Brenda Acosta, Utah Valley University
(Mentor: Melodie Weller, Dentistry)

Optimizing Scientific Protocols for RNA Isolation From Fixed Tissue

Detection of pathogens in environmental specimens is challenging due to the rapid degradation of nucleic acids based on preservation techniques used. A study was designed evaluated two protocols for specimen preparation for optimized preservation and integrity of cellular and viral RNA: 1) formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) sample processing and 2) optimal cutting temperature (O.C.T.) embedding compound for fixed and frozen tissue specimens. Tissues were fixed with 10% formalin for 24hr or 48hr prior to being embedded using either the FFPE or the O.C.T. scientific protocol. RNA was then isolated from 5um thick slices using a Qiagen RNeasy FFPE Kit. RNA quantity was measured with Qubit™ RNA High Sensitivity (HS) Assay Kit and RNA integrity was assessed using Qubit™ RNA IQ Assay Kit. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal protocol for isolation of RNA from environmental samples. This study focused on the FFPE and O.C.T. protocols. Each protocol had its own timeframe, challenges, and implications. FFPE required longer sample processing time, more reagents for step-wise tissue dehydration, and instrumentation to facilitate embedding specimens into hot paraffin wax. The O.C.T. protocol required less time and reagents to process samples. The RNA isolation using the FFPE and O.C.T. protocols was used to determine the optimal RNA concentrations and integrity for 24hr and 48hr fixed tissues. For the OCT protocol, the RNA concentrations were lower than for the FFPE protocol. For FFPE, the 48hr fixed tissue had a higher RNA concentration than the 24hr fixed tissue. Both the FFPE and OCT provided an efficient RNA integrity score required for downstream NGS processing. FFPE specimen processing rendered higher levels of RNA and similar RNA integrity scores as compared to the O.C.T. protocol. The FFPE protocol will be utilized in follow-up studies to characterize and isolate low-level pathogen signatures from environmental specimens.

 

Camden Alexander, University of Utah & Monica Owens, University of Utah
(Mentor: Scott Collingwood, Pediatrics)

Interventional Assessment Of Air Quality On Low-Income Homes In Salt Lake County

The Salt Lake Valley is notorious for its air pollution, which occurs when harmful matter enters the atmosphere. Our air pollution consists of particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone and arsenic, which come from vehicle, home and industrial emissions. Poor air quality has been linked to adverse health outcomes such as higher rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases. The study’s objective is to assess whether in-home interventions reduce air pollution and improve participant health. Methods include collecting air quality data within participant homes and implementing home-improvements, including but not limited to installing H-VAC systems and reinforcing shelter features. The study is in its elementary stages, therefore results have not been finalized.

 

Gabriel Baffour, University of Utah & Jessica Cuello, University of Utah
(Mentor: Daniel Mendoza, Atmospheric Sciences)

Electric Bus Air Quality Monitoring Platform: Findings and Implications

In Salt Lake City, a unique air quality remote-sensing system developed and is used for air quality simulations allowing the public to view the harmful effects of regional air quality pollution in the Salt Lake Valley Region. This study focuses on integrating air quality sensors on (Utah Transit Authority) UTA and electrical buses for public transportation throughout the Salt Lake Region stretching as far south as Draper, UT, and as far north as Ogden,UT. These sensors pick up trails of Ozone, NO2, and CO2 within our troposphere. The effect these pollutants have on human health is extremely detrimental after a certain period of time, as well as induces respiratory diseases. With the aid of Utah’s light rail or TRAX system, it allows for compiling data on the concentration of particulate matter with a diameter of <10 μm (PM10) around the valley region by using The Air Pollution Model. Through the use of the Air Pollution Model, forecasts can be constructed to indicate the result of different health risk patterns and pollution hot spots. Through the vast system of air quality network data, collecting and analyzing the data allows for the inquiry of recent inversions in the air caused by PM2.5 levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). In similarity, researchers have conducted a study in which a local news helicopter was in use to provide a sensor platform for spatial-temporal analysis & vertical profiles of pollution concentration in the Salt Lake Valley. In parallel, the air quality data gained by the news helicopter was disseminated from maps, websites, forecasting trends as well as public awareness. (2015-2016). Facing the increasing threat of a risk to public health through pollutants traveling through the air, it is uncertain the future of air quality, despite ensuring to limit the concentration of ozone and gas emissions.

 

Sarah Bayardo, University of Utah
(Mentor: Anne Kirchhoff, Pediatrics)

The impact of air pollution exposure on childhood cancer survivors: creating and obtaining feedback on an informative brochure

Introduction: Air pollution is a significant public health problem that is linked to many cancer types. To inform childhood cancer survivors, their families, and caregivers about the potential negative impact of air pollution exposure, we created an informative brochure on this topic. We received feedback on our first brochure draft through an online survey sent to researchers connected to Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review on the potential risk childhood cancer survivors face when exposed to air pollution through PubMed; 22 papers were reviewed and summarized. We compiled our findings into a brochure created for parents and caregivers of young cancer survivors. A survey was created and sent to 45 HCI staff and researchers to get feedback on the brochure's phrasing, language, and visual appeal. The questions on our survey included demographics, familiarity with air pollution science, brochure understandability, opinions on brochure visuals, and feedback on how the brochure could be improved. Data collection is ongoing. Results: A total of 17 participants completed the survey; 88.2% are females, with 70.6% having more than a 4-year college degree. The majority (88.2%) found the brochure "not hard to understand," and 88.2% of participants did find something new that they learned. We asked if the brochure was ready to be released on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 for "no ready" and 10 for "ready" the mean was 8.33. The favorite elements of the brochure were the visuals (100%) and the key messages (75%). The least favorite elements were the formatting and the colors. Conclusion: Our brochure received generally positive feedback. Creating approachable ways of expressing scientific information is vital to protecting vulnerable populations such as children from air pollution. The following steps include getting feedback from parents and caregivers of survivors for future dissemination.

 

Andrew Bergenthal, University of Utah
(Mentor: Sameer Patil, School of Computing)

Comparing Two-factor Authentication Deployment Options Across Organizations

Two-factor authentication has become increasingly prominent in the university setting, where the mechanism protects almost all university resources pertaining to user accounts. While important for enhanced security, two-factor authentication can degrade user experience (UX) and decrease productivity. Various implementation options can help achieve a reasonable balance between security and UX. However, there has not yet been a systematic investigation of how the balance is affected by variations in the implementation option. As the first step toward investigating this aspect, we collected the options provided for the two-factor authentication implementations at nearly 150 American universities of various types and size. In particular, we examined the availability of various mechanisms as the second factor and the period of time for which users can choose to “remember” their authentication before being asked for the second factor again. We found that most universities allow users to remember their two-factor authentication for 30 days in order to reduce user burden for the number of times the second factor needs to be invoked, thus providing better UX for authentication. We plan to administer a large-scale online questionnaire to collect user perceptions of UX across these universities and examine how they might be influenced by the variations in options available to the users.

 

Brielle Bingener, University of Scranton
(Mentor: Jan Kubanek, Bioengineering)

Optimization of brain slice health for ultrasonic stimulation

There is a critical need to develop noninvasive treatments for drug-resistant neurological disorders. Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive modern technology that can provide mm precision and target deep brain structures. Yet, it is unknown what the effects of ultrasound are on different cell types in the brain. Our goal is to develop a method to determine the effect of ultrasonic stimulation on neural activity visualized with the genetically encoded calcium indicating protein GCaMP6s. When optimizing a method to image action potential-dependent calcium responses, it is crucial to ensure brain slice health; as cell death can occur during preparation of brain slices and in the imaging environment. We selected Thy1-GCaMP6s mice for use in these studies due to superior fluorescence in CA1 hippocampal cells (Dana et al., 2014) and the ability to detect active neurons (Chen et al., 2013). We imaged using two microscopes to confirm continuity of slice health in different imaging environments. Using a Zeiss Axioskop fluorescence microscope imaging at 12 Hz in acutely prepared hippocampal brain slices obtained from Thy1-GCaMP6s (n=2) mice, we determined that the protective recovery method used for slice preparation and our solution conditions for imaging were sufficient for imaging neuronal activity. This success is marked by imaging predominantly healthy cells with full somas. During imaging Thy1GCaMP6s (n=2) with an Olympus BX51 illumination turret, 10x water immersion .3NA objective, and GFP filter set, we determined the recording temperature of 30-32˚C and 7.35 pH was sufficient for healthy brain slices as observed by non-bloated cells in the imaging environment. Additionally, we observed brain tissue viability for a minimum of six hours. Optimization of slice health and the imaging environment for the tissue will allow us to create a novel experimental setup for ultrasonic stimulation of brain slices in the future.

 

Marco Castaneda, California State University Dominguez Hills
(Mentor: William Anderegg, School of Biological Sciences)

Forest Resilience: Aspen Physiological Responses to Drought

Trembling aspen, P. tremuloides, plays an important role in promoting biodiversity, providing ecosystem services, and sequestering carbon. Aspen grows in many climates and environments throughout North America, ranging from the arid conditions of the southwest to mesic conditions of more northern latitudes. Aspen is experiencing a range contraction caused by Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD) and exacerbated by warming temperatures and lack of precipitation. A garden experiment was conducted to compare how aspen from three distinct climatological regions (Dixie, Uncompahgre, and White River National Forest) will physiologically respond to one-year drought treatment. To determine which population is more likely to have a less adverse response to drought; Chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, and leaf water potential from each individual were analyzed. There was no change in physiological responses between population and treatment groups. Which could mean that all three populations have similar phenotypic adaptations to water stress, but further research is necessary. The results could also mean that one year of treatment drought is not enough, and the experiment could express different results with repeated years of drought. Future research in tree physiological responses to drought is crucial for designing restoration projects that provide long-lasting benefits for North American Forests.

 

Hope Caviness, Baylor University
(Mentor: Brennan Payne, Psychology)

Neurocognitive effects of listening effort on speech perception in older adults: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

Purpose: In older adults, there is a clear relationship between hearing loss and cognitive disruptions, including negative effects on speech comprehension. This leads adults to distancing themselves from participating in daily communicative activities. The goal of the current study is to use cognitive event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to understand higher-level cognitive and brain functions as adults listen to perceptually demanding speech (e.g., in background noise). Method: We measured ERPs as older adults (N = 48, mean age = 71; range = 60 - 85) listened to sentences with expected and unexpected sentence-final words either in quiet or with background noise. We measured two cognitive ERPs time-locked to the sentence-final word: the N400 and the frontal negativity. Results: We found that the N400 response, which indexes semantic processing, is delayed in background noise. This indicates that the early retrieval of words from long-term memory is hindered when listening effort is high. In addition, we observed a frontal negativity to expected words in quiet, which has been linked to high-level working memory related comprehension processes. This frontal negativity was eliminated in background noise. Thus, high-level comprehension processes are diminished when increased listening effort is required to overcome perceptual limitations. Conclusion: This study demonstrates underlying differences in brain activity in older adults when processing auditory input in quiet compared to noise. Our findings demonstrate that older adults experience delays in word retrieval and reductions in high-level comprehension processes when the listening environment is more perceptually demanding. Such findings may be clinically useful with respect to assessing hearing loss in parallel with cognitive functioning to improve the communicative experience of those who endure age-related hearing loss.

 

Jessica Cuello, University of Utah & Gabriel Baffour, University of Utah
(Mentor: Daniel Mendoza, Atmospheric Sciences)

Electric Bus Air Quality Monitoring Platform: Findings and Implications

In Salt Lake City, a unique air quality remote-sensing system developed and is used for air quality simulations allowing the public to view the harmful effects of regional air quality pollution in the Salt Lake Valley Region. This study focuses on integrating air quality sensors on (Utah Transit Authority) UTA and electrical buses for public transportation throughout the Salt Lake Region stretching as far south as Draper, UT, and as far north as Ogden,UT. These sensors pick up trails of Ozone, NO2, and CO2 within our troposphere. The effect these pollutants have on human health is extremely detrimental after a certain period of time, as well as induces respiratory diseases. With the aid of Utah’s light rail or TRAX system, it allows for compiling data on the concentration of particulate matter with a diameter of <10 μm (PM10) around the valley region by using The Air Pollution Model. Through the use of the Air Pollution Model, forecasts can be constructed to indicate the result of different health risk patterns and pollution hot spots. Through the vast system of air quality network data, collecting and analyzing the data allows for the inquiry of recent inversions in the air caused by PM2.5 levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). In similarity, researchers have conducted a study in which a local news helicopter was in use to provide a sensor platform for spatial-temporal analysis & vertical profiles of pollution concentration in the Salt Lake Valley. In parallel, the air quality data gained by the news helicopter was disseminated from maps, websites, forecasting trends as well as public awareness. (2015-2016). Facing the increasing threat of a risk to public health through pollutants traveling through the air, it is uncertain the future of air quality, despite ensuring to limit the concentration of ozone and gas emissions.

 

Rachel D'Agostini, University of Utah
(Mentor: Xuming Wang, Materials Science and Engineering)

Production of High-Purity Calcite and Rare Earth Elements from Phosphogypsum

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a solid waste from phosphoric acid production, and is primarily composed of CaSO4.2H2O. It is estimated that about 200 Mt/a of PG is generated globally in the phosphate industry (Parreira et al. 2003). Due to impurities (such as phosphate, fluorides, sulfates, trace metals and radioactive elements) only 15% of the PG is recycled as building material and soil stabilization amendments (Tayibi et al. 2009). Most of the PG is stored in large stacks across the world. The large number of PG stacks is not only occupying land space, but is also an environmental problem (Rutherford et al. 1994, 1996). On the other hand, the PG could be a material resource. For example, research indicates that the content of REE (Rare Earth Elements) in PG is about 112-300 ppm (Zhang 2014) which is a significant REE resource. Current study for recovery of REE from PG using NH4Cl dissolution is in progress. In addition, preparation of high purity of CaCO3 through CO2 mineralization is included in our research (Figure 1). The processing parameters including dissolution time, temperature, and liquid/solid ratios are being explored to determine the optimum conditions. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is being used to examine the products, and a Ca++ ion selective electrode is being used to observe dissolution and carbonate formation processes. The preliminary results show the feasibility of using the PG dissolution - CO2 mineralization process to recover REE and produce CaCO3 from PG. The advantage of this processing is to use the solid waste PG and greenhouse gas CO2 as feed materials to produce valuable products, REE and CaCO3. Future research will include extraction of REE from solution.

 

Sam Evans, University of Exeter
(Mentor: Owen Chan, Internal Medicine)

The Feasibility of Using a Novel Somatostatin Receptor 2 Inhibitor to Prevent Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes

Loss of the ability to secrete glucagon, a hormone that is important to help raise blood glucose levels, in patients with advanced type 2 diabetes (T2D) places them at greater risk for experiencing hypoglycemia. Although the mechanism underlying this loss is currently not known, elevated somatostatin levels in poorly controlled T2D may play a role as it binds to type 2 somatostatin receptors on pancreatic alpha-cells to inhibit glucagon secretion. The current study evaluates whether a new somatostatin receptor 2 antagonist, ZT-01, can be used to help restore glucagon secretion in response to hypoglycemia in advanced T2D rats. In addition, we also examine whether ZT-01 affects metabolic parameters under hyperglycemic conditions. Sprague-Dawley rats placed on a high-fat diet and given a low-dose of streptozotocin were used to model advanced late stage T2D in humans. These animals underwent either a hyperinsulinemic-hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic clamp following the administration of ZT-01 to evaluate the effect of the drug on glucagon and insulin secretion, respectively. In response to hypoglycemia, plasma glucagon responses were almost completely absent in the T2D animals, whereas treatment with ZT-01 improved glucagon responses in the diabetic rats. Under hyperglycemic clamp conditions, we observed a significant and unexpected rise in plasma insulin levels that was accompanied by a rise in glucagon than was observed in response to hypoglycemia. Based on the data collected, ZT-01 appears to be effective at enhancing glucagon secretion in advanced T2D rats during hypoglycemia but surprisingly, it also stimulated insulin secretion under hyperglycemic conditions, which may prove to be an advantageous therapy in maintaining metabolic control in T2D.

