Membrane Depolarization Due to Cationic Steroid Antibiotics

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Jonathan O. Wright and Dr. Paul Savage, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The project that I have worked on this past year has been focused on a novel group of antibiotics developed in the lab of Dr. Savage. The antibiotics, called ceragenins or cationic steroid antibiotics (CSA’s), are molecules synthesized from cholic acid, a common […]

Analysis of Prosthetic Leg Shock Absorption and Structure

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David Williams, Russell Dibb, and Dr. Mark Colton, Mechanical Engineering Department The purpose of the prosthetic leg project was to research and design a below-the-knee prosthetic leg that could be used in developing countries. Many prosthetic legs that are currently on the market are very expensive and difficult to manufacture in undeveloped areas of the […]

Evaluating the Purpose and Effectiveness of the Standards for Teaching Television Production Curriculum in Utah High Schools

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Seth Warburton and Dr. Geoff Wright, TEE The purpose of this study was to compare Utah high school television production teaching practices and standards to industry television production standards and techniques. The intent of this study was to evaluate (a) if schools are teaching appropriate television production standards and techniques; (b) if the limited equipment […]

Parametric Human Spine Model

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Simeon Smith and Dr. Anton Bowden, Mechanical Engineering Department Three-dimensional computer models are commonly used to understand and analyze pathological conditions of the spine. Models of the spine are most beneficial when they match each patient’s spinal geometry. Currently, making a model for a specific patient is a long, multi-step process that must be started […]

Development of a Simple Manufacturing Process for a Prosthetic Leg

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Kyle Smith and Dr. Mark Colton, Mechanical Engineering Dept Introduction The purpose of this project was to develop a simple process to manufacture a useful and affordable prosthetic leg to be made available to below-the-knee amputees in a sub-Saharan African country. This project was motivated by a desire for learning and experience and also by […]

Mechanical Characterization of Accelerated Human Lumbar Disc Degeneration

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John Sessions and Dr. Anton Bowden, Mechanical Engineering Background It is reported by the American Academy of Orthopeadic Surgeons that in 2005, 24% of the population sought treatment for back pain [1]. Additionally, Americans spent over $85.9 billion (2005) on health treatment costs related to back problems with the vast majority being connected to disc […]

Characterization of Biomass Fuel Properties Based on Functional Groups

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Richard B. Reid and Dr. Larry Baxter, Chemical Engineering The search for sustainable energy sources and technologies is one of the world’s primary concerns in the 21st century. Biomass energy is projected to be an important component of a diverse and sustainable energy portfolio. In order to utilize this source effectively there must be accurate […]

Optical Fiber to Integrated Waveguides: Bridging the Gap

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Mallory Phillips and Dr. Aaron R. Hawkins, Electrical Engineering Dept Optoelectronics are made on the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material by attaching light-sensitive polymers to the surface, then removing patterns generated in the polymer. Waveguides can be made on the same substrate to interface directly with optoelectronics. They are made from raised […]

Deep Oxide SIM—ORCA Report

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Alan Nelson In my ORCA grant proposal, I described a novel solid-state amplifier known as the SIM (Solidstate Impact-ionization Multiplier) that has been developed here at BYU. It is particularly useful for amplifying weak optical signals—weak such that they would require low-noise amplification in order to avoid garbling the signal with added amplifier noise. The […]

Transtibial Suspension

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Peter Jepsen and Dr. Anton Bowden, Mechanical Engineering Amputees in developing countries struggle to find employment because of their disabilities, but also struggle to afford the artificial limbs that are available to them. Further compounding the problem is the lack of comfortable fitting prosthetics, which are hard to find and design even in advanced nations. […]