Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Lactoferrin And Iron-Enriched Whey On Iron Status Of Collegiate Females, Connor Kemp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Iron deficiency has remained a global issue even in developed countries despite food fortification and increased nutritional literacy, biological women of child baring age are at particular risk due to menstruation and reduced dietary intake of iron containing foods compared to men. This issue is of particular concern in athletics due to the critical role of iron in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. With nearly half of female athletes presenting low iron status iron supplementation is often necessary. With iron supplementation often resulting in gastrointestinal symptoms that could negatively impact sport performance itself there is a need to explore other …

Lace Network Firmware: A Polarfire Fpga Network For Data Routing And Command Interfacing In Space Applications, Kade C. Howes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Modern small spacecraft rely on powerful yet efficient onboard compute devices to process data from sensors in real-time due to tight power and volume constraints. This work explores a new compute device system built from PolarFire Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which are power-efficient, reprogrammable chips well-suited for space applications. The system connects via a central controller FPGA with one or multiple companion processing FPGAs, allowing sensor data to be quickly received and shared across the network. Standardized data formats and interfaces increase compatibility with spacecraft computers. By simplifying data handling and using high-speed communication links, this architecture makes it easier …

Faxes, Emails, And Cad: A Case Study Of The Changing Landscape In Born-Digital Design Records, 1994-2006, Julia D. Larson

Journal of Western Archives

The article examines the technological changeover from analog to born digital design records in the mid-1990s, and is a case study in how one San Francisco Bay Area landscape architecture firm navigated the paradigm shift. The firm retained extensive documentation of the project management/construction administration for large scale projects, and this case study shows how archivists can utilize the analog documentation (like faxes and printed emails) to gain a greater understanding of how design firms began using Computer Aided Drafting and how CAD changed design and the process of archiving.

Modulation Of The Semi-Annual Oscillation By Stratospheric Sudden Warmings As Seen In The High-Altitude Jawara Re-Analyses, Jiarong Zhang, Yvan Orsolini, Kaoru Sato

All Physics Faculty Publications

The semi-annual oscillation (SAO) dominates seasonal variability in the equatorial stratosphere and mesosphere. However, the seasonally dependent modulation of the SAO in the stratosphere (SSAO) and mesosphere (MSAO) by sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) in the Arctic has not been investigated in detail. In this study, we examine the seasonal evolution of the SAO during 16 major SSW events spanning 2004 to 2024 using the Japanese Atmospheric General Circulation Model for Upper Atmosphere Research Data Assimilation System Whole Neutral Atmosphere Re-analysis (JAWARA). Basic features of the SAO are well captured by JAWARA, as evidenced by the SSAO and MSAO appearing at …

Leveraging Consistency: Evaluating Ai Coders For Qualitative Research, Saríah López-Fierro, Carlos Chiriboga-Calderón, José López-Fierro, Rubén Pacheco-Villamar

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This study provides insights of using Large Language Models (LLMs) for deductive coding tasks in market research. Deductive coding, which applies predefined codes to text, often demands consistency rather than interpretive nuance. 

We compare five closed-weight LLMs with a group of human coders in tagging instances of “Expansive Framing” across qualitative excerpts, using Fleiss’ Kappa, ANOVA, and Estimated Marginal Means. Results reveal that LLMs exhibit higher consistency and faster processing than humans. These findings suggest that integrating LLMs can improve efficiency, making them an attractive asset for firms managing large datasets.

