Architecture
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Comparative effectiveness of ChatGPT 4.0 and medical oncologists in telemedicine-based management of metastatic prostate carcinoma (mPC).
Authors: Richard Ji, Emre Dal, Ayana Srivastava, Beverly Chigarira, Chadi Hage Chehade, Arshit Narang, Georges Gebrael, Neeraj Agarwal, Umang Swami, Haoran Li. Mentors: Neeraj Agarwal. Insitution: University of Utah. Comparative effectiveness of ChatGPT 4.0 and medical oncologists in telemedicine-based management of metastatic prostate carcinoma (mPC).Richard Ji1, Emre Dal1, Ayana Srivastava1, Beverly Chigarira1, Chadi Hage Chehade1, Arshit Narang1, Georges Gebrael1, Neeraj Agarwal1, Umang Swami1, Haoran Li21Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT;2University of Kansas Cancer Center, Westwood, KSBackground: The advent of telemedicine, accentuated during the COVID-19 pandemic, offers a prospective modality, especially when synergized with artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT 4.0. In this investigation, we sought to investigate the proficiency of ChatGPT vs. medical oncologists in the telemedicine-centric management of mPC.Methods: This IRB-approved retrospective study compared the competencies of ChatGPT and oncologists in conducting telemedicine consultations for patients with mPC. Out of 975 patients screened between April 1, 2022, and March 30, 2023, 102 met the inclusion criteria of having a diagnosis of mPC, attending at least one telemedicine consultation during the specified period, and having documentation available for two consecutive visits to enable the analysis of treatment decisions and outcomes. ChatGPT was asked to pre-chart and determine if a face-to-face consultation is needed. Its clinical competence was assessed using miniCEX, and medical decision-making (MDM). The Cohen's kappa test was used to measure the level of agreement between ChatGPT and oncologists in treatment decisions, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare miniCEX and MDM.Results: The majority of patients were White (97.06%), with a median age of 75 years (range:53 to 99). Nearly all patients were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (96.08%), with a median Gleason score of 7 (range: 6 to 10). The prevalent metastatic sites were bone (47.4%) and lymph nodes (44.16%). 26.88% had an ECOG score of 0, 54.84% had a score of 1, and 18.28% had a score greater than 1. Common coexisting conditions included diabetes mellitus (11.11%), hypertension (29.82%), hyperlipidemia (24.56%), and depression (7.6%). The primary outcome measured the concordance between ChatGPT and oncologists on whether to continue or cease the current treatment There was a statistical significance in sensitivity and specificity between clinicians and ChatGPT (Chi-squared=5.1, p=0.02). Cohen's Kappa showed a moderate concordance (Kappa = 0.43, p<0.001). There was no difference in the number of diagnoses made by the two parties (p=0.13 and 0.06, respectively). ChatGPT's median miniCEX score was 8 (SD=0.59), and its median MDM length was 41 words (SD=6.06). The average time saved by ChatGPT in pre-charting was 41 minutes (SD=6).Conclusions: ChatGPT showed moderate concordance with oncologists for the management of mPC in telemedicine. Subsequent investigations are needed to explore its potential in healthcare.
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Eigenvalue Finders using Complete Equitable Partitions
Authors: Peter Seely, Joseph Henderson, Benjamin Webb. Mentors: Benjamin Webb. Insitution: Brigham Young University. A longstanding result in spectral graph theory is that some of the eigenvalues of a network can be obtained by identifying equitable partitions within the graph's structure. We have discovered that the remaining eigenvalues can be recovered using theoretical constructs which we call Local Equitable Partitions (LEPs). We have developed a procedure to find LEPs in a way that allows us to efficiently compute a graph's spectrum using this theory. Our procedure finds LEPs by identifying patterns in the coarsest equitable partition of a graph. We utilize these LEPs in a novel algorithm for computing the spectrum of a graph. Under certain mild assumptions on the equitable partition, we can find eigenvalues of a graph faster using this method when compared to the standard method. This is potentially useful as many real-world data sets have nontrivial equitable partitions.
