Undergraduate Research Scholarly and Creative Activities Awardee’s

“Presentation of Research in Poland Conference” – Joshua Beatty

Abstract - Research dissemination proposal Purpose: The purpose of this conference is to disseminate research previously accomplished. The conference will provide a specific analysis area to which the research is oriented. This will allow for specific academic feedback in the conducted area of research.

Background Research: This project is co-authored by a UVU faculty member who provides expertise in Latin American Studies. His expertise together with my research provides new insight into the previously underappreciated proliferation of the term “Nahuatlatos” (interpreters in Nahua and other languages) and the philological study of the word. Methodology: The research will be disseminated at the First European Nahuatl Conference in Warsaw, Poland.

Expected Outcomes: The First European Nahuatl Conference will provide the opportunity to receive specific area focused feedback on previously accomplished research and suggestions for venues for publication. Academics and professionals who specifically work in Nahuatl and Latin American Studies will be present at the conference. Their expertise will be invaluable in reviewing our research and in making suggested revisions.

Personal discussion: This project is a culmination of hard work and research performed over two summer semesters at Yale University and my senior capstone thesis. Having the opportunity to present at this conference will be irreplaceable. Not only will I have the opportunity for my work to be analyzed by academics in the specific field I hope to enter, but I will also be able to meet the majority of the top academics in my field in person. As graduate school is in the future, this opportunity would place a nice seal on my bachelors work as I finish my degree this semester.

“Carcinoma Detection: Software Development, Data Analysis, and Engineering Central Question: Software for high frequency breast cancer detection is developed by two students at Utah Valley University (UVU). Dissipation of our work to the scholarly world is presented.” – Thomas Burton

Background: Our team has developed a system to detect residual carcinoma in breast tissue. The system applies pioneering data analysis techniques to determine the tissue malignancy type. This software is a prototype for a final product for in vivo tissue examination to assist surgeons in the operating room. This project is important due to the crude nature of current breast cancer surgical techniques. In lumpectomy, malignant breast tissue are removed and pathology analysis is done to detect carcinoma on margins of the excised tissue. If malignant cells are present then a second, and sometimes a third, procedure is needed to remove the residual carcinoma. Our system improves patient outcomes by moving the pathology analysis to the operating room to successfully remove all malignant tissue in one procedure.

Methodology: Waveform data is generated by sending an ultrasonic soundwaves through a tissue sample. The software collects, analyzes, and stores the data in a database. The system is tested using phantoms at our lab. This proposal is a dissipation for our summer project to share our findings at the World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. This conference is selected because it is ideal for our interdisciplinary project.

Expected Outcome: This project is a collaboration of two students from two colleges. Jessica is a biology major and a pre-med student. I am a senior level computer science (CS) student with graduate school ambitions. By presenting our work at a peer reviewed conference we are exposed to the current trends of breast cancer detection and treatments. The conference topics are Ultrasound and Physics Application, Ultrasound and Engineering, Diagnostic Imaging, Biosignals Processing, and Clinical Engineering. The experience gained from attending this conference will help us improve our technology as well as our chances of being accepted to a top-tier schools after graduation from UVU. In addition to demonstrating our ability to conduct research, we will improve our communication skills by developing and sharing a presentation at the conference. This is a gold opportunity to represent UVU as an undergraduate institute with many engaged learning and interdisciplinary research activities.

Personal Discussion: Conducting research in breast cancer detection has resulted in immense personal growth. This research allows me to combine my technical abilities and passion for learning to improve the world around me. I’ve faced many challenges along the way. During the summer semester, I worked as a CS tutor and a teaching assistant. Even with my busy schedule, I was able to work 20 hours per week on this project to meet its deadline. This experience has motivated me to pursue my graduate studies to contribute the academic community.

