Digital Commons Network^™

Iconoclast: Tackling Voltage Noise In The Noc Power Supply Through Flow-Control And Routing Algorithms, Prabal Basu, Rajesh Jayashankarashridevi, Koushik Chakraborty, Sanghamitra Roy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Power supply noise (PSN) is a growing concern in modern multiprocessor system-on-chips (MPSoCs). The advent of new architectures, such as the network-on-chip (NoC), the standard for on-chip communication in MPSoCs, has given rise to new challenges in maintaining reliable and energy-efficient operation. The growing NoC power footprint, increase in the transistor current, and high switching speed of the logic devices exacerbate the peak PSN in the NoC power delivery network (PDN). Hence, preserving power supply integrity in the NoC PDN is critical. In this paper, we propose IcoNoClast, a collection of a novel flow-control protocol (PAF) and an adaptive routing …

To Stress Or Not To Stress: Physiological Responses To Tetrodotoxin In Resistant Garter Snakes Vary By Sex, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Tyler Hansen, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Susannah S. French

Biology Faculty Publications

The activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the most important physiological processes in coping with any deviation in an organism’s homeostasis. This activation and the secretion of glucocorticoids, such as corticosterone, allow organisms to cope with perturbations and return to optimal physiological functioning as quickly as possible. In this study, we examined the HPA axis activation in common gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) as a response to a natural toxin, tetrodotoxin (TTX). This neurotoxin is found in high levels in the Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), which is a prey item for these snakes. …

Continuous Electrospinning Prototype Development For Spider Silk, Justin A. Jones

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Trees And Climate Change, Megan Dettenmaier, Michael R. Kuhns, Bethany Unger, Darren Mcavoy

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the complex relationship between forests and climate change based on current research. It explains ways that trees can mitigate some of the risks associated with climate change. It details the impacts that forests are having on the changing climate and discuss specific ways that trees can be used to reduce or counter carbon emissions directly and indirectly.

Movement Of Cryptosporidium Parvum Oocysts Through Soils Without Preferential Pathways: Exploratory Test, Christophe J.G. Darnault, Zhenyang Peng, Chan Yu, Biting Li, Astrid R. Jacobson, Philippe C. Baveye

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Groundwater contamination by oocysts of the waterborne pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum is a significant cause of animal and human disease worldwide. Although research has been undertaken in the past to determine how specific physical and chemical properties of soils affect the risk of groundwater contamination by C. parvum, there is as yet no clear conclusion concerning the range of mobility of C. parvum that one should expect in field soils. In this context, the key objective of this research was to determine the magnitude of C. parvum transport in a number of soils, under conditions in which fast and preferential …

Water Lab Draws Wide Media Coverage | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Reporters, photographers and video journalists converged at the Utah Water Research Lab on June 16 for an up-close view of the lab's latest project.

The Unspace Case: Developing A Maker Movement In A Multipurpose, Flexible Space, Library Setting, Craig E. Shepherd, Cassandra Kvenild, Shannon M. Smith, Alan Buss

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

This paper presents the ongoing design, development, and implementation of a K-16 maker movement centered around a joint public school/university library whose minimal dedicated space has expanded opportunities for public participation, partnerships, and shared resources. As the library sought to circulate STEM resources for K-9 teachers and students in 2011, University instructors were seeking opportunities for preservice teachers to interact meaningfully with authentic, technology-rich environments. These separate endeavors coalesced over time to form a robust community of various school, university, and public stakeholders focused on mathematics and science learning. Because the space was not bound to a single physical location, …

Oroville Dam Scale Model At The Uwrl Helps Test Repair Plans Before Construction, Utah Water Research Laboratory

News

Engineers at the Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University have constructed a 1:50 scale model of the Orovill Dam spillway. The model initally featured the terrain conditions that were formed following the damaging flow events in February, and later tested the designs for the reconstruction plans. Lead engineers Dr. Michael Johnson and Dr. Zachary Sharp worked with a team of 15 engineers and technicians to construct the approximately 100-foot-long by 60-foot-wide model in just 40 days.

The Utah Statesman, June 14, 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Miniaturizing America's Tallest Dam | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Engineers at Utah State University’s Utah Water Research Laboratory have constructed a 1:50 scale model of the Oroville Dam spillway.

