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A Correlational Study of Full Time College Students’ Perceived Stress Levels and Physical Activity Habits
No full textManaging stress is a common problem for college students. This study aimed to examine if there was any correlation between college students’ workout times and stress levels. Location and type of exercise was also examined. Full-time Valparaiso University students were sent a questionnaire, which included the Cohen stress test and questions about their physical activity habits. These included minutes per week they were in a gym working out, if the gym was on or off campus, and if the exercise was cardio or strength based. Each student was only given one attempt, so no repeat submissions were collected. Data collection is in progress as of March 28, 2024, and the cutoff date is April 9, 2024. Stress scores will be calculated by the researcher and correlation tests will be run. At the symposium, data will be presented primarily in graph form for easy viewing
Immigration and Economic Integration
No full textAs the world becomes a more nomadic place, immigration to new economies is becoming more and more common. This project uses a household survey of Ukrainian refugees throughout Europe to identify the important components of economic integration. The main variable of interest was language and how well the household knew the language of their host country. To test the impact of this on economic integration, salary is used as the dependent variable along with a variety of other common indicators as the independent variables. The higher the salary, the better the economic integration. This will help to indicate how important language learning and language resources are to immigrants as they arrive in new areas so that available resources can be effectively allocated
Simulating the Effects of 3rd-Body Interactions on Orbits of Binary Systems
No full textSome of the most beautiful objects in our universe are known as planetary nebulae. These occur as a result of dying stars ejecting their outer layers with their remaining hot core ionizing the newly ejected mass causing it to glow. At the center of these planetary nebulae may lie a binary system in which a companion star orbits the remaining hot core, or central star. This configuration is often attributed as the cause of bipolar or quadrupole morphologies of planetary nebulae, in which the shape resembles that of an hourglass. Recently, a study of planetary nebulae in the galactic bulge, or the innermost region of the galaxy, has found that a statistically significant proportion of binary central stars are orbiting each other perpendicular to the rotation of the galaxy. There is currently no known reason for this alignment. One of the causes for these unexpected orbit orientations may be due to gravitational interactions that take place before the planetary nebulae form, while they are still stars like our Sun. To test the validity of this theory, I have created a simulation in which a third star passes a binary system, inducing a gravitational interaction, and recording how the orientation in the orbit of the binary systems is affected. The results of these simulations will be presented
Using Agent-Based Modeling to Reduce Traffic Emissions
Get PDFReducing CO2 emissions is currently one of the most pressing challenges in the effort to prevent climate change. In the United States, transportation accounts for 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that decreasing CO2 emissions from automobiles should be a priority. In this analysis, I examine the factors that influence traffic CO2 emissions using a traffic model built in NetLogo, an agent-based modeling language. Although other studies have sought to understand the factors that influence traffic emissions, most have done so using observational methods. Although there are certain benefits to these observational studies, my traffic model is advantageous because it allows for direct manipulation of variables of interest. My analysis finds that the most important contributor to traffic CO2 emissions is the speed limit. According to my model, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 16.7% by decreasing the speed limit from 120 to 80 kph. Obviously, there are plenty of situations where this is not feasible, but my analysis shows that even slight decreases in high speed limits can lead to significant decreases in emissions. Additionally, my model finds that increasing the number of lanes from one to two decreases CO2 emissions by 2.8% on average. When traffic density was high, adding a second lane reduced CO2 emissions by 6.5%. These takeaways are corroborated by other research, meaning that this model stands as an effective tool to better understand traffic patterns and their effects on CO2 emissions
Discover Radio Astronomy: A Horn Antenna for Hydrogen Line Observations
Get PDFThe objective of this project is to provide beginner-friendly radio astronomy equipment to the Valparaiso University Physics and Astronomy Department. This equipment can be used to teach students and the community about the field of radio astronomy through lab activities such as hydrogen line observations. The Milky Way Galaxy is made primarily of hydrogen. The hydrogen line is the frequency of electromagnetic energy that hydrogen emits when its electrons change state. A horn antenna that is designed for this frequency can detect the strength of the hydrogen line in any direction it is pointed. The shape of the horn antenna also showcases properties such as wavelength, electromagnetic resonance, waveguides, and impedance matching in an approachable way to beginners. In addition, it can be constructed using lightweight, easily obtainable materials that students could replicate. Along with the horn and probe itself, a program called GNU-radio was chosen as the receiver because of the ability to process the data using graphical blocks. These blocks are helpful for explaining the functions of the receiver to novice users. After construction, the antenna was tuned to the hydrogen line frequency of 1420 MHz. Using this set-up, documentation and lab manuals were created as student resources. These activities and information are readily available to the Valparaiso University community
The Genetics of Salt Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis
