2020 Abstracts

Kjar, Andrew; Heap, Mitchell; Wadsworth, Ian; Vargis, Elizabeth; Britt, David (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Britt, David (College of Engineering, Biological Engineering Department); Vargis, Elizabeth (College of Engineering, Biological Engineering Department)

Quercetin is a flavonoid that exhibits antiviral activity against cytomegalovirus infection, the leading cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss in infants. However, delivering quercetin as an antiviral treatment is challenging as it is sparingly soluble in water and highly susceptible to oxidation once solubilized. This study investigated quercetin encapsulation in micelles formed from self-assembled nanocariiers of differing hydrophobic and hydrophilic chain lengths (specifically, F127, P123, and F68). Samples were investigated weekly for two months using UV-vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering to determine quercetin chemical stability and micelle size, respectively. Free quercetin and F68-encapsulated quercetin oxidized within one week in PBS, while quercetin encapsulated by Pluronics F127 and P123 remained stable and encapsulated over two months. Pluronics F127 and F68 have similar PEO chain lengths, but the lower hydrophobic PPO content of F68 was insufficient to allow quercetin-loaded F68 to form stable carriers. As a consequence, F68 also did not protect quercetin against oxidation. The decreased PEO chain length of P123 did not inhibit micelle formation nor oxidative protection. These data suggest the length of the hydrophilic chain is not a determining factor in the chemical stability of encapsulated quercetin. Instead, shielding effects appear to correlate to longer hydrophobic segment lengths, as in F127 and P123.

Conclusions: The ability of the selected Pluronics to encapsulate quercetin in stable micelles and inhibit oxidation was highly dependent on PEO/PPO ratios. This work indicates selection of the appropriate delivery vehicle is necessary to improve quercetin's efficacy as an antiviral and antioxidant for inhibiting CMV and associated SNHL.

Craig, Michael W. ; Valle, Hugo E. (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Valle, Hugo (Weber State university, Computer Science)

The purpose of Project Atmosniffer is to develop a scientific and commercial air-quality monitoring and recording tool.
This project has undergone many transformations over the years since its birth and is continuing to be improved during the period of my contributions. Project Atmosniffer has provided me a unique opportunity to enhance my computer science (CS) core skills. From networking, ticket tracking, version control, data analysis, and hands-on experience in the lab.
The atmosniffer has changed much of its hardware. The current version of the Atmosniffer device, upgraded the following components: microprocessor, gas board, dynamic sensor, OLED screen. The new version offers new features like a new CO2 sensor and WiFi connectivity.
More details covering the CS skills utilized in the development of new components and features of the Atmosniffer device will be presented.

Tucker, Ryan W.; Bundy, Bradley C. (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Bundy, Bradley (Engineering, Chemical Engineering)

Peer-reviewed journal articles publications and their citation rate is the primary measure of research productivity and impact. Many measure of this impact have been developed and this has motivated many researchers to advertise and market their work. However, there are challenges with this system in that much of the scientific literature is not openly available and there are often high fees associated with making an article open access. Here I discuss this challenge and how engineering researchers are working to better make their research more available to the community.

Van Leeuwen, Fiona; German, Emma; Berke, Ryan (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Berke, Ryan (College of Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department)

Stereo Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a technique to visually analyze deformations and strains in a material. This way of calculating strains is useful due to the implications of the technique being non-contact. One of the methods to improve using this technique is to use scheimpflug (AKA tilt-tip lenses) to increase the depth of field of the image. These lenses are oriented at an angle with respect to the camera sensor, thereby rotating the angle between the image plane and the subject plane. These methods have been verified in fluids research for PIV measurements which are like DIC. The experiment was conducted by first verifying the method by using a single camera. The research currently being conducted is on using two cameras giving a verification for the 3D method. The goal for this research is to measure an increase in depth of field. Using the single camera 2D measurements, it has been shown that at steeper angles from the camera, the better the measurement when a larger scheimpflug angle is used.

Keyword: Depth of Field, Scheimpflug Lenses, Stereo DIC

Cutler, James; Stanley, Andrew; Ning, Andrew (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Ning, Andrew (Brigham Young University, Mechanical Engineering)

Wind farms are severely affected by negative wake interactions between turbines. By opti- mizing the tilt angle of the turbines in a farm, wakes may be deflected away from downstream turbines, increasing the overall energy production. In this study, we will optimize the tilt angle of turbines in a wind farm to maximize energy production. We will use an analytic wake model modified to consider wake deflection from tilt, and gradient-based optimization. We will consider optimizing the tilt angle of each turbine assuming that it will remain fixed for the lifetime of the farm. We will also consider active tilt control. Preliminary results with a simple five turbine row show that a large tilt angles of 35_ in the front upstream turbine increases the power production of the five turbines by about 20% compared to the power production with no tilt in the front turbine. Although these preliminary results only consider one wind direction and exaggerate the gains from wake deflection through tilt, we expect that considering a whole wind farm and wind distribution will still result in significant gains.

