3rdWyomingIDeANetworksforBiomedicalResearchExcellence

AnnualSpringConference

April25th-26th,2019UniversityofWyoming,LaramieUWConferenceCenter(UWCC)andMarionH.Rochelle

GatewayCenter(MHRGC),Laramie,WY

ThisprojectissupportedinpartbyagrantfromtheNationalInstituteofGeneralMedicalSciences(2P20GM103432)fromtheNationalInstitutesofHealth.Thecontentissolelytheresponsibilityoftheauthorsanddoesnotnecessarilyrepresenttheofficialviewsofthe

NationalInstitutesofHealth.

WyomingIDeANetworksforBiomedicalResearchExcellence(INBRE)

WyomingINBREAdministrationStateEPSCoR/IDeAChair

• EdmundSynakowski,Ph.D.,VicePresidentforResearchandEconomicDevelopment,UniversityofWyoming

• DianaHulme,AssociateVicePresidentforResearch,UniversityofWyoming

AdministrativeCore• R.ScottSevillePh.D.,WyomingINBREPrincipalInvestigator/ProgramDirector,Professor

ofZoologyandPhysiology,UniversityofWyomingatCasper• FlorenceTeulé-FinleyPh.D,WyomingINBREProgramCoordinator,BiologyProgram,

UniversityofWyomingatCasper• JasonKatzmann,Ph.D.,AssessmentCoordinator,AssistantLecturerElementaryandEarly

ChildhoodEducation,UniversityofWyomingatCasper• AnnieBergmanPh.D,WyomingINBREStudentProgramDirector,UniversityofWyoming• AliciaEspinoza,OfficeAssociate,UniversityofWyoming• DawnVialpandoWyomingINBREFiscalManager,UniversityofWyoming

BioinformaticsCore• NaomiWardPh.D.,CoreDirector,AssociateProfessorofMolecularBiology,Universityof

Wyoming• NicolasBlouinPh.D.,ResearchScientist,UniversityofWyoming• VikramChhatrePh.D.,ResearchScientist,UniversityofWyoming

DevelopmentalResearchProjectsProgram• DavidFayPh.D.,CoreDirector,ProfessorofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming

OutreachandEducationCore• R.ScottSevillePh.D.,CoreDirector,ProfessorofZoologyandPhysiology,Universityof

WyomingatCasper

WyomingINBREResearch/EducationNetworkCommunityCollegeProjectLeaders• DagmaraMotriuk-SmithPh.D.,CasperCollegeandUniversityofWyomingatCasper• WilliamFinneyPh.D.,CentralWyomingCollege• ChrisWenzelM.S.,EasternWyomingCollege• AmiWangelinePh.D.andZacharyRoehrsPh.D.,LaramieCountyCommunityCollege• EricAtkinsonM.S.,NorthwestCollege• AmiEricksonPh.D.,NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegeDistrict,SheridanandGillette

Colleges• BudChewPh.D.,WesternWyomingCommunityCollege

WyomingINBREExternalAdvisoryCommittee• JohnSladekPh.D.andEACChair,retiredProfessorofNeurology,Pediatricsand

Neuroscience,UniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine• CarolynBohachPh.D.,UniversityDistinguishedProfessor,UniversityofIdahoandIdaho

INBREPrincipalInvestigatorandDirector• ChuckHenryPh.D.,DepartmentChairandProfessorofChemistryatColoradoState

University• DavidPollockPh.D.,AssociateProfessorofBiochemistryandMolecularGenetics,

UniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine.• DouglasSealsPh.D.,CollegeProfessorofDistinctioninIntegrativePhysiology,University

ofColoradoBoulder.• GeorgeSeidelPh.D.,ColoradoStateUniversityDistinguishedProfessor

WyomingINBREStatewideSteeringCommitteeName Institution Position

INBREExecutiveCommitteeSeville,Scott,Chair

UniversityofWyoming,CasperandLaramie

WyomingINBREPI/PD

Fay,David UniversityofWyoming,Laramie AssociatePD,DRPPDirectorTeulé-Finley,Florence UniversityofWyoming,Casper ProgramCoordinatorWard,Naomi UniversityofWyoming,Laramie BioinformaticsCoreDirectorBergman,Annie UniversityofWyoming,Laramie StudentProgramDirectorKatzmann,Jason UniversityofWyoming,Casper AssessmentCoordinator

Vialpando,Dawn UniversityofWyoming,LaramieFiscalManager

UWMembers

Synakowski,Edward UniversityofWyoming,Laramie VicePresidentforResearchandEconomicDevelopment

Qian-QuanSun UniversityofWyoming Director,SensoryBiologyCOBRE

SarahKonrad UniversityofWyomingProgramCoordinator,WyomingEPSCoR

WyomingINBRECommunityCollegeRepresentatives

Atkinson,Eric NorthwestCollegeFacultymemberandINBREProjectLead

Castillo-Garrison,Estella SheridanCollege VicePresidentforAcademicAffairsCrawford,Marneé NorthwestCollege Dean,SchoolofMathandSciencesEdmunds,Heidi EasternWyomingCollege DeanofInstruction

Erickson,Ami SheridanCollegeFacultymemberandINBREProjectLead

Hawkes,Jerry CasperCollege Dean,SchoolofSciences

Finney,Bill CentralWyomingCollege FacultymemberandINBREProjectLead

Motriuk-Smith,Dagmara UniversityofWyoming,Casper FacultymemberandINBREUWC/CCProjectLead

Nordeen,Mark CentralWyomingCollege Dean,SchoolofHealth&Science

Wangeline,Ami LaramieCountyCommunityCollege FacultymemberandINBREProjectLead

Wenzel,Chris EasternWyomingCollege FacultymemberandINBREProjectLead

BryanWilson LaramieCountyCommunityCollege Dean,SchoolofMathandSciences

Wittstruck,Clifford WesternWyomingCommunityCollege DeanofAcademics

SCHEDULE

3rdWyomingINBREAnnualSpringConferenceApril25-26,2019

Locations:UniversityofWyoming,LaramieUWConferenceCenter(UWCC;WestendofHiltonInn)andMarionH.RochelleGatewayCenter(MHRGC).ThursdayApril25th20198:00-9:00am Coffee/tea/muffins UWCC

SalonD8:30-9:00am WelcomeandIntroductionsbyR.ScottSeville,Wyoming

INBREProgramDirector/PrincipalInvestigatorUWCCSalonD

9:00-9:20am Pilot1 CalebHill-InvestigatingtheUptakeofNanoparticlesbyIndividualCells

9:20-9:40am Thematic1 AlisonLooby-ExaminingExpectancyChallengestoPreventNonmedicalPrescriptionStimulantUse

9:40-10:00am Thematic2 BreannaKrueger-Age-relatedcorrelatesoftreatmentefficacyandefficiencyforlate-acquiredsounds

10:00-10:20am Thematic3 KatieLi-Oakey-DesigningHydrogelParticlesforTargetedDrugDelivery

10:20-10:50am Break10:50-11:10am Thematic4 EvanJohnson-HematologicalRiskfor

AcuteKidneyInjuryduringHighIntensityExercise

11:10-11:30am Thematic5 MaysamMousaviraad-Physics-BasedComputationalModelingforArterialandCardiacDynamics

11:30-11:50pm Pilot2 KyleDeYoung-Apilottestofmoodandcircadianrhythmmechanismsdrivingbingeeating

11:50am-1:30pm Lunch:onyourown1:30-1:50pm Pilot3 JayGatlin-EngineeredApproachesto

StudyAsterPositioningBiomechanicsUWCCSalonD

1:50-2:10pm Pilot4 CynthiaHartung-AcuteEffectsofHigh-IntensityIntervalTrainingonExecutiveFunctioninginCollegeStudentswithADHD

2:10-2:30pm Pilot5 GrantBowman-AnatomyofBacterialCellPoles

2:30-3:00pm Break

3:00-3:20pm Pilot6 DomenNovak-Apilotevaluationofareconfigurablespinalexoskeletonforpreventionandreliefoflowbackpain

3:20-3:40pm Pilot7 KarenWawrousek-BacterialMagneticNanoparticlesforDiagnosticAssays

3:40-5:30pm Break:onyourown4:45-5:25pm Posterset-up(graduatestudentsonly)

Graduatestudentsmaysetuppostersanytimestarting9:00ambutallpostersshouldbesetupby5:15pm.(adhesivesprovided).

UWCCSalonE

5:30-7:00pm ReceptionandGraduatepostersessionheavyhorsd'oeuvresandno-hostbar

FridayApril26th20197:30-9:00am Coffee/Tea/muffins)

UWCCSalonD

9:00-9:20am Thematic6 JillKeith-ReclaimingIndigenousFoodandHealth:APilotRCTonHealthImpactsofSovereignNationDiets

9:20-9:40am Pilot8 RebeccaCarron-APilotManagementProgramforAmericanIndianWomenwithPolycysticOvarySyndrome

9:40-10:00am Collaborative1 KerrySondgerothandMarieYearling-TheeffectoftheintestinalmicrobiomeonToxoplasmosisinfectionandprojectintegrationintoundergraduateresearch

10:00-10:20am Collaborative2 NicolasBlouinandAmiErickson-Biodiversitydiscovery&analysisofsoilmicrobialcommunities:stressresponsetoincreasedsalinity

10:20-10:50am Break

10:50-11:10am CCProjectLead1 ChristopherWenzelEWC)-EasternWyomingCollege(EWC)INBREProgressReport:Denitrificationandnitrateuptakepotentialofsoilsandplantswithdifferentlanduseandnitrogeninputsinsemiaridecosystems

11:10-11:30am CCProjectLead2 AmiWangeline(LCCC)-Growth,change,andcollaboration:2018-19LCCCINBRE

11:30-11:50am CCProjectLead3 WilliamFinney(CWC)-Spring2019CentralWyomingCollegeINBREReport

11:50am-12:00pm

Break:onyourown

12:00-2:00pm Workinglunchmeeting:WyomingINBREadministrators,StatewideSteeringCommittee(SSC),ExternalAdvisoryCommittee(EAC)andUWVPResearchOffice(Lunchprovided).

MHRGCBoydRoom

12:00-2:00pm Lunch:onyourownforallOTHERattendees

2:00-2:20pm CCProjectLead4 DagmaraMotriuk-Smith(UWCasperandCasperCollege)-INBREsupportedresearchatCasperCollegeandtheUniversityofWyomingatCasper

UWCCSalonD

2:20-2:40pm CCProjectLead5 EricAtkinson(NWC)-BioinformaticsintheBigHornBasin:Opportunitiesforproject-basedinquirywhilebuildinglaboratoryskillsandtheoreticalperspectives.

2:40-3:00pm Collaborative3 JohnOakeyandChristopherWenzel-PassiveMotilitybyExtracellularMatrixProductionbyAlgaeinBioticCrusts

3:00-3:30pm Break 3:30-3:50pm CCProjectLead6 BudChew(WWCC)-INBREResearchat

WesternWYCommunityCollege3:50-4:10pm CCProjectLead7 AmiErickson(NWCCD-Sheridanand

GilletteColleges)-NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegeINBRE-SupportedResearchActivities

4:10-5:30pm Break:onyourown

3:00-5:15pm Posterset-up(undergraduatestudentsonly)Undergraduatestudentsmaysetuppostersanytimestartingat2pmandallpostersshouldbesetupby5:15pm.(adhesivesprovided).

MHRGCCDE

5:30-7:00pm ReceptionandUndergraduatepostersessionlighthorsd'oeuvresandno-hostbar.

MHRGCCDE

7:00- Welcome,Dr.EdSynakowski,UWVicePresidentofResearchandEconomicDevelopment

MHRGCAB

7:00-9:00pm- WYINBREbanquetandkeynotepresentationKeynotetalk:ChristinePorter,Ph.D.“Significance:gettinghealthresearchright”

MHRGCAB

SaturdayApril27th2019WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesConferenceLocation:UniversityofWyomingCampus(WyomingUnionandClassroomBuildings)(Seeprogramscheduleforspecificstudentoralpresentationroomsandtimes)7:00-8:00am WyomingINBREBreakfastandCommunityCollege

ForumeRACommons,WYINBREReporting,assessment,questions,programsandupcomingevents(TheWyomingINBREAnnualSpringconferenceadjournsafterbreakfast).

WyomingUnion,WestYellowstoneBallroom

8:00am-12:00pm

WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesUndergraduatestudentoralpresentationsNotes:

• INBREoralpresentationsinCR215andCR219startat8:30am

• INBREpostersmaybeset-upallmorninguntil12:15pminWyomingUnion,2ndfloor

ClassroomBuilding(variouslocations;seeprogram)

*12:30-1:30pm UndergraduateResearchandInquiryAcrosstheDisciplines,Luncheon(RSVP)andKeynoteKeynoteSpeaker:JoeRiis,UWAlumniandNationalGeographic(RSVPonly)

WyomingUnionBallroom

12:00-1:30pm Lunchonyourownforotherattendees.1:30-3:30pm WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrossthe

DisciplinesConferenceUndergraduatepostersessionandResourceTables

WyomingUnion(2ndfloor)

DETAILEDSCHEDULEANDABSTRACTSFACULTYORALPRESENTATIONSAllfacultyoralpresentations(thematic,pilot,andcollaborativeprojects,andCommunityCollegeProjectLeadupdates)areheldonThursdayApril25thandFridayApril26th,2019attheUWConferenceCenter(UWCC;WestendofHiltonGardenInn)inSalonD.

Thursday,April25th2019UWCCSalonD

8:00-9:00am:Coffee/tea/muffins8:30-9:00am:WelcomeandIntroductionsbyR.ScottSeville,WyomingINBREprogramDirector/PrincipalInvestigator9:00-9:20amPilotProject:InvestigatingtheUptakeofNanoparticlesbyIndividualCellsCalebM.HillandJoshuaW.HillDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:caleb.hill@uwyo.eduABSTRACT. Nanoparticles (NPs) are attractive candidates for a variety of biomedicalapplications, particularly as vehicles for targeted drug delivery and as contrast agents for avariety of imaging techniques. The design of improved materials for any such applicationswould benefit from detailed studies into howNPs interactwith target organ systems at thecellular level.While therehavebeennumerous studies into the rolesNPsize, shape, surfacechemistry,etc.playincellularuptake,thesestudiestypicallyrelyonanalyticalmethodswhichcannot differentiate NPs which are internalized from those simply adhered to the cellularmembraneand/orprobetheaggregationstateoftheNPsinquestion.Theoverarchinggoalofthis funded pilot project is to develop and apply high-resolution optical and electrochemicalanalyticalmethodstoelucidatehowvariousstructuralparametersaffecttheinternalizationofNPsandanyresultingeffectsoncellviability.AmodelsystemconsistingofAuNPswithvaryinggeometriesbutconsistent surfacechemistrywassynthesized,and thestabilityof this systemtowardsaggregationinrealisticbiologicalmediaconfirmed.SingleNPopticaltechniquesbasedondark field scatteringmicroscopy/spectroscopywere thenemployed to track theuptakeoftheseNPs byHeLa cells. The developed techniqueswere successfully employed to track themotionofindividualNPsinthevicinityofcellswithnm-scaleprecision.SpectroscopicresponsesofindividualnanostructuresatcellsrevealedotherwisestableNPsselectivelyaggregatewhenbrought into contact with cells. Additionally, the optical response of a majority of the NPsexamined inthisprototypicalmodelsystemcontinuetoexhibitsensitivitytotheextracellularmediaafter incubationwithcells,suggestingtheyarenotinternalized,butpersist inpartially-wrappedstates.

9:20-9:40amThematicProject:ExaminingExpectancyChallengestoPreventNonmedicalPrescriptionStimulantUseAlisonLooby,LaurenZimmerman,AnnalisaPiccorelli,ChantelleMcGee,KaylaMohler,&CaitlinA.FalcoPsychologyDepartment,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:alooby@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Collegestudentsfrequentlyreportnonmedicalprescriptionstimulantuse(NPS)forcognitiveenhancementpurposes,thoughitisassociatedwithnumerousnegativeconsequences.Despiteincreasinglyhighprevalenceratesandwidespreadacknowledgementoftheneedforefficaciousinterventions,littletreatmentresearchexistsforNPS.AninterventionthattargetscognitiveenhancementmotivesandexpectancyeffectsmaybeparticularlyeffectiveinlightofrecentresearchpurportinglimitedevidenceformeaningfulNPS-relatedcognitiveimprovementsamongindividualswithoutlegitimateattentiondeficits.TheprimaryobjectiveofthisstudyistoexaminewhetheracombinedinterventionthatbothmodifiesexpectationsforNPS-relatedeffectsandprovidesalternativemeansofenhancingcognitionandarousaliseffectiveinpreventingincidenceofNPSamongat-riskcollegestudents,comparedtoanexpectancy-onlyinterventionandacontrolgroup.ThefirstaimistoexaminewhetherthecombinedinterventionmostsuccessfullymodifiesNPS-relatedexpectancies,whicharetheoreticallycausallyrelatedtouse.ThesecondaimistoexaminewhetherthecombinedinterventionismosteffectiveindecreasingintentionsforandpreventingincidenceofNPSovera6-monthfollow-upperiod.ThelastaimistoexaminewhetherchangesinexpectancyeffectsmediatetherelationshipbetweeninterventiontypeandNPSincidence/intentions.Sixty-fourparticipantshavebeenenrolledinthestudy;43completeda1-monthfollow-up,while8havecompletedthe6-monthfollow-up.Preliminaryanalysisofthe1-monthfollow-updatafindsthatNPSintentionsaresignificantlyreducedonlyamongtheexpectancy-onlyintervention(t=-2.66,p=.02).However,positivecognitiveenhancementexpectanciesweresignificantlyweakenedinbothinterventiongroups(combined:t=-4.17,p=.002;expectancy-only:t=-3.22,p=.006);bothinterventiongroupslopesdifferedfromthatofthecontrolgroup,butwerenotsignificantlydifferentfromeachother.Resultsfromthisprojectwillfacilitatethedevelopmentoflarger-scalepreventioneffortstotargetthehighrateofNPSoncollegecampuses,withafutureNIHproposalplanned.9:40-10:00amThematicProject:Age-relatedcorrelatesoftreatmentefficacyandefficiencyforlate-acquiredsoundsBreannaKruegerDivisionofCommunicationDisorders,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:bkrueger@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Speechsoundssuchas/r/and/s/areacquiredlaterintypicaldevelopmentbecausetheyareconceptuallyandmotoricallycomplex.Accordingtonormativedata,thesesoundsmaynotbeacquireduntilmuchlaterindevelopment—age7or8.Incurrentclinicalpractice,speech-languagepathologistsoftenusenormativedatatodeterminewhentobegintreatmentfortheselate-acquiredsounds—whichfrequentlyleadstotreatmentstallinguntil

age7or8.Unfortunately,thisplacestreatmentatanstageindevelopmentwhenchildrenareill-equippedtolearnnewspeechsounds.Treatmentdoesnotoccurearlierbecausemanybelievethatyoungerchildrenarenotdevelopmentallyreadytolearnthesedifficultsounds.Previousworkinthislineexaminedthisquestionandindicatedthatyoungerchildren(age4-5)arejustasgood,ifnotbetter,thanolderchildren(age7-8)atlearninglate-acquiredsounds.Therefore,thepurposeofthepresentstudyistofurtherexploretheseage-relateddifferencestodeterminewhatcausestheunderlyingage-relateddifferences.Thepresentstudyemploysa2treatmentby2agegroupsingle-subjectsdesigntoexplorethisunderlyingmechanismthroughtreatment.Theprimarygoalforthefirstyearofthisgrantwastoenroll10participantsintothestudy.Thisgoalhasbeenmet,anddatacollectionandprocessingisongoing.Aproposaltothenationalconventionforspeech-languagepathologistshasbeensubmittedtodisseminatepreliminaryresultstothebroadercommunityviaapodiumtalk.Further,onemanuscriptfortheJournalofSpeechLanguageandHearingServicesinSchoolsisincurrentlyinpreparation.FuturefundingopportunitieswillbesoughtwiththeNIDCDforanR21awardtoexploretheimpactoftreatmentintensityontheseagegroups.10:00-10:20amThematicProject:DesigningHydrogelParticlesforTargetedDrugDeliveryJingLiu1,andKatieD.Li-Oakey21DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:dli1@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Manyclassesofnanoparticleshavebeendesignedfortumor-targetingdrugdelivery.Syntheticpolymer-basedhydrogelssuchaspolyethyleneglycol(PEG)areidealcandidatesfortherapeuticdrugdeliverybecausetheyprovidebiopassivitiy,programmeddrugrelease,andeaseofbiomolecularfunctionalization.Despitethebroaddiversityoftechniques,thereexistnoreliablemethodstopreparePEGhydrogelparticlesonsub-micronlengthscaleswithnarrowsizedistributionsandwell-definedloading.UnderthefirstyearofthisINBREThematicproject,wehavedemonstratedthecontinuousfabricationofPEGhydrogelparticlesbyphotopolymerizinghydrogelformingsolutionswithinemulsiondropletsoftightly-controlledsize.Oxygen-inhibitedphotopolymerizationwithintheseprecisemicroenvironmentscreatesconditionsthataresensitivetoUVexposuretimeandintensitythatwasexploitedtodefineparticlepropertieswithnanoscaleresolution.Theresultingparticlesaresignificantlysmallerthantheirtemplatingdroplet,andcanbedesignedwithcomplexshape,networkarchitecture,interfacialchemistry,anddegradationprofiles.Thisthematicprojectfocusesuponpayloadencapsulation,controlleddegradationandrelease,andcell-targetingandbinding.Particleswereloadedwithfluorescentlylabeledproteinstoexaminethenetworkproperties,revealingahighdegreeofstructuraltunability,whichgovernscompoundencapsulationandreleaseprofiles,andthepresenceofradialcrosslinkinggradientsthatimpactthedensityoffunctionalgroups.Adetailedquantitativedescriptionofthephotopolymerizationprocesswasdeveloped

toaccuratelypredictandoptimizehydrogelnetworkproperties,whichdeterminedrugreleaseprofiles.Subsequently,thismodelwasappliedtodesignhydrogelinterfacialelasticityandcaptureantibodyconjugationdensitytoinvestigatetheireffectsoncellinteractionandbinding.Ourpreliminaryresultsrevealthatmoreelastichydrogelsbindcellsmoreeffectivelythanrigidgelsevenatlowerantibodydensities.Thesetunablenetworkpropertiesenableatechniquebywhichhydrogeldrugdeliveryvehiclescanbedesignedwithindependentlycustomizedcell-targetinginterfaces,payloadcompositions,andcomplexdrugreleaseprofiles.10:20-10:50am:Break10:50-11:10amThematicProject:HematologicalRiskforAcuteKidneyInjuryduringHighIntensityExerciseEvanC.Johnson,1BoiDai1,GretchenSewczak-Claude1,NicoleSauls1,AmandaL.Zaleski2,OlleMelander3,andDerekT.Smith11DivisionofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WYU.S.A.2DepartmentofPreventativeCardiology,HartfordHospital,Hartford,CTU.S.A.3DepartmentofClinicalSciences,LundUniversity,Malmö,SwedenEmail:evan.johnson@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Background:Acutekidneyinjury(AKI)followingextremehighintensityfunctionalresistancetraining(HIFRT)exercisehasbeenobserved.However,itisdifficulttodetermineifthevolumeandintensityofexercisecombinedisthecause,orifbiomarkers,suchastheendogenousopioidproenkaphalin,whichmaypredictindividualswhoareatincreasedriskforAKIduetoathleticcompetition.Eachyear>300,000adultscompleteaworkoutcomposedofa1milerun,100pull-ups,200push-ups,300body-weightsquats,andasecond1milerun.Thisstyleofexerciseyieldsavaluableopportunitytoexaminetheabovequestions.Methods:Wehavecompletedphase1ofdatacollectionon25individualswhichincludes;anthropometrics,completedietaryrecords,exerciseheartrate,perceptionofmusclepain,24hurinecollectionimmediatelybeforeandforthetwodaysaftertheworkout,bloodsampling24hbefore,immediatelypre,immediatelypost,24hpost,and48hpostworkout.Results:Inthispartialsample,creatinekinase(CK)concentrationsweresignificantlyelevatedfromimmediatepre(74.5±53.2U/L)to24hand48hpostworkout(244.3±184.5,253.2±287.3U/L).Additionally,wehavenotedsignificantdecreasesinmeanarterialbloodpressure(-6.4and-5.0mmHg)24and48post-exercise.Biomechanically,participantsdecreasedtheeccentriccomponenttosquatandpush-upsoverthecourseoftheworkoutbutindicatorsrelatedtoinjuryriskdidnotchange.NextSteps:AmassparticipationdatacollectionisscheduledforMay27th.Following,biologicalsamplesfromphase1&2willbesenttoLundUniversityandJohnsHopkinsUniversityforproenkephalinandkidneyinjuryquantification.Initialresultsshowthatthisworkoutper-sedoesnotinduceextraordinaryriskforAKI.However,ithasyettobeseenifbiomarkerscanpredicttheobservedvarianceinCKresponseorotherkidneyinjurymarkersafterexercise.

11:10-11:30amThematicProject:Physics-BasedComputationalModelingforArterialandCardiacDynamicsMaysamMousaviraad,MatthewFig,andMohammadMehriDepartmentofMechanicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:mmousavi@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Recentstudieshavehypothesizedthatalteredflexibilityinthecardiacwallisthemaincauseforheartfailurewithpreservedejectionfraction(HFpEF).HFpEFaccountsforabouthalfofheartfailurepatients,butcurrently,noeffectivetherapeuticoptionsareavailableforit.Theobjectiveofourresearchistostudytheeffectsofrigidityonthecardiacfunction.Theapproachisbasedonusingcomputationalengineeringwhichcanprovidesignificantknowledgeonthemechanismofdevelopingcardiovasculardiseaseduetoalteredstiffnessandenablesvirtualtestingofnewprothesesandsurgicalprocedures.Suchpredictivecomputationalmodelneedstoincorporatethethreephysicsinvolvedincardiacdynamics:1)fluidmechanicstosolvebloodhemodynamics;2)structuralmechanicstodeterminetissuestressesandvalvekinematics;and3)electrophysiologytoaccountforelectricalfrontpropagatinginmyocardiumtriggeringactivecontraction.Thechallengeswillincludehandlinglargedeformationsofthefluiddomain,extremecontractionsofthesofttissues,steeppressurevariationsduringisovolumetricstages,andcomplexactiveandpassiveboundaryconditionsrequiredforastablesolution.Wehavedevelopedpatient-specificimageprocessingandsimulationcapabilities,andvalidatedtheresultsusingin-vivovideorecordingsofpulsatingcarotidarteriesinrats,takenthroughsurgicalexposure.Wefoundthattheratiobetweensystoleanddiastolediameterscouldbeimpactedbyupto180%,comparedtonormalrigidity,astheresultofslight/probablestiffnessalterations.Weexpectthesealterations/sensitivitiestobeacoupleofordersofmagnitudelargerforcardiacdynamicswhererangeofmotionsismuchlargercomparedtoarterialtissues.Forcardiacmodeling,wehavedesignedanidealized3Dgeometryoftheleftventricleanddevelopedcomputationalcapabilitytohandlethelargedeformationsbothinsolidandfluiddomains.Currentlywearedevelopingapatient-specificmodeltosimulaterealisticleftventriclegeometriesbasedonechocardiographyimages.11:30-11:50amPilotProject:ApilottestofmoodandcircadianrhythmmechanismsdrivingbingeeatingKyleP.DeYoungDepartmentofPsychology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:kyle.deyoung@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Moodandcircadianrhythmdisruptionsareassociatedwithbingeeating(BE),whichisadiscrete,episodicbehaviorcharacterizedby:1)eatinganobjectivelylargeamountoffoodwhile2)experiencingasubjectivesenseoflossofcontrol.BEepisodesareoftenprecededbynegativemoodstates;thus,understandingtheroleofnegativemoodisacriticalareaforresearchonBE.IndividualswithBEalsodemonstratedisruptionsinseveralcircadianrhythms,includingthediurnaltimingofmeals,hormonepatterns(e.g.,dailycortisolrhythms),andmoodvariations.Themostpotentsynchronizerofcircadianrhythmsislight.Exposuretolightvariesoverbothminutesandmonths,bylocation,weather,andseason,andhumanscanmodifythelightintheirenvironments.Thus,exposuretolightmayexplainotherphenomenathatfluctuatesimilarly,suchasmoodandtheoccurrenceofBE.Indeed,evidenceindicatesthat

moodisinfluencedbylight,andBEisalsoinfluencedbyexposuretobrightlight.However,itisunknownwhetherregulatingcircadianrhythmsviaregularexposuretolightimprovesBEthroughitseffectsonmoodorviachangesinotherbiologicalorbehavioralrhythms.ThisknowledgecaninformthedevelopmentoftreatmentsthattargetbiobehavioralmechanismsthatmaintainBEandindicateforwhomthismaybemosteffective.Atotalof30womenwithclinicallysignificantBEoccurringatleasttwice/weekfor3monthswillparticipateinthis22-dayprotocolinvolvingthemanipulationofexposuretobrightlightandthecollectionofsalivaforthecortisolawakeningresponseanddataonmomentarymoodandBE.Fiveindividualshavefullycompletedtheirparticipation.Althoughanalysisofbiologicalsamplesandstatisticalanalysisofprimaryhypothesesawaitthecollectionofallsamples,initialdataonbehavioralchangesandfeasibilitywillbediscussedalongwithpreliminaryplansforsubsequentfederalgrantapplications.11:50am-1:30pm:Lunch(onyourown)1:30-1:50pmPilotProject:EngineeredApproachestoStudyAsterPositioningBiomechanicsZacharyGeisterfer1,TaylorSulerud1,AbdullahSami1,JohnOakey2,andJesse“Jay”Gatlin31MolecularandCellularLifeSciencesProgram,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820713DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:jgaltin@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Themicrotubulecytoskeletoniscriticalfororganizationtheinsidesofcells.Attimesduringthecellcycle,thisnetworkadoptstheformofanastralarraywithmicrotubulefibersemanatingfromacentralfocusandbranchingoutwardthroughoutthecell.Importantly,thecenterofthisarrayistypicallyfoundnearthegeometriccenterofthecellwhereitisanchoredtothesurfaceofthenucleus.Forcesgeneratedbythemicrotubulesthemselvesmovetheinternalorgansofthecellduringinterphase,andbecausethenetworkalsoservesasascaffolduponwhichtheseorgansattach,itspositiondictatestheirspatialarrangementwithinthecell.Duringmitosissimilarforcespositioningthecelldivisionmachineryandestablishtheeventuallocationofthecelldivisionplane.

