Digital Commons Network^™

Processes Of Couple Co-Regulation In Bereavement: A Longitudinal Study, Jessica Barboza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Five couples reported on their experience of coping with and supporting their partner through the loss of a child. In-depth interviews with these bereaved parents revealed that couples engage in processes of regulating self, regulating other and forming a grief rhythm after child-loss. These processes have important implications for future research and therapeutic practice with bereaved parents, couples, and families.

Cost Minimizing Energy Management Control Scheme For Microgrids Considering Dynamic Electricity Prices, Levi T. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As countries develop and technology improves, the world is using more energy than ever before. This fact along with several other political, social, and economic factors has resulted in simultaneous energy and climate crises. A partial solution to both problems is bringing clean energy sources of electricity closer to the customers who use that energy. A microgrid is a smaller version of the national electric grid where smaller electricity generators are networked with local consumers and controlled independently of the main grid. Because control of electricity sources and loads are transferred to local controllers, the flexibility with which they can …

Surface Water Hydrology Within The Great Salt Lake Basin, Madeline F. Merck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) and its tributaries are ecologically and economically important resources for Utah. It is a highly saline lake, with salinity that is several times saltier than the ocean. Lake uses are heavily influenced by its salinity and lake level and, similarly, river uses by its streamflow quantity. Currently, the GSL Basin is experiencing changes that affect tributary inflows, lake level, and salinity. For my dissertation and in support of better lake management, I addressed important gaps in our understanding of the lake and the changes it is undergoing.

Chapter 2 is an examination of the distribution …

Estimated Aerodynamic Forces And Moments And Optimal Orientation Of The V-Bat Airframe During Vertical Landing In Gusty Conditions, Parker C. Carter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ship based Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) are an important tool used by the United States Navy for situational awareness and short-range operations. Naval UAS are used to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and target-acquisition while being low cost, mission flexible, and safe. Unfortunately UAS suffer disadvantages with respect to adverse environmental conditions caused by the air being displaced by the ship. The accumulation of one or more adverse conditions is known as airwake. To counteract the effects of airwake, the objectives of this work are to first evaluate the effect of forces and moments during the vertical landing phase of …

Analysis Of Student Behavior And Score Prediction In Assistments Online Learning, Aswani Yaramala

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Understanding and analyzing student behavior is paramount in enhancing online learning, and this thesis delves into the subject by presenting an in-depth analysis of student behavior and score prediction in the ASSISTments online learning platform. We used data from the EDM Cup 2023 Kaggle Competition to answer four key questions. First, we explored how students seeking hints and explanations affect their performance in assignments, shedding light on the role of guidance in learning. Second, we looked at the connection between students mastering specific skills and their performance in related assignments, giving insights into the effectiveness of curriculum alignment. Third, we …

Developing Empirical Predictive Models To Support Conservation Planning For Threatened Frogs, Toads, And Turtles In South-Coastal California, Umarfarooq Adavudi Abdulwahab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Amphibians and reptiles (i.e., herptiles) are among the most threatened groups of species on Earth. The major threats to these species include the direct, indirect, and synergistic effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, disease, overexploitation, and pollution. To protect and restore species, natural resource managers need effective, data-driven conservation plans that are grounded in sound knowledge of species distributions and habitat requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools used to assess species-habitat relationships. However, SDMs are sensitive to the choice and quality of input data, both of which can affect model accuracy and precision and lead to …

Solar Flare Prediction From Extremely Imbalanced Multivariate Time Series Data Using Minimally Random Convolutional Kernel Transform, Kartik Saini

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Solar flares are characterized by sudden bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun's surface, and caused by the changes in magnetic field states in solar active regions. Earth and its surrounding space environment can suffer from various negative impacts caused by solar flares ranging from electronic communication disruption to radiation exposure-based health risks to the astronauts. In this paper, we address the solar flare prediction problem from magnetic field parameter-based multivariate time series (MVTS) data using multiple state-of-the-art machine learning classifiers that include MINImally RandOm Convolutional KErnel Transform (MINIROCKET), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Canonical Interval Forest (CIF), Multiple Representations SEQuence …