 

Natalia Garrido, University of Utah
(Mentor: Claudia Geist, Gender Studies)

The more you know: Knowledge about gender as basis to inclusive health care practices

Research has documented the many barriers to accessing health care and receiving quality, affirming care for gender and sexual minority individuals. To shed light on possible solutions to providing more inclusive health care environments, we focus on attitudes and practices among future healthcare professionals, the essential first impressions for sexual and gender diverse (SGD) patients. Pre-health students express mostly positive attitudes toward SGD individuals, but studies show throughout the health fields there seem to be a range of poor to no training or education measures on SGD health within school curriculums and occupations. Failure to understand and empathize with these complex differences and interconnections of SGD identities and health have left the SGD community drowning in life-threatening and chronic health conditions. This study focuses on attitudes, views, and knowledge, via survey, of pre-health undergraduate students (who have completed a specific amount of patient-centered hours) toward sexuality and gender. We found mostly positive and supportive attitudes toward SGD individuals. 88% of students noted that hospitals should be a place to safely express and explore gender identities. With abstract topics of gender and sexuality, most acknowledged the differences and binaries of gender and sex, but there was a constant undecided response (neither agree nor disagree) throughout majority of the abstract questions. We found that 74% altogether disagree with no difference between sex and gender and 7% altogether agree while 19% neither agree nor disagree. The more gender and sexual diverse a student identified, the more likely they noted they understood the complexities of sex and gender. This data further emphasizes that the attitudes of future healthcare providers are not the only foundations of exclusions in the healthcare system, but rather a healthcare system and biased curriculum issue. It also further stresses the need to make room for SGD leadership in the reformation of the healthcare system.

 

Jackie Gomez, University of Utah
(Mentor: James VanDerslice, Family & Preventative Medicine)

Historical Road Traffic over Time

Roads and traffic are constantly monitored for accidents, delays, or conditions of the road after a storm. While studying present roads is crucial, historical road traffic can reveal early life exposures. Studying environmental exposures during early life while using historic traffic data can help us gain a further understanding of how changes in traffic and the development of roads. In this study, we used historic data from historical records of roads and traffic and geocoded these documents into ArcMap Pro. Using this software, we then created a timelapse of each decade from the 1940s to the 2000s, comprising of the historical data.

 

Naomi Guerrero Reyes, Westminster College
(Mentor: Erin McGlade, Psychiatry)

Acculturative Stress and Suicidal Behavior Among Hispanics in the U.S.

Suicidal behaviors (e.g., suicidal ideation and attempts) among Hispanics in the US have been increasing since the 2000s (Silva & Van Orden, 2017). One of the many factors that is causing an increase in suicidal behaviors is acculturative stress. The term acculturative stress has been defined as the psychological impact of adaptation to a new culture (Smart & Smart, 1995). Discrimination, poor language comprehension, low socioeconomic status, family conflict, and low levels of support are some of the acculturative stressors that contribute to suicidal behaviors (Haboush-Deloye, et al., 2015). The purpose of this review is to summarize the studies examining suicidal behaviors and acculturative stress among Hispanics. Many of the studies in this review have found significant relations between suicidal behavior and acculturative stress. However, additional research and public health interventions are needed to better understand and address why acculturative stressors are affecting the mental health of the Hispanic community in the US. One major study that can provide insight to this association is the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (including the Diagnostic Neuroimaging, University of Utah site), which is a 10-year longitudinal study that includes variables on suicide behavior and acculturation in youth. Future directions for research and interventions on acculturation and suicide behaviors also will be explored. Keywords: acculturation, acculturative stress, cultural assimilation, cultural adoption, suicide, suicide ideation, suicidality, suicide behavior, suicide attempt, Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Mexican, Central American, South American.

 

Caden Hamrick, Mercer University
(Mentor: Jacob George, Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Using Arm Movements to Control Smart Home Devices

The purpose of this research is to develop an algorithm following a joint classification-regression scheme to provide consistent, accurate and proportional myoelectric control of smart home devices. Myoelectric control has seen use in a wide array of applications but has been particularly popular in the development of prosthetics, orthotics, and other assistive devices. Recent advancements in myoelectric control stem largely from an improvement in signal processing techniques, as well as the advent of deep learning’s application in this space. Deep algorithms typically approach myoelectric control using either classification or regression. Classification schemes used in upper body myoelectric control classify gestures made by the user as discrete output, whereas regression schemes estimate a continuous output --often but not necessarily-- kinematics. In this application, we use a joint classification-regression scheme to perform gesture recognition and proportional control. We employ a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify input EMG signal as one of three gestures: wrist supination/pronation, wrist flexion/extension, and do nothing. In addition to the CNN, there are also two Kalman Filters (KF) trained for regression on separate classes: one trained to estimate supination/pronation, the other flexion/extension. The CNN determines which KF is relevant, while allowing the other to be ignored. Offline testing has shown that they CNN yields ~97%. Further research will investigate how to overcome the donning/doffing problem and improve the system’s real-time accuracy.

 

Ellie Han, Vanderbilt University
(Mentor: Joseph Kim, Psychiatry)

How Negative Do You Feel?: Emotion Regulation in aMCI and the Aging Brain

Reappraisal-based emotion regulation refers to a cognitive process used to willfully control the intensity of emotions we experience. Previous literature suggests that cognitive decline may reduce the proportion of successful reappraisers in MCI patients. This study aims to compare emotion regulation in healthy, neurologically normal older adults and those with memory impairments (amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment or aMCI). We hypothesized that the aMCI group will show weaker emotion regulation effectiveness as well as worse memory and thinking skills. Older adults, aged 55-79, received a neuropsychological assessment of multiple cognitive domains including memory, and executive functioning. All participants also completed an Emotion Regulation Task (ERT) while undergoing a brain scan (fMRI).The ERT required participants to maintain, or reappraise their negative emotions while viewing negative images (e.g., gore, violence, or contamination), and subsequently rate how negative they were feeling. A linear fixed effects model was conducted to examine the relationship between age, group and instruction with ERT negativity ratings. As expected, the aMCI group performed significantly worse in the neuropsychological assessment, especially in Trail Making Test B (slope=-0.046, N=19, 𝑅2=0.45, P=0.0016) which measures set-shifting as part of executive functioning.The linear fixed effects model showed that there is no significant relationship between age, group, and the groups’ interaction with instructions, and ERT response values. However, the type of instruction had a significant impact on response values in both groups (F(1,17) = 105.1342, p < .05). Furthermore, a paired sample t-test within each group showed that there was a significant difference in the response values following the instructions “maintain” vs “reappraise” in the healthy control group (t=-2.25, df=14, P=0.041) but not the aMCI group. Despite the small sample size, this study demonstrates need for subsequent studies on the relationship between cognitive decline in aMCI and emotion regulation.

 

Sarah Haysley, The Ohio State University
(Mentor: Skyler Jennings, Communication Sciences and Disorders)

Assessment of an Auditory Reflex that Facilitates Listening in Background Noise

Hearing in background noise is a significant listening challenge for individuals with hearing loss (HL). Based on animal research, the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) is hypothesized to improve listening in noisy backgrounds. This improvement may be diminished with HL. Clinical assessment of the MOCR is essential to understand the extent to which a patient’s speech-in-noise difficulties may be explained by MOCR dysfunction. Yet, current assessments of the MOCR require individuals to have good hearing sensitivity. The purpose of this study is to develop an alternative assessment of MOCR function based on the cochlear microphonic (CM), which produces reliable responses in individuals with HL. When the MOCR is elicited by contralateral sound, the CM amplitude increases. As a first step toward developing a clinical test of the MOCR, this study was designed to determine which frequencies result in the largest MOCR-induced increase in CM amplitude. The effect of contralateral noise on the CM was measured from an electrode placed on the tympanic membrane. Contralateral broadband noise was presented to the left ear to elicit the MOCR while an ipsilateral test tone (probe) swept from 100 – 6000 Hz in the right ear. Six normal hearing young adults completed two conditions: a downward and an upward sweeping probe. The results show that the CM amplitude increased in the presence of contralateral noise, consistent with eliciting the MOCR. This enhancement was greatest for frequencies between 250 and 2000 Hz suggesting that future clinical tests based on the CM should focus on this frequency region. This study’s design shows promise for assessing the MOCR in of individuals with HL. The next step is to extend this design to include older adults with normal hearing and HL to test the hypothesis that a CM-based test is sensitive to the putative declines in MOCR function that result from HL.

 

Jake Hirst, University of Utah
(Mentor: Haohan Zhang, Mechanical Engineering)

Study Manual Control Of A Continuum Soft Manipulator

Due to their highly flexible structures, continuum manipulators (CM) are uniquely suited for many tasks (e.g., surgery, inspection) beyond the capabilities of traditional manipulators. We developed a CM whose shape can be controlled by pulling 3 cables routed through its segments. Due to the under-actuated nature of this manipulator, controlling its shape automatically with motors turns out to be a complex mathematical problem. In this project, we want to study how humans manually control the shape of CM and develop algorithms to emulate their behavior algorithmically. As a first step, we built a manual control system and collected data from human volunteers. This manual system consists of three identical units, each is responsible for pulling one cable by a user. Each unit contains a crank, a pulley, and an encoder to allow a user to interact with the system. A preliminary data collection is performed with 3 volunteers. The testers were asked to control the tip of the CM to reach three target positions. VICON motion capture tracked the position of the CM in 3D space as it moved from one position to another. Simultaneously, the encoder values from the manual system were recorded. We first used a machine learning toolbox to perform symbolic regression to map the cable lengths (measured by the encoders) with the 3D trajectories of the CM (measured by cameras). Future work will then refine the machine learning model to best mimic the behaviors that the human operators exhibit.

 

Tom Kauffman, University of Utah
(Mentor: Jason Wiese, School of Computing)

Making Smart Hospitals Useful

Smart hospitals are arriving, driven by the vision to enhance the patient experience, reduce operational burden, and improve hospital workflow. The University of Utah’s newly constructed Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital contains patient rooms where the lights, blinds, thermostat, TV, and wireless soundbar are all controlled through an app on a hospital furnished iPad or personal device. This novel implementation supports varying control abilities through touch, voice command, sip and puff controller, or physical switches and remotes. This technology is potentially transformative for patients experiencing motor or mobility impairments, helping them regain lost freedom and control of their surroundings. We explore how the technology employed in patient rooms affects — and can better support —patients’ and other stakeholders’ needs and experiences, how the smart room technology fits in the context of a hospital setting, and how the patient’s experience with the technology affects how they view their transition to home through semi-structured user study interviews. We identify a range of considerations that inform the way smart technology is integrated into hospital environments, including design decisions about the technology itself, but also adjustments to the way that hospital staff introduce and support the technology to patients. Through continuing work, we can guide future designers in seamlessly integrating technology into the hospital environment to reduce burdens on all stakeholders, support patient’s unique physical abilities, and enhance independence for those who have lost it.

Luke Kim, Kenyon College
(Mentor: José Gutiérrez, Education, Culture & Society)

Domestic Sensibilities, Household Labor: Gender and Work in Indian Boarding School Mathematics Curriculum, 1879-1932

In this presentation, we address the thread of cisheteropatriarchal structures in the mathematics curriculum from the Indian boarding school system during the administration of Estelle Reel. Specifically, we focus our analysis on how gender is always associated with housework and childcare in math word problems. We argue that these problems reflect how ideologies of gender oppression are a fundamental aspect and extension of settler colonial capitalism within the United States (Nakano Glenn, 2015). Theoretically, we draw upon prior Marxist feminist work that parse out the relationship between capitalism and patriarchy (Federici 1975; Vogel 1983; Mies 1986). Further, we directly connect these theoretical approaches in the analysis of the mathematical content to broader U.S. federal policy and reformist efforts (Stremlau, 2005) during our period of study, 1879-1932.

 

Ananya Kumar, University of Texas at Austin
(Mentor: Shreya Goel, Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

Evaluations of Pazopanib Efficacy on Pediatric Sarcoma Cell Lines

Sarcomas are cancerous tumors usually located in soft tissues and often affect pediatric patients. Despite the large amount of research surrounding cancer, there is little research pertaining to such pediatric cancers due to their rarity. Efforts are needed to optimize current cancer treatments for pediatric settings. Pazopanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is FDA approved for various adult malignancies and is in clinical trials for pediatric sarcomas. However, it has been noted that not all patients respond to pazopanib, and many patients can develop resistance. In this project, we sought to determine the efficacy of pazopanib on two sarcoma cell lines – A-204 rhabdoid tumor and SaOS-2 osteosarcoma – using in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Cells were treated with the drug at various concentrations. Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay and spectrophotometry to calculate the IC50 values. The results of this assay indicate that the IC50 value for A-204 cells is 1.31 μM while that of SaOS-2 cells is 106.60 μM, supporting the initial hypothesis that A-204 cells are more sensitive to pazopanib than SaOS-2 cells. A clonogenic assay was also performed to determine the aggressiveness of A-204 cells in response to pazopanib in a dose-dependent manner. The assay used crystal violet staining to observe the colony formation of the cells. From the quantitative result of the number of colonies formed as well as the qualitative result of the image of the stained colonies, it is evident that administering increasing concentrations of pazopanib does affect the aggressiveness of the cells compared to that of the control. This data further confirms the sensitivity of A-204 cells to pazopanib. These tests lay the foundation for future in vivo studies, where imaging biomarkers will be used to identify if a tumor will respond to pazopanib and determine the onset of resistance.

 

Jordy Larrea Rodriguez, University of Utah
(Mentor: Amy Lenz, Orthopaedics)

A Pilot Study Replicating Foot and Ankle Kinematics and Kinetics Using a Custom Robotic Simulator

Conventional in vivo foot and ankle models with skin-mounted retroreflective markers are encumbered by inaccuracies related to skin-motion artifact and poor rigid body assumptions, where kinematic contributions of individual bones are lost [1, 2]. These assumptions lead to inaccurate descriptions of specific joint motions observable in lower extremity prosthetic designs and foot and ankle surgery. Although, in vivo biplane fluoroscopy studies have demonstrated more accurate individual bone motion tracking, these studies are limited by small sample sizes, the heterogeneity of the typical human population, and expensive equipment. Robotic simulators allow for direct kinetic and kinematic measurements in vitro while eliminating the heterogeneity of in vivo studies, where physiology and morphology vary [2]. The purpose of this pilot study is to develop a simulator for collecting in vitro kinetic and kinematic data during plantar-/dorsiflexion, inversion/eversion, and internal/external rotation. Three cadaveric male right tibial plateau-to-toe tip specimens will be procured. Infrared motion tracking markers will be mounted directly to the tibia, fibula, talus, calcaneus, cuboid, and navicular bones. A six-axis robotic manipulator will position the specimen over three load cells to measure forces and moments under the first and fifth rays and heel while manipulating the foot and ankle through the prescribed motions. Kinetic and kinematic data will be collected in sync using a custom LabVIEW program. Findings from this study will provide a better understanding of the tibiotalar, subtalar, calcaneocuboid, talocrural, and talonavicular joint motions; thus, informing future implant development and surgical treatment for the foot and ankle.

