Journal of Jazz Studies (JJS)
Not a member yet
176 research outputs found
Sort by
Book Review: The Sonic Gaze: Jazz, Whiteness, and Racialized Listening. By T. Storm Heter. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2022. 193pp. $34.00.
No full text“Hard” or “Soft”: Shaping Microtiming through Sonic Features in Jazz-Related Groove Performance
No full textRecent research has shown that the shape, timbre, and intensity of a sound influence the perception of its timing at the micro level of rhythm. In this case study of contemporary Norwegian jazz, we investigate to what extent jazz musicians intentionally use sonic features to shape the micro level of rhythm in their performances. First, we provide an overview of existing research into microrhythm in jazz and auditory perception studies. Then we present results from interviews with five expert jazz musicians about how playing techniques and sound qualities of specific instruments are utilized to influence the perception of timing. We also analyze two selected performances by the musicians to explore the effects of interaction between sonic features and timing in a musical context. The article concludes by discussing the results in the context of findings from empirical research into microlevel auditory perception regarding the perceptual center of sounds (P-center) and auditory stream segregation. The study demonstrates the need to move related research beyond the temporal domain, and to cultivate a more holistic approach to what constitutes groove in jazz and related genres.
Keywords: timing, microrhythm, intensity, timbre, sound shape, P-center, stream segregatio
Observing Winter Carbonate Chemistry Dynamics Throughout the Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelf Using Novel Glider Technology
No full textIncreased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) has led to global climate change and ocean acidification (OA) via the absorption of atmospheric CO2 by the ocean. Coastal shelves are also affected by various processes that influence the acidity of seawater, causing acidity to vary over time and space. These variations in ocean acidity can negatively impact marine species, especially calcifying organisms such as surfclams and sea scallops. In the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB), a subsection of the U.S. Northeast Shelf (NES), this variation in acidity generates ecological and economic concerns as the MAB is home to some of the nation’s most productive and profitable estuaries and fisheries. In this study, Rutgers University (southern MAB) and Stony Brook University (northern MAB, Hudson Canyon) deployed two gliders equipped with sensors measur-ing depth, temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll to monitor winter 2021 carbonate chemistry conditions on the shelf as well as in slope waters of the MAB. For both deployments, measured pH and calculated aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) showed opposing patterns, with high pH and low Ωarag in shelf/nearshore and low pH and high Ωarag in slope waters. These trends were attributed to different driving factors whereas pH was more influenced by biological processes (i.e. photo-synthesis) and Ωarag was influenced mostly by thermodynamics and chemical factors (i.e. temperature, total alkalinity). The results of this study underscore the importance of monitoring coastal acidity to understand potential impacts on important species
In Silico Studies of Compounds Present in Azadirachta Indica (Neem) and Their Ability to Bind Hiv Integrase Protein
No full textAzadirachta indica (Neem) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Meliaceae family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows worldwide. It is also known as the "village pharmacy" in India for its wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological properties. An in vitro study indicated that A. indica showed anti-HIV properties. However, the exact mechanism for the supposed anti-HIV properties remains unknown. This study aimed to construct an in-silico database of the compounds present in A. in-dica and propose a computational analysis of these compounds against HIV integrase. We performed a thorough literature search to gather relevant information on the plant compounds, including chemical structure, location within the plant, extraction method, and percent yield of each compound found in the plant. We took a comprehensive ap-proach to closely study the binding pockets of HIV integrase and performed molecular docking on A. indica compounds using Molecular Operating Envi-ronment. A deductive analysis of the docking energies of these compounds revealed thirty potential binders against HIV integrase proteins. We further validated these binders by comparing the ligand in-teractions to known inhibitors using Ligplot+, which identified the presence of numerous hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions at the protein binding pocket. In conclusion, we propose an un-derlying binding potential for several A. indica compounds with HIV integrase, yielding a potential mechanism for the anti-HIV activity of A. indica
Privacy Paradox or Privacy Apathy? Exploring the Relationship between Social Media Usage and Public Opinion on Government Usage of Data Collection Programs
