Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of The Effects Of Type Of Sport Participation On Weight Classification And Academic Achievement: Academic Persistence As A Predictor, Faye C. Tabor

DePaul Discoveries

This study evaluated effectiveness of a soccer intervention for reducing obesity and increasing academic performance in low-income elementary school children by analyzing data regarding sport participation, academic performance, classroom behavior, and BMI using ANOVAS and Chi-Squared tests. While the intervention did not directly affect weight classification or academic performance, the type of sport(s) students participated in did. Team sport players had significantly higher weights and fared the worst academically, followed by those who played individual sports. Non-athletes fared the best. The type of sport a child played influenced academic persistence, which influenced academic performance.

Body Shape Divergence In Invasive Round Goby, Cat Collins

DePaul Discoveries

The round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, originally native to the Black and Caspian seas, was introduced into the Great Lakes via ballast water in the 1990’s. Since then, the species has spread to all of the Great Lakes, thriving in the Lake Michigan region and spreading to surrounding bays and rivers. Invasive species are considered to have a high evolutionary potential. Differences in environmental conditions between native and introduced ranges stimulate adaptive evolution. Multiple introductions of an exotic species can result in separate instances of founder effects, further increasing the chance of evolutionary change. A total of 267 round goby specimens …

What Components Influence Hypothetical Willingness To Pay For The Environmental Benefits Of Shade-Grown Coffee?, Ellen V. Webb

DePaul Discoveries

Coffee is one example of a good whose consumption can lead to environmental degradation that the consumer is unaware of. During the 19^th century, new high-yield varieties of coffee were developed that could be grown under the direct sunlight of recently deforested areas. An ecologically friendly alternative to mass-produced sun-grown systems is shade-grown coffee. This coffee is grown under traditional forest cover, providing ecological benefits such as species habitat, but at lower yields. In the global market, a price premium is the practice of placing a higher price than the market price on a specific good. If consumers value …

How Do Management Treatments Affect Invasive Cattail (Typha X Glauca) And Pore Water Nutrient Concentrations?, Yarency Rodriguez

DePaul Discoveries

Invasive species are problematic for wetland managers, but little is known about how common management treatments influence nutrient cycling or plant responses. This study tested three experimental treatments (mowing, herbiciding, and harvesting (i.e., removal of aboveground biomass)) on several response variables: wetland soil porewater nutrient content (NO₃^-, NH₄⁺, PO₄^-), native plant and invasive-Typha density, and light attenuation through the plant canopy. Seventeen days post-treatment, herbiciding resulted in higher porewater phosphate concentrations (55.63 µg-P/L) than harvesting (8.95 µg-P/L). After 24 days, herbicide had higher porewater phosphate concentration (72.03 µg-P/L) than all …

Arthropod Communities And Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus) Habitat Selection, Michael C. Lordon

DePaul Discoveries

Red-headed woodpecker populations are near-threatened. Their habitat selection and reproductive success may be related to the availability of arthropods. We sampled the arthropod community within 0.04 ha plots surrounding known nests and compared these findings to plots without nests in the same fragments of forest or park in Cook County, IL. After 14 days, the traps were recovered, yielding close to 45,000 arthropods across 10 orders. Nest and control site differences were not statistically significant. Differences between park and forest diversity were not statistically significant either, but the greater diversity values in forests were consistent with expectations. We conclude that …

Investigating The Viability Of Two Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Isolates After Air-Drying, Samantha Lane, Joanna Brooke

DePaul Discoveries

Abstract

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a water-borne infectious bacterium that is found in both clinical (hospitals) and non-clinical environments. This human pathogen is commonly recovered from respiratory tract infections. A recent study at a hospital in Taiwan suggested that dry patient charts can serve as a vehicle of transmission of this bacterium⁷. As S. maltophilia is not commonly isolated from dry surfaces, this current study tested the hypothesis that this pathogen can remain viable for some time on a dry surface. This study was designed to determine how long S. maltophilia could remain viable after air-drying by observing …

Generation Of Chimeric Antibody Light Chain Plasmid, Lily Arendt

DePaul Discoveries

In order to determine the distance between the antigen-binding site and the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of an antibody using single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer, dyes must be attached to these locations. To accomplish this, the variable regions of the light and heavy chains of an antibody can be modified and a dye-reactive amino acid introduced into the Fc region. Initial attempts to alter the variable light chain (V_L) gene included trying to ligate a 350bp variable gene into an 11,000bp plasmid. When these attempts were unsuccessful, the variable light chain gene was ligated into a commercially available …