Mesopause-Region Gravity Wave Activity Due To Tropical Convection As Observed By Awe, Jeffrey M. Forbes, Xiaoli Zhang, Jiarong Zhang, Stephen D. Eckermann, Yucheng Zhao, Pierre-Dominique Pautet, Jun Ma, Ludger Scherliess, Michael J. Taylor

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Mesopause-region (∼ 87 km) gravity waves (GWs) generated by tropical convection are investigated within the four longitude sectors encompassing Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and South America during the Dec 2023– Feb 2024 Southern Hemisphere monsoon season. Variances (Q_v) in the OH Q-line emission measured by the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) capture GW activity, and precipitation rates (PR) from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission identify regions of convective activity. The zonal component of GWs comprising the Q_v between 10°S-10°N primarily propagate eastward. The Q_v distributions are latitudinally-shifted and more confined in …

Retaining The Herd: Habitat Restoration Efforts Increase Patch Retention Times In Mule Deer, Jack Rasmussen

Browse all Datasets

Across much of their range, and the State of Utah, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations have been declining. Declines in herd numbers can be attributed to alterations to historic habitats through the introduction of exotic annual grasses and the encroachment of pinyon-juniper forests on sagebrush ecosystems, changing resource availability. To combat habitat alterations, the Utah Department of Natural Resources has implemented various habitat restoration treatments through the Watershed Restoration Initiative , broadly to remove exotic species and decrease pinyon juniper woodland encroachment. We investigated how mule deer patch retention times differ on eight different habitat restoration treatment types during summer …

Measurement Uncertainty, Barton L. Smith, Douglas R. Neal

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Textbooks

This text is based on the graduate Measurements course notes from BLS at Utah State University. It is intended as a textbook for graduate students in engineering or physics or as a reference text.

If one collects several texts on measurement uncertainty, it quickly becomes clear that the measurement uncertainty community lacks a consistent language or nomenclature. This can be confusing to a new reader who may view measurement uncertainty as a very old and settled topic. The lack of consensus on nomenclature likely stems from the lack of a clear winner–a paradigm and nomenclature set sufficiently superior to be …

Site Specific Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads And Winter Wind Parameters Across The World, Brennan Bean, Nicholas Brimhall, Bikram Bhusal, Marc Maguire, Maha Moussa

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

This report presents a framework for estimating Reliability Targeted Snow Loads (RTSLs) and Winter Wind Parameters (WWPs) at locations outside the Conterminous United States (OCONUS). The methodology integrates ground-based in-situmeasurements with gridded global climate products to generate spatially continuous RTSL estimates for nearly any location in OCONUS. RTSLs are computed at qualifying in-situ stations, and predictive models relating gridded climate products to in-situRTSLs enable estimation at locations lacking direct measurements. This report describes the development of the in-situ annual maximum snow load database, the construction of global gridded climate summaries, the estimation of site-specific RTSLs and Service Targeted …

Strengthening The Utah Diabetes Cook Along Program For Statewide Extension Delivery: Curriculum Refinement And Randomized Controlled Trial, Carrie Durward

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Awe Amtm Geolocation Algorithms, Eric Mckinney, Keith Blonquist, Zack Hatfield, Connor Waite, Pedro Sevilla, Ludger Scherliess, Harri Latvakoski, Greg Cantwell

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Mission Introduction

The AWE instrument images atmospheric gravity waves from the ISS, quantifying energy and momentum fluxes into the ionosphere-thermosphere system to better understand how tropospheric weather influences space weather.

Mission of Opportunity for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Heliophysics Division.

Visible Image-Based Machine Learning For Identifying Abiotic Stress In Sugar Beet Crops, Seyed Reza Haddadi, Masoumeh Hashemi, Richard C. Peralta, Masoud Soltani

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Previous researches have proved that the synchronized use of inexpensive RGB images, image processing, and machine learning (ML) can accurately identify crop stress. Four Machine Learning Image Modules (MLIMs) were developed to enable the rapid and cost-effective identification of sugar beet stresses caused by water and/or nitrogen deficiencies. RGB images representing stressed and non-stressed crops were used in the analysis. To improve robustness, data augmentation was applied, generating six variations on each image and expanding the dataset from 150 to 900 images for training and testing. Each MLIM was trained and tested using 54 combinations derived from nine canopy and …

