Digital Commons Network^™

Up To 3 Welcomes New Info Specialist, Jolynne Lyon

Blog Posts

Blog post is about a new info specialist working for the Up to 3 program.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation Complexity, Axel Timmermann, Soon-Il An, Jong-Seong Kug, Fei-Fei Jin, Wenju Cai, Antonietta Capotondi, Kim Cobb, Matthieu Lengaigne, Michal J. Mcphaden, Malte F. Stuecker, Karl Stein, Andrew T. Wittenberg, Kyung-Sook Yun, Tobias Bayr, Han-Ching Chen, Yoshimitsu Chikamoto, Et Al.

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

El Niño events are characterized by surface warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean and weakening of equatorial trade winds that occur every few years. Such conditions are accompanied by changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation, affecting global climate, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, fisheries and human activities. The alternation of warm El Niño and cold La Niña conditions, referred to as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), represents the strongest year-to-year fluctuation of the global climate system. Here we provide a synopsis of our current understanding of the spatio-temporal complexity of this important climate mode and its influence on the Earth system.

It's Time To Listen: There Is Much To Be Learned From The Sounds Of Tropical Ecosystems, Jessica L. Deichmann, Orlando Acevedo-Charry, Leah Barclay, Zuzana Burivalova, Marconi Campos-Cerqueira, Fernando D'Horta, Edward T. Game, Benjamin L. Gottesman, Patrick J. Hart, Ammie K. Kalan, Simon Linke, Leandro Do Nascimento, Bryan Pijanowski, Erica Staaterman, T. Mitchell Aide

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Knowledge that can be gained from acoustic data collection in tropical ecosystems is low‐hanging fruit. There is every reason to record and with every day, there are fewer excuses not to do it. In recent years, the cost of acoustic recorders has decreased substantially (some can be purchased for under US$50, e.g., Hill et al. 2018) and the technology needed to store and analyze acoustic data is continuously improving (e.g., Corrada Bravo et al. 2017, Xie et al. 2017). Soundscape recordings provide a permanent record of a site at a given time and contain a wealth of …

A Rolling Perspecitve: Empower(Chair) Yourself, Jennifer Holland

Blog Posts

The blog post is about wheelchair empowerment.

What Contribution Did Economic Evidence Make To The Adoption Of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Policies In The United States?, Scott D. Grosse, Craig A. Mason, Marcus Gaffney, Vickie Thomson, Karl R. White

Psychology Faculty Publications

Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS), when accompanied by timely access to intervention services, can improve language outcomes for children born deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) and result in economic benefits to society. Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs promote UNHS and using information systems support access to follow-up diagnostic and early intervention services so that infants can be screened no later than 1 month of age, with those who do not pass their screen receiving diagnostic evaluation no later than 3 months of age, and those with diagnosed hearing loss receiving intervention services no later than 6 months …

Whole Cell Cross-Linking To Discover Host-Microbe Protein Cognate Receptor/Ligand Pairs, Bart C. Weimer, Poyin Chen, Prerak T. Desai, Dong Chen, Jigna Shah

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Bacterial surface ligands mediate interactions with the host cell during association that determines the specific outcome for the host–microbe association. The association begins with receptors on the host cell binding ligands on the microbial cell to form a partnership that initiates responses in both cells. Methods to determine the specific cognate partnerships are lacking. Determining these molecular interactions between the host and microbial surfaces are difficult, yet crucial in defining biologically important events that are triggered during association of the microbiome, and critical in defining the initiating signal from the host membrane that results in pathology or commensal association. In …

Organizational Communication And Individual Behavior: Implications For Supply Chain Risk Management, Scott Duhadway, Steven Carnovale, Vijay R. Kannan

Management Faculty Publications

Risk is a significant issue for supply chain managers. Not only must they contend with multiple dimensions of risk in decision‐making, they must reconcile decision‐making with broader organizational interests. This study examines the influence of organizational communication regarding supply chain risk on individual decision‐making strategies and the perceptions of risk. A multi‐stage experimental design is applied, in which decision‐makers make decisions across three dimensions of risk and adjust their risk‐taking behavior after being presented with organizational communication regarding supply chain risk levels. The relationship between organizational communication and the perceptions of supply chain risk is then explored after decision‐makers are …

Ocean Impacts On Australian Interannual To Decadal Precipitation Variability, Zachary F. Johnson, Yoshimitsu Chikamoto, Jing-Jia Luo, Takashi Mochizuki