“Culture Wars: The Long-term Ramifications of a Legacy of Doubt” - Brooke Schroeder

Attorneys are taught the importance of absolute decisions: guilty or not, harm done or not, etc. In contrast, those in social science/medically related fields are taught to ground decisions in the scientific method: develop a hypothesis, test, and retest data, etc. In addition to these differences, a complex history of expert testimony that was either unethical or founded on poor practices, coupled with research raising concerns about the validity of unaided “clinical decision making” (Ziskin & Faust, 1988, Monahan, 1981) has resulted in an enduring legacy of doubt regarding the use of social science in the courtroom. In recent years, the Supreme Court gave total power of evidence admission, or “gate keeping” to judges, (Daubert v. Merrell Dow, 1993), which has only emphasized the importance of an impartial evaluation of potential mental health testimony and required that judges, at least, learn to consider key scientific aspects of proffered testimony. One study (Edens, et al., 2012) noted that the negative aspersions in their sample were not uncommon and that allegations made towards experts involved financial bias, partisanship, or pseudoscience. Attorneys may perpetuate the problem of “mercenary experts” when they believe the worst about mental health professionals and act on the basis of that belief. Further, lowering of admissibility standards has put Utah at particularly high risk for unethical or unqualified experts. Previously classified as a Daubert state, Utah recently revised Rule of Evidence 702, permitting state judges to assess testimony in a way “not so rigorous as to be satisfied only by scientific or other specialized principles or methods that are free of controversy or that meet any fixed set of criteria fashioned to test reliability.” Utah R. Evid. 702(b)-(c).By analyzing transcripts from murder cases in Utah from the past 5 years and surveying students attending Utah law schools, we hope to test the following hypotheses: most mental health experts used in court are not adequate forensic evaluators, attorneys and judges use disparaging language towards mental health expert witnesses, and the existing law school culture and curriculum contributes to the current climate of confusion. Through a subscription with the Utah State Court Xchange record services, murder cases were assessed using qualitative methods. The information accessed is public record and provides information on the type of expert testifying in court. For the second part of the study, a self-report survey were distributed electronically to students attending two Utah law schools. Students responding to the survey were asked to answer a series of multiple choice and open-ended questions, with the hope to evaluate where the curriculum and culture may be failing them. Education on research and science is the only way to increase attorney self-awareness and help them serve with integrity as counsel and, maybe one day, as judgesBrooke Schroeder, the student spearheading this project, proposed this research after years of working in the mental health field. Originally coming to school at 26 to simply complete the Substance Use Disorder Certificate program, she ended up inspired by professors like Dr. Tolman and expanded her goals to include attending a JD/PhD program after graduation. This has truly been a passion project for this small but determined team.

“Construction and Practical Application of Cosmic Ray Detector” – Russell Garner

As I am nearing graduation my mentor Prof. Kim Nielsen and I thought it prudent to invest time and talent towards a senior project. The project itself was undetermined until just a few weeks ago. At length, Prof Nielsen and I agreed upon the assembly and testing of a cosmic ray detector. The detector itself has already been purchased and will be assembled and deployed to test for cosmic rays in various conditions.

Purpose: The purposes of this plan are far reaching and numerous. The first and most apparent of which is to test for cosmic rays under a number of different conditions (e.g. different times of year, different weather, varying altitude etc.) Understanding the direction and type of cosmic rays will add greatly to the knowledge of the origin and behavior of the rays. Additionally, the cosmic ray detector being constructed will be light and compact allowing for easy access to areas not normally available to larger apparatuses. Another purpose worthy of note is the test of skill of myself (the student) in assembly and networking with other students and faculty. The cosmic ray detector is one of the more complex items I’ve assembled for the school and I believe it will add greatly to my understanding of circuits and fundamental physics concepts. In the future I plan to expand on this design to make a larger, more accurate detector capable of other important functions.

Background Research: I have performed previous research with cosmic rays which spanned from January to June of this year. The differences being that the cosmic ray detector provided was only calibrated for muon detection and the devices involved were large and cumbersome. The end goal for this small detector would be to be able to mount in on an airborne platform (preferably a weather balloon) and observe changes in the cosmic rays as a function of altitude in a short period of time. Already we have confirmed that muons are more common in higher altitudes and less abundant otherwise.

Methodology: Professor Nielsen and I have already created a comprehensive week by week plan for the remainder of the year. Production has already begun with a diagram of the working system along with study and reports of how the components involved function (e.g. photomultipliers, scintillation plates, circuitry etc.) A new soldering iron has been presented to our lab and assembly will occur with the help of another student in the lab who is an EE major. After completion of assembly. The apparatus will be tested in a number of different locations or varying altitude in the state of Utah.