Ecology And Management Of Dyer's Woad (Isatis Tinctoria) In Northern Utah, Erin Marie Hettinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dyer’s woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) is a non-native forb that continues to threaten natural areas throughout Northern Utah and much of the Intermountain West. Once introduced, dyer’s woad can become extremely invasive, decreasing forage quality, and displacing native species. While dyer’s woad is found throughout much of Northern Utah, its range in other states remains limited. If promptly managed, control success in these areas will be much higher and populations may be kept at bay before ecological damage becomes severe.

This project tested the ability of dyer’s woad seedlings to compete with common rangeland grasslands at varied densities as …

Household Information Records Organizer, Andrea Schmutz, Amanda Christensen, Melanie Jewkes, Melanie Dabb, Vincenza Vicari-Bentley, Alicia Nelson-Bell, Stacey Abbott

All Current Publications

This guide is a systematic approach for keeping track of important documents and financial records to stay organized, save time searching for information and make it easier to cope with emergencies.

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda December 7, 2023, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn

Ozgene: To Advance Humanity – Inspire Curiosity, Maarit Patrick, Mike Dixon

Huntsman School of Business Teaching Scholarship Series

The case introduces the students to Ozgene, an Australian firm that experienced a dramatic reduction in lead time of their products because of implementation of Lean principles. The case can be used in undergraduate or graduate courses in operations management or supply chain management as an introduction to Lean principles. The case also encourages students to consider the challenges that make-to-order differ from those of make-to-stock and explore production design principles.

Dynamics And Scaling Of Particle Streaks In High-Reynolds-Number Turbulent Boundary Layers, Tim Berk, Filippo Coletti

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Inertial particles in wall-bounded turbulence are known to form streaks, but experimental evidence and predictive understanding of this phenomenon is lacking, especially in regimes relevant to atmospheric flows. We carry out wind tunnel measurements to investigate this process, characterizing the transport of microscopic particles suspended in turbulent boundary layers. The friction Reynolds number Re_𝜏 = O(10⁴) allows for significant scale separation and the emergence of large-scale motions, while the range of viscous Stokes number St⁺ = 18–870 is relevant to the transport of dust and fine sand in the atmospheric surface layer. We …

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Reproduction is considered an energetically and physiologically demanding time in the life of an animal. Changes in physiological stress are partly reflected in changes in glucocorticoid metabolites and can be measured from fecal samples. We examined levels of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in 24 captive coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate responses to the demands of reproduction. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we analyzed 633 fecal samples covering 11 biological periods (e.g., breeding, gestation, and lactation). Levels of fGCMs showed high individual variability, with females having higher fGCM levels than males. …

“...I Have My Dad, Sister, Brother, And Mom’S Password”: Unveiling Users’ Mental Models Of Security And Privacy-Preserving Tools, Prakriti Dumaru, Ankit Shrestha, Rizu Paudel, Cassity Haverkamp, Maryellen Mcclain Verdoes, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

Purpose: Security and privacy-preserving tools (for brevity, we term them as ‘security tools’ in this paper, unless otherwise specified) are designed to protect the security and privacy of people in the digital environment. However, inappropriate use of these tools can lead to unexpected consequences that are preventable. Hence, it is significant to examine why users do not understand the security tools.

Methodology: We conducted a qualitative study with 40 participants in the USA to investigate the prevalent misconceptions of people regarding security tools, their perceptions of data access, and the corresponding impact on their usage behavior and data protection strategies. …

Merging Acceptance And Commitment Therapy With Exposure Exercises To Treat Social Anxiety In A Teen, Caleb D. Farley, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) often develops during teenager years, and it is important to conceptualize developmentally appropriate interventions. Exposure therapy framed from a perspective of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) shows promise for decreasing pathology and increasing wellbeing. This case illustrates the process through which exposure therapy was integrated with ACT to elicit meaningful outcomes in a case of SAD with a 16-year-old female. Treatment outcomes assessed included engagement in values-based activities as well as assessments of depression, social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, experiential avoidance, and contextually targeted school-based wellbeing. Intervention centered on learning ACT principles through relatable metaphors …