Burrows, Tessa; Paterson, Chase; Harris, Tom; Jones, Justin; Elizabeth, Vargis (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Vragis, Elizabeth (College of Engineering, Biological Engineering Department)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in developed nations. To better treat this disease, an accurate model of the retina is needed to study how its healthy and diseased functions. Modeling Bruch's membrane (BM) — a semipermeable layer separates the specialized cells in the retina from blood vessels and becomes more thick and brittle with age — can aid in identifying how the cells associated with AMD, retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells, grow and respond to stress. This project identifies how the brittleness and thickness of a synthetic BM affects cell function and stress factor production in RPE cells. Previous research compared the growth of RPE cells on Transwell membranes and recombinant spider silk proteins (rSSPs) to model BM, and found rSSPs membranes to support RPE growth. Using rSSPs, nonporous membranes with thicknesses of approximately 36 and 50 µm were fabricated to simulate a thicker and more brittle, aged BM. Control assessments were performed with Transwell support membranes, and with 15 µm rSSPs membranes which have been found to support the growth of RPE cells. RPE cells (ARPE-19) were grown on the membranes to confluency and the permeability of the membrane-cell complex was assessed with a size dependent permeability assay with fluorescent dyes of varying molecular weight. Preliminary results found that 36 and 50 µm membranes have a lower permeability coefficient with 7 days of cell growth and a 10 kDa dye. This project is ongoing, and future work includes protein staining to determine the formation of tight junctions and the expression of vascular growth factors associated with AMD. Differences in permeability across the thicker cell-membrane complexes suggest RPE cells have a reduced ability to transport waste across BM. Using rSSPs provides a tunable substrate to quantify the importance of BM in AMD.

Qian,Rui (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Salmon, John (BYU - Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering); Killpack, Marc (BYU - Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

The cooperation between humans and robots may become more intuitive as technology develops. It is foreseeable that soon physical human-robot collaboration may be applied in the area of co-manipulation of objects, especially in search and rescue. It comes naturally for a human dyad to adapt and respond to changes with each other while moving objects. However, it still can be difficult for a robot to determine the motion it should take to best collaborate with a human. In order to optimize robots imitation of humans and improve their efficiency to assist humans, the research aims to design algorithms for robots to move objects in more human-like ways by first analyzing behavioral characteristics of human-to-human collaborations.

During our experiments, we will designate one person per group as a leader and one as a follower to carry a stretcher-like table as a simulated object with force-torque sensors through different obstacles. As the follower will not be explicitly told the intention of the leader, the forces and torques that the follower feels through the object become important for understanding the leader's intent. With standardized specific goals and qualifiers, data will be gathered on the force and torque people exert on the object and motion of table; we will then analyze the correlation and characteristics between the data and people's actual intentions. The data will later be implemented as an algorithm on the robot to help it identify human's intentions and to complete the cooperative task efficiently and smoothly.

Swomitra, Mohanty; Willis, Christina ; Larson, Shaylee (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Mohanty, Swomitra (Engineering, Chemical Engineering)

The World Health Organization has cited tuberculosis (TB) as a global health emergency. As this is a disease that mainly affects those in developing countries, it is important to provide a rapid and affordable means of diagnosis. Emerging work has shown breath biopsy to be a promising resource for diagnosing a variety of diseases, but is particularly promising for TB, as it negates the need for sputum collection that can cause many problems in young or ill patients and can provide results at point of care.

The breath of a patient diagnosed with TB contain volatile organic biomarkers (VOBs) that are given off by the bacteria that cause the disease. Detection of VOBs with via metal-functionalized titanium dioxide sensors has been successful in very sick patients, however it is limited in its ability to detect low analyte levels and has unknown specificity in a complex human breath matrix. Preliminary results indicate that the use of an engineered electroactive solution (EAS), a liquid-phase complex which utilizes a functional metal in solution, can improve the current sensing platform by simplifying the electrode configuration and allowing the use of more complex electrochemical techniques (in this case square wave voltammetry (SWV)). Because the margins of detection can be quite small, successful optimization of SWV parameters is vital. The proposed project will explore a means of optimizing these parameters by collecting a variety of sample data in order to determine how the electrochemical activity of the EAS is altered when biomarkers are introduced.