Thoughastercenteringislikelycriticalinallcells,itisparticularlyrelevantinlargecellsimmediatelyafterfertilization.Here,themalepronucleus(fromthesperm)musttraverselargedistances to reach thecell centerandestablish the locationofmitotic spindle formationanddivisionplanepositioningduringthesubsequentmitosis.Thus,errorsinthisprocesscanleadtoerroneous cell division and have deleterious effects on development. Precisely how themicrotubule aster generates and responds to forces to move to the cell center remainsunanswered.Inthispresentation,Iwilldescribetheapplicationandcontinueddevelopmentofanewapproachengineeredtoovercomeexistinglimitationsinherenttootherapproachesusedtostudyasterpositioning.Thisapproachreliesontheuseofphoto-labilehydrogels,whichcanbepolymerizedanddegraded inresponsetoexposuretospecificwavelengthsof light.Whencombinedwithcell-freecytoplasmicextracts,itprovidesexquisitecontrolofcytoplasmicshapeand volume in a platform that is amenable to visualization using standard wide-field andconfocallightmicroscopy.

1:50-2:10pmPilotProject:AcuteEffectsofHigh-IntensityIntervalTrainingonExecutiveFunctioninginCollegeStudentswithADHDCynthiaM.Hartung1,PatrickA.LaCount1,JudahW.Serrano1,HalleWright2,SydneyGruntmeir2,JessicaHinojosa1,BrittanyMcDonald1,ZoeHendricks1,JohnVasko1,andDerekT.Smith21DepartmentofPsychology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712DepartmentofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:chartung@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Background:AlthoughstimulantmedicationandpsychotherapyforADHDareefficacious,manyemergingadultswithADHDdonotcontinueusingthesetreatments.RecentevidencesuggestsphysicalexercisecanbeaneffectivecomplimentaryapproachformanagingADHDinchildren.However,thereisalackofresearchexaminingtheeffectsofexerciseinemergingadults.Weexaminedtheacuteeffectsofhigh-intensityintervaltraining(HIIT)incollegestudentswithandwithoutADHD.Method:Collegestudents(N=36;18ADHD,18comparison)attendedcounterbalancedHIIT(16-minutes)andnon-HIITsessions.Atbothsessionstheycompletedcognitivemeasures(i.e.,sustainedattention,behavioralinhibition,andworkingmemory)andthenextdaytheycompletedpsychologicalmeasures(i.e.,inattention,hyperactivity/impulsivity,depression,anxiety,andstress).Results:Group(ADHDvs.comparison)xCondition(non-HIITvs.HIIT)repeatedmeasuresANOVAsresultedinseveralsignificantinteractionssuchthattheADHDgroupimprovedfollowingexercise.Forcognitivemeasures,wefoundlargeeffectsforCPTreactiontimemeanandvariability.Inaddition,wefoundsmalleffectsforCPTomissionerrorsandCPTcommissionerrors.Wedidnotfindanyeffectsforworkingmemory(i.e.,RSPAN).Fornext-daymeasures,wefoundlargeeffectsforinattentionandhyperactivity/impulsivity,amediumeffectfordepression,andsmalleffectsforstressandanxiety.Discussion:OurresultsprovidepreliminarysupportfortheacuteeffectsofHIIToncognitiveperformanceandpsychologicalfunctioning.Weexpectedimprovementinworkingmemory(i.e.,RSPAN)andgreaterimprovementonsustainedattention(i.e.,CPTomissionerrors)andbehavioralinhibition(i.e.,CPTcommissionerrors).Inretrospect,wehypothesizethattheCPTtaskwastooeasyandresultedinaflooreffectforomissionandcommissionerrors.Inaddition,wehypothesizethattheworkingmemorytaskwasnotsensitiveenoughtoADHD.WehavereplacedtheCPT(CPT-AX)withadifferentversion(CPT-IP)thatweexpecttorequireincreasedcognitiveload.Inaddition,wereplacedtheverbalworkingmemorytask(RSPAN)withmeasuresofvisuospatialworkingmemory(i.e.,spatialspan)andauditoryworkingmemory(i.e.,digitspan,letter-numbersequencing).Sofar,wehavecollecteddatafromfiveparticipantsusingournewprotocol.

2:10-2:30pmPilotProject:AnatomyofBacterialCellPolesKaylanSchilling1,ChristopherNordyke2,MYAhmed1,H.Wang1,N.Mushnikov1,KrisztinaVarga2,andGrantR.Bowman1.1DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071.2DepartmentofMolecular,Cellular,andBiomedicalSciences,UniversityofNewHampshire,DurhamNH03824.ABSTRACT.Despitebeingthesimplestlivingorganismsonourplanet,bacteriahavehighlyorganizedanatomies.Amongthemostprominentanatomicalfeaturesarelargemacromolecularcomplexesatcellpoles,whichcontributetocellcycleregulation,chromosomesegregation,andhost-pathogeninteractions.Inthosebacterialspeciesthatplaceapolarcomplexatonlyoneofthetwocellpoles,theresultingasymmetriccelldivisionproducesdaughtercellswithdifferentpolarsignalingregimes,abasicformofmulticellularity.Mylaboratoryseekstounderstandtherulesforassemblyandmaintenanceofthesecomplexstructures,andhowthephysicalcharacteristicsofthestructuresrelatetotheactivitiesoftheindividualcomponentswithinthem.WehavefoundthatapolymericproteincalledPopZactsasascaffoldintheassemblyofmultiproteincomplexesatcellpoles.ItsN-terminaldomainisamolecularhubthatinteractsdirectlywithatleasttenotherproteins.AcurrentfocusofourinvestigationsisthestructuralandbiophysicalnatureofPopZ’sone-to-manyproteininteractiondomain,whichexhibitsacuriouscombinationofwideyetspecificallydefinedbindingspecificity.Ourresultssuggestthatthisisachievedthroughthecoordinatedfunctionsofacoreinteractionhelixandsurroundingdisorderedsequences,whichmayaddflexibility.Inarelatedproject,weareaskinghowPopZ’sroleinassemblingcellpoleshaschangedoverevolutionarytime.Bytestingthebindingactivityofsequencesfromdifferentspecies,weareidentifyingaminoacidsequencedeterminantsthatareimportantforbroadspecificityandtheselectionofspecificclientproteins.PreliminaryresultssuggestthattheextentofdisorderinPopZcorrelateswithdemandforinteractionswithmoreclientproteins.AthirdprojectfocussesonhowPopZbindingaffinitycanbemodulatedinvivo,throughphosphorylationandothertypesofsignaling.2:30-3:00pm:Break3:00-3:20pmPilotProject:ApilotevaluationofareconfigurablespinalexoskeletonforpreventionandreliefoflowbackpainMajaGoršič1,2,YubiRegmi1,MinhHaTran1,BoyiDai2andDomenNovak11DepartmentofElectricalandComputerEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712DivisionofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:dnovak1@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Spinalexoskeletonsareanemergingtechnologywithgreatpotentialforlowbackpainmanagement.Theirexoskeletalformallowsthemtoprovidespinalsupport,loadredistributionandbackmusclerelief;furthermore,theirstructurecouldbedynamicallyadjusted,thusselectivelymodifyingspinalloadingandmuscledemandtosuitthewearer’s

currentactivity.Suchpersonalizedtrunksupportwouldprovideanexcellenttoolfornoninvasivemanagementoflowbackpain,whichisaleadingcauseofdisabilityandhasanestimatedannualcostof100billiondollarsintheUnitedStatesalone.However,whileseveralspinalexoskeletonshavebeendeveloped,theyhaveseenonlylimitedevaluation,andeventheirshort-termeffectsarepoorlyunderstood.OurresearchgroupreceivedanINBREPilotGrant(09/17-04/19)inwhichweperformedthefirstevaluationofareconfigurablespinalexoskeleton.Theexoskeletonallowseasyindependentmodificationoftrunkcompressionandexoskeletalspinalcolumnstiffnessatmultiplelevels,andthePilotGrantevaluatedhowmodifyingtrunkcompressionaffectshumankinematicsandelectromyographyofposturalmusclesduringfourdifferentactivities(walking,sit-to-stand,liftinga20-poundbox,andreactingtounexpectedperturbations).Thereweresignificanteffectsofthoracicandabdominalcompressionandstiffnessonbothkinematicsandelectromyography;furthermore,theseeffectsdifferedbetweenactivities,suggestingthatspinalexoskeletonsshouldideallybedynamicallyreconfiguredinordertoprovideappropriatesupportfordynamicactivities.Inadditiontotheabovemainstudy,wedemonstratedthatthebodykinematicsofspinalexoskeletonwearerscanbemeasuredunobtrusivelyusingwearableinertialsensorsandthatthisinertialdatacanbeusedasabasisforautomatedactivityclassification.3:20-3:40pmPilotProject:BacterialMagneticNanoparticlesforDiagnosticAssaysMoeinMohammadi1,BenjaminReinicke1,MichaelWeltzer2,andKarenWawrousek11DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:kwawrous@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Ourworkfocusesontheuseofbacteriatonaturallyproducemagneticnanoparticlesnotedfortheirconsistentsizeandmagneticproperties.Potentialapplicationsfortheseparticlesinbiomedicalapplicationsincludeuseindiagnosticassays,embeddingthemagneticnanoparticlesinanothermaterialtocreateanartificialmuscle,useascontractagentsforimaging,aswellastargeteddrugdeliveryandhyperthermiatreatmentofcancer.Weareincorporatingthesebacterialmagneticnanoparticlesintoaramanspectroscopy-baseddiagnosticassay,whichisasensitivediagnosticassaythatcanbeadministeredatthepointofcare.Asaproofofconcept,bacterialmagneticnanoparticleswillbeincorporatedintoanassaytodetectWestNilevirusintwoways.First,antibodiestoWestNileviruswillbeconjugatedtobacterialmagneticnanoparticlestodetectWestNilevirusitself,andthesensitivityofthisassaywillbecomparedtothatwithmoreheterogenousmagneticnanoparticles.Second,bacteriaproducingthemagneticparticleswillbegeneticallyengineeredtodisplayaWestNileantigenonthesurfaceofthemagneticnanoparticles.TheseparticleswillbeisolatedandusedtodetectthepresenceofantibodiestoWestNilevirus,withapositiveresultinthediagnosticassayindicatingthattheorganismhasbeenexposedtotheWestNilevirus.Successoftheseproof-of-conceptstudieswillvalidatethismodelforusetodetectanddiagnoseotherinfectiousdiseases,includingthoseforwhichcurrentdiagnosticassaysarenotsensitive,arenotselective,andcannotbeconductedatthepoint-of-care.Finally,anupdatewillbeprovidedoneffortstodopethesemagneticparticleswithmetalsofinteresttoeffectmagneticproperties.

3:40-5:30pm:Break:onyourown4:45-5:25pm:Posterset-up(graduatestudentsonly)GraduatestudentsmaysetuppostersanytimeinUWCCSalonEstarting9:00ambutallpostersshouldbesetupby5:25pm.(adhesivesprovided).5:30-7:00pm:ReceptionandGraduatepostersession(UWCCSalonE)-heavyhorsd'oeuvresandno-hostbar.

Friday,April26th2019UWCCSalonD

7:30-9:00am:Coffee/Tea/Muffins9:00-9:20amThematicProject:ReclaimingIndigenousFoodandHealth:APilotRCTonHealthImpactsofSovereignNationDietsJillKeith,1,NathanielBarney2,CraigClark2,JolaLeBeau2,DavidMeyers2,CarolineMills2,JohnMionczynski2,L’DawnOlsen2,KellyPingree2,andAudreyPlentyHoops21DepartmentofFamily&ConsumerSciences,HumanNutrition&Food,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820712RestoringShoshoneAncestralFoodGatheringadvisoryboard,FortWashakie,WY82514Email:jkeith5@uwyo.eduABSTRACT:ShoshonepeoplehaveconsumedtraditionalfoodsnativetowesternWyomingandtheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystemforthousandsofyears.Theseindigenousfoodsaresuperiorinvaluewhencomparedtocommonlyconsumedcontemporaryreferencefoods.However,confinementtotheWindRiverIndianReservation(WRIR)attheturnofthe20thcenturybegantheir“nutritiontransition”fromhealthytraditionalfoodstoa“westernized”dietheavyinhigh-calorie,low-nutrient-density,processedfoods.Thistransitionledtochronichealthconditionsinfluencedbydietarypatternssuchastype2diabetesandobesity.Toreclaimtheirhealth,manysovereignnationsareseekingwaystoreturntomoretraditionalfoods.

TheoverallpurposeofthisprojectistomeasurethefeasibilityofconsumingandtheimpactofindigenousplantsandfoodsonhealthoutcomesamongShoshoneparticipantsontheWindRiverIndianReservation(WRIR)inWyoming.Aim1oftheprojectisto“establishcompositionandsourcingofatraditionalShoshonediet”.Aim2isto“assesstheimpactofatraditionalShoshonedietonhealthandwell-being”andAim3isto“developandpilotanindigenousfoodscurriculum”.

ActivitiesandaccomplishmentsduringYear1oftheprojectincluded1)identificationoftraditionalfoodstargetedforcollectionaspartofa50%Shoshonediet,2)collectionoftraditionalplants/fruitsincludingchokecherries,bitterroot,fireweed,Hawthorneberries,yampahroot,wildonion,andwildmint,3)obtainingtraditionalShoshoneproteinsourcesincludingdeerandelkmeat,4)processingandpreservingthecollectedfoodsusingtraditionalmethods,5)conductingcommunityaccessibleclassesonnativeplants,and5)trackingthetimecommitmentforgatheringandprocessingtraditionalfoods.Additionally,theRestoringShoshoneAncestralFoodGatheringadvisorygrouphasbeenworkingtodevelopadatasharing

agreementtoguidecurrentandfutureresearchcollaborationbetweentheEasternShoshoneandtheUniversityofWyoming.9:20-9:40amPilotProject:APilotManagementProgramforAmericanIndianWomenwithPolycysticOvarySyndromeRebeccaCarronFayW.WhitneySchoolofNursing,UniversityofWyoming,1000EastUniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071-2000Email:rcarron@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Background.Thepurposeofthisprojectistodevelop,andpilottestapatient-centered,culturallyappropriatebestpracticemanagementprogramforAmericanIndianwomenwithpolycysticovarysyndrome(PCOS).OurprojectisbasedonresultsfromourpreviousWyomingINBRE3ThematicResearchProject:PolycysticOvarySyndromeinAmericanIndianWomen:AnExploratoryStudy(UWIRBProtocol#:20151218RC01024).Theparticipantsidentifiedthreeareaswhichtheyfeltneededtobeaddressed:PCOSmanagementforwomen,communityawarenessaboutPCOS,andearlierdiagnosisofPCOS.Methods.Aim1:PCOSManagementPlanAfocusgroupofAmericanIndianwomenwithPCOSwhoparticipatedinthePI’spreviousPCOSstudyontheWindRiverIndianReservation(WRIR)willdevelopthePCOSManagementPlan.Aim2:PCOSCommunityAwarenessPlanAfocusgroupofAmericanIndianwomenwithPCOSwhoparticipatedinthePI’spreviousPCOSstudyontheWRIRwilldevelopthePCOSCommunityAwarenessProgram.Aim3:Explorethefeasibilityofimplementingavalidated4-questionscreeningtoolforPCOSintheWindRiverFamily&CommunityCareClinic.AmericanIndianwomenaged18-40willbeinvitedtocompletetool.ParticipantswillindicateontheconsentformiftheresearcherscanshareandreceiveinformationregardingconfirmationofaPCOSdiagnosis.ThesenumberswillallowvalidationofthescreeningtoolforAmericanIndianwomenandprovidepreliminaryinformationontheprevalenceofPCOSontheWRIR.Results/Implications.Theevidence-based,culturallyappropriateknowledgegainedfromthisprojectwillassisthealthcareproviderstoimplementimprovedhealthcareforAmericanIndianwomenwithPCOS.TheprojectwillenableAmericanIndianwomenwithPCOStoself-managetheirsymptomsandincreasecommunityawarenessaboutPCOS.ThisstudywillbethefirsttoprovidepreliminaryevidenceabouttheprevalenceofPCOSinAmericanIndianwomen.9:40-10:00amCollaborativeProject:TheeffectoftheintestinalmicrobiomeonToxoplasmosisinfectionandprojectintegrationintoundergraduateresearchAmyRhoad2,SusannahRoberts2,TuckerRussell2,RachelShrode2,SamiMizokami2,HannahPeterson2,PatrickHarvey2,LaneWilson2,MichelleKilpatrick1,2,RichardMagarian1,KoneaDory1,AeriannaFox1,HaleySimpson1,MakaylaEatmon1,CharleeHoughton1,PhiliciaHupp1,KatelynRandall1,MarieYearling1,andKerrySondgeroth21DepartmentofNaturalSciences,SchoolofMathandSciences,LaramieCountyCommunityCollege820072DepartmentofVeterinarySciences,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071

Email:ksondger@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Toxoplasmagondiiisanobligateintracellularparasitethatispresentin30%ofhumansworldwideandisasignificanthealththreatinimmunecompromisedindividuals.Theparasiteistransmittedorally,usuallyfromundercookedmeat,andinfectionremainsforthelifeofthehost.Severityofinfectionandresultantpathologycanbevariableintheanimalhost.Thisvariabilityisthoughttobepartiallydependentupontheparasitestrain,however,otherfactorsincludingthemicrobialcompositionoftheintestine(akamicrobiome)couldalterinfectionoutcomes.OurhypothesisistheintestinalmicrobiomecompositionvariesduringToxoplasmosisinfection,andthesevariationsareassociatedwithdiseaseseverity.Ithasbeenacknowledgedthatmicewiththesamegeneticbackgroundfromdifferentsuppliers,reactdifferentlyduringinfection,thusweareincorporatingthecomparisonofmicefromdifferentsuppliesintoourexperimentaldesigntodetermineifthesedifferencesmaybesignificant.Thein-vivostudieshavebeencompleted,thediseaseseverityassessed,andwecurrentlyhavepreliminarymicrobiomeanalyses.Throughoutthisproject,wehavebeenabletoincorporateundergraduatestudentsintothestudyobjectives.AtUWtherehavebeensevenundergraduatestudentsthathavebeeninvolvedindifferentaspectsofthisproject,fourofwhichappliedandreceivedINBREfellowships.AtLCCC,throughasmallundergraduateresearchcourse,studentswereengagedinhypothesis-drivenscience.TheresearchprojecttaskedstudentswithvalidatingtheuseofquantitativepolymerasechainreactionasanassaytoobserveparasiteloadfrommiceinfectedwithT.gondiiduringacuteandchronicstagesofinfection.Thecourses’impactonstudents’experimentaldesignabilitieswastrackedusingtheexpandedexperimentaldesignabilitytool(eEDAT)toprovideinsightintoareasforimprovedstudentoutcomes.Additionally,oneoftheSpring2018LCCCstudentsbeganherfirstyearasaUWINBREtransitionalfellowinFall2018.10:00-10:20amCollaborativeProject:Biodiversitydiscovery&analysisofsoilmicrobialcommunities:stressresponsetoincreasedsalinity AmiErickson,NicolasBlouin2andAndrewParsekian31AgricultureandLifeSciences,SheridanCollege,Sheridan,WY828012INBREBioinformaticsCore,Dept.ofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY820713GeologyandGeophysics,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071Email:aerickson@sheridan.eduABSTRACT.Thediversityofmicrobialcommunitiesinsoilrhizospheresareexpectedtochangewithchangingsoilconditions.Meanwhile,root-colonizingandfree-livingmicrobesmaymediatetolerancetoabioticstress.Weexaminedtheeffectsoflowsalinityandhighsalinityirrigationwateroncucumber(Cucumissativusvar.SweetBurpless)physiologyandproductionovera9-weekperiodwithplantsstartingfromseed.WecollectedDNAsamplesfromtherhizosphereandrootwashestocomparemicrobialcommunitydifferencesbetweenthetwoirrigatedsoilconditions.Cucumbersweredripirrigatedwithlow-salinity,municipalwaterfromSheridan([NaCl]=154.5µS)orhigh-salinity,wellwater([NaCl]=1638µS).ChangestosoilqualitywereevaluatedwithpreandpostanalysesusingElectricalResistivityTomography(ERT)andCSUHorticultureSoilAnalysisservices.Plantphysiologicalandproductivityvariablesincludedbi-

weeklycollectionofphotosyntheticrate,chlorophyllcontent,stomatalconductance,leafwaterpotentialandcucumberyield.Cucumberplantsgrownunderbothirrigationtreatmentswerehighlyproductive.Physiologicalresponseswerevariablewithnosignificantdifferencebetweenwatertreatments.DNAsampleswerecollectedsixtimesduringcucumberplantgrowthfrompre-emergencetofinalharvest.DNAwasisolatedusingtheDNeasyPowerLyzerPowerSoilKit(Quiagengroup).PCRoftheDNAwasconductedusingprimersfortheV4hypervariableregionofthe16SbacteriageneandfungiITS.DNAwillbesequencedonanIlluminaMiSeq2x250bpbyGeneWiz.WeplantouseQime2toanalyzethesequenceresults.Wewillidentifytheorganismsthatarepreferentiallyselectedforineitherhighornormalsalineenvironmentsintheampliconanalysis.Usingtheamplicons,weplantodevelopfluorescentlylabeledtagsandusefluorescencemicroscopytoascertaininteractionswithinplantroots.10:20-10:50am:Break10:50-11:10amCCProjectLead(EasternWyomingCollege):EasternWyomingCollege(EWC)INBREProgressReport:DenitrificationandnitrateuptakepotentialofsoilsandplantswithdifferentlanduseandnitrogeninputsinsemiaridecosystemsChristopherR.WenzelDepartmentofScienceandMathematics,EasternWyomingCollege,Torrington,WY82240Email:chris.wenzel@ewc.wy.eduABSTRACT.TheINBREprogramatEasternWyomingCollege(EWC)datesbackto2009.Sincethattime14undergraduatestudentshaveparticipated,13ofwhichhavegoneontopursueorareplanningtopursuehigherdegreesinBiologyorBiomedicalrelatedfields.ResearchattheEWC-INBRELaboratoryhasfocusedonfourmajorareasincluding1)microbialDNAquantification;2)polymerasechainreaction(PCR)todeterminethepresenceorabsenceofmicrobialgenesinvolvedindenitrificationinsoilsandnitrateuptakeinplants;3)soilmicrobialgasproductionasinfluencedbyvariationinenvironmentalconditions;and4)phospholipid-fattyacidanalysis(PLFA)and16srRNAsequencingtodeterminemicrobialdiversityvariationsrelatedtodifferingenvironments.ThesefourareasofresearchfocushasbeensupportedbysupplementalequipmentpurchasesusingINBREfundsincluding1)Nano-DropUV-visforDNAquantification;2)Bio-RadT100ThermalCyclerforgenedetection;and3)SoLow-40freezerfornucleicacidpreservation.EWChasprovided414squarefeetoflaboratoryspacededicatedtofaculty-studentresearch;computerresources;transportationandsupporttoandfromfaculty-studentstatewideandregionalmeetingsandconferences,graduate-levelcoursesforfaculty,andlaboratorytrainingsessionsforbothstudentsandfaculty.TheINBREprogramhasbeenaninvaluableadditiontothePre-professionalandSciencebasedprogramsonourcampus.Ithasprovidedstate-of-the-artequipmentforbiomedicalresearch,hands-onexperiencesandscholarshipopportunitiesforstudents,andenhancedthecaliberofoursciencefaculty,therebyattractingbetter-preparedstudentstoourcampus.

11:10-11:30amCCProjectLead(LaramieCountyCommunityCollege):Growth,change,andcollaboration:2018-19LCCCINBREZacharyRoehrs,CourtneySpringer,MarieYearlingandAmiWangeline.DepartmentofNaturalSciences,LaramieCountyCommunityCollege,Cheyenne,WY82007Email:awangeli@lccc.wy.eduABSTRACT.ThemissionoftheLaramieCountyCommunityCollege(LCCC)IDeANetworkforBiomedicalResearchExcellence(INBRE)researchgroupistoimprovetheaccessofstudentstoauthenticresearchexperiences.Nowinour10thyear,wecontinuetoaccomplishthisthroughamyriadofchannels.Herewewillreportouractivitiesandsuccesses,focusingonthepreviousyear(May2018–April2019).Duringthisperiod,22studentsparticipatedinINBREsupportedresearchwith11ofthosestudentspresenting3postersatWyomingINBREConferenceand2019UndergraduateResearchDay.WecontinueourcollaborationswithfacultyattheUniversityofWyoming,UniversityofOklahoma,ColoradoStateUniversity(CSU)andUniversityofNorthernColoradoaswellaswithU.S.ParkService,includingourfifthconsecutiveyearexaminingcommunityresponsetofireintheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystemandanewantioxidantprojectwithCSU.Wehaveatotalof4facultyworkinginundergraduateresearchand,duetoagenerousdonation,wehavebeenabletoestablishanendowmenttosupportbroaderparticipationfromfacultyinotherSTEMdisciplines.WereceivedaSPREMgrantforanewcentrifugeaswellasanequipmentgranttopurchaseaS2PicofoxtXRFincollaborationwithdepartmentsacrossLCCC.Last,wehavetwocollaborativegrantsconcludingthisyear,oneonbioinformaticswithDr.NicBlouinwiththegenomeandtranscriptomeofAlternariaastragaliandoneinmolecularbiologywithDr.KerrySondgerothonToxoplasmosis.AsDr.Roehrsmovesontonewadventures,wewillbetemporarilylosingourfieldcomponent,butwillbelookingtothefuturewithadaptingouroverallprogramgoingintoINBRE4.11:30-11:50amCCProjectLead(CentralWyomingCollege):Spring2019CentralWyomingCollegeINBREReportAaronBender,WilliamF.Finney,KirstenKapp,JackiKlancher,SteveMcAllister,TarissaSpoonhunter,andTaraWomack-ShultzArtsandSciencesDivision,CentralWyomingCollege,Riverton,WY82501Email:bill@cwc.eduABSTRACT.INBREsupportedfacultyatCentralWyomingCollegecontinueengageundergraduatestudentsinresearchanddevelopbroadlyapplicableskillsinwide-rangingprojects.Dr.AaronBenderandProfessorSteveMcAllisterareworkingwithstudentsonsequencingthegenomeofC.tarsalisaspartoftheircontinuingworkstudyingtheWestNileVirus.ThisworkisbeingfurtheredinpartbyINBRESPREMgrantfundingthatallowedthemtopurchaseaquantitativereal-timePCR(qRT-PCR)instrumentthisspring.ProfessorKirstenKappcontinuesherworkinvestigatingthesourcesofmicroplasticsinnaturalwaters,someofwhichwasrecentlypublishedinthejournalEnvironmentalPollution.ProfessorJackiKlancher’sInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE),nowenteringitsfifthyear,hasfocusedinpartinsamplingandcatalogingextremophilesoftheperiglacialmicrobialcommunities.Dr.