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

In Australia, successful seasonal predictions of wet and dry conditions are achieved by utilizing the remote impact of sea surface temperature (SST) variability in tropical oceans, particularly the Pacific Ocean, on the seasonal timescale. Beyond seasonal timescales, however, it is still unclear which processes and oceans contribute to interannual-to-decadal wet/dry conditions in Australia. This research examines the interannual-to-decadal relationship between global SST anomalies (SSTAs) and Australian wet/dry variability by analyzing observational data and global climate model experiments conducted with the NCAR Community Earth System Model (CESM) and the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC). A 10-member ensemble simulation suite …

Influence Of Behavioral State, Sex, And Season On Resource Selection By Jaguars (Panthera Onca): Always On The Prowl?, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Sandra M. C. Calvalcanti, Christopher M. U. Neale

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

How a predator uses its landscape to move through its territory and acquire prey is a fundamental question for scientific research. The influence of abiotic and biotic factors on space use of large carnivores has profound implications for their future management and conservation. In the Pantanal, Brazil, jaguars (Panthera onca) are the apex predator, but conflicts with cattle depredations pose a risk to their future conservation. We examined whether behavioral state, sex, and season influenced how jaguars used the landscape in the Pantanal. To accomplish this, we radio‐collared four females and six males; radio‐collared jaguars were monitored for …

Down Regulation Of Vestibular Balance Stabilizing Mechanisms To Enable Transition Between Motor States, Romain Tisserand, Chris J. Dakin, Machiel H. F. Van Der Loos, Elizabeth A. Croft, Timothy J. Inglis, Jean-Sebastien Blouin

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

The neural control of transition between posture and movement encompasses the regulation of reflex-stabilizing mechanisms to enable motion. Optimal feedback theory suggests that such transitions require the disengagement of one motor control policy before the implementation of another. To test this possibility, we investigated the continuity of the vestibular control of balance during transitions between quiet standing and locomotion and between two standing postures. Healthy subjects initiated and terminated locomotion or shifted the distribution of their weight between their feet, while exposed to electrical vestibular stimuli (EVS). The relationship between EVS and ground reaction forces was quantified using time-frequency analyses. …

Utah State Magazine, Summer 2018, Utah State University

Utah State Magazine

The quarterly magazine for friends and alumni of Utah State University.

Equine West Nile Encephalitis, Karl Hoopes, Karah Nay

All Current Publications

West Nile Virus (WNV) was first introduced to the United States in 1999. Since then, the disease has spread to all of our equine populations. Spread by mosquitos from infected birds to horses, WNV can cross the blood-brain barrier to cause an encephalomyelitis. Clinical signs can include weakness, ataxia, muscle twitching, coma, and even death. Prevention, by vaccination and reducing mosquito numbers, is much more effective than treating the disease.

Market Goats: Tips For Beginning A Livestock Project, Deric Despain, Karah Nay, Kevin Heaton

All Current Publications

The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide several tips for beginning a market goat 4-H youth livestock project. 4-H market goat projects are gaining popularity, as seen by the increased level of competition and 4-H livestock shows.

Strategies For Managing Soil Fertility And Health In Organic Orchards - A Fact Sheet, E.O. Thomsen, C.M. Culumber, J.R. Reeve, G. Cardon, D. Alston, B.L. Black, C.V. Ransom

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is a report of research to provide fruit growers with locally adapted advice and solutions for managing soil fertility in certified organic stone-fruits.It includes information of transitioning to organic management; building soil organic matter and providing appropriate nutrients, including phosphorus, potassium, seconary nutrients and trace elements; soil testing; cover crops; mulches; and possible organic management systems.

The Role Of Small Ruminants On Global Climate Change, Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro, Amanda Moser Coelho Da Fonseca Faro, Mylena Taborda Piquera Peres, Rafael Batista, Cesar Henrique Espirito Candal Poli, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Global warming, as a consequence of excessive CO2 production mainly due to anthropogenic actions, is one of the main concerns of society due to the effects it can cause in the survival of humans, plants and animals. Several climatic consequences have already been reported, such as warming the oceans and changing biodiversity in various regions of the planet. One of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, which causes a lot of concern, is methane gas from digestion of food by ruminants. Besides that, emissions of greenhouse gases are represented also by waste management, rice cultivation, burning of residues from …

Dairy In Your Child's Diet, Richelle Hudson, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

This fact sheet presents the health benefits of dairy and busts some common myths to assist you in making informed decisions when purchasing dairy products for your children. It also includes information on dairy alternatives for children who, for one reason or another, do not consume dairy products.

