Disease can be a major influence on wildlife population dynamics and may be exacerbated by factors such as environmental conditions and population densities. In addition, disease can differentially affect age classes, sexes, or vital rates which further complicates studies on wildlife disease effects. Avian Pox is a common virus that causes lesions and other health issues in major bird populations. We examined the effect of avian pox on a local population of House Finches, Haemorhous mexicanus. House Finches are a common species found throughout much of North America and are an important component of the scrub oak avian community along the Wasatch Front. We examined if avian pox affects House Finch body mass, fat deposition, and survivorship in this local population and if the disease differentially impacts age classes and sex. Mist nets were used to capture birds at our study site along the foothills of Ogden, Utah. Birds captured were banded with a USFWS leg band to uniquely identify individuals. Data was collected from October 2019 to November 2022. Conclusions drawn from this study could help further determine how diseases such as Avian Pox can affect population dynamics and vital rates.

Social & Behavioral Science

• #50 - Brayden Carter - Matrix metalloproteinase-II in a larval zebrafish model of retinal regeneration

  Contributors: Benjamin Packard, Derek Keeney and Braxton Tonks
  Mentor: Elizabeth Sandquist
  Department: Psychological Science
  Abstract: Three of the top five causes for blindness are caused by incurable diseases in the retina, including retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. These diseases are increasing as a large portion of the United States population ages. Zebrafish work as a model for retinal regeneration. Compared to mammals, zebrafish Müller glia fully regenerate the retina by producing stem cells. Stem cell transplants have shown promising results, but increased reliability is required before use in the general population. Currently, it is difficult to understand how transplanted stem cells survive, travel to the affected site, and mature into the correct cell type. Matrix metalloproteinase-II (MMP2) may be secreted by cells to alter the surrounding matrix to promote migration. We hypothesized that MMP2 is released by migrating stem cells on their way to their target destination in the zebrafish retina. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reactions determined that MMP2 expression was upregulated in the zebrafish retina following light lesion. Additionally, we used immunohistochemistry to determine when stem cells were being born; however increased stem cell proliferation was not detected using our current methods. Understanding the role that MMP2 plays in retinal regeneration, may increase the likelihood of success for future transplantation therapies.

• #51 - Colton Desmond - Site Selection Analysis to Determine the Next Location For the Reintroduction of Bison in Utah

  Mentor: Eric Ewert
  Department: Geography, Environment & Sustainability
  Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the next location for the reintroduction of Bison in Utah. Climate, water availability, similarity to previously successful areas, area size, and isolation are key factors in determining the ideal location for a bison herd. The research findings determined that the Deep Creek mountains in western Utah would work well for a new bison herd. The area the bison would range on would be approximately 250,000 acres. This is just 75,000 acres short of the size of the Henry Mountains herd ranging area, a previously successful bison restoration project in southern Utah. One key factor making the Deep Creeks an ideal habitat is the amount of precipitation. The Henry Mountains and the Deep Creeks get very similar amounts of annual precipitation, both averaging about 13 inches of rain. It is also very isolated, the only population centers nearby are the very small farming towns of Ibapah and Callao, both of which have populations around 200. This proposed bison herd would benefit both Utah's people and its wild lands and would be one more step in the right direction toward restoring bison populations nationwide.

• #52 - Riley Swain - The Influence of Implicit Biases on the Perception of Face Masks: an ERP study

  Contributors: Rochely Negron
  Mentor: Aminda O'Hare
  Department: Psychological Science
  Abstract: Face masks help prevent the spread of respiratory infections. However, face masks cover important facial features that are key for the perception of emotions, and studies have shown that covering important facial features increases the likelihood of incorrectly identifying facial expressions. What remains to be explored is if face masks are perceived as negative or positive social stimuli. 64-channel EEG was recorded while participants completed a flanker implicit association test (IAT) to measure implicit biases associated with face masks. Negative or positive words appeared above or below face stimuli presented with or without a face mask. An interaction between face masks and word valence was found, such that negative words were categorized more quickly when paired with an unmasked face, and positive words were categorized more quickly when paired with a masked face. Robust N170 responses were found for all face stimuli, however, unmasked faces evoked larger P300 responses compared to masked faces. Finally, masked faces were rated as more pleasant than unmasked faces, increases in social anxiety were associated with increases in negative ratings of unmasked male faces, and increases in negative affect were associated with slower reaction times to negative words overall. These data indicate that perceiving faces with face masks does influence both our unconscious and conscious perception of others.