Engineering Commons^™

Improving Intersection Safety With Geographically-Targeted Crash Prediction Models In Utah, Atul Subedi

Student Research Symposium

This project aims to improve intersection safety in Utah by developing geographically-targeted crash prediction models. The lack of research investigating active mode crashes at signalized intersections in different geographical regions calls for this study. The objective of this research is to understand the factors associated with the frequency of active mode crashes at signalized intersections. Exposure variables such as AADT, pedestrian and bicycle volumes, and intersection-level variables such as crossing distance, speed limit, and presence of street lights were analyzed using a negative binomial regression model.

Energy Storage Can Increase The Value And Flexibility Of A Nuclear Power Plant But Makes Plant Economics More Subject To Uncertainty In Electricity Price, Jacob Bryan

Student Research Symposium

Regional electricity markets currently rely heavily on coal and natural gas resources to meet electricity demand. Intermittent renewable resources like wind and solar power are location-dependent and are not dispatchable resources. Flexible nuclear power, achieved through the use of integrated thermal energy storage, may be able to complement these renewable resources to provide clean, predictable power in an evolving electricity grid. This study considers such a flexible nuclear plant and seeks to address a fundamental modeling question: which uncertain model inputs have a significant effect on the economics of the system, and to what degree? These questions are addressed by …

Understanding The Role Of A Putative Type I Polyketide Synthase In Chlorflavonin Biosynthesis, Ammar Mussaji

Student Research Symposium

Flavonoids are an important class of plant secondary metabolites with a variety of biological functions in the development processes of hosts. These molecules have also shown health-benefiting properties such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. As such, they are commonly used as pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. In plants, flavonoids are assembled through a type III polyketide synthase (PKS) and associated tailoring enzymes such as hydroxylase and glycosyltransferase. Some filamentous fungi also produce flavonoids, such as chlorflavonin from Aspergillus candidus. Chlorflavonin is a novel halogenated flavonoid found in nature reported to possess antifungal and anti-tuberculosis activity. Unlike plants, the biosynthetic process of flavonoids …

Glycosylation Of Anti-Tb Agent Chlorflavonin For Combating Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Jie Ren

Student Research Symposium

More than two billion people were infected by the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in 2020. However, during the past 50 years, the first-line (isoniazid, delamanid, and rifampicin) and second-line (capreomycin, streptomycin, and cycloserine) therapies have remained unchanged with disadvantages such as long treatment periods and severe side effects. The slow development of anti-TB drugs cannot combat the fast development of drug resistant M. tuberculosis strains from multidrug-resistant (MDR) into extensively drug resistant (XDR), which further hinders the World Health Organization’s goal to end the global TB pandemic by the year 2035. Flavonoids are a type of natural product with …

Does Diet Effect The Brain?, Janna Hart

Student Research Symposium

Short-chain fatty acids are biomolecules produced from bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber in the gut. Short-chain fatty acids are used in the gut to supply energy and reduce inflammation but are also believed to have effects on the brain. While we do not know how short-chain fatty acids affect the brain and behavior, recent research has led to the idea of using dietary changes as a treatment for mental health disorders. In my research, we aimed to visualize where short-chain fatty acids act in the brain with a particular focus on neural immune cells called microglia and the neurons that …

Electric Vehicles: Lowering Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Tyler Hansen

Student Research Symposium

The amount of greenhouse gasses in the earth’s atmosphere has led to rapid climate change. In order to remedy this, the amount of annual greenhouse gas emissions needs to be decreased. As of 2019, transportation accounted for 29 percent of the Nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, one important way to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S will be a switch from traditional vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel, to electric vehicles. Despite challenges of infrastructure, resources, and consumer access, a national switch to electric vehicles is possible and necessary.

