Two-Dimensional High-Resolution Mapping and Modeling of Light Pollution in Urban Environments

Discussions surrounding pollution usually revolve around environmental contamination of non-renewable natural resources. While we are familiar with excess greenhouse gases, heavy metals, or plastics, excess amounts of light are not often thought of as a pollutant. The significant expansion in the quality and variety of lighting technology combined with increased affordability of outdoor lighting has allowed for proliferation in its use, especially in urban areas. Greater amounts of people and wildlife will be impacted by photopollution and its negative physical and mental health effects. Currently, photopollution is primarily determined from low resolution satellite images and research is limited by the lack of a low cost, scalable, high resolution techniques to measure the implications that photopollution has on urban microenvironments. Novel techniques are needed to bridge the gap in our understanding of the role that photopollution plays in microenvironments and microhabitats and improve our knowledge of nocturnal ecology in urban areas like Chicago. Drone images will be captured with a camera from a height of 350 feet above the NEIU campus following the FAA regulations for recreational drone use in Chicago. Light level data collected for each photograph will be converted into a raster plot and transformed to grayscale for analysis. All analyses will be performed using R Statistical Software (v4.1.2; R Core Team 2021). Briefly, two-dimensional models of urban space at night will be created by first compiling the lux levels measured during image acquisition and associating them with the corresponding pixel value of the grayscale raster image. Various regression models will be applied to the data and evaluated using the coefficient of determination. The best model configuration will be chosen and used to predict the remaining unknown pixels in the raster. To provide such a technique we plan to study the impact of photopollution by: Utilizing high resolution photographs from low-altitude drone flights to collect photopollution data in multiple areas of Chicago. Developing high resolution models of photopollution microenvironments in Chicago using R statistical Software

Blood Brain Barriers (BBB): Its Role & How It Works

BBB is a multicellular semi-permeable membrane that prevents toxic and harmful substances from entering the Central Nervous System. The presence of BBB avoids the brain from damage by keeping a stable environment. The BBB also plays multiple roles in maintaining homeostasis, facilitating transport of the essential molecules, and regulating inflammation. In this session we will demonstrate the significance of BBB, which substances pass through it and which can’t

Do Your Own Research

This project is a primer on science literacy, focused on highlighting why it’s important to hone this skill and empowering the audience to start practicing it in their own life

A New Era of Me

Streetwear has become a significant force in the fashion industry, yet many brands provide expensive, subpar goods that don\u27t live up to consumer expectations. My goal with ANEM is to challenge this convention by providing fashionable, long-lasting apparel at a reasonable cost. In addition to offering a chance to produce something unique and meaningful, this project fills a need in the market for streetwear that strikes a balance between cost and quality. A unique font and logo will serve as the cornerstone of ANEM’s personality. Alongside this, I\u27m designing a line of apparel that reflects the brand\u27s basic principles of quality, style, and authenticity. Establishing ANEM\u27s online presence via a reputable website and social media accounts is a key goal of this project. These platforms will be used to announce product releases and updates, interact with the audience, and market the brand. The aim is to build a community around the brand that resonates with its message of high-quality, reasonably priced streetwear. To ensure craftsmanship, I am screen printing the graphic designs on each piece to create crisp, colorful prints and embroidery for the brand\u27s logo to guarantee a high-end and long-lasting finish. This mixture of production methods demonstrates ANEM\u27s dedication to fine craftsmanship while preserving a chic and contemporary look. The process of starting a clothing brand from the ground up, including the design, branding, and difficulties of creating an online presence, will be explained to the audience in this presentation. They will also discover that ANEM\u27s target market consists of young adults and teenagers who have a strong interest in premium fashion, streetwear, and urbanwear. With this project, I want to show how strategic branding, attention to detail, and a clear vision can help shape streetwear\u27s future and provide a novel alternative that strikes a balance between accessibility, quality, and style

Does majoring in business-related fields lead to the practice of personal financial management skills among college students?

Financial literacy has become a prominent topic in the United States in the past several years. After the 2008 financial crisis, the necessity to educate the masses about financial literacy, especially young adults who were the most affected, became evident. While levels of financial literacy are influenced by several variables, such as gender and social class, college education plays a significant role. Existing research shows that business students exhibit a higher level of financial literacy than members of the general public, largely due to the financial and accounting principles taught in the discipline. Financial literacy, however, is a combination of two attributes – knowledge and skills. Most studies have measured levels of financial literacy in terms of knowledge, while allocating minimal emphasis on the practice of skills. This study aims to examine if the higher levels of financial literacy exhibited by business students, which is largely knowledge focused, leads to the practical application of these skills in their personal financial lives. I aim to answer the question, “Do business students practice what they study in their personal lives?

