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The Utah Statesman, October 28, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Cannabinoid-Inspired Inhibitors Of The Sars-Cov-2 Coronavirus 2′ -O-Methyltransferase (2′ -O-Mtase) Non-Structural Protein (Nsp10–16), Menny M. Benjamin, George S. Hanna, Cody F. Dickinson, Yeun-Mun Choo, Xiaojuan Wang, Jessica A. Downs-Bowen, Ramyani De, Tamara R. Mcbrayer, Raymond F. Schinazi, Sarah E. Nielson, Joan M. Hevel, Pankaj Pandey, Robert J. Doerksen, Danyelle M. Townsend, Jie Zhang, Zhiwei Ye, Scott Wyer, Lucas Bialousow, Mark T. Hamann

Chemistry and Biochemistry Student Research

The design and synthesis of antiviral compounds were guided by computationally predicted data against highly conserved non-structural proteins (Nsps) of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Chromenephenylmethanone-1 (CPM-1), a novel biphenylpyran (BPP), was selected from a unique natural product library based on in silico docking scores to coronavirus Nsps with high specificity to the methyltransferase protein (2′ -O-MTase, Nsp10–16), which is responsible for viral mRNA maturation and host innate immune response evasion. To target the 2′ -O-MTase, CPM-1, along with intermediate BPP regioisomers, tetrahydrophenylmethanones (TPMs), were synthesized and structurally validated via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data and DP4+ structure …

Climate Change And The Logan River: Past, Present, And Future, Mercy Smith, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling

All Current Publications

The Logan River runs through Idaho and northern Utah, beginning in the Bear River Mountains and flowing through Logan Canyon to Cutler Reservoir. The river is socially and ecologically significant to the Cache Valley community. Throughout its history, the Logan River’s water and energy have sustained life within the valley. However, climate change is threatening the Logan River’s support of both human and animal communities. Rising water temperatures and reduced flow caused by declining snowpack may impair the river’s ability to maintain healthy ecosystems.

Designing A Human-Centred Learning Analytics Dashboard In-Use, Riordan Alfredo, Vanessa Echeverria, Linxuan Zhao, Luettamae Lawrence, Jie Xiang Fan, Lixiang Yan, Xinyu Li, Zachari Swiecki, Dragan Gašević, Roberto Martinez-Maldonado

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite growing interest in applying human-centred design methods to create learning analytics (LA) systems, most efforts have concentrated on initial design phases, with limited exploration of how LA tools and practices can coevolve during the actual learning and teaching activities. This paper examines how a human-centred LA dashboard can be further refined and adapted by teachers while actively using it in a real-world scenario (i.e., design-in-use), beyond its intended design (i.e., design-for-use). We use instrumental genesis as a theoretical lens to analyze the temporary and permanent instrumentalization of design features and individual and collective instrumentation of the LA …

Multiscale Analysis Of Thermal Barrier Coated Cfrp Composites Under Thermal Loading, Devin Nielsen, Trenton M. Ricks, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are commonly used in high performance applications. Although offering several advantages (i.e., superior specific properties and improved structural rigidity), traditional CFRP composites often exhibit poor thermal stability due to a low matrix thermal decomposition temperature. The effective operating temperature of the CFRP composites can be raised by applying an outermost, protective thermal barrier coating (TBC) layer. Prefabricated high void content ceramic TBCs are ideal for composite applications due to their high thermal stability and relatively low thermal conductivity. In this paper, the thermo-mechanical response of the TBCCFRP composite laminate subjected to 500°C are assessed through …

Differential Hepatic Expression Of Mirna In Response To Aflatoxin B1 Challenge In Domestic And Wild Turkeys, Kade Jorud, Kristelle M. Mendoza, Thomas Kono, Roger A. Coulombe, Kent M. Reed

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁) is a major foodborne mycotoxin that poses a significant economic risk to poultry due to a greater degree of susceptibility compared to other agricultural species. Domesticated turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are especially sensitive to AFB₁; however, wild turkeys (M. g. silvestris) are more resistant. A lack of functional isoforms of hepatic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), an enzyme that plays a role in the detoxification of aflatoxin, is suspected as the reason for the increased sensitivity. Previous studies comparing the gene expression of domesticated and wild turkeys exposed to AFB₁ identified …

Origami And Kirigami-Inspired Sandwich Panels For Uam Primary Structural Applications, Kalyan Raj Kota, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Foldcore sandwich panels (FSPs) provide highly tailorable structural and multifunctional performance over legacy sandwich panels made with honeycomb or foam cores. In FSP manufacturing, skins and foldcore are made from any flat sheets of unitary or hybrid materials, folded into a desired pattern. Two common folding mechanisms include origami and kirigami: origami core is involved with folding only, while kirigami core is associated with a strategic combination of folding and cutting. Material and core geometry can be determined to satisfy the applications’ performance requirements. Overall, origami- or kirigami-inspired FSPs have the potential to revolutionize the ways to design and …

