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Fracture Simulation in Multi-Material Meshes with Application to Prosthetic Design
No full textThis research investigates the meshing of components for use in crack propagation simulations, with a focus on analyzing fracture energy and force-displacement behavior. High-quality meshes were generated and used to simulate the progression of cracks under mechanical loading. A key innovation in this work is the implementation of heterogeneous material properties within a single mesh, allowing nodes to represent different materials. This approach enables a more detailed and flexible evaluation of how varying material compositions influence fracture behavior. Multiple materials were tested within the same mesh framework to assess their individual and combined effects on simulated fracture performance. As an initial step toward applied biomedical research, this methodology is being extended to study the structural behavior of hip prostheses. The aim is to eventually inform improved prosthetic designs by simulating realistic crack propagation scenarios under complex material conditions. While this application is in its early stages, the groundwork laid by this study provides a strong basis for future biomechanical optimization and testing
Unlocking the Neurochemical Secrets of Aging: Investigating the Impact of GABA Producing Probiotics on Healthy Aging
Get PDFAging is a gradual process of weakening bodily function that leads to decline in physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities. Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, is produced by both neurons and gut bacteria, and plays a crucial role in numerous physiological functions. Notably, aging is associated with a decline in GABA production and alterations in gut microbiota. Therefore, restoring GABA production by correcting dysbiosis presents a potential strategy for managing age-related functional decline. To better understand how to support healthy aging, our study investigates the gut-brain axis and the potential of genetically modified GABA-producing probiotics, specifically P8s-GAD-Lactococcus lactis (P8) to evaluate the impact on neurotransmitter levels in fecal matter, serum, and brain tissues. These changes in neurotransmitter concentrations will be quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We aim to determine whether levels of key neurochemicals, including GABA, glutamine, succinic acid, and glutamic acid, change with age, and explore if this probiotic strain, P8, can play a role in maintaining these key chemical messengers through its influence on the gut-brain axis
Age-Related Changes in Pancreatic Islet Blood Vessels
No full textAging is a significant risk factor for developing type-2 diabetes. One mechanism contributing to this increased risk is the age-related impairment of insulin secretion by beta cells.
This research hypothesizes that age-related impairment of insulin secretion is associated with changes in the vascular system within pancreatic islets. Islets contain the insulin-secreting beta cells. According to this hypothesis, age-related changes in the vascular system can alter blood flow to pancreatic islets, thereby affecting glucose delivery and sensing by beta-cells, which may impair insulin secretion.
Using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we measured the diameter of vessels and vascular density within islets of both male and female mice across 4-5 months old for the young group, 10-11 months old for the middle group, and 18-22 months old for the old group.
In males, we observed a significant increase in vessel diameter in islets with age, with a greater increase in islets from older mice compared with those from younger and middle-aged mice. Interestingly, in females, a significant increase in vessel diameter was observed in islets from middle age onwards. Vascular density ratios for males showed a significant increase in old age, but not between the young and middle-aged groups. Females showed no significant changes in vascular density across any age group.
Future research aims to identify the cause of the changes observed here and to investigate the physiological impact that vessel changes in the insulin secretion
Information Sources and Communication Sharing About Wolves Among Idaho Residents
No full textThe history of grey wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction and management in Idaho presents an opportunity to better understand how communities in central Idaho source, interact with, and share information about wolves and their management. By synthesizing scientific research on how people communicate and by conducting semi-structured interviews, this project will help inform the conversation on how to better communicate scientific information and how conservationists, ranchers, and sportsmen collaborate with members of our community who might not share similar views on the topic
Exploring the Effects of Adaptive Art Therapy on the Mood of Adults with Physical Disabilities
No full textPeople with physical disabilities face elevated risks of psychological distress, yet they remain underrepresented in psychotherapy research. This study examines the potential of adaptive art therapy to enhance mood in adults with physical disabilities. Art therapy, by design, is diverse and can be used with many forms of media, making it an accessible modality for individuals with varying mobility and sensory needs. This qualitative study explores how adults with physical disabilities experience adaptive art therapy, with particular attention to emotional responses before and after participation. Art therapy offers flexibility in media and process, making it an accessible and expressive modality for individuals with diverse mobility and sensory needs. Participants will take part in an adaptive art therapy session led by a licensed art therapist and will be provided with accessible tools and emotional support.
To explore emotional changes and personal meaning, Participants will complete brief pre- and post-session interviews, supplemented by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire as a reflective tool. Thematic analysis will be used to identify patterns across participant experiences, focusing on perceived emotional shifts. This research aims to amplify disabled voices in mental health research and evaluate the feasibility of adaptive art therapy as a healing tool for this understudied community. The findings may inform more inclusive approaches to psychotherapy and support the development of accessible mental health interventions
Self-Efficacy and Empowerment in Higher Education
No full textThis study investigated what factors truly influence student empowerment and self-efficacy among students in higher education, specifically aiming to understand how to better support students at Boise State and similar institutions. Our methodology involved conducting anonymous, confidential one-hour interviews with 11 participants, all sharing a common major. These interviews explored key areas such as demographics, belonging & identity, self-efficacy, work-life balance, and various support systems. Audio recordings from these sessions were then meticulously transcribed, coded, analyzed, and synthesized.
