Digital Commons Network^™

On Mach's Principle In General Relativistic Cosmological Models, Zach Zito

Student Research Symposium

General Relativity

1. Gravity is the mechanism by which matter influences inertia
2. This influence happens across a spacelike hypersurface
3. Geometrodynamic equations mathematically describe this influence

How You Talk About Homelessness Matters, Sarah Makar

Student Research Symposium

Individuals experiencing homeless (IEH) has risen across the U.S. by 7% just in the past year. In response to this increase, and with the dangers of being homeless including a 60% greater mortality rate, residents across four counties in Utah participated in a survey to better understand the community's attitudes towards homelessness and homeless services with the aim to better meet the needs of IEH.

Bioremediation Of Toxic Water Using Algal Biofilms, Aaron Burt, Tyanna Doran, Darren Fillmore, Isaac Trejo

Student Research Symposium

Rotary Algae Biofilm Reactors (RABRs):

• Emerging technology in wastewater treatment.
• Rotating cylinder in wastewater enables algae to form a biofilm
• Yields more biomass than traditional planktonic algal growth

The Digital News Divide: How Social Media Consumption Affects Trust In Utah's Traditional News Outlets, Garrett Wolverton

Student Research Symposium

Social media has changed the way we access, consume, and perceive traditional news media. This research seeks to fill gaps in local research by examining the potential correlation between social media use and the trust and credibility afforded to Utah's mainstream news outlets.

Development Of Bone Cutter, Jocelynn Burton, Austin Taylor, Will Pendleton, Erica Shulsen, Jessica Tobler

Student Research Symposium

Osteoarthritis affects 3.4% of the general population and is associated with age, obesity, genetics, and female sex. Different techniques exist to treat osteoarthritis, such as autographing, total joint replacement, and joint fusion.

Effects Of Inhibitor Diffusion And Threshold Limits On Edge Detection With Reaction-Diffusion Equations, Zachary Hastings

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this project is to model edge detection using the Nomura et al's¹ reaction-diffusion equation. Edge detection is an important visual processing tool for human sight, allowing for object detection and visual enhancement. This project explored the effects of inhibitor diffusion, D_i, and threshold limits, a, on edge detection in this model. This project also discovered the limit of Nomura et al's¹ model on the simultaneous detection of multiple edges in a step-wise intensity gradient and attempted to overcome that limitation.

Student-Made Reels And Real-Time News Drive Engagement Up To 5x Higher Than The Norm, Sicily Clay, Shelby Black

Student Research Symposium

Social media plays a crucial role in connecting The Utah Statesman with the Utah State University community, making Instagram a key platform for news and engagement.

Determining The Kinetic Basis Of Crispr-Cas12a2 Function, Sobita Kunwar, Thomson Hallmark, Dylan Keiser, Bronson Naegle, Sudeshna Manna, Aaron Thomas, Chase L. Beisel

Student Research Symposium

CRISPR- Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats- CRISPR associated) systems are bacterial adaptive immune systems that protect bacteria against mobile genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids^1,2.

Bridging Worlds Through Stories, Téa Randall, Mykenzie Preisler

Student Research Symposium

What is the role of a translator?

Investigating The Oxytocin System Of The Brain In The Molecular Basis Of Self-Control, Kenzie Wachtel

Student Research Symposium

• Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide involved in social behaviors such as pair-bonding, maternal behavior, and attachment¹. At the core of these social bonds is reward. OXT has many interactions with neural reward circuits to produce the pleasurable effects of social contact².

Fiber Bundles Of The Complex Projective Space And Their Relation To Quantum Physics, Emily Wessman

Student Research Symposium

The complex projective space CPⁿ is the space of lines through the origin in Cⁿ⁺¹ with an equivalence relation defined by Z ~ λZ' for λ ∈ C*. We define the points under the equivalence relation as homogeneous coordinates, represented by [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... Z_n]. Since all Z,sub>i cannot equal zero, we can find a unique set of n coordinates (z₁,...,z_n) such that [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... : Z_n] ~ [1 : z₁ : ... : z_n] where z …

Designing For Mental Health: Introducing A Student Wellness Center, Gabrielle Figueroa

Student Research Symposium

This research highlights the critical role of the built environment in shaping mental health outcomes, emphasizing the need for more thoughtful, collaborative design practices. While previous studies have recognized the importance of therapeutic spaces, they often lack a focus on specific mental health conditions like anxiety & depression. This study brings together insights from mental health and design professionals, advocating for environments that prioritize comfort, flexibility, and emotional safety. By bridging gaps between disciplines and emphasizing user-centered, sustainable design, it offers a more comprehensive approach to creating spaces that truly support mental health and well-being.

Duolingo: Language Learning App Turns Viral Sensation, Emma Olsen

Student Research Symposium

The simple language learning app has found other means of success rather than adds on TV. They have turned to social media.

Duolingo has gained momentum on TikTok by curating creative content leading to over 15 million Followers.

Internship As An In-Vivo Technician At The Institute For Antiviral Research, Ashlynn Clark

Student Research Symposium

The Institute for Antiviral Research (IAR), located at Utah State University, specializes in evaluating antiviral agents and vaccines against a wide array of human pathogenic viruses, such as influenza, enterovirus, West Nile virus, yellow fever, zika virus, polio, and SARS-CoV-2, utilizing in vivo and in vitro models.

Response To Induced Herbivory, Isis Cordova

Student Research Symposium

Herbivore attacks trigger complex changes in plant primary and secondary metabolisms. Secondary metabolites (SM), are hypothesized to respond synergistically to repeated herbivore attacks (Fig. 1).