Get PDFRising soil salinity levels are emerging as a significant challenge due to factors such as irrigation practices, climate change-induced sea level rise, soil degradation, and anthropogenic factors such as road salting. Investigating salt tolerance mechanisms in plants is crucial for agricultural sustainability, as high soil salinity inhibits crop growth and reduces yield, threatening global food security. We wondered if certain genes within the plant Arabidopsis thaliana could be linked to higher salt tolerance as understanding the genetic and physiological basis of salt tolerance in an extensively studied plant could guide the development of resilient crop varieties capable of thriving in saline environments and may have implications for drought resistance. Using two Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes, Columbia (Col) and Landsberg (Ler), we compared the effects of water without a stressor (control) and water with NaCl treatment (variable) as well as comparing the results of the ecotypes with each other. Our results showed the following statistical differences: Water retention in the Col control vs Ler control, with Col control retaining more water than Ler control (p=3.34 E-10); Water retention in Col control vs Col treatment, with Col control retaining more water than Col treatment (p=1.33 E-11); Water retention in Ler control vs Ler treatment, with Ler control retaining more water than Ler treatment (p=2.14 E-11); Water retention in Col treatment vs Ler treatment, with Col treatment retaining more water than Ler treatment (p=0.0053). The results indicate that there are genes present within Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes that could lead to water retention when in the presence of soil salinity stress. Following the parent ecotypes, recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were used to further study the correlation in genes to water retention. Fifteen RILs were studied, and an ANOVA was run. With the RIL dataset, a QTL map was generated. Future research involves a more in-depth look of these gene regions in both ecotypes
The Effect of Caffeine on Wingate Performance and Blood Lactate Levels for Anaerobic Track and Field Athletes
Get PDFCaffeine is a common supplement used by athletes to aid and enhance their competition performance in a number of different ways. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect that caffeine has on college-aged anaerobic track and field athletes’ performance on a wingate test as well as changes in blood lactate. The participants in the study included 4 males and 3 females. Among these 7 participants, 4 of them did not consume caffeine on a regular basis, and 3 of them considered themselves habitual caffeine users. There were two testing days, and participants were randomly assigned a caffeine supplement or a placebo, dosed 3 mg per 1 kg of body mass. After 30 minutes had passed from the time of ingestion, they completed a wingate test, and multiple lactate values were also recorded. Lactate values were taken using the Lactate Plus blood lactate analyzer prior to the start of the wingate test, 30 seconds post-completion, and then again 3 minutes after. The Velotron Wingate Software Version 1.0 software recorded the wattage (minimum, maximum, and average), revolutions per minute (minimum, maximum, and average), anaerobic capacity, anaerobic power, and fatigue index. No significant difference was found between wingate results with or without caffeine consumption. However, there were significant differences in fatigue index between conditions across the different event groups (p = 0.01). The null hypothesis was accepted. Overall, caffeine supplementation did not result in any significant improvements on wingate performance for anaerobic track athletes
GoBabyGo: Modified Ride-On Cars for Kids
No full textAdaptive and assistive technology is an important and ever growing field that allows for technological devices to greatly affect individual’s daily lives for the better. The GoBabyGo program allows for children to use modified ride-on cars to better interact with their environment in an independent and therapeutic way. The goal of this project is to work closely with occupational therapists to modify cars for children with conditions such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida for their individual needs. In order to further our understanding, we researched common modifications that have been made to ride-on toys in the past, including electrical modifications, physical support modifications, and the integration of different existing assistive devices. We also have met with the individual kids who applied for these modified devices, and worked closely with the occupational therapists to evaluate and assess each child’s individual needs in order for their car to have the greatest impact. We will use this information to then modify cars for each child specifically, and present the cars to them on a GoBabyGo build day, where they can test out the cars and we can make any modifications if necessary. This project integrates both bioengineering and occupational therapy in order to bring assistive technology into the lives of those who need it the most
A Nash Solution for the Ukrainian-Russian War
No full textSince it began in February 2022, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has dragged on for almost two years without a clear conclusion. We see a lesser probability of any party winning over the other by war. Finding a resolution to the Ukrainian-Russian war is an international problem. Emissaries from numerous nations and organizations have discussed various resolutions with each of the two countries and a major international peace conference was hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2023. In this paper, we use the Nash Arbitration Method (Nash 1950) to model what an imposed (arbitrated) settlement might look like
Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Effects of Bothrops atrox Snake Venom
Get PDFBothrops atrox, a snake species endemic to South America, is often associated with traditional medicinal practices due to its therapeutic potential against various diseases. Recent studies have identified the presence of unique peptides, enzymes, and proteins in the venom of similar snake species, suggesting their roles in inhibiting the growth of specific bacteria and showing cytotoxic effects against certain mammalian cell lines. Therefore, this research project aims to explore the antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties specifically of B. atrox venom by screening aqueous venom extract against twelve distinct prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms (using a Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay), in addition to one colon cancer cell line (using the MTT cell viability assay). Thus far, the aqueous B. atrox venom extract (at 1 mg/disc) was found to inhibit growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with little activity against the fungal organisms tested, and cytotoxic studies are also underway using colon cancer cells. We are simultaneously in the process of using reverse-phase column chromatography to isolate the active compounds present. Such compounds would then be identified using analytical chemistry techniques (like mass spec and NMR). The underlying objective of this work is to eventually isolate and characterize the therapeutic compounds responsible for these specific activities. These data highlight the importance of natural remedies as an important pharmaceutical resource at a time when antimicrobial and anticancer drug discovery has plateaued