Title | University of Utah Undergraduate Research Abstracts, Volume 9, Spring 2009 |
OCR Text | Show A Message from President Young.....2 A Message from John Francis.....3 A Message from Steve Roens.....4 Undergraduate Abstracts.....5 A Message from Jill Baeder.....69 Research Posters on the Hill.....70 Charles H. Monson Prize Winner.....99 Undergraduate Research Conferences.....104 Undergraduate Research Scholars.....105 Psychology Senior Thesis Program.....106 Honors Program.....114 Alphabetical Index.....187 |
Subject | University of Utah -- Students -- Periodicals |
Publisher | J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah |
Date | 2009 |
Type | Text |
Format | application/pdf |
Language | eng |
Rights Management | Digital image © copyright 2009, University of Utah. All rights reserved. |
Holding Institution | Office of Undergraduate Studies Sill Center 195 S. Central Campus Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Office of Undergraduate Studies Sill Center 195 S. Central Campus Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84112 |
Source Material | Bound journal |
Source Physical Dimensions | 14 cm x 21 cm |
ARK | ark:/87278/s6j966gm |
Temporal Coverage | Spring 2009 |
Setname | uu_urop |
ID | 417424 |
Reference URL | https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6j966gm |
Title | Honors Program of undergraduate research abstracts vol 9 - Part 2 |
OCR Text | Show 150 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 A MORPHOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF THE VERY HIGH ENERGY GAMMA-RAY EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRAB, VELA, AND GEMINGA PULSAR AND SUPERNOVA REMNANTS Particle acceleration in young supernova remnants (SNR) is thought to supply the bulk of the local high-energy cosmic ray flux. These SNR should also be strong sources of very high energy (VHE, Energy > 100 MeV) gamma-rays. The three nearest young SNR are the Crab, Vela, and Geminga SNR. These three sources are the three brightest sources observed in the recent Fermi Bright Source List (BSL) gamma-ray Catalog (Energy > 100 MeV). Recently reported anomalies in the energy spectra of local positrons (PAMELA) and electrons (ATIC) , as well as the observance of a large scale anisotropy in charged cosmic ray flux in the direction of Geminga (Milagro) may also have their origin in local particle acceleration in the Geminga SNR. Despite the exceptional source brightness of these SNR for 100 MeV energies, at substantially higher energies (10 TeV >E > 200 GeV) only the Crab and Vela SNR have been detected. Even though extended observation campaigns by the VERITAS and MAGIC observatories, Geminga has failed to show significant gamma-ray emission in this energy region. Interestingly, all three of these SNR have been detected at higher energies (E > 10 TeV) by the HESS, VERITAS, and MILAGRO observatories. The reason for the non-detection of the Geminga SNR at intermediate energies remains a mystery. In this study, we interpolate the source fluxes and morphology to intermediate energies . We compare the interpolated morphological characteristics of gamma-ray emission from the Vela and Crab SNR at intermediate energies with the actual observations to ascertain the validity of this interpolation proce-dure. We then apply this interpolation procedure to the Geminga SNR, to predict the morphological characteristics of this object at intermediate energies. By knowing the morphological characteristics of Geminga at intermediate energies, we may be able to understand the reasons for the non-detection of Geminga by VERITAS. We may also be able to design optimized data cuts that may improve the sensitivi-ty of VERITAS observations to SNR with these expected morphological characteristics. Matthew K. Kress (David B. Kieda) Department of Physics University of Utah Matthew K. Kress David B. Kieda THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TESTING OF PECKING ORDER THEORY OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE IN U.S. OIL AND GAS FIRMS The principal objective in this research paper is to establish the extent to which Myers' (1984) Pecking Order Theory of Capital Structure appears to explain financial structure decisions amongst a panel of firms within the energy sector. The data consists of 299 publicly traded firms from the energy industry; specifically SIC codes 1311 and 1381 for the period 1985 - 2007. We follow the pecking order model pro-posed by Shyam-Sunder and Myers (1999) and a modified version of the Shyam-Sunder and Meyer model proposed by Lemmon and Zender (2009) to test firm behavior when financial deficits are present. We grouped companies into various categories to further evaluate financing behaviors within the select-ed data. We find that the pecking order theory of capital structure provides a good explanation for financing decisions in our sample data. Esteban E. Lara 151 Esteban E. Lara (Michael L. Lemmon) Department of Finance University of Utah Michael L. Lemmon HONORS PROGRAM 152 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF ECCENTRIC EXERCISE WITH OLDER CAN-CER SURVIVORS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY Introduction: Older individuals who have survived cancer, and the commensurate treatment, often experience a reduced quality of life in part due to their impaired muscular abilities and deficits in mobility. Resistance exercise is thought to be an effective countermeasure. Resistance exercise via negative, eccentrically-induced work (RENEW) can maximize the muscle and mobility response in older individuals due to high muscle force pro-duction and low energetic demand during eccentric exercise. It is unclear, however, if RENEW is feasible for older, weak and fatigued cancer survivors, or if this group of cancer survivors can experience benefits from RENEW. Purpose: To determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of 12 weeks of RENEW in older cancer survivors. Methods: Older (mean age =75±7) male (n=7) and female (n=13) cancer (colon, prostate, breast, rectal, lymphoma) sur-vivors with a perception of moderate muscle weakness and fatigue participated in 12 weeks of RENEW (3x/week) for (20 Minutes) for this study. Measures of feasibility included: 1) the participant's ability to progress the total amount of work (kJ) of RENEW over a 10 week period after 2 weeks of acclimatization and ramping up of RENEW; 2) whether peak knee extension torque production (Nm) produced on a dynamometer became impaired after completing the total of 12 weeks of RENEW; and 3) whether RENEW induced leg muscle pain as measured on a visual analog scale (VAS) with 1cm = no pain; 10cm = worst possible pain. The prelimi-nary measure of efficacy included: the performance of a timed up and go mobility test (s). Statistical analyses of feasibility included a repeated measures analysis of variance of the work produced over 12 weeks of train-ing. Average weekly leg muscle pain was assessed with a Friedman repeated measures analysis of variance on ranks. Peak knee extension torque production, and the time to perform the timed up and go test of mobility following 12 weeks of RENEW was assessed with an independent t-test. An alpha level of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The participants significantly (F=5.6, p<0.001) increased the total average work per week over the 12 weeks of RENEW. Following the first 2 weeks of acclimatization and ramping up the work in a progressive fashion, partic-ipants increased their work ~3-fold from week 3 (7.6± 5.1 kJ) to week 12 (22.1±14.8kJ) without clinically signifi-cant (median pain scores <0.75 cm) every week of training), or statistically significant changes in muscle pain over the 12 week RENEW training period. Knee extension peak torque production did not become impaired. Rather it improved (11%) significantly (248 ±92 Nm; 275±99 Nm) after 12 weeks of RENEW. The preliminary efficacy of RENEW on mobility was clinically positive as the time to perform the TUG test improved (14%) sig-nificantly (8.4±2.7; 7.2±2.3 s) after 12 weeks of RENEW. Conclusion: RENEW training increased progressively without inducing pain, did not impair knee extension torque produc-tion and improved mobility. Collectively, RENEW appears feasible and potentially efficacious for older, weak and fatigued cancer survivors. Table 1: Mean (± standard deviation) negative work, knee extension strength, leg muscle pain and the timed up and go test of mobility for before and after 12 weeks of RENEW. Stephanie Larsen (Paul LaStayo) Department of Exercise and Sports Science, Department of Physical Therapy University of Utah Stephanie Larsen Paul LaStayo THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH CREATING INORGANIC PHOTONIC CRYSTALS FROM BIOLOGICAL TEMPLATES Naturally occurring and synthetic opals have long fascinated scientists due to their intense iridescence. While much research has been done to better understand their optical properties, interest has rapidly shifted toward biologically occurring photonic crystals. In particular, the Bartl group has discovered that the beetle, Cerambycidae sp., acquires its brilliant blue-green coloration from exoskeleton scales with a complex, three-dimensional, opal-like structure. These scales, composed of chitin and air, present inter-esting research questions regarding the purpose and biological development of opal structures found in organisms. As a result, scientists are pioneering methods that attempt to mimic the structure and pho-tonic ingenuity found in these scales, hoping to shed light on these intriguing questions. One method, in particular, that proves highly promising is bio-templating. In this process, the biological structure is used as a removable template, and an inverted or replicated structure is produced that maintains all of the natural nanomorphologies of the "model" biological structure. The purpose of this project was to optimize bio-templating as a viable method for creating an inverted, inorganic template of Cerambycidae scales and to study the template's properties, specifically in better understanding the process' initial inverse-scale step. Inverse Cerambycidae scales were fabricated via a silica sol-gel chemistry route, and reflectance and (inverse) sphere