The Atomic Structure Of Amorphous Oxide Semiconductors, Joe Boesso

DePaul Discoveries

Amorphous oxide semiconductors have important industrial applications in opto-electronic devices due to their transparency and high electrical conductivity. It is important to understand the arrangements of the atoms in these semiconductors since they determine the electrical properties of the materials. To investigate the atomic structure of indium oxide semiconductors, a series of nine thin films were deposited at different temperatures. Wide-angle x-ray scattering data were collected at Argonne National Laboratory. The images for the partially amorphous and fully crystalline films were calibrated, integrated, and analyzed. Structural results include the lattice parameters and positions of the atoms in the bixbyite phase. …

Quantifying The Effects Of Vegetation On The Carbon Storage Of Northern Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, Nia Hurst

DePaul Discoveries

Given the rising concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the Earth’s atmosphere, it is important to assess the natural reservoirs in which carbon can be stored. Great Lakes coastal wetlands are a potentially significant pool of carbon that have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Our study measured soil C (carbon) and depth of organic matter in swamp, transitional, and wet meadow vegetation zones of three wetlands located in the Eastern half of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, in the Les Chenaux Islands. It was hypothesized that soil C would decrease moving lakeward (swamp>transitional>wet meadow); however, this hypothesis was …

Cosmic Sound In The Lyman Alpha Forest, Spencer Everett, Matt Kwiecien, Cordell Newmiller

DePaul Discoveries

Using the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the authors attempt to detect the baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAOs) using the discrete wavelet transform. The wavelet transform is used to construct the power spectrum of intergalactic clouds of matter at large (Mpc) distance scales. It was found that the wavelet transform used here does not have high enough resolution to detect the BAOs. However, the techniques used in this study allow for future improvements in the transform that could potentially resolve the expected peak in the power spectrum and indicate the existence of BAOs.

Characterization Of Electrical Performance Of Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide Pellets, Neel Patel

DePaul Discoveries

Recently, the electronic industry has been shifting towards devices that can be controlled by touching the screen with one or more fingers. This technology is made possible by using transparent conducting oxides (TCOs). Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a potential replacement for the most currently used TCO (indium-tin oxide) due to its comparable optical properties. However, the doping mechanisms of zinc oxide need to be understood and improved. The goal of this research was to prepare n-type, aluminum-doped ZnO. Several dopant percentages were studied to investigate the optimum concentration. The electrical properties for all doping levels improved compared to undoped ZnO.

Examining The Relationships Between Empathy, Mood, And Facial Mimicry, Catherine Rehberger

DePaul Discoveries

Facial mimicry is an automatic process that may occur as we see facial expression and respond congruently with a similar expression (van Baaren, Fockenberg, Holland, Janssen, & van Knippenberg, 2006). Empathy is the capacity to take on and understand another’s emotions (Hojat et al., 2002). While positive relationships between mimicry and empathy have been previously established, less is known regarding the interrelations among state affect, empathy, and facial mimicry. The present study examined these relationships in a single sample. While positive relationships were found between empathy and state affect, empathy and state affect did not have an effect on facial …

Vitamin A Deficiency Causes Ovulation Abnormalities In Mice, Rebecca Ursin

DePaul Discoveries

Retinoic acid (RA) is an active metabolite of vitamin A (VA) and is involved in tissue organization, patterning, and growth. RA has been shown to regulate male reproduction, however information on its role in ovary development is limited. To investigate the functions of RA in the ovary, we examined its role in ovary development and ovulation using an in vivo dietary VA-deprivation animal model. Our preliminary results have shown that VA deficiency causes a variety of ovarian pathologies, including reduced numbers of total follicles and corpus lutea, formation of hemorrhagic and atretic follicles, and formation of bursa and follicular cysts. …

The Effect Of Short-Term Water Stress On Leaf Isoprene Emission, Othon Nunez-Montelongo

DePaul Discoveries

This study measured the photosynthetic rate and isoprene emission from red oaks (Quercus rubra) during drought stress conditions. Over a period of 30 days, the trees were grown outdoors on a rooftop. The experimental group was subject to drought stress while the control group was watered regularly. The measurements from each group were compared to determine differences. The results indicated that isoprene emissions do not increase directly from drought stress, and that whole plant increases are due to indirect increases in leaf temperature caused by drought conditions.