Marlon Lopez, University of Utah
(Mentor: Anne Kirchhoff, Pediatrics)

Creating and obtaining feedback on a childhood cancer and environmental health brochure: Results from researcher survey

Introduction: Environmental factors are linked to increased risk for cancer. Our goal is to inform the public about how environmental carcinogens may affect the risk of cancer by creating a brochure on this topic for parents and caregivers of childhood cancer survivors. We received feedback on the brochure through an online survey sent to researchers connected to Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review on environmental carcinogens in PubMed; in total, 11 papers, relating to environmental carcinogens, were reviewed and summarized. We then compiled a brochure for caregivers of young cancer survivors. We created and sent out a survey through REDCap to HCI researchers. The survey questions included demographics, comprehensibility, if the information was educational, their preferred section, and how ready the brochure is to be released. Results: The survey was sent to 26 researchers; 19 had usable survey information. Of these, 76.5% of had more than a 4-year college degree; 73.7% were somewhat to very familiar with the field of environmental health. Around 21.1% said they knew a lot about environmental health. The majority (89.5%) found the language of the brochure “not hard to understand” and 78.9% of participants reported learning something new. Most participants indicated the content on how to reduce exposure as their favorite (64.7%). On a scale from 1-10 for whether the brochure was ready for dissemination (1=not ready; 10=completely ready), the mean was 6.29. Conclusion: The brochure received positive feedback from participants. Participants expressed mostly favorable opinions on the brochure’s contents. Creating approachable ways of communicating scientific information is vital to protecting vulnerable children from environmental carcinogens. Next steps include getting feedback from parents and caregivers of survivors for future dissemination.

 

Eliana Massey, University of Utah
(Mentor: Matthew Basso, History)

The WWII American Homefront and the Development of the Modern LGBT Movement in the United States: A Case Study in Using Thematic and PlaceBased Methodologies in Historical Interpretation for the National Park Service (NPS)

Concurrent thematic and place-based approaches improve our ability to interpret and interact with the history of the WWII home front. In conversation with NPS historians, our research team developed themes that would shed new light on the World War II home front experience and thereby lead to a richer understanding of the complexities of the period. These themes include the history of sexuality, the environment, disability, and gender, as well as Native American, Filipino American, Chinese American, Mexican American, and Latine communities. By selecting these themes before conducting source searches, we were able to ensure comprehensive and inclusive representation of relevant topics and demographics in our research. We found that a place-based approach, which was critical for our NPS goals, worked well with a thematic approach. Place-based approaches are well received by the public. They further their understanding of the past’s relevance to the present in a highly contextual setting. Our team researched the home front history of every state and territory focusing on sites in each place that revealed the new histories the NPS tasked us to illuminate. In the case of the relationship between the WWII home front and the modern LGBT movement in the United States, place-based history shows the importance of sites such as gay bars all over the country and how the war prompted migrations of individuals coupled with an American wartime ideology of freedom, which all too often did not apply to minority communities, shaped the practices and the geographic dispersion of the modern LGBT community.

 

Tenzin Norzom, University of Utah
(Mentor: Regina Frey, Chemistry)

Relating student's comfort level with classmates to Social belonging in General Chemistry 1

This study focuses on the factors that students use to describe their social belonging in General Chemistry 1, specifically the factors they use to describe their level of comfort with their peers in the classroom. Previous studies in the Frey group have shown that students’ social belonging affects their grades and persistence in the general chemistry series and introductory physics 1 course at the University of Utah. These studies have also identified two main components for social belonging: sense of social belonging and the belonging uncertainty. A sense of social belonging is the sensitivity of an individual's connectedness with people such as peers and instructors and the significance of course environment that helps build an interpersonal relationship of how they feel they fit in the course. One aspect of course-level sense of belonging is the level of comfort that students have with their classmates. While these recent quantitative studies show that social belonging affects student performance and retention in introductory STEM courses, there are very few studies that ask students what factors they look at when describing their belonging in STEM courses and none in these introductory STEM courses. In this current study, student responses from General Chemistry 1 about their comfort level with their peers were analyzed to generate a codebook that contains eight remote and non-remote categories: Course Environment, Common Academic Experience, Identity, Perceived Ability, Student-Student Relationship/Interaction, Student-Instructor Relationship, Non-Specific, and Non Codable. In this presentation, I will present these categories, their definitions, and representative quotes for each category. I will also discuss implications for instructors to improve the inclusivity of their STEM courses, and the next steps for this project.

 

Tara Jill Olson, University of Utah
(Mentor: Lisa Diamond, Gender Studies)

Intersectional Praxis: Social Justice within Social Science Through Community-Based Research-Practice Partnerships

Within academia and research, the pandemic triggered a broader conversation about the lineage of intersectionality as both a lived reality and critical concept in intellectual work. Intersectionality describes the confluence of multiple categories of identity that interact and intersect each other along the dimension of race, class, gender, sexuality, and (dis)ability. At its core, intersectionality suggests that single-axis approaches (e.g., analyzing race alone or gender alone) cannot adequately address the lived experience of the individual, particularly for multiply-stigmatized persons. Only recently have researchers begun to consider intersectionality in their theories yet research agendas continue to ignore the repressive mechanisms that uphold systems of oppression including how best to research marginalized communities without inflicting additional harm knowing that our institutions of disenfranchisement have been built in some ways from knowledge generated from the ivory tower of academia. This project responds to the need to thoughtfully integrate intersectionality within research methodologies and measurements through intentional community engagement and incremental institutional change focused on the transformative goal of eradicating inequality. This involved researching different approaches to the study of marginalized communities that mitigate some of the negative aspects of community-based research by using social categories meaningfully through intersectional praxis in order to challenge previous single-axis research methods. The project highlights the significance of research-practice partnerships with community organizations/organizers as co-collaborators in the knowledge-generating process while understanding the complexity of the issues by measuring and analyzing experiences of inequality in intersectional ways. This project has important implications for social justice by highlighting the possibility for change and structural progress through community-based research that better explains the experiences of all people.

 

Monica Owens, University of Utah & Camden Alexander, University of Utah
(Mentor: Scott Collingwood, Pediatrics)

Interventional Assessment Of Air Quality On Low-Income Homes In Salt Lake County

The Salt Lake Valley is notorious for its air pollution, which occurs when harmful matter enters the atmosphere. Our air pollution consists of particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone and arsenic, which come from vehicle, home and industrial emissions. Poor air quality has been linked to adverse health outcomes such as higher rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases. The study’s objective is to assess whether in-home interventions reduce air pollution and improve participant health. Methods include collecting air quality data within participant homes and implementing home-improvements, including but not limited to installing H-VAC systems and reinforcing shelter features. The study is in its elementary stages, therefore results have not been finalized.

 

Catherine Petersen, University of Utah
(Mentor: Ramkiran Gouripeddi, Biomedical Informatics)

Examining the Temporal Relationship between Air Quality Trends and Glycemic Outcomes among Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition caused by insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. Approximately 37 million individuals in the United States have T2DM. Long term exposure to air pollution is thought to increase insulin resistance and impair glucose metabolism due to oxidative stress and inflammation. Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), more specifically its ultrafine component, can cross the pulmonary alveolar membrane and direct inflammatory effects on target organs. While several studies have identified a relationship between PM2.5 concentrations and onset of T2DM, few studies have examined the role of air pollution on glycemic outcomes after T2DM diagnosis. There is a possibility of air pollution worsening glycemic control and metabolic dysfunction, and contribute to poor glycemic outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship between temporal trends in PM2.5 concentrations and glycemic outcomes among patients with T2DM in Davis, Utah, and Salt Lake Counties in Utah. Electronic medical record data from EPIC for 143,434 patients with an eligible ICD-10 diagnosis code for T2DM from 2010-2022 were selected for analysis. PM2.5 concentrations were extracted from the EPA’s Air Quality System in Davis, Utah, and Salt Lake counties in Utah. The date of a patient’s initial diagnosis was found and visually assessed with one-year trends in PM2.5 concentrations. Analysis is ongoing and it is hopeful that the results of this study will elucidate the role of PM2.5 concentrations on glycemic outcomes in patients with T2DM and may inform public health interventions to minimize air pollution and encourage better outcomes for individuals with T2DM.

 

Audrey Pozernick, University of Utah
(Mentor: Tiffany Baffour, Sociology)

A Scoping Review of Anti-Racism in Higher Education: Implications for Transforming Organizational Culture

Higher education in the United States continues to foster whiteness within its spaces, curricula, and policies. Though students and faculty members that are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) do their best to make themselves and their experiences visible to the white dominated institutions they are within, their needs are misunderstood due to white ignorance or deliberately ignored. Most colleges and universities do admit that racism is a problem within their institutions. However, they will not act to initiate anti-racist policies that will ensure racially conscious inclusive curricula, faculty development protocols (hiring, retention, promotion and tenure, funding, pay equity, pedagogical strategies), and equity-minded student development strategies (recruitment, retention, scholarships/funding). Since the murder of George Floyd and Derrick Chauvin’s conviction on national TV, many BIPOC students are witnessing, leading, and participating in the rise of conversations around racial inequity and injustice within their education institutions. This paper will examine the role of social justice movements and how they influence current anti-racist policies and practices within higher education.

 

Shree Prakash, University of Utah
(Mentor: James Gagnon, School of Biological Sciences)

Interpreting the consequences of single-cell CRISPR perturbations through label transfer

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) permits the measurement of gene expression at single cell resolution, enabling a new understanding of the cell and molecular responses to perturbations in developing animals. However, a challenge for using scRNA-seq data exists in defining shared cell types across samples. My objective is to develop an agnostic computational framework to transfer cell type labels onto a perturbed sample and analyze how gene expression and cell type abundances are affected. To test this label transfer method, I focused on the gene regulatory network that establishes mesoderm cell types in the zebrafish embryo. The genes of interest in this network, noto, tbxta, and tbx16, are well-known mesoderm regulators, but have not been studied at single-cell resolution. Using CRISPR, I perturbed each transcription factor and generated scRNA-seq libraries for each mutant at 24hpf. Each condition’s gene expression profiles were processed and integrated through Seurat’s clustering workflow to aggregate the cell populations present in all conditions. Marker genes for each cluster of the integrated object, with all perturbed conditions, act as the input for the annotation framework to identify the most likely cell type for each cluster. By employing this framework, I identified how my gene perturbations impacted different cell types present in the developing embryo. The annotation framework has allowed me to study mesoderm patterning interactions between noto, tbxta, and tbx16 at a molecular level; and this method is broadly useful for studying cell and gene expression in other single-cell perturbations.

 

Kevin Ramos, University of Utah
(Mentor: James VanDerslice, Family & Preventative Medicine)

Historic Traffic Data and Populated Weighted Centroids

Pollution has been an issue in Utah since pioneers settled in the greater Salt Lake area during the mid-19th century. Articles regarding the gathering of ‘smoke’ in the valley tell a story of a worrisome population attempting to find solutions to this issue(Williams, 2021). Pollution measurement efforts were initiated in the early 21st century but a lack of sensors has historically created a gap in the data where assumptions must be made. This lack of resolution creates a large margin of error making it difficult to assess how different types of populations are affected by their ambiance. This study has taken into account the effects of vehicular pollution outputs as one of the main sources of exposure to pollutants. Historic traffic data was manually extracted from Utah data archives. These hand-drawn maps containing points of average traffic at a given year dating back to the 1940’s were georeferenced and digitized using ArcGIS Pro. This data has the capability to interpret pollution exposures for the Utah population at a finer spatial resolution. This can give researchers a glimpse of how pollutants have impacted historic health outcomes such as cancer, blood lead levels in children, etc.

 

Jade Robinson, Johns Hopkins University
(Mentor: Bradley King, Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation)

Behavioral Mapping Investigations of Developmental Advantages in Motor Learning

The schema effect is the phenomenon that can be observed when the acquisition of novel information is facilitated by prior, already consolidated knowledge. The degree of similarity between the novel and previously learned information, as well as the developmental stage of the individual acquiring it, contribute to the efficiency of the integration into the existing schema. Although there is evidence that previously learned information improves organizational processing of new information, previous literature failed to address the schema effect in the context of cognitive development throughout the lifespan. Therefore, the current study aims to examine the schema effect within the motor domain in children through the manipulation of a motor sequence learning paradigm. Preliminary behavioral data from 44 7-35 year olds have been acquired, using a bimanual Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) administered through an online data acquisition platform. Twenty-four hours after the acquisition of an initial motor sequence, participants learned a new sequence that was either highly compatible or incompatible to the initial sequence. The strength of the schema effect will be examined across the different developmental stages as well as the effect of the similarity between old and new motor movements. The results of the study will contribute to the narrow selection of literature on the schema effect and motor learning; however, further investigation of how schemas influence motor learning will also be necessary to better understand how learning and motor movements inherently change throughout the lifespan, and improve relevant clinical practices.

Keaton Rosquist, University of Utah
(Mentor: Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, Nutrition and Integrative Physiology)

Blueberry Supplementation Improves High-fat-diet Induced Gut Inflammation

Background: Obesity has currently been a growing health concern that has ranged across the world. Diet-induced obesity drives gut inflammation through the production of cytokines and alteration in gut microbiota. High fat diet (HFD) favors the conditions that lead to gut inflammation with an increased gut epithelial permeability that allows for higher chances of gastrointestinal disorders occurring. Antibiotics usage interrupt the gut symbiosis and further exacerbates HFD-induced complications. Evidence indicates HFD with antibiotics increases the risk of pre-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Blueberries contain bioactive flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins which possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we assessed whether dietary blueberry improves HFD- and antibioticsinduced gut inflammation. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice (7 weeks old) were divided into three groups: (1) control mice consumed standard diet (C), (2) mice consumed HFD and treated with antibiotics in drinking water (HFA), (3) mice consumed blueberry supplemented HFD and treated with antibiotics (HFAB) for 12 weeks. Gut inflammation was assessed by measuring the mRNA expression of inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS and MCP-1) using qPCR. The total RNA was isolated from colon using RNeasy plus mini kit, cDNA was synthesized using RT-PCR kit, and the expression of inflammatory molecules was measured with qPCR by using SYBR green (Qiagen). Results & Discussion: The mRNA expression of inflammatory markers IL-1β, iNOS and MCP-1 were significantly increased in HFA vs C mice. However, dietary supplementation of blueberry significantly reduced the expression of IL-1β, iNOS and MCP-1 indicating the beneficial effect of blueberries on gut. The mRNA expression of IL-6 was similar among the groups. Our ongoing studies are focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the protective effect of blueberries. Our study suggests consumption of blueberry may be a potential dietary approach to improve gut health.

 

Mary Smith, University of Utah
(Mentor: José Gutiérrez, Education, Culture & Society)

Allotments and Arithmetic: Land Dispossession in Indian Boarding School Mathematics Curricula, 1879-1932

This project draws on the work of four scholars—Holm (2005), Ornelas (2007), Sepulveda (2018), and Tuck & Yang (2012) to interpret math word problems as instances of internalized colonization. This project uses Holm’s (Holm, 2005) framework of the three phases of colonialism to analyze mathematical word problems in the Estelle Reel Collection. The phases are 1) Disruption and Boundary Making, 2) Forced Assimilation, and 3) Internalized Colonialism (Holm, 2005). This project reveals the mathematics instruction in Indian boarding schools reflected the tactics in the three phases. Analysis of the social and political content embedded in these word problems also indicate a connection to the idea that teaching private property ownership would force indigenous people to abandon their cultural heritage (Holm, 2005), develop a sense of individualism (Holm, 2005), and empower a sense of freedom to the owner (Holm, 2005). This idea of private property ownership is antithetical to views of indigenous people, who draw a deeper connection to life through land and environment (Sepulveda, 2018). Through settler colonialism portrayals of land, land is transformed into property and the only human relations to land that exist are as its owner (Tuck & Yang, 2012). By drawing upon the math word problems in the Estelle Reel collection and Annual Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, we highlight the math teachings that were used to change the way Indigenous peoples viewed and valued land to assimilate them into white American society. The hopes of this project are to fill historical gaps around Indian boarding schools, challenge existing notions that mathematics is objective, and highlight implications for teacher education.