The Genome Sequence Of The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Tsugae Annand 1924, Bryan M.T. Brunet, Dustin T. Dial, Gaelen R. Burke, Carol D. Von Dohlen, Julia Douglas Freitas, Haley Sanderson, Afiya R. Chida, Samantha J. Jones, Fergal J. Martin, Leanne Haggerty, Stephen W. Scherer, Ioannis Ragoussis, Steven J.M. Jones, Robert G. Foottit, Nathan P. Havill

Biology Faculty Publications

The genome of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is presented in 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules along with 132 unplaced scaffolds for a combined length of 216.56 Mb. The genome is highly contiguous with an N50 of 20.54 Mb and its longest scaffold 37.41 Mb in length. The assembly recovered 97.7% of benchmarked universal single-copy Hemiptera orthologs (BUSCO) with an overall completion score of 98.6%. On the basis of chromosomal synteny with other aphid genomes, the hemlock woolly adelgid’s genome is composed of eight autosomes and two sex (X) chromosomes. Annotation of the assembly identified 11,800 coding genes, 1,930 …

Goals Reconsidered: From Brute Prelusory States Of Affairs To The Lusory Complexity Of Sport, Francisco Javier López Frías

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

In this paper, I examine Bernard Suits’ conceptualization of goals in his influential definition of gameplay, focusing on how his account falls short of capturing the complexity of sporting practices. Suits famously describes games as voluntary attempts to overcome unnecessary obstacles in achieving an identifiable state of affairs. By referring to this state of affairs as the prelusory goal of games, he frames gameplay as structured teleologically around this goal, converting it into the most fundamental element of his notion of gameplay. Although elegant and very intuitive, this conception of games raises tensions when applied to the complex, multilayered activities …

Reliability Targeted Snow Loads And Winter Wind Parameters For Locations Outside Of The Conterminous United States, Brennan L. Bean, Nicholas Brimhall, Bikram Bhusal, Marc Maguire, Maha Moussa

Browse all Datasets

The national building standard ASCE 7 moved to reliability-targeted snow loads (RTSLs) in the 2022 version. This necessitates the development of RTSLs for international locations. This repository contains the data and code needed to produce RTSLs and Winter Wind Parameters for locations outside of the Conterminous United States (OCONUS). It relies on annual maximum snow loads provided in a separate data release (see Brimhall et al. 2025).

Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics In A Water Conflict Region In Nebraska, Usa, Ivo Z. Gonçalves, Burdette Barker, Christopher M. U. Neale, Derrel L. Martin, Sammy Z. Akasheh

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The escalating pressure on water resources in agricultural regions has become a catalyst for water conflicts. The adoption of innovative approaches to estimate actual evapotranspiration (ETa) offers potential solutions to mitigate conflicts related to water usage. This research presents the application of a remote sensing-based methodology for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on a two-source energy balance model (TSEB) for riparian vegetation in Nebraska, US using the Spatial EvapoTranspiration Modeling Interface (SETMI). Estimated results through SETMI and field data using the eddy covariance system (EC) considering the period 2008–2013 were used to validate the energy balance components and ETa. Modeled …

Managing Chickens From Chicks To Peak Egg Production, Joseph Okoh, Essence Perry

All Current Publications

Chickens were first domesticated for cultural purposes, but selective breeding has focused on egg production. Choosing the right breeds and good management practices are essential for farmers to maximize egg yield, quality, and safety. This fact sheet covers poultry history, top egg-laying breeds, egg anatomy, nutrition, and practical tips to help farmers improve productivity and run successful egg production ventures.

