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Undergraduate Catalog, 2025-2026
No full texthttps://scholar.valpo.edu/undergradcatalogs/1100/thumbnail.jp
A bumble bee in a haystack: chance observation of an overwintering rusty patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis (Hymenoptera:Apidae) gyne
No full textBombus affinis (rusty-patched bumble bee) Cresson is listed as a federally endangered species in the United States and Canada. It is globally “imperiled” (G2) and listed as “critically endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. While the causes of the species’ precipitous decline are relatively unknown, researchers suspect introduced pathogens, habitat loss and degradation, competition with non-native bees, and climate change. Conservation strategies should encompass all aspects of the species’ life cycle. However, habitat selection of new overwintering gynes (gynes become queens when they establish nests in the spring) is the least understood. Here we document the first observation of an overwintering B. affinis gyne in an urban deciduous forest in Madison, Wisconsin. The gyne was discovered on a slight north, northeast facing slope within the top 5 cm of loose soil and under a layer of Acer saccharum, Quercus sp., and Tsuga canadensis leaf litter. We mapped the landcovers within 1 km and 2 km around the observed overwintering location as the potential foraging range that a newly emerged queen would encounter the following spring. While only a single observation, this chance encounter adds to the knowledge of overwintering habitat requirements and increases our understanding of the land cover types that B. affinis queens might encounter within the foraging range of the overwintering site, especially those within a highly urbanized landscape. Observations such as this can inform conservation and recovery efforts for the imperiled B. affinis
LGBTQIA+ Hate Crimes and State Non-Discrimination Policies: An Analysis
No full textWhile LGBTQIA+ rights have been increasing in the United States for decades, many states do not have non-discrimination policies that protect individuals based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. This lack in protection leaves many LGBTQIA+ individuals vulnerable to experiencing discrimination and harassment, which could lead to hate crimes, cultivating an environment of passive tolerance rather than active resistance. Active resistance can be achieved through the passage of non-discrimination policies, as well as addressing minority stress that LGBTQIA+ individuals can be susceptible to when they are actively experiencing or anticipating discrimination and harassment. This research paper addresses whether the strength of non-discrimination policies effects the number of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes in each state, which no other research study has done. The findings of this study conclude that there is no statistically significant relationship between the strength of non-discrimination policies and the number of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes in each state. Further research is needed to examine these variables and see if these findings can be substantiated or disproved
The Romantic Spirit in the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien (2024), edited by Will Sherwood and Julian Eilmann
No full textBook review, by Deidre A. Dawson, of The Romantic Spirit in the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien (2024), edited by Will Sherwood and Julian Eilman
A Detestable Nation of Orcs: echoes of Eurasian nomads in early Fantasy and the literary ecosystem behind them
No full textIt is well known that Orcs and Easterlings in J.R.R. Tolkien\u27s works share features with Eurasian nomadic peoples such as Huns and Mongols. The same is true for Tolkien\u27s literary predecessor William Morris\u27 Dusky Men in The Roots of the Mountains. This article will provide an examination of these features from a historical viewpoint, on how interactions with and subsequent records about various steppe nomads in European history can be tied to villains in early modern Fantasy literature. It will then present a short review of how a network of historic accounts, academic theories and pop cultural works – referred to as a literary ecosystem – created a particular demonised image of steppe nomads in Western academia and popular consciousness, dating from antiquity to the modern era. The aim is to highlight the scope and temporal depth of this ecosystem, and how its aspects (such as philology, history, race theory or religious philosophy) would have been accessible to Morris and Tolkien during their years as academics and writers, influencing the medieval idea of nomadic invaders from the East as beings embodying traits both barbaric and demonic. The study is a quantitative review on previous scholarship that argues for the demonised nomad as the prime influence (among several others) behind Tolkien\u27s Orcs, in that their physical characteristics and narrative role mirrors medieval and early modern European scholarship regarding the nature of Eurasian nomads and their impact on Europe\u27s geopolitics as well as religious cosmology
Accuracy of Wearable Technology in Menstrual Cycle Tracking
No full textObjective: Wearable technology is an evolving market aimed at promoting health awareness. This study compares the data on the accuracy of wearable tracking technology (WTT) to traditional tracking methods (TTMs) in the monitoring of different stages of the menstrual cycle (MC) in adult women.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar to identify peer-reviewed studies published since 2019 evaluating the accuracy of WTT in tracking women\u27s MCs. Search terms included wearable technology, women, tracking menstruation, and traditional tracking methods. Inclusion criteria: studies on adult women of reproductive age, WTT for menstrual tracking, published in English since 2019, full-text availability, and use of TTMs including urine LH test strips. Exclusion criteria: studies involving men, women under 18, postmenopausal or pregnant individuals, and WTT not designed to track the MC. The primary outcome was the accuracy of MC tracking by WTT versus TTMs.