A High-Altitude Balloon Platform For Exploring The Terrestrial Carbon Cycle, Monica Pocs

DePaul Discoveries

Carbon dioxide uptake by plants is a major component of the global carbon cycle that can be affected by climate change. This experiment quantifies the rate of landscape exchange of CO₂ in the time between a high altitude balloon’s ascent and descent. It was hypothesized that measured seasonal trends would match a predicted trend of spring and fall release and summer uptake showing that the high altitude balloon method was a valid method. This was supported by the collected data where three flights showed landscape uptake, seven flights showed release and four showed no net exchange.

Disparities Of Sexually Transmitted Infections And Vaccinations Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men, Aimee Fata

DePaul Discoveries

This study looks at the socio-demographic factors that are associated with vaccination and infection prevalence in a sample of young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Data were collected through a cross sectional questionnaire that surveyed 200 men between the ages of 16 and 24. Results indicated that there was a clustering of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the sample, with STIs significantly associated with one another. Also, the demographics of homelessness during the past 12 months and African American showed significant positive associations between STIs and negative associations between vaccinations. Results suggest the need for better access to …

Flirting Style And Sexual Orientation, Carolyn Vandermolen

DePaul Discoveries

The present study examined the association between flirting style and sexual orientation. Previous research on flirting has emphasized the importance of evolutionary factors. Given the focus of the present study, gender-role theory, which tends to emphasize the importance of cultural and social factors, may offer a better explanation for any differences that might be found. The present study sought to explore the relative importance of these two theories. Surprisingly, the relationship between these variables has not been previously studied. Participants (271 heterosexual and 177 nonheterosexual) completed an online survey. Perhaps the most interesting finding was a significant interaction between flirting …

Evidence For The Endowment Effect In Older Adults, Kristen Bernal

DePaul Discoveries

The endowment effect refers to the phenomenon whereby sellers attribute more value to an item than do buyers. Given previous mixed evidence, we examined the endowment effect in a sample of 65 older adults from ages 60-92 years. Participants completed a survey packet with a specific desirable pen. The last page of the packet assigned the participant to either being a buyer or a seller of the pen used to fill out the entirety of the packet. Participants were asked to provide a selling or buying price for the pen (depending on condition), and to list six thoughts about the …

Language Difficulties, Cultural Conflicts, And Perceived Discrimination Across Generations Of Latino Youth, Stephanie Torres

DePaul Discoveries

Acculturative stressors among Latino youth are associated with a number of adjustment difficulties. However, acculturative stressors across generations of Latino youth are not well documented. This study evaluates differences between first, second and third generation Latino youth in their perceptions of acculturative stress, including language difficulties, cultural conflicts, and perceived discrimination, using a predominately low-income, school-based sample. Results revealed that first generation youth endorse higher language difficulties while third generation youth endorse lower cultural conflicts. Evaluating specific stressors associated with acculturation can better assist in the development of interventions geared towards the needs of both immigrant and U.S.-born Latino families.

Examining Parent-Child Cross-Informant Reports Of Attention And Hyperactivity Problems Among Low-Income Latino Youth, Lauren Smith

DePaul Discoveries

Research on informant reports has not focused on the levels of agreement between parents and youth from ethnic minority backgrounds or the factors that influence their agreement levels. The current study examines reports made by low-income Latino parent-child dyads regarding the child’s attention and hyperactivity symptoms, and examines whether problem type, age, gender, and family generation influence cross-informant agreement. The sample includes 94 5th–8th grade students and their parents recruited from a public elementary school in Chicago, Illinois. Results indicate that symptoms were higher when reported by the children than by their parents. Implications for these findings are discussed.

Chinese Cultural Factors Impacting The Educational Schooling Of Children With Autism In China, Chelsea La Valle

DePaul Discoveries

In China, an insufficiency of schooling opportunities exists among Chinese children with autism. Schooling can be perceived as a viable treatment option that uses communication techniques. The current study sought to provide culturally informed recommendations for enhancing the schooling opportunities of children with autism in China. Qualitative analysis of seven interviews discussing Chinese cultural factors which impact the schooling opportunities of children with autism resulted in the generation of six themes: 1) a lack of individual attention in general education schools, 2) a deficiency in special education schools, 3) an insufficiency of specialized teacher training, 4) a loss of mianzi …

The Effects Of Messages On Environmental Behavior, Miki Yoshimura-Rank

DePaul Discoveries

Over the past few decades environmental awareness and education have increased without a corresponding increase in pro-environmental behavior. Recent research on public service announcements and social marketing theory indicate that positive injunctive with positive descriptive norms are most effective in increasing proenvironmental behavior. The current study focused on the impact of different types of environmental messages on promoting recycling behavior in college students. Over 250 recycling actions were measured in the experiment. It was hypothesized that the positive injunctive with positive descriptive statement would be most effective in causing more university students to recycle. The findings, although not statistically significant, …