diameter data were collected. Analysis of SEM imaging and optical characterization showed that the templating step proved successful in maintaining the face-centered cubic, close-packed opal lattice structure found inside Cerambycidae scales. Moreover, detailed analysis of reflectance data and (inverse) sphere diameters suggested that the inverse structure maintained a cubic (100) orientation in the inverse scales that is oriented parallel to their surface. Thus, the bio-templating process via silica sol-gel chemistry is an economical and facile means for replicating the internal opal structure of Cerambycidae scales. While much work remains to be done to perfect this process, bio-templating may find application in replicating biological structures, namely biologically occurring photonic crystals, for future technological purposes. Joseph Marchese 153 Joseph Marchese (Michael H. Bartl) Department of Chemistry University of Utah Michael H. Bartl HONORS PROGRAM 154 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 RACE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND HOW THEY AFFECT CHILDHOOD OBESITY Over the last few decades, our nation has seen a remarkable increase in the number of children who are overweight or obese. Many factors have played into this growing epidemic, including availability of fast food, unsafe neighborhoods which prevent regular exercise, parental behaviors and influences and many others. Recent studies show that there is a higher rate of obesity among children who come from ethnic minority families and/or those of lower socioeconomic status. Current literature supports our idea that these groups tend to have greater disadvantages when it comes to aspects of life that aid in preventing obesity. The health consequences of childhood obesity have the potential to become life long issues. A few of the many steps that can be taken to reduce obesity rates among children include: teaching chil-dren about good nutrition and exercise, increasing availability of fresh, healthy foods, providing a place where they can safely exercise and many more. The focus now needs to be on implementing policies to directly address the disparities of the minority and lower socioeconomic status populations. These include making health care coverage available to every American, securing an adequate living wage, and so on. There is evidence that these changes are being made both locally and nationally to acknowledge and curtail this epidemic. Our children have the right to be raised in an environment that supports both their health and happiness. Meredith Martineau Ferrin (Norman Waitzman) College of Social and Behavioral Science University of Utah Meredith Martineau Ferrin Norman Waitzman THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH THE VIRTUE OF DEATH: WIDOW SUICIDE AND THE FEMININE CONSCIOUSNESS IN CHINA AND INDIA Widow suicide in eighteenth-century China emerged from a "cult of chastity" which encouraged the ultimate virtue - following the husband even in death. The Indian parallel is sati, the practice of women burning to death on their husbands' funeral pyre. These suicides were a form of expression and liberation for these women living under patriarchal expectations. Paradoxically, however, the identities of the wid-ows often became lost in the uproar over their deaths. The women of Asia have been taught for centuries that their role is to nurture, care, and sacrifice for their marriage and family. This research is concerned with is the extremity to which the notion of sacrifice was carried out in areas of China and India. Through women's poetry, prose, and personal narratives, we see how marriage and family can be the driving motivation for women to sacrifice of themselves, even unto death. By examining such sources, we can have a better understanding of how suicide came to be a part of the feminine consciousness. Similarities and differences of suicide cults imply parallels of societal pressure on Chinese and Indian women. The irony is that motivation for women to commit suicide objectified them more, becoming symbols for larger debates; feminism, modernity, and traditionalism. The construction of the feminine consciousness is an ongoing issue as historians discover the importance of women's history in a modern framework. The remnants of patriarchal ideals permeate how history was written and our own under-standing of gender identities today. Using sources from women, my research attempts to highlight the voices of women that are often missing from contemporary discourse. Caitlin McDonald 155 Caitlin McDonald (Janet Theiss) Department of History University of Utah Janet Theiss HONORS PROGRAM 156 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 AN EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF COMTEMPORARY RAY TRACING METHODS ON ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS Predictive computer graphics can be used to visualize the appearance of an object or scene from a virtu-al design. A seminal experiment in that field was performed in 1984 to evaluate the perceptual quality of computer graphics images with a physical model of the scene. The original study was limited to ideal-ly diffuse surfaces and simple geometry, with the greatest flaw being the artificially diffuse surface mate-rials of a type rarely found in real scenes. Although subsequent work extended computer graphics algo-rithms to handle more complex environments and materials, comparisons of later results to a physical standard were scarce. This study attempts to recreate the original experiment in a more general setting using materials commonly found in real scenes. A physical scene was constructed using standard interi-or architectural materials, including carpet, a ceiling tile, and an incandescent light bulb, and pho-tographed for use as a standard of comparison. A computer graphics image of the same scene was ren-dered using Kajiya-style path tracing, a physically-based variant of the traditional ray casting algorithm, to simulate the effects of global illumination on micro-faceted geometry and directionally reflective materials lit by a hemispherical area light source. The resulting real and artificial images of the scene are presented together and subjectively analyzed to determine promising directions for further research on rendering common materials, and to comment on the legitimacy of ray tracing as a method for photore-alistic image synthesis. John Meier (Peter Shirley) School of Computing University of Utah John Meier Peter Shirley THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH THE ABILITY OF ARCHITECTURE TO GENERATE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES Architecture is capable of eliciting powerful responses from people. I am interested in what it is about certain buildings that generates such reactions, and whether those characteristics can be intentionally designed. In order to understand what might cause such strong responses to architecture, it is important to have an understanding of how humans perceive and interact with their surroundings. Much reading has been done to gain this understanding. One author describes simultaneous perception, which is the ability to notice all aspects of the immediate environment at once. That ability allows us to sense those qualities of space that strike a chord within us when least expected. Others write about the act of becoming one with what is around us. We set aside our preconceptions of a place and instead are completely immersed within it to the point of losing the distinction between ourselves and everything outside of ourselves. Another literary source argues that masterpieces of architecture are those which embody the fundamental laws of the universe, which can only be discovered via mathematics and the systematic elimination of all inferior possibilities. When we come into contact with those exemplary buildings, we intuitively sense the harmony of those laws at work and are emotionally affected. I am fortunate enough to have at my disposal the results of a survey conducted by Dr. Julio Bermudez. He is interested in the study of extraordinary architectural experiences, which he defined in the survey as encounters "with a building or place which fundamentally alters one's normal state of being." He sur-veyed roughly 2000 people in English and 1000 in Spanish. I am using the results of the survey to deter-mine whether there are any common denominators that trigger an experience. I chose to focus on the Pantheon in Rome, Italy because out of hundreds of buildings reported, it ranked highly among both language groups with a total of 50 reports (31 in English, 19 in Spanish). The reports of experiences at the Pantheon are consistent with my discoveries from the readings. For instance, many respondents described how information gleaned through different senses affected their experiences, especially relating to sound and temperature. Others were impacted by their sense of belonging in or to the space - in some cases, even becoming a single entity with the volume. This feeling is sometimes related to the sensation of being within the grasp of a time warp or of time itself. Time is an intriguing element in the Pantheon because of the way sun-light streaming through the oculus on top marks the pas-sage of the hours. To several people, that light beam was the most important aspect of their experience. While these realizations may not quite dictate how to replicate an extraordinary experience such as those that occur at the Pantheon, they are still important to the practice of architec-ture. They demonstrate that a building is constructed of much more than solid materials, and those elements have very real effects on us. Simply being aware that architecture does in fact have the ability to move people is enough moti-vation to guide my future work to its highest potential. Joselia A. Mendiolea 157 Joselia A. Mendiolea (Julio Bermudez) Department of Architecture University of Utah Julio Bermudez HONORS PROGRAM 158 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 THE DIALOGIC RELATIONSHIP OF WESTERN AND INDIAN MEDICINE AS EVIDENCED BY THE HOSPITAL IN MADRAS IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY Indian medical practices are of particular