Digital Commons Network^™

To Innovate Or Integrate: A Story Of Mergers And Acquisitions In The Video Game Industry, Charlie Geis, Dustin Rabin

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Upleft: Pick Up Leftovers, Uplift Those In Need, Veronica Galles

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Monon Neighborhood Livability Study, Abigail Dimmick

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Tourism Insights: Esg In Lodging And Hospitality, Emily Cassanmagnago

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Lake Michigan Shoreline Landowner Survey, Colby Smock

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Gossypium Hirsutum As A Study Species To Understand Plant Responses To Drought Stress, Sam Schafer

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Laboratory Screening Of Sorghum Lines For Incompatibility: A Postattachment Resistance Mechanism To The Parasitic Weed Striga Hermonthica, Cameron Matthews

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Ipm Strategies Against Insect Pests Of Collards, Elliott Masterson

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Dining Out Behavior In China And The Implications In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Ji Yong Kwon

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Sales Of Cage-Free Eggs: The Impact Of Proposition 12 On Egg Prices And Consumer Welfare In California, Mingcong Xie

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

California’s Proposition 12, which outlaws the use of cages in the egg production process, went into effect on January 1, 2022. The main focus of this study is to follow the trend of weekly Californian and national egg price changes before and after the implementation of Proposition 12. Using the price series reported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), structural break tests and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions are carried out to directly measure the economic impacts of this new regulation on egg prices. With different models used, this study shows that California consumers now pay an additional …

Biodiesel Transesterification Of Spent Coffee Grounds Using Dbu As A Catalyst: Using Dbu To Make Biodiesel From Coffee Grounds, Christopher Stepherson, Pericles Karras, Amy Ha, Phuc Tan Nguyen, Abigail Pati, Jacob Hejazi, Soheil Hussain, Elizabeth De Young, Shuaicheng Fu

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Coffee is one of the most universally consumed beverages. The world produces 60 million tons of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) as waste per year. Biodiesel made from SCGs is an eco-friendly alternative fuel but proves difficult to produce. 1,8-Diazabicyclo[ 5.4.0]undec-7- ene (DBU) was used as both a solvent and a catalyst with methanol to determine the efficiency of biodiesel production from SCGs. The process was completed by extracting coffee oil from acid-washed spent coffee grounds (AWSCGs) using hexane. The two extraction methods that were explored were Soxhlet and agitation. DBU is an interesting choice as a solvent and a catalyst …

The Role Of Vocal Development Patterns: Predicting Neurogenetic Risk In Infancy Using Early Vocal Development And Sex, Alyssa Cregg, Rachel Siela, Olivia Battaglia, Kaylee Bobay, Madison Chin, Athena Fordwor, Conghao Gao, Deeksha Handa, Erin Lee, Tiernan Mcdivitt, Grace Strabala, Victoria Tuell, Laurel Williams

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Extant literature documents a higher rate of language/speech disorders in males; however, despite sex being a potential moderator of outcomes, we do not know what role it plays in early vocal behavior of infants at high risk for such disorders. The purpose of this study was to ask: (1) Do high-risk infants demonstrate atypical vocal development patterns? (2) Is the quality and quantity of early babble distinct for male and female infants, and does this pattern vary across risk? To answer these questions, we examined the canonical babbling ratio (CBR; the ratio of canonical syllables, those with a consonant and …

Trauma, Recovery, And Adolescent Relationships In Stephen Chbosky’S The Perks Of Being A Wallflower: An In-Depth Analysis, Rachel Rosen

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

The development of adolescent identity after traumatic experiences is a fragile process. In this essay, I use Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) to explore how adolescent relationships influence the path to recovery after traumatic experiences. After losing both his friend and aunt, Charlie, the novel’s protagonist, begins to write letters, which form the basis of the book. Recounting his journey to recovery, these letters ultimately reveal that Charlie’s aunt molested him when he was a child—a memory that he represses for years. Despite the importance of writing as a way for Charlie to cope with this …

Genome-Wide Mutagenesis To Investigate The N-Terminal Methylome: The Protective Effects Of Hsp31 And Other Methylated Proteins In Yeast, James Rooney, Jacob Lindsey

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of methylation in regulating the cellular stress response of Hsp31 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells. Hsp31 is known to be methylated by the N-terminal methyltransferase Tae1. Changing the methylation site can affect the methylation status of Hsp31, which may play a role in the protective activity of Hsp31 against cellular stress. GLO1 is a gene in yeast involved in catalyzing the detoxification of methylglyoxal (MGO), which is a by-product of glycolysis. We established that S. cerevisiae in the glo1Δ and background is sensitive to cellular stress by MGO. Mutant strains …

Characterizing Differential Reflectivity Calibration Dependence On Environmental Temperature Using The X-Band Teaching And Research Radar (Xtrra): Looking For A Relationship Between Temperature And Differential Reflectivity Bias, Emma Miller