Improved Streamflow Forecasting Through Swe-Augmented Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks, Akhila Akkala, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Pouya Hosseinzadeh, Ayman Nassar

Computer Science Student Research

Streamflow forecasting in snowmelt-dominated basins is essential for water resource planning, flood mitigation, and ecological sustainability. This study presents a comparative evaluation of statistical, machine learning (Random Forest), and deep learning models (Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN)) using 30 years of data from 20 monitoring stations across the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We assess the impact of integrating meteorological variables—particularly, the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)—and spatial dependencies on predictive performance. Among all models, the Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN) achieved the highest accuracy, with a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.84 …

Honey, I Shrunk The Pk Weir: A Case Study Of Burton Pond Dam, David Bisio

4th International Workshop on Labyrinth and Piano Key Weirs

Between a low-head tidal environment, razor-thin hydraulic margins, and a long list of site restrictions, the Burton Pond Dam Rehabilitation project offered the chance to pursue a one-of-a-kind solution: a miniature stainless steel piano key weir as part of a new mixed active-passive spillway. This case study will explore how established hydraulic designs were modified specifically for the site and verified with computational flow dynamics; how the innovative cantilevered geometry was analyzed structurally with finite element modeling; and how detailing, fabrication and constructability were considered throughout the design process. From conceptual-level design submissions to the final construction walkthrough, the whole …

An Innovative Association Of Fusegate And Pk-Weir, F. Lempérière, A. Chapuis, F. Del Rey, C. Bessière

4th International Workshop on Labyrinth and Piano Key Weirs

The combination on the same dam of Piano Key weir (PK-Weir) and fusible structures offers a highly effective passive solution for managing flood discharges. This concept first introduced by Hydrocoop in 2015 as « Innovative Associated Spillways » can leverage the strength of each system. More than 30 years after its first application, the returns of experience of the Hydroplus Fusegate® system applications on more than 80 dams in 25 different countries have confirmed their reliability in terms of sequentially overturning on the downstream side for the correct design flood. With their high discharge capacity at low head, PK-Weirs optimize …

Forage Sampling Guide For Agronomic Crops, Jody Gale, Matt Yost, Megan Baker, Michael Pace, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Kalen Taylor, Cody Zesiger, Tiffany Evans, Rhonda Miller, Clara Anderson

All Current Publications

Forage sampling is a valuable tool that provides producers with quality information for calculating feed rations and marketing their forages. To ensure that this information is accurate and reliable, it is important to understand how to collect these samples correctly. Sampling tools have been developed that simplify this process and improve accuracy.

Analytical Solutions For Transitional Flow Around Hydrometeors: Implications For Particle Dynamics And Atmospheric Modeling, Ahmad Talaei, Timothy J. Garrett

Physics Student Research

Accurate modeling of hydrometeor dynamics is critical for advancing weather and climate predictions. However, this remains a long-standing challenge in atmospheric science, particularly within the transitional Reynolds number regime, due to the lack of analytical solutions to the Navier–Stokes equations. This study presents two analytical solutions for two-dimensional, incompressible, and viscous flow around a sphere, addressing the gap between low and high Reynolds number regimes. The first framework, an extension of classical expansion methods using hypergeometric, provides a direct analytical relation that characterizes separation angle across the transitional regime. To address post- separation dynamics, a second formulation based on a …

Building Financial Resilience In Utah: The Outcomes Of The Empowering Financial Wellness Program, Amanda H. Christensen, Melanie Jewkes, Andrea Schmutz, Lendel K. Narine

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah State University Extension Empowering Financial Wellness (EFW) program demonstrated improvement in Utahns’ financial behaviors and understanding while creating a positive impact on participants’ quality of life and financial confidence. Through research-based education and ongoing evaluation, EFW continues to deliver measurable, meaningful outcomes to improve the lives of Utahns.

Evaluating Online Naloxone Trainings Targeting Rural And Tribal Communities, Cara Murray, Lily Ward, Tim Keady, Cris Meier

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Drug overdose deaths have been a persistent problem within tribal and rural Utah communities. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the need to pivot to online programming was imperative to provide important lifesaving training on how to administer Naloxone. In response, Utah State University Extension created an online Naloxone training. Evaluation results found increases in knowledge and attitude at the end of the training. Results suggest that online Naloxone training can be an effective way to reach rural and tribal community members.