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Implementation of Culturally Relevant Teaching in Private Studios
Authors: Aullora Fekete. Mentors: Karen Jensen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Implementation of culturally relevant teaching in universities and public schools has increased, but private studios, outnumbering both higher education and public school dance programs, are not keeping pace. Business owners are caught between competing demands making it difficult to invest in professional development programs for their instructors(Risner 2010). This perpetuates implicit bias teaching as instructors fall back on how they were taught in studios based in eurocentered evaluation and ideals furthering the divide for who has accessibility to dance and which dance forms are taught.The following research addresses possible ways private studios can have more access to and receive training for more culturally relevant teaching. Conversation explores how studio vision and clientele demands can be taken into account to create a more inclusive dance culture and the types of training resources already offered along with how they might be implemented. By having an inclusive approach, studio dancers also continue the culturally relevant teaching they received as future dance educators to contribute to a greater dance culture of uplifting and including the marginalized. Citation:Doug Risner Ph.D. M. F. A. (2010) Dance Education Matters: Rebuilding Postsecondary DanceEducation for Twenty-First Century Relevance and Resonance, Journal of Dance Education, 10:4, 95-110, DOI:10.1080/15290824.2010.529761
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Asian Representation Within Theatre: Journey Through the Past and the Representation of the Present
Authors: Joseph Stahle. Mentors: Jeb Branin. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Asian theatre has been a significantly ever-present force for millenniums from countries such as China, Japan, Thailand, and more. However, as modernization and globalization have come to the forefront, we have seen a decline in traditional theatrical practices. This begs the question of why these shows have seen a decline, and it also brings up the potential need for more positive representation in contemporary performance studies. This project seeks to view the historical context of Asian theatre from Noh and Peking opera to modern shows like “Miss Saigon”, “The King and I”, and “The Mikado”. Additionally, it explores the lack of Asiatic representation in our modern theatrical society. Through traditional research methods, further understanding will be gained about Asian theatrical practices such as Noh, Kabuki, Peking opera, and shadow puppetry. Most importantly the use of critical approaches such as cultural studies, feminist criticism, and historical criticism, will reveal the lack of non-stereotypical representation of Asians within modern theatre. A key portion of the research will be conducted through personal interviews with Asian Studies and Asian Theatre professors. Leo Shingchi Yip, an associate professor of Japanese studies at the University of Gettysburg, spoke about the misrepresentation of Chinese people during medieval Japan. Yip states, “The portrayals of the Chinese characters featured in these [Noh] ‘Chinese plays’ do not necessarily remain faithful to their Chinese origins. Attuning to the audience’s tastes, expectations, and knowledge was a key factor in shaping [Noh] into an artistic institution, which in turn determined the making and staging of ‘Chinese plays’ in medieval Japan.” This quote discusses how ancient Japan would adapt to the audience’s wants and wishes within their Noh performances. In present times, we do the same thing on Broadway and in local productions to best please our target demographic. If this selective representation was present during medieval Japan, then what is the expected outcome of change over time?In most cases, if something is not termed as insensitive then it likely does not change. When looking at Broadway today, a vast majority of Asian interpretation falls under stereotypes and a minority of the cast’s proportions. Additionally, the presentation of women within the theatre is severely lacking; also, most modern Asiatic heroines fall under the depressive, suicidal, and manipulative Asian women stereotype. The key goal of this presentation is to reveal the inequality and lack of positive Asian depictions in contemporary theatrics. The audience will learn about Asian historical productions as previously mentioned. This presentation forces them to look at their own biases and face the lack of representation within their own local communities as well. The audience’s understanding will blossom and see the harmful portrayals of Asians and seek to create a new hopeful future for all who want to participate in theatre. This hope provides equality for all regardless of skin color, body size, and gender identity.
