College of Arts and Sciences Poster Presentations

Recycled Robots/Sculpture Assemblage

Jacqueline Nelson — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:10 PDT

'Copious Floods of Eloquence': Melville's Reading of Dante's Divine Comedy"

Eric Austin et al. — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:10 PDT

Linguistic Features of Uzbek

Emily Walton et al. — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:09 PDT

This poster provides a preliminary description of the linguistic features of Uzbek, the official language of Uzbekistan. Uzbek is characterized as an Eastern Turkic language within the Altaic language family and, although it is spoken by over 18 million people around the world, it is highly under-documented in linguistic literature. Over the course of a semester, our group met with a native speaker of Uzbek to document the phonological, morphological, and syntactic features of the language. This analysis, along with recordings made by our group, serves the greater linguistic community by providing theoretical linguists with new language data to support their research.

Japanese Sequential Voicing - Rendaku

Zachary Espil — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:09 PDT

This presentation details rendaku, a morpho-phonological process in Japanese. According to this process, the initial sound of the second word in a compound (i.e. a word that is made up of two or more words) is altered depending on several constraints in the language. This process can be seen in the word [tegami] ‘letter’, which is a compound comprised of the words [te] ‘hand’ and [kami] ‘paper’. The [k] in [kami] becomes [g] when combined with with [te]. In this presentation, a number of constraints and conditions that determine whether or not rendaku will occur within a compound will be described. This includes whether the word is native to Japanese or borrowed from other languages, and constraints on word reduplication. This study concludes that, although there are very specific constraints on the morpho-phonological system in Japanese, rendaku is still a highly irregular process.

Pitch Differences in Bilingual Speakers

Anna Cox — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:08 PDT

This phonetic study examines differences in perceived pitch (fundamental frequency) between Spanish and English within Spanish/English bilingual speakers. Sound is fundamentally air pressure bouncing off of our eardrums creating vibrations. The rate of these vibrations results in our perception of pitch. The two central questions guiding the analysis of pitch difference of Spanish and English in the current study are: (1) Is there a significant difference in the fundamental frequencies of Spanish and English within an individual speaker? (2) Do the mean frequencies of these two languages change when bilinguals code-switch? Previous studies of the differences in fundamental frequency of English/Russian bilinguals and English/Cantonese bilingual speakers indicate that, while the fundamental frequency of Russian was consistently higher than the fundamental frequency of English in English/Russian bilinguals, the Cantonese fundamental frequency did not differ significantly from that of English in English/Cantonese bilinguals (Altenberg and Ferrand 2006).

In the current study, four Spanish/English female bilinguals whose first language is Spanish were recorded. Acoustic measurements were taken for three segments of Spanish and three segments of English for each participant, with each segment averaging three seconds in length. Results indicate that the difference in fundamental frequency between Spanish and English is statistically significant, with Spanish having an overall higher pitch than English. The data gathered, however, proved to be insufficient to analyze differences in fundamental frequencies during code-switching adequately for such a test.

Altenberg EP, Ferrand CT. “Fundamental frequency in monolingual English, bilingual English/Russian, and bilingual English/Cantonese young adult women.” Journal of Voice. 2006 Mar;20(1):89-96.

The Phonology of Hiligaynon

Tyler Casperson — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:08 PDT

There are 175 languages in the 7000+ islands that make up the Philippines. Hiligaynon is the fourth largest language spoken on the islands. The sound inventory of Hiligaynon has 22 phonemes, which include 17 consonants and 5 vowels. Contact with Spanish, English, and neighboring Filipino languages (mostly Cebuano, Tagolog, Kinaray-a, Aklanon) has influenced Hiligaynon resulting in many loanwords entering the lexical inventory of speakers of Hiligaynon. Although these loanwords contain sounds not native to Hiligaynon, most of them have assimilated to match the phonology of Hiligaynon. An example of this assimilation is seen in loanwords containing the labiodental fricatives [f] and [v] being pronounced with the biliabial stops [p] and [b] instead. This presentation identifies the phonology of modern Hiligaynon by briefly comparing key features of its sound system to that of other languages found in the Philippines. Morphophonemic rules will identify some of the word-formation processes that are influenced by the language’s phonology. The aim of this presentation is to clarify some of the phonological features of the language since an accurate description of the language is not yet available.