Provoking Gut-Level Reactions: A Study On Journalistic Framing During The 2020 Meatpacking Crisis, Michelle Rossi, Patrick Ferrucci

Journalism and Communication Faculty Publications

This study investigates news frames used by mainstream news media in the United States to portray the 2020 meatpacking crisis. By integrating framing and animal standpoint theory, it reveals the mechanisms that perpetuate social ignorance about daily practices within the meat industry, particularly those that exclude the perspectives of farmed animals. Through an engagement with intersectional ecofeminism and Critical Animal and Media Studies (CAMS), the investigation probes the cyclical patterns of violence inflicted upon farmed animals in the meat industry as portrayed by news outlets, a phenomenon that simultaneously impacts marginalized human communities. The inclusion of farmed animals as news …

Guide To Pivot Track Management, Matt Yost, Behnaz Molaei, R. Troy Peters, Clara Anderson, Burdette Barker, Jonathan Holt, Dustin Larsen

All Current Publications

Irrigation uniformity can be reduced by wheel track rutting because of tire slippage (Meyer & Hoffman, 1983). These impacts can result in costly repairs to equipment, including gear boxes (about $700 each) and center-drive motors (about $550 each), or hydraulic pumps and motors on certain makes of pivot. Labor and crop damage associated with freeing or repairing a pivot or caused by downtime can also be a great expense to the farmer. This guide covers different strategies for managing wheel track rutting for center pivots and lateral-move systems.

Iron Deficiency In Pregnancy And Children, Brianna Kane, Stacy Bevan, Carrie Durward, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos

All Current Publications

Meeting the proper iron recommendations is important for both children and mothers because iron is essential for growth and development. An inadequate intake of iron is the most common reason for iron deficiency. Eating appropriate amounts of iron during these stages of life is of upmost importance. Including sources of heme iron and vitamin C can help increase absorption of iron.

Usu Army Rotc Cannon Assessment, Annalyn Jensen, Emma Sharp, Hunter Esplin, Spencer Fairbanks, Tannon Merrill

Biology Student Research

An assessment was conducted by students from the USU Industrial Hygiene Program on November 11th, 2023, to determine the noise exposure of USU Army ROTC Cadets involved in firing a 75 mm howitzer cannon at home football games. The assessment utilized personal dosimetry and sound level mapping to measure peak noise (Lzpk), average noise level (Lavg), and time-weighted average (TWA) levels. Findings indicate that two of the sampled Cadets were exposed above the Department of Defense (DOD) peak noise exposure limit and all three exceeded Lavg limits. The given recommendations include continuing the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) and …

Relation Between Halogen Bond Strength And Ir And Nmr Spectroscopic Markers, Akhtam Amonov, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The relationship between the strength of a halogen bond (XB) and various IR and NMR spectroscopic quantities is assessed through DFT calculations. Three different Lewis acids place a Br or I atom on a phenyl ring; each is paired with a collection of N and O bases of varying electron donor power. The weakest of the XBs display a C–X bond contraction coupled with a blue shift in the associated frequency, whereas the reverse trends occur for the stronger bonds. The best correlations with the XB interaction energy are observed with the NMR shielding of the C atom directly bonded …

Factors Contributing To Late Identification Of Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Children In Louisiana, Danielle D. Mercer, Tri Tran, Dawne Mccabe, Terri Ibieta, Dana Hubbard

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

To ensure children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) receive supports they need to reach their full potential, it is imperative that they be identified as early as possible. Early Hearing Detection and Intervention benchmarks stipulate children who are D/HH be enrolled in early intervention no later than 6 months of age. A major barrier to early enrollment is late identification. We reviewed records of children identified as D/HH in Louisiana after 6 months of age for 2015-2020 birth cohorts to determine factors contributing to the late identification. Cases were examined in-depth after it was determined that a diagnosis was …

Preliminary Validation Of The Conditioned Assessment Of Speech Production In Spanish, Alliete R. Alfano, Tan Li

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: This study focused on the preliminary concurrent validity between the CASP and CASP-S to answer the following questions: (1) Do obtained scores on the CASP-S correlate to the CASP? (2) Do the two assessments categorize children with and without hearing loss similarly in terms of vocal development?