interest in our day, partially due to the growing trend of out-sourcing. Outsourcing now extends even to medical procedures, in the form of medical tourism. These practices are the result of India's long history of relationships with many different cultures and societies. Among these, the British colonial period stands out as a defining period in Indian medical history. This paper focuses on Madras, which was an active site in the development of British medicine in India. The first thirty years of the twentieth century were a time of change in the greater political atmosphere of India, and these shifts in political thought influenced all areas of Indian thought and practice. The institu-tion of the hospital is the vehicle of medical practice, and changes in culture, politics and rule have great-ly affected its development. Its structure and policies reflect contemporary attitudes. British control in India extended to almost every sector of knowledge, and was particularly pervasive in the health arena. In striving to control health, British officials first sought to learn from Indian practices, then ostracized them, and later attempted to reincorporate them into Western medicine. Indian nationalists refused to recognize these efforts, and sought largely to empty India of the British influence. The competing interests led to recommendations for a balanced and inclusive relationship between Indian and Western medicine in India. Despite ostensibly good intentions, India is still striving today for this balance. Katie Miller (Benjamin Cohen) Department of History University of Utah Katie Miller THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH AN EXAMINATION OF SERUM CHOLES-TEROL LEVEL AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and Utah for both genders, and all racial and ethnic groups. Although many risk factors exist for cardiovascular disease, elevated total serum cho-lesterol levels are a major modifiable risk factor. Low income populations who have little access to health care face continual challenges in the form of environmental, social, and psychological barriers. Conse-quently, they are increasingly susceptible to the development of unmonitored high serum cholesterol levels and the subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to explore and examine the relationship between cholesterol level and socio-demographic variables, in order to work towards better prevention and screening in this popula-tion. Data was collected from the Maliheh Free Clinic located in Salt Lake City, Utah that offers health care to individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. A total of 226 patient charts were reviewed to collect data on patient characteristics and socioeconomic variables. Descriptive statistics such as chi square, T-tests, and ANOVA were performed to analyze the data. Total serum cholesterol among patients increased with age (p=.05). Mean total serum cholesterol decreased as income level increased among our sample. A higher percentage of patients in unemployed (14.0%) or unknown income (15.9%) categories were at high-risk for coronary heart disease (>= 240 mg/dL) compared to patients who had some monthly income. A higher percentage of male patients were found to be in the high risk category compared to female patients (13.6% vs. 11.8%). These findings allow a better understanding of the particular risks associated with serum cholesterol lev-els in this population. This information can be used to provide better preventative care, screening, and health education workshops to prevent cardiovascular disease in a culturally appropriate manner that meets the specific needs of this low-income population. Donya Mohebali 159 Donya Mohebali (Shaheen Hossain) Department of Sociology University of Utah Shaheen Hossain HONORS PROGRAM 160 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 ANTIFUNGAL BACTERIA AS A POTENTIAL TREATMENT OF CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS According to the first global assessment of amphibians nearly 10% of amphibian species are close to extinction or are already extinct and almost half of all populations are declining. The disease chytrid-iomycosis caused by the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) appears largely to blame. No viable solution has been implemented to stem the tide of this disease since its discovery in 1998. Research has found that the cutaneous bacteria of certain amphibians produce antifungal com-pounds such as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) that inhibit growth of B. dendrobatidis and can con-vey host immunity to chytrid infection. Many vulnerable species do not possess bacterial communities producing antifungal compounds. Little research has been dedicated to understanding the microbial composition and ecology of amphibian skin. As chytridiomycosis is restricted to the skin a better under-standing of the cutaneous micro-fauna composition is vital. Amphibian skin is likely selective for certain species and strains of bacteria, harboring some in higher abundance. Genetic modification of such cuta-neous bacteria to produce DAPG may be a viable method of biocontrol in the face of this insatiable dis-ease. The genes characterizing DAPG production have been characterized and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria have been genetically transformed into DAPG producing strains for potential use in the agricul-tural industry. This project aims to identify a viable preventative treatment of chytridiomycosis. The composition of cutaneous microflora of the chytrid susceptible poison dart frog Dendrobates auratus is investigated by 16S rDNA PCR techniques. Bacteria in higher abundance and selective to the frog's skin and not the environment may present candidates for genetic modification. As proof of principle for the use of bacte-ria in treating chytridiomycosis, D. tinctorius are inoculated with Bd-inhibiting Pseudomonas bacteria, subsequently exposed to Bd and observed for progression of disease in contrast with a control group. Matthew Mullins (Colleen Farmer, Benjamin Chan) Department of Biology University of Utah THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 3D MORPHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF NORMAL AND FEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT FEMORAL HEAD GEOMETRIES Cam FAI is characterized by a non-spherical femoral head that shears itself into the hip socket causing damage to the labrum and adjacent cartilage. Even subtle patho-morphology may predispose the hip joint to develop early onset osteoarthritis. Currently, FAI diagnosis is obtained using plain film radi-ographs; however, it is difficult to appreciate the subtlest of deformities present without an understand-ing of the 3D morphology. Improved methods that incorporate a 3D assessment could clarify the best surgical approach. This study develops a preoperative 3D modeling protocol for cam FAI patients. Femoral head morphologies between cam patients and normal controls were statistically compared. The proximal femurs of ten patients with suspected cam FAI and ten cadaver control femurs were scanned using computed tomography (CT). Image data were segmented to define the femoral cortical bone, and the resulting mask was triangulated into a polygonal surface. Coordinates of only those nodes residing at the cartilage/bone interface of each femoral head were fit to spheres and rotational con-choids using a least squares regression. The results demonstrated that joints with cam FAI are morphologically abnormal compared to normal hips. Maximum and average deviations from ideal geometries were significantly higher for cam FAI patients compared to normal controls (p<0.001). The mean deviation for FAI femur heads was an order of magnitude greater than control mean deviation. Unlike measurements from radiographs, the 3D models allowed for visualization of the varying magni-tude and location of the deformity. To this end, our developed approach could be applied to assist with the diagnosis and pre-operative surgical planning for patients with suspected cam FAI; specifically, to indicate regions where bone should be excised to make the femoral head more spherical. Figure 1 - Fringe plots map deviation from ideal spherical geometry. Note the control femoral head is nearly perfectly spherical (right). Red areas denote bone bumps, blue regions denote bone indentations. Dylan P. Nelson 161 Dylan P. Nelson (Andrew E. Anderson) Departments of Bioengineering/Orthopaedics University of Utah Andrew E. Anderson HONORS PROGRAM 162 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 ROAR! SNARL! A POETIC INVESTIGATION OF THE DYNAMICS OF DEATH DRIVEN VOCALS We generally associate vocals in heavy rock music with a scheme of "music scenes."Yet, vocalists nonetheless signify in language, which lends a poetic aspect to the discourse of metal, hardcore, and punk, or "death drive language," as it were. Due to the tendency toward auditory incomprehensibility of death drive language, however, signification becomes skewed. How do we situate the vocals of these genres in semiotics? In Revolution in Poetic Language, Julia Kristeva formulates the theories of the semiotic chora and the symbolic thetic. She suggests that the speaking subject transcends a thetic binding to language where the chora orders the Freudian death drive to deal violence to the Saussurean sign. Consequently, the subject maintains the capacity to impart "psychical marks" onto signs-the subject adds "musicalization" to language. Thus, we can use Kristeva's theory as a blueprint on which to map the incomprehensible death drive language of heavy music. "Roar! Snarl! A Poetic Investigation of the Dynamics of Death Driven Vocals" proposes the theories of "the casket" and "the contract" in order to clarify the "screaming" subject's position in the symbolic economy of language. The casket is a subcategory of the chora that fetishizes the subject's guttural enunciation of signs. Casketization, henceforth, obscures the auditory sign with incomprehensibility, yet retains the sign's abstract signification. In terms of the system of signs, the discourse of death drive language allows the subject to effectively alter signifiers yet remain within the realm of