A New Conceptual And Analytic Framework For Collective Engagement In Mathematics, Tye G. Campbell, Michael A. Lawson

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper proposes a new social construct and conceptual-analytic framework for the study of group engagement in mathematics, which we call collective engagement structures. This new framework is offered to address research and practice-identified needs to better understand how individual student dispositions and preferences might interact with group processes to inform student engagement and learning. We demonstrate the collective engagement structures framework using a case study analysis of three middle school students working in a group on a complex mathematics problem. Our analysis details how three students’ individual engagement structures and positional influence interact to form two collective engagement structures: …

The Utah Statesman, October 21, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda October 21, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report
• 3:55 Report
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Annual Report
• Athletic Council Annual Report
• Library Advisory Council Annual Report
• 4:05 Old Business
• 4:10 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Critical Comparison Of Potential Machine Learning Methods For Lightning Thermal Damage Assessment Of Composite Laminates, Juhyeong Lee, Scott L.J. Millen, Xiaodong Xu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The present study assesses the potential of using machine learning (ML) methods to predict the extent of lightning thermal damage in fiber-reinforced composite laminates using three supervised machine learning (SML) algorithms: (1) linear regression (LR), (2) decision tree (DT)-based, and (3) MLP models. These models were based on the 10 most significant factors that influence the severity of lightning damage, including three current waveform parameters, four material configurations, and three orthogonal electrical conductivities of each composite. All models demonstrated good performance with coefficient of determination (R²) values between 0.84 ~ 0.96. The multilayer perceptron (MLP) regression model trained …

A Home Dyer's Garden, Part I: Growing Japanese Indigo, Wesley Crump, Toree Park, Elizabeth Cohen

All Current Publications

Japanese indigo is an annual plant with numerous varieties. Most varieties thrive in the temperate environments found in much of Utah but may exhibit stress in intense heat. This is the first of three fact sheets in the A Home Dyer's Garden series on dyeing with Japanese indigo. It covers how to grow Japanese indigo. Soil preparation, planting and spacing, water, fertilizer, insects and diseases, and harvesting are discussed.

Water Use Efficiency In Rice Under Alternative Wetting And Drying Technique Using Energy Balance Model With Uav Information And Aquacrop In Lambayeque, Peru, Lia Ramos-Fernández, Roxana Peña-Amaro, José Huanuqueño-Murillo, David Quipse-Tito, Mayra Maldonado-Huarhuachi, Elizabeth Heros-Aguilar, Lisveth Flores Del Pino, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Javier Quille-Mamani, Alfonso Torres-Rua

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In the context of global warming, rising air temperatures are increasing evapotranspiration (ET_c) in all agricultural crops, including rice, a staple food worldwide. Simultaneously, the occurrence of droughts is reducing water availability, affecting traditional irrigation methods for rice cultivation (flood irrigation). The objective of this study was to determine ET_c (water use) and yield performance in rice crop under different irrigation regimes: treatments with continuous flood irrigation (CF) and irrigations with alternating wetting and drying (AWD₅, AWD₁₀, and AWD₂₀) in an experimental area in INIA–Vista Florida. Water balance, rice physiological data, …

Differences In Susceptibility To Sars-Cov-2 Infection Among Transgenic Hace2-Hamster Founder Lines, Scott A. Gibson, Yanan Liu, Rong Li, Brett L. Hurst, Zhiqiang Fan, Venkatraman Siddharthan, Deanna P. Larson, Ashley Y. Sheesley, Rebekah Stewart, Madelyn Kunzler, Irina A. Polejaeva, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Stefan Moisyadi, John D. Morrey, E. Bart Tarbet, Zhongde Wang

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Animal models that are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and develop clinical signs like human COVID-19 are desired to understand viral pathogenesis and develop effective medical countermeasures. The golden Syrian hamster is important for the study of SARS-CoV-2 since hamsters are naturally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. However, infected hamsters show only limited clinical disease and resolve infection quickly. In this study, we describe development of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transgenic hamsters as a model for COVID-19. During development of the model for SARS-CoV-2, we observed that different hACE2 transgenic hamster founder lines varied in their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 lethal infection. The …

The Utah Statesman, October 14, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Wildlife Monitoring Using Bioacoustics, Kaitlin Campbell, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Animals use sounds to communicate with each other, just like humans. Humans can listen in on animals by using a bioacoustic monitoring device, a passive device that quietly records surrounding sounds. Bioacoustic monitoring devices blend in with the environment, allowing us to know what types of animals appear when we’re gone. The device collects and stores data and allows us to visualize, analyze, and identify animals from the sounds they make.

