Digital Commons Network^™

Novel Devices For Studying Acute And Chronic Mechanical Stress In Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, Farhad Farjood, Elizabeth Vargis

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a major cause of blindness in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic protein, by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a key stimulator of CNV. Mechanical stress occurs during different stages of AMD and is a possible inducer of VEGF expression in RPE cells. However, robust and realistic approaches to studying acute and chronic mechanical stress under various AMD stages do not exist.The majority of previous work has studied cyclic stretching of RPE cells grown on flexible substrates, but an ideal model must be able to …

Weather And Air Quality Drive The Winter Use Of Utah’S Big And Little Cottonwood Canyons, Hongchao Zhang, Jordan Smith

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Winter outdoor recreation opportunities in Utah are directly impacted by the effects of climate change and deteriorating air quality. We examine the influences of daily weather conditions and air quality on winter use of two prominent Utah canyons located just outside Salt Lake City-Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. Daily weather data were collected both within the canyons and in Salt Lake City; daily air quality data were collected for just Salt Lake City. We hypothesized that desirable weather within the canyons (i.e., cooler temperatures, more snowfall, and deeper snow depths) serves as a “pull” factor, positively influencing the volume of …

Cooperative Research Agreement Concerning Ecology And Management Of Wild Carnivores, Eric M. Gese

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Is Uber A Substitute Or Complement For Public Transit?, Jonathan D. Hall, Craig Palsson, Joseph Price

Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

How Uber affects public transit ridership is a relevant policy question facing cities worldwide. Theoretically, Uber’s effect on transit is ambiguous: while Uber is an alternative mode of travel, it can also increase the reach and flexibility of public transit’s fixed-route, fixed-schedule service. We estimate the effect of Uber on public transit ridership using a difference-in-differences design that exploits variation across U.S. metropolitan areas in both the intensity of Uber penetration and the timing of Uber entry. We find that Uber is a complement for the average transit agency, increasing ridership by five percent after two years. This average effect …

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, October 4, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Program Proposal

• Offering a Masters in Ancient Languages and Cultures
• Changing the name from American Studies to Folklore and American Studies
• Restructuring Folklore and American Studies
• Offering a Baccalaureate degree in Chinese
• Establishing an I-System Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, October 4, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, October 4, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee report
• Academic Standards Subcommittee report
• General Education Subcommittee report

Faculty Senate Minutes, October 1, 2018, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report – September 6, 2018
• EPC Annual Report
• Honors Annual Report
• Faculty Senate Meeting Time Change – Kimberly Lott
• Code 403.3.1 Standards of Conduct-Faculty Responsibilities to Student - Kimberly Lott
• Code 403.3.2 Standards of Conduct-Professional Obligations - Kimberly Lott
• Code 407.1.1 Non-punitive Measures - Kimberly Lott
• Code 407.11.2 Inquiry into Allegations of Violation Policies 407.8 and/or 407.9 - Kimberly Lott
• Code 407.11.3 Protection of Complainant and Others - Kimberly Lott
• Nominating Committee Code

2018 Football Preview, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Annual football preview.

The Lifecycle Of Sustainable Analytics: From Data Collection To Change Management, Mitchell Colver

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In this age of an ever-increasing list of analytics vendors and endlessly forwarded news articles that trumpet the promises of big data in higher education, it can be easy to become distracted by data science and miss out on another opportuni­ty—supporting increased professionalism amongst university staff, faculty, and administrators. Indeed, like many technologies before it, analytics provides us with an opportunity to catalyze institutional effectiveness, but only when we resist the tenden­cy to believe that technology can replace the need for human ingenuity and judgment. This report will argue that such threats to pro­fessional flourishing can be insulated against if …

Expanding Instream Flows To Protect Ecosystems In Overallocated River Basins, Belize A. Lane, David E. Rosenberg

Reports

Utahns are expressing a rapidly growing interest in protecting and enhancing instream flows for outdoor recreation and environmental benefits (Endter-Wada et al. 2015). However, many Utah rivers are already over-allocated for agricultural, municipal, hydropower and other water uses, making it difficult to procure additional water for instream flows. ‘Use it or lose it’ western water law and mentality encourages Utahns to use water rather than return it to rivers and ecosystems.

