15133 research outputs found
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Involvement of the mPFC in Narcissism and Celebrity: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study
Full text linkNarcissism is typically characterized by extreme self-focus, lack of empathy for others, and emotional regulation deficits. Grandiose narcissism has been linked to an increased desire for fame, while vulnerable narcissism has been linked to an increase in celebrity worship. While there is a lack of research concerning the neural correlates of desire for fame and celebrity worship, narcissism has been correlated with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in various studies. The current study aimed to identify relationships between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, fame appeal, celebrity attitudes, need to belong, and self-esteem using six scales. We also targeted the mPFC with excitatory (10 Hz) and inhibitory (1 Hz) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in a healthy control cohort to determine if the mPFC is a possible neural correlate of these phenomena. We found no statistical significance in the difference in responses to the six scales based on TMS condition, and we also found no significant correlations between scales. Therefore, these results suggest that the mPFC may not play a role in narcissism, desire for fame, or celebrity worship suggesting that other brain regions may be responsible for modification of these phenomena
Dianuzzo, Nicholas Interview 17 April 2025
Full text linkIn this interview Professor Nicholas Dianuzzo describes his recovery from drug dependency, his undergraduate study of philosophy and his experience in the Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School Philosophy at Montclair State College. At the time, he was counseling drug-dependent teenagers and was the first person to use philosophy to do so--an approach he developed in consultation with Colin Clayton, whom he met at the IAPC Summer Course at Mendham, New Jersey, and who became one of the first practitioners of philosophical counseling in the UK. In October 1992 Dianuzzo and Clayton presented their work at the 5th International Conference on Philosophy for Children at the University of Graz. In 1996 Dianuzzo and Matthew Lipman were interviewed about this approach on the public television program Ethics in the 90s (see that episode here).https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/iapc_oral_histories/1005/thumbnail.jp
Dead Bird 1
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/iapc_picturebook_gallery/1041/thumbnail.jp
Social Hierarchy in Willa Cather\u27s Prairie Trilogy
No full textThis thesis analyzes Willa Cather’s “Prairie Trilogy,” which includes O Pioneers! (1913), Song of the Lark (1915), and My Ántonia (1918), all successful books for Cather, to show how she depicts different immigrant groups. This thesis uses four different lenses to demonstrate how Cather prioritizes some immigrant groups over others, most notably Scandinavians. The first lens is how immigrants use the English language. The second is the depiction of immigrant hygiene practices. The third is a eugenicist lens. The fourth is a values-based lens, with the values belonging to the Anglo-Saxons already present in the country before the various waves of migration. This topic is important because it is a literary representation of one of the debates of the era. These novels shed light on the lives of immigrants around the turn of the twentieth century
Optimizing Urban Energy Landscapes: Integrating Micro Polygeneration Systems with Geographic Information Systems & Artificial Intelligence
No full textReliable, affordable energy is vital to America’s economic prosperity and national security, many urban centers operate aging infrastructure that strains both budgets and the environment. This thesis turns a longstanding challenge into a strategic opportunity: repurposing under-utilized brownfield properties into decentralized clean-energy hubs that strengthen local grids, lower consumer costs, and create skilled jobs. The research develops a resilience-oriented framework that couples renewable resources with Modular Combined Cooling, Heating & Power (CCHP), compact systems capable of delivering electricity, heating, and cooling from a single fuel source. Focusing on Northern New Jersey as a high-demand testbed representative of dense U.S. metro areas. The analysis evaluates 442,955 candidate ModIV property parcels using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to rank land suitability, interconnection potential, and redevelopment readiness. Artificial-intelligence techniques simulate and refine energy output, and operating efficiency using multi-year performance data from an active 5 MW trigeneration facility. The optimized plant configurations can then be modeled in MATLAB to forecast outputs, simulate systems, and provide economic analysis. Key feasibility metrics—capital vs operational projects (Capex vs OpEx), return on investment, total cost of ownership, and net-present-value payback—can be calculated within MATLAB, which would enable rapid scenario testing that includes remediation expenses, maintenance schedules, and adaptive dispatch strategies. The results show that redeveloping brownfields as distributed energy assets can (1) cut site-level greenhouse-gas emissions, (2) provide lifecycle energy savings versus conventional supply, and (3) deliver positive cash flow depending on fuel mix and renewable-credit structures. By integrating GIS-based siting analytics with high-fidelity MATLAB simulations, this thesis offers a replicable blueprint for modernizing critical infrastructure across U.S. cities. The workflow empowers planners, investors, and policymakers to unlock dormant real estate, enhance grid resilience, and advance domestic clean-energy leadership—benefiting households and businesses nationwide
I\u27ll Tell You a Family Secret : Daisy Buchanan Passing as White in The Great Gatsby
No full textDaisy Fay Buchanan has been a heroine of American literature for one-hundred years now, but the scholarship surrounding her character has been limited to a fixed idea of her that many scholars refuse to stray away from. Though the racial dynamics of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby have been analyzed at length, they have rarely been done so in a thorough manner regarding Daisy Buchanan. In this study, I explore this gap by engaging in a close-reading of the text with the approach that Daisy is a white-passing mixed-race woman. I build upon studies by scholars like Carlyle Van Thompson who originally opened the possibility of white-passing characters in The Great Gatsby, but I remain focused on Daisy as the white-passing individual within the novel. Through my close-reading and analysis of historical context, I intend to reawaken the conversations on The Great Gatsby and open minds to the possibility that Daisy Buchanan is not at all who we’ve been taught she is
Is mycoremediation effective on a residential level?