Method: Eighteen Spanish-English bilingual children (12-43 months) participated in this study; 12 had typical hearing; 6 had severe-to-profound hearing loss. During the study, the clinician modeled specified vocalizations over Zoom for the parent to repeat, then the parent imitated the vocalization for the child to repeat. Approximately a week later, the CASP-S …

Journal Of Early Hearing Detection And Intervention: Volume 8 Issue 2, Pages 1-38

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

No abstract provided.

Unintended Effects Of Preferential Tax Assessment On Farmland Protection: Evidence From Utah's Farmland Assessment Act, Wai Yan Siu, Man Li, Arthur J. Caplan

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This study examines the effect of Utah's Greenbelt program, the state's preferential tax-assessment effort to protect farmland, using an instrumental variable-fixed effects strategy. We find that an unintended effect of the program leads to more conversion of agricultural land to development than the protection it provides. The protection effect is concentrated on parcels with smaller agricultural areas, while conversion occurs on parcels with larger agricultural areas. Our findings shed light on the rationale of a proposed amendment to the policy—Utah House Bill 25—which did not pass during the 2016 legislative session.

Education Policies Committee Meeting Agenda November 2, 2023, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - October 5, 2023
• Subcommittee Reports
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Meeting Agenda November 2, 2023, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - October 5, 2023
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Faculty Senate Committee Minutes October 2, 2023, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order - Maureen Hearns
• Approval of Minutes - September 5, 2023
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information - Education Policies Committee & Human Resource Policies
• Reports - Education Policies Committee Annual Report & Honors Program Annual Report
• Old Business - Resolution on Reducing USU Greenhouse Gas Pollution & Divestment Request
• New Business - Faculty Senate & SEA Collaboration & Task Force
• Adjourn 4:45 pm

Faculty Senate Committee Agenda October 30, 2023, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order - Maureen Hearns
• Approval of Minutes - October 2, 2023
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information - Education Policies Committee & Human Resources Policies
• Reports - Academic Freedom & Tenure Annual Report & Athletic Council Annual Report
• Old Business - Faculty Code 405
• New Business - Faculty Code 406 & Policy 104 Concerns
• Adjourn - 4:20 pm

Suppressing A Blocked Balance Recovery Step: A Novel Method To Assess An Inhibitory Postural Response, David A. E. Bolton, Charlie C. Baggett Iv, Chase A. Mitton, Sara A. Harper, James K. Richardson

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Stepping to recover balance is an important way we avoid falling. However, when faced with obstacles in the step path, we must adapt such reactions. Physical obstructions are typically detected through vision, which then cues step modification. The present study describes a novel method to assess visually prompted step inhibition in a reactive balance context. In our task, participants recovered balance by quickly stepping after being released from a supported forward lean. On rare trials, however, an obstacle blocked the stepping path. The timing of vision relative to postural perturbation was controlled using occlusion goggles to regulate task difficulty. Furthermore, …

Making Space: A Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial Of An Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Website For Hoarding, Jennifer Krafft, Julie M. Petersen, Clarissa W. Ong, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Hoarding disorder causes significant impairment, but existing treatments have notable barriers to access and do not target several psychological processes that may contribute to hoarding. Therefore, this study evaluated an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) self-help website for hoarding with minimal coaching in a randomized waitlist-controlled trial to evaluate initial feasibility and efficacy.

Methods: Participants were 73 U.S.-based adults with clinically significant hoarding symptoms. The website comprised 16 self-help sessions to be completed over 8 weeks. Measures were taken at baseline, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up.

Results: Multilevel models indicated that the ACT condition improved significantly more than waitlist on …