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Calibration scans are important for the maintenance of data and the quality of the information that radars output. In this study we looked for a temperature dependency in a full year’s worth of differential reflectivity (ZDR) calibration scan data collected by the X-band Teaching and Research Radar (XTRRA) located near the Purdue University campus. In a vertically pointing calibration scan, the radar scans the drops from below while rotating. From this angle, the overall shape will be circular, which corresponds to a ZDR value of approximately 0 dB. To process the data for the year 2021, a Python script was …

Machine Learning Of Big Data: A Gaussian Regression Model To Predict The Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Ground Ozone, Jerry Gu

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Tracking pollution levels on the ground is important to the environment and public health. One of the pollutants of concern is ozone, which, at high concentrations, can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has published valuable ozone data obtained from ground-based sensors installed at selected locations. Because it is unfeasible to measure the exact ozone levels everywhere at any time, it would be valuable to predict the temporal-spatial distributions of ozone concentration based on existing data. This would help us better understand the patterns and trends in the data and make better decisions to …

A Computational Profile Of Invasive Lionfish In Belize: A New Insight On A Destructive Species, Joshua E. Balan

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Since their discovery in the region in 2009, invasive Indonesian-native lionfish have been taking over the Belize Barrier Reef. As a result, populations of local species have dwindled as they are either eaten or outcompeted by the invaders. This has led to devastating losses ecologically and economically; massive industries in the local nations, such as fisheries and tourism, have suffered greatly. Attempting to combat this, local organizations, from nonprofits to ecotourism companies, have been manually spear-hunting them on scuba dives to cull the population. One such company, Reef Conservation Institute (ReefCI), operating out of Tom Owens Caye outside of Placencia, …

Parentally Exposed Zebrafish Larvae Have Altered Craniofacial Measurements: Multigeneration Developmental Atrazine Toxicity, Isabelle Akoro

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Atrazine is a herbicide used throughout the midwestern United States to prevent broadleaf weeds in crops. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the maximum contaminant level at 3 ppb (μg/L) in drinking water. Atrazine is an endocrine disrupter interfering with the function of hormones and disrupting normal physiology and homeostasis throughout development and the life course of an organism. The zebrafish model was used to test the hypothesis that an embryonic parental atrazine exposure will cause modifications in morphology in developing offspring. AB adult zebrafish were bred. Embryos were collected and exposed to atrazine concentrations of 0, 0.3, …

Clouds In The Ancient Lunar Atmosphere: Water Ice Nucleation On Aerosol Simulants, Mariana C. Aguilar

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Today’s moon is vastly different from what it was 3 billion years ago. At that time, it was home to a collisional atmosphere formed through massive amounts of volcanism, releasing enough subsurface gas to sustain surface pressures of up to 1 kPa. Observations of our solar system have taught us that all dense atmospheres are host to clouds and aerosols, and we expect the Moon’s to be no different. Knowing when, where, and under what conditions cloud particles form is important for understanding the evolution of the lunar atmosphere, how it reacted to temperature gradients, and how it cycled volatiles. …

Editorial, Jenna Rickus

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Genetic Background Of Juniper (Juniperus Spp.) Consumption Predicted By Fecal Near-Infrared Spectroscopy In Divergently Selected Goats Raised In Harsh Rangeland Environments, Henrique A. Mulim, John W. Walker, Daniel F. Waldron, Danilo G. Quadros, Lorena F. Benfica, Felipe E. De Carvalho, Luiz F. Brito

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) are woody native, invasive plants that have caused encroachment problems in the U.S. western rangelands, decreasing forage productivity and biodiversity. A potential solution to this issue is using goats in targeted grazing programs. However, junipers, which grow in dry and harsh environmental conditions, use chemical defense mechanisms to deter herbivores. Therefore, genetically selecting goats for increased juniper consumption is of great interest for regenerative rangeland management. In this context, the primary objectives of this study were to: 1) estimate variance components and genetic parameters for predicted juniper consumption in divergently selected Angora (ANG) and composite Boer …

Willingness-To-Pay For Rationed Goods: Bobcat Harvest Permits In Indiana, Nicholas A. Lancaster, Carson Reeling, John G. Lee, Richard T. Melstrom, Joe N. Caudell, Geriann Albers

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

We use contingent valuation to estimate hunter and trapper willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical bobcat harvest permit being considered in Indiana. Harvest permits would be rationed, with limits on aggregate and individual harvests. A model of permit demand shows that WTP may be subject to “congestion effects” which attenuate welfare gains from relaxing harvest limits. Intuitively, relaxing limits may directly change an individual’s expected harvest and, hence, WTP. Participation may subsequently change, with congestion offsetting welfare increases. These effects may lead to apparent scope insensitivity that may be endemic in the context of rationed goods.

