Digital Commons Network^™

Supersonic Wind Tunnel Improvement For Advanced Laser-Based Non-Intrusive Diagnostics, Joshua Gary

NASA-Missouri Space Grant Consortium

This work presents an approach to the design, and theoretical application, of a new test section for the Missouri S&T Supersonic Wind Tunnel to be used with advanced laserbased non-intrusive diagnostics. Supersonic wind tunnel test sections present multiple challenges. They need to ensure proper flow by avoiding jet-flow interactions and ensuring started conditions; they need to withstand large pressure loads in the case of tunnel unstart; they need to provide easy optical access for advanced diagnostics; they need to be modular and adaptable for different experiments. This work presents detailed analytical and numerical analyses of the mechanical loads. Based on …

Development Of Deep Learning Potentials For Ultra-High Temperature High-Entropy Driven Diborides, Gregory Vatrano

NASA-Missouri Space Grant Consortium

In this study, we developed deep learning potentials for ultra-high temperature high entropy driven diborides of MB2 where M is the transition metal made of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta. The materials are being considered as the heat shield for hypersonic vehicles due to their high thermal conductivity and thermal stability. We used quantum mechanical data as our input for training and validation. Specifically, we use the energy, force and stress data from molecular dynamics simulations at elevated temperatures using quantum mechanics calculations. We used the DeePMD neural network code and varied the hyper-parameters such as cut-off radius, batch size, …

Medical Waste Awareness Day, Lauren Tucker, Wyatt Walters, Savannah Withrow, Kayla Leavell

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Healthcare facilities are generators of large amounts of waste, leading to global environmental impacts that negatively impact both human health and natural systems around the world. Medical waste is usually defined quite broadly, encompassing any waste generated by a healthcare facility. Increasing use of single use plastic and single use devices has led to a large uptick in medical waste globally, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, 4.7 billion tons of healthcare waste is produced each year, which is approximately thirty-three pounds per hospital bed per day (Overstreet, 2021). The generation and disposal of this waste leads …

Stories From The Clark Fork: Empowering Community Watershed Advocacy Through A Multi-Media Film Project, Kelsey Stansberry, Caroline Kane, William Smyth, Wyatt Day, Melissa Brand

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The study explores the relational character of human interactions with the Clark Fork watershed in order to better understand the watershed’s contemporary issues, history, and to provide recommendations towards improving human-river interactions. Through a multi-media film project, we highlight the voices of those whose lives have been influenced by the Clark Fork watershed and analyze a collection of writings about the Clark Fork watershed from the past two centuries. Our project is an experiment in ecocentric storytelling (Erten 2008); we aim to support greater local awareness of the Clark Fork’s importance and contribute to community knowledge about opportunities to support …

The Beauty And The Beast: Beauty And Misfortune In Maria De Zayas's Novellas, Clarise Ann Sviatko

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The age-old question of what beauty is has been a common discussion among artists and philosophers for centuries. Maria de Zayas, a 17^th century Spanish novelist mostly known for her novella collections Amorous and Exemplary Novels (1637) and The Disenchantments of Love (1647), which describe violence and deception of beautiful women at the hands of men. In this paper, I will explore Zayas’s motives for all the female heroines being beautiful and how this all relates to the connection between beauty and misfortune that is seen throughout her works as well as many other pieces of literature. By comparing …

Indaziflam Herbicide Application For Invasive Annual Grass Population Control On Montana Prairie, Sonia Theresa Bornemann

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Herbicide is a widely used tool to control populations of invasive annual grass species outcompeting native species. However, because herbicides often have negative side effects on the environment like water supply contamination, it is important to use the least amount of herbicide possible while still killing the target species. Indaziflam is a relatively new herbicide on the market that is already widely used. This study will answer the question of whether the herbicide Indaziflam is still effective at decreasing the amount of annual invasive grasses by 90% when sprayed at lower concentrations than recommended. Invasive annual grasses North African grass( …

The Benefits Of School-Community Partnership In Indigenous Communities, Caitlin Carvalho, Susie Michalek, Tori Horton