TarissaSpoonhuntercontinuesherworkinscienceeducationontheWindRiverReservation.ProfessorTaraWomack-Shultziswrappingupacollaborativeprojectonpolycysticovariansyndrome(PCOS)andisbeginninganewcollaborativeprojectinvolvingcircadianrhythmsandbingeeating.11:50am-12:00pmBreak(onyourown)12:00-2:00pm:Workinglunchmeeting(MHRGCBoydRoom;Lunchprovided)WyomingINBREadministrators,StatewideSteeringCommittee(SSC),ExternalAdvisoryCommittee(EAC)andUWVPResearchOffice(12:00-2:00pmLunchonyourownforallotherattendees)2:00-2:20pmCCProjectLead(UniversityofWyomingatCasper,andCasperCollege):INBREsupportedresearchatCasperCollegeandtheUniversityofWyomingatCasperDagmaraMotriuk-SmithUniversityofWyomingatCasper,Casper,WY82601Email:motriuk@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.ThegoaloftheINBREsupportedresearchistotrainundergraduatestudentsinconductingbiomedicalresearch.StudentsreceivingtheINBREinternshipwereengagedindiversebiomedicalresearchprojectsinvolvingtopicssuchasantibioticresistancegenesintheenvironment,electrospinningspidersilknanofibermatsfromrecombinantspidersilk-likeproteins,morphologyandphylogenyofparasites,developingassaysforscreeningtheinteractionofanintrinsicallydisorderedproteinwithitsbindingpartners,usingFTIRtostudymedicinalproteoglycans.Ourstudentslearnedscientifictechniquesusedinbiomedicalresearch,theyparticipatedincomposingabstractsandposterspresentedatscientificconferences.DuringtheFY2018/2019ninestudentswereawardedtheINBREinternshipandwerementoredbyfourfacultymembers.Twostudentsco-authoredpresentationsatregionalconferences.Onestudentco-authoredapeer-reviewedpaper.TwofacultymembersreceivedtwoWyomingINBREScaledParticipatoryResearchandEducationModelgrants(SPREM)TwofacultymembersreceivedaWyomingINBREResearchNetworkEquipmentGrant.2:20-2:40pmCCProjectLead(NorthwestCollege):BioinformaticsintheBigHornBasin:Opportunitiesforproject-basedinquirywhilebuildinglaboratoryskillsandtheoreticalperspectives.EricC.Atkinson1,EliseKimble1,AllanChilds2,UkoUdodong2,MichaelF.Cuddy2,andMoniaHaselhorst1.1BiologyDepartment,NorthwestCollege,231W.6thStreet,Powell,WY824352ChemistryDepartment,NorthwestCollege,231W.6thStreet,Powell,WY82435Email:eric.atkinson@nwc.eduABSTRACT.AtNWC,INBREsupportedundergraduateresearch,exploration,andmentoringspantopicsfromnovelantibioticresearch,characterizationandmodificationofbactericidalcompounds,waterquality,aviandisease,characterizationofantibioticresistanceinsoilsof

varyingagriculturaluse,tocurriculumdevelopment.OurbroadeningtrendcontinuedinFY2018/2019.Weworktomeetthefollowingprogramgoals:1)enhanceopportunitiesforWYcommunitycollegeundergraduatestobetterunderstand(andultimatelyparticipatein)thefieldofbiomedicalresearch;and,2)developapipelineofstudentswithaninterestinbiomedicalsciencewhowouldthengoontocompletetheirbaccalaureatedegreesand/orgraduatedegreesatUW.During2018-2019,weimplementedanappliedbioinformaticsinvestigationatthecoreofour2-creditBIOL2465-ResearchProblemsinBiologycourse.Studentsemployedapoint-of-capture(POC)smart-phonebasedApp(Anecdata.org),asepticallycollectingnativeantandwaspsamplesformicrobialmetabarcodingincollaborationwithNewHampshireINBRE(UNH).Studentslearnedbioinformatics/genomicstheoryviaweeklydiscussionsontimelytopicssuchasNeanderthal*Denisovanhybridization,ElizabethWarren’sDNAcharacterization,andethicalcontroversiesregardingCRISPRtechniquesappliedtohumanembryos.VideosonlabprotocolsandNextGenerationSequencing(NGS)increasedunderstandingwhilelaboratoryskills(pipetting,DNAextraction,PCR/amplification,andgel-electrophoresis)weretaughtviauseofantsamplessubsequentlysenttoHubbardCenterforGenomeStudies.TheQIIME2pipelineandBASHcodingwereintroducedasstudentsattemptedtocorrelatemicrobialdiversitywithhymenopterantaxa.Twenty-onestudentsparticipateinourprogramwith14studentsgraduatedwithASdegrees(4ASN),2ofwhichwilltransfertoUWwithremainingstudentstransferringtoMSU,UM,SDSU,andUU.OnetransferstudentappliedforandwasawardedanINBRETransitionFellowship.TwostudentshavebeenacceptedtosummerREUs.ProfessionaldevelopmentforfacultywasprovidedviaMDIBL/UNHbioinformaticstraining,graduatecourseenrollment,andcontinuedanalysisandsampledevelopmentviaaviandiseaseresearchinwhichstudentsgainedotherskillsimportanttofield-basedbiomedicalresearch.2:40-3:00pmCollaborativeProject:PassiveMotilitybyExtracellularMatrixProductionbyAlgaeinBioticCrustsJohnOakey1andChristopherWenzel21ChemicalEngineeringDepartment,UniversityofWyoming,1000EastUniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY820712ScienceandMathematicsDepartment,EasternWyomingCollege,Torrington,WY82240Email:joakey@uwyo.edu

cwenzel@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Thiscollaborativeprojectproposestheidentificationofalgaeindesertbioticsoilcrustsandelucidationoftheroleofextracellularmatrixproductionduringtheirlifecycle.PreliminaryresultswithScenedesmusdeserticola,acrescent-shapedgreenalgaeisolatedfrombioticcrustsonSanNicolasIsland(California),demonstratethatfreelivingcellsarecapableofattachingtoandmovingthroughconfiningmicroarchitectures.S.deserticolaaccomplishesthisbygrowingcellulosefilamentsfromeachofitspoles.Thecellulosefilamentscanattachtosilica-likesurfaces,slowlyandarbitrarilydisplacingthecellthroughitsenvironmentastheyareextended.Theresultofthisbehaviorisapassive,almostincidentalmotilitybyanotherwisenon-motileorganism.ThisprojectisfocuseduponthespecificquestionofhowthismotilitymaylendS.deserticolaanadvantagewithinitsnaturalecologicalniche,thecomplex

ecosystemsofdesertbioticcrusts.Theresearchplanisfocusedaroundtwohypotheses:first,thattheelaborationofcopiousadhesiveextracellularmatrixservestobindsandysoilparticles,addingcohesivenesstothecrustsand,secondly,thatthepassivemotilityofS.deserticolaservestodistributeindividualcellsthroughoutthecrust,bothhorizontallyandvertically,allowingtheexplorationandestablishmentofsybioticniches.Theresearchplanofthisproposalfocusesuponthesefundamentalquestions,whicharedirectedtowardaddressingmoreappliedthemesofinformingsoilremediationbyreintroducingnativemicrofaunaanddevelopingandaccessingnewindustrialmarketswithnon-traditionalalgaespecies.ThetaskplancombinesfieldsamplingofWyomingsoilstosearchforsimilarorganismsinlocalbioticcrusts,elucidatingtheinfluenceofadhesionandmotilityonalgaegrowth,andexploringmotilityasaninfluencerofnicheselection.3:00-3:30pm:Break3:30-3:50pmCCProjectLead(WesternWyomingCommunityCollege):INBREResearchatWesternWYCommunityCollegeBudChewWesternWyomingCommunityCollege,2500CollegeDrive,RockSprings,WY82901Email:bchew@westernwyoming.eduABSTRACT.INBREresearchatWWCCisdesignedtoexposepromisingfreshmanandsophomorestudentstoundergraduateresearch,toencouragestudentstoconsideracareerthatincludesresearch,toenhancestudents’opportunitiesinacompetitiveworld,andtofurtherscientificknowledgethroughpresentationandpublicationofresearchwork.Thisyear,10studentsparticipatedinINBREfundedresearch;topicsincludeevolutionarybiology/ecology,andcardiovascularphysiology.ThreefacultymembershaveestablishedINBREresearchprograms,withonenewfacultymemberplanningtobegininFall,2019.WWCCcurrentlyhas4INBRETransitionFellowsattheUniversityofWyoming.ResearchatWWCCwouldnotbepossiblewithouttheWYINBREgrant.TheopportunitiespresentedbyINBREhaveallowedthecollegetorecruitandretainbetterfacultymembers;studentsinvolvedinINBREresearchatWWCCbecomebetter,moreconfidentstudents,whilenotonlydevelopingenhancedlab/fieldskills,butalsoresponsibility,perseverance,andleadershipskills.3:50-4:10pmCCProjectLead(NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegeDistrict:SheridanCollegeandGilletteCollege):NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegeINBRE-SupportedResearchActivitiesAmiErickson1andRobMilne21AgricultureandLifeSciences,SheridanCollege,Sheridan,WY828012NaturalSciences,SheridanCollege,Sheridan,WY82801Email:aerickson@sheridan.eduABSTRACT.NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegehasparticipatedinWyomingINBREsinceitsorigin.Duringthistime,manycommunitycollegeprofessorsandundergraduatestudentshavehadthechancetoconductresearchandattendconferences,accumulatingavarietyofscienceskillsandexperiences.SixSheridanCollegestudentshavebeenactivelyinvolvedinmolecular

biology,tissuecultureandchemistry-relatedresearchthisyear.OneofourpaststudentsiscurrentlyanactiveUWINBRETransitionFellow,andoneofourcurrentstudentshasbeenawardedaTransitionFellowshipfornextyear.Overthe2018-2019academicyearouractivitieshavealsoincludedcompletingthesecondyearofanINBREDRPPCollaborativegrantinpartnershipwithDr.NicolanBlouinandDr.AndrewParsekian,whileobtainingaWyomingINBREResearchNetworkequipmentgrant,whichallowedforthepurchaseofaRamanmicroscopesystemwithanalysissoftware.RamanSpectroscopyistheonlymethodforuniquelyconfirmingthepresenceofgraphene.TheresearchpurposesfortheRAMANmicroscopesystemaretotestvapordepositionsynthesisconditionsusingvariousfeedstocks,temperaturesandmetalsubstratestooptimizegraphenesynthesisfortheultimatepurposeofdevelopingnovelbiomedicalsensors.Ourgoalsforthenextyeararetocontinuedevelopingstudentresearchopportunitiesinmolecularbiology,tissueculture,bioinformaticsandchemistry,whileencouragingcollaborationopportunitiesbetweenUWandNWCCDfaculty. 4:10-5:30pm:Break(onyourown)2:00-5:00pm:Posterset-up(undergraduatestudentsonly;MHRGCinCDE)Undergraduatestudentsmaysetuppostersanytimestartingmid-afternoon(2pm)andallpostersshouldbesetupby5:15pm.(adhesivesprovided).5:30-7:00pm:ReceptionandUndergraduatepostersession(MHRGCinCDE) lighthorsd'oeuvresandno-hostbar.7:00pm:Welcome,Dr.EdSynakowski,UWVicePresidentofResearchandEconomicDevelopment7:00-9:00pm:WYINBREbanquetandkeynotepresentation(MHRGCinAB)“Significance:gettinghealthresearchright”byDr.ChristineM.Porter,AssociateProfessor,WyomingExcellenceChairinCommunity&PublicHealth,DivisionofKinesiology&Health,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve,Laramie,WY82071Email:christine.porter@uwyo.eduABSTRACT.Ashealthresearchers,wearesupposedtobegeneratingimportantnewknowledgeabouthealthinwaysthatare“right”inbothtechnicalandethicalsenses.Usingalittlepublicphilosophyandsomestorytellingaboutherownpathways,Christinewillillustratesomeindividualandinstitutionalstrategiesformaximizingourresearchprogramcontributionstohealthequityandwellbeing.KeynoteSpeaker’sShortBiography:Dr.ChristinePorterisAssociateProfessorandtheWyomingExcellenceChairinCommunity&PublicHealthintheDivisionofKinesiology&HealthattheUniversityofWyoming.HerPhDisincommunitynutritionfromCornellUniversityin2010.Shefocusesonteaching,actionandresearchtohealthdisparitiesandbuildequitable,healthy,democratic,andsustainablefoodsystems(e.g.,theUSDAfundedwww.fooddignity.organdtheNIHR01-fundedwww.growingresilience.org).Thereare

alsoprojectsshehasn’tbeenabletofund.Yet.Forexample,withtwootherco-PIslastyear,shefailedtosecurefundingviatheNIHR25SEPAawardmechanism,whichisfordiversifyinghealthscience.Theproposalwasnotevendiscussed.Theywilltryagainthisyear.

Saturday,April27th2019

WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesConferenceUniversityofWyomingCampus(WyomingUnionandClassroomBuildings)

7:00-8:00am:WyomingINBREBreakfastandCommunityCollegeForum (WYUnion,YellowstoneBallroom)eRACommons,WYINBREReporting,assessment,questions,programsandupcomingevents(TheWyomingINBREAnnualSpringconferenceadjournsafterbreakfast).8:00am-12:00pm:WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesUndergraduatestudentoralpresentations ClassroomBuilding(CR)Notes:

• INBREoralpresentationsinCR215andCR219startat8:30am;otheroralpresentationsinvariousCRlocationsstartat8:00am(seeprogram)

• INBREpostersmaybeset-upallmorningbefore12:15pminWyomingUnion12:30-1:30pm:UndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesLuncheon(RSVPonly) KeynoteAddress(WyomingUnion,2ndfloor)12:00-1:30pm:Lunchonyourownforotherattendees.1:30-3:30pm:WyomingUndergraduateResearch&InquiryAcrosstheDisciplinesConference,UndergraduatepostersessionandResourceTables(WyomingUnion,2ndfloor)

STUDENTPOSTERABSTRACTSGRADUATEandPOSTDOCPOSTERPRESENTATIONSThursdayApril25th20195:30-7:00pmattheUniversityofWyomingConferenceCenter(UWCC,WestendofHiltonInn)SalonE.G1:PhosphorylationstateofCpdRdeterminesitsbindingaffinitywithPolarorganizingproteinZ(PopZ).YasinAhmedandGrantBowmanDepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071USAABSTRACT.Inmanyrod-shapedbacteria,asymmetricallypositioned‘landmarks’arefoundatoppositecellpoles,makingoneendofthecelldistinctfromtheother.Theseorganizationalfeaturesareresponsibleforseveralcriticalprocesses,includingchromosomesegregationandtheregulationofthecellcycle.IntheclassAlphaproteobacteria,polarorganizationisdependentonthePolarorganizingproteinPopZ,ascaffoldingproteinthatisrequiredfortheassemblyofpolarmultiproteincomplexesandbindsdirectlytoseveralkeyregulatoryproteins.Paradoxically,PopZislocalizedtobothcellpolesinthespeciesCaulobactercrescentus,eventhoughtheseveraloftheregulatoryproteinsthatinteractdirectlywithPopZarefoundatonlyonepole.ThisimpliesthataregulatorymechanismdictatesdifferentialinteractionswithPopZatoneendofthecellversustheother.Toinvestigatethispossibility,wearereconstitutingelementsofPopZ-dependentcellpoleorganizationandregulatorysignalinginE.coli,therebytestingco-regulatoryfunctionsamongdefinedgroupsofC.crescentusproteins.Inthisheterologoussystem,wehavebeenabletoreconstituteaC.crescentusphosphorylationcascadebetweenanupstreamkinase,andintermediaryphosphotransferase,andadownstreameffectorprotein.Wefindthatwhenthisphosphorylationcascadeisactive,thedownstreameffector,whichisacriticalcellcycleregulatoryproteininC.crescentus,losesitsabilitytointeractwithPopZ.Consistentwiththis,mutationsthatinhibitphosphotransferrestoretheregulatoryprotein’sinteractionwithPopZ.TheseresultssuggestthattheinteractionbetweenPopZandthecellcycleregulatorismediatedbyphosphorylation.Morebroadly,itprovidesanexamplethatshowshowpolarasymmetryinarod-shapedbacteriumcanbeestablishedandmaintainedthroughadynamicsignalingmechanism.G2:NEKLkinasesarenovelregulatorsofclathrin-mediatedendocytosisBraveenB.Joseph1,YuWang2,BarthD.Grant2,andDavidS.Fay11DepartmentofMolecularBiology,CollegeofAgricultureandNaturalResources,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,Wyoming820712DepartmentofMolecularBiologyandBiochemistry,RutgersUniversity,Piscataway,NJ08854ABSTRACT.WepreviouslyshowedthatdownregulationofNEKL-2/NEK8/9andNEKL-3/NEK6/7causesmoltingdefectsinC.elegans.NEKLkinasesarehighlyconservedmembersofNIMA-kinasefamily,whichhavebeenpredominantlyimplicatedincellcyclefunctionsandciliogenesis.Inaddition,wefoundthataconservedsetofankyrinrepeatproteins,MLT-2/ANKS6,MLT-3/ANKS3,andMLT-4/INVS,partnerwiththeNEKLstoregulateintracellulartrafficking,actinorganization,andnormalmolting.Tobetterunderstandthemechanistic

functionsofNEKL-MLTsweobtainedgeneticsuppressorsofmoltingdefectsinnekl-2;nekl-3doublemutants.Notably,ourscreenidentifiedmutationsaffectingsubunitsofAP2,akeyclathrinadaptercomplexactingattheplasmamembrane.AP2isaheterotetrametriccomplexconsistingoftwopartiallyfunctionalhemicomplexes(µ/βandα/δ),anddownregulationofµ,α,andδsubunitssuppressednekl–mltmutantlethality.Additionally,weisolatedamutationaffectingFCHO-1,anallostericregulatorofAP2thatpromotestheopen/activeAP2conformation.Thesedataindicatethatnekldefectscanbesuppressedbymutationsthatreducetheamountofopen-activeAP2.Consistentwiththis,mutationsaffectingNCAP-1,anallostericinhibitorofAP2,stronglyenhancenekl–mltdefects,asdomutationsintheAP2µsubunitthatstabilizetheopenconformation.Interestingly,lossofnekl–mltfunctionssuppressedtheJowlsphenotypeassociatedwithmutationsinfcho-1andAP2,revealingauniquephenomenonofreciprocalsuppression.Wepreviouslyreportedthatnekl–mltarrestedlarvaedisplayedabnormalclathrinexpression.Tocircumventcomplicationsduetolarvalarrest,wegeneratedauxin-degradableversionsoftheNEKLs.Auxin-treatedadultsexhibitedincreasedsignaldensityandhigherexpressionlevelsofaCRISPRclathrinheavychainreporter.Furthermore,clathrinrecoveryafterphotobleachingwascomparativelyrapidinNEKL-depletedadultsversuscontrol.Likewise,similareffectsonclathrinwereobservedinncap-1(0)andapm-2(E306K)mutants.Conversely,fcho-1(0)andapa-2(0)mutantsshowedareductioninclathrinpunctadensityandlevels.LocalizationofLRP-1,acargorequiredfornormalmolting,wasalsogreatlyperturbedinNEKL-depletedadults.Overall,ourdatasupportsamodelwherebytheNEKL–MLTnetworkregulatesclathrinmediatedendocytosisthroughAP2activity,whichisnecessaryforthenormaltraffickingofcargorequiredformolting.G3:ColorimetricDetectionofClostridiumperfringensinaModelMeatSystemUsingPaper-BasedMicrofluidicsCodiJoBroten

1,JohnB.Wydallis

2,ThomasReilly,III2,BledarBisha

1

1DepartmentofAnimalScience,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY,2AccessSensorTechnologies,LLC,FortCollins,COABSTRACT.Introduction:Clostridiumperfringensislinkedtoapproximatelyonemillionfoodborneillnessesannually.Consistently,meatproductsserveasvehicleforC.perfringenswithmicrobialgrowthoccurringrapidlyinfoodduringtemperatureabuse.Tomitigatethisproblem,anumberofdiagnosticmethodsexist,includingculture-based,biochemical,ormoleculartechniques(PCR,LAMP).μPADs(paper-basedanalyticaldevices)areusefulplatformsformicrobialdiagnostics,sincetheyareportable,requiresmallsamplevolumesforanalysis,andcanbeadaptedtodifferentdetectionmodalities.Purpose:OurobjectivewastodevelopandoptimizecolorimetricenzymaticassaysforμPAD-basedrapiddetectionofC.perfringensinroastbeef,usingamodelmeatsystem.Methods:μPADswereimpregnatedwithanoptimizedconcentrationofphenolphthaleindiphosphate,indicativeofacidphosphataseactivityafterammoniumhydroxidetitration,andtestingforoptimizationalsoincludednon-targetbacterialisolates(includingotherClostridiumspp.).Roastbeefhomogenatewaspreparedwithreinforcedclostridialmedia,theninoculated

tocontainanaverageof6.1x100(low),6.1x102(medium),and6.1x104(high)CFU/mLofC.perfringens.Enrichmentwasperformedanaerobicallyat44°Cwithorwithoutselectivesupplements,aliquotswereremovedforanalysisat0,4,8,and18hoursandvisualconfirmationandImageJanalysiswereperformed.Real-timePCRtargeting16srRNA,cpe,andplcgeneswasusedforconfirmation.Results:VisualconfirmationofmagentacolorandImageJanalysisofμPADsindicateddiscernableacidphosphataseactivity.Asignificantdifferenceingreyscaleintensity(p<0.05,n=24)allowedforunambiguousdetectionofC.perfringensinamodelmeatsystematthelowest(6.1x100CFU/mL)andhighest(6.1x104CFU/mL)concentrationstestedafter8and4hoursselectiveenrichment,respectively.Significance:WedevelopedandoptimizedμPAD-baseddiagnosticsforrapidcolorimetricdetectionofC.perfringensamenabletoapplicationinmeats.Themethodisinexpensive,easy-to-perform,andsensitive,providingavaluablealternativetocurrentdetectionmethodsforC.perfringensinmeatproducts.G4:CytoplasmicvolumeandlimitingnucleoplasminscalenuclearsizeduringXenopuslaevisdevelopmentPanChen1,MiroslavTomschik1,,KatherineNelson1,2,,JohnOakey2,JesseGatlin1andDanielLevy11DepartmentofMolecularBiologyand2DepartmentofChemical&PetroleumEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Background:Abasicquestionincellbiologyishowthesizeofthenucleusisregulatedwithrespecttocellsize.EarlyXenopuslaevisembryogenesisischaracterizedbydramaticreductionsinbothcellandnuclearsizes.Betweenthefour-cellstageandgastrulation(stages10.5-12),individualcellandnuclearvolumesdecrease~5000-foldand~19-fold,respectively.Thisreproduciblescalingofnuclearsizeprovidesarobustsystemwithwhichtocharacterizeandidentifymechanismsofnuclearsizeregulation.Wewantedtotestifthevolumeofembryoniccytoplasmislimitingfornucleargrowth.Toaddressthisquestion,weusedmicrofluidictechnologytoencapsulatestage10-10.5X.laevisextractandnucleiindropletsofdefinedvolumeandshape.Results:Indropletsranginginvolumefrom0.02-0.5nL(stage8-10.5blastomerevolumes),nuclearvolumeincreasedby1.2-to3-fold,withlargerincreasesoccurringinlargerdroplets,supportingalimitingcomponentmechanismofnuclearsizecontrol.Also,whengastrula-stagenucleiweretreatedwithstage5embryoextract,theaveragenuclearvolumeincreased~4.5-foldin~0.08nLdroplets,suggestingcytoplasmiccompositionalsocontributestonuclearsizescaling.Toidentifycytoplasmiccomponentslimitingfornucleargrowth,webiochemicallyfractionatedX.laeviseggextract.Weisolatedthehistonechaperonenucleoplasmin(Npm2)asaputativenuclearsize-scalingfactor.ThenuclearsizingcurveshiftedupwardswhenextractdropletsweresupplementedwithNpm2protein,andembryosmicroinjectedwithNpm2exhibitedlargernucleiatgastrulation.ConsistentwithNpm2beinganuclear-sizescalingfactor,amountsofcellularNpm2andnuclearhistoneH2BdecreaseoverdevelopmentConclusion:ReductionsincellvolumewithconcomitantdecreasesintheamountsofNpm2andnuclearhistonesrepresentanovelmechanismofdevelopmentalnuclearsize-scalingthatmayinformthefunctionalsignificanceofnuclearsizeduringnormaldevelopmentandindisease

statesassociatedwithalterednuclearsizesuchascancer.G5.UsingPhysiologicalLinkageforPsychologicalStateAssessmentinaCompetitiveRehabilitationGameAliDarziandDomenNovakDepartmentofElectricalandComputerEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071,USAABSTRACT.Background:Motorrehabilitationisacriticalelementofrecoveryaftertraumaticbraininjuryorstroke.Itcanbeenhancedwithvirtualreality(e.g.,computergames)toincreasepatientmotivation,exerciseintensity,andconsequentlythespeedandultimateoutcomeofrehabilitation.Amongcomputergamesforrehabilitation,competitivegameshavebecomeincreasinglypopularsincetheymotivatepatientsbyallowingthemtointeractwithanotherperson:anotherpatient,atherapist,oranunimpairedfriendorrelative.However,sincesuchgamesmaybeplayedbytwopeoplewithdifferentabilities,gamedifficultymustbedynamicallyadaptedtosuitbothplayers.Methodology:State-of-the-artadaptationalgorithmsarebasedonplayers’performance(e.g.,score),whichmaynotberepresentativeofthepatient’sphysicalandpsychologicalstate.Instead,weproposeamethodthatestimatesplayers’statesinacompetitivegamebasedonthecovariationofplayers’physiologicalresponses.Themethodwasevaluatedin10unimpairedpairs,whoplayedacompetitivegamein6conditionswhile5physiologicalresponsesweremeasured:respiration,skinconductance,heartrate,and2facialelectromyograms.Twophysiologicallinkagemethodswereusedtoassessthesimilarityoftheplayers’physiologicalmeasurements:coherenceofrawmeasurementsandcorrelationofheartandrespirationrates.Theselinkagefeatureswerecomparedtotraditionalindividualphysiologicalfeaturesinclassificationofplayers’affects(enjoyment,valence,arousal,perceiveddifficulty)into‘low’and‘high’classes.Results:Classifiersbasedonphysiologicallinkageresultedinhigheraccuraciesthanthosebasedonindividualphysiologicalfeatures,andcombiningbothfeaturetypesyieldedthehighestclassificationaccuracies(75%to91%).physiologicallinkageprovidedimportantinformationthatcouldnotbeobtainedbyanalyzingeachindividualplayer’sphysiologicalresponses.Conclusions:Inthefuture,ourclassifierswillbecombinedwithdecision-makingrulesthatwilldynamicallyadaptdifferentgamedifficultysettingsbasedonbothplayers’affectivestates,thusresultinginenjoyable,intensiverehabilitationforbothplayers.Theseclassifiersanddecision-makingruleswillbetestedwithactualpatientsinbothcompetitiveandcooperativerehabilitationgames,andthemethodmaygeneralizetootherhuman-computerinteractionscenariossuchascollaborativelearning.