Expected Outcomes: The group expects to have a fully operational cosmic ray detector in a few weeks. It will provide us with data which can be extrapolated to discern variables in weather patterns and cloud formations. Eventually, we would like to send this device up to nearly 100,000 feet above sea level on an experimental weather balloon.

Personal Discussion: This project will help me in a variety of ways. For one, I will become more familiar with cosmic rays and their behaviors in earth’s atmosphere. On another level, I will learn in an immense and detailed way the construction of electrical circuits to achieve a higher purpose. I believe that completing this project will accelerate my learning capabilities and spur me towards completing my bachelor’s degree and then going on to attain my masters.

“New Media: Interactions and Transactions" Conference Presentation” - Tyler Jaynes

The purpose of this project is to ultimately present my accepted work, “Entertainment Media and Bioethics: An Anticipatory Dialogue,” at the “New Media: Interactions and Transactions” Conference hosted by Chouaib Doukkali University in El Jadida, Morocco. This is an international conference, with presentations in English, French, and Spanish, and the ultimate paper my presentation is based on will be published by the conference organizers. In regards to the material within the paper, it’s focus is upon developing an argument to distinguish between anticipatory thought and speculative thought using entertainment media as a catalyst. The ultimate goal of the paper is to assist ethicists within the field in redirecting their focus to medical technologies that are currently being developed, albeit this specific paper does not make major ethical claims in terms of following a given ethical theory to develop the skills I view as being absent within the field. This is accomplished in a different paper, which is also being presented at two other venues this year, using Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach. I also argue that a shift of this nature will modernize bioethics as a field, and allow ethicists to resolve many ethical dilemmas before a given technology or technique becomes public. Should this shift occur within the field, it is hoped that further stagnation within the field of bioethics can be prevented in the future.

This is only one of several presentations I will be giving on the topic of anticipatory thought in bioethics this year, and it is hoped that this paper publication will allow for other presented papers to be published either by conference-related journals or unaffiliated academic journals. Beyond the specifics of the paper and presentation, it is hoped that other conference presentations at Chouaib Doukkali University during this time will yield other relevant information regarding current issues within the field of ethics--which could then viably be shared amongst students on the Utah Valley University campus through on-campus presentations and/or essays summarizing each attended presentation. In regards to how this given presentation and subsequent presentation will impact my education here at Utah Valley University, there are several benefits to this project. Beyond adding credentials to my curriculum vitae, this given project will open many other opportunities in the future for publication and aid in my graduate school application process. And given that I am currently the President of the Philosophy Club here on campus, this project may very well open doors for other students here on campus in regards to the organization of guest speakers and conference organization (as I plan to organize the Undergraduate Philosophy conference here on campus this coming Spring with help from the Philosophy Department staff).

“Simulating Particle and Photon Orbits Around a Black Hole” - Katerina Merrill

Objective: I am a physics major student and last semester I became a member of Dr. Kim Nielsen’s research group. In my research project, I plan to create mathematical and computer simulation models of particle and photon orbits around a black hole which will add to a deeper understanding of high-energy radiation emissions from supermassive black holes into space in the form of gamma ray bursts. This model will contribute to my long-term objective in my undergraduate research where I am going to focus on gamma radiation’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere. With this new initiative in within the research group, we will pursue collaborative efforts with leading research groups from University of Utah and University of Tokyo.

Background: Our research group focuses on atmospheric dynamics on both short- and long-term scales. For example, recent studies have suggested that cosmic rays and gamma rays may play essential roles in cloud formation (short-term), which is important to understand climate changes (long-term). My contribution towards this subject is to explore the sources and energetics of cosmic rays and gamma radiation. Gamma ray bursts, occurring when matters collapse into a black hole, are some of the most energetic phenomena occurring in our universe. Understanding the motion of particles in the proximity of black holes is the first step towards my research topic of gamma-ray bursts and their possible effect on Earth’s atmosphere.