A Novel Composite Hybrid Energy Storage System For Hybrid And Electric Vehicles, Marium Rasheed

Student Research Symposium

This work introduces a composite hybrid energy storage system (CHESS) architecture that combines energy-dense and capacitively-coupled power-dense battery packs in a unique configuration that requires minimal energy balancing using low-power DC-DC converters. A power-dense battery is coupled to an energy-dense battery using a relatively small supercapacitor module that naturally distributes the system current between the two packs, requiring no additional contactors or full-power processing DC-DC converters. A design procedure is developed to size the system for plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (PHEVs and BEVs). The procedure results in designs that achieve weight reduction for a PHEV/BEV battery-energy-storage system (ESS) …

Optimization Of Endoscope Bending Section, Tyson Barnes, Jess Papenfuss, Ellie Siddoway, Emily Brotherson

Student Research Symposium

Current endoscope bending sections are unable to resist strong compressive forces. The purpose of this design is to optimize an endoscope backbone that meets the following requirements: Bending requirement of 60° articulation Size requirements of 35 mm in length and an outer diameter of 19.5 French (~6.5 mm).

Delivery Of Crispr In T Cell Therapeutics, Mckade Roberts, Brandon Pace, Kami Lay

Student Research Symposium

Millions of patients die every year from a variety of cancers, and side effects from treatments are marginally better than the disease. T-cell therapy is an emerging treatment method with promising results. The aim of this project is to improve the processes of T-cell therapy by demonstrating the effective transduction of HEK293 cells by delivering CRISPR through a viral vector. Viral backbone plasmids are grown in E.coli and used to transfect HEK293 cells along with CRISPR. CRISPR-containing viral vectors are harvested from the supernatant and used to transduce HEK293 cells. Successful induction is proven by resulting cell GFP expression. By …

Modeling Of The Engineered Production Of Curcumin In Escherichia Coli, Ellie Siddoway

Student Research Symposium

Curcumin is the major bioactive natural product in turmeric (Curcuma longa), which is commonly used as a food additive (flavor and colorant) and traditional medicine for thousands of years. This polyphenol has a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-Alzheimer’s effects. The current production process of this promising natural product is not environmentally friendly or cost-effective. However, microbial production represents a great alternative because of the significantly reduced production time and reproducible production process. Our group has previously introduced the required enzymes into Escherichia coli to construct an artificial curcumin production pathway in the bacterium. …

Nuclear Fusion: Powering The Future, Maxwel Head

Student Research Symposium

There has always been a concern for power generation for the world. With limited fossil fuels and the inefficiency of our current, renewable, power generation, a solution to our issue has been in the works for many years. Engineers, scientists, and civil workers are hard at work attempting to apply nuclear fusion to create massive amounts of power for the foreseeable future. Research was conducted using internet and library resources to find primary and secondary sources. For this study, interviews and news reports and case studies were reviewed to provide diverse information. To summarize what was found, engineers are hard …

Effect Of Cannabidiol On Crystallization Behavior And Physical Properties Of Cocoa Butter And Palm Oil, Isaac Hilton

Student Research Symposium

Demand for lipid-based products containing cannabidiol (CBD) is increasing following the legalization of industrial hemp production. This study investigates the impact of CBD on the crystallization behavior and physical properties of cocoa butter (CB) and palm oil (PO) for possible food applications. CB and PO samples with 0%, 1%, and 2.5% CBD were crystallized at 22°C and 26°C, respectively and the crystallization as a function of time was measured using a pulsed NMR for 165 min and 90 min, respectively. Melting behavior, crystal morphology, and viscoelasticity were measured at this time. Viscoelasticity and hardness were also measured after storing the …

Assessing Bacterial Adhesion To Metallic Coating On Silicone For Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters, Lexi Phillips, Trent Peterson, Mark Mortensen

Student Research Symposium

The aim of this project is to design a test to demonstrate the effectiveness of a coating applied to the lumen of peritoneal catheter extensions to reduce biofilm formation. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients currently struggle with infections caused by biofilm growth in the intraluminal tubing. Once established, biofilms are very difficult to get rid of and can cause reoccurring infection issues which can lead to a discontinuation of PD, poorer quality of life, and a greater risk of death. Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) has recognized similar problems with their patients and seeks to reduce infection rates. Fresenius Medical …