Generalization And Discrimination Of Inhibitory Avoidance Differentially Engage Anterior And Posterior Retrosplenial Subregions, Erisa Met Hoxha, Payton K. Robinson, Kaitlyn M. Greer, Sydney Trask

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Introduction: In a variety of behavioral procedures animals will show selective fear responding in shock-associated contexts, but not in other contexts. However, several factors can lead to generalized fear behavior, where responding is no longer constrained to the conditioning context and will transfer to novel contexts.

Methods: Here, we assessed memory generalization using an inhibitory avoidance paradigm to determine if generalized avoidance behavior engages the retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Male and female Long Evans rats received inhibitory avoidance training prior to testing in the same context or a shifted context in two distinct rooms; one room that had fluorescent lighting (Light) …

Tomato Seedling Performance In Commercial Organic Growing Media, Elizabeth Maynard, Wenjing Guan, Petrus Langenhoven, Lori A. Hoagland

Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Faculty Publications

Healthy transplants are critical to productivity in the field. For certified organic production in the United States, seedlings must be grown in media that meet the standards of the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Many commercial organic media options are available, they vary substantially in composition, and it is unknown to what extent this influences seedling performance. This project compared tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedling emergence and growth in seven commercially available media for organic production and evaluated posttransplant performance. Tomato seedlings were grown in greenhouses at Wanatah, West Lafayette, and Vincennes, IN, USA. Chemical characteristics of …

High Tunnel Broccoli Cultivar Evaluations, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Broccoli is a potentially profitable crop for high tunnel production. Updated information on yield and quality of new cultivars is important for producers making planting decisions. This evaluation of 11 cultivars was conducted within a high tunnel in Fall 2023.

Front Matter

The Writing Center Journal

Front matter and editors' introduction to The Writing Center Journal 41:3 (2023).

How Genre-Trained Tutors Affect Student Writing And Perceptions Of The Writing Center, Lucy Bryan Malenke, Laura K. Miller, Paul E. Mabrey Iii, Jared Featherstone

The Writing Center Journal

Writing center scholars have long debated whether writers are best served by “generalist” tutors trained in writing center pedagogy or “specialist” tutors with insider knowledge about a course’s content or discipline-specific discourse conventions. A potential compromise that has emerged is training tutors in the purposes and features of specific genres. The writing center literature showcases many different approaches to genre training. However, little empirical research, if any, has explored how tutors’ genre knowledge affects session outcomes. The present study used a mixed-methods approach to compare session outcomes for students who worked with generalist and genre-trained tutors. We analyzed pre-consultation and …

Nuclear Phosphoproteome Reveals Prolyl Isomerase Pin1 As A Modulator Of Oncogene-Induced Senescence, Rodrigo Mohallem, Uma K. Aryal

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Mammalian cells possess intrinsic mechanisms to prevent tumorigenesis upon deleterious mutations, including oncogene-induced senescence (OIS). The molecular mechanisms underlying OIS are, however, complex and remain to be fully characterized. In this study, we analyzed the changes in the nuclear proteome and phosphoproteome of human lung fibroblast IMR90 cells during the progression of OIS induced by oncogenic RASG12V activation. We found that most of the differentially regulated phosphosites during OIS contained prolyl isomerase PIN1 target motifs, suggesting PIN1 is a key regulator of several promyelocytic leukemia nuclear body proteins, specifically regulating several proteins upon oncogenic Ras activation. We showed that PIN1 …

Asynchronous And Rhetorical: Appointment Forms And Their Effect On Writer-Consultant Exchanges, Lizzie Hutton, Kate Francis, Danielle Hart, Anita Long, Brenda Tyrrell

The Writing Center Journal

Especially in the wake of the recent pandemic, asynchronous consulting has become increasingly central to writing center work. Yet writing center scholarship has little attended to the significant impact writer input can have on asynchronous writer-consultant exchanges. Drawing on asynchronous consultation data collected before and after our 2019 redesign of our writing center’s asynchronous system, this comparative study examines the specific effect of the writer appointment form on the nature of both writers’ requests for feedback (RFFs) and consultants’ resulting comments. Our findings suggest that differently designed appointments forms can scaffold significantly different kinds of asynchronous writer-consultant exchanges, especially visible …

The Idea Of A Writing Center In Brazil: A Different Beat, Ron Martinez

The Writing Center Journal

This article explores the emergence and development of writing centers in Brazil, using the author’s experience founding the Centro de Assessoria de Publicação Acadêmica (CAPA) at the Universidade Federal do Paraná as a case study. The author provides some historical context about Brazilian education and its traditional “banking model” of education (Paulo Freire) that did not value individual expression—including through writing. This model persisted even as composition studies evolved elsewhere. Academic literacy development in Brazil is thus a relatively recent phenomenon, and the effects of that paucity are felt among scholars in higher education settings. This motivated the author’s research …