Creating A Stat2 Knock-Out Rat With Crispr/Cas9 Using I-Gonad, Isabella Dejesus, Yanan Liu, Don Joo, Nathan Merrill

Student Research Symposium

The STAT2 gene encodes a protein called Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 2. This protein is a part of the STAT family of transcription factors, which are involved in mediating cellular responses to various cytokines and growth factors, particularly those related to the immune response. Here, we established a successful procedure for creating a STAT2 knock-out (KO) Rat that can be used for more accurate disease testing of serious human ailments such as Lupus, Polio, Herpes, RSV, and even cancer.

Leaf Herbivory Effects On Plant Development And Parasitic Nematode Preference, Malori Gonzales

Student Research Symposium

Leaf herbivory triggers systemic plant responses that affect growth and development both above- and below-ground (Fig 1).

Synthesis Of Pristine Graphene On Cu Substrates Within A 3d Parameter Space, Max Haehnel

Student Research Symposium

We designed a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition system wherein the toluene combines with the carrier gas flow to contact with the substrate within the quartz tube. As toluene is a liquid at room temperature, we froze the toluene using liquid nitrogen before pumping down the chamber to low pressure. Substrate cleanliness and preparation proved to be essential in the synthesis process.

Unearthing Connections: Characterizing Populations Of Local Harvester Ants, Carson Lyman

Student Research Symposium

What is Hybridization?

• Hybridization is the combination of two different species or subspecies, to create hybrid offspring¹.
• The offspring inherits some genetic material from both parents and so exhibits characteristics of both.

User-Generated Content: The Secret Sauce Behind Apple's #Shotoniphone Campaign, Kaylee Moss

Student Research Symposium

Apple is generating successful user generated content on Instagram, decreasing social media marketing costs. This is a tactic used for many social media campaigns, why is Apple's Successful?

Protective Efficacy Of A Yellow Fever Virus Rna- Based Vaccine In A Hamster Model, Abby Sherman

Student Research Symposium

• Yellow Fever virus (YFV) remains a concern as of 2023, 34 countries in Africa and 13 countries in South America are endemic, with a case fatality rate of 11% shown in preliminary data.^[3]

Determining Antibiotic Efficacy On A Species Of Pseudomonas Bacteria Isolated From A Soil Sample, Austin Taylor, Peyton Wells, Alyssa Smith

Student Research Symposium

The Pseudomonas genus contains a variety of species of bacteria that play essential roles in soil health, plant growth, and microbial competition. Certain species exhibit biocontrol properties by producing antimicrobial compounds to protect plants from harmful pathogens. While our Pseudomonas species is normally non-pathogenic to plants and humans, it could transfer antimicrobial resistance genes to harmful pathogens in the environment. By studying the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the isolated bacteria to several common antibiotics, we could identify antibiotic-sensitive strains that could be used in agriculture, or antimicrobial-producing strains that could serve as natural defenses for plants.

What Nesting Materials Are Best For An Insect Hotel?, Madison Smart

Student Research Symposium

• Native insects are important for pollination, natural pest management, and other ecological processes.

Identifying Compensatory Mutations In The Envelope Protein Of Japanese Encephalitis Virus That Restore Neurovirulence, Nathan Taylor, Jiyoun Kim

Student Research Symposium

• Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is a positive sense, single stranded Enveloped virus

Solving The Structure Of An Ancestral Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Natalie Turcsanski, Edna Armah

Student Research Symposium

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate cell signaling by removing phosphate groups from tyrosine residues. Malfunction of these enzymes can lead to diseases such as diabetes and cancer. A conserved feature among PTPs is the catalytic acid loop, essential for phosphate removal. Computational analysis of PTP structures revealed that ancestral PTPs have considerable variation in conformations of this loop, sparking interest in their further study. The Asgard group, identified as ancestral to eukaryotic PTPs, was successfully expressed and purified under optimized conditions. Current efforts focus on optimizing crystallization to obtain larger crystals for structural analysis. This project will investigate the allosteric …

What Do Medical Assistants Do?, Ryan Williams

Student Research Symposium

Medical assistants interact with patients before, during, and after provider interactions. They assist providers, conduct clinical maintenance, and mediate between patients, providers, and administration personnel.

Vaccine Stabilization With Spider Silk, Mallory Wootton

Student Research Symposium

Most vaccines must be stored between 2 - 8°C to maintain their efficacy, with some vaccines requiring temperatures as low as -70°C for long-term storage. These temperature requirements pose issues for vaccine distribution, notably to remote/rural areas, in hotter climates, and low- and middle-income countries which are largely dependent on vaccine imports. [1]

Determining The Function Of Type Iv-B Crispr-Cas Systems, Eric Jenkins, Brendon Guinn

Student Research Symposium

CRISPR-Cas systems are a diverse group of prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that defend against Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) such as bacteriophages and plasmids. CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins bind to guide RNAs (crRNAs) transcribed from a DNA repeat array (CRISPR array) containing spacers complementary to MGEs. Upon infection by a MGE, the Cas protein-crRNA complex binds to the target sequence in the invaders genome and cleaves the nucleic acid.

Removing The Veil: An Audiovisual Exploration Of Medieval Jewish Art, Ray Kaplan

Student Research Symposium

• Purpose: analyze the harmful narratives created by antisemitic art, uplift Jewish Medieval artwork instead
• In-progress URCO, to be done at the end of April
• Ultimate product: video essay
• Project delayed due to evolution of original concept
• Where it's at now

Simulating Low Gravity Particle Dynamics, Ryan Lewis

Student Research Symposium

• Vibrating motors prevent particle arches from forming and clogging nozzle.
• A metal mesh under the nozzle creates an evenly dispersed stream.
• Nozzle is static dissipative to ensure particles have consistent path through the charging section.