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An Apparatus for Fetal Descent Simulation
Authors: Benjamin Merrell. Mentors: Preston Manwaring. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Stage 1 and 2 labor is often characterized by manual examination of the maternal pelvis for fetal position and continuous monitoring by fetal cardiotocography. This practice has not changed in decades despite newer technology becoming available. Manual pelvic examinations have wide inter-examiner variability. Newer technology requires education and training. Unfortunately, both the decades old standard of care and newer technologies target Western markets with high reimbursements. Our lab is seeking to develop simple, robust, reliable, and low-cost technologies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that don’t require the extensive education and training of modern western medical technologies. To facilitate this development, we, in collaboration with obstetric professionals, have created a 3D-printed test jig with a movable carriage that follows the normal path of fetal head delivery to test various stage 1 and 2 labor technologies in both dry and aqueous environments. Device requirements include: 1) delivery path must be representative of normal nulliparous and multiparous fetal head trajectories; 2) device must not utilize electronics or metal that could interfere with various tracking technologies; 3) device must provide a repeatable path for inter-technology evaluations; 4) device should allow for later expansion for higher-fidelity simulations. This presentation represents our early development work and initial outcomes.
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Multi-Material Metallurgical Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Joshua Lim. Mentors: Nathan Crane. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies have evolved in the past decade to produce intricate parts in aerospace, car, and biomedical industries. While previous work has been done on single materials, metal-metal composites can expand performance but hasn’t been thoroughly explored. This work investigates ways of creating composites by molted bronze infiltration. At a certain temperature, bronze is melted and seeps through parts that are made via additive manufacturing. By altering the geometry of the pathways that the molten bronze will travel through or the metal particles themselves, one can create unique parts that control where the bronze infiltrates. Initial results indicate that mechanical properties were measurably strengthened by the addition of molten bronze and hypothetically could be used to create thermally graded parts, optimized for specific applications where heat transfer is a parameter of interest.
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Magnetic Field Spatial Gradient Delivery Optimization For Visualization of Ultrasound Waves During Neuromodulation
Authors: Davi Cavinatto. Mentors: Steven Allen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Previous work indicates that magnetic gradients oscillating at the same frequency and direction as ultrasound (US) longitudinal displacement can encode particle movement into the complex phase of a magnetic resonance (MR) image. Until now, the coil configuration (Helmholtz) used to generate this oscillating magnetic gradient has constrained the use of this technique to small imaging volumes. Here, we explore the feasibility of using a single coil configuration to improve the versatility of the apparatus, making it possible to visualize US waves as they propagate through tissue that was previously inaccessible through the technique, such as the human brain. This novel approach to the visualization of US waves could potentially be used to establish the missing correlation between the results of neuromodulation treatments and their mechanism of action, thus improving the scientific rigor of this field of research.Wolfram’s Mathematica and COMSOL’s Multiphysics were used for developing a single-coil configuration in silico. The coil design was constrained by the minimum imaging distance from the coil (20mm), gradient needed for an image with signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 10 (0.4 T/m), minimum coil inner radius for fitting the US transducer (20mm), maximum peak current at the coil (20A), and frequency of operation (500kHz). Using Biot-Savart’s Law and Mathematica, we estimated the number of turns needed and the total length of the wire. In order to reduce the skin effect and proximity effect due to the frequency of operation (500kHz), a specific Litz wire configuration was chosen for the windings. Plots for the magnetic gradient over the central axis of the coil were created and compared on both programs to confirm the accuracy of the model.Plots of both the mathematical and in-silicon models matched and proved the high efficiency of the coil system at the frequency of application. The two magnetic field gradient plots corroborate the feasibility of the proposed single coil system for imaging US waves and verification of the functioning of neuromodulation in the extension of the cerebral cortex.
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Pressure Senor Resistance Changes in Varying Biocompatible Metals
Authors: Kasielynn Bussard, Dakota Stringham. Mentors: Matthias Pleil. Insitution: Salt Lake Community College. We are two students from Salt Lake Community College who participated in a summer research workshop in the cleanroom at the University of New Mexico. We were taught the pressure sensor fabrication process, along with the post-production testing methods. For our research project we decided to test how using different biocompatible metals, and different combinations of said metals, for the circuit would affect the pressure sensors functionality. To test this, we prepped five 4” inch wafers and used photolithography to define the Wheatstone bridge pattern, followed by sputter metal deposition. When sputter coating, we coated each wafer in a Venn diagram pattern. This left us with two areas of a single metal on the outside edges, and an area in the middle with both metals present. We then measured the resistance of each section to determine how it changed with different metals.