A Characterization Of Marsh Sediment At Prairie Wolf Slough Wetland, Kathryn Rico

DePaul Discoveries

Prairie Wolf Slough (PWS) is a restored farmed wetland in northeastern Illinois. Past research has shown that concentrations of soluble reactive and total phosphorous in water that discharges from PWS are higher than the phosphorus concentrations in water entering the wetland. This project assessed the contribution of phosphorous from sediment/soil being deposited in the marsh. Sediment/soil samples were collected and measured for Mehlich-3 soil test phosphorous, carbon-nitrogen ratio, and particle size. Sediment traps placed in the marsh measured monthly sedimentation rate. Correlation analysis shows weak associations between soil test phosphorous, and percent silt, sand, and clay. While this does provide …

Variation In Cone Production Of White Spruce At Two Sites Near Its Southern Range Limit, Allison Grecco

DePaul Discoveries

Mast seeding is the synchronous production of large seed crops by a plant population and is believed to be triggered by climate. Climate influences seed production, and species are believed to be more sensitive to climate change near their range limits. We studied cone production by white spruce in 2012 at six sites within each of two regions, Huron (northern MI) and Kemp (northern WI); the southernmost distribution of white spruce is in Wisconsin. We marked 727 individual trees, determined tree and forest characteristics, and quantified cone production. There was a significant difference in average cone production both between regions, …

Fossil Marine Vertebrates From The Middle Part Of The Upper Cretaceous Graneros Shale In Southeastern Nebraska, Alexander D. Meglei

DePaul Discoveries

The Graneros Shale is a rock unit formed in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America. In this study, I report an assemblage of fossil vertebrates from the middle portion of the Graneros Shale in southeastern Nebraska. The estimated age of this fauna is about 97 million years old, and it is dominated by carnivores that consist of at least 11 taxa, comprising of eight sharks, one bony fish, and two reptilians (turtle and plesiosaur). The fauna includes taxa indicative of a nearshore, but fully marine, environment that do not contradict with previous paleoenvironmental inferences made for the …

Examining Evidence Of High-Energy Impact Sites Through Analysis Of Nanodiamond Content In Sedimentary Samples, Kevin Tague

DePaul Discoveries

Megafaunal extinctions at the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) 12,900 years ago were likely triggered by environmental changes resulting from a meteorite impact or explosion. When such impacts occur, high temperatures and pressures can create nanodiamonds (NDs) from carbon in the meteorite or target rock, which are then preserved in the sedimentary rock record. While several forms of NDs are found in nature, just two ND structures (hexagonal and n-diamond) have been shown to be shock-synthesized during high energy meteorite impacts. When these NDs are extracted, purified, identified, and quantified from sediments, they therefore help support the theory that an impact, …

Modifying Antibody Dna For Site-Specific Binding, Madeline Gemoules

DePaul Discoveries

Humanized antibody plasmid DNA was modified to allow the distance between the Fc fragment and antigen binding sites of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to be studied. Specific variable heavy (VH) and variable light (VL) genes were inserted into heavy and light chain plasmids so that dye molecules can be easily attached to the expressed protein, and further inspection of antibody structure and function can be conducted via single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). First, VH and VL genes were inserted into humanized antibody plasmids through the technique of ligation. The ligation product was then transformed into Escherichia coli cells, …

Magnetic Field Analysis For Star Forming Region W3 (Oh), Josh Modica

DePaul Discoveries

Direct measurement of magnetic field strengths is only possible through the so-called Zeeman effect that causes an observable splitting in spectral lines. The star-forming region W3 (OH) contains several water masers, which are used for measuring the Zeeman effect. Matlab routines were created to fit Gaussian profiles in order to determine center velocity, intensity, and line width of each maser. The magnetic field was then determined through another Matlab routine that calculated the Stokes V profile, which was equal to the derivative of the Gaussian profiles.

Enumerating Alternating Permutations With One Alternating Descent, Stacey Wagner

DePaul Discoveries

This paper introduces a new statistic for alternating permutations, called an alternating descent. Specifically this paper focuses on alternating permutations with one alternating descent. We then enumerate these permutations by decomposing them into four sets.

Max-Min Up-Down Permutations, Fiacha Heneghan, Ashley Sliva

DePaul Discoveries

No abstract provided.