Catalytic Augmentation Of An Arc-Ignited Hydrogen Peroxide/Abs Hybrid Rocket System, Stephen A. Whitmore, Christopher J. Martinez

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The authors have collaborated with an industry partner to develop a prototype upper stage for a dedicated nano-launch vehicle. In addition to providing sufficient impulse for orbit insertion, the unique motor system also provides capability for multiple restarts; allowing operation as an orbital maneuvering thruster. The hybrid motor design uses 85%-90% hydrogen peroxide solution and 3-D printed ABS as propellants. In the original system design the peroxide catalyst bed was completely removed and a patented arc-ignition system thermally ignited the propellants. The thermal ignition system was effective but resulted in a combustion latency of approximately 1-second, reducing overall performance and …

Pull The Andon Rope On Working Memory Capacity Interventions Until We Know More, Sandra Laing Gillam, Sarai S. Holbrook, Jamie Mecham, Daylene Weller

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the current state of interventions for improving working memory (WM) capacity language, and academic skills and to provide suggestions for speech language pathologists working with students who have WM capacity limitations.

Method: Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials and non-randomized comparison studies investigating the role of WM interventions for improving WM capacity language, and academic skills are reviewed. Strategies for improving WM are discussed.

Results: The use of interventions designed to improve WM capacity and other cognitive skills is currently not supported by the research. Direct working memory interventions should be …

Designing For Online Computer-Based Clinical Simulations: Evaluation Of Instructional Approaches, Ilana Dubovi

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Online computer-based simulations are becoming more widespread in nursing education. Therefore, an understanding of when and how to implement the variety of instructional strategies related to these simulations is fundamental.

Objectives: This study compares the effectiveness of online computer-based simulations designed using two alternative instructional approaches—Productive Failure and Simple-to-Complex sequencing—on learning of clinical reasoning skills.

Participants: Participants in this study were undergraduate nursing students (n = 103, mean age = 23.4 ± 2.1) enrolled at a university in Israel.

Methods: Participants completed two online simulations designed using Productive Failure approach (emergency medicine, mental health) and two online simulations using …

Urine Volume And Nitrogen Excretion Are Altered By Feeding Birdsfoot Trefoil Compared With Alfalfa In Lactating Dairy Cows, Mohammad Ghelichkhan, Jong-Su Eun, Rachael G. Christensen, Rusty D. Stott, Jennifer W. Macadam

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Legumes that contain condensed tannins may have lower ruminal protein degradation than alfalfa. The present study investigated the effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) hay on lactational performance and N utilization and excretion. Eight multiparous Holstein cows in midlactation (150 ± 22.3 d-in-milk) were randomly assigned to 2 treatments [alfalfa hay-based total mixed ration (AHT) or birdsfoot trefoil hay-based total mixed ration (BHT)] in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods. Each experimental period lasted 17 d (14 d of adaptation and 3 d of sampling and total collection). Hays comprised approximately 50% …

Graduate Student Mahyar Aboutalebi Receives Spie Award, Utah Water Research Laboratory

News

Graduate student Mahyar Aboutalebi recently received the Runner-up for Best Paper Award at the SPIE 'Autonomous Air and Ground Sensing Systems for Agricultural Optimization and Phenotyping III' Conference in Orlando, L, April 2018.

Graduate Student Mahyar Aboutalebi Receives Spie Award, Utah Water Research Laboratory

News

Graduate student Mahyar Aboutalebi recently received the Runner-up for Best Paper Award at the SPIE 'Autonomous Air and Ground Sensing Systems for Agricultural Optimization and Phenotyping III' Conference in Orlando, L, April 2018.

Rescaling Drought Mitigation In Rural Sri Lanka, Emily Burchfield, Nicholas E. Williams, Amanda Carrico

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Smallholder farmers with limited governmental and institutional support often devise innovative strategies to mitigate the impacts of water stress on agricultural production. These drought mitigation strategies can be more culturally and ecologically suitable than top-down, “technocratic,” strategies. Top-down drought mitigation approaches, however, often link farmers with significant infrastructures, financial resources, and specialized knowledge. Successful rescaling of localized mitigation practices can integrate the benefits of localized mitigation with resources available at larger scales. This paper describes the rescaling of a Sri Lankan drought mitigation practice known as bethma. We focus on the process of rescaling, specifically what is lost and …

The Uneven Influence Of Climate Trends And Agricultural Policies On Maize Production In The Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Sofia Mardero, Bridgit Schmook, Jorge Omar Lopez-Martinez, Lizette Cicero, Claudia Radel, Zachary Christman

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Maize is an important staple crop in Mexico, and the recent intensification of climate variability, in combination with non-climatic forces, has hindered increases in production, especially for smallholder farmers. This article demonstrates the influence of these drivers on maize production trends in the three states of the Yucatan Peninsula using a mixed methods approach of climatic analysis and semi-structured interviews. Climate trend analysis and generalized additive models (GAMs) demonstrate relationships between production and climatic variability, using 1980–2010 precipitation and temperature data. Data from forty interviews with government officials and representatives of farmers' associations (gathered in 2015 and 2016) highlight the …