Investigating Linguistic, Literary, And Social Affordances Of L2 Collaborative Reading, Joshua Thoms, Frederick J. Poole

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This exploratory study analyzes learner–learner interactions within a virtual environment when collaboratively reading Spanish poetry in a Hispanic literature course at the college level via an ecological theoretical perspective (van Lier, 2004). The goals of the study are (a) to present empirical data that illustrate the theoretical construct of affordance in a virtual, collaborative reading environment, and (b) to investigate the pedagogical ramifications of using a digital annotation tool to involve learners in collaborative reading. Three distinct types of affordances emerged in the data: linguistic, literary, and social affordances. Our findings indicate that the number of literary and social affordances …

Capturing Voices In The Heat Of The Moment: Election Reflections 2016, Randy Williams, Liz Woolcott, Jennifer Duncan

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

At Utah State University Libraries, we have a tradition of community-driven oral history efforts aimed at bringing the voices of the underserved and underheard communities into our Special Collections & Archives for preservation and presentation. This effort is called Northern Utah Speaks.

An Evaluation Of U.S. National Wildlife Refuge Planning For Off-Road Vehicle Use, Robert L. Fischman, Vicky J. Meretsky, Katie Freeman, Alexi Lamm, Leah Missik, Scott Salmon

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Off-road vehicles (hereafter, ORVs) rank high among public-land management challenges because they are popular, often impair environmental conditions, and may cause conflicts with other recreational users. Unit-level planning for federal lands increasingly translates broad, system-wide objectives, such as maintenance of ecological integrity, into place-based limitations on ORV use to minimize and mitigate adverse impacts on wildlife. We reviewed 176 planning documents covering 313 National Wildlife Refuges (hereafter, Refuges) to understand how planning supports or undermines ORV recreation management. These plans offer an important perspective on ORV management because the Refuges are a large, diverse system of conservation lands where recreation …

Piping Water From Rural Counties To Fuel Growth In Las Vegas, Nevada: Water Transfer Risks In The Arid Usa West, Lisa Welsh, Joanna Endter-Wada

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) plans to build a 300-mile pipeline to transfer groundwater from five rural basins in north-eastern Nevada south to the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. Relying on the path dependence literature, we trace the policy choices and legal battles that have led to southern Nevada’s proposed Groundwater Development Project. We find that policy decisions over time, often initiated by powerful water policy entrepreneurs, have fuelled southern Nevada’s rapid growth and development. After emphasising water demand management for more than two decades, SNWA has revived its controversial plans to increase water supplies by importing water from …

Community Supported Agriculture: Legal Concerns, Kenna Mcmurray, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Brain

All Current Publications

As with all businesses, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) growers may experience legal concerns. This fact sheet will walk growers through certain steps that may be taken to minimize the liability of your CSA operation and manage possible risks.

Facebook Live’S Violence Problem, Rachel Robinson-Greene

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

On the evening of Easter Sunday, 74-year-old Pennsylvania resident Robert Godwin was enjoying a walk through his neighborhood after a holiday meal with his family when he was approached, at random, by self-described “monster” Steve Stephens. Stephens, who was given the moniker “The Facebook Killer” by the media, blamed what was about to happen to Godwin on his broken relationship with his girlfriend, before shooting Godwin in the head, killing him instantly.

Stitching Codeable Circuits: High School Students' Learning About Circuitry And Coding With Electronic Textiles, Breanne Krystine Litts, Yasmin B. Kafai, Debora A. Lui, Justice T. Walker, Sari A. Widman

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Learning about circuitry by connecting a battery, light bulb, and wires is a common activity in many science classrooms. In this paper, we expand students’ learning about circuitry with electronic textiles, which use conductive thread instead of wires and sewable LEDs instead of lightbulbs, by integrating programming sensor inputs and light outputs and examining how the two domains interact.We implemented an electronic textiles unit with 23 high school students ages 16–17 years who learned how to craft and code circuits with the LilyPad Arduino, an electronic textile construction kit. Our analyses not only confirm significant increases in students’ understanding of …

Women's Leadership Aspirations, Lynne E. Devnew, Ann Berhout Austin, Marlene Janzen Le Ber, Mary Shapiro

Human Development and Family Studies Faculty Publications

Although it is quite easy to identify women leaders, men continue to occupy the vast majority of leadership roles in the world. It has been argued that one of the reasons for this differential is women's aspirations for leadership are less than men's. Women's leadership aspirations are defined in this chapter as girls' and women's longing for and intentional seeking after a future that catalyze their visions, goals, or calling for themselves into reality, whether or not they use the term leadership to describe their aspirations.

Engineering Faculty Appointed To State Of Utah Air Quality Board | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Utah State University Research Associate Professor Dr. Randy Martin will serve a four-year term on the Utah Air Quality Board.

Biosynthetic Secrets: How Fungi Make Bioactive Compounds | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Biological engineers at Utah State University successfully decoded and reprogrammed the biosynthetic machinery that produces a variety of natural compounds found in fungi.