Bioprinting Of Hagfish Keratin Proteins, Nathan Harward

Student Research Symposium

Proteins make up most tissue scaffolding within the human body, making novel proteinaceous biomaterials highly sought-after since they can be designed to mimic the natural ECM of various tissues. Hagfish secrete a proteinaceous slime when threatened that clogs the gills of predators, and the keratin proteins found in the slime show promise as a potential tissue scaffold material. In this study, recombinant hagfish proteins were used to formulate a bioink which was crosslinked into hydrogels. Characterization of the hydrogel porosity and mechanical properties revealed a tunable nature valuable for artificial tissue scaffold engineering. The availability of in-house genetic modification of …

Investigating Factors That Predict Progress High Achieving Engineering Students Make Towards Desired Outcomes Of College, Ibukun Osunbunmi

Student Research Symposium

In an effort to increase the retention and progress undergraduate engineering students are making towards the desired outcome of college, researchers have been investigating what factors influence the academic achievement of students. The desired outcomes of college in this study include intellectual and scholarly development, workforce preparedness, advance in general knowledge, personal development, and scientific and technological skill development. While some studies have shown evidence that students’ engagement and learning skills are important predictors, others have suggested that educational policies, background, and demography of students are significantly associated with students’ academic achievement. In this study, predictive modeling of parents’ educational …

Efficacy Of Excipients Against Cytomegalovirus, Alisa Dabb, Dallin Fairbourn

Student Research Symposium

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpesvirus that affects most of the world’s population. Although most people infected with CMV experience only mild symptoms, it can result in death for those who are immunocompromised. It is one of the leading causes of sensorineural hearing loss in infants. Currently, the most common treatment for CMV is ganciclovir (GCV), but GCV is highly cytotoxic. It has also been shown to cause birth defects in mice. Even though GCV is cytotoxic, GCV needs to be taken frequently for it to be effective. Recent studies in our lab have found using the excipients quercetin and poloxamer …

Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor Design For Optimization Of Nutrient Uptake And Bioproducts, Amy Cox, Kolton Hauck, Carson Miller, Kade Fish

Student Research Symposium

This project will aim to develop a rotating algae bioreactor (RABR) design that maximizes biofilm assimilation rate (BAR) for total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) reduction from reclaimed water. The optimization variables that will be tested are photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and duty cycle. The industry established constraints for this project are that nutrient concentration must be reduced from 500 mg/L to 200 mg/L total nitrogen (TN) and from 50 mg/L to 15 mg/L total phosphorous (TP). The reclaimed water and algae will be collected from the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility (CVWRF) in Salt Lake City, Utah.Further, this …

Photochemistry Of Wildfire Derived Pyrogenic-Dissolved Organic Matter (Py-Dom) For Photodegradation Of Aquatic Contaminants, Monika Madhiyan

Student Research Symposium

Erosion of wildfire-affected organic matter and/or its physical disintegration in water results in the formation of pyrogenic Dissolved Organic Matter (py-DOM), which can react with ground state oxygen to produce singlet oxygen (1O2) in the presence of light. 1O2 has a high electronegativity and oxidizing potential which influences the photo-transformation and the environmental fate of organic contaminants present in the water, hence, it is essential to quantify its production from wildfire-derived py-DOM, which is absent in the past literature. In this study, py-DOM was extracted from wildfire-affected tree portions from the Colorado Grizzly Creek Fire. Time-resolved 1O2 phosphorescence was used …

Detection Of Hydrophilic Coating On Biomedical Devices Via Fluorescent Nanoparticles, Emilee Rickabaugh, Sadie Clark, Jamen Cannon, Jessop Oliver