 

Olivia Vielstich, University of Utah
(Mentor: Ivis Garcia Zambrana, City & Metropolitan Planning)

Why They Stay: Puerto Rican Businesses in the Flood-Zone

In 2017 Hurricane Maria, a category five hurricane, hit Puerto Rico. The destruction caused by Maria is still felt around the island to this day. Many people continue to live in areas that are at high risk of future disasters. Resources that offer to move residents to more safe areas exist, but many people choose to stay in the danger zone. This project focuses specifically on businesses that chose to continue operating within the 100-year flood zone as established by FEMA. Through 125 in-person surveys, 75 in Loiza and 75 in Comerio, Puerto Rico, we sought to understand why they stay. Our findings showed that residents of these communities were heavily influenced by the interdependencies they had with residents and other local businesses. Simply moving to another area would disrupt these interdependent relationships and could be harmful to their livelihoods or communities. For many businesses, the risk of staying in a high-risk disaster area is lower than the risk of starting over in a new place. More research can be done to understand how organizations offering assistance can make their resources more accessible to residents in Loiza and Comerio, as well as tailor assistance to better suit the wants and needs of those who are seeking aid.

Eleanor Wachtel, University of Utah
(Mentor: Joshua Steffen, School of Biological Sciences)

Pollinator Influence on the Microbial Composition of O. macrocarpa Nectar

Pollination is a critical step in plant reproduction, essential for the cultivation of 80% of the 1400 crop plants grown around the world. Insects, specifically bees, play an integral role in the process by transferring pollen from one flower to another while taking advantage of energy sources, primarily in the carbohydrate rich nectar produced by flowers. These abiotic and biotic interactions between pollinators and energy sources are critical for effective pollination. Current research suggests that the interactions between flowers and pollinators influence the microbial communities present in nectar. Similarly, microbial abundance and identity can be impacted by pollinator visitation. Our research attempts to refine our understanding regarding the impact of foraging insects on microbial abundance and diversity in floral nectar. Specifically, we characterize microbial communities in Oenothera macrocarpa (evening primrose) because of its abundance of nectar, its day-long life span, and the large quantity of pollinating insect species. Our preliminary research identified several microbial species that colonize nectar. This confirms that foraging has a significant impact on the microbial diversity in nectar and suggests that this composition is directly related to the number and types of pollinators that visit this species. Future work will focus on determining if bacteria identified in this study can impact pollinator visitation by altering the chemical cues associated with nectar. In addition, we would like to use the presence of specific microbial species to indicate and identify pollinator visitation in the absence of direct pollinator observation.

SPUR 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ashley Allen, University of Utah (Prof. Elisabeth Conradt, Psychology)

Maternal Borderline Personality Disorder and Stress Responses During Pregnancy as Predictors of Newborn Neurobehavior

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by difficulty with emotion regulation, impulsivity, and unpredictable relationships (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Women with BPD tend to have difficulties regulating their stress responses and impacts of stress while in utero affects infants neurobehavioral functioning at birth and throughout their lifespan (Kuo & Linehan, 2009). The maternal brain undergoes psychophysiological changes during pregnancy in preparation for motherhood (Rosenblatt et al., 1994). These complex processes make BPD symptoms during pregnancy problematic for both maternal and child health outcomes. Although existing literature examines risks for offspring of women with BPD, the literature on physiological mechanisms impacting infant neurobehavioral outcomes are largely lacking. Examining maternal physiologic reactivity is important because research supporting Marsha Linehan’s (2009) biosocial developmental theory suggests maternal BPD and their associated physiological stress responding during pregnancy may shape infant neurobehavior while in utero, creating risk for neonatal impairments in attention, self-regulation, stress/abstinence, and arousal/ excitability (Crowell et al., 2009; Crandell, Patrick, & Hobson, 2003; White et al., 2011). Building on this research, the present study aims to extend previous findings in research examining infant neurobehavioral outcomes for women with BPD by examining the associations between BPD and physiological responses during baseline and to the trier social stress test (TSST) in pregnant women and by examining the associations between BPD and newborn neurobehavior. I hypothesized that higher maternal BPD symptomatology would be associated with heightened heart rate (HR) and reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during baseline. I also hypothesized RSA to increase somewhat but not significantly during the recovery phases to reflect difficulty with emotion regulation. Lastly, I hypothesized higher maternal BPD symptomatology would be associated with impairments in newborn neurobehavior.

Jessica Bigley, Washington University in St. Louis (Prof. Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology)

Effect of blueberry supplementation on vascular NADPH oxidases in db/db mice

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis. Recently we demonstrated that blueberry supplementation reduces vascular inflammation and improves vascular dysfunction in diabetic mice. NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are ROS generating enzymes that play a major role in vascular homeostasis and vascular pathology. An increased NOXs in vascular endothelium contributes to vascular inflammation and dysfunction in diabetes. We investigated the effect of blueberry supplementation on vascular NOX signaling in diabetic mice. Methods: Seven-week old male diabetic db/db mice were either fed standard chow (db/db) or chow supplemented with 3.8% freeze-dried blueberries (db/db+BB), which is equivalent to ~240 g in humans, for 10 weeks. A control group of non-diabetic mice were fed standard chow (db/+). Gene expression analysis of NOX1, NOX2 and NOX4 in the aortic vessels was determined by qPCR. Briefly, mRNA was isolated from aortic vessels using RNeasy plus mini kit, cDNA was synthesized using the reverse transcription kit, and qPCR analysis was completed with SYBR Green. The gene expression levels of NOXs were calculated by normalizing to the level of GAPDH. Results: In our study, vessels from db/db mice exhibited an increased expression of NOX2 and NOX4 without a change in NOX1 expression compared to db/+ mice. Blueberry supplementation decreased NOX4 expression in db/db+BB compared to db/db mice indicating the possible role of NOX signaling. Conclusion: Blueberry supplementation may benefit diabetic patients by preventing the vascular complications associated with diabetes.

Tyler Bodily, University of Utah (Prof. Edward DiBella, Radiology & Imaging Sciences)

Cardiac Perfusion with Continuous Multi-Slice MR Imaging

More individuals are suffering from cardiac diseases than ever before. We are in need of faster and more precise means of diagnosing patients who suffer from heart diseases. MR imaging is quickly becoming an effective means to analyze and diagnose patients for coronary artery disease. This research hopes to successfully produce and quantify cardiac perfusion (blood flow into the heart muscle) in patients who suffer from coronary artery disease using 2D csms (continuous multi-slice) MR imaging. Throughout MR imaging breath holds were not used and both rigid and deformable registration was used to correct cardiac and respiratory motion. Rather than using successive sat pulses after each beat continuous sat pulses over several heart beats were used. Data was processed and displayed using the fermi model and run through Matlab.

Billy Chien, Indiana University Bloomington (Prof. Stavros Drakos, Internal Medicine)

The Role of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway in LVAD-Induced Myocardial Recovery from Heart Failure

Heart failure is a crippling disease that has a high prevalence of 2-3% within the United States. A common therapeutic treatment for heart failure (HF) is mechanical unloading by Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs). It has been reported that LVAD treatment leads to improvements in the cardiac function of a subset of HF patients (responders). Glucose via glycolysis serves as the major energy substrate in failing hearts, however studies show that upon LVAD unloading, glycolytic intermediates do not enter the TCA cycle as they normally would. We hypothesize that glucose is channeled into accessory cardio-protective/repair pathways such as the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) to facilitate the myocardial recovery seen in responders to LVAD treatment. To investigate this hypothesis, we obtained myocardial tissue samples from HF patients at the times of LVAD implantation (pre-LVAD) and LVAD explantation or cardiac transplantation (post-LVAD); as well as, control samples (donors) from non-failing rejected hearts. The tissue samples were then analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine metabolite levels, RNA sequencing to determine transcription levels, and western-blot to determine the levels of enzymes involved in PPP. Although the metabolomics studies are still currently being processed, a preliminary dataset with a smaller sample size shows a trend towards increased PPP metabolites in post-LVAD responders. Western-blot analysis shows that glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and transketolase (TKT), major enzymes in the PPP, are significantly increased in post-LVAD responders. Furthermore, TKTL1 mRNA expression is upregulated in this group as well. These results suggest that more glucose is being shuttled into the PPP, which leads to increased cardiac recovery in responders. However, corresponding results from the full metabolomics study are needed to strengthen this claim. Additionally, future metabolic flux studies using stable isotope labeled 13C-glucose tracers are planned to track the precise pathways of glucose metabolism.

Randy Chou, Brown University (Prof. Stavros Drakos, Internal Medicine)

The One-Carbon Pathway and cardiac function recovery post LVAD treatment for heart failure patients

A substantial portion of the population suffers from chronic heart failure. Mechanical unloading by way of a left ventricular assist device has proved to be an effective interventive treatment. Following removal of the LVAD, most heart failure patients continue to show HF symptoms and worsening cardiac function(non-responders), however a subgroup showed substantial recovery (responders). Metabolic and energy balance perturbations during mechanical unloading have been implicated in these responses. Prior studies have revealed that LVAD-induced mechanical unloading causes an increase in glycolysis without increase in TCA cycle activity. A possible explanation is that the pyruvate, produced from glycolysis, is funneled into an alternative pathway. We hypothesize that the glycolytic intermediates are channeled into the cardioprotective and repair pathway one-carbon metabolism, resulting in the cardiac recovery response. To test this hypothesis, we performed metabolomics using GC-mass spectrometry and western blotting on human cardiac tissue obtained at the time of the LVAD implant (pre), LVAD explant (post), and control samples (donors) from non-failing hearts. The preliminary metabolomics indicate an upregulation of one-carbon metabolites, serine and glycine in the responders compared to non-responders post-LVAD. Furthermore, western blot of key one-carbon enzymes, PHGDH and SHMT1 shows responders with a higher concentration compared to non-responders. Since one-carbon metabolism is a major source of NADPH, levels of the antioxidant were examined using an assay kit. As expected, levels were higher in post-LVAD responders compared to non-responders. Although data from GC-MS with a larger sample size is currently in progress, these findings indicate an association of increased one-carbon metabolism to cardiac recovery in post-LVAD patients. By trying to understand the metabolic adaptations in the recovering heart, this study's ultimate goal is to intervene in patients with no signs of cardiac recovery after LVAD unloading to mimic the metabolic profile of respon

Eavan Donovan, Carleton College (Prof. Wesley Sundquist, Biochemistry)

The Roles of Human MIT Proteins in ESCRT Biology

Cell division allows cells to proliferate and pass on genetic information. In contrast, cell checkpoints halt the cell cycle until errors have been searched for. Just as air traffic control gives permission for flights to come and go, proteins that function in abscission checkpoints look for mitotic errors, and interact to promote cell separation. One class of machinery that functions in the abscission checkpoint is the Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport (ESCRT). ESCRT proteins facilitate more than fifteen known cellular membrane remodeling processes, including cytokinetic abscission, and viral budding. ESCRT-I and -II complexes function to mark specific membranes, while ESCRT-III factors form filaments that act to mediate membrane fission. Our understanding of these processes is incomplete, therefore our primary goal is to characterize new ESCRT-III interacting proteins. Structurally, each of the twelve known human ESCRT-III proteins has a conserved N-terminal helical core, and a diverged C-terminal tail that contains MIT Interacting Motifs (MIMs), which bind to proteins that contain Microtubule Interacting and Trafficking (MIT) domains. These MIM-MIT interactions recruit MIT proteins to sites of ESCRT activity. For example, the MIT domain of VPS4 localizes the enzyme to remodel ESCRT-III filaments. Humans express 22 proteins that contain MIT domains. To date our lab has cloned, purified and tested the ESCRT-III binding activities of MIT domains from 18 of these proteins and the final four human MIT proteins (FIDGETIN (3) and KATANAL2) are being tested. The MIT constructs are expressed in E. coli, purified using Ni²⁺ chromatography, cleaved, and purified using size exclusion chromatography. Fluorescence polarization experiments measure the binding of each MIT domain to the C-terminal MIM elements from all twelve different fluor-labeled ESCRT-III C-terminal tails. Subsequent structural analyses of productive MIT-MIM interactions will then be used to obtain a full picture of MIT-MIM motif with the goal of identifying novel biological activities.

Asmita Dulal, University of Utah (Prof. Sujee Jeyapalina, Surgery)

Osteoblast Cells Behavior on Fluoridated Hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HA; Ca5(PO4)3(OH)) coating is known to modulate the surrounding tissues’ biological environment and improve the biocompatibility of orthopaedic implants. However, particulate debris from the HA coating reported to lead to an adverse tissue reactions. Biological apatites are not strictly stoichiometrically pure HA; they in fact contain carbonates, fluoride, chloride etc. Fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) and Fluorapatite (FA) are a form of HA, in which, one or both hydroxyl ions have been replaced with fluoride ions, respectively. As FHA and FA are known to resist acid degradation much better than HA, it is predicted to have limited degradation in vivo. However, their potential as bone substitutes is less well studied and documented. Previous data generated from our group indicated improved cellular adhesions and differentiations of osteoblasts when they were sintered. This study is, therefore, aimed at investigating the in vitro osteogenic properties of sintered apatites for orthopedic application using qualitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCRs). For this study, apatite powders were compressed into 10 mm thin disks and sintered at 1050, 1150 and 1250^oC for 2 hours. After which, sterilized apatite disks and titanium controls were seeded with a known number of 5.5x10⁴ osteoblast cells and allowed to adhere and proliferate. At 48 and 72 hours post-seeding, cells that were attached to the disks were rinsed, and lysed with lysate buffer RLT for RNA extraction using the standard techniques, extracted RNAs were converted to cDNA. The validated primers for mineralization markers (alkaline phosphatase (Alp), secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx), and osteopontin (OPN)) were then used to perform qPCR analyses in triplicates. Overall, when compared to the Ti surfaces, the result indicated overexpression levels of Runx, OPN, and SPP1 markers in osteoblasts that were seeded on apatite surfaces. However, protein assays need to be undertaken to confirm whether or not respective proteins were synthesized. Early results do support the potential of using FA sintered at 1250^oC for orthopedic applications.

Erin Feeley, University of Utah (Prof. Erin Castro, Educational Leadership & Policy)

Year One Program Evaluation for the University of Utah Prison Education Project

This study consists of a year one program evaluation for the University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP). UPEP is a college-in-prison program that was developed through years of dialogue and relationship building in the local community and was launched in Spring 2017 out of a Praxis Lab supported by the University of Utah Honors College. Following a rigorous admissions process during Summer 2017, the Project initiated programming in two correctional facilities at the Utah State Prison in Draper in Fall 2017. During the 2017-2018 academic year, UPEP facilitated two college-level non-credit-bearing courses per semester in each facility. During this period, UPEP supported additional extracurricular events and opportunities on Campus and in the Prison. The purpose of this study is to conduct a process evaluation of the programming and engagement offered during the first year of operation. The secondary purpose of this study is to identify and quantify some of the preliminary impacts UPEP has had on incarcerated students, non-incarcerated volunteers, and the greater campus community. This evaluation will consist of several surveys designed for distinct populations of program participants that utilize Likert scale, yes and no, and short response questions. The surveys have been developed through a conscious benchmarking effort across the field of higher education in prison as well as through several informal focus group discussions conducted on Campus and in the Prison. While the results of the survey are still forthcoming, the data is expected to have significance for the Project's decision-making and development during the 2018-2019 year and beyond. Additionally, the evaluation is expected to help the Project better articulate its value to the University of Utah, the Utah State Prison, the state of Utah, and the broader community. Ultimately, these data are critical for supporting the Project's quality, longevity, and growth, especially as it seeks funding to make the transition to for-credit programming.