No full textFor my project I wanted to test the effectiveness of mycoremediation at a residential level. To give some background information, mycoremediation is when fungi is used to remediate contaminants in soil or water by absorbing and dissolving it. I recognize that a common issue in the household is that we carry many contaminating products for our daily use, and sometimes it’s difficult to dispose of these products without harming the environment. Therefore, for this experiment I wanted to cultivate fungi and see if it can absorb the contaminants from a small pot of soil, because I’ve only ever heard of this process being used on a large scale, over large contaminated land areas or oil spills. To test this I soaked one pot of soil with liquid copper and one with regular water and then I placed growing fungi over them. After a week of the fungi being placed in the soil pots, we can test for contaminants in the soil, if the soil comes up with contaminants then it proves that the absorption was not successful, if the soil comes up with no contaminants then it proves the mycoremediation was effective. At the end of this experiment I would like to know if people could have an effective form of waste disposal in their home
Prevalence of mental health symptoms among adolescent male student-athletes
No full textBackground: Anxiety, depression, and disordered eating remain as the leading mental health conditions among adolescent male students. Despite participation in sport, however, there is reason to believe adolescent male student-athletes are not immune to these same conditions. There is currently a significant lack of evidence on the prevalence rates of these mental health symptoms among adolescent male student-athletes. An improved understanding of theseprevalence rates can help sports medicine healthcare providers of adolescent male student-athletes develop more targeted mental health interventions to improve patient outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study of 57 adolescent male student-athletes was conducted at a private, all-male Catholic high school in Northern New Jersey during March 2025. All student-athletes were provided with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), and the SCOFF questionnaires to assess for symptom of anxiety, depression, and disordered eating, respectively. All questionnaires were delivered via the smartphone application of an online platform called PROmotion Health and around the start of the Spring sports season. Results: All data has been collected at this point. Data analysis will be conducted within the next two weeks. Descriptive statistics for all mental health symptoms will be reported. Correlations will also be explored between the mental symptoms to look for possible existing relationships
Balance training compared to strength training in recurrence of ankle sprains and return to function
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether balance training or strength training is most effective in preventing the recurrence of ankle sprain and return to function. Background: Ankle sprains are the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries in sports. This injury affects the Anterior Talofibular and Calcaneofibular ligaments, leading to weakness and instability, impairing proprioception. Balance training and strength training are common interventions used to assist in both return to function after ankle sprains and in the prevention of ankle sprain recurrence following injury. While there is substantial research on the efficacy of these rehabilitation exercises in conjunction, there is limited research on which technique may be most effective when used independently, with clinical recommendations varying. Methods: This critically appraised topic involved a systematic review of the literature, assessing studies found through a computerized search using PubMed database. Keywords searched included ankle sprain recurrence or ankle sprain return to function and balance, proprioception, postural sway, and strength training. Search criteria included full text, English, peer-reviewed, and within 5 years publication date. Results: Results showed efficacy in both techniques when utilized to treat ankle instability and weakness. Balance training allowed patients to improve both proprioception and strength, whereas strength training attributed to only strength improvement. Conclusion: The benefits of balance training were significantly greater than those of strength training when used independently for the desired outcomes. Future research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of interventions and their potential to prevent injury recurrence
How and why international law has been limited in Palestine
No full textIn July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an Advisory Opinion finding that Israel\u27s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) violates international law. In December 2024, the United Nations addressed Israel’s occupation of the oPt, highlighting crimes against humanity and war crimes. These are some actions taken by the international community in response to Israel’s occupation of the oPt. Why, despite such findings, has Israel been able to violate international law with impunity? What can be done to address Israel’s violation of international law in its occupation of the oPt? What can be done to repair damage to the international legal system resulting from countries rejecting to act on the findings by international bodies? This is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary research. I used qualitative research methodology (textual analysis) to analyze relevant sources from the disciplines of law and racial studies to identify conflicting insights. I then found common ground between those insights, and by integrating them, I arrived at a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. That enables me to suggest solutions to the problem. My research is not yet complete. However, I conclude that in order to strengthen international law and bring justice to the Palestinian people, efforts must be made to compel countries to support determinations of the ICJ and other international bodies regarding Israel’s conduct in the oPt. Efforts must also be made to address anti-Palestinian racism which contributes to the failure of some nations to support compelling Israel to follow international law