Student Research Symposium

Coatings are an important component of many medical devices. They can change the characteristics of these medical devices including biocompatibility, lubricity, and effectiveness. Many of Merit Medical’s devices, including their transradial catheter, rely on hydrophilic coating to function properly. The hydrophilic coating found on the introducer sheath comes into direct contact with a patient’s vascular and dermal tissue to ease the insertion of the catheter. An incomplete coating on this device could lead to tissue damage, patient discomfort or pain, and device failure. These coatings are often difficult to detect since the coating is completely colorless. In current practices, the …

Meso-Biliverdin Ixα Production By Conversion Of Cyanobacteria-Derived Phycocyanobilin​, Clayton Lords, Matt Armbrust, Abby Edward, Nathan Harward, Keetch Mecham

Student Research Symposium

Meso-biliverdin IXα (MBV) is a valuable bioproduct with antioxidant and cytoprotective properties that is of great interest and importance forthe medical industry as an anti-inflammatory, agricultural industry as a livestock feed additive, and other commercial applications. MBV is aheme-derivedbilinthat can be synthesized by chemical conversion of cyanobacterial phycocyanobilin (PCB). Phycocyanin (PC) is an abundantpigment composed of protein complexed with PCB and responsible for harvesting light for photosynthesis by cyanobacteria. Logan LagoonsCyanobacteria 2 (LLC2) is a novel strain of cyanobacteria recently discovered in Logan, Utah that produces PC in appreciable amounts. LLC2 iscapable of growing with shale/oil extraction-derived produced water as …

Financial Literacy In America, John Cappelli

Student Research Symposium

After graduation most people do not have enough financial knowledge to be successful. This research project looks at how financial literacy courses impact students of different backgrounds. Research was conducted using online databases to evaluate primary and secondary sources including surveys and Add something specific about the sources you used. From this research I found that US high school graduates are lacking in financial education. In conclusion I think that all US highschools need to include mandatory financial education courses in order to ensure students have at least a basic understanding before having to make major decisions.

Photochemistry Of Wildfire Derived Pyrogenic-Dissolved Organic Matter (Py-Dom) For Photodegradation Of Aquatic Contaminants, Monika Madhiyan

Student Research Symposium

Erosion of wildfire-affected organic matter and/or its physical disintegration in water results in the formation of pyrogenic Dissolved Organic Matter (py-DOM), which can react with ground state oxygen to produce singlet oxygen (1O2) in the presence of light. 1O2 has a high electronegativity and oxidizing potential which influences the photo-transformation and environmental fate of organic contaminants present in the water, hence, it is essential to quantify singlet oxygen quantum yields for wildfire derived py-DOM, which is absent in the past literature. In this study, py-DOM was extracted from wildfire-affected tree portions from Colorado Grizzly Creek Wildfire. Time-resolved 1O2 phosphorescence was …

The Good From The Ugly: Fermentation Optimization For Hagfish Protein Production, Simon Hulme, Zach Hyde, Ben Florschutz, Caeman Nicholas

Student Research Symposium

When under attack the noble hagfish produces a protective slime that rapidly expands in water to clog the gills of their attacker. The protein threads that hold the slime together caught the eye of Dr. Jones’ Lab here at USU.These proteins, alpha and gamma, have properties very similar to spider silk making them a material of interest to the US Navy. While the Jones lab has already genetically engineered a strain of E. coli to produce these filament proteins the process has not been optimized. This group plans to increase protein production by 20% (from 8 g/L to 9.6 g/L) …

Mechanical Methods For Bioreactor Foam Breaking, Ceaira Howard, Bodee Hancock, Adam Martin, Laurent Saysanavong

Student Research Symposium

ThermoFisher Scientific, through the lead of Jason Brown, has commissioned a design team at Utah State University (USU) to create a mechanical foam breaker capable of being used in a single use bioreactor setup. The goal of this design team was to find mechanical methods of foam breaking for reactors of 30 L volume and 300 L volume to reduce the need for chemical antifoam agents which, in concentrations higher than 1% total volume, can lead to higher optical densities and lower protein yield (Routledge, 2012). Initial designs include a rotating mechanical cone (derived from ThermoFisher), a wire bristle apparatus, …