Wormholes: Gates To The Stars?, Samuel Shreeve

Physics Capstone Projects

One of the most consistently fascinating results of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity is the prediction of wormholes – astronomical objects which are, among other things, capable of serving as a connection between two distant regions of space. The simplest class of wormholes are Schwarzschild wormholes – wormholes that behave as non-rotating, non-charged black holes, except that the event horizon serves as a connection to another wormhole elsewhere, instead of a point of no return.

This research presentation analyzes the attributes that make a Schwarzschild wormhole unsuitable for human travel, and examines the conditions that would have to hold …

Information Given To Parents Of Neonatal-Intensive Care Unit Graduates On Hearing, Cydney E. Gehring, Alisha L. Jones

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Preterm infants and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates are more likely to have risk factors associated with hearing loss than their full-term, healthy peers, making them more prone to experience hearing loss (Behrman & Butler, 2007). This study examined information presented to parents during and after the newborn hearing screening (NBHS). A 22 question survey was posted on NICU and preemie support websites for parents to access and participate in anonymously. Results of the survey were analyzed for respondents indicating that their child was born in the year 2007 to the present. Thirty-nine percent of responding parents were unaware …

Acoustic Measurements Of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrode Films, Kathryn L. Dallon, Jing Yao, Dean R. Wheeler, Brian A. Mazzeo

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This research investigates the use of acoustic measurements as an alternative means of non-destructive quality control for Li-ion battery films. The goal of this research is to enable accurate, non-destructive inspection of the battery electrode as it is being manufactured, so that problems can be identified and addressed early on. Here we report on our efforts to distinguish between films with different mechanical properties using acoustic resonances and surface acoustic wave (SAW) velocity. We were able to differentiate between films of various coating thicknesses using resonance measurements. We also used resonance measurements to monitor a material as it dried. SAW …

An Efficient Linear Octree-Based Grid Toward Magnetic Fluid Stimulation, Sean Flynn, Parris Egbert

Utah Space Grant Consortium

An Eulerian approach to fluid flow provides an efficient stable paradigm for realistic fluid simulation. However its reliance on a fixed-resolution grid is not ideal for simulations that exhibit both large and small-scale fluid phenomena. A coarse grid can efficiently capture large-scale effects like ocean waves, but lacks the resolution needed for small-scale phenomena like droplets. On the other hand, a fine grid can capture these small-scale effects, but is inefficient for large-scale phenomena. Magnetic fluid, or ferrofluid, illustrates this problem with its very fine detail centered about a magnet and lack of detail elsewhere. Our new fluid simulation technique …

Animating Chinese Cinemas: A Preface, Li Guo, Jinying Li

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This preface by the guest editors provides a situated overview of the purpose, structure and methodologies of the contributing articles on Chinese animations in this special issue. Aiming to reconfigure Chinese film studies through historical and theoretical inquiries about the relationship between the animated and the cinematic, the special issue introduces a nascent perspective on Chinese animations by offering rigorous and stimulating studies on the forms, genres and materiality of animation, as well as on the technological and ontological conditions of animated moving images in the age of digital new media. The preface also provides a brief historical overview of …

Stem Summer Camp For K-6 Students At Uvu, Bonnie Andersen, Cyrill Slezak

Utah Space Grant Consortium

UVU offers an excellent academic summer program in the fields of Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) specifically designed to engage and further students having completed grades 1-6. Program courses have been developed in close collaboration with experienced STEM endorsed Elementary school teachers and established university research faculty aligned with state curriculum standards. Engaging students within a community of motivated students and enthusiastic faculty in hands-on projects will develop critical thinking, content knowledge, and problem-solving skills.

Halophiles And Biogeography, Bex Kemp, Adam Wolford, Bonnie Baxter

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Halophilic Archaea

•Halophilic archaea dominate the Earth’s many hypersaline environments such as Great Salt Lake (GSL)

• They are multi-extremophiles, tolerating not only salinity, but also desiccation and high levels of UV irradiation

• Halorubrum is a genus of Halophilic archaea with wide distribution around the Earth

• The distribution of Halorubum across space and time begs the question of the mechanism behind the biogeography.

Understanding Bubble Dynamics In Sonicated Edible Lipids To Improve Their Physiochemical Properties, Silvana Martini

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

The Simple Economics Of Conservation Clubs, Arthur J. Caplan

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This paper examines how a regulatory authority might ideally promote the formation of “conservation clubs” among households in order to initiate and empower voluntary household-level water and energy conservation efforts. We characterize a socially optimal conservation benchmark and derive the conditions necessary for a club to effectively attain this benchmark on behalf of the wider community. Both theoretical and numerical analyses are used to demonstrate ways in which households choose to become club members and are subsequently empowered to undertake conservation efforts. The avenues through which club membership might empower households include (1) information provision/education that is assumed to alter …

Sagestep News, Spring 2017, No. 30, Sagestep

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