Methodology: To achieve this objective, I will create a plan of weekly achievements under the supervision of my instructor professor Nielsen. A significant part of the process will be self-studying principles of general relativity, astrophysics, and fundamentals of nuclear and particle physics. I am currently learning Python programming that will provide me with tools to implement the mathematical model into a computer simulation model. In detail, I will model particle and photon orbits around a Schwarzschild black hole using the Schwarzschild metric, which is the most general solution of the Einstein field equations. By applying conservation of energy and Kepler’s law (relativistic) I will establish the models for particle and photon orbits and implement them into a computer model for visualization.

Outcomes: Mathematical model of particle and photon orbits around black holes.Computer simulation to visualize orbits.Present work at APS conference ‘Four Corners Fall 2018’.Initiate collaboration with University of Utah and University of Tokyo.

Personal discussion: After my graduation, I would like to continue with similarly focused research either in graduate or doctoral studies. Also, I aspire to publish an article in a scientific journal by the end of my undergraduate studies. Being able to implement research like this would be a valuable experience and great preparation for my future career in scientific research.

“Extracting Atmospheric Gravity Waves over a Poker Flat, Alaska” - Brittany Williams

Objectives: Characterize stratospheric atmospheric gravity waves from a Rayleigh Lidar system as part of student driven international collaboration with the University of Electro Communication (UEC), Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) are an essential part of the dynamics of the atmosphere. An important property is their ability to transport energy through the atmosphere. While the effects of AGWs have been studied for a number of years current weather and climate models are still not capable of resolving the majority of the waves and their individual energy contributions. Hence, understanding how AGWs propagate from their tropospheric sources and across atmospheric regions is considered one of the most pressing scientific questions in the atmospheric and space sciences.In the spring of 2017, collaboration was initiated with Prof. Takuo Tsuda and his research group from the UEC. A GEL seed award supported this effort and at our first workshop together, we outlined the overall scope of the collaborative research project: propagation of gravity waves and energy transfer across atmospheric regions. As part of this outline, we defined several sub-projects for students at UVU and UEC to focus on. My contribution towards this project is to investigate the propagation of gravity waves across the stratosphere using a lidar system located in interior Alaska, while a senior student at UEC is extracting waves in the thermosphere using the co-located incoherent scatter radar. This subproject is achieved through collaboration between UVU, UEC, and Prof. Richard Collins at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

Methodology: Gravity waves that are generated in the troposphere propagate to higher altitudes while growing in amplitude. The altitude at which observations are made depends on the type of instrument used, with the altitude range of 40-80 km being best studied with Rayleigh Lidar. In my research project, I will be extracting gravity waves from three years of temperature data collected by the lidar system situated in interior Alaska. The individual AGWs will be extracted by first creating a nightly average temperature profile in the altitude range between 40-80 km. Next, the average profile will be subtracted from the individual temperature profiles (~530 per night) to leave a residual signal. A Fast Fourier Transform is then applied to this residual profile to reveal the wave characteristics and make estimations of the energy carried by the individual waves.In this process, Prof. Nielsen and I will be in close contact with my collaborative students at UEC, Prof. Tsuda at UEC and Prof. Collins at UAF to exchange results and keep each other updated on progress on our joint project.

Personal Statement: I have taken initiative with outlining the scope of this project and setting up collaboration with Professor Collins from UAF. This project will utilize my research skills while continuing to progress my abilities.

Outcomes:•A survey of individual atmospheric gravity waves observed by the UAF lidar system. •A publication to further our understanding of wave propagation from the Stratosphere to the Thermosphere. •Report findings at the Japan Geophysical Union conference (JpGU) and give a seminar at UEC. (I will pursue SAC funds to travel to conference and visit to UEC.)•This study is also my senior project topic and I will write a separate senior thesis paper.

“Molecular phylogeny of the order Ephemeroptera (mayflies): What do new genes tell us?” - Curtis Hoffmann

The central research questions we will be addressing are 1) What are the phylogenetic relationships within species of mayflies? 2) Do additional data add phylogenetic signal to the existing dataset? 3) What can the evolution of mayflies teach us about the evolution of flight in insects?

The purpose of this research is 1) Generate additional data from novel molecular markers to add to the existing dataset; 2) Perform multiple analyses in order to identify stable, robust and well-supported relationships between mayfly species; 3) Examine evolutionary trends in light of the resulting phylogenetic topologies to shed light on the evolution of flight in insects.