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Investigating the feasibility of focused ultrasound actuation of shape memory alloy.
Authors: Aldo Chipana, Sarah G Sanderson, Joseph Moore, Jeffery R Hill, Christopher R Dillon. Mentors: Chris Dillon. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Nitinol shape memory alloys have shown immense promise in biomedical engineering, with their exceptional biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. Interestingly, most biomedical applications rely on Nitinol’s super elasticity rather than its hysteretic properties. Previous research in this lab has highlighted the challenges and potential of using focused ultrasound to effectively heat Nitinol wire without causing damage to adjacent tissue. Building upon these findings, our current study presents an extension of the initial experiments, incorporating more realistic in-body conditions. This includes simulating blood flow, which influences the heat transfer taking place in our control volume. Furthermore, we utilize artery mimicking materials to recreate the conditions of human arterial walls. Through comprehensive experimentation and accurate temperature measurements using embedded thermocouples, we aim to enhance our understanding of the interactions between Nitinol wires, surrounding tissues, and focused ultrasound heating. An integral part of our investigation is to discern whether the focused ultrasound directly heats the Nitinol wire or if actuation is achieved indirectly by heating the surrounding tissue. These results will offer insights into the applications of shape memory alloys in diverse biomedical settings, potentially paving the way for more effective and safer medical use.
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The effect of grass species and soil types on early successional forb species
Authors: Raechel Hunsaker, Matthew Madsen, Mallory Hinton, Derek Tilley, April Hulet. Mentors: April Hulet. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Many early successional plant species have been considered weeds because of their lack of forage value for livestock. However, early successional plant species have the potential to aid rangeland restoration by providing food sources for pollinators, modifying soil in preparation for climax plant communities, and competing against invasive species. To determine which early colonizing species have the greatest restoration potential, interspecific competitive interactions should be evaluated. Our research objective was to evaluate the competitive abilities of two native pioneer forb species, curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) and prairie aster (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia), against three common rangeland grasses including 1) native early successional species, bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), 2) invasive colonizing species, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and 3) climax community species, bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata). Treatments included each of the three grass species seeded at high and low densities with curlycup gumweed or prairie aster in two soils (mine tailings and disturbed rangeland) in a greenhouse. After being cultivated for 54 days, above-ground biomass for both forbs were not significantly different when seeded alone, or with high and low densities of grasses in the mine tailings soil (p ≥ 0.05). However, in soil from the disturbed rangeland, forb biomass differed. When planted alone, curlycup gumweed and prairie aster biomass was on average 2.5- and 3-fold greater than when planted with high and low densities of squirreltail and cheatgrass (p ≤ 0.05). Both forbs had significantly lower biomass when planted with a high density of bluebunch (p ≤ 0.05), however, when planted with a low density of bluebunch, biomass was not significantly different than when planted alone (p ≥ 0.05). Results indicate that high densities of squirreltail, cheatgrass, and bluebunch inhibit curlycup gumweed and prairie aster growth on disturbed rangeland soil, and that interspecific competition may be a barrier to the successful establishment of early successional forbs.