Gibbons, Andrew; Clingo, Kelly; Emmett, Darian; Fullwood, David; Bowden, Anton (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Fullwood, David (Brigham Young University, Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Engineering and Technology); Bowden, Anton (Brigham Young University, Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Engineering and Technology)

Spine dysfunctions such as stenosis and herniated discs have traditionally been diagnosed using X-ray or MRI imaging techniques; but these methods capture a snapshot of the problem, without revealing the positional dependence of the causes and effects. In order to provide a richer dataset to physicians, an NIH-funded project has begun with the aim of tracking details of spinal motion for people with healthy and symptomatic backs. Novel nanocomposite strain gauges will be used to capture skin deformation during typical back motion, and correlate these data with back motions that are known to reveal chronic subcutaneous trauma. This paper focuses on the optimal placement of strain gauges for maximum resolution of the underlying biomechanics.

An array of reflective markers was placed on a healthy individual's lower back between the L5 and T10 vertebrae. A QUALISYS motion capture lab was then used to determine the coordinates of these markers during flexion, rotation, flexion with rotation, and side bending. These motions were repeated 3 times for 10 seconds. The distances between markers were calculated for each motion and the strain values between resting and flexed positions were determined. Initial validation was performed by comparing a maximum tensile strain of 0.54, between the L5 and L1 vertebrae in flexion, with a previously reported value of 0.5 in the literature.

This paper will report the development of an optimal arrangement of sensors for resolving the relevant biomechanics of the spine, based upon a detailed analysis of the optical marker results. Future work will utilize these results to develop a skin mounted, wearable sensor array that can measure the real-time kinematics of the spine and compare them with a database of healthy and low back pain subjects using a machine-learning paradigm. We hope to use the system to identify mechanical sources of low-back pain.

Jacobs, Matt (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: George, Andy (Engineering, School of Technology); Miles, Mike (Engineering, School of Technology)

Composites are unique materials in many respects. When fabric woven from carbon fibers is joined with a thermoset resin in a controlled environment, it results in a very strong material. One aspect of this construction that provides great strength lies in the crosslinked chains of plastic polymers, which form strong bonds as the resin cures. It's a two-edged sword, though. Although the resin and the composite are quite strong together, they are very difficult to pull apart once they're formed, in order to be able to use again in the future. As such, composite structures formed with industry-standard thermoset resins have a single-use lifespan. The cheapest thing to do to dispose of them is to simply throw them away. However, by isolating the dry fibers by burning off the resin (a process called pyrolysis), the fibers are able to be processed again in useful ways — they are reclaimed. My research focuses on pyrolysis and ways to optimize its process. I aim to showcase its environmentally-friendly capabilities through making new composite structures with fibers reclaimed via pyrolysis to lessen landfill waste.

For the experimental phase of the research, a roll of unprocessed carbon fiber material will be selected for producing 4 test groups:
Virgin-sized carbon fibers
Fibers that have undergone pyrolysis
Fibers infused to part and reclaimed with pyrolysis, oxygen-free environment
Fibers infused to part and reclaimed with pyrolysis, ambient air environment

Fiber samples will then be processes into 3mm length fibers. Fibers will then be introduced to Matrix at TBD% Fiber volume content, following which, dog bones will be molded from samples for tensile testing. Dog bones will then be tensile tested and analyzed at fracture point.

Response variables involved include:
Oxygen vs deoxygenated atmosphere (during pyrolysis),
Bath vs spray vs no application (method of sizing).
Control variables include:
Fiber & Sizing,
Fiber resin ratio,
Fiber Length,
Pyrolysis Time & Temp.

Post-pyrolysis fibers will then be chopped, blended with plastic (polymer TBD) and extruded, cut into pellets, and injection molded into dog-bones for tensile testing. The resulting mechanical properties of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic compared with standard injection molding polymers as well as fully-cured composite.

Although uncertainties exist in the viability of sizing application and surface treatment for composites recycling, building upon previous work in pyrolysis and utilizing the unique resources available at BYU (composites lab, ready access to aerospace-grade fibers, industry standard processing equipment, scanning electron microscopes, etc.), the work's importance and potential for contributions to the field are clear.