Rebecca Higham, University of Utah (Prof. Akiko Kamimura, Sociology)

Stress Management Classes for Uninsured Free Clinic Patients in the United States

Stress has become a growing public health concern in the United States (US). Uninsured, low-income or minority patients utilizing a free clinic are exposed to stress disproportionately across various areas of life. Health promotion programs regarding stress management have the potential to benefit vulnerable, low income populations by reducing stress related health issues. The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the "stress-management" education class taught at a free clinic that provides healthcare to uninsured patients. Data for this study were collected by a pre-stress management class survey, field notes during the stress management class, and post-class survey at a free clinic for low-income, uninsured patients. The surveys and class took place in June 2018. Direct observations were based off the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). 55 stress management classes were offered with a total of 83 participants. Among the class participants, 71 filled out the survey. Free clinic patients experience cumulative negative situations. One strategy to cope with stress is to organize participant responsibilities. Main stressors among the participants included finances, family, emotions, work, health, social relationships, and a sense of not belonging. Providing resources regarding these stressors would be a feasible solution for patients at free clinics. Future projects should work to develop stress management class which responds to the results of this study.

Coby Hudac, University of Utah (Prof. Aylin Rodan, Internal Medicine)

Bestrophin-1 Chloride Channel in Drosophila Melanogaster

Bestrophin-1 is a swell-activated chloride ion channel that has been found in Drosophila melanogaster.  Flies with a loss of function mutation in the bestrophin-1 gene were shown to have increased sensitivity to a high salt diet compared to wild type, shown by an elevated rate of lethality for bestrophin-1 mutants vs wild type on high salt food. Additionally, wild type function could be restored in the bestrophin-1 mutants using a genomic rescue construct.  I have researched the water weight and excretion behavior of bestrophin-1 mutants on normal and high salt food to better understand the function and importance of bestrophin-1. I developed new assays to measure both water weight and excretion. Also, I have been conducting experiments on flies with rescued bestrophin-1 function in specific regions of the Malpighian (renal) tubule and gut to learn more about where bestrophin-1 is required for normal salt sensitivity and excretory behavior. I have observed a significant increase in excretion in bestrophin-1 mutants compared to wild type, as well as an elevated rate of lethality in response to water deprivation stress. No significant difference in water weight was observed, though similar experiments with increased feeding times are ongoing.  This research will be important to fully understand the physiological mechanisms by which Drosophila maintain ionic and osmotic balance.

Siddharth Iyer, University of Utah (Prof. Michael Deininger, Internal Medicine)

Autophagy realted causes to AML Cell death post SIRT5 KO

Acute Myelocytic Leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 30%. Common treatments for AML include various forms of chemotherapy, a treatment that puts a considerable stress on the patient's body and provides varying degree's of success. Recent literature suggests that the knockdown of the mammalian sirtuin, SIRT5, significantly hinders the proliferation of certain unique AML cell lines. The pathway involved in this process is as of yet unknown, and further analysis is required. An understanding of this pathway could pave the road to a novel medical alternative to chemotherapy. The purpose of my study was to examine and measure the physiological process known as autophagy in various AML cell lines and to determine its level of influence on the SIRT5 KO pathway. Autophagy is the process by which the cell creates an organelle within the cytoplasm known as an autophagosome, which then engulfs other organelles to be recycled into raw materials for cell proliferation. The effect of autophagy was measured using various analytical methods including: flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, western blot analysis, and MTS assays.

Anna Jacobsen, University of Utah (Prof. Sarah Franklin, Internal Medicine)

Clarifying the role of Smyd5 in heart disease

The increasing prevalence of heart disease in the United States means that researchers need to develop better treatments, which requires deeper understanding of heart disease and failure. One characteristic that arises on the path to heart failure is cardiac hypertrophy, the growth of cardiomyocytes in response to hemodynamic stress. While the thickened heart muscle alleviates the overload temporarily, this growth stiffens the muscle, leading to decreased overall function. Since hypertrophy hastens heart failure, it is important to comprehend the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy on a cellular level. The Franklin lab studies the role of the Smyd protein family in heart disease. These proteins are histone methyltranferases, meaning they modify the proteins surrounding DNA, altering gene expression. This epigenetic transformation has significant implications for cell growth regulation. Experiments performed in the Franklin lab include inducing hypertrophy in animal and cellular models to measure the impact of overexpression and knockout of the Smyd proteins on the development of heart disease. My first objective this summer was to confirm the suitability of a cellular model of cardiomyocytes used by the lab, the H9c2 cell line. H9c2 cells are myoblasts, or muscle cell precursors, that can be differentiated into myocytes. I treated these cells with differentiation conditions, then tested expression of cardiac markers at different time points to track the progression of a cardiac muscle-like phenotype. My second objective was to test whether Smyd5 ameliorates hypertrophic growth in cultured cells. I performed knockdown of Smyd5 in 3T3 cells using siRNA to impede expression. My third objective was to infect H9c2 cells with a titration of Smyd5 adenovirus to ascertain the best multiplicity of infection. I treated infected cells with phenylephrine and imaged them to see morphological changes. These data combined establish a baseline for future experiments using H9c2 cells that will combine Smyd5 knockdown or overexpression with phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy.

Julia Larkin, University of Utah (Prof. Eric Poitras, Educational Psychology)

Voice-Activated Digital Assistant: An Application for Teacher Professional Development and Technology Integration

As the job of a teacher is demanding, digital classroom assistants help off-load duties. Funding the amount of necessary assistants can become a financially daunting task. Voice-activated digital assistants are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the classroom, allowing teachers and students to interact and receive information. In doing so, students may interact with an agent that serves as either a teacher or a peer. The objectives of this study were two-fold: (1) develop a semi-automated workflow to author conversational trialogues leveraging metadata embedded in open educational resources and, (2) create a prototype version of the agent for usability testing. The semi-automated workflow combines the use of unsupervised and supervised machine learning algorithms to analyze unstructured text crawled from the web. In particular, the approach is applied to analyze metadata defined through standardized schemas for the semantic web. As an example, we compare and contrast several modes of dialogue, showing how an agent can teach a subject matter (i.e., learning by transmission), but also may be taught a topic by a student (i.e., learning by teaching). We discuss the implications of the authoring framework for designing conversational agents as instructional aids for teachers in the classroom in an automated manner.

Youn Lee, University of Utah (Prof. Frank Sachse, Bioengineering)

Functional and Structural Remodeling in Heart Failure: A Potential Predictor of Cardiac Recovery in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are often implanted in heart failure (HF) patients as a bridge to heart transplantation. Some patients respond to LVAD implantation with sustained cardiac recovery and these patients will not need a heart transplant. The aim of our study was to investigate functional and structural remodeling in HF at the cellular level and predict cardiac recovery after LVAD unloading. Left ventricular tissues from donors (n=7) and HF patients (n=8) were sectioned, labelled, and imaged via a Leica SP8 TCS confocal microscope. We labelled the cardiac tissue sections with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), DAPI, RyR2 antibody, and JPH2 antibody for extracellular matrix, cell nuclei, ryanodine receptors, and junctophilins, respectively. After imaging, 3D image stacks were deconvolved using measured point spread functions, and we corrected the depth-dependent signal attenuation using MatLab R2018a (Mathworks, Inc). We found major remodeling in some, but not all HF patients. The t-system in those patients exhibited sheet-like remodeling. Protein distributions were altered in tissues from some HF patients versus donor tissues. In particular, we observed that JPH2 clusters were re-localized from t-tubules to outer cell membrane (sarcolemma). Also, RyR2 clusters were redistributed with increasing distance from sarcolemma. Our results showed that cell microstructure is remodeled in many HF patients undergoing LVAD unloading. Assuming that proper localization of JPH2 and RyR2 to the t-system is crucial for normal cardiomyocyte function, we suggest that only patients without remodeling can recover cardiac function. Thus, the remodeling can serve as a predictor of cardiac recovery. We also suggest that a better understanding of functional and structural remodeling will contribute to developing innovative therapies for HF.

Levi Neely, Utah Valley University (Prof. Owen Chan, Internal Medicine)

Carvedilol Improves Hypoglycemia Awareness in Rats

Patients with diabetes often encounter hypoglycemia resulting from insulin treatment, which decreases the adrenergic response. This contributes to hypoglycemia unawareness and increases morbidity. We used Sprague-Dawley rats to assess whether the adrenergic blocker, carvedilol, can improve hypoglycemia awareness (HA). The rats were treated with repeated 2-deoxyglucose (2DG; 200mg/kg, SQ) injections to make them "hypoglycemia unaware" before being treated with carvedilol. In humans, hypoglycemia unawareness is evaluated using a questionnaire that rates the intensity of hypoglycemic symptoms experienced. However, a questionnaire is not feasible for rodents, thus hypoglycemia unawareness must be measured using hunger or food-seeking behavior. We measured food intake in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia as a surrogate marker for HA. Compared to Controls, 2DG reduced food intake in response to hypoglycemia and treatment with carvedilol increased food intake in 2DG rats (P<0.01). We conclude that carvedilol may be a useful therapeutic strategy to improve HA in RH rats.

Samantha Nelson, McPherson College (Prof. Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology)

Dietary supplemation of blueberry modifies NFκB signaling in the aortic vessels of diabetic mice

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in diabetic patients. Individuals with diabetes are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis. In our recent study, blueberry supplementation reduced vascular inflammation in diabetic mice and blueberry metabolites attenuated endothelial dysfunction in human aortic endothelial cells. Nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) plays a major role in vascular inflammation by up-regulating chemokines and adhesion molecules. Inhibitor κB kinase (IκKβ) activates the nuclear translocation of NFκB-p50/p65 by degrading the inhibitor IκBα.  In the nucleus, p50/p65 binds to the promoters of NFκB-dependent inflammatory genes and mediate vascular inflammation. In the present study, we studied the effect of blueberry supplementation on vascular IKKβ and IκBα in diabetic mice. Methods: Wild type db/+ and diabetic db/db mice (7-wk) consumed standard diet or diet supplemented with 3.8% freeze-dried blueberries for 10 wk. Gene expression analysis of IκKβ and IκBα in the aortic vessels was determined by qPCR. Briefly, RNeasy plus mini kit was used to isolate RNA from aortic vessel, Reverse Transcription kit was used to synthesize cDNA, and SYBR green was used to complete qPCR analysis. The gene expression levels were calculated by normalizing to the level of GAPDH. Results: Diabetes increased the expression of IκKβ in the aortic vessels of diabetic mice but did not change IκBα. Blueberry supplementation suppressed IκKβ in diabetic mice indicating the vascular effects of blueberry may be mediated through regulation of NFκB signaling.Conclusion: Blueberry consumption may be an adjunct therapy to reduce vascular complications in diabetes.

Nicole Orabona, The Pennsylvania State University (Prof. Michael Simpson, Metallurgical Engineering)

Electrochemical Analysis of MgCl₂/KCl/NaCl Molten Salt Candidate Heat Transfer Fluid for Concentrating Solar Power

Solar energy is one of the leading candidates for alternative energy, however the intermittent nature of energy harvesting puts a strain on the electric grid. If energy storage could be integrated with solar energy collection, this problem could be solved. Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants collect thermal energy rather than converting it directly to electricity.  This presents the opportunity to store the collected energy and convert it to electricity as needed by the electric grid. The implementation of chloride salts provides higher thermal stability at higher temperatures than the existing thermal energy storage (TES) materials, such as oils and nitrate molten salts. Putting these chloride salts into the application of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants will result in an increased efficiency of storage due to the thermodynamic benefits of collecting energy at higher temperatures. However, the problem with this solution is the corrosivity of the chloride salts, which is caused by impurities such as oxide ions, and hydroxide ions. To measure these impurities, cyclic-voltammetry (CV) measurements were performed in molten MgCl₂/KCl/NaCl (60/20/20 mol %). The CVs were obtained at 500 °C at varying scan rates of 100, 200, and 300 mV/s. Through these measurements, a consistent profile of the salt was obtained, as well as verification of the OH^- and Mg²⁺ reduction peaks. Dissolution of Mg metal successfully reduced the OH^- peak height. It also produced a large, broad oxidation peak that is possibly due to the presence of soluble Mg metal. This theory will be tested using titration techniques in order to determine changes in the concentration of O₂/OH^- in the salt. Further research is needed to investigate the oxidation peak associate with soluble Mg metal in the salt.

Julia Peek, University of Utah (Prof. Ilya Zharov, Chemistry)

Nanoparticle Catalysts for Suzuki Cross-coupling

Catalysis is used for accelerating chemical reactions, which can significantly reduce the reaction cost. The use of catalysts is abundant in pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and synthetic fuel industries. Although transition metal-based catalysts are the most abundant, they have specific limitations such as the high cost of metals and the difficulty involved in separation from product. Catalytic membrane reactors (CMR) are one popular type of catalytic reactor and are unique in that they combine the "reaction" and "separation" step. The separation occurs between unwanted byproducts or within the catalyst itself. I have synthesized Au and Pd silica supported nanoparticles in order to catalyze a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. Before designing and characterizing a CMR made of Au or Pd coated silica nanoparticles I demonstrated that the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction will take place in bulk conditions with the metallic catalysts I have prepared. Each trial was given 24 hours to complete at room temperature or 60 C in the presence of nitrogen gas; they were then characterized by analyzing progress of reaction and presence of the product, biphenyl, by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). I found that both Au and Pd catalysts are active in the selected conditions and produced the best yield at room temperature, although Pd gives a better percent yield than Au (approximately 70% compared to a 15% yield, respectively). Either Au or Pd supported nanoparticles would be adequate catalysts to make a catalytic membrane; however, considering that palladium gives a higher conversion percentage, this will be the material that we will continue to work with to make and optimize a catalytic membrane.

Miles Robertson, Utah State University (Prof. David Belnap, Biology)

Creating Octahedral Particles

Polyomavirus capsids are polymorphic under different chemical conditions. The protein in play, VP1, is the primary building block of the capsid. Five VP1 proteins come together and form highly stable structures called pentamers. The number of pentamers associating together determines the curvature and symmetry of the viral capsid. Only one form is found in infectious virions, and the structure of this native icosahedral form has been studied. However, the detailed structure of the octahedral capsid is not well known. The goal of my research is to determine the detailed structure of the octahedral capsid by electron microscopy. Many particles are necessary for electron microscopy to be successful. Therefore, I have produced and isolated these octahedral particles to provide necessary data for solving the capsid structure. This capsid shape is created through a long process beginning with purification of the VP1 protein. A recombinant plasmid containing DNA for a protein tag linked to VP1 is inserted into E coli which then produces this protein upon induction. The cells are lysed and VP1 is purified by selection for the protein tag in a flow column, where VP1 is then cleaved from the tag. This purified protein then passes through three distinct chemical environments that give the conditions necessary to make the octahedral particles.