Name-Matching Techniques For Disambiguating Interaction Data, Adam Weaver

Student Research Symposium

Fuzzy name matching methods are helpful because names are often misspelled, sound similar, or reside in similar circumstances. A fuzzy name matching process assigns two names a similarity score between 0 and 1 using name-matching techniques (with 1 meaning identical and 0 meaning entirely unique). Fuzzy name matching is used for optimizing customer databases, creating more accurate medical records, or in Social Network Analysis (SNA). To observe the links between students’ social practices and academic performance, our research group is performing a large-scale (1000+ student) SNA through open-response name-generator surveys. Accordingly, the survey responses contain ambiguous names—many of which are …

Paying The Pied Passer: Discussing The Appropriate Contract To Award Nfl Quarterbacks, Alex Gohr

Student Research Symposium

No NFL team has ever won the Super Bowl while simultaneously paying their starting quarterback more than 13% of the maximum budget allowed for player salaries. This paper explores the effects of quarterbacks on an NFL roster and the consequences of the size of their contracts have on the performance of the team as a whole entity. This research was derived from databases of NFL statics and expert opinions on the matter of player contracts. From the research conducted, it is concluded that quarterbacks must voluntarily take less money for the opportunity to continue to compete for championships or, alternatively, …

Price Controls On The Pharmaceutical Industry, Camden Clark

Student Research Symposium

The rapidly increasing cost of drugs is an ever-growing problem for Americans. As time goes on, fewer and fewer people are able to purchase the medications they are prescribed. This research analyzes the benefits for price controls on the United States pharmaceutical industry and aims to investigate the most practical, efficient methods of implementing price controls. Online research was conducted to find primary and secondary sources detailing the impacts of high drug prices in the United States, comparing the healthcare policies in the United States with policies in other countries, and exploring potential solutions. As a result of this research, …

Computational Prediction Of Host-Pathogen Protein Interactions Between Melioidosis Pathogen Burkholderia Pseudomallei And Human, Chathumadavi Ediriweera

Student Research Symposium

Background:

Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is a critical biothreat agent, causes Melioidosis: a disease associated with high case-fatality rates in animals and humans; even with treatment, its mortaility is up to 50%. It also infects plants. Yet few effector proteins have been functionally characterized to date and little work has been carried out to understand the host-pathogen protein-protein interactions (PPI) which are important to develop efficient prevention measures. To address these issues, we deployed diverse in-silico methodologies to identify virulence factors and their interactions with host proteins to characterize bacterial infection mechanisms.

Fair Resource Allocation In An Mec-Enabled Ultra-Dense Iot Network With Noma, Qun Wang

Student Research Symposium

Ultra-dense Internet of Things (IoT) network has greatly facilitated the development of smart environments and the realization of diverse sophisticated applications. Power constrained and resource-limited IoT devices often need to perform computation-intensive and delay-sensitive tasks in such a network. Mobile edge computing and non-orthogonal multiple access are two promising techniques to address the corresponding challenges. In order to improve the fairness and resource efficiency among IoT users, resource allocation problems are formulated in ultra-dense MEC-enabled IoT networks with NOMA considered. An iterative algorithm based on successive convex approximation technique is proposed to solve those challenging non-convex problems.

Exploiting Wall Street: An Algorithmic Approach To Investing, Sterling Lemon

Student Research Symposium

Technology has advanced dramatically over the years, yet the old investment strategy of "buy and hold" has remained prevalent. While this strategy performed well historically, it serves as a stark contrast to modern investing which, by utilizing machine learning and advanced data analytics, is generating unprecedented returns This research project will demonstrate the strength behind algorithmic investing and how the investment strategy of "buy and hold" will become a thing of the past.