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Research has shown that a more effective learning environment is established for students to thrive when there is a collaborative relationship between schools and community members (i.e., administrators, teachers, parents, community representatives). One author defines this type of relationship by saying that, “using k’é as a framework to discuss community and school community partnerships...community is an ongoing system of recognizing and maintaining harmonious relationships that can support the youth through partnerships based on relationships” (Kulago, 73). K’é encapsulates the complexity of relationships and how partnerships can be beneficial towards the members of the community. Kulago also discusses how these relationships …

Mitochondrial Dna Diversity In West Mexico, Emma Zoiss

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Despite attempts at systematic research, we are still missing critical information about pre-Hispanic populations in the Aztatlán region, one of the least studied regions of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The Aztatlán region is located in West Mexico and extends from Sinola to Jalisco, including regions in Durango, Michoacán, and Zacatecas. This research will focus on those individuals recovered from an archeological site referred to as Tizapán el Alto, located in the highlands of the Lake Chapala Basin. The integration of genetics into our understanding of the past affords a better understanding of the archaeological record, and broader context of the populations of …

"Wilderness And Civilization": What's Your Story?, Wyatt Bridger Day

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Technological and political tactics to promote sustainable ways of living are lacking while human behaviors continue to threaten the ability for Earth’s ecosystems to support humans and nonhumans. It is essential to build a new culture that is ecologically sustainable. This study - one part case study and one part memoir - explores what it takes to shift perspectives. This research locates the methods and characteristics that can be impactful in promoting sustainable attitudes in higher education students. This research helps develop an understanding of and framework for effectively promoting sustainable perspective change within higher education. I observe the Wilderness …

More Than A Mousetrap: Conformational Differences In Fxr Agonism As Seen By Fluorine Nmr, Reece Stephen Lott, Andrew Voss, Michelle Nemetchek, Pilar Castroespantaleon

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), also known as bile acid receptor, is a metabolic nuclear receptor protein that controls gene expression in glucose, amino acid, lipid, and bile acid metabolism. FXR is a transcription factor that alters gene expression upon ligand binding through recruitment of coregulators. It is a primary drug target for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). FXR binds a wide variety of ligands, many of which do not resemble the endogenous bile acids that FXR binds, suggesting that it can be activated by a wide variety of ligand scaffolds. However, the effect ligands have on the …

Investigating Naïve Stem Cell Maintenance With Fbf Mutants In C. Elegans Germline, Deanna E. Cuello

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Stem cells are essential to establish tissue via proliferation and differentiation. We study stem cells of Caenorhabditis elegans germline as a model for development and differentiation. The distal tip cell (DTC) houses the stem cell niche which contains ~200 mitotically dividing cells. As germline stem cells move proximally the cells begin to differentiate while entering meiotic division (Austin and Kimble, 1987). Amongst the stem cells, previous research distinguished two populations, those that are naïve stem cells and others that are committed to differentiation (Cinquin, et. al, 2010).

We study stem cell regulation by two RNA-binding proteins, FBF-1 and FBF-2 that …

Ph Regulator Ae2 Is Important For Brain Development, Celia Elizabeth Keil

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a model organism that undergoes many of the same processes for brain development that humans do. Work from our lab finds that pH regulation is important for brain development. The pH regulator, Ae2, is present at the cell membrane where it expels bicarbonate ions in exchange for chloride. Importantly, humans also express ae2 (SLCA4). It is not a well-studied protein, but low levels of SLCA4 are hypothesized to be associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. In other organ systems, the Ae2 exchanger was found to be important for development. Thus, we aimed to determine if …

Understanding Dosage In Speech Sound Disorder Therapy, Pyper Trumble, Megan Andersen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Speech-language pathologists provide speech and language therapy to people who have difficulty communicating their wants, needs, or ideas. Within therapy there are many unknown variables that determine its effectiveness, especially when working with preschool children who have difficulties saying speech sounds. To develop a better understanding of these unknown variables, the current research explored dosage. Dosage is the number of prompts that a clinician gives to a child to say a target sound within one treatment session (Farquharson et al, 2022). Dosage is an under studied element within therapy with potentially large effects on the amount and rate of progress …