G6.TheimpactofironduringinvivoToxoplasmagondiiinfectionStephenL.DentonandJasonP.Gigley

DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,1000EUniversityAve,Laramie,WY82071,USAABSTRACT:Thetransitionmetalironisanessentialcofactorforalllifeinmanybiologicalprocessesmainlyasaproteincofactorforitspotentialinredoxreactions.Assuch,ironisalsoarequiredbyToxoplasmagondii,ahumanparasite.InfectionsbyT.gondiiaffectonethirdofthepopulationworldwideandarelife-long,therapeuticallyunpreventable,andpresentaserious

healthhazardfortheimmunocompromisedpopulation.InfectionsbythisparasiteareinitiallycontainedbyIFNγproduction,whichleadstothechronicformoftheinfectionasapersistentresidenceofparasitecystsinthebrainanddeepmuscletissue.WeshowthatwhileironrestrictionissufficientforpreventionofgrowthofT.gondiiintissueculture,itisnotsufficientinthemousemodel.Infact,ironrestrictioninvivodramaticallyincreasedtheamountofparasitecystsinthebrainofinfectedmice.Invitroexperimentsrevealedthatironrestrictionwasunabletokilltheparasite,butindicatetheparasiteunderwentalifestageswitchtowardsthechronicformoftheinfection.Aformofnaturaldefenseisironrestrictionviahepcidinproduction,yetwedonotfindhepcidinincreaseinthecaseofT.gondiiinfection,andthereisreducedcytotoxicityfromIL-12andIFNγinironrestrictedandinfectedanimals.G7.Post-DocPosterFSICardiacModelDevelopmentfortheAssessmentofElasticity-AlteringTreatmentMethodsMatthewKFig,MohammadMehri,andMaysamMousaviraadDepartmentofMechanicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT:Thecouplingofcomputationalfluiddynamicsandstructuralanalysisforcardiacmodelswithrealisticgeometryandmaterialpropertieshasthepotentialtoaiddevelopmentoftreatmentapproachesforavarietyofpathologies.Inparticular,patientsinheartfailurewithpreservedejectionfraction(HFpEF)currentlyhavefewtreatmentoptionsavailable.SinceHFpEFdescribes50%ofheartfailurediagnoses,thedevelopmentofnewclinicalapproachesisimperative.ThisresearchisfocusedonmodelingcardiacfunctionwiththegoalofassessingtheroleofmyocardialstiffnessinHFpEF,andtheexpectedefficacyoftreatmentswhichaltertheelasticpropertiesofleftventriclewall.Simplified3DmodelshavebeendevelopedinANSYSwhichfeatureOgdenconstitutiveequationsandturbulentflowfields.Thesemodelsallowthecapabilitytoimplementchangesinlocalelasticpropertiesandtoexploretheimpactthesechangeshaveonthehemodynamicsandperformanceoftheleftventriclemyocardiumthroughthecardiaccycle.Firstresultsarepresented,whichcoverthedevelopmentoftheidealizedmodel,itscapabilities,andaninitialassessmentofitsperformance.G8.Density-dependentregulationofmicrotubulegrowthratesZacharyM.Geisterfer,AnaMilunovic´-Jevtic´andJayC.Gatlin

DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071USAABSTRACT:Background:Largemicrotubule(MT)assemblies(i.e.,mitoticspindle/MTaster)havebeenextensivelystudiedduetotheirroleinchromosomesegregationandorganellepositioning.However,thesemacromolecularassembliesarecomprisedofhundredsofthousandsofMTs,allcoordinatedandregulatedwithastonishingprecision.Asaresult,misregulationofMTdynamicsoftenresultsin,orisimplicatedin,humandiseases.Unfortunately,themechanismsregulatingthespatiotemporalgrowthofMTshaveproventobefrustratinglycomplex.Currentmodelsprovidemanykeyinsightsintothisregulation,buthavelargelyfocusedongrossproteinconcentrationsandhavefailedtoidentify(i)aroleforMTenddensity,ornumberofactivelygrowingMTendsperunitvolume,inregulatingmicrotubulegrowthrates,or(ii)thelengthscalesinwhichthisregulationoccurs.Ourcentralhypothesisis

thatthedensityofgrowingMTsregulatesMTgrowthdynamics,andthatspatialvariationingrowthratescouldbeexplainedbylocaldifferencesingrowingenddensity.PreliminaryResults:Usingfluorescentmicroscopy,wehaveestablishedthatMTgrowingenddensityisinverselyproportionaltotherateatwhichanindividualMTgrows.Inotherwords,theMTgrowthratepercapitadropswithanincreaseinpopulationdensity.Inaddition,preliminarydatashowsthatMTgrowingenddensitycangeneratespatiallydistinctpopulationsofMTsintermsofMTgrowthrates.Conclusions:ThesedatafurthersupportthenotionthatMTgrowthratesareregulatedinalawofmassactiondependentmanner,andthattheproduct,orMTpolymermass,negativelyregulatesMTgrowthrates.Thislikelyoccursthethroughsequestrationofreactantsandothergrowthpromotingfactors.Wealsoshowthatthisdensity-dependentregulationcanbelocallydefinedandspatiallydistinct,challengingpriorassumptionsandindicatingapossiblerolefordiffusion-basedmechanismsinregulatingMTgrowthrates.G9.PhotoredoxCatalysisforSelectiveModificationofTryptophanResiduesinProteinsandPeptidesbyPyridiniumSaltsWesleyJ.Hetcher,SamanthaJ.Tower,TylerE.Myers,MichaelT.TaylorDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Site-selectivetryptophanmodificationisadevelopingresearchareawhichhasconsiderableappealduetoitslownaturalabundanceinproteins,highUVabsorptivity,andlownucleophilicity.However,commonexistingmethodsoftenrequiretheuseofharshconditionsorriskcompetitivereactivitybyotheraromaticaminoacids,resultinginbiologicalincompatibilityormoderate,unselectiveconversion.Thisworkpresentstheuseofultravioletlighttoinducebioconjugationoftryptophanviaphotoinducedelectrontransfer(PET)withelectron-acceptingpyridiniumsalts.WeshoweffectivelabellingoftryptophanwithavarietyofN-carbamoylsalts,asaresultofultravioletirradiationinducingPETfromtheTrpresiduetothepyridiniumsalt.PETinducesfragmentationoftheN-Nbond,forminganN-radicallabelwhichtransfertotheTrpresidue.Weproposethatthismaybemediatedbyformationofacation-πchargetransfercomplexresultingineaseofradicaltransferfromthepyridiniumsalttotheindoleside-chain.SelectivityforTrpwasconfirmedbytandemMSandwasshowntobeeffectiveforarangeofproteinsize,complexity,andconcentration,allinaqueousenvironmentwithshort(<30min)reactiontimes.Additionalworkusesthisbroadschemeasaguidetowardapplicationofiridium-basedphotocatalystsand/orhigherwavelengthlightforlabellingcompetitivearomaticresiduesornon-naturallyoccurringfluorogenicmoieties.G10.ProbingtheSizeandShapeDependenceofAuNanoparticleUptakeinHeLaCellsJoshuaHillandCalebHill

DepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve.,Laramie,WY,82071ABSTRACT.Nanoparticles(NPs)areattractivematerialsformanybiomedicalapplications,suchasdrugdeliveryvehicles,contrastagentsforvariousformsofimaging,orsensitizersforphotothermalcancertherapy.Forpotentialapplicationssuchasthese,detailedinformationonhowNPsize,shape,andsurfacechemistryaffectthekineticsandspecificityofcellularuptakewouldbeextremelyvaluable.Usingsingleparticlespectroscopicmethods,theuptakeofa

libraryofAuNPswithvaryingaspectratiosbyHeLacellswassystematicallyexamined.AlibraryofAuNPswerepreparedviaseed-mediatedgrowthmethodsandfunctionalizedwithtightly-bound,alkylammoniumthiolligands.ThesynthesizedNPswerefoundtobeextremelystabletowardsaggregationunderrealisticcellcultureconditions.TheresultsofspectroscopicstudiesshowthatwhileNPsstronglyassociatewithcellularmembranes,significantinternalizationdoesnotoccurinanyofthemodelsystemsemployed.However,thesestudiesshowthatparticlesselectivelyaggregateatthecellularmembraneandparticleswithhigheraspectratiosexhibitahigherdegreeofpartialmembranewrapping.G11.UsingVisualand/orKinestheticInformationtoStabilizeIntrinsicBimanualCoordinationPatternsIsAFunctionOfMovementFrequencyShaochenHuang1,BretonVanSyoc1,RuonanYang2,TaylorKuehn1,DerekT.Smith1,QinZhu11DivisionofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY,USA;2ShanghaiUniversityofSport,Shanghai,ChinaABSTRACT.Incoordinationdynamics,thevisuallydefinedin-phaseandanti-phasepatternscanbeconsistentorinconsistentwiththosedefinedkinestheticallyduetodifferentframesofreferenceused.Inthisstudy,weexaminedhowvisual-kinestheticconsistencywouldimpacttheperformance,oxygenconsumptionandstabilityofintrinsicbimanualcoordinationpatternsasmovementfrequencyincreases.Thirtyadultparticipantswererecruitedandrandomlyassignedtothreegroups(n=10)toperformintrinsicbimanualcoordinationtasksusingacomputer-joysticksystem.Bymanipulatingthespatialmappingbetweenthemotiononscreenandmotionofjoysticks,thethreegroupswere:1)“Spatial”group-thespatialmappingmadevisualandkinestheticinformationinconsistent;2)”Info”group-thespatialun-mappingmadevisualandkinestheticinformationconsistent;and3)“Both”group-bothspatialmappingandinformationweremadeconsistent.TheProportionofTimeonTask(PTT)andVO2wereassessedatlow(0.5Hz),high(2.5Hz),andself-selected(measuredas1.01Hz)frequenciesineachgroup.ThePTTdatashowedthatthe“both”and“info”groupsmaintainedthesuperiorperformanceinproducingthevisuallydefinedin-phasethananti-phasepatternasfrequencyincreased.The“spatial”groupdemonstratedequalperformancebetweenbothintrinsicpatternsatlowandself-selectedfrequencies,however,thevisually-definedanti-phasepatternwasperformedbetterthanthein-phasepatternathighfrequency.TheVO2datasupportedthePTTdatashowingthatmoreoxygenwasconsumedtomaintaincoordinationpatternswhenmovementfrequencyexceededtheself-selectedone.Athighfrequency,energyexpenditurewashigherforboth“Info”and“Spatial”groupsinproducingthekinesthetically-definedanti-phaseversusin-phasepatterns.Ourresultssuggestthatbothvisualandkinestheticinformationcanbeusedtostabilizeintrinsicbimanualcoordinationpatterns,however,whenmovementfrequencyincreasesbeyondthethreshold,kinestheticinformationisutilizedtostabilizemovementcoordinationpatterns,whichmightbeanenergy-efficientsolution.

G12.LongitudinalAssessmentsOfBalanceAndJump-LandingPerformanceInCollegiateAthletesPreandPostACLInjuriesBoyiDai

1,JacobLayer

1,NicoleSauls

1,SydneLaCroix

1,MeghanCritchley

1,andJeremyRoss

2

1DivisionofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,US;2DepartmentofSportsMedicine,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,USAABSTRACT.Background:IntheUS,roughly200,000anteriorcruciateligament(ACL)injuriesproduceanassociatedeconomicburdenofupto$17.7billionyearly(Matheretal.,2013).FollowingACLreconstructionandsubsequentrehabilitation,athletesunder25yearsoldexperienceACLreinjuryratesof10%onthepreviouslyinjuredsideand11%onthecontralateralside(Wigginsetal.,2016).Comparedtomatchedcontrols,greaterstrengthandbalanceasymmetriesaswellasdecreasedoverallstrengthandbalancehavebeendemonstratedattimeofathletereturntoplay(Claggetal.,2015;Schmittetal.,2015).Nopreviousstudieshavedeterminediftheseriskfactorswerepre-existingoriftheydevelopedpostinjury.Thus,currentlytheirinfluenceonACLinjuryriskisnotwellunderstood.Purpose:Thisstudysoughttoquantifythecollectiveeffectofanteriorcruciateligament(ACL)injury,reconstruction,andrehabilitationonperformanceinalowerextremityanteriorreachingtestandaverticaljump-landingtestincollegiateathletes.Methods:8DivisionIathletesperformedbaselinetestspriortoACLinjury.Lowerextremityanteriorreachtestswerethenperformedat3and6monthsafterACLreconstruction.Theverticaljump-landingtestwasonlyperformedat6monthspost-surgery.Results:Comparedtopre-injurybaselines,ipsilateralanteriorreachdistancesdecreased,whileasymmetryincreasedatboth3-monthand6-monthpost-surgery(p<.02).The6-monthpost-surgeryverticaljumpingforcesandlandingforcesalsorevealedincreasedasymmetry,comparedpre-injurybaselines(p<.03).Conclusion:Balanceandjump-landingasymmetriesincreasedfollowingACLinjury,reconstruction,andrehabilitation.ElevatedpostACLreconstructionipsilateralinjuryratescouldbeexplainedbydecreasedperformanceonthatside.Contralateralinjuryriskcouldresultfromaninterlimbcompensatorystrategy.Inlightofthis,itmaybeadvisableforasymmetriestobereducedunder10%beforeathletesareclearedtoreturntoplay.G13.Generatingoxygengradientsinmicrofluidicdevicestocontrolsizeandnetworkarchitectureofpolyethyleneglycoldiacrylate(PEGDA)hydrogelparticlesGuiheLiandJohnOakeyDepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve.,Laramie,WY,82071,USAABSTRACT.Background/Rationale:Microcapsulesloadedwithlivingcellsandotheractivebiologicalcomponentshavebeenregardedaspromisingtoolfortissueengineeringanddrugdelivery.Acrylate-basedpolyethyleneglycol(PEG)monomersareaclassofsyntheticpolymericbiomaterialsthatareutilizedformanybiomedicalapplicationsbecauseofitshighlyproteinadsorptionresistance,easymodificationwithfunctionalgroups,rapidgelationtoahydrogelviaphotopolymerization.WehavedevelopedatechniqueforminiaturizingPEGhydrogelsbyphotopolymerizingPEGDAwithinimmiscibleemulsiondropletsformedbycontrolledmicrofluidicflows.Wehavepreviouslyshownthatfacilecontrolofpolymerizationkineticsvia

UVlightintensityand/orexposuretimeallowsPEGDAparticlestobeproducedwithdiametersindependentofparentdroplets.(Debroyetal,2017).Thesizeandnetworkstructureofmicroparticlesaffectsbiomoleculediffusion,release,andencapsulatedcellresponse.Thereforetherationaldesignandcharacterizationofspatiallyheterogeneouscrosslinkednetworksprovidesauniqueopportunitytodevelopsophisticateddrugdeliveryandtissuescaffoldsystem.Spatialcontroloverphotopolymerizationkineticsreliesupontheinhibitionoffreeradicalpolymerizationbyoxygen.Thisoxygenquenchingmechanismleadstokineticattenuation.Thismechanismsubsequentlyestablishesacrylateconversionratesunderspatiallyvaryingoxygenconcentrations,andthusprovidespredictable,nanoscalecontroloverhydrogelnetworkarchitecture.SpecificAims&Hypotheses:TheoverallobjectiveofthisprojectistocontrolPEGDAphotopolymerizationatthemicroscaleinordertotunenanoscalehydrogelarchitecturenetworkviaoxygengradientswithinmicrofluidicdevices.Wehypothesizethatascavengingreactioncanbeusedtoprogressivelyremoveoxygenfrombothemulsionphases,andthereforeestablishedconditionsthatregulatephotopolymerizationkineticswithinthedroplet.PreliminaryResults:Initialdataconclusivelyshowsthatoxygenisgraduallydiminishedinouroxygenscavengingdevice.Ourkinetic/transportparametersinusedinthereaction/diffusionmodelcanbeusedtoquantitativelypredictparticlefeaturesincludinglocalmonomerconversionrateandoverallparticlesize.G14.StructuredhydrogelparticleswithnanofabricatedInterfacesviaControlledOxygenInhibitionJingLiu,DanielDebroy,DongmeiLi-Oakey,andJohnS.OakeyDepartmentofChemicalEngineeringandMolecular&CellularLifeSciencesProgram.UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WYABSTRACT.Hydrogelmicroparticle-baseddrugdeliveryplatformsrequiredelicatespatialcontrolovertheconjugationofbiofunctionalgroupsandnetworkarchitecture,whichimpactstheirmechanicalpropertiesandmolecularpermeabilityanddiffusivity.Formostfabricationmethodsthatrelyonphotoinitiatedchainpolymerizationtogeneratehydrogelparticles,theimpactofexposureconditionsandphotopolymerizationkineticsontheresultingparticlepropertiesisnotwelldescribed.Here,wepresentadetailedanalysisontheeffectofexposuretimeandintensityonthepropertiesofPEGDAparticlesgeneratedinadropletmicrofluidicdeviceexploitingoxygen-inhibitedphotopolymerization.TheassayofBiotin-Avidinbindingpairswasconductedtoexaminethenetworkpropertiesoftheseparticles,revealingahighdegreeofstructuraltunability.Thisunderstanding,inturn,governscompoundencapsulationandreleaseprofiles,aswellasthepresenceofradialcrosslinkinggradientsthatregulatetheavailabilityoffunctionalgroups.Characterizationthereleaseprofileofdifferentmolecularweightproteinsinhydrogelparticlescouldbeusedtoquantitativelyandpredictivelydefinedthereleaseofmacromolecularsolutesinmicroparticles.

G15.AHomogeneousImmunoassayBasedOnChangeInActivityOfTheEnzymeLabelUponCouplingToAnAntigenSakurMahmudandDebashisDuttaDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve.,Laramie,WY,USAABSTRACT.EnzymeLinkedImmunosorbentAssay(ELISA)isaubiquitousanalysistechniquethatallowsustoquantifyanybiochemicalspeciestowhichanantibodycanbeattached.1However,severalincubationstepsprolongtheanalysistimeandhencelimitstheuseofELISAinpointofcareapplications.1Toalleviatethisissue,weproposeasimpleandtimeefficienthomogeneousELISAapproachforantigendetectiononaglassmicrochiprequiringonlyamicroliterofsample.2Inourassaymethod,werelyontheobserveddecreaseintheactivityoftheenzymelabelcomplexedtoanantigen.Thereducedenzymaticactivitydiminishestherateofgenerationofthefluorescentreporterspeciesintheassaywhichthencanberelatedtoantigenconcentrationinthesample.Themicrochannelsusedforthestudywerefabricatedonaglasssubstrateusingstandardphotolithographictechnique.3ThesemicrochannelswerethentreatedwithNaOHfollowedbymethanoltoremoveanyinorganicandorganicsurfacecontaminantsrespectively;NaOHalsoconditionsthesilanolgrouponthechannelforlatersurfacemodification.4SampleswithdifferentconcentrationsofTNF-𝛼alongwithablankwereincubatedwithantiTNF-αHRPreagentfollowedbyintroducingH2O2andamplexredsubstratetotheresultingsolution.Thefinalmixturewasthentransferredtothemicrochannelforthedetectionofenzymereactionproduct(resorufin)usingmercurylightsourceequippedwiththeepi-fluorescencemicroscope.InitialrandomnessinthetrendwasminimizedbymodifyingglasssurfacewithMethoxy-Poly(EthyleneGlycol)-Silane,mPEG-SIL,thatiswellknowninhinderingnon-specificbinding.5EventuallyconcernedhomogeneousELISAtriggeredustoacalibrationcurvethatledtotheconcentrationoftheunknownanalyte.ComparedtotheconventionalELISA,ourassayiswashfree,captureantibodyfree,lessincubationstepsrequired,andsmallsamplesizewasemployedfortheanalysisandthetotalassaytimeis2.5hours.References:

1. Crowther,J.R.,TheELISAGuidebook:HumanaPress:Totowa,NJ,20012. Pulli,T.,Höyhtyä,M.,Söderlund,H.,&Takkinen,K.(2005).One-StepHomogeneous

ImmunoassayforSmallAnalytes.AnalyticalChemistry,77(8),2637-2642.doi:10.1021/ac048379l

3. Iliescu,C.,Taylor,H.,Avram,M.,Miao,J.,&Franssila,S.(2012).Apracticalguideforthefabricationofmicrofluidicdevicesusingglassandsilicon.Biomicrofluidics,6(1),016505.doi:10.1063/1.3689939

4. Verné,E.,Vitale-Brovarone,C.,Bui,E.,Bianchi,C.L.andBoccaccini,A.R.(2009),Surfacefunctionalizationofbioactiveglasses.J.Biomed.Mater.Res.,90A:981-992.doi:10.1002/jbm.a.32153

5. Harbers,G.M.,Emoto,K.,Greef,C.,Metzger,S.W.,Woodward,H.N.,Mascali,J.J.,Lochhead,M.J.(2007).Afunctionalizedpoly(ethyleneglycol)-basedbioassaysurfacechemistrythatfacilitatesbio-immobilizationandinhibitsnon-specificprotein,bacterial,andmammaliancelladhesion.Chemistryofmaterials:apublicationoftheAmericanChemicalSociety,19(18),4405–4414.doi:10.1021/cm070509u

G16.InvestigatingeffectsofmusclestiffnessoncardiacfunctionsviaPhysics-basedcomputationalsimulationMohammadMehri,MatthewKFig,andMaysamMousaviraadDepartmentofMechanicalEngineering,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Cardiaccomputationalmodelingoffersnon-invasivesolutionfordiagnosisandtreatmentplanningofcardiacdiseases.Takingadvantageofadvancedcardiacsimulations,wecanaddresseffectsofmanycardiacdisorderslike:cardiomyopathy,HFpEF,valvedisordersandetc.Toevaluatehowcardiacmusclestiffnesscanaffectpressure-volumediagram(whichisapracticalmedicalcriteriaincardiacdiseasediagnostics),ourgroupisdevelopinga2-wayfluidstructureinteraction(FSI)cardiacmodelwhichcouplescardiacmuscledeformationtobloodflowHemodynamics.Asthistypeofsimulationinvolvesmechanicsofbothcardiacmuscleandbloodflow,itisintroducedinliteratureasthemostrealisticcardiacsimulationapproach.Alsowearedeveloping1-wayFSIsimulationofcardiacflow,whichcanpresentcardiacflowHemodynamicsneglectingcardiacmuscle.Consideringaprescribedgeometrydeformationforblooddomain,wearemodelingbloodflowinsidearatLV,basedonechocardiographyvideos.Takingadvantageofimageprocessingmethods,LVgeometryisobtainedinappropriatetimestepsandwearedevelopingtimedependentmodelwithdeformingwallboundaryviadynamicmeshtechnique.Through1-wayFSIcardiacflowsimulation,wecanobtainpressurevolumeloopforacardiaccycleandalsoitfacilitates2-wayFSIcardiacsimulationaswell.In2-wayFSIapproach,sofarwehaveimplementedFSIcardiacsimulationsinwhichtimedependentbloodflowisconsideredinLVwithsimplificationsingeometryandmaterialproperties.AlsotakingadvantageofOgdenmodelforhyper-elasticmaterial,wecouldsimulatehighrateofdeformationinLVinDiastolicphase.Tomakeourcardiacsimulationmorerealistic,weareworkingonmoreadvancedmaterialmodels(whichcanaddressmorecomplexitiesofcardiacmuscle)andalsomorerealisticboundaryconditionsinblooddomain.

G17.EvaluationoftheIntestinalMicrobiomeDuringToxoplasmosisInfectionAmyRhoad2,SusannahRoberts2,TuckerRussell2,SamiMizokami2,JuanMunoz-Gutierrez1,JasonGigley3,KerrySondgeroth21DepartmentofMicrobiology,ImmunologyandPathology,ColoradoStateUniversity,FortCollins,CO80523;2DepartmentofVeterinarySciences,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071;3DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.ToxoplasmosisisaninfectioncausedbytheintracellularparasiteToxoplasmagondii,andinfects10–50%ofthehumanpopulationworldwide.T.gondiiisahighlysuccessfulparasitethatcaninfectawiderangeofhostspecieswithvariableresistance.Diseaseseveritycanvarywidelybasedonanumberofhostfactors.Becauseoneofthemostcommonroutesofinfectionisthroughingestionofundercookedmeattheacuteinfectionbeginsintheintestinesandspreadsthroughoutthebodytoformcystsinbrainandmuscletissues.Theparasiteencounterscommensalbacteriaasthefirsthostimmunedefenseintheintestine.Whileithasbeenshownthatthedegreeofpathologycorrelateswiththeappearanceofbothanaerobicandaerobicbacteria,itisuncertainthedegreetowhichthemicrobiomeaffectstheseverityofToxoplasmosisinfection.ThisstudyaimstodeterminewhatimpactthedifferencesinhostmicrobiomemayhaveonToxoplasmosisseverity.

G18.Thephysicalhealthofcollegestudentswithandwithoutattention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)

JudahW.Serrano1,JessicaT.Hinojosa

1,BrittanyD.McDonald

1,ZoeO.Hendricks

1,JohnM.

Vasko1,DerekT.Smith

2,andCynthiaM.Hartung

1

1DepartmentofPsychologyand2DivisionofKinesiologyandHealthPromotion,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071USAABSTRACT.Background/Rationale:Attention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)hasbeenfoundtobeassociatedwithgreaterriskforseveraladversehealthoutcomes,suchashypertensionandobesity(Nigg,2013).However,noknownstudieshaveexaminedobjectivemeasuresofhealthamongemergingadults(ages18-25;Arnett,2000)withADHD,whooftenattenduniversity.EmergingadultswithADHDareanimportantgrouptostudyduetothevariouschangesthatoftenoccurinthistransitionalperiod,suchasthelesseningofparentaloversightandcorrespondingincreasingofindependenceinseverallifedomains,includinghealth(e.g.,sleep,exercise,eatingbehaviors).SpecificAims&Hypotheses:WeaimedtodocumentandreportobjectivehealthcharacteristicsofcollegestudentswithADHD,relativetoage-andsex-matchednon-ADHDpeers.Weobtainedandcomparedmetricsofphysicalhealthamongthetwogroups,including:muscularstrength(i.e.,hand-gripstrength),cardiovascularhealth(i.e.,post-steptestheartrate),bodycomposition(i.e.,bodymassindex,fatmassindex,leanmassindex),andanthropometrics(i.e.,waistcircumference).DrawingonfindingsinchildrenandadultswithADHD,wehypothesizedthatcollegestudentswithADHDwouldexhibitlesshealthycharacteristicsthantheirpeersacrossallmetricsofphysicalhealth.PreliminaryResults:Thusfar,ourdatadidnotsuggestsignificantdifferencesinthemetricsofphysicalhealthbetweencollegestudentswithandwithoutADHD.However,thegroup-levelmeanswereinthehypothesizeddirection,withindividualswithADHDdemonstratinglesshealthycharacteristics.Thegroupleveldifferencesfoundmaybecomestatisticallysignificantwiththeinclusionofmoreparticipants.Ourpreliminaryfindingsandadiscussionoftheirimplicationswillbepresented.

G19.Transcriptomicandfunctionalevidenceofsterol-richlipidorderedmembranedomainsinGemmataobscuriglobusSeanStettner1,MitchHelling2,FrancoBasile2,NaomiL.Ward31DepartmentofMolecularBiology,2DepartmentofChemistry,3DepartmentofBotany,UniversityofWyoming,1000EUniversityAve,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Sterolsarenecessarymembranecomponentsineukaryoticcells,andregulatemembranestructure,function,anddynamics.Bacteriagenerallylacksterolsandcontainhopanoidsasfunctionallyanalogoussurrogates.TheplanctomycetebacteriumGemmataobscuriglobusproducesmembranesterols,buttheirfunctionremainsenigmatic.G.obscuriglobuscontainsuniquemembranemorphologicalfeatures,includingacomplexendomembranesystem.Thesecouldplausiblybeconnectedtosterols.Here,weareinvestigatingthefunctionofsterolsinG.obscuriglobus.WehavepreviouslyfoundG.obscuriglobusmembranesterolstobeessentialforsurvival,thefirstreportedinstanceinabacterialspecies.Usingtime-lapselightmicroscopy,wepreviouslyobservedaprofounddefect

incellularreplicationassociatedwithchemicalsteroldepletion,suggestingG.obscuriglobusmembranesterolsareessentialforpropercelldivision.Secondly,wehaveconductedRNA-sequencingofsteroldepletedcellstofurtherinformthephenotype.Weidentified~700differentiallyexpressedgenes,manyofwhichoverlapwithtranscriptionalresponsestosteroldepletionineukaryoticcells.Adiverserangeofgenefamilieshavebeenidentifiedwithinthesegenes,includinggenesaffectingphospholipidandfattyacidmetabolism,cellmotilityandchemotaxis,cellsignaling,membranetransporters,andcellularredoxhomeostasis.Manyoftheparticulargenesidentifiedoverlapwitheukaryoticsteroldepletionstudies,particularlyinregardtolocalizationofproteinsbysterol-richlipidorderedmembranedomains,orlipidrafts.Wehaveexperimentallyverifiedanumberofthesequencinghits,includinglocalizationofproposedlipidrafts.Ourresultssupportnovelrolesforsterolsinprokaryoticcellbiology,particularlyinregardtocelldivisionandmembraneorganization.G20.UncoveringthesecretbehindTraAsortingandanchoringtotheoutermembrane:PosttranslationalmodificationinMYXO-CTERMKalpanaSubedi1,2,FrancoBasile2andDanielWall11DepartmentofMolecularBiology,2DepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Background/Rationale.Myxococcusxanthusparticipatesinanovelprocessofexchangingtheiroutermembrane(OM)materialsbidirectionallybyacell-cellcontactdependentprocess.TraA,apolymorphichomophiliccellsurfacereceptor,governstheexchangespecificitywherebypartnercellsmustexpresscompatibletraAalleles.DuringOMexchange(OME),twoclonematecellsarethoughttotransientlyfusetheirOMs.TheroleofTraAinOMEhasbeenstudied,buthowTraAsortstothecellsurfaceisunknown.BioinformaticanalysisfoundthatTraAcontainsamotifcalledMYXO-CTERM(Mx-CT),whichcouldplayaroleinsortingTraAtothecellsurface.SpecificAims&Hypotheses.OuraimistounderstandthemechanismofTraAsortingbyinvestigatinghypothesizedposttranslationalmodifications(PTMs).Becauseofmotifsimilarities,TraAsortinglikelyinvolvesasimilarpathwayastheLPXTG/sortasesystemfoundingram-positivebacteria.Inourmodel,Mx-CTispredictedtoformatransmembraneα-helixthatanchorspre-TraAintotheinnermembrane.Next,anacyltransferaseisproposedtoattachalipidmoietytotheinvariantCysresidue,followedbyanendoproteasecleavagedownstreamoftheinvariantCys.ProcessedTraAwouldfinallybetransportedtocellsurfacebytypeIIsecretionsystem.PreliminaryResults.TraAwithoutMx-CTisexclusivelysecretedintotheextracellularmilieu.Incontrast,fulllengthTraAiscellsurfaceassociatedandsecreted.SincethesecretedversionofTraAhasasmallermolecularweightthanthecellassociatedversion,itmaybePTM.Currently,weareexpressingandpurifyingTraAfromM.xanthusforLC-MS/MSanalysistodeterminethenatureofthePTM.G21.Site-SelectiveModificationofTryptophanResiduesinPeptidesandProteinsUsingRedoxActivePyridiniumSaltsandLight1SamanthaTower,WesleyHetcher,TylerMyers,MichaelTaylorDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071

ABSTRACT.Tryptophanmodificationiscurrentlyanunsolvedareaofbioconjugatechemistry,withitslowrelativeabundanceinproteinsandpoornucleophilicitymakeitanideal,yetdifficulttarget.Asaresult,previousstrategiesformodificationofTrptypicallyrequireharshconditionsorextendedreactiontimeswhichyieldedmoderateconversion.WereportamethodforbioconjugationofTrpthatutilizesthereadinessoftheindoleside-chaintoundergophoto-inducedelectrontransfer(PET)inthepresenceofanelectronacceptor.Specifically,ourmethodemploysN-carbamoylpyridiniumsaltsasTrp-selectiveelectronacceptors,whichisproposedtooccurviaPETfromtheTrpresiduetothepyridiniumsaltunderUVlightirradiation.PETthentriggersafragmentationoftheN-Nbond,resultinginthetransferofthelabellinggrouptotheTrpresidue.ThemodificationofseveralpeptidesandproteinshaveshownTrpselectivitywithvaryingstructuralcomplexity,withvariousfunctionalgrouptransfersfromtheparentpyridinium.TheselectivityforTrpoverotherredoxactiveorphoto-labileaminoacidshasbeenconfirmedusingtandemMSexperiments.Thereactionconditionsaretolerantofavarietyofconcentrationsofbiomolecule(10µM-5mM),donotrequireorganiccosolvent,showhighconversionatshortreactiontimes(<30min),andareenhancedwiththeadditionofglutathione.ThesecharacteristicsmakeitaviablemethodformodifyingTrpresiduesselectively,withapplicationsinfieldssuchasantibodydrugconjugatessynthesis,andcellularlabeling.