language. Hence, the screaming subject's choral ordering of the death drive annihilates the immediate denotative signification of the sign, allowing the subject to transcend symbolic limitations set by the sign system. Furthermore, I argue that the chora within death drive language displaces the unicity of a note as con-stituent of a musical economy. Although western music does not essentially signify, it nonetheless limits the subject to intervals of 12 notes. I juxtapose death drive language with Tuvan throat-singing to demonstrate the chora's effect on overtones in each discourse. Ultimately, the intensification of the false vocal cords creates overtones in death drive language that displace music's harmonic limitations. Alexander Ortega (Anne Jamison) Department of English Alexander Ortega University of Utah Anne Jamison THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH IMPLICATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF MUNICIPAL LOAN PROGRAMS: THE SALT LAKE CITY CASE For 15 years Salt Lake City has made available a loan program to local businesses. In light of its previously unanalyzed functionality as a financing tool I begin my thesis with an investigation into its operating his-tory and impact on the city as a revenue source, its geographic distribution of loans, and some idea of its impact on recipient businesses. The work of economist Joseph Schumpeter is helpful in a discussion of the degree to which the city's loan program is supportive of an innovative economy (demonstrated by the survival of start up businesses), the suitability of its intervention in a private financing capacity, and what changes might be recommended to its framework to improve its success. I find that loan term, loan size, and credit score are significantly negatively related to delinquency and default. Based on these findings I recommend the following changes to the program to promote a strong loan portfolio. First, loan terms should be extended because of their increased likelihood of replenishing the capital in the loan fund. Second, a greater percentage of the loan fund money should be directed toward start-up businesses by either more effective marketing or less stringent lending crite-ria. Third, I recommend a more proportionate geographic distribution of loans to stimulate business development throughout the city. I conclude my thesis with responses to unsubstantiated policy propos-als and recommendations for future research. Katherine Pasker 163 Katherine Pasker (Thomas Maloney) Department of Economics University of Utah Thomas Maloney HONORS PROGRAM 164 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 ALLEGORICAL AND CULTURAL ROLES OF FICTIONAL CHARACTERS WITH AUTISM-SPECTRUM DISORDERS In the past few decades, there has been a steady increase of public interest in autism, Asperger's disor-der, and other autism-spectrum disorders (ASD). One of the most significant manifestations of this trend may be seen in the growing number of fictional characters who have ASD, both in literature and in film; examples include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (2003) and Rain Man (1988). While such depictions tend towards a more sympathetic perspective, characters who have ASD typically oper-ate within a narrow set of stereotypes, relegating them to very specific literary and allegorical roles with a text. Within a text, even significant characters often to function in much the same way: as a literary device for the purposes of critiquing the motives and perspectives of other characters, as well as the reader. Such characters remain static and change little throughout the text, compared to the characters with whom they interact. In the texts studied, it is apparent that interpretation of these characters can be ambiguous, especially in works where such a figure is the protagonist and narrator, as in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Emotion is an especially important aspect of this issue, as it is often unclear as to whether a given character is to be considered merely hampered in communication skills, or as a passionless automaton, with what few traces of apparent feeling reduced to pleasure/pain responses. However, in some instances, this ambiguity may be intentional, acting to critique popular conceptions of ASD as a mental or emotional disease. This project focuses on recent fictional portrayals of figures who have ASD, who are clearly indicated as such, and analyzing them to determine what cultural and literary roles they act out, in comparison with accounts written by individuals who have ASD. Christian Pecchia-Bekkum (Mark Matheson) Department of English Christian Pecchia-Bekkum University of Utah Mark Matheson THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH INADEQUACIES OF DR-CAFTA: ILL-EFFECTS TO CENTRAL AMERICAN FARMERS FROM CONTINUED UNITED STATES PROTECTIONISM On August 2, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), a trade agreement between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic that liberalized regional trade in goods, services, intellectual property, investment, and government procurement. My research thus far shows that the aggregate effects to all participating countries have been mainly net-positive, consistent with the touted benefits of the agreement, but that trade in agricultural commodities are undermining Central American rural livelihoods. While the agreement requires that all countries completely phase out border protectionism (tariffs and quotas) of almost all agricultural commodities, continued U.S. internal agricultural protectionism (public subsidization stemming from political pressuring) has made it difficult for Central American farmers to compete with lower-priced agricultural imports. This paper proposes that effective third-world development requires that the era of privileged but inefficient and devastating U.S. political-economic agricultural culture be over, and that the era of true political-economic concern for the world's poor be ushered in. Reform and supported readjustment in certain U.S. agricultural indus-tries would improve rural livelihoods in certain Central American communities and relieve the pressure to migrate without harming the U.S. agricultural sector. Douglas A. Petersen 165 Douglas A. Petersen (Gunseli Berik) Department of Economics University of Utah HONORS PROGRAM 166 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 THE PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL PORTRAIT OF A CULTURAL COLLISION: A SPANISH-BOLIVIAN CHIKI AND AN ENGLISH-AMERICAN ME When a traveller juxtaposes himself with a foreign culture, his psycho-emotional identity is subcon-sciously self-revealed as he begins to understand better his place within (or without) his previous culture. Cultural collisions thus serve as catalysts for unanticipated self-retrospection and even self-confrontation, leading the traveller to re-evaluate his relationship to his previous self. Because these revelations are not fully conscious, they often are communicated to the traveller through his semi-conscious interior mono-logue. This essay communicates such semiconscious responses to cultural collisions by re-creating them literari-ly. Its content stems from the actual experiences of one person living and travelling (and colliding) alone in Bolivia - me. The work is not concerned with the psychology of semi-consciousness, but rather with stream-of-consciousness as a literary technique to communicate semi-conscious responses to cultural collisions. Because interior monologue is understood best through its intimate investigation, the work is the production of an interior monologue narrative; it seeks to illuminate semiconscious interior expres-sion through re-creating that expression in words. I chose as the subject semiconscious responses to cultural collisions in Bolivia because these responses have been meaningful, startling, and uncontrolled; they represent true semiconscious wandering and thus provide for literary re-creation through interior monologue techniques. The result is a narrative that re-creates and reveals my semiconscious and previously private psycho-emotional identity. In creating the narrative, I have discovered that my semiconscious identity often is unsettling and irrational. It is passionate and teary; joyful and reckless; angry-willed and dreamy; calm and secure. Of particular interest (both to me and the narrative), my identity is irresolute and not fully formed. I have been surprised by the realism with which interior monologue reveals this; for example, investigating my Bolivian semi-consciousness through interior monologue has required that I acknowl-edge embedded blurs in my beliefs and strife between my assumed and actual desires (Maybe I should marry her, and we can be religious, happy and religious, forever; Do I really want to believe in a god?). Particular attention has been paid to allowing the narrative to reveal my psycho-emotionality in its raw-ness; doing so has enabled the literature to illustrate the thoughtfulness, innovation, and biting accuracy with which interior monologue can investigate and reveal a person's private psycho-emotional portrait. Douglas A. Petersen (William A. Hoffmann) Department of English University of Utah Douglas A. Petersen THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STRIKING OIL IN THE WEST: CRAFTING RESPONSIBLE LEGISLATION ON THE FEDERAL OIL SHALE PROGRAM In the midst of the oil price shocks of the summer of 2008, oil shale became the focus of political rhetoric and Congressional bills aimed at increasing domestic oil production and courting the political favor promised by progress in energy policy. The tri-state region of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming is home to the world's largest shale oil resource, which is estimated to house more than fifty percent more oil than the entire Middle East. Production of this oil is complex, however, and has yet to be proven economically viable. More importantly from a policy standpoint is the effect oil shale production would have on the environment, particularly given the complication that 72% of the oil shale resource is housed in federal lands. This paper examines the viability of producing oil from shale