Women Of Missoula: Menstruation And Refugees, Bella Spencer, Samantha Boutte, Emmily Valencia, Brooklyn Grubbs, Holly Sudol

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Abstract

Stigmatization, lack of accessible menstrual products, and an overall misconstrued sense of menstruation impact menstruators at a disproportionate rate. When diving into the literature, we found that refugee women not only faced stigmas and a lack of access to menstrual products and education, but also ran into cultural barriers and differing attitudes on menstruation. To address this issue, we formulated the idea of a menstrual drive. Instead of focusing on refugee menstruators as a whole, our focus will be the refugee population in Missoula, MT. We recognize that the stigmatization of menstruation is an ongoing global issue that affects …

The Proud Boys Raging Righteously At The U.S. Capitol On January 6th, 2021: A Hate Group In Action, Daniel Rothbart

International Conference on Hate Studies

Righteous rage constitutes an expression of political power for many hate groups operating currently in the United States, enticing them toward emotionally charged aggression against their adversaries. We offer a case study of one such group—the Proud Boys—in the context of their violent attack of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Rather than a momentary feeling, their righteous rage is a potent force for forming, defining, and organizing their mission to overpower their adversaries. In particular, their righteous rage is defined by (a) behavioral manifestations, (b) the emotional contagious impact of such manifestations, and (c) the centrality of raging …

Re-Imagining Teacher Education As An Andragogy Of Hope, Ivon Prefontaine

International Conference on Hate Studies

Building on a co-authored book chapter, A Futures Perspective for an Andragogy of Hope, I propose to explore the role teachers can play in opening up hopeful pedagogical spaces for K-12 students. In the chapter, we describe a pedagogic/andragogic creed that includes “I am a teacher full of the spirit of hope, in spite of all that stands to the contrary. I am a teacher who refuses the disillusionment that consumes and immobilizes” (Freire, 2014, p. 94). This echoes my opening words which included the following from the Prayer of St. Francis: “where there is despair [let me sow] hope.” …

Ethno-Political Tribalism As A Cause Factor Of Inequality And Hate (Case Of The Central Asian Countries), Temirkhan Mukhambetov

International Conference on Hate Studies

The causes of conflicts that occur in different countries of the world are often indicated by the human instinct of tribalism. The article is devoted to the study, analysis and search for ways to solve the problems of ethnopolitical tribalism.

The main features of a tribal society are tribal strife, hostility towards other sub-ethnic groups. The ethno-political tribalism that often forms in such a society is one of the most dangerous phenomena, since the representatives of the dominant tribe who have seized power use the power of power to suppress competing tribes. As a result, instead of forming a national …

Vigilantism And Hate Motivated Mob Lynching Cases In India, Sumant Kumar

International Conference on Hate Studies

Vigilantism is not a new concept; it is a reflection of the platitude and failure of the state in which state always blames their own people for taking law into their hands, and by citizens, who justify their measures on state inactiveness. Vigilantism defines as “the act of taking the law into one’s own hands and attempting to enact justice according to one’s own understanding of right and wrong”. Incidents of mob lynching are encouraged within the atmosphere of hate, rumors and distrust created through continued propaganda. There are several incidents on murder, attempt to murder, harassment, assault, gang-rape etc. …

High-Risk Wildlife Strike Regions: An In-Depth Visual Representation Of Wildlife Strikes At And Around Part 139 Airports In Florida., Luke P. Ochs, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D.

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Wildlife strikes with aircraft have been and continue to be a problem in the aviation industry costing millions of dollars in both damage and delays. This study used the geoprocessing information system ArcGIS to depict wildlife strikes at Florida’s 26 Part 139 Airports from 2012 to 2021. Importing reports from the National Wildlife Strike Database into ArcGIS, this study used symbology and geoprocessing tools to create a color/ size gradient that depicts the risk (number of damaging strikes out of known strikes) at each airport. Using an interactive map with ArcGIS Online viewers can observe then select each airports vector …

The Role Of Serca In Neural Development And Brain Tumors, Hannah Madison Christman