G22.MelatoninandCardiacAnomaliesinAlzheimerPatientsandAPPswe/PS1dE9AlzheimerMice:RoleofcGAS-STING-MediatedMitophagyShuyiWang1,SubatTurdi1,ElenaTopchiy1,BruceCulver1,XiaomingWang2,RusselJ.Reiter3,andJunRen1,21SchoolofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingCollegeofHealthSciences,Laramie,WYUSA;2DepartmentofGeriatrics,XijingHospital,theFourthMilitaryMedicalUniversity,Xi’an,China;3DepartmentofCellularandStructuralBiology,UTHealthSanAntonio,TX,USAABSTRACT.AmpleclinicalevidencesuggestedthatahighincidenceofcardiovasculareventsinpatientswithAlzheimer’sdiseasealthoughneitherthepathogenesisnoreffectivetreatmentiselucidated.ThisstudywasdesignedtoevaluatecorrelationbetweenplasmamelatoninlevelsandcardiacfunctioninAlzheimer’spatientsandtheimpactofmelatoninsupplementationonmyocardialpathologicalchangesinanAPPswe/PS1dE9transgenic(APP/PS1)modelofAlzheimer’sdiseaseandtheunderlyingmechanismsinvolved.PlasmamelatoninlevelsandechocardiographicfunctionwereevaluateinadvancedAlzheimer’spatientsandaged-matchedvolunteers.Adultwild-type(WT)andAPP/PS1miceweretreatedwithmelatonin(20mg/kg/d,p.o.)for6weekspriortoassessmentofcardiacgeometryandfunction.Alzheimerpatientsdisplayedalowermelatoninlevelsanddampenedechocardiographicfunction.APP/PS1micedisplayedultrastructural(TEM),geometric(cardiacatrophy,interstitialfibrosis)andfunctional(reducedejectionfraction,fractionalshorteningandcardiomyocytecontraction)anomalies

withsuppressedautophagyandmitophagy(reducedGFP-LC3B,LC3B,Beclin1,Atg5,Pink1,Parkin,withelevatedp62andFUNDC1).APP/PS1mutationalsodownregulatedlevelsofcyclicGMP-AMPsynthase(cGAS)andstimulatorofinterferongenes(STING),andTKB1phosphorylation.MelatoninamelioratedAPP/PS1-inducedpathologicalchangesincardiacgeometryandfunction,aswellaslossinautophagyandcGAS-STING-TBK1signaling,althoughthesebeneficialeffectswereabsentinAPP/PS1/ALDH2-/-mice.Invitroevidenceindicatedthatmelatoninattenuatedβamyloid-inducedsuppressiononGFP-MitoTrackerpunctaandcardiomyocytefunction,theeffectofwhichwasnegatedbyinhibitorsofALDH2,cGASandTBK1.Inconclusion,ourdatasuggestedbeneficialeffectofmelatoninagainstmyopathicchangesinAlzheimer’sdiseasethroughmechanismsrelatedtopromotingALDH2-mediatedcGAS-STINGsignalingandmitophagy.G23.ProgesteronestimulateshistonecitrullinationtoincreaseInsulinLikeGrowthFactorBindingProtein1(IGFBP1)expressioninovineluminalepithelialcellsColemanYoung,AmandaChristensenandBrianCherringtonDepartmentofZoologyandPhysiology,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAve,Laramie,WY,82071ABSTRACT.Peptidylargininedeiminases(PADs)areafamilyofcalciumdependentenzymesthatpost-translationallyconvertpositivelychargedarginineaminoacidsinproteinsintoneutralcitrullineresidues.TargetsforPADcatalyzedcitrullinationincludearginineresiduesonhistonetailswhichresultsinchromatindecondensationandchangesingeneexpression.PADswerefirstdiscoveredintheuterus;however,sincethennostudieshaveexaminedtheirfunctionalsignificanceinthistissue.OurpreviousworkshowsthatPAD2andPAD4arehighlyexpressedinluminalepithelialcellsfromovinecarunclesandanovineuterineluminalepithelial(OLE)derivedcellline.InOLEcells,inhibitingPADactivitybluntshistonecitrullinationresultingindecreasedbasalexpressionofinsulinlikegrowthfactorbindingproteins1(IGFBP1).Giventhatprogesterone(P4)iscriticaltomaintaintheuterineepitheliumduringpregnancyandregulatesIGFBP1expression,hereinweexaminedifP4stimulatesPADcatalyzedhistonecitrullinationtoregulateIGFBP1expressioninOLEcells.Totestthis,OLEcellswerepretreatedfor6hrwithvehicleor2µMBB-CLA,apanPADinhibitor,andthentreatedwith100nMP4for60minutes.Following60minutesofP4treatment,thereisasignificantincreaseincitrullinationofhistoneH3arginineresidues2,8,and17concurrentwithincreasedIGFBP1mRNAexpression.Incontrast,cellspretreatedwithBB-CLAdonotshowanincreaseinIGFBP1mRNAexpressiondespiteP4treatment.WenextexaminedifcitrullinatedhistonesaredirectlyassociatedwiththeIGFBP1genepromoterusingananti-H3Cit2,8,17antibodyforchromatinimmunoprecipitation.StimulationofOLEcellswith100nMP4resultsinsignificantenrichmentoftheIGFBP1genepromotercomparedtovehicletreatedcontrols.Inconclusion,ourworksuggeststhatP4stimulatesPADcatalyzedhistonecitrullinationtoregulateIGFBP1expression,whichisimportantforuterineepithelialcellfunctionduringpregnancy.G24.Listeriamonocytogenesasavehicleforintratumoralproductionofc-di-GMPAykhanYusifov,RaisaAbrarandMarkGomelsky

DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyoming,1000E.UniversityAvenue,Laramie,WY82071USA

ABSTRACT.Theimmunosuppressivetumormicro-environmentandpoorrecognitionoftumor-associatedantigensimpedeanticancerimmuneresponses.Attenuated,avirulentstrainsofthebacteriumListeriamonocytogenes(Lm)canovercomethesedeficiencies.Thesestrainsengineeredtoexpressspecifictumorantigensarecurrentlyinclinicaltrialsasanticancervaccinesforseveraltypesofcancers.Despitesignificantpromise,inmostinstancesLm-basedtherapieslackcurativepower.Therefore,combinationtherapiesusingLmandotherinterventionsarebeingactivelyexplored.AcombinationofLmwithactivatorsoftheinnateimmuneresponsemediatedbythestimulatorofinterferongenes(STING)hasprovedtobehighlyeffective.ThegoalofthisprojectistoengineerLmasaremotelycontrolledbacterialvehicle(bactodrone)forintratumoraldeliveryofaSTINGactivator,c-di-GMP.WewilltakeadvantageofthenaturalabilityofLmtoaccumulateandpropagateintheprimarytumorsandmetastases,andengineerthedeliverysystemforgenesandproteinsforcontrolledintratumoralc-di-GMPsynthesis.Wehypothesizethattumor-localizedandexternallycontrolledc-di-GMPproductionwillsignificantlyoutperformsystemicandintratumoralinjectionsinefficacy,safetyandtreatmentcosts.Totestthishypothesis,weareengineeringlisterialbactodronescontaininggeneticcircuitsforcontrolledsynthesisandsecretionofc-di-GMP.WehaveengineeredLmstrainsexpressingc-di-GMPsynthase,Slr1143,indifferentexpressionplatforms.WearetestingtheabilityofLmtosecretetheseproteinsinvitro.ThebestperformingstrainswillbetestedfortheSTINGpathwayactivationincancercellcultureandsubsequentlyamousecancermodel.

G25.ExaminingtheEfficacyofSingle-andMulti-ComponentExpectancy-BasedInterventionstoWeakenExpectanciesforandIntentionstoEngageinNonmedicalPrescriptionStimulantUseAmongCollegeStudentsLaurenZimmerman,KaylaMohler,ChantelleMcGeeAnnalisaPiccorelli,CaitlinA.Falco,&AlisonLoobyDepartmentofPsychology,UniversityofWyoming,Laramie,WY82071ABSTRACT.Collegestudentsreportnonmedicalprescriptionstimulantuse(NPS)primarilyforcognitiveenhancement(e.g.,attentionandconcentration)andrecreational(e.g.,topartyorgethigh)purposes.Despitenumerousnegativeconsequences,theprevalenceofNPShasbeenincreasingsignificantly,thoughtodatenoeffectiveinterventionsexist.Asinterventionsthataimtoalterexpectedoutcomesareeffectiveinreducingalcoholuse,similarexpectancy-basedinterventionsmaybeeffectiveforNPS,particularlyiftheyfocusonchallengingcognitiveenhancementexpectancieswhilesimultaneouslyprovidingalternativemeansofimprovingcognition,perhapsbypromotingsafecaffeineuse.Thecurrentstudytestedtheefficacyofasingle-componentexpectancy-basedinterventionandamulti-componentexpectancyplussafecaffeinepromotioninterventionagainstacontrolgrouptoalterbothintentionstoengageinNPSandcaffeineuse,andexpectancyeffectsforNPSandcaffeine.Datacollectionisongoing,thoughtodate43participantshavebeenrandomizedtoconditionandprovideddataatbaseline,post-intervention,andone-monthfollow-up(Mage=20.07;41.9%male;81.4%White).Preliminaryresultsindicatethattheexpectancy-onlygroupreportedsignificantlyweakerintentionsforNPSforcognitiveenhancementpurposes(t=-2.66,p=.02),alongsideweakercognitive(t=-3.22,p=.006)andsocialenhancement(t=-2.40,p=.03)expectancies.Themulti-componentinterventiononlyalteredintentionsforcaffeine,suchthatparticipantsreported

increasedlikelihoodofcaffeineuseforbothcognitiveenhancement(t=2.11,p=.059)andrecreational(t=2.58,p=.03)purposes.Thisgroupalsodemonstratedweakercognitive(t=-4.07,p=.002)andsocialenhancement(t=-2.09,p=.06)expectanciesforNPS,thoughcaffeineexpectancieswerenotaltered.Thecontrolgroupdidnotdemonstrateanysignificantchangesinintentionsorexpectanciesovertime.Preliminaryresultsprovidesupportfortheuseofexpectancy-basedinterventionstopreventNPSviamodificationsinexpectanciesandintentionsforNPS.ContinueddatacollectionwillinformtheutilityofadditionallypromotingsafecaffeineuseinlieuofNPSforcognitiveenhancement.UNDERGRADUATEORALandPOSTERPRESENTATIONSFridayApril26th20195:30-7:00pmattheMarionH.RochelleGatewayCenter(MHRGC)inCDE.AndSaturdayApril27th20198am-12nooninUWClassroomBuildingSite-DirectedMutagenesisofNociceptiveTRPV1/TRPA1tostudyPainSignalingHannaAhujawithDr.BaskaranThyagarajanDepartmentofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE,WRSP RockSprings,WYAbstract.ThemolecularmechanismofnociceptionbyTransientReceptorPotential(TRP)Vanilloid1(TRPV1)andTRPAnkyrin1(TRPA1)channelshavebeenstudied.CommontoallTRPchannelsaretetramers,witheachsubunitcontainingsixtransmembranedomainsandintracellularaminoandcarboxyltermini.Asapolymodalreceptor,TRPV1isactivatedbyvariousexogenousandendogenousstimulisuchasthevanilloidcapsaicin,heat,protons,andendocannabinoidanandamide.TRPA1isactivatedbystimuli,includingelectrophilicchemicals,coldtemperature,andmechanicalforce.However,themolecularmechanismofTRPV1/TRPA1activationandpainsensitizationremainunclear.Functionally,thephosphorylatedanddephosphorylatedstatesofTRPV1/TRPA1arelinkedinpainsensitizationmechanisms.CellularproteinkinasesincludingproteinkinaseC(PKC),proteinkinaseA(PKA),calcium/calmodulinactivatedproteinkinaseII(CaMKII)andproteaseactivatesreceptor2(PAR-2)sensitizenociceptiveTRPchannels.Hence,astructure-functionapproachwastakentoinvestigatetheroleofphosphorylationofthesetwoproteins.Weidentifiedtheputativephosphorylatedserine,threonine,andtyrosineresiduesbyalignmentofdifferentmammalianTRPV1/TRPA1sequencesanddeterminedthehighlyconservedresiduesamongthesesequences.AlaninescanningmutagenesisinTRPV1indicatesthatS502andS800aretwopotentialsitesthatundergophosphorylationbyPKC.ExceptionsaremutationsinTRPA1–S341andS759whosephosphorylationstatuswasnotaffectedbyPKCactivation.Furtherworkisinprogresstofindthesitesphosphorylatedbyothercellularkinases.OurstructuralandmutationalresultsprovidenewinsightsinTRPV1/TRPA1phosphorylationandtheirroleinpainsensitizationmechanisms.MicroplasticsinSnowandWater:DryerVentsasaSourceofMicroplasticPollutionandUsingNileRedtoIdentifyMicroplasticsinTapWaterZachAndreswithProfessorKirstenKapp

CentralWyomingCollegeOralandPosterPresentationINBRE Jackson,WYAbstract.Thepervasivenessofmicroplastics(MPs)inourenvironmenthasbeenconfirmedinanincreasingvarietyoflandscapesandareraisingconcernastheymaycausedetrimentalharmtoavarietyoforganisms.OneavenuethatMPfibersentertheenvironmentisthroughwashingmachineeffluentfromlaunderedsyntheticclothing.ThisstudyfocusesonalessstudiedsourceofanthropogenicMPfibers,laundrydryervents.ThegoalofthisstudyistoquantifytheamountofMPfibersreleasedfromdryervents,todeterminethedistanceMPfiberstraveloncereleasedfromthevents,andtomeasuretheabundanceofMPintapwaterinJackson,Wyoming.Snowsamplesweregatheredatseveraldifferentlaundryventsitesandweretakenfrom5’,10’,and15’incrementsfromthevent.Snowsampleswerecollectedfroma1ft²area,scrapinglayeruponlayerofsnow,anddepositedintoamasonjar(1500mL)untilfull.Meltedamountsofsnowequatedto550-650mL,dependingonsnow-waterequivalent.Watersamples(500mL)werecollectedfromvarioustaps,bothonmunicipalwatersupplyandwellwater.Snowsampleswerefilteredwitha0.45μmfilterandvisuallyinspectedunderastereoscope(SMZ800Nwithmagnification15x-120x).MPfiberswereidentifiediftheymetvisualcriteria.TapwatersamplesweredyedwithNileRed,filteredwitha0.45μmfilter,andinspectedunderastereoscopewithafluorescenceadapter(NIGHTSEA®).MPwereidentifiediftheyadsorbedNileRedandfluorescedunderabluelightwithorangefilter.Genome-WideScreenforClientProteinsofthePopZCellPoleScaffoldingProtein,inAgrobacteriumtumefaciens.CarrieAnglemeyerandGrantBowmanMolecularBiologyDepartment,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationMcNairScholars,INBRE Millersburg,INAbstract.Bacterialcellsdisplayawidevarietyofmorphologicalstructures,indicatingthereisfunctionalorganizationwithinthecell.Difficultieslieinfindingwhichproteinsareatwhatlocationsinthecellandwhichmolecularmechanismsareresponsibleforbringingtheseproteinstogether.Myresearchwillfillgapsinunderstandinginteractionsofacellpolescaffoldingprotein,PopZ,withinAgrobacteriumtumefaciens,apathogenicspeciesofAlphaproteobacteria.DuetoPopZ’suniquenature,ithasmanybindingpartnerproteinsthatitrecruitsduringcellpoleorganization.PopZiscategorizedasanintrinsicallydisorderedprotein,similartotheeukaryoticp53tumorsuppressorproteindomain.InAgrobacterium,PopZ’sinterconnectednessmakesita“signalinghub”thatiscriticalforcellorganization.Tounderstandtheseinteractionsmyprojecthasthreespecificaims:1.DevelopmentofahighefficiencymethodforidentifyingPopZinteractionpartnersthroughblue/whitebacterialcolonyscreening2.IdentifybindingpartnerproteinsbyDNAsequencing3.Confirminteractionofbindingpartnerproteinsthroughasecondarymethod.Thelong-termgoalofthisprojectistosuccessfullyrepeatthisnewmethodtocurrentlyunculturablebacteriasuchasobligateintracellularpathogens.BycomparingPopZinteractionnetworksinmultipleorganisms,thisstudywillexploreevolutionarychangeinintrinsicallydisorderedproteins,andaddressquestionsabouttheirfunctionalcapabilityinallkingdomsoflife.

UnderstandingironregulationofToxoplasmagondiidisseminationduringacuteinfectionAllisonArpandDr.JasonP.GigleyDepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyomingPosterandOralPresentationINBRE,Honors Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Toxoplasmagondii(T.gondii)isahighlyprevalentprotozoanpresentin30%ofpeopleworld-wide.Thisparasiteisahealththreattodevelopingfetusesandimmunocompromisedindividuals.Todate,therearenotherapiesorvaccineswhichprovidethorough,sterilizingimmunitytoT.gondii.Understandingmechanismsthatpromotethesuccessofthispathogenareimportanttodevelopnoveltherapeutics.T.gondiiinfectioniscontrolledbythehostviaIFNγ.IFNγisknowntomediatenutrientstarvationoftheparasite,and,inparticular,tolimittheavailabilityofiron.Ironisavitalcofactorsequesteredbytheparasitefromthehostwithininfectedcells.Baseduponpublishedresultsfrominvitrostudies,ironsequestrationfromthehostisthoughttobeessentialforparasitegrowthandreplication.However,ourpreliminarydataindicatesthat,asopposedtolackofgrowthinvitro,continuouslimitationviaironchelationwithdeferipronedramaticallyincreasedchronicinfectionburdeninmice.Theseconflictingresultsrendertheimportanceofironinparasitedisseminationinvivounclear.Toclarifysaidimportance,wetreatedmicewithdeferiproneandcomparedacuteinfectionparasiteburdensinthespleen,liver,smallintestine,brain,andlungsafter7daysofinfectionwitheitherME49orRHparasitestrains.RealtimePCRanalysiswasperformedonextractedtissueDNA.Ourresultswill,forthefirsttime,definehowironavailabilityimpactsparasitedisseminationinvivoandleadtoabetterunderstandingofthepathogenesisofthisinfectionformorerationaltherapydesign.CardiometabolicAlterationsFollowingSpinalCordInjuryCarsonAsherwithDr.BushmanPharmacy,CollegeofHealthSciences,UniversityofWyomingPoster/OralPresentationINBRE Powell,WYAbstract.Spinalcordinjury(SCI),whilebestknownforitspropensitytorendercertainmusclegroupsuselessthroughdisruptedneuralsignals,canalsoleadtolessobvious,butoftenfatal,long-termhealthrisks.AlargeportionofSCIvictimshavesufferedfrom(i)pneumonia,(ii)segmentallungcollapse,(iii)respiratoryfailure,and(iv)Type2Diabetes.DespitetheknownconsequencesofSCI,thereisaholeinresearchconcerningcardiometabolicandgender-dependentresponsestoSCI.WehaveconductedresearchontheacuteeffectsofSCIoncardiometabolicfunctionsinSprague-Dawleyrats.Inaddition,contrastsinresponsetoSCIbetweenmaleandfemaleSprague-Dawleyratswerealsoobserved.RatswererandomlyassignedtoeitheranSCIgrouporasham(control)group.CardiacstructureandfunctionweremeasuredperiodicallyusinganechocardiogramtosearchforsignificantdifferencesbetweenSCIratsandthecontrolgroup.Resultsfromtheechocardiogramshowedsignificantdifferencesfoundinleftventricularinternaldiameter(LVID),leftventricularejectionfraction(LVEF),andleftventricularfractionalshortening(LVFS).Dual-energyX-rayabsorptiometry(DEXA)wasutilizedtoassessthebodycompositionoftherats.Fromtheresults,SCImalesexperienced

significantweightlossatweeks8and12,butfemalesdidnot.Intraperitonealglucosetolerancetests(IPGTT)wereperformedmonthlytoanalyzetherats’abilitytometabolizeglucose,althoughnosignificantdifferenceswereobserved.Lastly,histologicalanalysisandwesternblotswereperformedtolookformarkersoffibrosisatamolecularlevel.EstrogenandProgesteroneinducePADactivityatthemurineCVmucosaSarahE.Bailey,Dr.BrianCherrington,Dr.HeatherRothfussDepartmentofZoology/Physiology,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE Laramie,WYAbstract.Womenare3timesmorelikelytodeveloprheumatoidarthritis(RA),developthediseaseearlier,andhavepoorerclinicaloutcomesthanmen.RAauto-immunityariseswhencitrullinated(cit)proteinsgeneratedatamucosalsurfacebypeptidylargininedeiminases(PADs)stimulatetheproductionofanti-citproteinantibodies(ACPA).Studiesofnon-reproductivemucosalsiteshavenotexplainedthegenderdisparityofRA.OurcollaboratorshavedetectedACPAincervico-vaginalfluid(CVF),suggestingtheCVmucosaasasiteofcit-proteinformationandACPAproduction.Parity,ageofmenarche,andbirthcontrolcorrelatewithRAinfemalessuggestinghormoneinvolvementintheetiologyofRA.OurpreviousresearchdemonstratesthatfemalereproductivehormonesstimulatePADexpressionandactivity.Basedonthis,wehypothesizethatreproductivehormonefluctuationsdrivePADactivityattheCVmucosa.WehaveusedamousemodeltotesttheeffectsofhormonesonPADactivity,andthereforecitantigenchanges,inCVF.InCVFfrompregnantandpostpartummice,PADactivityincreasesduringmid-pregnancywhenestrogenandprogesteronelevelsareelevated.Todeterminetheeffectofeachhormone,micewereovariectomizedandtreatedwithvehicle,estrogen,progesterone,orestrogenandprogesterone.CVFwascollectedandPADactivityassayed.WeobservedanincreaseinPADactivitywithestrogenandestrogenplusprogesteronetreatment,butnochangewithprogesteronealone.WeareintheprocessofrepeatingthisexperimentwithalargercohorttoaccumulatesamplessufficientforMSanalysisofhormoneinducedCVFcit-proteinantigens.CWC’sInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE):MeasuringWaterQuantityandWaterQualityintheDinwoodyCirqueMartenBaurandAmandaDyerwithProfessorJackiKlancherHealthandScience,CentralWyomingCollegeOralandPosterPresentationINBRE,EPSCoRandNASA Lander,WYAbstract.Wyoming’sDinwoodyCirquedisplaysevidenceofnumerousclimate-relatedchangesincludingrecessionofalpineglacialice.Glaciersserveasasourceofwateraftertheseason’ssnowpackisexhaustedandarecriticaltosupportingWyoming’sagricultural-basedeconomy.Thisresearch’sobjectivewastorecordandevaluatestreamdischargeandassessbiologicalandchemicalwaterquality.Thesetopicshavebeenstudiedoveraseriesofyears.Analysisofwatersamples(2016-2018)toassesspresence/absenceofE.coli—abacterialindicatororganism—revealednegativepresenceinallsurfacewatersamples.MeasurementofDinwoodyCreek’stotaldischargerevealedmassivedifferencesbetween2017and2018(1,580,256m3and

5,519,938m3,respectively).DataretrievedfromtheNationalWaterInformationSystemrevealedthetotaldischargeofDinwoodyCreekinAugustfor2017and2018tobe21,541,840m3and20,785,853m3,respectively.ThisindicatesDinwoodyCreekglacialcontributionpercentagesof7.34and26.56for2017and2018,respectively.ThegrowingpercentageofglacialcontributiontoDinwoodyCreekcallstoactionfurtherinvestigationoftheclimate-relatedchangesoccurringintheDinwoodyCirque.FallingandRollingasaStrategytoReduceLowerExtremityLandingForcesMartenBaur,TaylorKuehn,LingLi,JamieMcMullen,andYuSongwithProfessorBoyiDaiKinesiologyandHealthPromotion,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE,EPSCoR,andNASA Laramie,WYAbstract.Oneofthemostcommonathletickneeinjuriesistheanteriorcruciateligament(ACL)tear,whichcanoccurinnon-contactjump-landingtasks.SafelyfallingandrollingcanpotentiallyreducetheriskofACLinjuries,forfallingandrollinginparkourathleteshasshowndecreasedkneeloadinguponlanding.Fiverecreationalathletesweretestedsofar,andeachsubjectcompletedjump-landingtasksonforceplatestomeasurekneeloading.Itwasfoundthatfallingandrollingreducedverticalgroundreactionforceswhencomparedtonormallanding.ThisindicatesthatfallingandrollingmaybeusedasastrategytoreducetheriskofACLinjuries.Thisinformationcanbeutilizedbyathleticcoachestohelpreducesport-relatedACLinjuries.BindingEfficacyandThermogenicEfficiencyofPungentandNonpungentAnalogsofCapsaicinJaneBennisandBaskaranThyagarajanSchoolofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingPosterINBRE FortCollins,COAbstract.Capsaicin(CAP)isapungentcapsaicinoidfoundinchilipepperswhichhaspreviouslybeenshowntoreversetheeffectsofdiet-inducedobesityinmiceviaactivationofTransientReceptorPotentialVanilloidFamily1(TRPV1)throughtheenhancementofmetabolism,energyexpenditure,andbrowningofwhiteadiposetissue(WAT).CAPanditsnonpungentanalogsactivateTRPV1,howevertheirefficiencyindoingsoremainsunclear.Bindingefficiencyofcapsaicinversustwononpungentanalogs,Capsiateandcapsaicin-β-d-glucopyranoside(CAP-β-dgluco),wasanalyzedviamoleculardocking.Wildtypemicewerefednormalchoworhighfatdiet(±0.01%pungentornonpungentcapsaicinanalog),afterwhichmicewereeuthanizedandinguinalWATwasisolatedtoanalyzethermogenicgeneandproteinexpression.Ca2+influxinTRPV1expressingHEK293cellsstimulatedwithCAP,Capsiate,andCAP-β-dglucowasanalyzed.CAPisanchoredtothebindingchannelofTRPV1byhydrogenbonds,whichCapsiatelacks,andCAP-β-dglucobindsoutsideofthebindingchannel.CAPandCapsiateproducedananti-obesityeffectinmice,whereCAP-β-dglucowasineffective.TheprotectiveabilityofCAPwasmoreeffectivethanCapsiate.ExpressionofthermogenicgeneswasprofoundlyenhancedinCAP-fedmice.CAP-stimulatedTRPV1-expressingcellsproducedmoreprofoundandsustainedactivationthannonpungentanalogs.ThereisactivationofTRPV1andsubsequentanti-obesityeffectsinCAP,Capsiate,andCAP-β-dgluco,howevertheprotectiveeffectofCAPandsustentationof