Baker, Spencer; Charles, Steven (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Charles, Steven (Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders and affects millions nationwide. Its debilitating effects and lack of satisfactory treatments accentuates the need for new tremor-suppressing methods. Alternative treatments are possible but would be more effective if tremor propagation from neurological activity to joint movement was better understood. The purpose of this research was to further develop previous investigations and discover the effects deep upper limb muscles on tremor propagation.
A model of the upper limb was developed to simulate tremor propagation from neural drive to muscle force, joint torque, and degree of freedom movement. An analysis of the model revealed four tremor propagation principles. (1) Musculoskeletal dynamics spread neural drive to multiple outputs, act as a low-pass filter in the tremor bandwidth, and cause a phase shift between muscle activity and joint movement. (2) Tremor spreads primarily due to inertia and secondarily due to moment arm geometry. (3) Tremor spreads narrowly. (4) The degree of freedom most affected by the tremor is wrist flexion-extension.
These conclusions provide new information regarding the propagation of tremor from superficial and deep upper-limb muscles, lay the foundation for determining the muscular source of tremor, and will assist in future tremor treatments.

Brevin, Brevin; Taylor, Aubrie; Bowden, Anton (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Bowden, Anton (Brigham Young University, Mechanical Engineering)

The development of precise lumbar vertebral devices depends heavily on the varying dimensions of vertebrae themselves. Upon literature review it was found that while much data presents spinal measurements for curvature in kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis, as well as individual vertebral heights and diameters, little to no data has been published regarding the transverse curvature of the vertebrae. As this measurement is requisite for the designing of a lumbar vertebral clamp currently being developed in our laboratory, the purpose of this work was to measure a variety of lumbar vertebrae, specifically characterizing lateral length, sagittal width, vertebral height, and the transverse curvature at the minimum lateral length. Dimensions were measured manually from dissected human spine samples using dial calipers and a measuring tape. 13 lumbar vertebrae from 3 cadaveric spines were measured. The average lateral length was 1.63 in (+/- 0.20 in) and the average transverse radius of curvature was 1.01 in (+/- 0.12 in). In future work, these measurements will be incorporated into the device design process for the lumbar vertebral clamp.

Mortensen, Chase (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Truscott, Tadd (College of Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department)

The aim of this project is to analyze water entry based cavity formation of two projectiles and how it affects their motion. The study will be conducted by dropping two horizontally spaced similar-sized hydrophobic spheres from different heights into a quiescent water pool. The results will look at the position, acceleration and forces of the two sphere system and how they differ from a single sphere water entry. In addition, the horizontally spaced spheres show a change in the accompanying cavity formation and evolution when compared to past studies of a single sphere entry. Preliminary data suggests that the closer you drop projectiles to one another in water, the resulting of cavity-seal time, cavity shape, drag experienced by the bodies while in water could differ from single projectiles entering the water.

Jacob, Jonathan (Westminster College)
Faculty Advisor: Pu, Xiumei (Westminster College, Environmental Studies)

This presentation examines two bodies of environmental literature--environmental writing spanning from the late nineteenth century to contemporary times by indigenous and non-indigenous writers in the United States--to ponder several questions: where do these two bodies of literature converge and resonate with one another? How do these convergences bear on current debates and efforts for ecological, environmental, and (inter)cultural healing? Existing comparative analysis of these two bodies of literature often focuses on identifying the differences and their subsequent cultural manifestations (Cronon, 1995; Buell, 1996; Buell 2005; Garrard; 2011). In this presentation, I go in a different direction by examining complex resonances that emerge from these bodies of literature around the understandings of nature, place, self, and community. Bringing these resonances to light and examining their nuances and complexities could be a step toward imagining a cross-cultural perspective on eco-cultural healing so urgently needed in our time. This presentation is based on a summer research project in which I examined twelve books and novels by indigenous and non-indigenous American environmental writers (six from each body of literature), using an approach of pairing one work from each body of literature for individual analysis, then using those pairs to synthesize a larger, cross-cultural perspective. In this presentation, I will highlight analyses of three of these pairings, while my larger conclusions will be representative of ideas gleaned from all six of the pairs.

Tylka, Kelsie (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Petersen, Jerry (Humanities and Social Sciences, English & Literature); Vogel, Charles (Humanities and Social Sciences, English & Literature)

Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent is a tale of political intrigue and morality. Many critics believe the narrator of this tale is purely "aesthetic"; however, I argue that the narrator is essential to the plot and to exposing the purpose of the novel, which is spotlighting humanity and moral choice. The first clue to the centrality of the narrator was Conrad's failure to adapt his novel to a theatrical production. This failure intrigued me as the characterization, viewpoint, and structure of the novel seemed ideal for theatrical adaptation. The question is, what was the root of Conrad's botched attempt at a theatrical production? I came to the conclusion that the narrator was essential to the plot and the ethos of the story. For this presentation, therefore, I intend to map out how and why the narrator is indispensable, as well as give a foundational groundwork on the Greek Theater and chorus. Turning to scholarship from both literary and theater experts, I will highlight the importance of the narrator within the novel, as well as, offer a suggestion as to how The Secret Agent could be effectively adapted into a successful stage production. I present the narrator of The Secret Agent as a stand-in for the classic Greek chorus through analyzing the narrator's function as a principal character in the story. Moreover, the utilization of the narrator's "anti-dramatic" commentary is a method of alienation that encourages the reader to reevaluate morality and humanity within the novel. Finally, I hope to engage both literary and theater scholar's alike to reevaluate the functionality of the narrator and to encourage a second look at the possibility of a successful theatrical production.

Chapman, Abigail (Southern Utah University)
Faculty Advisor: Law, Donna (Southern Utah University, Government Relations)

Currently, women make up fifty-one percent of the total population in the United States, and only twenty-four percent in the U. S. Congress. (Rutgers Institute for Politics) This paper seeks to examine some possible factors for this disproportionate gender representation in politics. Using both primary data [interviews] and secondary data [biographies, autobiographies, or documentaries] of women serving in politics or public service, I will explore the similarities in upbringing found amongst women who serve on the federal, state, and local levels. Then, I analyze the narratives of the women to highlight the similarities in upbringing between them, which include: exposure to politics or public service at a young age, similar personality traits, strong work ethic, and the influence of strong mothers. I also analyze the possible influence that learning a musical instrument and the amount of time spent with extended family has in the lives of some of these women. Research supports that the similarities found among these women potentially leads to career output and could be a factor as to why these women choose careers in politics or public service. In conclusion, I discuss the reasons why we need more women to serve in politics, particularly why young girls need to be encouraged to choose careers in politics.

Noorda, Meredith (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Belnap, Heather (Humanities, Comparative Arts and Letters); Swensen, James (Humanities, Comparative Arts and Letters)

In 1740 the Society of Dilettanti, an 18th century group of English gentlemen aiming to encourage an appreciation for the antiquities they had seen on their Grand Tours, decided to commission from George Knapton portraits of all their members. In the typical artistic vein of the early Dilettanti, the portraits, featuring many of the members in costume, exhibit a milieu where the erudite meets the comical to the outright lewd, a reflection of one of the Dilettanti's mottos of seria ludo, or "serious things done in a playful spirit." Within the wider context of London public life, these are also clear examples of the influence of the masquerade, and for a group closely aligned with the Italian Grand Tour, and thought to have been initially conceived in Venice, the appeal of those references is clear and the Dilettanti's use of them has been commented on in scholarship. However, the use of costume in George Knapton's portraits can reveal more than a simple love of Continental entertainments. Aligning oneself with the Continent and the East, as the sitters do in Knapton's works, was a subversive choice in relation to the normative British culture of the mid-18th century, in which the encroachment of Continental entertainments and fashion, among other things, was frequently feared. These portraits must be read with an acknowledgement of the ways in which the masquerade and the Italianate was seen in 18th century England, where it was not an accepted form of entertainment as on the Continent, but a controversial pastime. In turn the portraits can reveal where the Dilettanti situated themselves, and how they wanted to be represented�as internationally inclined participators in these foreign entertainments, boldly partaking in its vices, championing its creative possibilities in the self-fashioning of an individual.

Gheen, Jared; Callander, Denton; Winner, Langdon (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Edenfield, Avery (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

Technology has made great strides in advancing the dating opportunities for gay men through various dating apps and websites. Men, whether in or out of the closet, can utilize these tools to find potential friends, dates, hookups, or relationships. These advancements have enabled increased networking for gay men, but these technologies have been used to enforce racial biases.
This presentation will analyze how dating apps and websites designed for gay men have been used to further marginalize groups of individuals within the gay community. My research will examine what I have denoted as the "3 Ps" that should drive design/interface decisions: Purpose, Perception, and Practice. Each feature and design within these applications should have a purpose that takes into account prejudicial biases that may be present. In addition to the intended purpose of the feature, the perception of how users will interpret the feature should also be heavily considered. Finally, the actual practice of the feature should be tested to ensure that the practice, perception, and purpose of the feature align and are not misused to marginalize members of the community.

Research will include work done by others in the field, specifically Denton Callander, due to his extensive research on racism and sexual racism on dating web services. Specific features within apps will also be examined and analyzed through the method of the "3 Ps" to explain their (un)intended consequences.

The results from my research will enable future technical communicators, software developers, and technology consumers to be aware of and address technologies that may reinforce or enable marginalization of minority groups.