Inactivation Of The Medial-Prefrontal Cortex Impairs Interval Timing Precision, But Not Timing Accuracy Or Scalar Timing In A Peak-Interval Procedure In Rats, Catalin V. Buhusi, Marcelo B. Reyes, Cody-Aaron Gathers, Sorinel A. Oprisan, Mona Buhusi

Psychology Faculty Publications

Motor sequence learning, planning and execution of goal-directed behaviors, and decision making rely on accurate time estimation and production of durations in the seconds-to-minutes range. The pathways involved in planning and execution of goal-directed behaviors include cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuitry modulated by dopaminergic inputs. A critical feature of interval timing is its scalar property, by which the precision of timing is proportional to the timed duration. We examined the role of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in timing by evaluating the effect of its reversible inactivation on timing accuracy, timing precision and scalar timing. Rats were trained to time two durations in a …

What Does Hidden Curriculum In Engineering Look Like And How Can It Be Explored?, Idalis Villanueva, Laura Gelles, Marialuisa Di Stefano, Buffy Smith, Renetta G. Tull, Susan M. Lord, Lisa Benson, Anne Therese Hunt, Donna M. Riley, Gery W. Ryan

Engineering Education Faculty Publications

This work in progress paper describes the initial stages of a project which aims to characterize the mechanisms of hidden curriculum (HC) in engineering and identify methods for exploring this phenomenon. To effectively study the complex nature of HC, this work brings together researchers with a range of expertise (sociology, engineering education, engineering, statistics, policy analysis, curriculum and instruction) to develop a holistic approach to explore HC in engineering. This work describes the process of gathering input from this multidisciplinary team as well as the literature to develop a mixed-method instrument and model to explore the mechanisms behind HC in …

Beyond Metrics? The Role Of Hydrologic Baseline Archetypes In Environmental Water Management, Belize A. Lane, Samuel Sandoval-Solis, Eric D. Stein, Sarah M. Yarnell, Gregory B. Pasternack, Helen E. Dahlke

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Balancing ecological and human water needs often requires characterizing key aspects of the natural flow regime and then predicting ecological response to flow alterations. Flow metrics are generally relied upon to characterize long-term average statistical properties of the natural flow regime (hydrologic baseline conditions). However, some key aspects of hydrologic baseline conditions may be better understood through more complete consideration of continuous patterns of daily, seasonal, and inter-annual variability than through summary metrics. Here we propose the additional use of high-resolution dimensionless archetypes of regional stream classes to improve understanding of baseline hydrologic conditions and inform regional environmental flows assessments. …

Calibration Of The National Ecological Observatory Network's Airborne Observation Platforms, Nathan Leisso, Joe Boardman, Tristan Goulden, Ian Crocker

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental-scale ecological observation facility funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NEON's mission is to enable understanding and forecasting of the impacts of land-use change and invasive species by providing the infrastructure and consistent methodologies for the collection of continental-scale ecological data. The Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) will play a unique role by collecting regional scale remote sensing data surrounding the NEON sites. This is expected to enable scaling of individual in-situ measurements collected by NEON or others to those collected by external satellite-based remote sensing systems.

The airborne payload consists of …

Social Genomics Of Healthy And Disordered Internet Gaming, Jeffrey G. Snodgrass, Henri J. François Dengah Ii, Michael G. Lacy, Robert J. Else, Evan R. Polzer, Jesusa M. G. Arevalo, Steven W. Cole

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Objectives: To combine social genomics with cultural approaches to expand understandings of the somatic health dynamics of online gaming, including in the controversial nosological construct of internet gaming disorder (IGD).

Methods: In blood samples from 56 U.S. gamers, we examined expression of the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), a leukocyte gene expression profile activated by chronic stress. We compared positively engaged and problem gamers, as identified by an ethnographically developed measure, the Positive and Negative Gaming Experiences Scale (PNGE-42), and also by a clinically derived IGD scale (IGDS-SF9).

Results: CTRA profiles showed a clear relationship with PNGE-42, with a …

The Influence Of A Personal Values Intervention On Cold Pressor-Induced Distress Tolerance, Brooke M. Smith, Jennifer L. Villatte, Clarissa W. Ong, Grayson M. Butcher, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin, Steven C. Hayes

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research has demonstrated that values and acceptance interventions can increase distress tolerance, but the individual contribution of each remains unclear. The current study examined the isolated effect of a values intervention on immersion time in a cold pressor. Participants randomized to Values (n = 18) and Control (n = 14) conditions completed two cold pressor tasks, separated by a 30-minute values or control intervention. Immersion time increased 51.06 seconds for participants in the Values condition and decreased by 10.79 seconds for those in the Control condition. Increases in self-reported pain and distress predicted decreases in immersion time for Control, but …