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Ion channels are essential for neural function, playing a variety of necessary cellular roles including excitability, maintaining ion gradients, and volume control. While the role of ion channels in neurons is well-defined, much less is known about excitability in neural progenitor cells. Recently it has emerged that these neural precursors may be affected by channelopathies, indicating a critical role of ion channels in neural development. Using the model system Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), I investigated the role of the ion channel SERCA (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ATPase). SERCA is a vital calcium ion pump located on the wall of the …

Bear Smart Um: Creating A University Campus Safe For Bears And Students, Kailie Blanco, Emily Cook, Ridley Hudson, Nieset Lefevre, Ellie Lowe, Josh Moyar, Kailie Todd

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Bear Smart UM: Creating a University Campus Safe for Bears and Students

Biological Sciences

Universities nestled in the mountains across the globe like the University of Montana may find themselves dealing with human-bear conflict while lacking the proper resources to approach management. At UM, there has been an increase in bear activity over the past five years and it is expected to continue to increase. Developing a plan to prevent bear activity on campus is often costly, time-consuming, and tedious. Our student group’s solution includes two intertwining parts: A bear management plan and educational outreach surrounding bear safety. The recommendations …

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization Pilot Review And Recommendations, Grace Friend, Ashley Castro, Jazzelle Elias, Lisa Spang, Grace Walhus

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization, or CORR, was created through collaboration of Montana Access Project, University of Montana, and the US Forest Service. This program is intended to help rural Montana communities realize recreation assets and plan for their development. A pilot of the CORR process was implemented in two Montana communities: White Sulphur Springs and Columbia Falls. Researchers interviewed CORR facilitators and community members who participated in the CORR process. From the feedback received in these qualitative interviews, researchers presented recommendations to improve the CORR process and created an initial toolkit to be used by future communities. This report covers …

Effects Of Cultural Matching And Identity Safety: An Examination Of Indigenous Student’S School Experiences, Tori Horton, Susie Michalek, Caitlin Carvalho

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Cultural matching refers to the reflection of one’s own culture in day-to-day life, which is critical for nurturing one’s sense of acceptance and identity in the world (Rip et.al., 2020). Identity safety is when one’s social identity is welcomed and valued rather than viewed as a barrier to success The presence of cultural matching and identity safety is important in educational settings throughout childhood and adolescence, as both are crucial to students’ overall well-being and identity. Opportunities to express one’s culture in the classroom is essential for a sense of belonging and safety (Steele & Cohen-Vargas, 2013); however, Indigenous students …

Addressing Eco-Emotions: An Initiative For Coping With Climate-Induced Emotional Distress, Kaitlyn M. Blume, Cassie Berg, Sylvia Wood, Jack Person, Sylvia Luceno, Alis Auch, Siena Cysewski

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

"Addressing Eco-Emotions: An Initiative for Coping with Climate-Induced Emotional Distress" is a research project aimed at tackling the growing challenge of eco-emotions, such as eco-grief or eco-anxiety, brought about by the impacts of climate change. Despite the complex and widespread nature of the issue, and the limited training of the group in the field of mental health, the goal is to raise awareness about eco-emotions and provide a supportive space for individuals to process their feelings related to the climate crisis. Through hosting a week-long series of events, each tailored to a different coping mechanism for eco-emotions, the project aims …

Low-Dose Psilocybin Enhances Novel Object Recognition But Not Inhibitory Avoidance In Adult Rats, Claire E. Miller, Colin R. Del Valle, Margaret M. Naylor, Heather R. Sparkman, Connor M. Cruea, Rachel E. Rice, Brooke E. Bramlage, Lillianna P. Puppel, Madison L. Brown, Aleece K. Al-Olimat, Elizabeth S. Dietz, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Given the recently renewed interest in using psychedelics to aid in the treatment of psychological disorders, we aimed to examine the impact of psilocybin, a 5-HT_2A agonist, on learning and memory in rodents. Previous work has demonstrated that psilocybin and other 5-HT_2A agonists can enhance fear conditioning, fear extinction, and novel object recognition (NOR). Thus, we predicted that low doses of psilocybin would enhance inhibitory avoidance (IA) and NOR memory. In the first experiment, adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent step-through IA training (involving 0.45, 0.65, or 1 mA scrambled footshock) and were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with …