Results: Reviewed studies found that WTT demonstrated comparable or superior accuracy to TTMs in identifying MC phases. Continuous monitoring of physiological markers such as skin temperature, heart rate, and heart rate variability contributed to this performance.
Conclusion: WTT presents a convenient, user-friendly alternative to TTMs for tracking the MC. These devices may benefit individuals planning pregnancy, managing cycle irregularities, or tracking MC stages. However, current evidence does not support their use for contraception. Further research is needed in more diverse populations.
Keywords: Wearable technology, menstrual cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, traditional tracking methods, reproductive health, women\u27s healt
Investigation of Protein Kinase C-mediated internalization of the Na+-K+-2Cl– cotransporter 1 in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cells
No full textIn the colon, the Cl- driven fluid secretion is dependent on the Na+-K+-2Cl– cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). The effect of prolonged activation of PKC on NKCC1 expression is unknown; we used immunoblotting to test this effect. In preliminary experiments, prolonged activations of PKC on NKCC1 resulted in a decrease in expression. While ubiquitination is a known signal for degradation, we tested whether ubiquitination is a signal for NKCC1 internalization using fluorescence microscopy in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cells expressing eGFP-NKCC1. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was used to activate PKC, and PYR-41 to inhibit the ubiquitin ligase E1. We quantified the number of endocytosed vesicles using ImageJ software. One-way ANOVA shows a significant difference among our conditions (P \u3c 0.001). A Tukey’s post-hoc test shows no significant difference between control (0.9 ± 0.2 vesicles/cell, n = 89) and DMSO (1.4 ± 0.4, n=41, p=0.2). PMA (8.3 ± 1.1, n = 27) significantly increases the number of vesicles/cells compared to control (P \u3c 0.001). Unexpectedly, PYR (7.0 ± 0.7, n = 77) significantly increased the number of vesicle counts (P \u3c 0.001), and PYR + PMA (8.7 ± 1.5, n = 83) was not statistically different from PYR or PMA (P = 0.3 and 0.8, respectively). We can infer that inhibiting ubiquitination reveals a ubiquitin-independent mechanism of NKCC1 internalization. While degradation is present during PKC activation, it cannot be linked to ubiquitination due to inconclusive microscopy results
Synthesis of 3,6-dichloro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine for an Organic Chemistry Laboratory Approach: A Versatile Heterocyclic Intermediate
No full textThe synthesis of heterocyclic compounds, such as 3,6-dichloro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine, is becoming increasingly popular due to their significance in medicinal chemistry research. This project focuses on replicating and optimizing experimental methods used to synthesize this compound intermediate from techniques in a patent that an alumni student has researched. Our approach builds upon those existing methods with the aim of synthesizing this compound in an organic chemistry laboratory setting. Small scale reactions utilizing a mono wave machine assist in reducing the rate of reaction times. The formation of a key intermediate, 6-chloro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine-3(2H)-one, was shortened from a three day reflux to a 35 minute reaction time. We have demonstrated that modification of certain reagents and conditions were deemed unnecessary or had minimal influence on the reaction, allowing for simpler and effective techniques. Further steps in the synthesis are ongoing, with the goal of improving purity and yield
Immeasurable Halls and Dreamlike Forms: Tracing the Caves of Cheddar Gorge Throughout Tolkien’s Legendarium (and Beyond)
No full textCheddar Gorge (Mendip Hills, Somerset County, southwest England) is home to extensive cave systems carved into ancient limestone. Two of the most picturesque, Gough’s Cave and Cox’s Cave, are among the most important geological tourist attractions in England. Among the caves’ many enthusiasts was J.R.R. Tolkien, who first visited the site in 1916 while on his honeymoon and later in 1940 on a family vacation during his early work on The Lord of the Rings. As he noted in a 1971 letter these two visits (in particular, his earlier memories of the caves before their unfortunate commercialization) spawned the creation of the fictional Glittering Caves of Aglarond that so enamored Gimli. However, these are not the only (or even earliest) caves to appear in Tolkien’s legendarium. This paper draws connections between the myriad caves in Tolkien’s writings and the features of Cheddar Gorge, relying on detailed descriptions of the caves from the early 20th century (reflecting how Tolkien himself would have experienced them)
Distribution Of Acalymma Vittata And Diabrotica Virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) On Cucurbits
No full textThe striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittata (Fabricius) and the western corn rootworm, Diahrotica virgifera LeConte, are of economic importance and utilize cucurbits, but to a different extent. A. vittata is a specialist on cucurbits during all stages of its life cycle, whereas D. virgifera feeds on cucurbits only as an adult. Much is known about the life history, feeding preferences, and control of each of these species (A. vittata: Gould, 1944, 1962; Harcourt and Cass, 1955; Wiseman, Hall, and Painter, 1962; D. virgifera: Chiang, 1973; Ludwig, 1975). However, no study has looked at possible interactions such as competition between the two species when they utilize the same host plants as adults and whether such interactions might influence their distribution and subsequent damage to various cucurbits