rock, and the political landscape of the oil shale debate, where Republicans and Democrats in Congress have introduced competing bills and governors of the affected states have come out in opposition to each other. Importantly, it also examines political theories which give insight into how politicians will deal with the issue, particularly important given the influence Congress has on the program due to its location on federal lands and need for federal rulemaking and funding. Ultimately, this paper suggests the best policy decision on the oil shale debate. While oil shale holds vast potential for energy production, its consequences, environ-mentally and socially, will also prove to be significant. The federal oil shale program should therefore be governed judiciously, incorporating results of research and development projects currently underway, employing site-specific environmental analysis, and taking the desires of local communities into consid-eration. Miles Petty 167 Miles Petty (Robert Benedict) Department of Political Science University of Utah Robert Benedict HONORS PROGRAM 168 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 A SYNTHETIC THEORY OF STRATEGIC CHOICE AND NORMS IN SOMALIA On October 3, 1993 the United States military engaged in its largest firefight since Vietnam. Immediately following the "Blackhawk Down" incident the United States pulled out of Somalia, ending the humanitar-ian intervention. After thirteen years, the United States decided once again to intervene in Somalia by assisting the Ethiopian invasion with strategic air support. A fundamentally different mission and objec-tive, the rhetoric regarding U.S. presence this time was not on the basis of the humanitarian crisis, though Somalia was one of the worst in the world, but rather for strategic interests. The second mission failed as Ethiopia withdrew their troops and violence, including piracy, continues to rise in Somalia. Examining the inconsistent foreign policy of the United States, this paper attempts to apply two different theoretical approaches of international relations to the Somalia case: rationalism and constructivism. By doing so, it not only illustrates the causes and implications of failed U.S. policy, but also brings to atten-tion the need to consider varying theories of international relations in order to develop a comprehensive explanation for U.S. foreign policy toward Somalia. The development of this synthetic approach begins with developing the historical context of the policies and then proceeds to apply the varying theoretical approaches to the two interventions. The conclusion from the comparison is that neither theoretical approach can solely explain the development of a specif-ic policy. Additionally, it concludes that multiple factors must be considered in the development of U.S. foreign policy, and that the explanatory power of the synthetic theory is stronger when predicting what future policy in Somalia may be. Ingrid Price (Adam Luedtke) Department of Political Science University of Utah Ingrid Price Adam Luedtke THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH MONSTER ECONOMY The dreadful economic crisis has finally affected the world of monsters. The Monster News Network's anchors Jekyll and Hyde bicker with each other while highlighting numerous ghouls and how they are coping with the tough times. The Invisible Man has resorted to a life of crime and Dracula is feeling the bite from the plummeting housing market. Frankenstein is going green to cut expenses while Zombies are losing their jobs plus Bigfoot has been forced to come out of hiding. The Headless Horsemen seems to be the only specter not suffering from the recession and he shares his secret. This animated short takes a topical issue and laughs at it while demonstrating the power of the media to influence society. Animation has a long history of satire and well known monsters easily lend themselves to parodies. Traditional animation, while more time consuming than computer based animation, can still be made quick enough to address current issues before they are forgotten. This is a perfect combination to tackle the economic crisis and remind us that we shouldn't take life too seriously. Brant Rhinehart 169 Brant Rhinehart (Steven Pecchia-Bekkum) Department of Film Studies University of Utah Steven Pecchia-Bekkum HONORS PROGRAM 170 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 SERAPHIC: AN ANALYSIS OF THE HERO ARCHETYPE THROUGH THE NOVEL MEDIUM Seraphic is a story born within a different medium entirely. Originally envisioned as a graphic novel, the transition from a heavily visual medium to a purely textual narrative presented a host of challenges. Since the publication of famed graphic novelist Alan Moore's Watchmen in the late 80's, the graphic novel has become an increasingly refined artistic medium, attaining, at times, a nearly cinematic quality. In that sense, the transition from illustrated panels composed mostly of dialogue to descriptive sen-tences in paragraphs was like making a novel to film adaptation in reverse. Action scenes in particular, while easily articulated with an illustration, required extra care in transition as some of the described feats within these scenes are essential elements in characterizing the story's key characters. Meanwhile, expansion from a text comprised almost entirely of dialogue to a more fully fleshed out narration demanded introducing new depth to the characters that would not have otherwise been required. The choice of a primarily first person vantage point stemmed from a desire juxtapose the humanity of the protagonist narrator with the extraordinary circumstances and attributes that come to define his story. Thematically, Seraphic seeks to explore the tried and true, perhaps now clichéd comic trope of the superhero. What sort of humanity remains in an individual who has been blessed, be it by his or her own means or mere circumstance, with gifts that set that individual apart from his or her peers? We spend enough time reading biographies or famous historical figures or seeing film adaptations of their stories in theaters to know that as a culture we are fascinated by the minds, actions, and lives of extraordinary individuals. How much more interested might we then become when those individuals exceed the limit-ed bounds of attainable human ability? Sure comic books, science fiction novel and movies, among a handful of other narratives have, on occasion, peeled back the surface of this realm of fantasy. How often, however, has the mind of the hero himself been the subject of a biography-style analysis or, in the case of Seraphic, and autobiographical analysis? Seraphic tells the story of Gene Hartman, the archetypical superhero. He exists in a world that draws, when at all possible, from our own, breaking the boundaries of reality only when the story requires noth-ing less. Over the course of the novel, Gene, not surprisingly, goes from being another face in the crowd to a modern day dues ex machina, god among men expected to resolve the plot lines of his own life story. In writing the novel I have experimented with various points of view, deviating occasionally from the first person narration, as well as shifts in time and place in an attempt to best convey the alienation found in being both human and beyond human. This study is an analysis not only of rites and expecta-tions of a certain generic form of storytelling, but also a study on the development of identity in circum-stances both impossible and relatable. David Roberts (Francois Camoin) Department of English David Roberts University of Utah Francois Camoin THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH IN VITRO MODELS OF INTRA-CELLULAR CROWDING Biological processes in living organisms are influenced by local environmental conditions at all levels of organization, from individual cells to organisms. Activities on the molecular and cellular levels have a profound effect on higher levels of organization, thus evaluation of environmental effects on these processes is vital to understanding biological processes. Likewise, environmental conditions at the nanoscale level modulate molecular activity and also those in higher levels of organization. To fully understand fundamental biological processes requires detailed characterization of nanoscopic environ-mental effects on molecular processes. A commonly ignored aspect of the intracellular environment is the influence of crowding on biomacromolecules. Both inter- and intracellular crowding results in a decrease in the space available for occupation of macromolecules. This property of the nanoscopic envi-ronment is in part responsible for disparity between in Vitro and in Vivo models of molecular processes. Excluded volume is defined as the space excluded from occupation by probe molecules because it is occupied by other macromolecules, or crowders. This same concept also accounts for space excluded from probe molecules by confinement within a cavity. Crowding and confinement in the cell are thought to be important for natural function of biomacromolecules, since these influences have been shown to exhibit several effects on protein stability, folding, motion, and chemical activity in vitro. Macromolecular crowding and confinement appear to be essential components of the natural, physical landscape in which proteins carry out their functions. To study this phenomenon at nanoscopic level, comparative studies have been done in which the pro-tein ubiquitin has been used as a probe molecule in solution with an inert crowder molecule. Alterna-tively, placing ubiquitin in a reverse micelle, a chamber formed with an inverted shell of surfactant bis(2- ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT), has been used to examine the effects of confinement. Surpris-ingly, the effects elicited by both crowding and confinement on ubiquitin utilizing these methods are located at the same residues. In this thesis the results of these experiments are compared with those obtained from crowding studies of ubiquitin in solution by the polymer ficoll, an experiment analogous to crowding by bovine serum albumin (BSA). Christian D. Ryser 171 Christian D. Ryser (Peter F. Flynn) Department of Biology University