Tunnel Vision, False Memories, And Intrusive Memories Following Exposure To The Trier Social Stress Test, Chloe N. Cordes, Cassidy L. Pfister, Kayla M. Boaz, Taylor D. Niese, Sydney L. Parker, Kristen E. Long, Mercedes L. Stanek, Matthew S. Risner, John G. Blasco, Koen N. Suzelis, Kelsey M. Siereveld, Shannon B. Carnes, Boyd R. Rorabaugh, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Most research examining the impact of stress on learning and memory has exposed participants to a stressor and measured how it affects learning and memory for unrelated material (e.g., list of words). Such work has been helpful, but it has not been the most translational to the human condition. When considering phenomena such as intrusive memories in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or an eyewitness's memory for a crime, it is most useful to know what an individual remembers about the stress experience itself, not unrelated information. In prior work, investigators used a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test …

Impact Of Acute Stress, Sex, And Childhood Maltreatment On Fear Learning And Fear Generalization In A Fear-Potentiated Startle Paradigm, Kayla M. Boaz, Chloe N. Cordes, Cassidy L. Pfister, Taylor D. Niese, Sydney L. Parker, Kristen E. Long, Mercedes L. Stanek, Boyd R. Rorabaugh, Seth D. Norrholm, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Many researchers approach the etiology of trauma-, stressor-, and anxiety-related mental disorders from the perspective of classical conditioning processes gone awry. According to this view, abnormal associative relationships between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli may underlie pathological anxiety and result in unusually intense fear memories or fear memories that cannot be properly extinguished. Recent work has expanded on this view by showing that many psychological disorders involving pathological anxiety are associated with an exaggerated form of stimulus generalization, leading individuals with such disorders to respond with fear and anxiety to a variety of contexts and cues that should not be threatening. …

Psilocybin Prevents Symptoms Of Hyperarousal And Enhances Novel Object Recognition In Rats Exposed To The Single Prolonged Stress Paradigm, Colin R. Del Valle, Heather R. Sparkman, Margaret M. Naylor, Connor M. Cruea, Rachel E. Rice, Claire E. Miller, Brooke E. Bramlage, Lillianna P. Puppel, Madison L. Brown, Aleece K. Al-Olimat, Elizabeth S. Dietz, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Pharmacotherapy for stress-related psychological disorders remains inadequate. Patients who are treated with conventional pharmacological agents frequently report negligeable symptom reduction, and, in most cases, less than 50% experience full remission. Clearly, there is a need for additional pharmaceutical research into both established and novel approaches to alleviate these conditions. Over the past several years, there has been a renewed interest in the use of psychedelics to aid in the treatment of psychological disorders. Several studies have reported promising results in patients with major depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following treatment with psychedelic agents such as lysergic acid …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Mls Density Level Data On Dem, Essam Ghanem, Mostafa Rabah, Fekry Ashraf

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Mobile laser scanning (MLS) systems are quickly establishing themselves as the primary source of high-quality digital elevation models (DEM). Data density is the key element that determine the quality of DEMs. Moreover, point density acts a vital role in MLS operation planning and MLS project's cost. This study's goal was to evaluate the impact of point density from MLS on creating DEMs and the accuracy of computed volume in different interpolation methods. The finding demonstrated that the DEM's quality and the volume are more impacted by density level and interpolation method. Interpolation methods are affected by point density. There is …

Detection Optimization Of Rare Attacks In Software-Defined Network Using Ensemble Learning, Ahmed M. El-Shamy, Nawal A. El-Fishawy, Gamal M. Attiya, Mokhtar Ahmed

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Software-defined networking (SDN) is a highly flexible architecture that automates and facilitates network configuration and management. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) are becoming essential components in the network to detect malicious attacks and suspicious activities by continuously monitoring network traffic. Integration between SDN and machine learning (ML) techniques is extensively used to build an effective IDS against all potential cyber-attacks that aim at breaking the network security policy and stealing valuable data. Implementing an IDS based on SDN and ML has the advantage of managing traffic dynamically and fully autonomously to provide high protection against security threats. The main objective of …