Meg Rosales, University of Utah (Prof. Man Hung, Orthopaedics)

Prediction of oral health outcomes in the era of precision medicine

Background: Across the globe, dental caries, also known as cavities, are a common oral health issue. Without proper treatment, they may result in loss of teeth and diminished quality of life. However, dental caries are also quite preventable. This study utilized multiple machine learning methods to create an automated tool that can predict and diagnose root caries and tested the accuracy of the various methods. Methods: Demographic, physical examination, and oral health data were taken from the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Due to an imbalance in the number of cases of presence vs. absence of root caries, sampling with replacement was used to create a balanced dataset. The data were divided into randomized training and test sets with 80% as training and 20% as test data. Tests of significance determined the top 15 most relevant input variables. An automated tool for identifying cases of root caries was created by applying supervised machine learning algorithms in WEKA 3.8.2 and Python 3.7.0, to the data. Performance metrics, including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and AUC (area under the receiver operating curve) were calculated. Results: Of the classifiers, Support Vector Machines (SVM) performed best with a root caries detection accuracy of 97.1%, precision of 95.1%, sensitivity of 99.6%, and specificity of 94.3% and an AUC of 0.997. Age was the feature most strongly related to root caries. Conclusions: To date, this appears to be the first study using machine learning to construct a predictive model for root caries. This work will aid in the detection, prevention, and treatment of root caries and assist in the development of computer-assisted tools for personalized predictions.

Celine Slam, University of Utah (Prof. Deshpande, Physics & Astronomy)

Thermoelectric Measurements of a Metal-Organic Framework

Power plants extract only 30 to 40% of usable energy from fuel and lose the rest of energy in the form of unusable heat [1]. Recovering this wasted heat will dramatically change the consumption of limited energy sources, such as petroleum and coal, leading to a sustainable society. Thermoelectric materials, which reliably and renewably convert heat into electricity, are promising for recovering wasted heat, as they do not produce carbon emissions and do not require complicated mechanical systems. Electricity is generated at the interface of a thermoelectric material applying a temperature gradient across the substrate. For a thermoelectric to be efficient it must have a high figure of merit (ZT), expressed as , where S is the Seebeck coefficient, σ the electrical conductivity, and κ the thermal conductivity. To optimize ZT, the Seebeck coefficient and electrically conductivity must be increased, while the thermal conductivity lowered. Commercially available thermoelectric materials exhibit a high ZT of around 1.5, [2], however they are toxic and costly. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new candidate for thermoelectrics, are inexpensive and non-toxic. MOFs are a favorable material because of their intrinsic porosity, which lowers their thermal conductivity. In general, MOFs have poor ZT values because of their low electrical conductivity.  However, copper-benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) exhibits an unusually high electrical conductivity for MOFs. As such, we have measured electrical and thermal conductivity of Cu-BHT. We have found Cu-BHT’s periodic, one nanometer pore size, effectively scatters phonons, contributing to its intrinsic low thermal conductivity, while conducting electrons. In future work we will focus on optimizing the ZT of Cu-BHT, by chemical doping.

Laura Snelling, University of Utah (Prof. John Horel, Atmospheric Sciences)

Investigating the Weather Conditions Near Wildfires

Each year wildland fires across the United States impact recreational land use, urban structures, and the safety of wildland firefighters. Understanding the weather surrounding wildfires is vital to preventing dangers associated with them and can be useful in developing effective ways to combat wildfires. Currently fire weather forecasters provide detailed weather information to support wildland firefighting operations with research underway to improve those forecasts. The objective of this project is to improve understanding of fire weather conditions by collecting and analyzing weather data near wildfires and how weather conditions affect fire behavior. A particular focus has been to investigate two local fires in Utah: (1) the Trail Mountain Fire, which started after a prescribed burn in central Utah escaped containment due to unexpected high winds and (2) the Dollar Ridge Fire, which accounted for the loss of over 70 structures and 56,000 acres of burned land near Strawberry Reservoir. Another major goal of the project is to help advance web applications that can potentially be used to assist firefighting operations by displaying the geographic locations in which red flag conditions are occurring. Red flag conditions are the weather and fuel conditions that may increase the potential for a wildfire to start or for wildfires to experience significant growth. In order to update the web application, current fire weather operation plans developed by U.S. federal agencies were referenced. The varying red flag criteria across the U.S. were documented and compiled into an interactive QGIS map that could be transitioned into web applications that display current weather conditions and map areas that are experiencing red flag warning criteria.

Hayli Spence, American University (Prof. Dimitri Traenkner, Biology)

Exploring Computational Networks Across an Entire Brain at Single Cell Resolution

Currently, large scale monitoring of neuronal activity in mouse models depends on either live imaging techniques or activity snapshots based on immediate early gene expression. Both methods pose challenges: live imaging techniques utilize expensive and training-intensive multi-photon technology, whereas activity snapshots use poorly definable test intervals and generate high background levels. To overcome these limitations, we generated a mouse line for the expression of the neuronal activity reporter CaMPARI. One of the newer tools out there, CaMPARI is a green fluorescent protein that irreversibly photoconverts to red fluorescence in the presence of high intracellular calcium levels and photoconversion (PC) light. High intracellular calcium is found naturally in active neurons, while PC light can be delivered deep into the brain through single or multiple light guides by the experimenter when and where a snapshot of neuronal activity is required.

William Steiner, University of Utah (Prof. Micah Drummond, Physical Therapy & Athletic Training)

The Effects of Metformin on Recovery of Muscle Mass and Mitochondrial Function in Older Hindlimb Unloaded Mice

Intro: Aging results in impaired recovery of muscle mass and function after periods of disuse. Inadequate restoration of muscle loss can lead to weakness, decreased physical function, and mitochondrial (mito) dysfunction. Evidence suggests that the widely prescribed FDA approved insulin sensitizer metformin, may enhance recovery of muscle after disuse-induced atrophy. Purpose: To compare muscle mass and mito function between mice provided with metformin (MET) vs placebo (PLAC) after 7 days of rec from hindlimb unloading (HU). Methods: A cohort of young (3 mo, n=6) and old (24 mo, n=8) mice were subjected to 14 days of HU via tail suspension, followed by 7 day return to normal ambulation. Muscle weights were measured (absolute and relative to body weight) to determine aged-related impairments in rec. A follow-up study was performed on old only mice, where one group was provided with MET (n=5) (vs PLAC, n=5) in their drinking water for the entire 21 days (14d HU+7d rec). Muscle mass and mito function (red and white gastrocnemius separately) using the Oxygraph-2K (Oroboros Instruments, Austria) were measured. Molecular targets of MET (AMPKα & Acetyl-CoA carboxylase) were analyzed with western blotting. Results: Rec of gastroc muscle mass was impaired in both MET and PLAC aged mice as compared to young. Direct comparison between MET and PLAC groups demonstrated a trend towards improved rec of the gastroc muscle mass with MET treatment (absolute: P=0.0999, relative: P=0.1189). Mito respiration for all complexes (per mg dry muscle) were different between red and white gastroc however no differences were found in mito function nor cellular signaling with MET vs PLAC. Interestingly, absolute gastroc weight and white gastroc complex 1&2 coupled respiration was positively correlated (R2=0.0325, P=0.0419). Conclusion: MET may assist in rec of gastroc muscle mass in aged mice, however metformin may not influence mito function nor AMPKα and ACC signaling during 7d of rec from HU. Rec of muscle mass is associated with greater complex 1&2 respiration in the white gastroc.

Brennan Theler, University of Utah (Prof. Taylor Sparks, Materials Science & Engineering)

Utilization of Machine Learning to Build a Price Prediction Model for Raw Minerals Sourcing

Materials scientists build materials with an eye towards performance, but businesses interested in new materials must also have an eye on economic aspects of materials. Most new materials require a wide range of minerals, and businesses must ensure sufficient supply exists and account for price volatility. Machine learning is a tool commonly used to predict future outcomes, but have not been used in the materials science field for large-scale predictions. Using data from the United States Geological Survey and other sources, a large and comprehensive dataset describing the minerals market in several attributes from 1998-2015 was collected. This dataset was normalized and fed into a set of different machine learning regression algorithms to look for predictive ability on the chosen attributes (mineral price, oil price, inflation index, current price, and total production) on next year's mineral price. The models returned show predictive ability, with r-squared scores just under .7, but with a significant amount of error, partially stemming from the normalization method used, and partially from the highly interpolative nature of the data and model parameters. Work on improving normalization methods and increasing the model's predictive ability at extreme ends of the dataset are ongoing.

Claire Ticknor, University of Utah (Prof. Jay Agarwal, Surgery)

Constructing Neurotrophic Gradient-Generating Peripheral Nerve Conduits and Assays to Measure Functional Outcomes

Severe injury and trauma often results in peripheral nerve injuries. With current surgical practices such as the use of autografts, regeneration from nerve injuries is slow and incomplete resulting in loss of motor and sensory function. Previous studies indicate that the combination of a synthetic nerve conduit and neurotrophic factors aide in the regeneration process. It is also known that nerves will grow toward a chemotactic gradient. This study aims to demonstrate that a nerve conduit that implements a neurotrophic gradient can improve functional recovery following peripheral nerve damage. To do this, biodegradable gradient-producing nerve conduits are manufactured. The gradient device is composed of multiple pieces, all constructed from poly-L lactic acid (PLLA). There are two concentric tubes (an inner and outer conduit) enclosing a reservoir from which neurotrophic drugs will diffuse through holes that are cut with a laser into the inner conduit. Location and size of the diffusion holes is altered resulting in varying gradient patterns. Two, o-shaped endcaps are placed between the inner and outer conduits and are then sealed to prevent drug leakage. Drug diffusion from the device is initially tested using a fluorescent dye. After implantation of the devices across a nerve gap, a functional assay is employed to assess recovery following a peripheral nerve injury. After designing and manufacturing a horizontal ladder rung test, healthy mice are trained to walk over at a constant pace. After being injured, the mice are then run across the ladder again and differences in functional ability are identified from counting how often and to what extent their leg slips off a rung. Full functional recovery is ideal after a peripheral nerve injury and the gradient design conduit has the potential to expedite this optimal recovery.

Alexis Torres, New Mexico State University (Prof. Trafton Drew, Psychology)

Neural processing of repeated search targets depends upon stimuli: Real world stimuli engage semantic processing and recognition memory

As part of our daily routines, we spend a vast amount of time searching for objects in our environment. In an everyday context, we may search for car keys in the morning. In a more specialized context, a radiologist searches for a fracture in a medical image. To search for and locate a novel object, we must form and hold a mental representation of it in visual working memory until we locate the object. There are two neural correlates of mental activity that inform us about whether an item is being held in visual working memory (VWM) or long-term memory (LTM), the CDA and n2pc. CDA is an indicator of working memory load and n2pc is an indicator of attention allocation to an object or an object's target features. When we get ready to search for a novel object, the representation of that item is housed in VWM-producing a larger CDA and a smaller n2pc (Kappenman & Luck, 2012). When an object is repeatedly presented, the representation is transferred into LTM-producing a smaller CDA (Carlisle, et al., 2011). In contrast to simple laboratory stimuli, repeated real-world objects result in a larger n2pc, suggesting real-world objects are more readily transferred into LTM (Jones, et al., 2018). For this project, we will investigate whether real-world objects presented repeatedly, then reintroduced after an extended period, are treated as new (represented in WM) or old (represented in LTM). Specifically, we are interested in whether the CDA is smaller and the n2pc larger for repeated real-world objects that are reintroduced after long periods of time. We expect that individuals will be faster and more accurate at locating real-world objects that have been shown repeatedly as compared to items that have only been shown once or are brand new.

Daniela Vidal, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Prof. Russell Richardson, Geriatrics)

The role of enzyme and substrate dependence in NO-mediated vascular dysfunction with aging

The process of aging affects the vasculature, resulting in remodeling and dysfunction in both the macro- and microvascular systems. A marker of vascular health is the production and, ultimately, the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), which is recognized to be anti-atherogenic. NO synthesis predominantly depends upon the extracellular levels of L-arginine and the efficacy of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), while reactive oxygen species can negatively impact both eNOS activity and NO directly leading to a decrease in NO bioavailability and vascular endothelial dysfunction. Tetrahydrobiopterin (Bh4), a cofactor which recouples eNOS, and chronic L-Citrulline (L-Cit), which increases plasma L-arginine, both by independent mechanisms, may increase NO bioavailability. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the role of eNOS activity and/or L-arginine concentration in the NO-mediated vascular dysfunction associated with advancing age. Eight old subjects (73 ± 6 yr; ht: 168 ± 12 cm; wt: 84 ± 33 kg) received Bh4 acutely and underwent a 1 week supplementation of L-Citrulline (8 g per day). Vascular function was assessed by brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD: %) and passive leg movement (PLM: blood flow ΔPeak and AUC) with or without Bh4, both before and after L-Citrulline supplementation (Ctrl; Bh4; L-Cit; L-Cit + Bh4). PLM ΔPeak increased ≈35% and ≈27% in the Bh4 and L-Cit + Bh4 conditions, respectively (p< 0.05). PLM AUC increased ≈114% (p< 0.05) in the L-Cit + Bh4 condition. There were no significant intervention-induced changes in FMD. With advancing age, vascular function, as assessed by PLM, which may be more NO mediated than FMD, appears to be more limited by eNOS function than NO substrate. However, these findings also suggest that the combination of increased eNOS coupling and eNOS substrate most consistently enhances vascular function in the elderly, as assessed by the total (AUC) PLM response.

Karissa Wang, University of Utah (Prof. Martin Tristani-Firouzi, Pediatrics)

Correction of mutation in atrial fibrillation susceptibility gene NFATc1 using CRISPR-Cas9 systems

NFATc1 is a gene that has been linked to Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The Tristani Lab has identified a mutation in NFATc1 which has been found in only patients with early-onset AF. This project employs the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing systems to try to correct the mutation in NFATc1 and examine whether this grants normal function to stem cells differentiated into cardiomyocytes.

Sage Yeager, University of Utah (Prof. Anushka Abeysekara, Physics & Astronomy)

Using a Machine Learning Based Algorithm to Improve the Sensitivity of the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory is a detector sensitive to gamma-rays (photons) with energies between 100 GeV and 100 TeV. Both gamma and cosmic-rays stream through the universe from their origins outside our solar system, and eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere where they interact with air molecules. The result is a precipitation of charged particles known as an Extensive Air Shower (EAS). Sitting at an altitude of 4.1 km, HAWC detects thousands of EAS footprints per second. HAWC then uses characteristics of each footprint to reconstruct the properties of the original ray; these include species (gamma or cosmic), energy, angle of incidence, e.t.c. The primary purpose of HAWC is to detect gamma-rays. Therefore, EAS generated by hadronic cosmic-rays are significant sources of background. Currently, HAWC analysis packages use subtle differences between computer simulated gamma and cosmic-ray shower footprints to identify gamma-rays in the real data. The particles constituent to a gamma-ray shower are a subset of those present in a cosmic-ray shower; in most cases it is challenging to determine the original species responsible for each shower. An efficient algorithm with the ability to separate gamma-ray generated showers from cosmic-ray generated showers could drastically improve the sensitivity of HAWC. My research has explored the potential of using Python in conjunction with SciKit Learn's AdaBoostClassifier and DecisionTreeClassifier to develop a more efficient tool to select gamma-rays. In this symposium, I will present the new machine learning based algorithm and its performances compared with those of the algorithm currently in use by HAWC.

Jake Becker, Salt Lake Community College (Prof. Christie Toth, Writing & Rhetoric Studies)

Urban Writing Ecologies: Mapping Inter-Instituional Writing Transfer

As of 2014, 7.3 million students were enrolled for credit in the nation’s 1,108 community colleges. That is roughly 45% of all U.S. postsecondary students, and 41% of first-time, first-year college students (AACC). Approximately 80% of incoming community college students say they plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. Yet only 25% actually transfer to a four-year institution within five years, and just 17% earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of transferring (Jenkins and Fink). In light of these figures, our research is locally situated on student transfer between Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and the University of Utah (UofU), specifically how students adapt writing knowledge across institutional settings. Currently, there has been very little research on how students transfer writing knowledge between postsecondary institutions (Gere et al.). Drawing upon ecological theories of writing, the goal of this research is to increase the pedagogical approaches for fostering successful student writing transitions, while simultaneously bolstering successful student transfer between SLCC and the U of U. To accomplish this, we have curated two pilot courses within the Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies, with the goal of developing resources for incoming transfer students. Our research provides new insight on the value of prior knowledge for understanding and navigating new writing contexts, while also showcasing key meta-concepts that facilitate successful writing transfer.