TRPV1activationinCAP-conditionsindicatesitisthemosteffectivepotentialpharmacologicaltherapyforobesity.EvaluationofRoleofUncouplingProtein-1activationinHighFatDiet-InducedObesityatThermoneutralityKyleBiehlandBaskaranThyagarajan,PhDSchoolofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationINBRE Timnath,COAbstract.Obesityresultsfromanimbalanceofenergyexpenditureandintakeandcanbecombattedbyincreasingenergyexpenditure.ActivatingtheproteinTRPV1(TransientReceptorProteinVanilloidsubfamily1)hasbeenshowntodothis.CapsaicinisaknownagonisttotheproteinTRPV1,whichwhenactive,upregulatesUncouplingProtein-1amongotherthermogenicproteins;thisleadstoincreasedenergyexpenditure.Miceusedforresearcharetypicallyhousedatambienttemperature(22oC);wheremiceexperiencemildcoldstress.Thisstudyaimedtotestif,atathermoneutraltemperature,capsaicincanactivateUCP1todecreaseweightgain.Intheabsenceofcoldstress,housedatathermoneutraltemperature(30oC),micehavedecreasedenergyexpenditureandwereexpectedtogainmoreweightincomparisontomicewhichhousedatambienttemperature.Micewerehousedwithintheirdesignatedenvironment,andatsixweeksofageweresegregatedintothreegroups,anormaldiet,ahigh-fatdiet,andahigh-fatdietwithcapsaicin.ThemiceusedwereeitherofthewildtypevarietyorlackingtheUCP1gene;thewildtypemicefunctionedasthecontrolgroup,andtheUCP1knockoutmiceweretheexperimentalgroup.Throughoutthefeedingstudybodyweight,respiratoryexchangeratio,water,andcaloricintakeweremeasured;thermogenicproteinlevelsweredeterminedaftercompletionofthefeedingstudy.ItwasconcludedthatcapsaicincoulddecreaseweightgaininmicehousedatathermoneutraltemperatureinbothUCP1-/-andwildtypemicewithnosignificantdifferencefrommicehousedinambienttemperature.DinwoodyGhostForest:AlpinePaleoecologyintheWindRiverMountainsRitaBoveCentralWyomingCollegeAbstract.CWCarchaeologystudentsparticipatingintheInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE)havemapped70logsandstumpsatnearly11,000feetonArrowMountainimmediatelyadjacenttotheDinwoodyBisonJump.OtherresearchershavefoundevidenceofsimilarghostforestsonUnionPassandatHighRiseVillage.ThesampledArrowMountainspecimensC14datebetween1,100and3,000yearsBPandindicatethatprehistorictreelinewasapproximately500feethigherthantoday.ThisancientforestprobablyprovidedlogsthatbolsteredtheDinwoodybisondrivelinesandperhapstobuildacorralbeneaththejumpoff.Atleastonepinebranchdated2,910BPwasusedasaflagpoleinthedriveline.TheserelicttreesshowlittlesignofstressandprovideinsightintopaleoclimatethatcanhelpusunderstandmoreaboutclimatechangeandtheprehistoricenvironmentinwhichArchaichuntersandgathererslivedandthrivedinthehighalpine.TheAntsGoMarchingOne-by-One:MetabarcodingtheHymenopteraMicrobiome

oftheBigHornBasinCamilleL.Brandt,SidneyD.Brooks,LaraM.Chanthongthip,FantasiaCritchfield,EmilieD.Edwards,GarethG.Flowers,JacklynA.Green,DrewGroll,PascalHagenimana,TawnaR.Herrera,AbigailL.Hogan,WyattJ.Horrocks,BriannaN.Kilpatrick,ChazP.Krone,RichardA.Mangali,CarissaA.Schmidt,LauraShoopman,andTabithaN.Tyrrell;andAllanChilds,EliseKimble,andEricC.Atkinson(FacultyMentors)NorthwestCollege,BiologyDepartmentPosterINBREWestPlains,MO.Cody,Cowley,Lovell,Powell,WY.Abstract.Antscompriseaubiquitousfamily(Formicidae)oftheHymenopteracontributinghugelytothefunctioningofecosystems.Toinvestigatethemicrobiomeofantsandwasps(Vespidae)inhabitingtheBigHornBasin,weasepticallycollectedover50samplesusingpoint-of-collectionsoftware(Anecdata.org)todocumentspatialdistributionfromareaseastandsouthofLovell,WYtoBelfry,MT.BioinformaticstheoryandapplicationbecamethecentralthemeofBiology2465“ResearchProblemsinBiology”,introducingundergraduatestogenomicanalyses.WeextractedDNAfromwhole-bodyhomogenates,amplified16SribosomalDNA(V4region)followingEarthMicrobiomeProjectprotocolsandsequencedonIlluminaplatform.MetabarcodedatawerecharacterizedviatheQIIME2pipelinetocomparepatternsofmicrobialdiversityacrossspaceandant/wasptaxa.AnExaminationofRedFox(Vulpesvulpes)PelageColoranditsLinktoImmuneSystemFunctionBasedonthePresenceofBacterialTaxaCamilleL.BrandtandEricC.AtkinsonDepartmentofBiology,NorthwestCollegePosterINBRELovell,WYAbstract.Thephenomenaofmelanism(causedinmostorganismsbyamutationintheMelanocortin1receptor(MC1R)gene)hasbeenlinkedininsectsandferalpigeons(Columbalivia)toanoverallstrongerimmuneresponsethantheirnon-melanisticcounterparts.Crossfoxesareapartiallymelanisticcolorvariantofredfoxes(Vulpesvulpes)andhaveatypicalpelage(coat)colorofoverallredexceptforablack/silverstreakontheneckandback.Thispelagecolorcombinationisthoughttoresultfrominteractionsbetweenagouti,aproteinassociatedwithagrayishbridlecolorinmammals,andtheMC1Rgenethatcanresultineitherblackorredhaircolor.Thegoalofthisprojectiftotestifthepartialmelanismpresentincrossfoxeshasanyeffecttheirimmunesystemresponsecomparedtothenon-melanisticredfoxcolortypebasedofftissueassociatedmicrobiomediversity.Theassumptionisthatredcolortypeindividualscouldsupportagreateramount/diversityoftaxaand/orpathogenictaxa.DNAsamplesofbothredandcrossfoxcolortypeswereobtained(n=25)withthepurposetoextract,amplify,sequenceandanalyzeforanystatisticallysignificantdifferencesinbacterialtaxapresencebetweenredandcrosscolortypes.NitrateuptakepotentialrelativetolanduseinsemiaridenvironmentsPhillipsBrandon,AmandaJohnson,andChristopherWenzel

DepartmentofScienceandMathematics,EasternWyomingCollegeINBREAbstract.Themajorityofterrestrialplantsusenitrateastheirmainsourceofnitrogen.Nitrateisaknowngroundwatercontaminantwhichcanadverselyaffecthumanhealth.However,italsoplaysanimportantroleinvitalphysiologicalprocessesrequiredforplantgrowthanddevelopment.Nitrateuptakepotentialcanbeusedasanindicatorofbothplanthealthandenvironmentalquality.Asynopsisoftwoofthegenesinvolvedinnitrateuptake(CHL1andNRT1)alongwiththeirrelativepresenceinvariouslanduses(i.e.grazed-grassland,cropland,urban,wetland,sub-irrigated)ispresented.Anenhancedunderstandingoftherolethesegenesplayinnitrateuptakerelativetovariouslanduseswillimproveourunderstandingofnitrogenuseefficiencyinplantsandtheirpotentialtopreventnitratesfromcontaminatinggroundwater.DevelopingChimericSpiderSilkProteinsasBiomaterialsforUseinMedicalApplicationsMorganBrookswithDr.FlorenceTeulé-FinleyUniversityofWyomingatCasperPosterPresentationWyomingINBRECasper,WYAbstract.Themechanicalversatilityofspider-silksmakesthemsuperiormaterialsforuseasabiomaterial.Thisresearchprojectfocusedonproducingchimericspider-silkproteinstobeusedinthedevelopmentofbiomaterials.Specificrecombinanthistidine-taggedspidersilkproteinsweregeneratedbypreviouslycharacterizedrecombinantbacterialsilkclones.Therecombinantsilkproteinswerethenextractedandpurifiedbyimmobilizedmetalaffinitychromatography(IMAC).Thepurifiedspidersilkproteinsweredialyzedagainstammoniumbicarbonate.Inthefuture,thesesilkproteinswillbelyophilized,andtheirusewillbeexploredintheproductionofbiomaterials.PreliminaryTranscriptomeAnalysisofAdultCulextarsalisMosquitoesCollectedinFremontCounty,WyomingMicahConner,RussellBrubaker,ShayleeKetelhutt,JessilynMonahan,SerdarGayybov,CalebCecrleandAaronBenderDepartmentofMathandScienceCentralWyomingCollegePosterandOralPresentationINBRERiverton,Cheyenne,Lander,WYandMary,TurkmenistanAbstract.FremontCountyisahotspotforWestNilevirus(WNV)infectioninWyoming.ItisknownthatthemosquitoCulextarsalis(C.tarsalis)servesastheprimaryinsectvectorforWNVinwesternstatessuchasWyoming.Althoughagreatdealisknownaboutthetransmission,replicationandgeneticsofWNV,verylittleisknownaboutthegenomestructureandgeneexpressionprofileoftheC.tarsalishost.OurresearchteamcapturedmixedpopulationsofwildmosquitosinFremontCounty.TheseweresortedandadultC.tarsaliswerepositivelyidentified.TotalRNAfromthispoolwasisolated,column-purifiedandquantified.TwoparallelsamplesofhighqualitytotalRNAweresubmittedforIlluminanext-generationRNAsequencing.Uponcompletionofthesequencingourdatasetconsistsofnearly350millionpaired-endreads.

Theaveragedatayieldforthe2samplesisapproximately50,000megabaseswithaQscoreof>/=30forover91%ofcalledbasesandhasameanqualityscoreofnearly38.IncollaborationwiththeUniversityofWyomingINBREbioinformaticscore,ourresearchteamintendstoreferencethegenomesequenceofCulexquinquefasciatustobuildapreliminaryphysicalmapoftheC.tarsalisgenomeandidentifyinterestingpolymorphismsbetweenthetwospecies.Finally,byutilizingacombinationofourRNAseqdatasetandournewqRT-PCRthermocycler,wewillattempttoidentifywhetherthemosquitoswereinfectedwithWNVorpotentiallyothermembersoftheflaviviridae.

TheRelationshipBetweenLocalMicrobiomeandPlantCommunities-aHighElevationStudyontheSlopesofMtKilimanjaroinTanzania,EastAfricaEmiliaBulfone,TobiasOsborne,andGabrielSpoonhunterandJackiKlancherAlpineScienceInstitute,CentralWyomingCollegePosterPresentationNOLS,INBRE Lander,WYAbstract.InJanuary2019microbialcommunitiesonMt.Kilimanjaroweresampledacrossfourdifferingclimaticandvegetationzones.Thefirstobjectivewastoestablishabaselineinventoryofdiversityanddensityofspeciespresent.Thesecondobjectivewastoassesscorrelationsbetweencompositionofsoilmicroorganismsandplantgrowthatdifferentelevations.AqualitativeobservationatdifferentelevationsindicatedreducedplantsizeandreduceddensityofofSeneciokilimanjariandLobeliadeckeniiacrossincreasingelevations.Fivemicrobialcommunities-eachatdifferentelevationsandrepresentativeofdifferentclimaticlifezonesweresampledduringthisstudy.HeightandleaflengthofSenecioandLobelianativeplantspecieswereperformedonplantsassociatedwiththesesamesites.Intheupcomingmonths,sampleswillbeoutsourcedforDNAsequencing.Aftersequencing,itisanticipatedthatresultswillrevealcorrelationsbetweenthedensityanddiversityofassociatedmicrobialcommunitiesandassociationwithvariousplantcommunities.Thatis,despitechangesinprecipitationandelevation,therelationshipbetweentheplantsthemselvesandlocalsoilcharacteristicswillremainconstant.Incontrast,itispredictedthatthedensityanddiversityofmicrobialcommunitiesabove17,000feetanddistantfromanyplantcommunitieswillexhibitsignificantlydifferentvaluesindensityanddiversity.DistributionandFrequencyofAntibioticResistanceintheEnvironmentalResistomeHannahBurrough&CaitlynEdwardswithDr.JohnChaseMicrobiology,CasperCollegePosterPresentationINBRE Casper,WYAbstract.Theemergenceandspreadofantimicrobialresistantgenesposeathreattohealthcaresystemsworldwide.Althoughthisissueissignificant,littleresearchhasassessedtheenvironmentalfactorscontributingtotheriseofantibioticresistance.Environmentalmicrobiotarepresentsoneofthemostdiversereservoirsofantimicrobialresistance,knownastheresistome.Theresistomeincludesnotonlythegenesthatconferresistancetoclinicalpathogens,butalsotothenonpathogenicspeciesthatdominatetheenvironment.Whilethe

resistomeisancient,moderndayselectivepressuresareundoubtedlyshapingitscurrentform,degreeofmobility,andallelefrequency.Theprimaryfocusofthisprojectisoneukaryote,prokaryote,andviralpopulationsintheenvironmentalresistome.Over100watersampleshavebeentakenfromaqueoussystems,includingfreshwater,mineralhotsprings,andwastewater,throughoutWyoming.MetagenomicDNAisbeingisolatedforbeta-lactamasegenestomapgenesfoundthroughoutWyoming’swatersystems.Thechangesbetweenthemicrobiomeandresistomeofthesewatersourcesarebeinganalyzedtogainabetterunderstandingofwherebeta-lactamasegenesoccurintheenvironment.Thecurrentgoalofthisprojectistofinishtheongoinganalysisofbeta-lactamasegenesfoundinthesamplesthroughthecreationofmetagenomicDNAlibraries;specificallyfocusingonSHV-1andOXA-1beta-lactamasegenesduetotheirrecentincreaseinprevalence.Followinglibrarycreation,DNAwillbesequencedfollowedbybioinformaticsanalysis.Thelong-termfuturegoalistopresentamoreaccuratemapofthebeta-lactamasegenesdistributionandfrequencythroughoutWyoming.Bioproduction/OptimizationofMagneticNanoparticlesfromtheBacteriumMagnetospirillummagneticumAMB-1JacyBusboomwithDr.KarenWawrousekChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBREDouglas,WYAbstract.ThemagnetotacticbacteriumMagnetospirillummagneticumAMB-1naturallyproducesmagneticnanoparticlesthroughtheuptakeofironandsubsequentsynthesisofmagnetite(Fe3O4)inmicroaerobicconditions.Desirablepropertiesofthesenanoparticlesincludebiocompatibilityandamagneticdipoleatroomtemperature,idealforbiomedicaltreatmentssuchashyperthermiacancertreatments,immunoassays,drugdelivery,andimprovedmagneticresonanceimaging.Othermetalscanbeaddedtogrowthmediaforincorporationintomagneticnanoparticles,formingcrystalsthatarenotpuremagnetite.Thisprocess,calleddoping,canalternanoparticlesizeandmagneticproperties.Inthiswork,carbonandironsourcesingrowthmediawereoptimizedforbacterialgrowthandmagneticnanoparticleformation,andmagnetitenanoparticlesweredopedwithrareearthmetals.Wehypothesizedthatrareearthmetalswithsmalleratomicradiiwouldincorporateintomagnetitemorethanthosewithlargeratomicradii,asthesmallermetalshavearadiusclosertothatofiron.Usingvariousmethods,suchasenergydispersivex-ray(EDX)spectroscopy,transmissionelectronmicroscopy(TEM),andCuriePointdetermination,weverifiedthepresenceofdopants,measuredtheirsize,andmeasuredtheirmagneticproperties.Weconcludedthatourhypothesiswaswrong,asnodopantincorporatedintothemagnetitewithanyofthemetals.DecisionMaking:IdentifyingthePathwaysThroughWhichDopamineCouldAffectDecisionMakingAmandaChidesterwithJonathanPratherZoologyandPhysiologyDepartment,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE GreenRiver,WY

Abstract.Cognitivedecisionmakingistheprocessofacquiringknowledgethroughsensoryinputandusingthatinformationtochooseanoutcomeofbehavior.Oneexampleofthisissexualselectionorchoosingamate.Thisexampleinvolvessocialcommunicationsothatbothpartiescanmakeaninformedsensorydecision.Inordertounderstandotherbehaviorsthatresultfromcognitivedecisionmaking,wemustunderstandtheneuralcircuitsthattakesensoryinformationandturnitintomovement.Usingfemalesongbirds,wewillstudythesecircuitsbasedonsongevaluationandmatechoice.Thestructureswewillstudyinthesongbirdbrainarecomparabletothatofahuman.Thisallowsthefindingsofthisprojecttogiveinsightintocorrespondingstructuresinus.SpiceUpMedicineFantasiaCritchfieldwithDr.UkoUdodongChemistryDepartment,NorthwestCollegePosterPresentationINBRE WestPlains,MOAbstract.Spiceshavealonghistoryinmedicineusedfortreatingabroadrangeofailmentsthroughnaturalresources.However,theactivecompoundsinthesespiceshaveverylowsolubilityinwater.Eugenolmakesupoverhalfofthechemicalsfoundincloves(spice),acompoundwithonly2.46mg/mlaqueoussolubilityat25°C.Clovescanbeusedinthetreatmentofacne,yeastinfections,aswellasfoodpoisoning,septicshock,andtyphoidfever.Increasingthesolubilityandbioavailabilityofdrugproductsareusuallycreatedthroughformulationortheuseofprodrugs.Inthisresearch,wewillbeusingcarbohydratederivativestomediatesolubility.Withtheuseofglucose,mannose,andgalactoseasglycosyldonors,wewillprepareglycosidesusingtheactiveingredientsofspicesasglycosylacceptors.Achangeinsolubilitycouldresultinachangeinactivityprofile.Iftheactivityprofileweretoincrease,thesealteredspicescouldrevealmorepotentremedies,leadingtoagreaterprevalenceinmodernmedicine.WaterQualityinTheBigHornBasinMichaelF.Cuddy,GarethG.K.Flowers,WyattJ.Horrocks,andEricC.AtkinsonChemistryDepartmentandBiologyDepartment,NorthwestCollegePosterPresentationINBRE Cowley,Powell,WYAbstract.Waterqualityisimportant,especiallyintheBigHornBasin,wherebothloticandlenticwatersystemsplayamajorroleinagricultureaswellasfishhabitat.Waterqualitycanbetested,inthefieldorlabandtheresultsanalyzedtodeterminethepresenceandsourceofanypossiblecontaminants.IndicatorssuchaspH,salinity,TDS,conductivity,andturbidityareallusefulindeterminingwaterquality.Wehavecollecteddata,geospatialinformationandwatersamplesfromseveralsourcesrepresentativeoftheShoshoneRiverandtheClark’sForkoftheYellowstoneRiverwatershedsintheBigHornBasin.Ourdataindicatethat,regardlessofthesource,thepHremainedcloseto8.5,whiletheTDSandsalinityvariedbyseveralhundredparts-per-million.Thissuggeststhatthesolidandsaltcompoundsenteringthesewatersarenotnoticeablyaffectingacidity/basicity.WeextractedDNA(eDNA)fromwatersamplestoseekinsighttohoworganismsareaffectedbythewaterquality.Ultimately,thisprojectaimsto

createaGISmapoftheBigHornBasinhighlightinghowwaterqualitychangesthroughouttheBasin.EngineeringNear-InfraredLight-ActivatedT-regulatoryCellstoAchieveLocalizedImmunosuppressionClaraDelahayewithDr.MarkGomelskyandTasneemHassanMunaMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE Jackson,WYAbstract.Althoughsoldierswithmissinglimbsandextensiveburnsmaybehelpedwithorgantransplants,theyarerejectedwithinafewyears(Sarhaneetal,2013).Ouraimistostabilizethetransplantsusingimmunesuppressivet-regulatorycells.Tomaintainalargequantityofthesecellsintransplantedorgans,wearedevelopinganewtherapyinwhichpropagationofthesecellsiscontrolledbynear-infraredlight.TheGomelskylabhasengineeredasystemtocontrolgeneexpressionusingnear-infraredlightduetoitsabilitytopenetratehumantissues(Verkhushaetal,2016).Thegoalofthisprojectistotransferthissystemintot-regulatorycellssowecancontroltheabundanceofthecellswithlight.Inordertomovethegeneregulationsystemintot-regulatorycells,weneedtobreakitintotwopartsanddelivereachpartthroughtheuseofalentiviralvector.Inthisstudy,weengineeredthefirstlentiviralplasmidbypurifyingthelentiviralvectorfromEscherichiacoliandsubsequentlydigestingit.Wethenamplifiedthegeneregulatorysystemfromanexistingplasmidandinserteditintothevector.WeverifiedthatthelentiviralplasmidwascorrectlyassembledbyPCR,andarenowworkingtowardsengineeringthesecondlentiviralplasmid.Bothplasmidswillthenbedeliveredtot-regulatorycells,andwewilltestthecellsfornear-infraredlightactivation.Wehavemadeprogressinthesystemthatwillbeusedtomodifyt-regulatorycells,andhopethistherapywillbebeneficialforfutureorgantransplantrecipients.

CellularRegulationthroughOptogenetics:LightActivatedAdenylateCyclaseinMammalianCellsPaulDualeUniversityofWyomingINBREAbstract.Cellulartherapyasameansofaddressingsystemichumandiseasesisagrowingdisciplinewithinthemedicalfield.Onechallengewithinthisnewandexcitingdisciplineisareliableandsafemethodofcontrollingcellstosuccessfullyutilizethemastherapeuticagents.Optogenetics,orthecontrolofcellularregulationthroughapplicationoflight,hasthepotentialtobeasolutiontothischallenge.Thedevelopmentofanear-infraredlightactivatedadenylatecyclasethathasbeenoptimizedforuseinmammaliancellsbeginstoallowforthepotentialofoptogeneticcontrolofcellularfunctionsfortherapeuticpurposes.Throughthecontroloftheengineeredadenylatecyclase,andthecorrespondingproductionandreleaseofcyclicAMP,cellularprocessesandbehaviorscanberegulatedthroughexposuretonear-infraredlight.Thispresentationwillfocusonthedevelopmentofthelight-activatedadenylatedcyclase,Ilam5,its

incorporationandexpressionintomammaliancells,andpotentialtherapeuticpurposesinhumanhealthanddisease.TheSeverityofToxoplasmosisinfectionandParasiteBurdensMakaylaEatmon,CharleeHoughton,PhiliciaHupp,RichardMagarian,KatelynRandallwithMarieN.Yearling,Ph.D.SchoolofMathandScience,LaramieCountyCommunityCollegePosterPresentationAbstract.ToxoplasmagondiiisaprotozoanparasitethatcausesadiseaseknownasToxoplasmosis.Itisestimatedtoinfect11%ofAmericansandisaleadingcauseoffoodborneillnessintheUnitedStates.Symptomsofinfectionvaryamongindividualsandarethoughttopartiallydependonthepatient’simmunesystemandtheparasitestrain.Evenstill,individualswithhealthyimmunesystemsmayexperiencesevereoutcomes.Indeed,weobservearangeoftoxoplasmosisseverityingeneticallyidenticalmiceinfectedwiththesameparasitestrain.Giventhatinfectionoccursorally,wefocusedourinvestigationontherelationshipbetweenintestinalmicrobiomeandinfectionoutcomes.Ourroleinthisprojectistodetermineparasiteburden,whichcanbecomparedwithpathologyandmicrobiomecompositiondatacollectedinourcollaboratorlabs.WeusedqPCRtoevaluateparasiteloadfrommousespleen,smallintestine,feces,andbrainatbothacuteandchronicinfection.Ifacorrelationisobserved,furtherresearchwillinvestigatetheinfectionoutcomesfollowingthedepletionofthemousemicrobiome.ImplementingamedicalprogramforChildren’sReliefInternationalJenniEbersbergerwithDr.BrianCherringtonPhysiology,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationHonorsCollege Laramie,WYAbstract.Children’sReliefInternational(CRI)isanon-profitorganizationwhosemissionistotaketheLightofChristtothepoorinAfricaandIndia.Currently,thereisnomedicalprogramassociatedwithCRI.Inthispaper,therelationshipbetweenpovertyandhealthconditionsinCRIpartnershipcountriessuchasMalawi,Mozambique,Uganda,andIndiaareinvestigated.Thesethirdworldcountriesarepovertystricken,whichhasadirecteffectonadversehealth(Wagstaff,2002).Forexample,poorcountriestendtohaveworsehealthoutcomesrelatedtonutrition,environmentalexposure,chronicillness,andlanguagedevelopmentascomparedtowealthiercountries(Khullar&Chokshi,2018).GiventhepresentconditionsinCRI’spartnercountries,thereisaclearneedformedicalaid.OtherorganizationswithasimilarvisiontoprovidehealthcaretoruralareasinAfrica,likeFAME,willbeconsideredwhenaddressingthedevelopmentofCRI’smedicalprogram(fameafrica.org).Specifically,theimplementationofabasicmobilemedicalclinicwillbeinvestigated.AmedicalprogramforChildren’sReliefInternationalwouldbenefitthepeopleinCRI’sspecificpartneringlocations,providingmedicalcareforlocalimpoverishedresidents.InvestigatingtheLinkBetweenMelanismandImmuneFunctionofCanidsandthePresenceofBacterialTaxa

EmilieD.EdwardsandEricC.Atkinson

DepartmentofBiology,NorthwestCollegePosterPresentationINBRE Cody,WYAbstract.Thedocumentedcauseofmelanisminmostspeciesofmammals,fish,andbirdsiscausedbyamutationintheMelanocortin1receptor(Mc1r)gene.However,inwolves(Canislupus;n=8)andcoyotes(Canislatrans;n=10),itiscausedbyamutationintheK-locus,whichencodesthebeta-defensinproteinthatactsasanalternativeligandfortheMc1rgene.Thesebeta-defensinproteinsareimportantfactorsthathelptolinktheinnateandadaptiveimmuneresponses.BacterialDNAisleftbehindevenafterthediseasehasrunitscourse,soitispossibletosequenceusingPCRtechniquesandidentifythetaxapresent.WearetestingforthepresenceofbacterialtaxainK-locusheterozygous(Kk)andhomozygous(kk)individualstoseeifthereisastatisticallysignificantdifferencebetweenmelanisticandnon-melanisticcanidseffectedbybacterialdisease.

CharacterizationofPerceivedMuscleSorenessandPredictionofSkeletalMuscleMarkersofDamageFollowingaBoutofHighIntensityExerciseLaurenN.Elliott,BrittneyM.Wells,NicoleM.Sauls,EvanC.JohnsonDepartmentofKinesiologyandHealthPromotion,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE&Honors Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Exercise-inducedskeletalmuscledamageoftenresolvesin1-5days,howeverseverecomplicationsoccasionallyarise.Identifyingpredictorsofseveremuscledamagemayreducepotentialrisksassociatedwithhighvolumeorextendeddurationworkouts.Determineifpainperception is related tomarkers of skeletalmuscle damage following a standardizedHIRFTbout. Participants (n=19[13 males, 174.7±7.9 cm, 77.9±13.7 kg, 25.8±6.5 y, trainingexperience3.5±1.3y]completedastandardizedHIRFTworkout(1milerun,100pullups,200pushups,300airsquats,1milerun).At5timepoints(24hpre,immediatelypre,immediatelypost, 24h post and 48h post exercise), participants completed the Short FormMcGill PainQuestionnaire (MPQ), including responses to15pain termsandavisualanalogscale (VAS).Plasma osmolality (Posm) was measured from blood samples taken at each of the abovetimepoints.RMANOVArevealedamaineffectoftimefor11paindescriptors,VAS,andMeanPlasma Osmolality (all p ≤ .035). A stepwise regression analysis revealed a significantrelationshipbetweenVAS immediately post exercise andmeanplasmaosmolality 48hpostexercise.ElevenMPQtermsbestdescribedperceivedmusclepainfollowingtheHIRFTbout.The relationship between VAS immediately post and plasma osmolality 48h post exercisedemonstrates individualswhoperceivedmorepain immediately followingworkout showedevidence of increased skeletalmuscle damage 48h after theworkout. Thismuscle damagemay be due to a release of urea from the skeletalmuscle cell following exercise. Findingsindicateperceivedmusclepainmaybeavaluablepredictorofmuscledamage.

CellPrintinginComplexHydrogelScaffoldsCassidyEnloewithJohnOakeyChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationChemicalEngineeringBigHorn,WYAbstract.Tissueengineeringdescribesthetherapeuticregenerationoftissuedamagedduetoinjuryordeterioration.Mosttissueengineeringstrategiesrelyuponacombinationofcellsandbiomaterialstocreateasyntheticconstructthatwillimmediatelyrestorelostfunctionwhileslowlyevolvingintonaturaltissue.Approachestotissueengineeringhavebecomemorerefinedasadvancementsinmicrofabricationofsoftmaterialshavebeenadopted.Theseadvancementshaveenabledthegenerationofnovelsynthetictissuestructures,howeveritischallengingtocreatethemicroarchitecturethatisneededtoreproducethemorphologyandfunctionofnaturaltissue.Thisprojectexploredthefabricationofcompositepolyethyleneglycol(PEG)hydrogeltissuescaffoldswithcustommicroenvironmentsforcellsandanindependentlydefinedphysicalandmechanicalarchitectureneededtorecapitulatethecorrectmorphologyandfunctionoftissues.PEGmicroenvironmentswerepatternedwithadigitalmicromirrordevicetoopticallyfabricatesinglecell-containingmicrogelsofvaryingsizeandchemistrytobetterunderstandthevariablesaffecting3Dprintingoftissuesatcellularresolution.Usingthisapproach,compositePEGstructureswerecreatedandstress/straintestedtounderstandtheirbulkstructuralproperties.Thisinvestigationenabledthecreationofmechanicallycustomizablemicroengineeredtissues,withthepromiseof3Dprintingfullysyntheticengineeringtissues.CentralWyomingCollegeInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE):GroundPenetratingRadarDataCollectionontheDinwoodyGlacierAaronStrubhar,TobiasOsborne,AdamFrank,ZacGiffin,withProfessorsDarranWells,AndrewParsekianandJackiKlancherAlpineScienceInstitute,CentralWyomingCollegeEPSCoR,INBREandNASA Lander,WYAbstract.TheglaciersoftheWindRiverRangecontributeessentialrunofftobotheasternandwesternwaterresourceregions.Theresultingmeltwaterisessentialfordownstreamusers,especiallyduringthedrysummermonthswhenlittleprecipitationfalls.Glacialsnowandicemeltreplenishesaquifers,isutilizedforagriculture,andisvitaltowildlifeforbothhabitatandsustenance.TherehavebeenseveralstudiesperformedonalpineglaciersintheWindRiverRange,withparticularemphasisontheDinwoodyGlacier(locatedatthebaseofWyoming’stallestmountain-GannettPeak)TheInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE)hostedbytheAlpineScienceInstituteatCentralWyomingCollegehasbeenutilizinggroundpenetratingradar(GPR)tocollectdepthmeasurementsalongaspecifictransectoftheDinwoodyGlacierforthepastfouryears.GPRdatafromtheseexpeditionsoffersdetailedsubsurfaceimagingofasectionoftheicethatwasfirstmeasuredinthemid1980’s.Theresultsfromtheinitial2015surveydemonstratedsomeinaccuraciesbutdatafrom2016-2018hasprovenreplicableandrevealing.Duringthe2018fieldexpeditiontheGPRteamrepeatedtheoriginal1.6kmtransectontheDinwoodyGlacierandinitiatedfouradditionalshortverticaltransects.TheteamalsocompletedanewtransectacrosstheGannetGlacier,thelargestglacierintheWindRiverRange.AllGPRdatawascollectedusingaNoggin100MHz

antenna.ThetransectdatawasprocessedwiththeassistanceofAndrewParsekianattheUniversityofWyomingusingReflexGPRandseismicprocessingsoftware.