of Utah Peter F. Flynn HONORS PROGRAM 172 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 IS THE E.U. BALANCING AGAINST THE U.S.? As the U.S. races into the difficulties facing it in the 21st century, one potential roadblock to its action in the global system is the increasing influence of the European Union. This statement reeks of controversy, though. The current preponderance of U.S. power through military dominance, international institutions and a robust, liberal trade order between the U.S. and the E.U. is viewed by some experts, such as Stephen Brooks and William Wohlforth, as being so durable that no combination of lesser powers could possibly deter the U.S. from getting what it wants-even if they had a reason to want to. Other scholars view the situation differently. Possibly due to the Bush Doctrine of preventative war and the invasion of Iraq, the E.U. has seemingly been restless to develop a greater autonomy in regards to global foreign pol-icy capability. Multiple theories, such as "leash slipping" (Christopher Layne) and "soft balancing" (Robert Pape), give an explanation of E.U. actions that could possibly be the result of Europe attempting to bal-ance the unipolar power of the U.S. through the use of indirect, "soft" methods. This paper compares and contrasts these competing points of view, in the end agreeing with the conclusion that the E.U. is not balancing against the U.S., as any sort of true balancing activities would have to result in greater security for Europe against U.S. power or threat. Since the E.U. is hardly more secure against U.S. power today than it was a decade ago, then it is a tough case to make that balancing has actually occurred-in either its hard or soft variants. The question then becomes a matter of discussing if Europe is engaged in some sort of pre-balancing activities against the U.S. currently, and under what circumstances the E.U. might be able, and willing, to shift into actual balancing in the future. Cory Seegmiller (Steven Lobell) Department of Political Science University of Utah Cory Seegmiller Steven Lobell THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH REGNANT QUEENS AND KING CONSORTS IN RENAISSANCE ENGLAND I studied in London last summer and while there I became consumed with the history of Britain's first female sovereigns. The ascent of Mary Tudor-Britain's first queen regnant-was both abrupt and unprecedented. Despite the lack of any formal law ensuring agnatic succession, England rigorously maintained royal primogeniture well into the 16th century. Indeed, a fearsome wall of obstacles faced the possibility of a reigning female monarch on British soil. Historic convention, Aristotelian opinion, and Pauline conviction all insisted that women were unfit to govern. In addition, the deeply entrenched sta-tus of women in marriage, law, warfare, and even physiology rendered the mere thought of a female sov-ereign absurd. But a few women did rise; in the 12th century Matilda came within tantalizing grasp of the throne, and in 1553 Mary Tudor was crowned England's first queen regnant. I argue that the most disadvantageous factor to Matilda's and Mary Tudor's rule was not related to any perceived feminine defects but rather to the anomaly of a king consort-an anomaly that Elizabeth I shrewdly avoided. In my paper I explore the obstacles that faced the rise of a British queen regnant, how the unprecedent-ed role of king consort ravaged the reigns of both Matilda and Mary, and how Elizabeth I not only evad-ed the political threat of marriage but also brilliantly reconfigured herself as both king and queen. In this endeavor, I will be analyzing portraiture and literature of the Tudor period-culminating with Shake-speare's play Antony and Cleopatra and its treatment of a truly empowered queen regnant. Ellesse Sorbonne 173 Ellesse Sorbonne (Mark Matheson) Department of English University of Utah Mark Matheson HONORS PROGRAM 174 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND: MAINTAINING A STRONG AGRICULTURAL SECTOR THROUGH THE VARIED STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT After the mid-twentieth century, Thailand experienced extraordinary growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This growth in GDP was accompanied and facilitated by a transition from a primarily agricultural-based economy, to more of a manufacturing-based economy. Even in the last 20 years, Thai manufactur-ing as a percentage of real GDP has risen nearly 13%. During those same years, agriculture fell by nearly 7% as a percentage of real GDP. Correspondingly, average annual growth for manufacturing and agricul-ture was 7.5% and 2.1% respectively from 1989 to 2006. Historically, the early stages of development in "advanced" countries have been marked by agricultural output representing at least as much of the total output as the percentage of the labor force employed in agricultural activities. However, in Thailand, this ratio has been dramatically inversed. Nearly 40% of the Thai labor force is involved in the agricultural sector, producing only 11% of the nation's GDP. This dis-parity points to a lack of labor productivity in the agriculture sector, and the possible source of rural poverty in Thailand. Other Asian economies, such as those of South Korea and Taiwan, underwent significant periods of development prior to Thailand. The agricultural sectors of these two countries now represent 2.9% and 1.6% of their respective GDPs. When one compares the three economies, however, one must consider a number of issues, such as efficiency, artificial price increases, and government policies. As Thailand's economy continues through various stages of development, and begins to resemble the economies of countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, policy makers should ensure that the Thai agri-cultural sector does not dissipate. With the large base of farmers and agriculture employees, Thailand has an opportunity to increase labor productivity and decrease poverty in its rural agricultural areas, while continuing to post dramatic increases in overall GDP. Thailand should enact policies to emulate the agricultural sectors of Australia, Denmark, and California, where high labor productivity is coupled with high wages. Jonny Spendlove (Stephen Reynolds) Department of Economics University of Utah Jonny Spendlove Stephen Reynolds THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH INVERSIONS WITHOUT END: THE CHILD IN BLOOD MERIDIAN AND THERE WILL BE BLOOD You witness a child rise in the strangest semblance of baptism by immersion, "with blood and with urine." You see another child near an oil derrick in the act of baptism by aspersion, with a daubing of black tar on his forehead. The first child kicks a man in the face just moments before his accomplice "[begins] to pry out an eyeball with his thumb"; the second child has his sweet-faced innocence traded upon for money by a false father. Your attention is focused through the lens of a camera or ordered in the gram-mar of a literary text. In fact, on the first page of a novel you read of a child "who can neither read nor write and in him broods already a taste for mindless violence." What are these representations of violence doing wrapped up in images of children? What kind of pleas-ure is there for the viewer's or reader's taking in these scenes? More important: who are the players in these compulsively violent narratives and what roles are assumed-must be assumed-if these scenes would forward an interest in their grotesquely attractive telling? An interest in children and violence is a subject we have shared as readers and viewers of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian (1985) and the Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (2007). As I will show, our taste for these violent texts is uncom-fortably wrapped up in our fascination with children. A simple imperative-"See the child"-rules our reading of McCarthy's Blood Meridian. And it is this action, seeing a child, that proves centrally generative of a violence directed towards children. With Anderson's There Will Be Blood, our reading is ruled by a series of adopted signs: of a man fathering him-self by the use of another parent's child, and of a boy attempting to enter the category of Child through a man who is not his father. The queer conceptions of violence articulated by our two authors erase and inscribe specific children as they adopt and then grow out of the figure of the Child. In reading these texts, we will slip across the surface of bloody images to locate the strange yokings of father and son, judge and kid, oil and blood, film and text, all of which foster our ability to perceive the specificity of a shadow: that is, to perceive the child as it is being erased-silenced, deafened, bleached by innocence-and to recognize that child's inverted growth as it is being inscribed-adopted, baptized, colored by blood. I will use these texts to elucidate a larger public fascination with children who are marked by their own violence and the violence done to them. Tyler King Telford 175 Tyler King Telford (Kathryn Bond Stockton) Department of English, Department of Gender Studies University of Utah Kathryn Bond Stockton HONORS PROGRAM 176 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 INSULIN SIGNALING IN THE HEARTS OF UCP3KO MICE ON A HIGH FAT DIET INTRODUCTION: People with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease; which is the major cause of death in diabetics. Current research suggests that excessive mitochondrial uncoupling is a potential mechanism for the cardiac dysfunction seen in diabetic patients. Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein that reduces the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the mitochondrial matrix by uncoupling the mitochondria. Mice lacking UCP3, UCP3 knockouts (UCP3KO), have been shown to accumulate ROS and diacylglycerol, which may lead to insulin resistance. My project was to determine the impact of UCP3 deficiency in the heart on insulin signaling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Groups of whole heart protein homogenates from hearts treated with and without insulin were analyzed: 1. wild type (WT) fed normal chow (NC), 2. WT fed a high fat diet for 10 weeks (HF) 3. UCP3KO NC 4. UCP3KO HF creating eight groups in all. Quantitative western immunoblots were used to determine the amount of phosphorylation of various proteins within the insulin signaling cascade. Values for each group were compared with the statistical T test to check for significance. RESULTS: Phos-phorylation of AKT at serine 473, AKT threonine 308 and GSK3‚ at serine 9 was the same in UCP3KO HF compared to WT HF and WT NC compared to UCP3KO NC. CONCLUSIONS: UCP3KO mice develop com-pensatory mechanisms that prevent insulin resistance despite the accumulation of ROS and diacylglyc-erol, which have been postulated to contribute to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and liver cells fol-lowing high-fat feeding. Timothy James Tidwell (Sihem Boudina, E. Dale Abel) Department of Human Molecular Biology and Genetics University of Utah Timothy James Tidwell E. Dale Abel THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ONE PEOPLE, TWO PATHS: AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA Little more than 50 years ago, Korea was one of the poorest nations on earth, struggling to rebuild after a devastating civil war. Today, the peninsula remains divided and houses two strikingly different economies. South Korea has established itself as a global economic power and a leading part of the East Asian economic miracle while North Korea has become one of the last struggling vestiges of the Cold War communist bloc. This paper aims to explore the historical context prior to the war and its influence on the divergent economic development strategies pursued by the North and the South that ultimately enabled the South to gain economic power while leaving the North poor and isolated. By examining the ideologies, goals, means, and policies of the two developing economies, we can better understand the unprecedented promethean growth experienced in the South and the simultaneous economic failure in the North, an understanding that can help better illuminate development policy today. This paper specifically examines the development strategies pursued by the two Koreas and their effects on contemporary circumstances. This paper also examines how the South has fallen into and dealt with financial crisis in 1997 and a subsequent credit crisis in 2003, while also examining the contributing fac-tors of the North's sharp economic decline in the 1990s. Trade and international economic standing are also briefly addressed to establish the two Koreas in their proper global context and delineate their eco-nomic standing with the United States specifically. This exploration of Korea's development history is especially critical today. Given the current global eco-nomic environment, understanding how these two nations have developed and dealt with growth and crisis is fundamental to understanding where we as a global economy are currently and what we have to do to move successfully forward. Tim Vogeler 177 Tim Vogeler (Kuiweon Cho) Department of Asian Studies University of Utah HONORS PROGRAM 178 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 GENE-INTERNAL TRANSCRIPTION PRODUCES SNORNAS AT TWO LOCI IN SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCES POMBE Gene-internal initiation of transcription is normally suppressed in genes by specific chromatin structures and modifications, often located in the coding and 3'-UTR regions. Herein, we report two loci in S. pombe at which gene-internal transcription occurs. These protein-coding genes have snoRNA coding sequences embedded in their 3'-UTRs. RACE mapping shows two independent transcripts being gener-ated by each of these genes. One is a promoter-initiated transcript that contains sequence coding for both the protein and the snoRNA. The second product is shorter, gene-internal, and contains only snoRNA sequence. These sites bare further evidence of gene-internal transcription by the presence RNA polymerase II (Pol II), TATA-binding protein, and SAPHIRE (a known co-activator of transcription). SAPHIRE serves to recruit Pol II to the internal transcription sites, and thus spurs internal initiation of transcription. Erick M. Westbroek (Bradley R. Cairns) Department of Oncological Sciences Erick M. Westbroek University of Utah Bradley R. Cairns THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ASSET VALUATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US GAAP AND IFRS As barriers decrease between financial markets and participants in many different countries around the world, desire for overcoming the problem of differences in the methods of accounting used by each country has tremendously increased. Momentum has grown for the United States to go away from the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles that are required domestically and "converge" to the flourish-ing International Financial Reporting Standards. A problem arises from this convergence, since the same economic transaction for a company could be represented differently by these two sets of standards. This thesis will, mostly from a theoretical perspective, examine some of the differences that result from the different rules regarding asset valuation. As a beginning, this thesis will touch on the theoretical importance of comparability, relevance and relia-bility in financial accounting and examine some of the connected problems raised by attempting to value increasingly complicated assets. After exploring what causes the problem, the subject moves to a number of valuation techniques used by U.S. GAAP and IFRS, including historical and capitalized cost, lower of cost or market and fair value. Whether methods are used by one or both standards will be noted and compared. Finally, some of the practical effects of these differences will be explored, includ-ing how some commentators are using fair value accounting as a scapegoat for the recent, unfolding economic crisis of 2008. Michael G. Whipple 179 Michael G. Whipple (Marlene Plumlee) Department of Accounting University of Utah Marlene Plumlee HONORS PROGRAM 180 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 "YOUTH IDENTITY: YOUTH NAVIGATING THROUGH SAFE SPACES TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVISM" Dominant historical & contemporary constructions of youth have placed an emphasis upon delinquent ideology. Youth have been marginalized and subjected to a place of crime and misconduct within socie-ty and literature. There are very limiting understandings of youth's participation in society by develop-ment theorists. It is clear that youth have not been given the space to create a self that is beyond the stereotypes that exists (Douse, 2006). My presentation reports upon research conducted with high school students involved with the Mestizo Arts & Activism project, a participatory youth action research project based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Using multiple qualitative research methods including participant observation and interviews, I investigated how young people individually and collectively create safe spaces for identification and how this supports their activism. For example, I examine how the student's racial identifications inform the choices they make to focus upon issues of immigration, stereotyping, and racism. My analysis considers questions of racial and/or cultural identification and how they inform youth's activism. My research will contribute a critical race perspective to educational practices focused upon civic engagement and youth participation. Also, my research allows a new way of viewing youth as knowledge producers, critical thinkers about identity and the world as well as a greater understanding of their active participation in society. Carmela Dee Willden (Caitlin Cahill, Ed Buendia) Department of City & Metropolitan Planning, Department of Ethnic Studies Carmela Dee Willden University of Utah Caitlin Cahill THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH THE PROMISE OF PROTECTION: THE CASE OF THE LAO HMONG POPULATION Utilizing the Lao Hmong refugees living in settlements throughout Thailand and in the jungles of Laos as a case study, this essay will analyze the ethical responsibility toward refugees on behalf of international actors in a post-conflict scenario. A discussion which includes principles of global justice will illustrate that the international system is dominated by a "partialist" notion of asylum, indiscriminately allowing state sovereignty to supersede humanitarian intervention. A detailed analysis of the institutional, legal, and conceptual context will provide a critical foundation to understand durable solutions to refugee pro-tection which are recommended by the international community. Although repatriation and regional settlement represent the two most desired solutions, both have long failed the Lao Hmong population and left them vulnerable to countless violations of international human rights law in both Laos and Thai-land. The failure of the international community to act on behalf of the Hmong refugees, more than thirty years following the withdrawal of American forces in East Asia, requires the U.S. government to take responsibility for the life, liberty, and self-determination of the displaced Lao Hmong living in oppression and hopelessness. As the leading hegemon in the international community, the actions of the United States still hold substantial influence over the conceptual interpretation and subsequent implementation of global refugee policy. Therefore, this essay argues for an approach which better accounts for the spe-cific actions of hegemonic forces and the needs of war torn communities in order to determine moral responsibility, reconcile past wrongs, and alleviate human suffering. Laura York 181 Laura York (Adam Luedtke) Department of Political Science University of Utah Adam Luedtke HONORS PROGRAM 182 HONORS PROGRAM SPRING 2009 EVALUATION OF U.S. AUCTION IPO PRICING The component issue at hand with auction IPOs is the large variability in pricing of shares for sale in pub-lic markets. The history of auction IPOs includes many that have been highly overpriced and under-priced. Most countries that have been using the auction IPO method have abandoned the process and have incorporated book-building in