This briefing reviews existing instream flow practices allowed by the Utah water rights system and the challenges to implementation. We suggest key technical and legislative opportunities within and outside …

Effect Of A Flying Versus Stationary Start On Wingate Test Outcomes Using An Electromagnetically-Braked Cycle Ergometer In Advanced Resistance-Trained Males, Nicolas W. Clark, Dale R. Wagner, Edward M. Heath

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to compare power outputs of the flying start to the stationary start method on an electromagnetically–braked cycle ergometer. Twenty advanced resistance-trained men (age 24.6 ± 4.5 years; 25.4 ± 2.5 kg/m²) volunteered to participate in this study. A counter-balanced, repeated-measures design was utilized to randomly assign participants to either the flying start or the stationary start for their first Wingate test. Paired t tests were used to evaluate mean differences between start methods. Peak power (PP), mean power (MP), total work (TW), peak cadence (PC), mean cadence (MC), and time to reach …

Faculty Senate Agenda, October 1, 2018, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report - September 6, 2018
• EPC Annual Report
• Honors Annual Report
• Faculty Senate Meeting Time Change
• Code 403.3.1 Standards of Conduct-Faculty Responsibilities to Student
• Code 403.3.2 Standards of Conduct-Professional Obligations
• Code 407.1.1 Non-punitive Measures
• Code 407.11.2 Inquiry into Allegations of Violation Policies 407.8 and/or 407.9
• Code 407.11.3 Protection of Complainant and Others
• Nominating Committee Code

Relative Salt Tolerance Of 22 Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Cultivars, Youping Sun, Genhua Niu, Joseph G. Masabni, Girisha Ganjegunte

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the relative salt tolerance of pomegranate (Punica granatum) cultivars. Twenty-two pomegranate cultivars were irrigated weekly with a saline solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 10.0 dS·m–1 for 4 weeks and subsequently with a saline solution at an EC of 15.0 dS·m–1 for another 3 weeks (salt treatment). Another group of uniform plants was watered with a nutrient solution without additional salts at an EC of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control). No visual foliar salt damage (leaf burn, necrosis, or discoloration) was observed during the entire experimental period; however, salt treatment impacted pomegranate growth negatively, …

Collaborative Research: The Interplay Between Host Diet, Immunity, Reproduction, And The Microbiome Across An Anthropogenic-Disturbed Landscape, Susannah S. French

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

An Apple A Day? Eat More Fruits And Vegetables, Cindy Nelson, Makendra Goff

All Current Publications

This fact sheet gives ideas for increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet each day.

Local Food Entrepreneurship Support, Needs And Gap Analysis, Karin E. Allen, Ruby Ward

All Current Publications

This study looks at the current needs as well as resources available to identify gaps in services and provide recommendations about how programs could be improved or added in support of the Utah food production system. An in-depth background on FICs is presented, followed by a brief description of Utah’s food climate. The methodology used and the analysis, followed by .final recommendation is included.

Clover Root Curculio (Sitona Hispidulus F.), Kaitlin Rim, Steven Price, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

The clover root curculio is an important agricultural pest in forage production systems. Adult beetles feed on the host plant leaves while the damaging larval stage feeds on the roots below ground. Heavy larval feeding has been associated with reduced stand establishment, disruption of nutrient and water uptake, increased secondary plant pathogen infection, decreased winter plant survival, delayed green-up, and reductions in forage quality and yield. Due to the hidden nature of eggs and larvae in the soil, CRC has been overlooked and damage is often misdiagnosed as nutrient deficiencies or pathogens. Historically, applications of chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbamates, and organophosphates …

Why Stress Management Strategies Work, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

Stress is a universally-experienced phenomenon. Although there are myriad causes, the methods of effectively managing the stress are generally the same. Why do these strategies work though? This fact sheet addresses this question, citing what research has found about why these commonly suggested stress management strategies work. They are divided into physical, mental, and social categories of stress relievers.

European Cherry Fruit Fly Rhagoletis Cerasi (Linnaeus), Lori R. Spears, Diane G. Alston

All Current Publications

European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) is a new invasive cherry-infesting pest from Europe. It was first detected in the U.S. in New York in 2017. This fact sheet describes it and includes life history, plant hosts, damage symptoms, monitoring, and management.

Rethinking Behavior - Fall 2018, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Fall 2018, Volume 2, Issue 1

Using The Convenient Slow Cooker Safely, Susan Haws

All Current Publications

A slow cooker is a convenient time saver. This fact sheet explains what a slow cooker is, how it works, and how to choose one. It also has tip on preparing food safely, using slow cookers at high altitudes, dealing with power outages, saving leftovers, and testing a slow cooker's performance.