TheEffectofMid-FlightExternalPerturbationonLandingMechanicsAaronGannwithDr.BoyiDaiDepartmentofKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationandPosterINBRE Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Mostsportmaneuversareinresponsetoasportsenvironment;thisstudyisdesignedtoobserveandquantifytheeffectofexternalperturbationtothetrunkonlandingmechanics.WithmostACLinjuriesbeingnon-contact,thelong-termobjectiveofthisstudyistounderstandtheeffectofexternalforcesthatcausestifflandingsinordertoeffectivelyprepareathletesduringthesesituations,preventingkneeinjury.It’shypothesizedthataperturbationforcewithagreatermagnitudeandgreaterdistancefromthepelviswillresultinmoreasymmetriclandingpatternsassociatedwithgreaterloadingforkneeipsilateraltotheperturbationforces.Theinvestigatorsarecurrentlycollectingandanalyzingdata.Mid-flightexternalperturbationfurtherfromthepelvishasbeenobservedinasmallsubjectgrouptocausegreaterlandingforceinkneeipsilateraltosaidforce.TheresultsofthisresearchwillprovideusefulinformationabouttheACLinjurymechanismthatoccurswithmid-flightexternalperturbationandmayhelpdevelopaneffectiveinjurypreventionprogram.FromLandscapetoLifestyle-UsingLandFeaturesandGIStopredictHighElevationBisonJumpsitesintheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystemMaraGansCentralWyomingCollegeAbstract.TheDinwoodyBisonJump,locatedat11,000ft,intheNorthernWindRiverMountains,is2,400fthigherthanthenexthighestdocumentedbisonjumpsite.BisonJumpsaretypicallyregardedasaplainsphenomenon,whichmakesthissiteanarcheologicalanomaly.Ifitisunique,itismerelyinteresting,butifothersimilarsitesarefounditbecomesanindicatorofaregionalhuntingstrategy.Thispresentationexplorestheprocessthroughwhichenvironmentalcharacteristicswereusedtocreateapredictivemodeltoaidinthediscoveryofadditionalhighelevationbisonjumps-whichwouldchangethewayweunderstandtheNativeAmericanpresencewithintheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem.ThismodelhasbeenappliedacrosstheWindRiverMountainRangeandYellowstoneNationalParktoguideresearchersastheysearchforadditionalalpinebisonprocurementsites.ThistalkdiscussestheprocessofbuildingthismodelandpreliminarytestingofthemodelintheNorthernWindRiverRange.DietComparisonoftheGreatHornedOwl(Bubovirginianus)andBarnOwl(Tytoalba)inCimarronCounty,OklahomaVivianaI.Hinojosa,MaryE.Graham,Dr.CourtneyL.Springer,Dr.AmiL.Wangeline,Dr.ZacharyP.RoehrsDepartmentofNaturalScience,LaramieCountyCommunityCollegePosterPresentation

DepartmentofNaturalScience,INBRE Cheyenne,WY Austin,TXAbstract.Ecologicaltheorysuggeststhattwospeciescannotoccupyalldimensionsoftheexactsameniche.Aspartofpreviousresearchintobarnowls(Tytoalba,n>1500)andgreathornedowls(Bubovirginianus,n<65)inCimarronCounty,Oklahoma,thisstudyanalyzedskeletalremainsfoundinowlpelletstounderstandtheextentofnicheoverlapbetweenthesetwospecieswithrespecttodiet.Theresultsofthisstudysuggestthatpreyspeciesdiversityisrelativelysimilarforgreathornedandbarnowls.Additionally,ourdatasuggeststhatpreyspeciesrichnessishigherforbarnowlsthanforgreathornedowls,whichmayreflectpressurestodecreasenicheoverlap.However,previousstudieshaveshownlargerpredatorspeciespreyonagreaterrangeoffoodsizesindicatingourfindingsmaybeareflectionofsamplesizebiasorincompleterepresentationofspeciesingreathornedowlpellets.Finally,wefoundthatgreathornedowlstypicallypreyedonspeciesthathadagreaterbodymassthanthosecaughtbybarnowls.Thispreysizedifferencemayreflectpressurestodecreasenicheoverlap,whichalignswithresultsfromotherstudies.Overall,theresultsofthisstudyindicatethat,whilethesespeciesshareasimilarnicheintermsofspeciesdiversityintheirdiets,theyhavedissimilarityinpreferredpreysize,potentiallydemonstratingamechanismthatallowsthemtocoexist.MetabarcodingOvisariesNasalSamplesDrewGrollandEricC.AtkinsonNorthwestCollege,BiologyDepartmentPosterINBRE Evanston,WYAbstract.Bighornsheep(Oviscanadensis)populationsintheWestareoftenlimitedbydiseases,includingmicrobialpathogensthatmaybecarriedasymptomaticallybydomesticsheep(Ovisaries).Withtherightconditions,certainmicrobialpathogenscanbeacausativeagentofpneumoniainbighornsheepwhichisoftenfatal.Wewereinterestedinlookingatnotonlythosepathogens,buttheentiremicrobiomefoundintherespiratorysystemofdomesticsheep.Nasalsampleswereasepticallycollectedfromtwoewes,andeightlambsofdomesticsheepwithintwenty-fourhoursoftheirdeath.ThesesampleswerecollectedfromaherdofdomesticsheepintheBigHornBasin.UsingBioinformaticstheoryandapplication,weextractedDNA,amplified16SribosomalDNA(V4region)followingEarthMicrobiomeProjectprotocolsandsequencedonIlluminaplatform.MetabarcodedatawerecharacterizedviatheQIIME2pipelinetoseewhattypesofbacteriawerepresentinthedomesticsheepattheirtimeofdeath.TheInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE)EmergingFromPrimarySuccession:MicrobialActivityinDinwoodyCirqueSoilsLenaGrover,BaileyLewis,ElizabethTraverPhDCandidateUniversityofWyomingAlpineScienceInstitute,CentralWyomingCollegeINBRE,EPSCoR,NASA Lander,WYAbstract.Alpineicemassesaroundtheglobeareundergoingrapidmelt.Asglacialicerecedes,soilsthathavebeenice-coveredforhundredstothousandsofyearsareexposed.Thesesoilsemergingfromprimarysuccessionmaycontainmicrobialcommunitiesthathavegoneunobservedtodate.InAugust2018,studentsfromtheCWCInterdisciplinaryClimateChange

Expedition(ICCE)conductedsoilsamplingintheDinwoodyCirqueofWyoming’sWindRiverRange.Thestudyareawasdividedintofivedifferenttransects,rangingfrommostrecentlyexposedsoilattheterminusoftheglacier,toolderdevelopedsoilsneartheterminalmorainefromtheLittleIceAge(`1850).Coverclasswasassessedateachsamplesite,andaone-ouncesampleofsoilwascollectedalongwithasampleforDNAtesting.Inthelab,onesoilsamplefromeachtransectwasdilutedtoexaminebacterialgrowth.UniquegrowthsweresubculturedandoutsourcedforSangersequencingtodeterminethemicrobeslivinginthesoil.Bacterialgrowthwasanalyzedandrevealedpatternsofmicrobialactivityinthesoilthatoverlapwithcommunitieswithsimilartopography,aswellascommunitiesthathavevastlydifferentenvironments.Resultsremaininconclusiveatthistime.TheICCEteamwillcontinuetotestsoilsintheDinwoodyCirquetoassessfurthermicrobialactivity.ExtractionandIsolationofMedicinalProteoglycansfromPearlandBlueOysterMushroomsThomasHaackandMadalynMontgomerywithDr.EricMechalkeChemistryCasperCollegePosterPresentationINBRE Casper,WYAbstract.Manycommonediblemushroomshavebeendocumentedtodisplaymedicinalproperties.Proteoglycansfoundinoystermushroomswerecorrelatedwithanti-tumorandimmunomodulatoryresponseswithSarcoma-180cancercells.Thepurposeofthisstudyistoisolatethebestgrowthandextractionmethodtomaximizetheamountofproteoglycansseparatedfrommyceliaandsporocarp.Pearlandblueoystermushroomsweregrownindifferentenvironmentsinordertodeterminethemaximumgrowthofmyceliaforeachmushroom.Proteoglycanswillbeextractedfromthemaximumgrowthtofindthegreatestpercentyieldfromeachmyceliaandsporocarp.CentralWyomingCollegeInterdisciplinaryClimateChangeExpedition(ICCE):BlackCarbonAnalysisintheAlpineoftheDinwoodyCirqueGraceHartmanwithProfessorJackiKlancherandDr.CarlSchmittAlpineScienceInstitute,CentralWyomingCollegePosterandOralPresentationEPSCoR,INBRE,andNASA Lander,WYAbstract.AlpineglaciersinWyoming’sWindRiverRangeareexperiencingchangesinregionalclimaticpatternsandsubsequentlossoficemass.Glacialrecessionstresseslocalandregionalwaterresources,asglacialicereservoirshelpregulateandstabilizeseasonalflow.TheworkpresentedherebuildsonfouryearsofpreviouseffortsanddiscussestheimpactsofblackcarbondepositiononthepermanentsnowfieldsandsurfacesnowfromtheDinwoodyGlacierandperiglacialenvirons.Blackcarbon,whetherproducedthroughnaturalsourceslikeforestfires,orviaanthropogenicroots(incompletefossilfuelcombustion),isapowerfullightabsorbingparticulateandcandrasticallyreducesurfacealbedo.Decreasedalbedo,inturn,increasesinfraredabsorptionandacceleratessnowandicemeltrates.InAugust2018,32blackcarbonsampleswerecollectedfromtheDinwoodyCirque.AllsampleswereanalyzedusingtheusingtheLightAbsorbingHeatMethod(LAHM)inconjunctionwithDr.CarlSchmittfromthe

NationalCenterAtmosphericResearch.Blackcarbonsampleswereassessedfortotaleffectiveblackcarbon(eBC)innanogramspergramofwater(ng/g).Themeanforsamplesfrom2018was56.06eBCng/g.Thisaverageishigherthanvaluesfrom2017(52.27eBCng/g)and2015(30.0eBCng/g),butlowerthanvaluesfrom2016(193eBCng/g).Theextentofblackcarbonimpactinhigh-alpineregionsisstilluncertain.Nonetheless,continuousmonitoringintheDinwoodyCirqueiscriticaltounderstandtheglaciologicandhydrologicchangesthatwillimpactthefuture.TheAssociationbetweenObesityandADHDinCollegeStudentsZoeHendrickswithDr.CynthiaHartungDepartmentofPsychology,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE ColoradoSprings,COAbstract.WithalifetimeprevalenceforU.S.adultsaged18to44yearsoldof8.1%,attention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)isabraindisorderconsistingofanongoingpatternofinattention,hyperactivity,and/orimpulsivity(NIH,2017).Commonlyknowntohinderbrainfunctioninganddevelopment,recentevidencesuggeststhatpeoplewithADHDdemonstratelesshealthycharacteristicsthanpeoplewithoutADHD(Nigg,2013).ThesefindingsaresignificanttothemedicalfieldbecausedoctorsneedtoeducatepatientswithADHDabouttheincreasedriskofadversehealthoutcomesandpotentiallyprovidetreatmentfordiabetes,obesity,and/orhypertension,whichmaycontributetotheshorterlifeexpectancyofpeoplewithADHD(Barkley&Fischer,2018).ThecurrentprojectanalyzedtheassociationbetweenADHDandobesityincollegestudentsthroughthecomparisonofBodyMassIndex(BMI),FatMassIndex(FMI),andPercentBodyFat(PBF).Symptomsofobesity(e.g.,deficitsinalertness)canmanifestasADHD-likefeatures;ADHDandobesitysharecommongeneticsandneurobiologicaldysfunctions;andimpulsivityandinattentionofADHDcontributetoweightgainviadysregulatedeatingpatterns(Cortese&Vincenzi,2011).Theresultsindicatethatcollegestudentsbetween18-to25-years-oldwithADHDhaveslightlyhigherBMI,FMI,andPBFthantheirnon-ADHDpeers.However,thesefindingscannotbeconfirmedwithstatisticalsignificance,potentiallyduetosmallsamplesize.ThisstudyhascontributednewevidencetothefieldofADHDresearchthroughthecomparisonofBMI,FMI,andPBFincollegestudents.DrugResistantBacteriaPrevalenceinConventionalvs.OrganicAgricultureCompostAlmagamatedwithSoilTawnaR.HerreraandEliseJ.KimbleBiologyDepartment,NorthwestCollegePosterINBREAbstract.Humansusecompostforagriculture,horticulture,andsoilsciences.Areallcompostcreatedequal?Environmentalbacteriainconventionalcompostareexposedtoantibioticsthatcouldselectforincreasedresistancetoantibiotictreatments.Totestthishypothesis,wetooksamplesofcompostmixedwithsoilfromfivefarmslocatedinParkCounty,WyomingandCarbonCounty,Montana;threeorganicandtwoconventional.CompostsamplesareinitiallyspreadonTSAagarmediumplatesfollowedbyisolationofbacteria.Withcompleteisolationof

bacteria,asuiteofantibioticdiscsisthenplacedonlawnsofbacteriausingtheKirby-Bauermethod.Preliminaryresultsoforganiccomposthaveyieldedfifteendisparatedrugresistantbacterialtypesoutof50isolates.Conventionalcompostbacteriaisolateshowever,hadfourteendrugresistantbacteriumoutof44isolatesthusfar.Tentativeidentificationofthedrugresistantbacteriawillprovideanindicationwhetheragriculturalpracticesleadtogreaterexposuretopathogenicdrugresistantbacteria.Seleniumandsulfur:AbasisfortranscriptomeinvestigationofseleniummetabolismBrettHopper,Dr.ZacharyP.Roehrs,Dr.CourtneyL.Springer,Dr.AmiL.WangelineDepartmentofNaturalSciences,LaramieCountyCommunityCollegePosterPresentationDepartmentofNaturalSciences,INBREFortCollins,COAbstract.Alternariaastragali(A3)isafilamentousfungusisolatedfromsoilscollectedintheintermountainwestwhereparentshaleformationsareknownforbeinghighinselenium.Seleniumisusuallytoxictofungi,butA3notonlygrowsinthisenvironment,itthrives.Tofurtherunderstandthisuniqueproperty,wehavesequenceditsgenomeandarecurrentlyexaminingthetranscriptome.Thisinformationwillhelpusidentifymechanismsofseleniumuseandprovideinsightintopotentialadaptivesecondarymetabolism.Duetoelementalsimilaritiesbetweenseleniumandsulfur,theyappeartobeactedonbythesamemetabolicpathwayseitherintentionallyorunintentionally.Inthecurrentwork,thefocusisongenetics,regulation,andenzymaticactivityofsulfurasastartingpointforseleniuminducedtranscriptomeanalysis.Fugalsulfurmetabolismhighlightsincludebeingabletouptakesulfatewhentheyneeditasanexternalsulfursource,ortheycaninsteadscavengealternativesulfursourcessuchassulfurcontainingaminoacidscysteineandmethionine.Literatureofourcurrentknowledgeregardingsulfurpathwaysincludingthereversepathwayandsulfurmetaboliterepressionsystemseeninfilamentousandyeastfungiisreviewedhere.NeuronalMechanismsofDecisionMaking:InvestigatingtheNeuralConnectionsbetweenSensoryandMotorBrainAreasHollyHuber,EmilyPersonandKristinaZaharaswithJonathanPratherDepartmentofZoologyandPhysiology,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE GreenRiver,WY,RapidCity,SD,Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Adecisioncomprisestwoparts:sensoryinputallowingustoperceiveenvironmentalinformation,andmotoroutputallowingustorespondtoexperiencedsensation.Becausethetechnologyrequiredtosamplespatiallyandtemporallypreciseactivityatthecellularlevelisnotyetavailableinhumans,weturntoananimalmodel.Toidentifytheroleofauditorycorticalareas(CaudalMesopallium,CMandCaudalNidopallium,NC)inBengalesefinchdecisionmaking,lesionandtracestudiescanbeusedtomapouttheprojectionsfromtheseestablishedareastodownstreamtargets.IbotenicacidwasusedtocreatesmallfocallesionsinCMorNC(separatestudies)ofeachhemisphereineachfemalesongbird’sbrain.Behavioraltestswereconductedtomeasurematepreferencebeforeandafterlesioning.Afterdeterminingtheimportanceoftheseregionsinmatechoice,BiotinylatedDextranAmine(BDA,10KDaMW)wasinjecteddirectlyintoCMandNC(separatesurgeries)andthetracedye

wasallowedfullyextendthroughthepathways.Thetissueswerecollected,processed,andimaged.AfterconfirmingthelesioningofCMandNCaltersfemalematechoice,1pathwaystudiesrevealedthatCMprojectstomotorcorticalareas(robustnucleusofacropallium,RA),sensorycorticalareasinforebrain(NCandventralportionofintermediateacropallium,AIV),andthebasalganglia(caudalstriatum,CSt).NCalsoprojectstoAIV,suggestingNCandAIVmayplayaroleinthisimportantdecision-makingprocess.TectalactivityunderlyingphototacticpreferencesintheXenopuslaevistadpoleJasperE.HuntwithKaraG.Pratt,Ph.D.DepartmentofZoology&Physiology,Neuroscience,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE Laramie,WYAbstract.TheXenopuslaevistadpolehaslongbeenknowntoexhibitphototacticpreferences,i.e.preferencestoswimtowardsorawayfromvisualstimuli.Ofparticularinterestisthetendencyforstage48Xenopustadpolestoprefergreenlightbutforoldertadpolestopreferbluelight(Jaeger&Hailman,1976).RecentworkhasbeguntocharacterizethetimelineofdevelopmentforXenopusrodandconecellswithdifferentlightspecificities(Parkeretal.,2010),relatingthisdevelopmentaltimelinetotheshiftincolor-guidedphototacticpreferences.Yetstilllittleisknownabouttheneuralprocessingofcolorinthedevelopingbrain.Thefirstexperimentofthepresentstudyextendspreviousbehavioraldata,demonstratingthatevenoutsideofforced-choiceparadigms(e.g.thatusedinJaeger&Hailman,1976),stage48Xenopustadpolesspendmoretimeingreenlightenvironments.Tofurtherinvestigatetheneuralmechanismsunderlyingcolorprocessinginthedevelopingbrain,asecondexperimentusedinvivoelectrophysiologymethodstoexamineneuralactivityintheoptictectum–thevisualprocessingcenteroftheXenopusbrain–duringtheprocessingofcolor.Totheauthors’knowledge,thisisthefirststudycomparingtectalactivityinresponsetodifferentcolorsoflight.Theresultsoftheseexperimentsholdpromisetoshedlightonboththeneuralprocessingofcolorindevelopmentanditsrelationtobehaviorinthedevelopingtadpole.TheEffectofHighSalinityIrrigationonCucumissativusPhysiologyandtheRhizosphereMicrobiome

1CheyenneHunter,1AlexusPierce,1OwenSutton,1YaniqueLinton,1HolliMcAdamswith1AmiEricksonand2NicBlouin1NaturalSciences,SheridanCollege,2Bioinformatics,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationINBRE Sheridan,WYAbstract.Availableagriculturalwaterisbecomingmoresalineinsomeareas.Increasedsalinityaffectsplants,butwedonotknowhowsalinityaffectsthemicrobiomeofthoseplants.Wehypothesizethatplantswateredwithsalinewaterwillnotgrowaswellastheoneswateredwithlow-salinewater,andsalinitywillchangethemicrobiomediversity.Seedsofcucumberplants(Cucumissativusvar.SweetBurpless)wereplantedinafieldwithadripirrigationsystemovera9-weekperiod.Startingattheseedstage,tworowsofcucumberswerewateredwithwellwaterwhichwashigherinNaCl(1638µS)andtworowswerewateredwithcitywater

whichwerelowerinNaCl(154.5µS).Physiologicalresponsetotreatmentwasevaluatedonleafwaterpotential,photosyntheticrate(A),stomatalconductivity(gsw),andyield.TheimpactofthetreatmentsonsoilwasevaluatedwithweeklymeasurementsofsaltconductivityfromsoilsamplesandpHofthesoil.DNAsampleswerecollected6timesduringtheexperiment.Drybiomassofshootsweretakenaftertheexperiment.Plantsinthehighersalttreatmentshowednostatisticaldifferenceinphysiologicalresponses.DNAwasisolatedusingtheDNeasyPowerLyzerPowerSoilKit.PCRoftheDNAwasconductedusingV4hypervariableregionofthe16SgeneandthenITSforfungiprimers.DNAwillbesequencedonanIlluminaMiSeq2x250bpbyGeneWiz.WewilluseQime2toanalyzethesequenceresults.Basedonourpreliminarydata,ourhypothesisisnotconcluded.ExploringtheChemicalCompositionofCucumissativusandCucurbitapepoRootsHolliMcAdams,CheyenneHunterwithAmiEricksonandRobMilneNaturalSciences,SheridanCollegePosterPresentationINBREBigPiney,andHannahWYAbstract.Mucilageisaslimysubstancecontainingplant-specificpolysaccharidesandlipidsandcanbeextractedfromtherootofaplant.Itisaveryimportantpartoftherhizospherethatcancontributetomanyfundamentalplant-to-soilinteractions,suchasrootpenetration,soilaggregateformation,microbialdynamicsandnutrientturnover(McCully,1999).Lipidsaretypicallyhydrophobic,somemorethanothers,whichcaninfluencewateruptake.InthisstudyweexaminedCucumissativus(cucumber)andCucurbitapepo(zucchini)rootsbyinvestigatingtheirlipidcomposition.Thetwoplantspeciesarecloselyrelated,thereforewecouldassumetheirlipidcompositionwouldbesimilar.Seedsweregerminatedinwetpapertowelsandallowedtogrowforthreeweeks.Aftergermination,rootsunderwentamulti-stepsoakingprocess.Theyweresoakedinwaterforfivehoursandthenboiledfortwo.Theywerethensoakedforanothertwohoursina1:1volumeofethanoltowater.Followingthis,rootextractsweredriedtotransesterifyextractedlipids.Extractswereevaluatedusinggaschromatography-massspectrometry.Resultswillbepresented.EvaluatingPeripheralSensitizationofChemicallyInducedNeuro-inflammatoryPaintoDeterminetheRegulatoryRoleofInnateImmuneSignalingCortneyJohnson,ShaonilBinti,andGuanglongHeSchoolofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingPosterMcNairScholars Hulett,WYAbstract.Withafocusonpotentialimmunotherapyformanagingchronicpain,thisexperimentstudiesthepathogenesisanddevelopmentofneuro-inflammatorypainstemmingfromnervedamageandneuro-inflammationaswellasitsconnectiontoinnateimmuneresponseinordertoaddressthepressingclinicalmatterofneuro-inflammationandtheaffiliatedneuropathicpain.Associatedwithimmunecellactivationandinflammation,CARD9playsakeyroleintheregulationofinnateimmuneresponse.Cytokines/chemokinesarehypothesizedtobolsterneuro-inflammationandsubsequentlyneuropathicpainbyactingonSchwanncellsinneurons.Bycontinuousproductionofpro-inflammatorymolecules,cytokines/chemokinesexpedite

inflammatorycellinfiltration.Macrophagesandneutrophilsarethemajorinflammatorycelltypesandthus,arethecellsofinterest.Additionally,CARD9signalingisanessentialaidinmacrophageandneutrophilinfiltrationandcytokine/chemokinesmanufacturinginobesity-associatedcardiovascularmalfunctionandmyocardialinfarction,implicatingadverseeffectsonsterileinflammation.ItissuspectedthatinhibitionofCARD9signalingwouldmartheinflammatoryresponsetonervedamageorchemicalinducedneuro-inflammatorypain.ThisstudyisexpectedtoillustrateanunderstandingofthemechanisticconnectionbetweenCARD9innateimmunesignalingandneuro-inflammatorypain.Evaluationofmicro-injectiontechniqueandviabilityofregulatoryT-cellsinperipheralnervegraftsMichelleKilpatrick,YohannesEstifanos,KellyCSantosRoballo,JaredBushmanSchoolofPharmacy,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Motorandsensorylossfollowingperipheralnerve(PN)injuryposessignificantproblemstopatientsandtherapyoptionsofteninvolvetransplantsusingeitheradonorallograftorpatientautograft.Unfortunately,thesemethodsarenotwithoutcomplications.Forallografts,theconcernofrejectionanddruggeneratedsystemicimmunosuppressionmakethemaconsiderationonlyinsituationswhenquantityoflifeisinquestion,whichisnotinthecaseofPNinjury.LocalizingimmunosuppressionisapossiblewaytocircumventtherisksofimmunosuppressionandtherebyallowuseofPNallograftstoregeneratePNdefects.TheBushmanlabhaspreviouslyfoundthatlocalizeddeliveryofregulatoryTcells(Tregs)viaahydrogelwaseffective.Theobjectivesforthisprojectweretoevaluatetheuseofmicro-injectionasameansoftargetedTregsdelivery.TheinitialgoalwastoestablishprotocolsformicroinjectionintoPNgrafts,whichwasachievedwithfluorescentbeads.SubsequentexperimentsshowedthatGFP+TregscanbemicroinjectedintoPNgraftsandthattheGFP+Tregssurvivewithinthegraftsforatleast24hourswhenthenervewasstoredinatmedia37̊CorinPBSat4̊C.ThisisapromisingindicationofthismethodofTregdelivery.Furtherexperimentationwillassesssurvivalatlongertimepointsandinvivoanalysis.DevelopmentofRed-ShiftedFlavinsforOptogeneticsShannonLinchwithDr.KarenMrukChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentation RivertonWYAbstract.Optogeneticsisapowerfultechniqueusedfortargetinglight-sensitivitytocellsofinterest.Optogeneticsallowsforbiologicalsignalingwithspatialandtemporalprecision,whichmeanscontrolofspecificcelltypesinanexactlocationofinterestinrealtime.Thisamountofcontrolgrantsscientiststheopportunitytostudybrainfunctions,treatarrhythmia,ablatecancer,andcontrolbacterialgrowth.TheemphasisofmyprojectusesLOVdomains;anovelplatformforoptogenetics.LOVdomainsrespondto470-nmlight,weareworkingtodevelopLOV-flavinpairsthatactivatewithlongerwavelengthsoflight(red-shifted).Thislight

canpenetratedeepertissues,permittingworkonmammalianspecies.OrganicsynthesisisusedtocreateextendedconjugatedflavinsandmolecularbiologytocreatenewLOVdomainsinordertoobserveandcharacterizetheeffectchangesinproteinconformationtoactivatesignaltransductiondomains.CooperationBehaviorandHowParentsDecideWhethertoVaccinateTheirChildAlexanderMarchalwithDr.MariahEhmkeEconomicsandAgriculturalEconomics,UniversityofWyomingPosterandOralPresentationINBRE,HonorsGreenRiver,WYAbstract.Immunizationbehaviorandpolicyhasbecomeanincreasinglycontentiousdiscussionbecauseofrecentoutbreaks.Sofarin2019therehavealreadybeen465confirmedmeaslescasesacross19statesinAmerica(McKay,2019)andnationalDTaPimmunizationrateshavedeclinedby4%thisdecade(WHO,2018).Understandingwhyparentselectnottoimmunizetheirchildrenisimportanttodevelopmethodsofdissuadingimmunizationreluctance.Thispaperexaminesparents’socioeconomicbehaviorandhowitaffectstheirdecisionstoimmunizetheirchild.Morespecifically,itaimstostudytheeffectoffreeridinginvaccinationdecisions,andthesocialpressuresthatparentsinruralcommunitiesinWyomingfeel.Itlooksatthreedifferentsituationsinwhichthepersonalconnectiontoandcontributionmechanisminacommunityarechangedtoevaluatehowparentswhomdonotvaccinatetheirchildactdifferently.ThisisdonebyanalyzingplayinaVoluntaryContributionMechanism(VCM)gameandbystudyingresponsestosurveyquestionswhichfocusonparentalcommunityconsiderationsinregardtovaccinations.OurresultsindicatethatparentswhomdonotvaccinatedonothaveahigherpropensitytofreerideintheVCM.Rather,theirdecisionisuniquetocommunitypressuresandtheindividualvaccinationsituation.PhylogeneticsofSeleniumToleranceandAntioxidantCapacityinFungalIsolatesfromLysite,WY,USAAllysonN.McKinney,KatherineM.Peel,AndreaA.Waltjen,Dr.ZacharyP.Roehrs,Dr.CourtneyL.Springer,Dr.AmiL.WangelineDepartmentofNaturalSciences,LaramieCountyCommunityCollegePosterPresentationDepartmentofNaturalSciences,INBRE Cheyenne,WYAbstract.Selenium(Se)isararetraceelementinmostenvironments;however,SeisplentifulintheWindRiverbasinshaledeposits.ShaleweatheringexposesSedepositstonearbyplantsandfungi.DespitenotrequiringSe,arethrivingintheseSerichsoils.ThisstudyaimstoexaminehowrhizospherefungalcommunitiesisolatedfromareasnearLysite,WYcanliveinthisSerichenvironmentthatwouldtypicallybetoxic.PreviousworkhasfoundthatSetoleranceofvariousfungalisolatespositivelycorrelateswithantioxidantcapacity.However,theseisolateshaveyettobetaxonomicallyidentified.ThegoalofthecurrentstudyistoidentifytheisolatestogenusinordertoinvestigatethecorrelationbetweenSetoleranceandantioxidantcapacityinanevolutionarycontext.FungaltissuewasgrownonfullstrengthDifcomaltbroth,vacuumfilteredandpreparedforextractionbyeitherlyophilizationorgrindinginliquidnitrogen.DNAwasisolatedandtargetedsegmentsoftheInternalTranscribedSpacer

region(ITS1andITS4)wereamplifiedusingpolymerasechainreaction.BLASTwasusedtoidentifytheseisolatestogenus,andphylogeniesweregeneratedusingBayesiananalysis.ThisresearchwillprovideagreaterunderstandingofthesespeciesoffungiandtherelationshipbetweenSeuptakeandantioxidantcapacity,andtheirevolutionaryhistory.GrapheneSynthesisfromHydrocarbonsUsingChemicalVaporDepositionRyanMillerwithDr.RobMilneNaturalScienceDivision,SheridanCollegePosterPresentationSheridanCollege Sheridan,WYAbstract.Grapheneisatwo-dimensionalhexagonalarrangementofsp2-hybridizedcarbonatoms.Grapheneexhibitsuniquephysical,mechanical,andelectricalproperties.Graphene’spielectronsexplainitsexceptionalconductivity.Itshighstrength-to-weightratiocouldbeusedtoenhancecurrentproductssuchasconcrete.Whileseveralmethodsforproducinggraphenehavebeeninvestigated,chemicalvapordeposition(CVD)appearsthemostpromising.Thisresearchinvolvedastainless-steelchamberplacedinafurnacebetween600and1000°C.Aconstantflowofargonwasusedtodelivervariousratiosofagaseoushydrocarbonsource.Metals,suchascopper,wereusedasadepositionsurfaceforthecarbon.ResultswereevaluatedusingRamanspectroscopy.MALDI-TOFMSWholeCellBacteriaAnalysisHannahMillswithDr.FrancoBasileDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE Laramie,WYAbstract.Althoughmanymethodsexistforidentificationofmicroorganismsatspecieslevel,identificationofbacteriaatstrainlevelischallengingrequiringhigherselectivity.Straincategorizationisneededinmedicalsettingstodefinebacterialstrainsintermsoforigin,antibioticresistance,andpathogenicity(Sandrin,ToddR,etal).Duetothesimplesamplepreparationandtherateatwhichdatacanbeacquired,matrix-assistedlaserdesorptionionizationtime-of-flightmassspectrometry(MADLI-TOFMS)hasbeenofinterestinthefieldofmicrobialidentification(Sandrin,ToddR,etal).Whenlookingspecificallyatwholecellbacteria,MALDI-MShastheabilitytodifferentiateawiderangeofmicroorganisms,requiresminimalsamplepretreatment,maintainshighsensitivity,coversabroadmassrange,andhastheabilitytogeneratesinglychargedhighmassproteinionsthatcanserveasbiomarkersforidentification(Toh-Boyo,GwendolineM,etal).Thegoalofthisprojectwastofocusontheneedforincreasedprofilequality,reproducibility,andmassaccuracythroughtheoptimizationofpreparationmethodsforspecies-levelprofilingof10differentEscherichiacoliS2strains.Thesamplepreparation/depositionmethodsinvestigatedincludedthedrieddroplet,premix,andBrukermethod.TheMALDImassspectralprofileswerecomparedviapatternrecognitionthroughPCAforallsampledepositionmethods.Throughoutcomparisonofthemassspectra,itispossibletoseesignificantpeaksthatarereproducibleanduniquetotheindividualstrain.Althoughbiomarkerandlibraryidentificationwasbeyondthescopeofthisresearch,MALDI-MSanalyzationcaninfactdifferentiatebetweenthestrainlevelofabacteriasuchasE.Coli.