Examination of the Energy Usage by Computers and Associated Peripherals on the BSU Campus

Diana Lynn Bartlett — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:07 PDT

The Water's Fine: A Critical Look at the Quality of Idaho’s Drinking and Ground Water

Lori Gibbs — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:07 PDT

In Idaho, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) allocated $53.7 million in funds to be invested in the state’s “infrastructure, meeting drinking water and waste water facility and nonpoint source needs (The Idaho Department of Water Quality).” This poster provides a critical look at the quality of Idaho’s drinking and ground water. Specifically, the report addresses the toxins and contaminants that have been reported, monitored and/or have been a concern in Idaho’s water supply. In addition, this poster analyzes how the ARRA funds are being utilized as a means of environmental assessment to reduce the levels of contaminants in Idaho’s water systems. This poster depicts other issues surrounding Idaho’s ground and drinking water, including the adherence to environmental guidelines; the impact of revolving funding; and the implementation of surface and ground water regulations that must be followed to ensure safe drinking water as a means for public safety.

Feasibility Study: Vermicomposting at Boise State University

Samantha Hobdey et al. — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:06 PDT

The premise of our research is to analyze the feasibility of a closed-loop waste process on Boise State University campus, in which the food-waste that Boise State University dining services produce can be used as fertilizer on Boise State grounds. Our group project is focused on vermicomposting. Vermicomposting, or vermiculture, is a practice using worms to consume slow decomposing materials to produce a nutrient rich soil amendment. We want to test the feasibility of using the red wiggler worm (Eisenia foetida) to digest and decompose the food waste pulp that is produced by the Boise River Café. This study’s findings will show the ability of the worms to digest different classes of food waste/pulp, the rate at which the worms are able to create compost, and the utility of the compost they produce. As a control we will utilize a separate vermicompost bin with worms fed with common and recommended scraps from our households, excluding all meat and dairy products. The comparisons between the two worm bins will illustrate the viability of having a permanent vermicomposting bin on campus for a more sustainable and worthwhile disposable process.

Night Class Redistribution to Reduce Energy Consumption at Boise State University

Billie Laughtland — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:06 PDT

Boise State University administrators have made increasing the energy efficiency of on-campus buildings a tip priority in their attempt to reduce operating costs. Through performance evaluations and the streamlining of operations, the energy used in some buildings on the Boise State University campus has already been reduced by 20%. This research looks at the role that “strategic room scheduling” – the condensing of night classes such that certain buildings are operated with higher densities – can play in further reducing energy consumption at Boise State University. We have analyzed room scheduling data collected during the Fall, Spring and Summer 2009 semesters in order to reconstruct the night class scheduling on campus. This data is then utilized to redistribute room assignments, subject to enrollment and technology constraints, in order to optimize the energy used. We look at classroom demand, classroom spread, building spread, energy used in buildings and other factors to help reduce energy use. Our research has shown that the scheduling and distribution of night classes can lead to vast improvement in energy consumption. The results of this research can be used to implement a new room scheduling formula.

Boise State University Landscape Applications Towards Energy Conservation

Dakota Lynch et al. — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:26:05 PDT

Technology and innovation has allowed humans to direct and manipulate resources to create ideal landscapes in non-ideal places. This is exemplified by lush, green golf courses in the dry Arizona desert. These exotic water and energy intensive practices are pervasive throughout society. But is this model good for resource diminished areas? This study looks at BSU’s opportunity to implement landscape design techniques that will save time, water, energy consumption, and pesticide use. We consider the effects of evaporative cooling that plants, trees, and grasses have on surrounding buildings; the type of plants, shrubs, grasses, and trees which reduce the use of natural resources at BSU; carbon emission attenuation from lawn mowers, weed eaters, and blowers; effective policy and design practices that will enable success; and the achievement of aesthetic beauty coupled with intelligent design. This study concludes that BSU can reduce its environmental impact while conserving its monetary expenditure.

Dendrochronological Reconstruction of Climate and Fire in a Ponderosa Pine Forest Near the Bogus Basin Area, Boise Front, Idaho

Christiane Campbell — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:35:00 PDT

In an effort to better understand past climates, fire regimes, and vegetation response to climate in the Boise Front, tree cores were collected from ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) on south-facing slopes near Bogus Basin along the East Side Trail. Nineteen viable cores were collected, with at least two series dating back to 1732. Tree rings were counted and widths measured, and the data were run through the program COFECHA for cross-checking. These measured cores produced an interseries correlation of 0.523, indicating moderate similarities in their ring-width variability, and an average mean ring-width sensitivity of 0.266, indicating a moderate to high sensitivity to environmental variability. While collecting cores, fire-scarred trees were noted in the study area – partial cross-sections of several of these trees were collected using a chainsaw. Rings were counted and measured using the same procedure as with the cores, and cross-checked with the dated series from the cores. Cross-checking and examination of the scars indicates that they are from the same fire event in the 1860s. This provides the first record of a fire event prior to 1900 in the Boise Front. The tree ring measurements correspond very well (r=0.9) with the ten-year record from the Bogus Basin SNOTEL (SNOwpack TELemetry) site, which collects snowpack and related climatic data. Correlation with precipitation and other climate records, together with implications for the fire regime, will be discussed.