Relationships Between Borders, Management Agencies, And The Likelihood Of Watershed Impairment, Josh Epperly, Andrew Witt, Jeffrey Haight, Susan E. Washko, Trisha Brooke Atwood, Janice Brahney, Soren Brothers, Edd Hammill

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

In the United States, the Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes water quality standards important for maintaining healthy freshwater ecosystems. Within the CWA framework, states define their own water quality criteria, leading to a potential fragmentation of standards between states. This fragmentation can influence the management of shared water resources and produce spillover effects of pollutants crossing state lines and other political boundaries. We used numerical simulations to test the null prediction of no difference in impairment between watersheds that cross political boundaries (i.e. state lines, national or coastal borders, hereafter termed “transboundary”) and watersheds that cross no boundaries (hereafter “internal”). …

The Battle Over Fracking: The Mobilization Of Local Residents, Mehmet Soyer, Sebahattin Ziyanak

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

In the last decade, the natural gas industry has grown rapidly, and North Texas has become a major shale gas-producing area. This paper studies the power struggle of two rival groups (Frack Free Denton and Denton Tax Payers for a Strong Economy) over fracking in Denton. How did each of these groups challenge the claims-making activities and goals of their adversaries?” We conducted data from ten in-depth interviews from each side to compare concerns about fracking. This study focuses on the campaign of the two groups on each side of the debate. We developed the model of merging the theoretical …

Incorporating Social System Dynamics In The Columbia River Basin: Food-Energy-Water Resilience And Sustainability Modeling In The Yakima River Basin, Jennifer E. Givens, Julie Padowski, Christian D. Guzman, Keyvan Malek, Rebecca Witinok-Huber, Barbara Cosens, Michael Briscoe, Jan Boll, Jennifer Adam

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

In the face of climate change, achieving resilience of desirable aspects of food-energy-water (FEW) systems already strained by competing multi-scalar social objectives requires interdisciplinary approaches. This study is part of a larger effort exploring “Innovations in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus (INFEWS)” in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) through coordinated modeling and simulated management scenarios. Here, we focus on a case study and conceptual mapping of the Yakima River Basin (YRB), a sub-basin of the CRB. Previous research on FEW system management and resilience includes some attention to social dynamics (e.g., economic and governance systems); however, more attention to social drivers and …

Innovation In Rangeland Monitoring: Annual, 30 M, Plant Functional Type Percent Cover Maps For U.S. Rangelands, 1984-2017, Matthew O. Jones, Brady W. Allred, David E. Naugle, Jeremy D. Maestas, Patrick Donnelly, Loretta J. Metz, Jason Karl, Rob Smith, Brandon Bestelmeyer, Chad Boyd, Jay D. Kerby, James D. Mciver

Articles

Innovations in machine learning and cloud‐based computing were merged with historical remote sensing and field data to provide the first moderate resolution, annual, percent cover maps of plant functional types across rangeland ecosystems to effectively and efficiently respond to pressing challenges facing conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. We utilized the historical Landsat satellite record, gridded meteorology, abiotic land surface data, and over 30,000 field plots within a Random Forests model to predict per‐pixel percent cover of annual forbs and grasses, perennial forbs and grasses, shrubs, and bare ground over the western United States from 1984 to 2017. Results were …

Comparing Cognitive Fusion And Cognitive Reappraisal As Predictors Of College Student Mental Health, Jennifer Krafft, Jack Haegar, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral interventions target different cognitive processes to promote mental health, including cognitive fusion and cognitive reappraisal. Determining the relative impact of cognitive fusion and reappraisal on a range of student mental health concerns could help interventions target psychopathological cognitive processes more effectively. Therefore, this study examined the longitudinal impact of cognitive fusion and reappraisal on mental health and functioning outcomes. A series of hierarchical regression models tested the effects of cognitive fusion and reappraisal in a sample of college students (n = 339). When controlling for reappraisal and baseline symptoms, fusion predicted distress, depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, …

The Utah Statesman, September 18, 2018, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Synchronization Of Energy Consumption By Human Societies Throughout The Holocene, Jacob Freeman, Jacopo A. Baggio, Erick Robinson, David A. Byers, Eugenia Gayo, Judson Byrd Finley, Jack A. Meyer, Robert L. Kelly, John M. Anderies

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

We conduct a global comparison of the consumption of energy by human populations throughout the Holocene and statistically quantify coincident changes in the consumption of energy over space and time—an ecological phenomenon known as synchrony. When populations synchronize, adverse changes in ecosystems and social systems may cascade from society to society. Thus, to develop policies that favor the sustained use of resources, we must understand the processes that cause the synchrony of human populations. To date, it is not clear whether human societies display long-term synchrony or, if they do, the potential causes. Our analysis begins to fill this knowledge …

Unplugged: Engineers Develop Wireless Charging System For Electric Wheelchairs, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Researchers at Utah State University are rethinking a 30-year-old technology and giving new meaning to the words limited mobility.