ThePhysicianAssistant(PA)Track:SixTasksToCompletePriorToApplyingForPASchoolJessicaO’NealwithDr.AnnieBergmanUniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE RockSprings,WYAbstract.Wheneverapplyingtoanygraduateprogram,oneshouldconsidertherequirementswellaheadoftime,andithelpstobreakthemdownintostepsortasks.ThisposterfocusesonthequalificationsnecessarytoapplytoaMasterofPhysicianAssistant(PA)program.ThoughthesetasksaretheminimumrequirementsforadmissiontoPAschoolinparticular,theywouldlikelybehelpfultoanyonewhoisintendingtoapplytosomeformofprofessionalschool.Becausestepsmayinferasenseoftimeorscaffolding,Ipresenttherequirementsastasksthatmightbedoneconcurrently:completingundergraduateeducationrequirements,obtainingclinicalhours,requestingreferencesandwritingapersonalstatement,shadowinginthejobfield,conductingresearchasanundergraduate,andtakingthestandardizedexam.Approximately240physicianassistantprogramsarecurrentlyoperatingandaccreditedintheUnitedStates.Gainingacceptanceintooneoftheseprogramsishighlycompetitive.Thatsaid,completingthesesixtasksmayhelpanindividualstandapartfromotherapplicants.HybridizationinLakeKivuCichlidsReidOlsonwithDr.CatherineWagnerDepartmentofBotany,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterpresentationsWRSPandINBRE Casper,WYAbstract.MechanismsbehindtheadaptiveevolutionoftheLakeVictoriaRegionSuperflock(LVRS)cichlidsoftheEastAfricanriftlakeshaveyettobeexplained.PreviousresearchsuggestsahybridizationeventbetweenancestralUpperNileandLVRSlineagesmayhavefacilitatedthisdiversification.Usingwholegenomesequences,welookforsignaturesofhybridizationeventsbetweenUpperNileandLVRS,comparinglineagesfromLakesKivu,Edward,andVictoria.OurresultssuggestdifferentialhybridizationbetweenUpperNileandLVRSlineagesbetweentheselakes.TheseresultssetupfutureworklookingforevidenceofselectiononvariationinhybridancestryofLVRScichlids.TheimpactofvoluntaryexerciseoncardiacremodelinginyoungandoldmiceIanOstlerwithDr.DanielleBrunsKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationINBRE Dayton,WYAbstract.Cardiovasculardisease(CVD)istheleadingcauseofdeathinAmerica.AccordingtotheAmericanHeartassociation,thereare7metricstobasiccardiovascularhealth:smoking,bodymassindex,totalcholesterol,bloodpressure,fastingplasmaglucose,andphysicalactivity/exercise.Whilethemajorityofthesemetricshavebeenimprovedoverthepastdecade,physicalactivityhasremainedthesame,ifnotworsened.Exerciseisknowntobeoneofthebestwaysofcreatingahealthyheart,yetmanyofthebiologicalmechanisms

influencingtheheartremainpoorlyunderstood.Therighthearthasbeenscientificallyneglected,yetitisthekeydeterminantsinmortalityratesinhumans.AlongwithDr.DanielleBrunsandEmilySchmitt,Iexaminedtheeffectsofexerciseontherightsideoftheheart(unlikethetraditionallystudiedleftside).Weexposedyoung(8weeks)andold(18months)micetovoluntarywheelrunningorsedentaryconditions.Afterfourweeks,bothcohortswillbeharvestedandtherightventriclescapturedtoanalyzeproteinexpressionofmolecularmediatorsofphysiologicalcardiachypertrophy.Futureexperimentswilldetermineifexercisecanbeusedasmedicineinmicewithright-sidedheartfailure.

LipidomicsandMassSpectrometricAnalysisofLipidsKarissaResnikwithDr.FrancoBasileDepartmentofChemistry,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE ColoradoSprings,COAbstract.Lipidomicsisthestudyofthestructureandfunctionoflipidsproducedinacellororganism.Theselipidsarehighlyimportantduetotheirroleincellsignaling,energystorage,andthemake-upofbiologicalmembranes.Thegoalofthisprojectwastodeveloparapidapproachtoanalyzefreefattyacidsinbiologicalmoleculesusingmassspectrometry.Massspectrometryisatechniquethatmakesitpossibletodetectandidentifyalargenumberoflipids.PreliminarydatagatheredusingthetechniqueofMatrixAssistedLaserDesorptionIonization(MALDI)massspectrometrytoanalyzecomplexmixturesoffattyacidsprovedsuccessful.Toensurethatallthemoleculespresentinthemixtureweredetected,wederivatizedthecarboxylgroupsothatthemoleculeobtainedafixedpositivecharge.Thepreliminarydatademonstratedthatthisstrategyisviable,andsoweproposetheutilizationofthisstrategyonbiologicalsystemssuchasbacteria.Todothis,bacteriasamples(E.coliK-12)weregrowninthelab.ThelipidswerethenextractedfromthebacteriausingthemodifiedBlighandDyermethodofextraction.Oncethatwascompleted,theextractedlipidswerederivatizedandthenanalyzedusingtheMALDImassspectrometrytechnique.

TheassociationofintestinalmicrobiomewithseverityofToxoplasmagondiiinfectionTuckerRussell,AmyRhoad,andKerrySondgerothDVM,PHD,DACVMDepartmentofVeterinarySciences,UniversityofWyomingPosterWyomingINBRE Lander,WYAbstract.Toxoplasmagondiiisoneofthemostprevalentparasiticinfectionsinhumansandanimalstoday(Dubey&Jones,2000).Theintracellularparasiteiscommonlyintroducedtohostsbyconsumptionofcontaminatedmaterial(Dubey,1998).Consequently,assessinghowT.gondiiaffectsthegastrointestinaltractmayproveuseful.Asasignificantcomponentofthegastrointestinaltract,themicrobiome,hascontributionstoimmuneresponse,metabolism,nervoussystemfunction,andbehavior(LynchandPedersen,2016).Throughoutthecourseofinfectionthemicrobiomeisoftenalteredandinfluencestheprogressionofdisease(William

andElisabethdeVos,2012).Therefore,thepurposeofourresearchistodetermineifvariationwithinthehost’sgastrointestinalmicrobiomeinfluencesseverityofT.gondiiinfection.Thecurrentworkinghypothesisisthatvariationinthehost’sintestinalmicrobiomeisassociatedwithseverityofT.gondiiinfection.Inthisstudy,anageandgendermatchedC57/BL6mousemodelwasusedtoassessparasiteburden,tissuedamage,andmicrobiomecompositionthroughoutthecourseofinfection.Micewereobtainedfromthreedifferentvendors(Jackson,Taconic,andIn-House)withtheassumptionthatintestinalmicrobiomeswoulddiffer.Tofurthermanipulatemicrobiomecomposition,micewereadministeredantibioticsintheirwater.Parasiteburdeninbrain,spleenandsmallintestinewasassessedusingsemi-quantitativepolymerasechainreactiontestinginacuteandchronicallyinfectedmice.Preliminaryresultssuggestthereisasignificantdifferenceinparasiteburdenofbraintissuesfromdifferentvendors.EvaluatingDietaryIodineStatusSarahR.RichwithDemetreGostas,Dr.EvanJohnson,andDr.EnetteLarson-MeyerDepartmentofFamilyandConsumerSciences,HumanNutrition,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE Powell,WYAbstract.Iodineisimperativetothesynthesisofthyroidhormones,whichareresponsibleformanyfunctions,includingfetaldevelopmentandcognitivematurationduringchildhood.Consumingenoughiodineisespeciallyimperativetopregnantwomenandchildren.DeterminingtheiodineintakefortheaverageUSdiethasbeenchallenging.Thisstudyevaluatedthevalidityofafoodfrequencyquestionnaire(FFQ)designedtopredictdailyiodineintake.Thisprojectuseddatafromaseparatestudy–UrineColorasaMarkerofaChangeinDailyWaterIntake–tolookatparticipantswithvalidFFQsand24-hoururinaryiodineconcentrations(UIC)(n=111,men/women=59/52).Thecalculatedaverageswere,UIC147±131μg/dayandFFQ328±221μg/day.DatashowedacorrelationbetweeniodineintakeandUIC(r=0.310,p≤0.001).Additionalanalysisusingastepwisemultilinearmodeldeterminedthatdairyproductsweretheonlysignificantcontributortoiodinestatus,explaining15.3%ofthevariance(p≤0.0001).Othersuspectediodinesources,suchasfish,iodizedtablesalt,andmultivitaminuse,accountedfor2.4%ofthevariancebutwerenotsignificantcontributors(p≤0.10).Theavailabilityofiodinefoodcompositiondatahasincreasedinrecentyears.However,comprehensivevaluesarenotavailableinUSfoodcompositiondatabases,preventingconcreteidentificationofmajordietaryiodinecontributors.ThisstudyallowedustodetermineacorrelationbetweenanFFQandUIC.SynthesisofHydrogelMicroparticlesthroughMicrofluidicDevicesforuseinDrugDeliverySavanahRichterwithDr.KatieDongmeiLi-OakeyChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyomingOralPresentationINBRE PineHaven,WYAbstract.Currentpassagewaysfordrugdelivery,suchastheoralandbolusroutes,havemajordrawbacks(GaoandLi2013).Oneproblemistherapiddecreaseindrugconcentrationwithcurrentmethodsofdrugdelivery(Bjornmalm,YanandCaruso2014).Also,adversesideeffects

occurduetohealthycellsbeingtargetedfromnon-specificlocalizationoftreatment(GaoandLi2013).Ourcurrentresearchisdesignedtoaddresstheseproblems.InpreviousworkwehavedesignedhydrogelmicroparticlesthatencapsulateflorescentproteinsusingthepolymerPEGPLAfrommicrofluidicdevices.Thesemicroparticlesweremonitoredforproteinreleaseprofilesbasedonthesizeandweightoftheprotein.Mypartofthisprocessistohelpfabricatethemicrofluidicdevicesusingreplicamolding.Microfluidicdevicesareusedastheycancreatemonodispersedropletsassmallas10microns.Thenextaimoftheprojectistoconjugatetargetedanti-cancerdrugHerceptininmicroparticlesandperforminvitrostudieswithbreastcancercells.Weareexploringdifferentmethodstoperformtheinvitrostudies.Thelong-termgoaloftheresearchprojectistomakehydrogelmicroparticlesthathaveencapsulatedchemotherapydrugsintheshapeofredbloodcellswithsignalingmoleculestobondtocancercellsurfacereceptors.Theredbloodcellshapeisusefulforthedeliveryofthedrugthroughsmallcapillariesinthebody.Withthiswork,weaimtoreducetheissueswithcurrentdrugdeliverypathways.DoesthecompositionoftheintestinalmicrobiomeaffecttheseverityofToxoplasmosisinfection?RachelShrodeandSusannahRobertswithKerrySondgerothDVM,Ph.DDepartmentofVeterinarySciences,UniversityofWyomingPosterINBRE Waunakee,WI&Lakewood,COAbstract.Toxoplasmagondii(T.gondii)isaparasitethatinfectsone-thirdoftheworld’spopulation.ItcausesthediseaseToxoplasmosisandisconsideredtobetheleadingcauseofdeathattributedtofoodborneillness.LimitedstudieshaveevaluatedtherelationshipbetweenthehumanintestinalmicrobiomeandseverityofT.gondiiinfection.Thus,understandingthisinteractionmayleadtomicrobiomemanipulationsthatreducethefrequencyand/orseverityofToxoplasmosis.WehypothesizedthattheintestinalmicrobiomeisalteredwhenthehostisinfectedbyT.gondii,andthatthesechangesareassociatedwithdiseaseseverity.Totestthishypothesis,C57/BL6micefromthreesupplierswereutilizedtoassesstheseverityofintestinaldamage,parasiteloadduringacuteandchronicinfection,andthecompositionoftheintestinalmicrobiomepresentduringinfection.Sincemicefromthesamegeneticbackgroundcomingfromdifferentsuppliersmayresponddifferentlytoinfection,cohortsofmicewerecomparedbetweensupplierstodetermineifthedifferencesweresignificant.Further,broad-spectrumantibioticswereadministeredtocomparediseaseseverityinthepresenceandabsenceofthebacterialmicrobiome.UsingtheQIIME2bioinformaticspipeline,intestinalmicrobialcompositioncomparisons,statisticalsignificances,andinterpretationsofvisualchangesthroughtheevaluationofalphaandbetadiversitywereinvestigated.Thepreliminary,resultsindicateasignificantdifferenceinbetadiversitybetweensuppliersateachtimepoint.Adifferenceinalphadiversitywasobservedbetweenacuteandchronicallyinfectedmicebetweentwosuppliers.AlgalGrowthUnderVerticalandHorizontalConfinementUsingMicrofluidicDevicesBenjaminA.SabatandDr.JohnOakey

DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBRE Laramie,WYAbstract.Microfluidicsdescribesthetechnologicalapplicationofmanipulatingfluidswithinextremelysmallchannels.Microfluidicdeviceshaveawidearrayofusesandarecommonlyfabricatedusinginexpensivemoldinginpolydimethylsiloxane(PDMS),whichallowsforgaspermeabilityandisbiocompatible,creatingafavorableenvironmentforthegrowthandmovementofmicroorganisms.Microfluidicdevicesalsoallowforthespatialproperties,suchasthedepthandwidthofgrowthenvironmenttobepreciselyaltered.Here,thesedevicesaregrowthchambersusedtoobtainhigh-resolutionimagesofgrowthratesanddistributionofsingle-celledalga.Microfluidicgrowthchambersallowforcellstobegrowninasingleplane,definedbythedepthofthechamber,allowingforathree-dimensionalcelltobeeasilyimaged.Wecreatedmicrofluidicdevicestostudythegrowthdynamicsandmotilityofadesiccation-tolerantgreenalgaefoundindesertsoilcrusts.Themotilityandgrowthdynamicsofthisalgaehavenotbeenpreviouslystudiedbecausetheyareconventionallygrowninasuspension.Thisalgawasstudiedintheconfinedenvironmentofamicrofluidicgrowthchamber,designedtorepresentbasicaspectsoftheirnativesoilniche,andwerefoundtoexhibita“passivemotility”,seemingtoexploreitssurroundingenvironment.Here,weareseeinghowalgaereactsinbothgrowthrateanddispersionwhenconfinedhorizontallyandverticallyinthesegrowthchambers,andhowtheseedingdensityeffectsthedispersionandgrowthratesindevicesofincreasingdepth.UnderstandingBindingPromiscuityinanIntrinsicallyDisorderedProteinKaylanSchillingandDr.GrantBowman

DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterINBRE Riverton,WYAbstract.Despitebeingthesimplestandsmallestformsoflife,bacteriaexhibitasurprisingdegreeofsubcellularorganization.Inthecytoplasm,largeandcomplexfeaturesareformedasindividualproteinscollide,interact,andassembleintointerconnectedmacromolecularstructures.InAlphaproteobacteria,PolarorganizingproteinZ(PopZ)selfassemblesintoahighlydynamicscaffoldingnetworkatthecellpoles.PopZhasanintrinsicallydisorderedN-terminaldomain,whichformsaflexiblebindingsitethatinteractswithatleasteightdifferentproteinsinvolvedincellcycleregulationandchromosomalsegregation.WehaveidentifiedacriticalelementwithintheN-terminalbindingdomainofPopZ.Itisashort,evolutionarilyconservedsequencethatformsatemporaryalphahelicalstructureuponcontactwithabindingpartnerandmayalsobetheprimarydeterminantforbindingspecificity.Wearecomparingdistantlyrelatedorganisms,suchasCaulobactercrescentusandRickettsiarickettsii,andaskingifthedifferencesinthisshortaminoacidsequencedictatechangesinbindingpartnerspecificity.Todothis,wecreatechimericconstructsthatspecificallyhighlightdifferentsequenceswithintheN-terminalbindingdomain.Bindingactivityisassessedbyco-expressingfluorescentlytaggedchimericPopZvariantswithGFPtaggedbindingpartnersandobservingthedegreeofco-localizationbylive-cellfluorescentmicroscopy.Ourpreliminaryresultsprovide

indicationsofstructuraldeterminantsthatareessentialforPopZ’sbroadbindingspecificityandalsoprovideinsightintohowintrinsicallydisorderedproteinschangeoverevolutionarytime.EfficientLiving:ExploringthePossibilityofReplacingInsulinTherapyforTypeIDiabeticsCarissaA.SchmidtandEricC.AtkinsonBiologyDepartment,NorthwestCollegePosterNorthwestCollege Powell,WYAbstract.Aretherespecificeffectsfromexerciseonsymptomsofdisease?Thisstudyexplorestheeffectsofexerciseonthecontrolofbloodglucose.Thebodyisthemostefficientmachineoutthere.Itisdesignedtorepairitselfwhenithasbeendamaged.IwantedtoknowifitisrealisticallypossibletousethebodylikemachineandeliminatetheuseofInsulinforTypeIDiabetics.Whatroledoesexerciseplayinrestoringadiabetic’sbodytofullpotential?Whengeneticmutationsemerge,Ihypothesizethatexerciseplaysasignificantroleincontrollingorreversingsymptoms.Afewoftheseeffectscanbeobservedwhenlookingattheroleexerciseplaysincontrolofbloodglucose.InthefollowingstudyIobservedbloodglucoselevelsofactiveindividuals,beforeandafterexercises,for2weeks.Imeasuredbloodglucoselevelsinsixindividuals10-15minutes,30-45minutes,and60-120minutesfollowingboutsofthreeexercisetypes(cardio,strength,andacombinationofthetwo).Therecordedbloodglucoselevelswerestronglyinfluencedbyexercisetypeat10-15minutes(F4,51=5.444,p<0.001)andat30-45minutes(F4,52=5.257,p<0.001).Nosignificanteffectwasshownafter2hours.Bloodglucoselevelsfollowingstrengthtrainingweresignificantlyhigherthancardioandcardio/strengthatboth10-15minutesand30-45minutesfollowingexercisebouts.Aftertheanalysisofcollecteddata,exerciseappearstohaveasignificantimpactonglucosecontrolinthebody.UnderstandingBindingSpecificityofPolarOrganizingProteinZ2SarahSteinbergand2TheressaSmithwith2Dr.Motriuk-Smithand1Dr.GrantBowman2DepartmentofZoology&Physiology,1DepartmentofMolecularBiology,UniversityofWyomingPosterPresentationINBREElCajon,CAandMonticello,MNAbstract.Itisknowntoexpressanintrinsicallydisorderedprotein,PolarOrganizingProteinZ(PopZ).PopZisresponsibleforcellorganizationandpolarlocalizationduringasymmetriccelldivisionofC.crescentus.TheinteractionsbetweenPopZandaspecificbindingpartnercanbeobservedbyexpressionofrecombinantDNAinEscherichiacoli.Isopropylβ-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside(IPTG)inducesexpressionofmCherryfusedwithPopZ.InductionwithArabinoseresultsinexpressionofgreenfluorescentprotein(GFP)fusedwithanyofthebindingpartners.Therefore,theinteractionsbetweenbindingpartnersandPopZcanbeobservedusingfluorescentmicroscopy.Previousstudieshaveoptimizedexperimentalconditionsofpositivecontrolexpression,usingChpTandParB,whichco-localizewithwildtypePopZ.ThisstudyincludesscreeninginteractionsofPopZmutantsthathaveeitherbeenalteredattheN-terminusorthePEDregions,withproteinsinvolvedincelldivision.CTEandtheAccumulationofTauProteinintheBrainsofBighornSheep

TabithaN.Tyrrell,EricC.Atkinson,MichaelF.Cuddy,andEricSilkBiology,Chemistry,andPsychologyDepartments,NorthwestCollegePosterandOralPresentationINBRE Cody,WYAbstract.Bighornsheep(Oviscanadensis)havelong-beenassumedtobeimmunetotheconsequencesthatarisefollowingrepetitiveblunttraumatothehead,suchasatraumaticbraininjury.However,littletonoresearchhasbeenconductedtomakeanyconclusiveargumentssupportingthishypothesis.Chronictraumaticencephalopathy(CTE)isaneurodegenerativediseaseinwhichtauproteinsdetachfromthemicrotubulestheyarenormallyassociatedwithandbecomehyperphosphorylatedtoformaggregationsthatgraduallyspreadthroughoutthebrain.Althoughtauisrelatedtomanydifferentneurodegenerativediseases(tauopathies),thisspecifictypeofproteinaggregationisuniquetoCTE.Todeterminewhetherornotbighornsheeppresentwiththisspecifictauopathy,wecollectedthebrainsofthreesheepthatweredonatedbyalocaltaxidermistforourresearch.Thebrainswereinitiallystoredintherefrigeratorforapproximatelythreeweeksandwerethenfixedinformaldehyde.Thebrainswerethenseparatedintotheleftandrighthemisphereswithadissectionblade.Thehalvesweredehydratedwith90%ethanolandembeddedinparaffin.Thebrainswerethensectionedintosectionsof5-10micronsusingamanualmicrotome.WetestedfortauproteinaggregationsbyusingaGallyassilverstain.Thisstainwasselectedduetoitshighsensitivitytoneurofibrillarytanglesandproteinaggregationswithinbraintissue.Furtherexaminationofthespecimenswilldeterminewhetherornotthebrainspresentwiththeaforementionedtauopathy,chronictraumaticencephalopathy.ExaminingtheRoleofc-JunNH2-terminalKinaseintheRegulationofFemaleReproductionAlexandraVerosky,KaraghBrummond,BrianS.Edwards,ShaihlaA.Khan,UlrichBoehm,RogerJ.Davis,AmyM.Navratil

Zoology&Physiology,UniversityofWyomingAbstract.Gonadotropinreleasinghormonereceptor(GnRHR)activationinitiatesanetworkofsignalingpathwaysthatresultsinthesynthesisandsecretionofgonadotropins,luteinizinghormone(LH)andfolliclestimulatinghormone(FSH),fromgonadotropecellsintheanteriorpituitary.Previousworkhashighlightedanimportantroleforthec-JunNH2-terminalkinase(JNK)signalingcascadeinregulatingbothGnRHRexpressionlevelsandpulsatileLHsecretion;eventsthatareessentialforreproductiveviability.However,whetherJNKregulatesgonadotropefunctioninvivoisnotknown.Tospecificallyaddressthisquestion,weutilizedCre/loxPtechnologytoselectivelyinactivateJNK1andJNK2(JNK1/2)ingonadotropecellsoftheanteriorpituitary(DKO).Interestingly,qPCRanalysesrevealedthereisanincreaseinFSHβmRNAandserumlevelsinDKOfemales.ConsistentwithelevatedFSHlevels,JNKDKOfemalespresentedwithincreasedovarianweightsandantralfollicledevelopment.EstrousstagecyclingalsorevealedthatJNKDKOfemaleshadirregularcyclesmarkedbyprolongeddiestrusandabnormalcyclelength.Takentogether,ourresultsrevealapossiblenovelinhibitoryroleforJNKsignalingingonadotroperegulationofFSHβsynthesisinvivo.ExaminingIndividualVocalizationSignaturesinZebraFinchesJoyM.WatkinswithLisaP.BarrettandDr.Benson-Amram

Zoology&Physiology,UniversityofWyomingOral&PosterPresentationINBRE,Honors Laramie,WYAbstract.Thegregariouszebrafinch(Taeniopygiaguttata)isamonogamousspeciesthatiswell-suitedformanytypesofbehavioralstudies,aszebrafinchesareasociallycomplexspeciesandeasilykeptincaptivity.Animalcommunicationfacilitatesspecificactionsamongconspecifics,suchascooperative,competitive,ordefensivebehaviors.Specifically,individualcallingsignaturesbetweenconspecificsmayprovideinsightintoindividualidentificationandcouldserveasacriticalrecognitioncueofbehavioralstate.Here,wediscusstherelationshipbetweenvocalcommunicationandcoordinatedproblemsolvinginpair-bondedzebrafinches.Weevaluatedthemethodsofcollectingandanalyzingthevocalrepertoireofadultzebrafinches.ThespectralfeaturesthathavebeenutilizedtocategorizeelevendistinctcallingtypeswereanalyzedwithRavenProacousticalsoftwareandthe‘warbleR’packageinR.DownstreamanalysisutilizedPythontodiscriminatebetweentemporalandfundamentalfrequenciesofcalls.AcuteBloodPressureResponsefollowingHighIntensityFunctionalResistanceTrainingBrittneyWellsandDr.EvanJohnson,AmandaL.Zaleski,NicoleSauls,LaurenElliotKinesiologyandHealth,UniversityofWyomingOralandPosterPresentationINBRE ColoradoSprings,COAbstract.Moderateintensitycontinuousexercise(MICE)andresistancetraining(RT)produceimmediatereductionsinbloodpressure(BP),whichpersistfor~24hr(post-exercisehypotension[PEH]).Highintensityfunctionalresistancetraining(HIFRT)hasincreasedinpopularity,however,themagnitudeofPEHfollowingHIFRThasyettobequantified.AssesstheBPresponsestoaboutofHIFRT.19participants(6female,174.7±7.8cm,77.92±13.7kg,25.8±6.5yr,withtrainingexperienceof3.5±1.3y)performedastandardizedworkout(1-milerun,100pull-ups,200push-ups,300squats,andafinal1-milerun).SystolicBP(SBP),diastolicBP(DBP),andmeanarterialpressure(MAP)weremeasured:pre-(baseline),post-,24hpost-,and48hpost-workout.HIRFTdurationandintensitywere56.9±11.6minand75.2±5.5%ofagepredictedmaxheartrate,respectively.RestingBPwasconsiderednormaltoelevated(121.8±2.6,76.3±1.9mmHg).Immediatelypost,24hpost,and48hpostHIFRTBPdecreasedfrombaseline(-14.1±2.9,-7.6±1.9,-6.1±2.1mmHg),and(-4.9±1.1,5.8±1.8,-4.5±1.4mmHg;allp<0.005)forSBPandDBP,respectively.SimilarresultswereseenforMAPatimmediatelypost(-8.0±1.4mmHg)),24hrpost(-6.4±1.7mmHg),and48hrpost(-5.0±1.4mmHg,allp≤.009).ClinicallymeaningfulreductionsinBPpersistedfor48hoursfollowingasingleboutofHIFRT.ItisrecommendedthatnextstudiesincorporatelargersampleswithhypertensiontoconfirmthesefindingsanddeterminewhetherHIFRTtranslatestobetterBPcontrolthanMICE/RTalone.