Significant Contribution: This grant would allow us to generate additional data to augment the existing mayfly dataset in the Ogden lab. The intent is to present our data, analyses, and results at UCUR 2018 at SUU. Furthermore, we plan to submit a manuscript for publication as a result of this research.

Background: Ephemeroptera (mayflies) are comprised of over 3000 species currently described in 42 families. They are one of the earliest insect lineages to evolve flight; thus, they are an important group in investigating the evolution of flight in insects. A robust phylogenetic tree for mayflies could provide insights to test the hypotheses concerning the evolution of flight. The conclusion of this study will represent one of the largest (in terms of data) and most diverse (in terms of taxa) phylogenetic analyses performed of the order Ephemeroptera to date.

Methodology: Our time will be spent 1) Collecting a few additional mayfly specimens from local streams and obtaining samples from the mayfly tissue collection that is housed on campus and at BYU; 2) Performing polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to amplify the genetic material to allow for analysis; 3) Running electrophoresis gels to determine presence and concentration of DNA; 4) “Cleaning” the PCR products from their PCR components and prepare products for sequencing; 5) Send the amplified DNA segments for their selective genes to be sequenced; 6) Analyze DNA sequence data using bioinformatics software to align sequences, construct a robust phylogenetic tree, and evaluate evolutionary trends.

Objectives and Outcomes: 1) Continue data generation for additional taxa and genes, such as COI; 2) Construct an accurate phylogenetic tree to determine evolutionary relationships through phylogenetic analysis; 3) Present at UCUR 2018 at SUU; 4) Produce and submit a manuscript for publication.

Personal discussion: We both started working in the lab this past summer and so far we have had an incredible research experience. We are both completing our internships at UVU, with plans to complete undergraduate and graduate school. This research will be a highly valuable experience to learn about DNA, genes, bioinformatics and evolutionary trends and will apply directly to our future careers. Our engaging research experience has trained us to think critically, allowing us to test hypotheses and ideas, and present these at scientific conferences as well as publish in peer-reviewed journals. These funds will allow us to fully concentrate on the proposed objectives and complete this project.

“Synergistic antifungal activity of amphotericin B, essential oils and low frequency ultrasound on Mucormycosis causing fungi” - Karaleen Anderson

Purpose: This study aims to investigate fungal biofilm disruption using Low frequency ultrasound (LFUS) alone and in combination with Amphotericin B and various essential oils in an effort to determine if LFUS can be used to enhance the activity of the current and alternative treatments. Background: Fungal infections caused by opportunistic pathogens have gained clinical importance in the last decade, with a significant increase in infections due to the Zygomycetes, Mucor, Rhizopus and Absidia. These serious and sometimes fatal infections are often associated with biofilm formation. The formation of biofilm often increases resistance to antifungal agents when compared to free living colonies. Amphotericin B has been used as the first line of treatment for mucormycosis since the 1950’s. However, it can have many adverse side effects including, chills, fever, headaches, loss of appetite, muscle pain, nausea, stomach pain and weight loss as well as fatal syndromes of hepato and nephrotoxicity. These side effects, in conjunction with a mortality rate of 97% when untreated and 39% when treated, demonstrate the need for alternative treatment options. An intriguing possibility is the combination therapy of amphotericin B and essential oils with continuous- (CUS) or pulsed-wave (PUS) low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS). Low-frequency ultrasound treatment in combination with antibiotics has been shown to be promising for bacterial biofilm removal. This combination could allow clinicians to lower the dose of amphotericin B, thus reducing the side effects while still maintaining and utilizing the effective antifungal properties of both the oil and the drug.

Methods: Biofilm Formation: Cell density is adjusted to 1*105 cell/mL for both species. Biofilm formation is observed by treating the pre-washed wells with XTT sodium salt/menadione solution. The XTT treated biofilms are incubated at 37°C in the dark for 2 hours. Following incubation, the plate will be read at 490 nm

Optimal Frequency for Fungal Biofilm Disruption: Biofilms will be tested against LFUS ranging from 20-40 kHz. Following LFUS treatment, biofilms will be treated with the XTT/Menadione solution

Synergism of Amphotericin B, LFUS, and Oil: A 96-well plate will be divided into six areas, and biofilm is cultivated in the central four wells of each area.The transducer is placed 2 mm below each of the four wells, and US is transmitted through the bottom of the plate via a coupling gel. Biofilms formed in the six areas will be treated under six different conditions: (i) not treated, (ii) Amp B, (iii) US only, (iv) Amp B + US, (v) Amp B + US + thyme oil and (vi) Amp B + US + clove oil.

