Measuring Metamphetamine’s Effects on Dopamine Production During Exposure to Glutathione

by

Eli Schriever and Scott Steffensen, Psychology Introduction One of the primary focuses of much addiction research involves finding methods to alleviate methamphetamine (METH) addiction. METH is one of the most widely used illicit drugs in the United States. Estimates by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Statistics are that 5.5% of all adults ages 26 […]

The use of bacteriophage for surface sterilization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in poultry facilities

by

Trevor Wienclaw and Bradford Berges, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is potentially dangerous pathogen that can infect humans and animals alike1. The primary treatment for such infections has been antibiotics, but even shortly after antibiotics began to be used, antibiotic-resistant strains, known as MRSA, were discovered. These resistant strains have since spread, and […]

Identification of Location and Timing of ROS Production In Response To Meth Exposure

by

Andrew Lamprecht and Scott Steffensen, Psychology Introduction Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive drug that acts on the pleasure center of the brain. It causes an increase in the release of dopamine (DA) into the synaptic cleft. This rapid release of DA causes the “rush” felt by drug users. It also causes severe malfunctions in the […]

Assessment of biodiversity on Mount Timpanogos with a focus on flies, Diptera: Agromyzidae

by

Samantha Smith and Dr. Riley Nelson, Biology Introduction Mount Timpanogos, with an elevation of 3,582 meters, is home to an amazing array of insect species. Through much previous effort, many have studied the insects found in American Fork Canyon leading up to Mount Timpanogos. They have still barely scratched the surface of the abundant biodiversity […]

Association of Rare Genetics Variants to the Protection of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Cache County Data Set

by

Josue David Gonzalez Murcia and John Kauwe, Biology Department Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the world and the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, with 5.5 million people diagnosed with the disease. Alzheimer’s cannot be cured, prevented or slowed. Most research with Alzheimer’s disease […]

The effect of gut microbiota on starvation resistance in D. melanogaster

by

Alec Judd and John Chaston, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Introduction It has already been established that gut microbiota affect starvation resistance, fat (TAG) content, and development in D. melanogaster. Previous studies in this lab have suggested that effects of the microbiome on these traits are correlated, but this prediction has not been explicitly tested. We […]

Mergers and Acquisitions Document Vector Space Analysis

by

Steven Fortney and Faculty Mentor: Karl Diether, Finance Brief Overview of Methodology and Results This project involved looking at Mergers and Acquisitions and a textual analysis of their SEC filings. We index, clean and match documents in the SEC EDGAR database to the CRSP and Compustat databases in order to consider multiple instruments for “specificity” […]

Investigation of Visual Systems in a New Species of Firefly

by

Yelena Pacheco and Dr. Seth Bybee, Biology Introduction Fireflies are well known for their bioluminescent flashes causing them to be a particular group of interest concerning insect vision research. Their flashes are used for both sexual communication and as an aposematic warning to predators. Bioluminescent fireflies are known to use either a yellow-green flash or […]

Gene x Environment Interactions in Rhesus Macaques: A test of the Orchid-­‐Dandelion Hypothesis

by

S. Andrew Aston and J. Dee Higley, Department of Psychology Aston, S. Andrew Gene x Environment Interactions in Rhesus Macaques: A test of the Orchid-­‐Dandelion Hypothesis Faculty Mentor: J. Dee Higley, Department of Psychology Numerous studies have shown that certain gene variants produce distinct phenotypes based on the environment in which an individual develops. Many […]