Understanding The Dynamics Of Board-Executive Director Relationships In Nonprofits: A Qualitative Study Of Youth-Serving Nonprofits In Utah, Jaxon Didericksen, Jayme E. Walters, Dorothy Wallis

Social Work Faculty Publications

A functional positive relationship between the executive director (ED) and the board of directors (BOD) is crucial to nonprofits meeting their missions. The present qualitative study sought to identify factors—including traits, behaviors, processes, and experiences—associated with positive relationships between BODs and EDs in youth-serving nonprofits in Utah. Surveys were utilized to identify pairs (N = 6) of board chairs and EDs who had high relationship satisfaction. Individual semi-structured interviews were employed with each participant. Transcripts were analyzed using two-cycle coding, descriptive and pattern coding in which three themes emerged: (1) Background; (2) Roles; and (3) Leadership. The findings illustrated …

Understanding Long Covid: Navigating The Journey To Recovery, Heather H. Kelley, Rachel Byers, Ty Aller, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides very basic facts on what long COVID is and information on how to navigate the healthcare system and cope with long COVID.

The Utah Statesman, October 7, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Coupled Thermal-Electrical-Mechanical Characteristics Of Lightning Damage In Woven Composite Honeycomb Sandwich Structures, Bin Yang, Juhyeong Lee, Yuchen Zhou, Xiaoshan Liu, C. Guedes Soares, Kunkun Fu, Dongmin Yang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In this study, lightning strike damage of woven carbon fibre-reinforced polymer laminates (W-CFRPs) and woven composite honeycomb sandwich panels (W-CHSPs) are simulated using the proposed sequential thermal-electrical-mechanical finite element (FE) coupling model incorporating dielectric breakdown of materials. Surface current with an amplitude of 200 kA and corresponding lightning shockwave overpressure were applied on each composite. The FE model coupled with LaRC05 criterion was used to study the failure behaviours of intralaminar damage and interlaminar delamination of the W-CFRPs and W-CHSPs. A series of lightning strike tests were performed to validate the FE model. Detailed lightning damage assessments and mechanisms were …

Discrete Time Series Forecasting Of Hive Weight, In-Hive Temperature, And Hive Entrance Traffic In Non-Invasive Monitoring Of Managed Honey Bee Colonies: Part I, Vladimir A. Kulyukin, Daniel Coster, Aleksey V. Kulyukin, William Meikle, Milagra Weiss

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

From June to October, 2022, we recorded the weight, the internal temperature, and the hive entrance video traffic of ten managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies at a research apiary of the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, AZ, USA. The weight and temperature were recorded every five minutes around the clock. The 30 s videos were recorded every five minutes daily from 7:00 to 20:55. We curated the collected data into a dataset of 758,703 records (208,760–weight; 322,570–temperature; 155,373–video). A principal objective of Part I of our investigation was to use the curated dataset to investigate …

Quantifying The Impact Of Rain-On-Snow Induced Flooding In The Western United States, Brennan Lynn Bean, Emma Watts

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

The potentially destructive flooding resulting from rain-on-snow (ROS) events motivates efforts to better incorporate these events and their residual effects into flood-related infrastructure design. This paper examines relationships between measured streamflow surges at streamgages across the Western United States and the meteorological conditions preceding them at SNOTEL stations within the same water catchment. Relevant stream surges are identified using a peak detection algorithm via time series analysis, which are then labeled ROS- or non-ROS-induced based on the preceding meteorological conditions. Both empirical and model-derived differences between ROS- and non-ROS-induced stream surges are then explored, which suggest that ROS-induced stream surges …

Brawny Brackets: Connecting The Dots From Layout Design To Pull Flow, Rick Hardcopf, Vijay Kannan, Jonathan Ebbeler

Management Faculty Publications

Lean production (“Lean”) is a topic frequently taught in undergraduate and graduate operations/supply chain management courses. Lean's “pull system” is a common component of the instruction, and several useful simulations have been developed that allow students to experience a pull system firsthand. While existing simulations focus on the mechanics of a pull system, the Brawny Brackets simulation focuses on improving “flow”—that is, framing a pull system in the context of layout design and batch sizing, and the waste associated with jumbled flow patterns. The robust and flexible simulation allows instructors to expand or contract the topics taught to match the …

Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe) Advanced Mesopheric Temperature Mapper (Amtm) Optomechanical Design, Fabrication, And Environmental Test, Tyrel C. Rupp, James Champagne, Greg Hopkins, Roy Esplin, Burt Lamborn, Erik Syrstad, Jordan Jacobson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The AWE AMTM is a widefield of view (WFOV) infrared imaging radiometer designed for use in measuring the P₁(2) and P₁(4) emission lines of the earth’s OH layer to determine temperature and produce images of gravity waves. The sensor was designed, built, and characterized by Utah State University (USU) Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) and has been externally mounted to the International Space Station (ISS) looking nadir to collect images for analysis for a minimum of two years. The Opto-Mechanical Assembly (OMA) consists of four identical imaging telescopes, each comprised of a fisheye lens, a field lens, …

Mental Model-Based Designs: The Study In Privacy Policy Landscape, Hanieh Atashpanjeh, Rizu Paudel, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

Users' mental models influence secure and privacy-preserving behavior in a computing environment. Prior studies on users' mental models of Internet, security tools, and digital privacy show that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to security and privacy design. However, little study to date has explored the ways to translate users' mental models into interactive security and privacy designs. As we begin to address this gap, we focus on privacy policy in this paper. The typical text-based privacy policy suffers from poor readability and usability. A recent study proposed a Visual Interactive Privacy Policy (VIPP), showing promise to offer …

A Retrospective Analysis Of Sheep Generated By Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Ying Liu, Rusty Stott, Misha Regouski, Zhiqiang Fan, Iuri Viotti Perisse, Tayler Patrick, Jacob Keim, Qinggang Meng, Irina A. Polejaeva

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is one of the primary methods for production of genetically engineered sheep, which allows for gene editing or transgene introduction in somatic cells. The use of SCNT eliminates the risk of genetic mosaicism in embryos and animals that is commonly observed after zygote micromanipulations. This retrospective analysis of SCNT in sheep performed at Utah State University, spanning from 2016 to 2021, examined parameters that may impact pregnancy and full-term development, including donor oocytes (donor age), donor cell lines, SCNT parameters (time of oocyte activation following SCNT, number of transferred embryos, in vitro maturation and culture …

Assessing Community Needs And Concerns In Iron County, Meagan Johnston, Lendel Narine

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension conducted a needs assessment to identify priority needs in Iron County. The needs assessment employed a three-phase approach involving interviews, surveys, and data analysis. Results revealed top priority issues, including youth mental health, preparing youth for successful careers, and employment opportunities. The findings will guide Extension programming in addressing community needs effectively.

A Comprehensive Study On Long-Term Durability Of Protective Epoxy Coatings For Electrified Roadways, Md Tareq Hassan, Samiul Alam, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Underground wireless power transmission (WPT) systems are susceptible to environmental threats such as high temperatures, water ingress, and mechanical impact from above-ground objects. Typical WPT systems electronics are safeguarded with civil-grade epoxy coating, thus it is imperative to assess the coating's durability in these extreme conditions. Among various environmental threats, this study is primarily focused on both experimental and numerical investigations on long-term water diffusion characteristics of civil-grade epoxy materials at various temperatures. A series of water diffusion tests were performed on the specimens made from two commercially available electronics casting epoxy materials at room (23°C) and high (50°C) temperatures. …

Assessing Factors Of Adherence And Efficacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Fully Automated Self-Help A-Ebt Website, Leila K. Capel, Emily M. Bowers, Mckenzie R. Becker, Marisa P. Davis, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Treatment for trichotillomania is notably limited, preventing suffering individuals from having access to treatment. To address this need, researchers have developed and tested asynchronous online interventions for adults with trichotillomania. A factor that may impact the efficacy of these programs is the use of phone check-ins (or similar coaching support) to improve treatment adherence in website treatment delivery. In the current study we evaluated the role of check-ins on treatment adherence and efficacy of a website delivering acceptance and commitment therapy-enhanced behavior therapy (A-EBT). A sample of 101 adults with trichotillomania were randomly assigned to an A-EBT web-based intervention with …

Clinical Characteristics Of A Treatment Seeking Sample Of Adults With Misophonia: Onset, Course, Triggers, Context, And Comorbidity, Mercedes G. Woolley, Leila K. Capel, Emily M. Bowers, Julie M. Petersen, Karen Muñoz, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional reactions to specific repetitive sounds. The clinical characteristics and developmental course of misophonia remain underexplored, particularly in treatment-seeking adults. In this study, we characterized the onset, symptom progression, trigger noises, and psychiatric comorbidities associated with misophonia. Additionally, we investigated the relationships between these clinical attributes and the severity of self- and clinician-rated misophonia symptoms. The sample included 60 adults with misophonia enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Most participants (79%) reported symptom onset in childhood and early adolescence, with symptoms often worsening over time. All participants reported being bothered by human produced sounds. However, …