Outcomes: We expect that the combination of LFUS and oil will lower the MIC of Amp B. The findings will be presented at the World Congress on Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering in Prague June 3-8th 2018. The students will also be attending "Ultrasonics 2018: in Caparica, Portugal, June 11-14 2018. Research will also be submitted for publication.

Discussion: I am planning on attending medical school next fall and my partner is heading to graduate school in Biochemistry next fall. I am interested in this project because of the clinical applicability and because of the other 14 students we have working on our team. I believe that this project will help them pursue their interests and further their career goals as well.

“Crowd Sourced Air Pollution Monitoring System” - Jason Sheetz

Objective: To build a small weatherproof ozone sensor system capable of uploading data to the cloud (e.g. Twitter) from anywhere in the world.

Background: Last year URSCA grant funding was used in order to develop a data acquisition module for the UVU high-altitude balloon and rocket programs, the design and production of that module was a complete success. That grant allowed knowledge to be gained in the areas of sensor data acquisition, data storage, circuit design, and computer programming. This year, the team will build upon the knowledge and experience gained with the previous module to build the proposed module. This module will draw directly on the experience of the previous module while presenting new and challenging design aspects.

Methodology: One of the challenges that this module presents is the desire to deploy them throughout the world; This necessitates a device that is complex enough to acquire data and upload it to the cloud, but is also simple enough that an individual with little-to-no background in computer science can operate it. For this reason an Arduino microcontroller development board will be used. The Arduino is designed as an introductory route to computer science, a platform like this provides the necessary computing power to acquire data and transmit it to the cloud but is also inherently designed for individuals without experience in programming or circuit design. This distinction will allow us to complete a module that can be delivered to any end user, of any skill level, who will be able to utilize the module with no more than a standard PC. The ultimate goal for this project is to engage the world community in air pollution monitoring and research through crowdsourcing; This will be accomplished with the help of the UVU Business Resource Center. This module will serve as an affordable preliminary design that will be used as an educational crowdsourced science product, the Business Resource Center will be approached in order to further community involvement by aiding the team in creating a product that is globally available.

Personal Discussion: This project gives me the chance to further my knowledge and understanding of computer science that I gained while developing the data acquisition module with the UVU high-altitude balloon and rocket team, it will also allow me to begin to gain an understanding into devices that are internet connected; Such devices are more commonplace than ever before, and a knowledge of internet connected devices is essential to my education and future career. Adding a project such as this to my resume would give me a competitive edge when pursuing internships and job offers, this is exactly the kind of experience that employers in the computer engineering field look for.

Outcome: A small weatherproof device that is capable of displaying ozone levels on a small LCD screen as well as uploading data to the cloud. The device will be simple enough to be implemented by individuals anywhere in the world, this will result in real-time data collection of ozone levels throughout the world. With the help of the UVU Business Resource Center this device would be pursued as a not-for-profit business venture with plans to present, and demonstrate, the device at the Japanese Geophysical Union conference in Tokyo, Japan (I will apply for separate funding through SAC for this purpose).

“Biomechanical differences between wearing a baby and carrying a baby: An analysis of the Ergobaby” - Lauren Williams

1. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect the Ergobaby has on moving caregivers. We hypothesize that wearing a baby will show less asymmetry within lower extremities joints compared to carrying a baby in a caregiver’s arms. We further expect that joint loading will be reduced wearing a baby in the carrier compared to carrying it. Reduced joint loading and less asymmetry lowers the risk of caregivers developing injuries.