Matt Conley, Brigham Young University (Prof. Jared Rutter, Biochemistry)

Stress Responsive Degradation of mRNA Encoding Mitochondrial Proteins.

The degradation of cytosolic mRNA is crucial to the regulation of gene expression and can be induced by numerous cellular perturbations including glucose deprivation, etc. Although many stressors are known, cytoplasmic mRNA degradation has never been studied in the context of organellar stress. Recent studies have demonstrated that mitochondrial protein import stress activates a cytosolic response that leads to the degradation of proteins bound for the mitochondria. However, in the context of a similar stress, there remains nothing known regarding the fate of cytoplasmic mRNA encoding mitochondrial proteins. Thus, we sought to study mitochondrial stress induced mRNA degradation. In order to assay the induction of mRNA degradation, we engineered several Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, in which GFP was fused to proteins involved in mRNA decapping and degradation. The accumulation of these proteins in subcellular structures termed p-bodies is commonly used to assay active mRNA degradation. We hypothesized that the accumulation of p-bodies would increase in response to mitochondrial stress. In order to induce stress, we chose two methods. First, we treated the cells with small molecules that uncouple the mitochondrial membrane and disable mitochondrial protein import. Second, we used FASII mutant strains, thereby creating a genetic model of mitochondrial stress. In order to assess p-body accumulation, we have employed fluorescent microscopy. Furthermore, we will perform RNA-seq assay and measure the levels of mRNA encoding a subset of mitochondrial proteins and compare the results to the level of said mRNA levels when mitochondrial stress is induced.

Kelly Corbray, University of Utah (Prof. Christie Toth, Writing & Rhetoric Studies)

Urban Writing Ecologies: Mapping Inter-Instituional Writing Transfer 

As of 2014, 7.3 million students were enrolled for credit in the nation’s 1,108 community colleges. That is roughly 45% of all U.S. postsecondary students, and 41% of first-time, first-year college students (AACC). Approximately 80% of incoming community college students say they plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. Yet only 25% actually transfer to a four-year institution within five years, and just 17% earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of transferring (Jenkins and Fink). In light of these figures, our research is locally situated on student transfer between Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and the University of Utah (UofU), specifically how students adapt writing knowledge across institutional settings. Currently, there has been very little research on how students transfer writing knowledge between postsecondary institutions (Gere et al.). Drawing upon ecological theories of writing, the goal of this research is to increase the pedagogical approaches for fostering successful student writing transitions, while simultaneously bolstering successful student transfer between SLCC and the U of U. To accomplish this, we have curated two pilot courses within the Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies, with the goal of developing resources for incoming transfer students. Our research provides new insight on the value of prior knowledge for understanding and navigating new writing contexts, while also showcasing key meta-concepts that facilitate successful writing transfer.

Ali Dibble, University of Utah (Prof. Taylor Sparks, Materials Science & Engineering)

Evaluating Performance of Sustainable Materials and Design in Feminine Hygiene Pads

Disposable feminine hygiene products are typically made with synthetic materials and chemical additives, which create a tremendous amount of waste that takes nearly a century to degrade under landfill settings. Several companies sell products to mitigate these environmental concerns, but these products are either not completely biodegradable or are bulky and uncomfortable to the user due to a large quantity of cellulose fiber added for absorbency. This project aims to assess the differences in absorbent capabilities between industry products and proposed biodegradable alternatives to determine if a biodegradable product can be created without sacrificing absorbency or user comfort. It is found that biodegradable hydrogels are 4 times less absorbent than industry-processed hydrogels. Boiled cotton is not a sufficient processing method as it only absorbs 45% the amount of fluid as chlorine-bleached cotton, though sustainable H2O2-bleached cotton absorbs 113% the amount of fluid as industry cotton. Preliminary fiber alignment patterns are also investigated to maximize fluid flow through the product and compensate for inferior material performance.

Chance Fox, Brigham Young University (Prof. Jeffrey Anderson, Radiology)

Why so Atypical: Typicality of the Default Mode Network as a Measure of Social Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder

The extreme heterogeneity in both symptoms and severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has proven an obstacle to establishing coherent neurophysiological criteria for improving diagnosis and treatment options. Brain MRI measurements in autism have been similarly heterogeneous, and specific differences have not been found to be reliable clinical predictors of severity or prognosis. Functional connectivity MRI evaluates synchronized brain activity to measure relationships between brain regions, estimating a "wiring diagram" for the brain. We hypothesized that the similarity of functional connectivity to mean values across a typically developing population (typicality) might be a useful biomarker for autism that is less sensitive to autism heterogeneity. We used two analyses, {1} a principal component (PC) analysis and {2} a dynamical simulation of brain network activity, to compare typicality of functional connectivity to social function. We calculated principal components of connectivity between 25 million pairs of brain regions and compared principal components from each individual's connectivity in a large (n=487 autism, n=646 control subjects) cohort of autism and control individuals to average values from the Human Connectome Project (n=820 typically developing subjects). We found that nine out of the first ten PCs represented in control subjects were significantly more similar to typically developing population averages than ASD subjects were. For one of these components, which represented the brain's default mode network that processes attention to one's internal thoughts, the atypicality of this component for each autism subject compared to population means correlated with the degree of social dysfunction they exhibited (p=0.0000093). A simulation of brain network convergence to the default mode network revealed that an atypical convergence pattern is also indicative of increased social dysfunction (p=.0012). These findings suggest that typicality is a potential measure of social function in ASD, and possibly other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Fadi Haroun, University of South Dakota (Prof. Alana Welm, Oncological Sciences)

Understanding the Mechanism of Tumor Remission in Response to a Novel Immunotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer

Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL) have an important role in eliminating cancer cells. The immune system has mechanisms to deactivate these cells to prevent excessive inflammation. This deactivation is mainly done through receptors on the surface of the CTL called checkpoint molecules. However, these molecules are often exploited by cancer cells to avoid eradication by the immune system. Based on this, checkpoint blockade has been studied as a method of achieving immune activation to promote CTL function in fighting cancer cells. Checkpoint blockade has been shown to be effective in many clinical trials, where patients who responded to the treatment had durable responses. However, many patients did not respond to this treatment. Therefore, combination of checkpoint blockade with other treatments has emerged as a possible method to potentiate an immune response in more patients. Ron is a receptor tyrosine kinase known to suppress the immune response through several mechanisms such as the attenuation of inflammatory response by promoting M2 macrophage state, and the downregulation of IL-12, among other mechanisms. In addition, Ron is linked to the immune checkpoint axis since Ron activation can upregulate PD-L1 and CD80 checkpoint molecules. Therefore, we combined a checkpoint blocking antibody (anti-CTLA4) with a Ron tyrosine kinase inhibitor to block the suppression of the immune system on two different levels in a mouse model of breast cancer. The combination showed significantly higher response rates compared to the monotreatment. This project was aimed at understanding the mechanism by which this novel treatment improved response rates. Since tumor infiltration by CTLs is an important component of the cancer immunity cycle, we specifically investigated whether our novel treatment caused more tumor infiltration, by immune staining and analysis of endpoint tumor samples. Our combination treatment showed significant increase in tumor infiltration compared to vehicle-treated mice, but there was no significant difference from the monotreatment.

Sydney Lambert, Vassar College (Prof. Alex Shcheglovitov, Neurobiology)

The Regulation of Shank3 in the Absence and Presence of Different Deletions

Phelan McDermid Syndrome (PMDS) is a rare genetic disorder linked to autism that comes with a suite of phenotypes, including decreased muscle tone, developmental delays, and intellectual disabilities. PMDS occurs when the terminal end of chromosome 22 is deleted. This terminal deletion disrupts the function of the gene Shank3. Shank3 is a complex gene that codes for a scaffolding protein in the postsynaptic density. The Shank3 protein coordinates synaptic function and is mainly found in the brain. Its location poses an ethical barrier that prevents direct study. To get around the dilemmas of obtaining live brain tissue, we utilized induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to grow genetically identical neurons starting from less invasive, less critical tissue. After establishing these lines of neurons from patients with no Shank3 deletion, we employed a CRISPR/Cas9 system to introduce two specific deletions that we wanted to study: one complete heterozygous deletion and one partial homozygous deletion (Table 1). We suspected that the regulation of Shank3 would be changed in the presence of deletions. To test this, we designed promoter-specific sets of primers to target each of the sites that can produce unique isoforms. We then ran PCR and gel electrophoresis to identify the resulting isoform lengths. Preliminary results showed possible deletion-dependent regulation of Shank3. Understanding the regulation of Shank3 in the presence of different deletions will contribute to the overall knowledge of how genetic mutations create a plethora of observed phenotypes.

Billy Jeon, Rice University (Prof. Luke Timmins, Bioengineering)

Design and Construction of a Computer-Controlled Biaxial Testing Device for Vascular Tissue

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the world, and there is a clear need for research in this area. Exploring the biomechanics of the cardiovascular system, particularly arterial tissue, plays a key role in better understanding the pathogenesis of diseases, which would ultimately lead to better diagnosis and treatment options. Herein, we present the design and development of a computer-controlled, electromechanical biaxial testing device which can simultaneously apply pressure cycles (inflate) and axially stretch (extend) excised arteries. The device consists of four major parts: motion control (via 3-axis stages, motorized actuators, and modular posts), pressure control (via syringe pump and pressure transducer), imaging (monochrome CCD), and computer automation (via programming in LabVIEW). These components allow for the cyclic pressurization at multiple axial stretches, providing pressure/diameter and load/length curves. We tested our device with excised porcine carotid arteries. Data demonstrate a non-linearly elastic behavior under loading, which is commonly observed for soft biologic tissues. Through these experiments, we can better characterize the mechanical behavior of arterial tissue and understand how tissue responds to physiologic and pathologic loading conditions.

Raquel Maynez, University of Utah (Prof. Mike Shapiro, Biology)

MOLECULAR EFFECTS OF A CODING MUTATION IN A PIGMENTATION PATTERNING GENE

Color patterns in birds and other vertebrates are incredibly diverse and can impact fitness by affecting mate choice, crypsis, and survival. However, the genetic and developmental basis of this diversity is not well understood. In order to investigate pigmentation patterning variation, our lab studies the domestic pigeon. Domestic pigeons are immensely diverse in many traits, including pigmentation patterns. All pigeons have one of four major wing pigmentation patterns: T-check, checker, bar, or barless. Barless is the most recessive phenotype, characterized by a lack of the ancestral bars on the wing and an increased incidence of vision defects. Previously, the Shapiro lab found that variation in a gene that encodes a secreted protein is associated with the major wing pigmentation patterns. All barless birds are fixed for a start codon mutation that truncates the protein by 13 amino acids, shortening the signal peptide sequence. We are currently assessing whether this mutation effects secretion of the protein. In order to do this, we have begun constructing a mutant, wild type, and no signal sequence version of the gene with fluorescent tags, the latter two serving as controls for comparison to the mutant. We will then transform each construct into HeLa cells and visualize cellular localization of the tagged proteins using microscopy. We will also separate the supernatant (extracellular fluid) and cells of a liquid culture and use western blots to evaluate whether the protein was secreted into the supernatant or remained in the cells for all three constructs. I hypothesize that the mutant will have reduced secretion because of the shortened signal sequence. By collecting and examining our findings, we will gain insight into the molecular basis of pigmentation patterns found in pigeons and potentially gain insight into similar phenotypes found in wild bird species.

Johanna Mora, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Prof. Daniel Leung, Infectious Disease)

Optimizing Growth Conditions for Clonal Expansion of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) Cells

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) are innate-like T-cells that recognize microbial riboflavin metabolites presented by the highly conserved MR1 (MHC class-I Related) molecule. In humans, MAIT cells account for up to 10% of the peripheral blood T cells, and are enriched in the intestine and liver. The clonality, function, and activity of MAITs cells are not well understood. In preliminary experiments, we have found significant functional heterogeneity across different clonotypes. Current methods for expansion of MAIT clones are not well established, and the optimal conditions for cloning MAIT cells are not known. Here, we examine different conditions to determine which are optimal for expansion of MAIT cells. We compared various concentrations and presence of cytokines IL-2, CD3/CD28, and TGF-b. Results are pending at time of this abstract. Determining optimal growth conditions for expanding individual MAIT clones will be essential for better understanding their biology. Our lab is interested in using these techniques to clone MAITs from healthy and infected (HIV and cholera) donors to evaluate their plasticity and functional characteristics.

Vinny Morrow, Waynesburg University (Prof. Micah Drummond, Physical Therapy)

Skeletal Muscle Insulin Sensitivity and Cell Stress Signaling during Reduced Activity and Recovery in Older Adults

The Drummond laboratory has previously shown that signaling through the innate immune system contributes to the inflammatory response, ceramide biosynthesis, and metabolic disruptions such as impaired glucose uptake and insulin resistance. These physiological changes are allied with short term skeletal muscle inactivity in hindlimb unloading mice and healthy older adults on bed rest. These models are intended to be representative of short term periods of physical inactivity in older adults resulting from injury or disease that progresses to atrophy, sarcopenia, dynapenia, and eventually, functional dependency. Although insulin insensitivity and muscle atrophy are common in strict bed rest, often hospitalization does not entail strict bed rest and instead hospitalization and recovery in the following weeks can be characterized by reduced physical activity through a reduction in total daily steps. Therefore, we collected muscle biopsies from healthy older adults before (pre) after 2 weeks of step reduction (RA: <75% of normal activity) and 2 subsequent weeks of recovery (REC: return to baseline activity levels). Muscle samples were lysed and run through SDS-PAGE and transferred to a PVDF membrane for assessment of proteins expression related to insulin sensitivity, cell stress and ceramide biosynthesis pathways This will give insight if the insulin insensitivity and muscle atrophy following a period of step reduction are associated with the TLR-4/MyD88 signaling pathway.

Arthy Narayanan, BMS College of Engineering (Prof. Al Light, Anesthesiology)

Detection of Gene Variants in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FM) are chronic conditions often present in the same patient, characterized by severe physical fatigue, widespread muscle and joint pain, mental fog and post-exertional worsening of symptoms. Patients with ME/CFS and FM experience difficulty in performing daily activities and in some cases are wheelchair-bound. In a pilot sample, the majority of ME/CFS patients had elevated autoantibodies to autonomic receptors and also showed variants (mutations) in genes linked to cellular energy (mitochondria). This study aims to identify some of the gene variants that may contribute to ME/CFS and FM by comparing the genetic sequences of these patients with that of the controls. Our hypothesis is that ME/CFS is both an autoimmune disorder and an energy deficiency disorder, so we have focused on both immune and mitochondrial/energy genes. Blood samples were drawn from ME/CFS patients and controls and the leukocytes were separated from it. The mRNA of these leukocytes, which represents the transcriptome of the cells, was extracted and then sequenced using the RNA-Seq method. The mutations in the genes were ranked as low, moderate or high impact on the function of the gene. In this initial sample of 44 of the planned 340 participants, we identified 3 automunity/immune function variants (LILRA6, RFTN1 and MARCH8) and several different multigene patterns for mitochondrial variants with moderate and high impact that occurred with greater frequency in the ME/CFS patients vs. controls. When the data from all 340 participants is complete, it will help identify biomarkers to make diagnosis easier and may also provide targets for developing new treatments for ME/CFS and FM.

