Digital Commons Network^™

Developing A Soil Aggregate Stability Standard For Use In Laboratory Proficiency Testing, Mackenzie Smith

Student Research Symposium

Soil health is an important part of agriculture and is becoming an issue to which more and more people are paying attention. In evaluating soil health there are many factors proposed to determine healthy soils, and one of the most reliable indicators, as identified by both academic and soil testing industry experts, is macro-aggregate stability. There is a great need for a method to make standard macro-aggregate stability soil samples for commercial and public labs and other facilities to use in quality control/quality assurance programs. We performed a screening study where different soils with widely ranging clay and organic matter …

Restoring Underutilized Native American Food Crops Navajo Spinach, Cleome Serrulata & Native Peach, Reagan Wytsalucy

Student Research Symposium

Native American populations in the Four Corners area have largely lost their connection to agriculture and face serious health challenges due to poor diet and limited availability of nutritious fruits and vegetables. With the need to address pressing nutritional concerns for Native American's in the Southwest, this study looks into assessing the germination response of Navajo Spinach, Cleome serrulata, to temperature, scarification requirements, and evaluating approved seed treatments to enhance germination to warrant local production in the Southwest. Historical practices for cultivating and preserving C. serrulata have been documented and outreach products relevant for targeted audiences at Chapter Houses, high …

Chronic Pain And Exercise, Hayley Loos

Student Research Symposium

Chronic pain affects millions of Americans every year. It can be debilitating, affecting both physical and mental health. Popular treatments often consist of pharmacologicals, especially opioid-based medications, and abstaining from activities that increase pain. While the natural instinct to reduce pain is rest and relaxation, exercise has been proven by research to be an effective method of treatment. It combats inflammation, stabilizes the joints, and reduces fatigue. In addition, it helps combat the emotional struggles that come with chronic pain, such as depression and anxiety. Due to the variety of conditions that fall under the umbrella of chronic pain, there …

Student-Parent Fathers Experience More Stress-Spillover Than Mothers, Audrey Juhasz

Student Research Symposium

Student parents experience stress as they balance multiple roles. This research investigates the moderating role of parent gender in the relationship between parent stress and distress in the parent-child relationship. Results indicate that, compared to mothers, fathers who report higher personal vulnerability experience greater distress in their relationship with their children. Implications are discussed.

A Qualitative Investigation Of How Student Parents Cope With Multiple Roles, Kristin Hall

Student Research Symposium

Postsecondary education is associated with higher incomes, positive mental health, positive parenting practices, low levels of parenting stress, children's academic success, and children's social competence. The purpose of the study was to investigate the stressors college student-parents experience and the coping strategies they use to manage their multiple roles (i.e., parent and student). Interviews also aimed to understand how parents avoided having their stress negatively spillover into the parent-child relationship. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (N = 14) were conducted with college student parents who had a child aged 36 months or younger. Results revealed four categories of themes that lent insight …

Stocks Or Stakeholders: Nonhuman Animals In Natural Resource Sociology, Michael Briscoe

Student Research Symposium

Human values and meanings for nonhuman animals are socially constructed. Nonhuman animals provide value through tangible means, such as food or economic value, but they also are valued for providing experiences, symbols, and ecosystem services like diversity. Nonhuman animals are afforded certain rights and considerations in modern society, but these have proved insufficient in ensuring positive outcomes for both social and ecological systems. Considering nonhuman animals as stakeholders could improve natural resource outcomes by more fully addressing transboundary and uncertainty issues.

Exterior Products Of Linear Pdes And Geometry Of Calabi-Yau Manifolds, Michael Schultz

Student Research Symposium

Given two linear differential equations of finite rank (i.e., the dimension of the solution space) defined on the same space, one may define their tensor product, symmetric product, and exterior product. In this talk, I will discuss a 3-parameter rank-5 system of linear partial differential equations that arises from the exterior product of the connection forms of two Pfaffian systems; this differential system governs the periods of the Jacobian of a generic smooth genus-two elliptic curve. I will explain the connection of this differential system to the Picard-Fuchs system of a family of lattice polarized K3 surfaces of Picard-rank 17.

Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy And Related Outcomes, Kelsey Girardelli

Student Research Symposium

Recent scientific literature is uncovering important associations between vitamin D during pregnancy and related outcomes for maternal health, fetal health and early childhood development. Many studies have shown that large portions of the population are vitamin D deficient, especially in northern latitudes where there is a relative lack of sunlight. This problem is exacerbated when analyzing communities where dark-skinned immigrants have migrated to more northern latitudes (Datta, et al., 2002).This is because increased levels of melanin pigment in the skin make it much more difficult for people of darker skin tones to absorb the necessary UVB light to produce sufficient …

A Refugee Housing Research Project Proposal For Salt Lake City, Utah, Allison Brown

Student Research Symposium

A refugee is someone who, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable to or, owing to fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country (Cultural Orientation Resource Center CORC, 2017). Today, 60,000 of these refugees live in Utah; over half of these are women and children. Utah welcomes somewhere between 30 - 50 new refugees each month from countries around the world. These refugees are put into low-income housing that is small and overpriced for these large families who are working minimum wage jobs. Most of these low-income apartments don’t have …

Young Germ Cell Depleted Ovarian Effects On Post-Menopausal Health, Tracy Habermehl

Student Research Symposium

At a young age, both males and females have comparable health. Once women go through menopause, their ovaries become senescent and the risk of health-related diseases tremendously increases. While it has been noted that reproduction has an influence on health, this research uses that influence of reproduction to increase the life and health span of aged mice. The transplantation of young ovaries into aged mice showed a tremendous increase in life span. Germ cell depleted young transplant ovaries increased life span further and potentially health span. We believe that the communication and reprogramming of the somatic cells by the germ …

The Influence Of Time Spent In Beginning And End-State Postures On Grasp Choice, Rachel Modersitzki

Student Research Symposium

The choice to end comfortably often requires the adoption of uncomfortable beginning states, demonstrating that a sequence of movement is planned in advance of movement onset. Many factors may influence the choice of comfortable end-state postures including the greater precision and speed afforded by postures at joint angle mid-ranges (Short & Cauraugh, 1999). There has been no evaluation of the hypothesis that postures are chosen based on minimizing time spent in postures. Typically, the time spent in beginning and end- states are not explicitly constrained, but the end-state posture is likely held for the longer amount of time due to …

The Vestibular Influence On Balance Control During Stair Negotiation Vs. Locomotion, Alexander Kern

Student Research Symposium

Stair negotiation accounts for 16% of fall related traumatic spinal cord injuries. The vestibular system plays a crucial role in maintaining balance during human locomotion through its influence over muscles in the lower limb, however, its role during stair negotiation is unknown. The aim of this study is to compare the vestibular contribution to a) stair negotiation versus locomotion and b) stair ascent to stair descent in healthy young participants. We hypothesize that vestibular influence will increase during stair negotiation when compared to locomotion. We also expect the timing of muscle responses to change due to differences in gait patterns. …

The Utah Statesman, April 10, 2018, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Rapid Regeneration Offsets Losses From Warming-Induced Tree Mortality In An Aspen-Dominated Broad-Leaved Forest In Northern China, Pengwu Zhao, Chongyang Xu, Mei Zhou, Bo Zhang, Peng Ge, Nan Zeng, Hongyan Liu

Aspen Bibliography

Worldwide tree mortality as induced by climate change presents a challenge to forest managers. To successfully manage vulnerable forests requires the capacity of regeneration to compensate for losses from tree mortality. We observed rapid regeneration and the growth release of young trees after warming-induced mortality in a David aspen-dominated (Populus davidiana) broad-leaved forest in Inner Mongolia, China, as based on individual tree measurements taken in 2012 and 2015 from a 6-ha permanent plot. Warming and drought stress killed large trees 10–15 m tall with a total number of 2881 trees during 2011–2012, and also thinned the upper crowns. …

Syringomyelia In An Adult American Paint Horse, Jacqueline P. Kurz, Kate E. Schoenhals, Gordon A. Hullinger, Arnaud J. Van Wettere

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Syringomyelia is a form of myelodysplasia defined by the formation of one or more fluid-filled cavities within the spinal cord that do not communicate with the central canal. The defect may be congenital or acquired. Clinical signs correlate to the segment of spinal cord affected and include pain, paresis, proprioceptive deficits, alterations in sensation, scoliosis, and autonomic dysfunction. This report describes the clinical and pathologic changes in a case of acquired syringomyelia in a 10-year-old American Paint Horse mare. The horse had a six-week history of progressive proprioceptive deficits in all four limbs, bilateral pelvic limb ataxia, and muscle fasciculations …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, April 5, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee

The Effect Of Self-Selected Music On Back Squat Performance, Becka Owens

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Over the past several years, the use of music has become increasingly popular among athletes of various performance levels as a means to provide prework-out relaxation, focus, and motivation. Extensive research has examined music’s effects on aerobic exercise performance, and the results generally show positive outcomes (e.g., music can increase endurance, performance in running). Research on anaerobic exercise has provided mixed results as to music’s effectiveness. However, previous research has not investigated the use of music to augment performance under the conditions of a high intensity, dynamic strength-based movement such as the free weight squat in an elite strength trained …

Uwrl Presented With An Institutional Recognition Award From Astm International, Utah Water Research Laboratory

News

The UWRL recently received an Institutional Recognition Award from ASTM International for testing that led to improvements to ASTM's D6459 Test Method for Determination of Rolled Erosion Control Product (RECP) Performance in Protecting Hillslopes from Rainfall-Induced Erosion.