2. Most mammalian mothers carry their newborns next to their body, especially while walking. Esposito et al. (2013) find that infants carried by a walking mother stop crying, cease voluntary movement and show a rapid decline in heart rate compared to those held by a sitting mother, showing that for the sake of calming and emotional development carrying a baby while walking is the better option to a stroller or carseat. Wearing babies has become increasingly popular, often the preferred form of transporting babies compared to carrying them in arms. The Ergobaby’s design allows the infant’s hips to sit naturally flexed compared to other baby carriers that force the infant’s hips to be spread out with legs straight. With hips flexed, a more natural development of the hip joint occurs. Numerous studies have focused on the effects baby carriers have on the musculoskeletal systems of infants while little research has been conducted to find effects on that same system in caregiver’s. One study analyzes the effects on a stationary caregiver and finds that babywearing allows more postural support and stability to a caregiver. While this study does an excellent job at investigating stationary caregivers it does not explore effects on caregivers in motion. Our aim is to discover effects on a moving caregiver, which is highly applicable to caregivers using a carrier to transport infants.

3. To better understand the demands placed on joints of the body, a treadmill and motion capture system will be used to analyze lower extremity biomechanics during 3 conditions: walking without a baby, carrying a baby in arms, and wearing a baby using the Ergobaby. A mannequin infant weighing 7 pounds will be used to simulate carrying a newborn. Twenty participants, aged 18-30 years, with no experience carrying or wearing a baby, will walk 15 minutes for each of the conditions previously outlined.

4. We anticipate a greater knowledge of how the Ergobaby lessens joint loading and allows greater symmetry in lower extremity joints, lowering the risk of injury for caregivers. From initial results, we may find adjustments are needed to the design of our study allowing us to further expand our research. We have been in contact with Ergobaby and plan on sharing some of these initial findings with their research team. In addition, we will disseminate our pilot study October 2017 at the Southwestern ACSM conference and continue our research to develop a full manuscript intended for publication. We plan to present our later findings at future conferences.

5. This project is vital to our preparation for graduate work. We will learn how to operate lab equipment including an instrumented treadmill, motion capture system, and a statistical analysis program. We will also learn essential critical thinking skills in devising research questions and deduction of data collected. Learning these skills will set us apart from our peers as we will have a solid understanding of how to independently conduct research from beginning to end.

“Skin Cancer Software for Data Acquisition, Collection, and Analysis” - Jason Taylor

Central Question: The Breast Cancer Research Laboratory (BCRL) team at Utah Valley University (UVU) has developed a high frequency (HF) ultrasonic technology to measure the size of the cells’ nuclei of the human tissue for cancer detection. One challenge for the developed technology is the manual data collection and analysis methods. An efficient procedure of cancer data collection and analysis is highly needed to assist surgeons in the operating room in determining the tissue malignancy rate.

Background: Experimental results at the BCRL have demonstrated a strong correlation between the size of the cells’ nuclei and the malignancy type and rate for a given cancer tissue. Our analysis is conducted on skin cancer at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) by UVU students. The current data collection procedure is done manually. Ultrasound waves are passed through the specimen and collected/stored using an oscilloscope device and a USB drive. The stored waveforms are organized and added to our database and finally analyzed using MATLAB software. This is a tedious process that requires time and precision to be executed properly.

Methodology: We are proposing to develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI) software to collect and analyze skin cancer data. Data analysis determines the waveform malignancy rate using tortuosity, peak density, and inflection density parameters. Once the data is analyzed, it is stored in an orderly manner. This is needed to accurately recall data from the database, eliminate human error, and speed up the data storing process. The project will be conducted at UVU in the BCRL lab using oscilloscopes, PC, and a HF ultrasound device. The software will be developed using Visual studio on Microsoft operating system. The software will be integrated to our skin cancer data collection studies at HCI.

Expected Outcomes: Developing an effective GUI software is the core of a commercialized product that surgeons can use to analyze tissue samples in the operating room and to have an instantaneous feedback regarding the tissue malignancy rate. Such a technology would help to successfully remove all malignant tissue. This would increase the survival rate and reduce the number of operations a patient has to undergo to remove all cancer cells.

Personal Discussion: As a Computer Engineering student, it is a great privilege to work on developing algorithms that could contribute and help my society and cancer patients. Performing this research would help me understand not only how to be an expert programmer and algorithms’ developer but it would also deepen my understanding of the application of mathematics, physics, and engineering analysis. Working as a member in the cancer research team over the last summer has helped me to appreciate the work that so many people have done in our struggle against cancer. I am hoping to do more in the near future while pursuing my undergraduate studies at UVU.