A Statistical Analysis of Average Temperatures in July and December in Boise, Idaho

Kathryn Warner — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:35:00 PDT

This paper uses statistics to analyze Boise-wide average temperatures in the months of July and December to see if global warming is occurring in Boise, Idaho. The Excel tools that I use are histograms, mean, median, quartiles, and standard deviation. Correlation also can determine how dependent a response variable is to an explanatory variable. The correlation between year and average temperature was 0.098 for July and -0.141 for December. This indicates a weak relationship between average temperature and year. The most likely average temperatures for July are ~74.1oF and ~ 33oF for December. Some of our average temperatures might be outliers whcich affect mean, median, and standard deviation. With the outliers omitted, the mean and median values were the same for both months respectively, indicating a symmetric distribution. I also performed an analysis on decadal average temperatures for July and December. The error bars vary based on the spread of the data. Some decades have less error associated with them and some have a high correlation. July average decadal temperatures from 2000 to present appear higher than previous decades, but December’s average decadal temperatures for the same decade appear normal.

Past and Future Climate Change: Heat Stress Impacts on Southern Idaho Dairy Milk Production

Matthew Wiggs — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:59 PDT

Idaho is one of the largest dairy producing states in the nation, with the majority of the dairy production coming from the southern semi-arid regions of the state. Due to low humidity levels, Southern Idaho is a excellent location for dairy production. However, the hot summers do create periods when cattle will experience heat stress, which has negative impacts on production levels and the health of the cattle. The amount of heat stress cattle endure is determined by the Temperature Humidity Index (THI). This study finds quantitative estimates of the levels of heat stress that cattle have historically endured in Southern Idaho dairies. Results find that the THI levels have corresponded with the levels of milk production, which have led to moderate economical losses. Future projections of the increased THI levels find that heat stress and milk production losses will continue to rise into the future unless adequate adaptations are made.

Radiometric Dating of the Danskin Hills Rhyolites in Order to Constrain Geologic Activity Throughout the Western Snake River Plain

Austin Hopkins — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:58 PDT

Radiometric dating of rock units along the edges of the eastern and western Snake River Plain help to place age constraints on geologic events that have occurred in the region. The Miocene rhyolites of the Mount Bennett Hills have previously been dated to correlate information regarding the movement of the Yellowstone Hot Spot and the extension and subsidence of the western Snake river plain. The area of the interest here is the Danskin Hills Formation located on the western edge of the Mount Bennett Hills Formation. Geochronology for the Danskin Mountains Rhyolites has previously been reported using K-Ar and Ar-Ar ages and places the formation of the rhyolites from 10.2+/- 0.3 Ma to 9.2 +/- 0.13 Ma (Clemens and Wood, 1993). This report will use new high-precision U-Pb zircon ages for several rhyolites to place tighter constraints on the timing and tempo of these voluminous eruptions. More precise ages will help to define tectonic events that have occurred on the Western Snake River Plain as well as providing more insight to our understanding of the history of the Yellowstone Hotspot.

First Documentation of the European Gut Fungus, Ephemerellomyces, and Other Insect Associated Endosymbionts in the Dry Creek Drainage, Boise, Idaho

Prasanna Kandel et al. — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:56 PDT

Trichomycetes, a former class of obligate endosymbiotic fungi, are now recognized as an ecological group that inhabits the gut(s) of immature insects. Though the biodiversity and geographical distribution of trichomycetes are worldwide, our knowledge of the group in the Pacific Northwest is limited due to the few researchers conducting studies on them. Dry Creek drainage in Boise, Idaho was selected in the winter of 2009-10 as a potential site to find gut fungi. This initial survey provides the first account of Ephemerellomyces aquilonius, a species previously documented and studied only in Norway. Ephemerellomyces aquilonius (a monotypic genus) is a member of the Harpellales, an order of trichomycetes, and was dissected from the digestive tracts of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) collected from the creek. Amongst the various aquatic habitats surveyed and hosts recovered, gut fungi were also documented in stoneflies (Plecoptera) and black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae). Our investigation provides a significant new record of the very rare and unusual taxon, E. aquilonius, previously only known in Western Europe. The success of this brief survey demonstrates promise for further discoveries of gut fungi at this site, in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. This disjunct distribution bridges an enormous geographical divide, although the species actually may be more widespread than earlier anticipated. Future collections and research on specimens from Dry Creek, with sequence data to be generated in our laboratory will be eagerly awaited as we place this unusual species in our expanding molecular-based phylogenies. We highlight here the morphology of E. aquilonius and some of the other endosymbionts found there.