Investigating the Effect of Comorbid Conditions on the Development of Alzheimer\u27s Disease in Caenorhabditis elegans

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that commonly affects elderly populations, leading to cognitive decline, memory impairment, rapid mood oscillations, and in severe cases, death. Previous literature has highlighted the impact of comorbidities on AD progression; however, there exists a gap regarding the dual impact of chronic stressors and comorbidities. This study aims to investigate how oxidative stress and diabetes influence AD development and progression through shared molecular pathways using the popular Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. We hypothesize that, under chronic oxidative stress and diabetes, neurodegeneration is accelerated by decreasing locomotor function and increasing Aβ1-42 peptide accumulation. Using different strains of C. elegans, including a strain with impaired insulin-like receptor signaling (diabetic-like strain), we set out to investigate the combined effect of a chronic oxidative stress and the comorbidity in the progression of AD markers. Each strain was chronically exposed to paraquat, a known inducer of oxidative stress, and assessed for neurodegenerative outcomes. Locomotor function was evaluated by measuring the mean speeds of C. elegans worms using the software WormLab, while biochemical analysis of Aβ1-42 levels was performed using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting

Effects of Food Insufficiency and Family Structure on Parental Aggravation and Child Outcomes

Food insufficiency is a detrimental crisis that impacts families facing financial hardships across the United States. Research finds that economic difficulties and child maladaptive development are negatively associated because parental stress is exacerbated by financial hardships affecting parental sensitivity to their children. The current study uses the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) data from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). It builds on these findings, investigating the relationship between food insufficiency and parental aggravation on child behavioral outcomes across different family structures in the COVID-19 post-pandemic economic era. The current study analyzes the relationship between food insufficiency and parental aggravation, examining how this relationship influences child behavior. Additional analyses uncover the direct and indirect effects of the relationship between food insufficiency and parental aggravation on child behavioral outcomes across different family structures. The results support the hypothesis that food insufficiency leads to increased parental aggravation, which correlates with greater child maladjustment outcomes; providing support for the need for intervention programs to mitigate the effects of food insufficiency

Effects of a rainfall event on water quality parameters in two local waterways

Rainfall can affect water quality parameters by diluting, mixing and transporting materials in local waterways, and these effects are expected to vary depending on the amount of recent precipitation. The objective of this study is to compare the differences in four water quality parameters before and after a rainfall event. We sampled at two sites, the North Shore Channel below O’Brien (Channel) and the Upper North Branch Chicago River (River). Water quality parameters of the Channel are strongly influenced by the O’Brien Wastewater Reclamation Plant (O’Brien), which discharges an average of 230 million gallons of wastewater per day. Water quality in the River is influenced by runoff from a large area with varied land use. We sampled on September 21st where there was no rain for a month, and September 23rd one day after a rainfall event. We sampled seven sites along the River and three along the Channel. We used a multiprobe to measure conductivity and nitrate and chloride concentrations, and colorimetry to measure phosphate concentrations of the samples. We compared values of the two waterways on the two dates using t-tests. Under low flow conditions, conductivity, nitrate, and chloride were all significantly higher in the River than the Channel, while phosphate was higher in the Channel. After rainfall, conductivity decreased in both the River and Channel; nitrate and chloride concentrations decreased in the River but were unchanged in the Channel; and phosphate decreased in the Channel but was unchanged in the River. Higher levels of conductivity, nitrate, and chloride in the River suggest that water quality was poorer in the River than in the Channel. However, the higher levels of phosphate in the Channel, that come from the discharged treated wastewater from O’Brien, are of concern, as they could lead to eutrophication. Phosphate, conductivity, nitrate, and chloride levels decreased, showing rainfall was a variable in water quality parameter measurements. This study highlights the importance of assessing water quality over time as a single sample may not be representative

Investigating Trump\u27s Discourse to Understand His Resonance with Audiences

This paper reviews the existing literature on the linguistic analysis of Donald Trump\u27s political speeches, focusing on key features like word choice, repetition, and language use, while demonstrating how these linguistic strategies help build rapport and reinforce his political identity. Trump\u27s language fosters a sense of familiarity and authenticity, contributing to his connection with supporters. However, much of the research on how Trump\u27s rhetoric resonates with his audience has been conducted by scholars outside the U.S., which limits its insights due to the lack of primary knowledge and the influence of cultural differences. Additionally, this body of research almost exclusively examines speeches written by speechwriters, often neglecting the significance of Trump\u27s impromptu rhetoric. These unscripted moments, marked by spontaneity and emotional engagement, are crucial to understanding why Trump\u27s language resonates so powerfully with his audience. While the existing literature offers valuable perspectives on his rhetorical techniques, a gap remains in the study of his impromptu speeches. This paper argues that focusing on these unscripted speeches could fill this gap and provide a more comprehensive understanding of how Trump\u27s rhetoric shapes political identity and engages listeners. Such an exploration could offer important insights into the role of language in contemporary American politics

Episode 1: Movies, Games, and Nerds

Philosophy major Marcial Cruz, Senior Library Specialist Jonathan Gronli, and Primary Education major Jacob Banta talk video games, movies and comic books