Key findings revealed that having multiple support systems, especially through student organizations and on-campus involvement, were the most salient sources of support for many participants. Conversely, students who were unable to engage with the on-campus community often expressed a lower identification with university identity and a stronger sense of individual dependency. We also found that direct engagement with professors positively impacted feelings of support within classroom settings.
Autonomy, finding fulfillment or meaning in their work, and self-advocacy were consistently noted as vital for feeling empowered. Student experiences of empowerment and self-efficacy were diverse, with resource navigation and campus community connection identified as potential barriers. This study was limited by time constraints, which led to a small, major-specific sample size, and we recommend expanding this research to a wider participant pool for a more comprehensive understanding
Cognitive Distortions and Mental Wellbeing: A Survey About the Relationships Between Mind Reading and Self Esteem, Personalization and Anxiety, and Minimization and Sense of Achievement
No full textCognitive distortions and different thinking processes can affect mental well-being. Past research shows connections between cognitive distortions and distorted thinking processes and increased frequency in anxiety symptoms. A survey was conducted at the College of Western Idaho to explore three hypotheses, each exploring a relationship between one cognitive distortion and a variable of mental well-being. Pearson correlations were used to analyze each hypothesis. Data from 148 participants found that all three hypotheses were true. Two were found to have significant positive relationships, and one was found to have a significant negative relationship. While all three were found to have significant relationships, they each had a low to medium effect size. These results support past research by showing that there are relationships between cognitive distortions and mental well-being. Another statistical limitation was that ordinal data was treated as I/R data to meet the assumptions of a correlation analysis. This survey has multiple methodological limitations, including but not limited to, participants being part of a convenience sample, having a low age range, and being self-reported data. This research leaves room for future research to be conducted, which would allow for more accurate data
Using LiDAR to Estimate Percent Ladder Fuel Density in Forested Areas
No full textA trend of increasing wildfire frequency in the United States has necessitated the creation of methods for identifying forested areas that are susceptible to crown fires. Fuel reduction treatments that target ladder fuels are effective in mitigating these fires, but it is difficult to identify where ladder fuels exist across large areas of forest. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technologies have been used to estimate ladder fuel cover relatively accurately. This study undertook a literature review investigating current LiDAR applications in ladder fuel identification and subsequently created a model that quantifies percent ladder fuel density in any forested region. The output of the model is a raster image that can be used to help determine what forested areas should be prioritized for fuel reduction treatments. The accuracy of the model has yet to be verified, however field validation processes are being conducted during the summer of 2025. Pending field validation results and subsequent model improvements, this model could be a powerful and effective tool in wildfire mitigation and forest health monitoring
The Role of Surface Hardness and Speed in Modulating Foot Strike Angle During Running
No full textRunning with a prominent heel strike may result in larger ground impact forces and greater injury risk. Because it is unknown if run speed and surface impact foot strike angle, this study examined how soft (grass), hard (asphalt) and uneven (gravel trail) surfaces impact foot strike angle during a comfortable and fast run.
We hypothesize that running faster speed (asphalt) will promote heel strike and increase foot strike angle up to 24.
Participants (12 male and 12 female) will run at a comfortable sustained pace and 4.5 m/s over three surfaces (1: foam that mimics indention of grass 2: hard plywood to represent asphalt 3: uneven 3D print scan o local run trail). Foot strike angle determined by subtracting the standing foot angle from the heel strike foot angle for each condition will be submitted to analysis.
We expect that foot strike angle will be greatest on the hard surface (asphalt) and greater during the fast than comfortable run speed. Determining if a prominent heel strike is a consequence of traversing hard surfaces or greater run speed can inform future running programs, and help alleviate running-related injury risk
Accuracy Assessment of a 2D Phone Application with 3D Motion Capture
No full text2D motion capture could be a promising improvement in rural medicine for both screening and monitoring movement quality. The purpose of this project is to assess the accuracy of a Boise-based functional movement assessment phone app in measuring movement mechanics; namely asymmetries, limitations, and providing functional movement screen scores. 20 participants (20.6 ± 1.7 yrs, 1.73 ± 0.08 m, 78.2 ± 17.8 kgs) performed lateral lunges, single-leg standing balance, hip hinge, and an overhead squat. Each participant performed between two and four trials of each task, for a total of 66 trials for comparison. The movement app collected frontal plane movement using an iPad, while the Vicon motion capture system collected 3D motion in tandem. Ranges of motion and peak angles were calculated for each joint and plane of interest The measurements from the phone app were extracted from their platform, following their proprietary calculations. 3D motion capture was extracted using custom Matlab codes used to assess the same variables extracted by the phone app. To assess the accuracy of the 2D apps measurements from the single camera, the values were compared using paired t-tests to those measured from the 3D motion tracking system