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Trends in NGS Testing
Authors: Diya Garg, Chadi Hage Chehade, Yeonjung Jo, Georges Gebrael, Nishita Tripathi, Beverly Chigarira, Arshit Narang, Vinay Matthew Thomas, Gliceida Galarza Fortuna, Patrick Campbell, Clara Tandar, Ayana Srivastava, Nicolas Sayegh, Sumati Gupta, Benjamin L. Maughan, Soumyajit Roy, Neeraj Agarwal, Umang Swami. Mentors: Neeraj Agarwal. Insitution: University of Utah. Trends in tumor NGS genomic testing at diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) and urothelial carcinoma (mUC) Diya Garg1, Chadi Hage Chehade1, Yeonjung Jo1, Georges Gebrael1, Nishita Tripathi1, Beverly Chigarira1, Arshit Narang1, Vinay Matthew Thomas1, Gliceida Galarza Fortuna1, Patrick Campbell1, Clara Tandar1, Ayana Srivastava1, Nicolas Sayegh1, Sumati Gupta1, Benjamin L. Maughan1, Soumyajit Roy1, Neeraj Agarwal1, Umang Swami1 1Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Objectives: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can allow receipt of approved targeted therapies and recruitment into clinical trials and aid with prognostication and response to therapy. In mPC, the presence of homologous recombination repair (HRR) alterations can render patients (pts) eligible for PARP inhibitor therapies [PMID: 37442702]. In mUC, genomic alterations in FGFR3 or FGFR2 can make them eligible for erdafitinib [PMID: 31340094]. Multiple agents have tumor agnostic approvals for molecular specific alterations. Herein, we aim to analyze the current trends in NGS testing in both mPC and mUC. Methods: A de-identified nationwide Flatiron Health Electronic Health Record (EHR)-derived database was used to extract pt-level data. Eligibility: pts diagnosed with mPC or mUC and receiving treatment for their disease between March 2015 and December 2022. The NGS test was considered performed at diagnosis if completed within a year of the initial metastatic disease diagnosis. A two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using Clopper and Pearson method. The analysis was done using R version 4.2.3. Results: The study included 11,936 and 6,340 pts in the mPC and mUC cohorts, respectively. For mPC, the rate of NGS testing among men in 2015 was only 1.3% (95% CI 0.7-2.1%). This rate steadily increased, plateauing between 2021 and 2022 at 28% (95% CI 25.8-30.3%) and 27.1% (95% CI 24.5-29.8%), respectively. NGS testing was mainly performed on samples from primary prostate tissue (46.1%), followed by blood (32.8%) and saliva (0.1%) or from any of these 3 sites (2.9%). In the mUC cohort, the rate of testing among pts in 2015 was 6.7% (95% CI 4.8-8.9%). However, by 2021 and 2022, the rates had improved, reaching 46.8% (95% CI 43.5 – 50.2%) and 46.5% (95% CI 42.5-50.5%), respectively. Samples for NGS testing were mainly obtained from primary bladder tissue (72.8%), followed by blood (15.6%), or from both sites (0.2%). The sample source for testing was unknown in 18.1% and 11.4% of cases in mPC and mUC, respectively. Conclusions: In this large real-world analysis, we show that while the rate of NGS testing has improved over time, the majority of pts do not undergo NGS testing in both mPC and mUC cohorts. Addressing barriers to NGS testing remains an unmet need. Incorporating tumor genomic testing into the standard of care management can optimize treatment selection, prognostication, and access to clinical trials.
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Exploring Methods to Characterize Seizure-like Activity in Mouse Brains
Authors: Benjamin D Kearsley, Jacob H Norby, Micah R Shepherd, R Ryley Parrish. Mentors: Micah R Shepherd. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Status epilepticus (SE) is a seizure which lasts more than five minutes and requires time sensitive treatment to prevent brain damage and even death. Thus, it is crucial to understand and predict the brain signal patterns preempting SE. Previous research into seizure monitoring techniques in humans suggests that seizure occurrence follows non-random patterns, and that big data and machine learning may be key in discovering detection and prediction models for SE events. This provides a promising foundation for our investigation into a prediction algorithm for SE using data-driven methods.Using a state-of-the-art Multiple Electrode Array (MEA) recording device, high-resolution signals have been recorded that demonstrate the voltage that occurs within mice brain cells during SE. In this study, voltage traces from these brain cells are being examined to identify predictors and indicators of SE events in the brain. Signal processing techniques, such as digital filtering, spectral analysis via spectrograms, and wavelet transforms, are being investigated to analyze these signals and compare them to brain signals exhibiting normal activity. Statistical methods surrounding the first through fourth moments, as well as clustering algorithms may also be used to classify and study the signals.