Valeria Ortiz Torres, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus (Prof. Matthew VanBrocklin, Surgery)

Development and testing of an immune receptor identification system to discover novel receptors for immune signaler, B7H3

Recently, therapies involving immune reactivation have held great promise for melanoma patients. Many of these immunotherapies include immune checkpoint inhibitors or blocking antibodies which reactivate the immune system by removing the malfunctioning brakes on T-cell function. For example, CTLA4 and PD1-targeting antibodies used together in Phase III clinical trials have resulted in tumor diminishing responses in up to 60% of patients. Although responses for combined blockade with CTLA4 and PD1 antibodies have been successful, there are up to 40% of patients which do not respond and additional means for immune activation need to be explored. Our goal in this summer research project has been to develop tools and begin testing the immune nature of the B7H3 signaling molecule and identify its receptors. Importantly, we seek to discover receptors for B7H3 involved in immune suppressive signals which may be targeted for immunotherapy blockade. B7H3 is in the same family as PD-L1 (aka. B7H1) which is the signaling ligand of the PD1 checkpoint receptor and thus is a likely target for successful immune checkpoint blockade. We have been testing eighteen different genes and their protein products in HEK293FT cells to identify binding interactions with B7H3. In this first phase of the overall project we have cloned the genes to be tested into expression vectors, performed E.coli transformations, made large-scale preps (maxi preps) of each DNA plasmid, transfected HEK293FT cells, and given B7H3 treatment and performed flow cytometry to measure binding and assess potential receptors identified.

Hannah Peterson, Belmont University (Prof. Christopher Reilly, Pharmacology & Toxicology)

Elucidation of Amino Acids Regulating the Species-Selective Activation of TRPM8 by Coal Fly Ash Particles

Transient receptor protein melastatin-8 (TRPM8) is an ion channel expressed by neurons and epithelial cells in the lungs. TRPM8 is activated by cold temperatures and soluble agonists that produce a "cooling" effect. Human TRPM8 is also activated by particulate matter, specifically coal fly ash (CFA), a calcium-rich material produced from burning coal. Exposure to CFA has been associated with adverse health effects on the respiratory system. When treated with CFA, human bronchial epithelial cells showed an induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines while instillation of CFA into mouse lungs showed minimal pro-inflammatory effects. Additionally, mouse Trpm8 was not activated by CFA. The goal of this project was to determine amino acids within the TRPM8 protein responsible for species-selective activation by CFA. Within the pore loop region of the TRPM8 protein, three residues (921,927, and 932) differed between human and mouse TRPM8. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce corresponding amino acid changes.The mutant TRPM8 plasmid DNA was then transfected into human HEK-293 cells overexpressing the calcium-sensitive reporter gene GCaMP6s.Calcium flux assays were used to determine the activity of the mutant TRPM8 proteins relative to the respective wild type forms. The hG921S human to mouse mutation had little effect on human TRPM8 activity, but the corresponding mS921G mouse to human mutation increased activity compared to the wild-type mouse TRPM8; however, the response was only ~50% that of human TRPM8. The hA927S did not change responses of human TRPM8, but the mS927A exhibited responses comparable to wild-type human TRPM8.Finally, the hT932S and mS932T mutants were both inactive, similar to wild-type mouse TRPM8.These results reveal specific residues on the pore loop region of TRPM8 that regulate its activation by CFA. These findings improve our understanding of how TRPM8 is activated by particulate materials which will facilitate studies into its contribution to lung pathologies by providing the opportunity to develop new genetically modified mouse models.

Jose Porras, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Prof. Jason Shepherd, Neurobiology)

GENERATING SYNAPTIC REPORTERS FOR UNDERSTANDING MEMORY STORAGE

Understanding how memories are stored is essential to understanding Alzheimer's Disease as well as normal cognition. In the early 20th century, Richard Semon proposed the engram hypothesis, that connections between neurons were made as a result of stimulation. Recent studies support this hypothesis. However, when the encoding of various events occurs within two hours, these circuits can show overlap, suggesting the engram is not limited to whole cells. We hypothesize that the most basic form of the engram is one distinct set of synapses. To test this, we are developing SLAyR (synaptically localized activity reporter), a genetic tool designed to only label active synapses. We are doing this by modifying FingR (fibronectin intrabody generated with mRNA display), a probe that binds to PSD95, a scaffolding protein found in excitatory synapses. The modifications we plan to make, if successful, will limit binding to only PSD95 in active synapses. This can be achieved by adding a few selected components cloned from Arc (activity regulated cytoskeletal protein). These include an activity dependent enhancer and Arc's UTR (untranslated region). The activity dependent enhancer will regulate transcription of SLAyR to only active neurons while the 3'UTR will guide the mRNA to active synapses. Further activity will then promote the translation of this mRNA, which will bind to PSD95 in these active synapses where the protein was synthesized. I am assisting in this project by cloning versions of SLAyR with different enhancers and a smaller Dendritic Targeting Element in lieu of using the whole UTR. We are then testing these constructs in cultured neurons to verify that they are showing activity dependent expression and labeling only active synapses. Once the active synapses are targeted, we can elucidate changes in protein and cytoskeletal organization that are associated with memory. SLAyR will be an invaluable tool to guide us closer to understanding the molecular mechanism of memory storage, helping us develop better ways to treat conditions like Alzheimer's Disease.

Mu Pye, University of Utah (Prof. Akiko Kamimura, Sociology)

Patient Satisfaction and Perspectives of Continuity of Care among Free Clinic Patients in the USA

Free clinics are important resources for those who un- or under insured individual in the United states. The purpose of this study was to explore continuity of care and patient satisfaction from the perspectives of free clinic patients. Since the majority of free clinic providers are volunteers and may not be with a free clinic long-term, continuity of care should not be just seeing the same doctor over time, but also seeing well-coordinated providers. Because free clinics serve a wide variety of underserved populations, cultural competence training in medical education may not wholly t the socioeconomic and/or cultural realities of free clinic patients. And the result of continuity of care was not always perceived positively. There were potential miscommunications between providers or receptionists and patients. Patients may not be well informed of the available resources at the clinic. More in-person communication would be beneficial to distribute the information about available resources for free clinic patients. Communication among patients and receptionists, providers, and interpreters seemed to be a prevalent recurring topic across groups. The communication of health programs and appointment reminders are the areas to be improved. Training in communications with patients or cultural competence in medical education may need to consider a wide variety of patient backgrounds.

Michael Ruesch, Brigham Young University (Prof. Randy Jensen, Neurosurgery)

Knockout of hypoxia induced factor 1α in meningioma and glioma cell lines via short hairpin RNA interference and the CRISPR-Cas9 system

Introduction: Hypoxia, a decrease in oxygen perfusion from homeostatic levels, is common in a variety of primary brain tumors including meningiomas and gliomas. It has been found to correlate with more aggressive tumor growth, development of both meningiomas and gliomas, regulation of tumor microenvironment, as well as diffusion restriction and necrosis. Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs), specifically HIF-1α, are upregulated under hypoxic conditions and after radiation treatment, leading to a greater radioresistance in tumors. Previous work in our lab utilized a HIF-1α shRNA knockdown in a glioma primary cell model, which has been unsuccessfully produced in primary meningioma cells. Methods: A lentiviral-based clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 construct was used to generate a HIF-1α knockout in a primary human meningioma cell line (GAR). Viral particles were generated in Hek 293T cells. Verification of the transfection was performed using green fluorescence protein (GFP) analysis, morphological analysis of cells, and evaluation of cell proliferation dynamics. An adenovirus-mediated HIF-1α targeting shRNA was also developed and compared. Results: We have generated successful plasmid and concentrated viral particle as verified by GFP expression in Hek 293T cells and infected GAR cells. Generation of a HIF-1α targeting shRNA adenovirus was verified by immunofluorescence analysis of virus producing Hek 293T cells and PCR analysis of generated plasmids. Quantitative analysis of HIF-1α levels was determined via a HIF-1α based ELISA to determine knockout efficiency. Discussion: We successfully created a lentivirus-CRISPR/Cas9 and adenovirus-shRNA knockout model for HIF-1α. Further work will include in vitro characterization of infected cells and in vivo treatment of meningioma and glioma animal models. The impact of radiation on HIF-1α knockout cells will be evaluated. These results will aid in the understanding of HIF-1α on meningioma and glioma dynamics, as well as the impact of radiotherapy.

Abby Scott, Westminster College (Prof. Eric Schmidt, Medicinal Chemistry)

Optimizing Cyclization of Peptides for Use on Drug Analogs

Conotoxins, peptides found in cone snail venom, have a variety of potential pharmaceutical applications, such as a treatment for cocaine and nicotine addiction. Some difficulties with using peptides as pharmaceuticals are their large size and instability when linear. PatG and TruD, enzymes found in symbionts of the ascidian Lissoclinum patella, can be used to cyclize peptides. The purpose of this project was to optimize the cyclization of conotoxin peptide fragments for use as drug analogs. This was accomplished by assessing the cyclization activity of TruD, PatG, and a S783C PatG mutant in different combinations on 4 test substrates. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) was used to assess the resulting peptide structures in each of the assays.

Konrad Serbinowski, University of Utah (Prof. Taylor Sparks, Materials Science & Engineering)

Discovery and Synthesis of Superhard Materials

Superhard materials are materials which have a Vickers's hardness measurement exceeding 40 gigapascals. Currently the most well-know superhard material is diamond, but like most other superhard materials, diamond requires high temperature and pressure to synthesize which leads to high production costs. A promising solution to this is the synthesis of superhard materials which do not require high pressure for synthesis. Most of these materials are heavy transition metal borides and carbides which do not need to form as many short covalent bonds due to the layers of heavy transition metals which have d-valence electrons. Through the use of machine learning we are able to identify the best superhard materials which have low production cost and then cross check with HHI values and other economic factors in order to ensure the possibility of production on a larger scale.

Joseph Sheikh, University of Utah (Prof. Sophie Caron, Biology)

Mapping Gustatory Sensing Neural Circuits in Drosophila

A key question that remains unanswered in the field of neuroscience is how the brain combines different types of sensory information and generates a meaningful representation of the outside world. The Caron laboratory investigates how the Drosophila melanogaster brain, in particular the mushroom body, integrates sensory information. The first step in understand multimodal integration is understanding neural circuits, therefore the research conducted was to determine whether either the GR64f+ sweet sensing neurons, GR66a+ bitter sensing neurons, or ppk28+ water sensing neurons connect to gustatory projection neuron (gPN1). It was hypothesized that these connections exist due to anatomical evidence from previous research. In order to verify connections between the two neurons, GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (GRASP) and fluorescent protein tdTomato were used to mark the neurons, then imaged using confocal microscopy. The results of this experiment have revealed a potential connection between GR64f+ and ppk28+ with gPN1; however, further data is needed to make a conclusion.

Kai Sin, University of Utah (Prof. Akiko Kamimura, Sociology)

Patient Satisfaction and Perspectives of Continuity of Care among Free Clinic Patients in the USA

Free clinics are important resources for those who un- or under insured individual in the United states. The purpose of this study was to explore continuity of care and patient satisfaction from the perspectives of free clinic patients. Since the majority of free clinic providers are volunteers and may not be with a free clinic long-term, continuity of care should not be just seeing the same doctor over time, but also seeing well-coordinated providers. Because free clinics serve a wide variety of underserved populations, cultural competence training in medical education may not wholly t the socioeconomic and/or cultural realities of free clinic patients. And the result of continuity of care was not always perceived positively. There were potential miscommunications between providers or receptionists and patients. Patients may not be well informed of the available resources at the clinic. More in-person communication would be beneficial to distribute the information about available resources for free clinic patients. Communication among patients and receptionists, providers, and interpreters seemed to be a prevalent recurring topic across groups. The communication of health programs and appointment reminders are the areas to be improved. Training in communications with patients or cultural competence in medical education may need to consider a wide variety of patient backgrounds.

Shane Tory, University of Utah (Prof. Taylor Sparks, Materials Science & Engineering)

A New Sodium Ion Conductor: Processing and Transport Relationships

Sodium based electrochemical cells are gaining interest in industry due to the high availability and abundance of sodium. A sodium ion conducting electrolyte is one essential component of an electrochemical cell. Sodium zirconium gallate (Na_0.7Ga_4.7Zr_0.3O₈) belongs to the beta gallate rutile structure type and was recently discovered. Preliminary measurements show it to be a one-dimensional sodium ion conductor. In a similar process, synthesis of Na-β''-alumina + 3 mol.%Y₂O₃-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) by a vapor phase process lead to a textured microstructure with accompanying anisotropic transport. Here, we report on the synthesis of Na_0.7Ga_4.7Zr_0.3O₈ + YSZ composites by a vapor phase process and observe no evidence of crystallographic texturing or anisotropy in ionic transport. In addition, the kinetics of vapor phase transformation in Na_0.7Ga_4.7Zr_0.3O₈ + YSZ composites were studied. The results showed a similar trend to the kinetic of previously studied Na-β''-alumina + YSZ composites suggesting a similar oxygen transport rate limiting mechanism of transformation.

Tyler Vail, Brigham Young University (Prof. KC Brennan, Neurology)

2-photon Microscopy Analysis of Neuronal Ca²⁺ Activity During Cortical Spreading Depression After Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is frequent among civilian and military personnel. TBI can result from car crashes, sports, violence, or blast injuries. Despite its relevance, the long-term effects of TBI are not fully understood. Spreading depolarization (SD) is a wave of excitation that passes through the brain that occurs at the time of and following TBI which may exhibit long term effects on brain tissue and cortical networks. The goal of our research is to investigate cellular changes after a traumatic brain injury. Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) is a well-documented technique that can be used to replicate the injuries similar to TBI. We used CCI combined with two-photon microscopy to observe calcium levels during SD to detect changes on a cellular level. These changes suggest that TBI may be more serious than we thought because of increased damage due to spreading depolarizations.

Lacey Woods, Southern Utah University (Prof. Peter West, Pharmacology & Toxicology)

The Effects of Spontaneously Recurrent Seizures on Dentate Gyrus-Mediated Cognitive Function and Synaptic Plasticity in the Intra Amygdala Kayanate Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Seizures associated with epilepsy often result in cognitive comorbidities, such as memory loss, that still remain medically untreated. Mouse models have been useful in developing drugs to stop seizures in epileptic patients but not to treat the cognitive comorbidities that significantly affect the patient’s quality of life. Commonly used electrically-induced acute seizure models, such as the corneal kindled mouse model of focal seizures, have been shown to have impaired dentate gyrus (DG) mediated spatial pattern processing, learning, memory, and attenuated DG synaptic plasticity (Remigio et al., 2017). However, in the effort to develop treatments of cognitive comorbidities in epilepsy, more advanced models are needed that experience genuine spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) and cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, the aim of this experiment is to evaluate the effects of SRSs on dentate gyrus-mediated cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in a novel model of temporal lobe epilepsy: the intra-amygdala kainate mouse (IAK) (Almeida Silva et al., 2016; Mouri et al., 2008). After a latent period of approximately 3-5 days, a cohort of the IAK mice was shown to experience approximately 1-2 spontaneous seizures per day (n=10). When tested in a task reliant on spatial pattern processing in the dentate gyrus (the metric task), these IAK mice were shown to have significant learning and memory impairments compared to the SHAM surgical and control mice. Finally, in a measure of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity commonly accepted as a model of learning and memory at the level of the synapse (Long-Term Potentiation, LTP), LTP at the perforant path – dentate granule cell synapse in the IAK group was significantly attenuated relative to both the control and SHAM surgical mice. These results strongly suggest that SRSs significantly impact cognitive function both in vivo and in vitro at the level of the dentate gyrus. Therefore, IAK mice may be useful as a tool to evaluate novel treatments for cognitive dysfunction associated with SRSs in patients with epilepsy.