Cancer in Families: Uncovering the Effects of Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplants on Family Relationships

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Kati L. Millar and Dr. Susanne F. Olsen, Marriage, Family, and Human Development My primary question when I began my research concerned the relationship of family members during a bone marrow transplant of one of the members. I was specifically interested in how their relationships changed during this time if any change actually occurred. I […]

Follicular Dendritic Cells, HIV and Haart Treatment

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Jason Meyer and Dr. Gregory Burton, Microbiology The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV-infected patients can result in the reduction of plasma viral RNA levels to nearly undetectable levels. However, the existence of replication competent virus from chronically infected CD4+ T cells despite apparently successful HAART treatment suggests the existence of protective […]

Proton Conductance through the Membrane Protein Gramicidin M

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Jason D. Merrell and Professor David D. Busath, Zoology After discussion with my faculty mentor, together we decided that my original ORCA proposal would not best suit the needs of the laboratory in which I am allowed to work. Upon reaching this conclusion, a new research plan was organized. The following outlines the progress of this new […]

Leadership Training Center: A Resource for Guatemalan Returned Missionaries

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Brian Melven and Professor Don Adolphson, Romney Institute for Public Management The purpose of my project was to develop a proposal to aide Guatemalan university students in finding fulfilling employment after university graduation. I specifically wanted to help LDS university students who attended the public university in Guatemala City. The proposal was based on my findings […]

ORCA Scholarship Report and Summary

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Amy Morris McGlashan and Professor Robert Marshall I have been looking forward to the time to report on the results of my research project. I had proposed to study the writings of Robert Burns, travel to Scotland to experience the places he lived in and wrote about, and paint those places described in his ballads and […]

Bertrand Biography

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Richard D. McClellan and Dr. Donald Cannon, Church History Louis A. Bertrand (originally John Francis Elias Flandin) had traveled most of the world when he decided to “settle down” in Paris and became a leader in the Red Republican Party just before the Revolution of 1848. He was working as the political editor of the […]

The Legacy of Holocaust Rescuer Raoul Wallenberg

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Ryan Aiken and Professor Paul Kerry, History My research into the legacy of Holocaust rescuer Raoul Wallenberg is far from complete, and now, over nine months after beginning my investigation to accurately document Wallenberg’s heroic efforts to save Hungarian Jews during the last days of WWII, the overall emphasis of my original thesis has been redefined […]

Determining Homology of Turkey Round Heart Disease Marker Sequences: A Computer-Based Study

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Ryan D. McAllister and Dr. David Kooyman, Animal Science Round heart disease (RHD) is a spontaneous occurring cardiomyopathy in turkeys. The domestic turkey Meleagris gallopavo is affected by low body weight and premature death due to congestive heart failure from RHD (1). RHD results in decreased profitability for the animal agriculturists and higher prices for […]

Walking stick (Insect: Phasmida) Phylogeny and the Evolution of Insect Flight Based on Molecular Data

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Taylor J. Maxwell and Dr. Michael F. Whiting, Zoology The evolution and development of wings and flight has fascinated scientists for decades. From our research we happened upon an exciting discovery concerning flight in the phylogeny of walking sticks. A basic phylogeny was to be reconstructed from molecular data with the purpose of understanding the […]

Comparison of Gramicidin A and Gramicidin M Channel Properties in KCl, NaCl, and HCl

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Jeffrey C. Markham and Professor David D. Busath, Zoology The oligopeptide gramicidin is one of the simplest proteins which can form channels in cell membranes to conduct ions into or out of a cell. The peptide is produced by the bacteria Bacillus brevis. It can also be synthesized by scientists for research purposes. By producing slightly modified […]