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Pixels to Pillars: AI's Role in Architectural Design
Authors: Nathaniel Stucki. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In the field of architectural design, the invention of artificial Intelligence or (AI) has sparked incredible amounts of curiosity and debate in regard to its potential impact on classical design principles. For this Project I will dive into the relationship between AI and classical Architecture and aim to determine whether AI can Measure up to the educated experts of classical architecture and how we can use AI as a tool for design.The project will unravel in three separate phases (1-3). Phase 1 will explore the interior and exterior images provided by AI when describing a building akin to the Pantheon because it is considered to be the pinnacle of beauty. The incremental process of refining the text prompt is essential to obtain quality images to continue into the subsequent phases.In phase 2, the VAS by 3M, will be used to assess which of the AI images are the most captivating for both the exterior images and the interior images. The winning interior image and the winning exterior image will then move on to phase 3.Phase 3 will take these AI images and compare them to photographs of the Pantheon VAS 3M. This phase will evaluate the extent that AI can pull attention and will offer insights into the potential utility for architects or designers to use in the design process during the conceptual phase.In conclusion, I expect findings will show VAS attention percentages are slightly skewed in favor of human design and, while AI can enhance the efficiency in the design process, it cannot replace years of classical training. Architects would be wise to, instead of resisting change, fully embrace AI as a tool for design enhancement. This study emphasizes the importance of collaboration between “man and machine” in shaping the future for architecture.
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Sacred Space Design and Spiritual Experience: A Study of Latter-Day Saint Temples
Authors: Colton Korpi. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Background: The apparent design shift and style of LDS temples has changed over time moving from a traditional style into a modern era. The ornamentation and architectural style of these sacred spaces play a role in shaping the user's spiritual experience by creating a profound sense of connection to religious tradition. Insights into the evolutionary link between human perception and ornamentation inform this exploration. Architecture, initially rooted in shelter and protection, has evolved into an art form, encompassing subjectivity, creativity, and aesthetics. The effects of architecture on our psychological well-being, makes it an ideal venue to understand its influence on spiritual experiences.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the presence of ornamentation and architectural style influences the experience of sacred ordinances within LDS temples.Method: A comprehensive study method combining surveys and Visual Attention Software (VAS) to investigate the effects of temple design on user experiences. Surveys will present participants ranging in age, race, and religious beliefs with questions and visual comparisons of diverse temple styles, form, levels of ornamentation, and site design. Complementing this, VAS will offer a technological perspective by analyzing visual attention patterns. The research includes a selection of LDS temples with varying architectural styles distributed geographically to minimize regional biases.Results: The primary hypothesis is that architectural styles and factors of LDS temples impact the emotional and spiritual experiences of visitors. These results could influence and impact the process and overall thought of designing sacred spaces Conclusion: By utilizing both traditional survey methods and VAS technology, this research aims to provide an understanding of how temple architecture shapes the spiritual journey of visitors. The outcomes could have broader implications for architectural design in sacred spaces and offer valuable insights into the evolving role of architecture in spiritual well-being in a contemporary context.
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Investigating Homeowner Contentment: Exploring areas for improvement in home design and construction
Authors: Josh Lythgoe. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Is the average American content with their home? If not, why are they discontent? One study suggests that how one perceives their home has more impact on them than the actual physical makeup of their home. This research will be added to by determining how the average homeowner perceives their home, and whether or not they are content with their current home. This research will be executed via a survey with a target sample size of at least one-hundred individuals. Factors such as race, socioeconomics, gender, and education will be studied to see what correlations exist between these factors and contentment in each category. Participants will be gathered by posting the survey on various forms of social media, as well as distributing flyers in public locations and randomly selected neighborhoods. Homeowners will be directed to rate various aspects of their home in the following areas: aesthetics and beauty, layout and flow, spaciousness and comfort, timelessness and longevity, maintenance and upkeep, and neighborhood and location. An average will be taken from each category to assess homeowners contentment by topic. The expected results are that on average homeowners will be more discontent than content in each of the above mentioned categories. A statistical analysis will be conducted to look for correlations between who designed the home and contentment. There is an expected positive correlation between contentment with one's home if they were involved in the design process. Similarly, there is an anticipated positive correlation with contentment if an architect designed the home. This research will be used to help guide design professionals to know how they can improve owner contentment with homes being newly constructed and renovated. The findings will help raise awareness of whether or not the current method of designing and constructing houses is meeting the homeowner’s needs, and expectations.