No full textThe prominence of social media as a mechanism for global communication has raised questions regarding its integrity and security of personal information identifiers such as name, address, and location history. The rise of government surveillance programs, such as those Edward Snowden exposed in 2013, are a case study in mass collection of identifying personal information without the consent of the American public. This paper looks to determine if there is a causal relationship between social media usage and negative opinions regarding mass personal identifying information government collection programs within the United States. Using data compiled by the Pew Research Center, I found that there was no statistically significant relationship at all. This has powerful policy implications such as the normalization of the surveillance state. Further research is needed to address concerns regarding the broad variables used as part of this paper
Making A Dent in the Obesity Equation via Coupling Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes with Fruit and Vegetable Subsidies
No full textObesity rates continue to rise in children and adults alike in the United States and represent a significant threat to public health and economic well-being. Many factors have contributed to the obesity equation, including the widespread availability and appeal of ultra-processed food and drink. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) represent one such drink, as a critical examination of the available evidence reveals a clear link between their consumption and increased risks of obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Taxing SSB purchases therefore presents a potentially valuable means of making a dent in the contribution of one key risk factor to the obesity equation, though the beverage industry has fought against the enactment of these taxes and has instead promoted a generally unclear public health stance on SSBs. This paper explores existing SSB excise taxes that have been implemented in recent years, focusing especially on Philadelphia’s tax as a case study for examining the behavioral changes associated with SSB taxes and the management of SSB tax revenue. It then suggests that SSB tax revenue be directly funneled into the subsidization of fruits and vegetables to maximize the obesity-fighting potential of these relatively novel excise taxes
Is It All in Our Heads? An Investigation into American and Historical Legacies of Racism and Social Frameworks that Perpetuate Racial Inequalities in Twenty-First Century Healthcare Systems
No full textRacial bias in the healthcare system, originating from the eminent founders of science and medicine, has numerous adverse effects on black populations and continues to have harmful consequences today (Byrd and Clayton, 2001). From poor clinical decision-making to preventing people of color from entering prominent fields in medicine, racism is ubiquitous in medicine and healthcare (Byrd and Clayton, 2001). The impact of racial bias on patient care is of great interest with many studies illustrating the detrimental impacts of bias on minority groups, specifically in black communities. However, there is additional research that concludes racial bias does not play a role in patient care or in medicine (Dehon et al., 2017). The lack of acknowledgment within academia concerning racial disparities in healthcare and science further oppresses black voices. With my research, I investigate the extent to which various biased social frameworks in healthcare, medicine, and science negatively impact black individuals. I also address major historical events during the creation of the modern-day healthcare system and how these events perpetuate racism today. Focusing on the twenty-first century, I demonstrate that systemic historical and social events during this period eternalize racism in the modern-day American healthcare system
Exploring Epithelial Communication to the Mesenchyme and Its Impact on the Expression of Genes Related to Tumorigenesis
No full textHomeostasis of the epithelium is depend-ent on the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, which regulates the proliferation of intestinal stem cells. The gain of function mutations in the beta-catenin gene leads to rapid cell proliferation and malignant growth in the epithelium. In addition, the maintenance of these stem cells appears to be linked to mesenchymal-derived factors. Although the communication between epithelial and mesenchyme cell populations remains uncharacterized, understanding this mechanism will help us further understand the various pathways involved in tumor initiation processes. Our results show that the communi-cation between the mesenchyme and epithelium during transformation is influenced by varying levels of protein-expressing genes including Wnt2b, Grem1, and Bmp6
Book Review: The Inconvenient Lonnie Johnson: Blues, Race, Identity. By Julia Simon. University Park: PA., Pennsylvania University Press, 2022. 236pp. $109.95.
No full textIn the newest biography of Lonnie Johnson, Julia Simon considers the bluesman as entrepreneur and musical mediator from the perspective of the era and space in which Johnson was raised and worked. 
All-Star Television: Charles Mingus, Cecil Taylor, Ralph Ellison, Martin Williams
No full textRecorded in 1965 at the Village Gate, but rarely seen until recently, the National Educational Television program Jazz: The Experimenters features music from Charles Mingus and Cecil Taylor. This article explores and contextualizes both the extraordinary performances and critical commentary contained in this program, as provided by Ralph Ellison and Martin Williams. Since being uploaded to YouTube for the Mingus centennial on April 22, 2022, Jazz: The Experimenters has been viewed over 140,000 times, a remarkable number for an old arty black and white TV show, and quite possibly far more than the number of people who watched when first broadcast. It isn’t surprising that the program has struck a chord with contemporary audiences, for the sounds are still fresh and the debates remain unresolved