Routes Of Pesticide Exposure In Solitary, Cavity-Nesting Bees, Andi M. Kopit, Theresa L. Pitts-Singer

Biology Faculty Publications

Declines of pollinator health and their populations continue to be commercial and ecological concerns. Agricultural practices, such as the use of agrochemicals, are among factors attributed to honey bee (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) population losses and are also known to have negative effects on populations of managed non-Apis pollinators. Although pesticide registration routinely requires evaluation of impacts on honey bees, studies of this social species may not reveal important pesticide exposure routes where managed, solitary bees are commonly used. Studies of solitary bees offer additional bee models that are practical from the aspect of availability, known rearing …

The Natural Variance Of The Arabidopsis Floral Secondary Metabolome, Takayuki Tohge, Monica Borghi, Alisdair R. Fernie

Biology Faculty Publications

Application of mass spectrometry-based metabolomics enables the detection of genotype-related natural variance in metabolism. Differences in secondary metabolite composition of flowers of 64 Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) natural accessions, representing a considerable portion of the natural variation in this species are presented. The raw metabolomic data of the accessions and reference extracts derived from flavonoid knockout mutants have been deposited in the MetaboLights database. Additionally, summary tables of floral secondary metabolite data are presented in this article to enable efficient re-use of the dataset either in metabolomics cross-study comparisons or correlation-based integrative analysis of other metabolomic and phenotypic features such as …

Faculty Senate Agenda, April 2, 2018, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC March Report
• Faculty Diversity, Development and Equity (FDDE) Annual Report
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures (PRPC) Annual Report
• Honorary Degrees and Awards
• 401.4.2 (7) State Cooperator (SC) Ranks (first reading)

Faculty Senate Minutes, April 2, 2018, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Policy #335 Relocation - Marla Boyer
• EPC March Report - Edward Reeve
• Faculty Diversity, Development and Equity (FDDE) Annual Report - Meredith Thompson
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures (PRPC) Annual Report - John Gilbert
• Honorary Degrees and Awards - Sydney Peterson
• 401.4.2 (7) State Cooperator (SC) Ranks (first reading) - John Gilbert

The Huntsman Post, April 2018, Usu Jon M. Huntsman School Of Business

Jon M. Huntsman School of Business Huntsman Post Issues Collection

Monthly newsletter for the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.

Marginalia No. 40, Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University

Marginalia

• Dear Library Friends, Page 2
• Jeanne Davidson, Page 3
• After Years of Planning and Development, Page 4
• Farm Girl Librarian, Page 5
• Founders Day Reception, Page 6
• Virtual Reality at the Library, Page 8
• DigitalCommons@USU, Page 9
• Arrington Writing Awards, Page 11

Stress Vs. Anxiety: Understanding The Difference, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

This fact sheet outlines the differences between normal day-to-day stress and persistent anxiety, and how to deal with them both.

Good Ideas For Better Health, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

This fact sheet gives good ideas for better health including: getting adequate sleep, consuming a nutritious diet and staying hydrated, exercising regularly, taking breaks when you feel stressed, maintaining a support system, and limiting alcohol intake and avoiding drugs.

Tips To Strengthen Relationships Today, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

This fact sheet outlines several tips you can apply today to start developing and strengthening your close romantic and non-romantic relationships.

Pros And Cons Of Online Dating In Later Life, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

In later life, as with most things, there are both positives and negatives associated with online dating. It is important to be aware of them in order to make an informed decision of whether to use or not use Internet sites to cultivate new relationships. This fact sheet outlines the pros and cons.

Helpful Hints For Parents Of Picky Eaters, Chelsea Feller, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

This fact sheet offers helpful hints to reduce picky eating and make mealtime enjoyable and fun for the whole family.

Supporting Others Coping With Infertility, Jennifer Viveros, David G. Schramm

All Current Publications

This fact sheet will help you better understand the experience that infertile couples go through and give you ideas for how to most effectively support them.