return. As the U.S. begins more and more to now use auction based price setting for IPOs, the study attempts to discover if these auction based prices similarly resemble book-built set prices or if they differ greatly from them. To measure this, the study compares auction IPO share pricing conducted by W.R. Hambrecht, through a proprietary method known as OpenIPO, with those of traditional book-built IPOs. Share pricing is com-pared by taking the offer prices set by each IPO pricing method with their price to book ratios at the time they begin trading publicly. The ratio is compared with the price change behavior of the IPO's first trading day. If the price to book ratio at the offer price is low in terms of industry comparables it will be expected that the stock is undervalued and will close up at the end of its first day of trading. If the price to book ratio is high in terms of industry comparables it will be expected that the stock is overvalued and will close down after the first trading day. The differences between the ratio and the price change for OpenIPOs is then compared to those of book-built IPOs to establish the degree of differences in first day price behavior between them. The study finds as a result of hypothesis testing that OpenIPOs on average do not exude significantly different first day price behaviors than industry average book-built comparables. Jacob Young (James Schallheim) Department of Finance University of Utah Jacob Young James Schallheim THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 183 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS PLC SIGNALING IN SILVETIA COMPRESSA The cytoskeleton plays an essential role in the proper development of all cell types. Components like microtubules (MTs) and actin provide the dynamic framework for processes such as polarity establish-ment and cell division. The brown alga Silvetia compressa has been a novel model organism for investi-gating the role of MTs and actin during zygotic development for over two decades. Although much is known about the physical characteristics of multiple MT arrays in S. compressa's early development, the signaling pathways that lead to the proper regulation of the arrays is still in its infancy. Recently, the secondary signaling molecule Phosphatidic Acid (PA), has been shown to affect MTs, F-actin, and endomembrane trafficking in both plants and animals. PA is produced through the Phospholipase D (PLD) and Phospholipase C (PLC) signaling pathways. Through PLD, structural phospholipids, like Phos-photidylcholine (PC) and Phosphotidylethanolamine (PE), are hydrolyzed directly to produce PA (PAPLD). The PLC pathway generates PA through the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol (DAG) with DAG kinase (DGK). Previously, the role of PAPLD was examined in S. compressa. Results showed that the inhibition of PAPLD with 1-butanol directly disrupted MT organization, leading to a transformation of nuclear-based MTs to bundled cortical MTs. Ultimately, zygotes were able to germinate but could not divide, due to the mitotic metaphase checkpoint. To further understand the role of PA as a signaling molecule in S. compressa, we are currently investigating the regulatory affects of PA (PADGK) produced from DGK. Preliminary results show that the DGK inhibitor R59022 inhibits both germination and division. Further-more, the time of drug addition seems to play a role in the amount of zygotes able to germinate and divide. Treated zygotes show severely disrupted MTs that, similar to butanol treatments, form a cortical cage. Interestingly, the disappearance of nuclear MTs and the formation of a cortical cage take much longer to observe in R59022 treated zygotes than 1-butanol treated zygotes. Since germination is repressed, which is known to be an actin-dependent processes, these findings show that PADGK likely signals more than just MTs. Additionally, the delayed effect of the DGK inhibitor R59022 on MT organization suggests that PAPLD and PADGK may serve different purposes during zygotic development. Kyle Logan (Darryl Kropf) Department of Biology, University of Utah Kyle Logan Darryl Kropf 184 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS SPRING 2009 THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS CONCERNING EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONDERS. Mental Illness is a feared medical condition because patient assessment involves elements of uncertain-ty. Bias, prejudice and stories circulate about those deemed mentally ill, especially within the circles of medical professionals. Harm and injustice can surface when a patient bears the stigma of a mental ill-ness. Due to stigma many who have a mental illness will not divulge the fact that they are taking psy-chotropic medications to an emergency responder. This lack of communication affects the emergency care which is rendered to the patient confounding adequate treatment. There is disparity in attitudes of emergency responders concerning the treatment of the mentally ill vs. the physically ill. Mental illness is surrounded by misunderstanding, fear and stigma. This stigma has a detrimental effect on a patient's ability to obtain services, recovery, the type of treatment and support a patient may receive. Discrimination and community misconceptions create significant barriers to treatment of people afflict-ed with a mental illness. The ability to actively participate in the community and gain access to medical services is thwarted due to stigma. Untreated mental illness creates a health dilemma which is rapidly growing. There are more than 200 hundred classified forms of mental conditions. One out of five Americans will experience a mental disorder during their lifetime. With proper treatment, patients battling mental illness recover quickly, requiring hospital care only for brief admissions EMT's need more education and extensive training to facilitate identification and treatment of mentally ill patients. Catherine Rebekah Taylor (Les Chatelain) Health Promotion and Education Department University of Utah THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 185 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS THE BROKEN CHAIN, EMERGENCY DISASTER TRIAGE IN THE STATE OF UTAH Triage is a French verb meaning to separate, sort, sift or select. It is a method of saving lives according to priority. Proper triage begins with the most severe conditions ending with less sever conditions. Triage involves speed and accuracy of outcomes. Triage involves manpower, resources, leadership, time, education and preplanning. Triage in a disaster does not just include medical care. It involves every type of service available and necessary for the survival of mankind. Triage can be as far reaching as electricity, gas, food, weather, confinement, safety, water, fuel, heat, shelter, transportation, law enforcement, communication, pets, illness, and emotional care. During an emergency, disaster or pandemic the triage system is initiated by officials who separate, sort, sift or select who will receive resources and response. Research indicates that animals have received higher triage priority in disaster than people. Vulnerable populations are last when they should be first in the triage value system. In our state the triage chain is broken. The weak links in emergency services involve underserved and underrepresented populations. The prison population is at highest risk and low triage priority in our state. The state has full responsibility for individuals who live in confinement. Individuals who struggle daily to meet basic needs do not have the luxury, time, education or finances to prepare for an emer-gency. Every day is an emergency for them. If we do not assess the current flaws in our triage system our state must prepare itself for significant moral and ethnical dilemmas which will occur as a result of the implications of our emergency triage system. We must implement new and innovative preventative emergency response programs and training. Catherine Rebekah Taylor (Les Chatelain) Health Promotion and Education Department University of Utah 186 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS SPRING 2009 THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET: AN EMERGENCY RESPONDERS' EXAMINATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EMT's can have tremendous influence in assessing, recognizing and obliterating the effects of abuse by using scrutiny and obtaining greater discretionary skills when responding to emergency calls. Abuse is a crime which fills two basic needs: power and control. When dealing with an abusive scenario consider that both abusers and victims are crying out for assis-tance to free them from bondage. Social norms concerning abuse will differ according to culture and the diversity of the families of different nations and beliefs. EMT's need to learn to identify the cycle of abuse. The Stockholm syndrome protects abuser from dis-covery. Some of the reasons victims stay in abusive environment are fear of the unknown, economic dependence, fear of institutionalization, cultural values, shame, guilt, denial isolation, lack of education and fear of reprisal toward children, animals or other family members. Most victims of domestic violence go through four processes. These processes include realization, admittance, denial and normalization. EMT"s need to become aware of unusual forms of abuse. These include sibling abuse, elder abuse, psy-chiatric abuse, Munchausen's syndrome and Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, domestic violence of men, self-abuse, satanic ritualistic abuse, and parental alienation syndrome. Abuse can and does occur in authority figures including police officers, fireman, and medical professionals. Abuse occurs in all populations and demographics. Domestic violence is costing our nation millions of dollars in lost resources and revenues. The skeletons need to come out of the closet, cease to rattle and be buried or peacefully put to rest. Catherine Rebekah Taylor (Les Chatelain) Health Promotion and Education Department University of Utah |
Format | application/pdf |
Setname | uu_urop |
ID | 417421 |
Reference URL | https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6j966gm/417421 |