Blood Parasite Prevalence and Intensity in Migrating and Non-migrating Raptors

Michelle Laskowski et al. — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:55 PDT

The annual cycle of migration in many birds that breed in northern temperate regions is characterized by two migratory periods, a spring migration to a breeding site, and a fall migration to wintering site. Previous studies have shown that migratory birds have a higher prevalence of blood parasites than non-migratory birds. The hypothesis that the energetic demands associated with migration weakens the immune system and allows parasites to persist will be investigated through the analysis of blood composition changes of migrating raptors as compared to non-migrating ones. Host-parasite relationships affect the overall fitness of the host and also help us to understand the physiological and immunological constraints imposed on the host. This relationship also provides insight into ecological factors, such as distribution and abundance of hosts, parasites, and parasite vectors. Avian blood parasites have a negative effect on the fitness and survival of hosts, so given the physiological constraints imposed on hosts during migration, it is important to consider the host-parasite prevalence when assessing a bird’s fitness. During migration, September through October, we trapped American kestrels (Falco sparverius), sharp-shinned hawks (Accipter striatus), Cooper’s hawks (A. cooperi), northern goshawks (A. gentilis) and red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) at the Idaho Bird Observatory in Boise, Idaho. We collected blood from the brachial vein to make blood smears. The avian parasites Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium are present in Accipitradae and Falconidae, and we present data comparing intensities and prevalence of parasitism between migratory and non-migratory birds of different species. The results will help us to understand the link between blood parasite prevalence and the overall fitness of migrating raptors, and will also assist us in more fully understanding the physiological cost of migrating.

Characterization of Salmonella Typhimurium AB5 Enterotoxin

Bradley Morris — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:54 PDT

Every year approximately 40,000 cases of Salmonella food poisoning are reported in the United States. While much is understood about Salmonella virulence, currently there is little known about the enterotoxins produced by Salmonella. Our goal with this study is to isolate and characterize the AB5 enterotoxins produced by this bacterium. After isolation and purification of this toxin we will be able to analyze the functional characteristics and compare it to similar AB5 toxins. With the evident need for novel vaccines this research is of importance in finding potential adjuvants that will stimulate a strong immune response with antigens associated with oral vaccines. We have screened and identified two strains of Salmonella Typhimurium that contain the correct gene sequence for the AB5 enterotoxin and cloned them into an appropriate vector for characterization. We have performed PCR to identify the presence of the ArtAB enterotoxin in two strains of Salmonella phagetype DT104. ArtAB was cloned into the pROExHTC plasmid to express and purify this toxin with an N-terminal Histine tag and a nickel column. In addition ArtAB was cloned into pTrchis-Topo to express and purify ArtAB with a C-terminal histine tag. After Isolation and purification of this toxin we will be able to analyze the functional characteristics and compare it to similar AB5 toxins. With the evident need for novel vaccines this research is of importance in finding potential new adjuvants that will stimulate a strong immune response with antigens administered as oral vaccines

Purification of Novel Shiga Toxin Based Vaccine Adjuvants

Herbert Pollard IV — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:53 PDT

Shiga toxin is a bacterial enterotoxin that represents a promising vaccine adjuvant. The purpose of this experiment is to purify a detoxified derivative of Shiga toxin. These experiments have focused on cloning the StxB gene, a subunit of Shiga toxin, into the commercially available plasmid pBAD18. The StxB gene will be cloned to create three plasmids. The first plasmid will contain StxB with a 6x Histidine tag to allow for nickel column purification. This plasmid will also have a multiple cloning site to allow for the addition of antigens to the subunit protein. The second plasmid will have just the StxB gene alone. The purpose of this plasmid is to test if the StxB subunit can be purified using D-galactose agarose. The final plasmid will contain the StxB subunit and a multiple cloning site. This plasmid can be used to test if StxB can be purified with D-galactose while also bound to an antigen. Once the plasmids have been constructed, further experiments will be conducted to determine the best method of purification for Shiga toxin derived vaccine adjuvants.

The Effects of Inducible OSM on Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Dollie Thompson et al. — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:34:52 PDT

Breast adenocarcinoma is a cancer of glandular cells, and like most carcinomas is mediated by signaling pathways. Oncostatin M (OSM), in particular, is a signaling factor that binds to its receptors to elicit various effects in breast cancer cells, including decreasing proliferation while subsequently increasing metastatic potential. We hypothesize that increased breast cancer metastasis to bone, lung, and other organs will occur as a result of increased OSM expression. We are creating a stable MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line that will inducibly overexpress human OSM. MDA-MB-231 cells are currently being transfected with the pcDNA6TR vector and the pcDNA4/TO+huOSM vector and will be inducible by tetracycline. In vivo, this line will be used to observe tumor progression and metastasis as a function of inducible OSM by feeding mice tetracycline in their drinking water. These studies should allow us to follow the importance of OSM in breast cancer metastasis while eliminating OSM’s effect on tumor cell proliferation.