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A Natural Advantage: An Eye-Tracking Analysis of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
Authors: Samuel Weisler. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Contemporary architecture and design increasingly prioritize sustainable, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing indoor environments, acknowledging the fact that we spend most of our lives inside buildings. However, this research brings up a critical question: are we undervaluing the inherent beauty of the outdoors within our built environment? While the concept of beauty is a subject of heavy debate, the universal beauty of nature remains a constant. This study aims to substantiate the superiority of outdoor spaces over their indoor counterparts by comparing the visual appeal of AI-generated images. Specifically, it will create image pairs for five different activity categories: contemplation, recreation, social interaction, education, and creativity. Each image in the pair must embody essential elements: sunlight, biophilic components, and privacy. For each activity category, AI will be instructed to generate an outdoor space image and an indoor equivalent. Next, visual eye-tracking software will analyze these images, enabling us to quantitatively gauge their visual appeal. The analysis will provide insight into whether outdoor spaces surpass their indoor counterparts in aesthetics. Anticipating that outdoor spaces will exhibit greater visual appeal, this research carries valuable implications for the architectural and design industries. In a world increasingly focused on enhancing the human experience, these findings will advocate for the greater incorporation and prioritization of outdoor spaces in built environments. Increasing our access to outdoor living spaces will undoubtedly improve the quality of human experiences.
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Optimization of Cell-free Protein Synthesis of RNAse Inhibitors for Inexpensive, At-home Glutamine Biosensor Tests for Cancer Treatment Monitoring
Authors: Chad Hyer, Bradley Bundy, Tyler Free. Mentors: Bradley Bundy. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Current trends in healthcare suggest a movement towards point of care treatment and diagnosis. This transition towards local or even at-home testing necessitates dramatic decreases in costs of diagnostic methods. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) systems prove a potential tool for bringing diagnostic solutions to patients by providing patients with inexpensive, easy to use, and accurate tests that can be stored for long periods of time at ambient temperature. These CFPS diagnostic methods rely on the production of biosensor proteins using isolated molecular machinery from bacterial cell lysates and necessary substrates. When combined with human body fluids, these biosensors can detect the presence of important biomarkers of disease, aiding in diagnosis.CFPS systems, however, can prove difficult to use with human body fluids as CFPS systems rely on mRNA directed production of proteins, and human samples contain significant concentrations of RNAses which inhibit the production of biosensor proteins, preventing proper test results. Traditionally, this issue can be remedied in a CFPS system using commercially sourced RNAse inhibitors, but these inhibitors dramatically increase prices. Here we report on our production of RNAse inhibitors within a CFPS system to decrease costs of CFPS diagnostics by 90%. In our work, we report on the optimization of reaction conditions for producing RNAse inhibitors within a CFPS glutamine biosensor for use as a cancer treatment monitoring diagnostic. Using our methods, we expect to be able to dramatically reduce the cost of CFPS based diagnostic tools, helping empower the shift to affordable point of care healthcare.
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Phylogeny of Hetaerina (Odonata: Calopterygidae): Settling taxonomic issues
Authors: Reganne Leigh Hales, Laura Sutherland, Melissa Sanchez Herrera, Samantha Standring. Mentors: Seth Bybee. Insitution: Brigham Young University. We explore the phylogeny of Hetaeriinae using a targeted enrichment approach (AHE) on gDNA gathered largely from museums. AHE resulted in 20KB (18.5KB of nuclear and 1.5 of mitochondrial DNA) for each taxon. Previous research, based on sanger data generated from three genes, demonstrated that Hetaerina Hagen in Selys, 1853 is not monophyletic but no taxonomic changes were proposed due to the hope of one day having more data. Our goal for this research was to have a larger dataset to test the monophyly of Hetaerina and update the classification. Our results confirm those of the most recent phylogeny of Hetaerina: the genus is non-monophyletic. We recover Mnesarete Cowley 1934 and Ormenophlebia Garrison 2006 within Hetaerina. We have preliminary data (results not shown) demonstrating that both Iridictyon Needham & Fisher 1940 and Bryoplathanon Garrison 2006 are also within Hetaerina. However, due the placement of these genera there is not a clear way to retain these genera and it is likely they will need to be placed within Hetearina due to priority. We further explore the evolution of some characters associated with habitat preference.
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