Be Your Own Brain Advocate: Why Older People Should Request Routine Cognitive Testing, Josey M. Batura, Elizabeth B. Fauth

All Current Publications

Your primary care physician can conduct regular screenings and track cognitive changes; however, patients may need to advocate for and request testing. If there is noticeable loss in cognitive function, you may benefit from a more accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan or care plan from a medical specialist. Detecting cognitive changes early is better than knowing too late.

Reeds Run Amok: A Practical Guide To Managing Phragmites-Invaded Wetlands, Christine Rohal, Keith Hambrecht, Chad Cranney, Karin M. Kettenring

All Current Publications

Phragmites australis (common reed or simply “phragmites”) is a tall-statured, highly productive wetland grass. It spreads rapidly, often displacing native plants and degrading critical habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl by reducing the availability of nesting, loafing, and foraging areas. Phragmites also consumes large amounts of water, adding pressure to already scarce water resources. Additionally, the accumulation of standing dead biomass can be a fire hazard. Phragmites makes large areas of wetlands inaccessible to both wildlife and humans. This guide provides guidance on managing phragmites.

Hybrid Conferences As The Standard Offering Of Archival Organizations, Portia Vescio, Regina Bouley Sweeten, Kathleen Dull, Dylan Mcdonald, Jonathan Pringle

Journal of Western Archives

This case study documents the effort to plan and execute a fully hybrid annual meeting for the Society of Southwest Archivists in 2023. By making the conference accessible to both in-person and virtual attendees, the society moved toward greater inclusivity and equity by offering a professional development opportunity that was affordable and within the ability of a volunteer organization. The case study provides a blueprint for any archival organization to follow in creating hybrid meetings.

Structural Evolution Of Nitrogenase Over 3 Billion Years, Bruno Cuevas Zuviría, Franka Detemple, Kaustubh Amritkar, Amanda K. Garcia, Lance Seefeldt, Betül Kaçar

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Previously, we identified the only dinitrogen reduction mechanism known to date as an ancient feature conserved from nitrogenase ancestors, which we directly tested by resurrecting and integrating synthetic ancestral nitrogenases into the genome of Azotobacter vinelandii (Garcia et al., 2023), a genetically tractable, nitrogen-fixing model bacterium. Here, we extend this paleomolecular approach to investigate the structural evolution of nitrogenase over billions of years of evolution by combining phylogenetics, ancestral sequence reconstruction, protein crystallography, and deep-learning based predictions. This study reveals that nitrogenase, while maintaining a conserved multimeric core, evolved novel modular features aligned with major environmental transitions, suggesting that subtle …

Winter Supplementation Of Beef Cows In The Intermountain West, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Feed costs are the most significant expense of most ranching operations in the Intermountain West. Year-round grazing opportunities, hay cost and availability, calving season, cow size, milk production, and feeding logistics are all considerations in a supplementation program. The key to effective winter feeding is to balance the cost/benefit ratio of the supplementation programs while meeting nutritional demands at a minimal cost.

Relaxation Of The Leaf Economics Spectrum Within And Across Quaking Aspen Populus Tremuloides Genotypes, Jolanta Rieksta, Bente J. Graae, Kenny Helsen, Rozália E. Kapás, Richard Strimbeck, Benjamin W. Blonder

Aspen Bibliography

Plant functional traits typically show strong covariation, e.g. as in the worldwide leaf economics spectrum (LES). Covariation is thought to arise from selective forces and physical constraints. However, processes shaping covariation at interspecific scales may differ from those at intraspecific scales. Potential sources of intraspecific trait variation include variation in genetics, abiotic environment, and biotic environment; any of these factors may cause divergence from interspecific patterns. Quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides (Salicaceae), is a widespread tree species ideal for assessing these processes' role in the intraspecific LES, due to its clonal growth along environmental gradients, intraspecific variation in cytotype (ploidy level), …