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Sociocultural Impact of AIDS Understanding on Prevention Education and Treatment Accessibility
Get PDFThe first fifteen years of the AIDS Crisis (1981-1996) were characterized by an immense need by those impacted both for legitimization of diagnoses and access to treatments which targeted both the HIV virus itself and resulting opportunistic infections (OIs). However, early epidemiological trends and the social perception that AIDS was a disease of white gay men resulted in much of the initial focus to center this population and their experience of the disease. This contributed to an incomplete understanding of the natural history of the virus, a failure to identify OIs more common in women and IV drug users (IVDUs), and barriers to vital services. In addition, most clinical trials, which were the only legal avenue to experimental treatments before 1989, excluded or limited the participation of diverse populations. Among those who did have access to clinical trials, as well as many others whose lives were directly affected by the epidemic, the cycles of hope (as treatments emerged) and despair (as their ineffectiveness and toxicities were revealed) was mentally and physically taxing, and in many cases fatal due to the limits of the therapy. The current investigation involves archival materials related to Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) available in the NYPL Special Collections and other historical archives. In addition, oral history interviews with GMHC staff and volunteers were analyzed from the archives or conducted as part of this project. Together these materials help shed light on the difficulties surrounding education, diagnosis and treatment access by differing demographics of people with AIDS (PWAs).https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1035/thumbnail.jp
How Jewish Students at Binghamton University Mediate Discrepancies between Judaism and Capitalism
Get PDFCapitalism, as ideology, exists subconsciously within individuals and influences an individual’s perspective on the world. Although capitalism thrives on exploitation—its fundamental logic, as Marxist analysis shows—it is noticeable that there is no dominant revolution against it, even by those whose core religious beliefs—they believe—motivate their lives. To investigate the paradox of how individuals connected to their religion rationalize their existence among potentially conflicting personal core religious truths and core truths of systemic capitalism, this presentation examines Jewish students at Binghamton University. For the research method, interviews of Jewish students at Binghamton University who affiliate themselves with the Hillel organization on campus and are familiar to the author of this research were performed. Within each interview lay 3 steps. First, expose the subject to the core truths of capitalism, as expressed by Marx and Marxist thinkers. Second, have the subject explain their core truths of Judaism. Third, discuss with the subject how they manage the disparities (if they find any) between the two sets of ideas. Through the interviews from the 5 participants, one can see that these Jewish students recognize the contradictions between the core truths of Judaism and capitalism. It can also be surmised that for Jewish students at Binghamton University, their religion proves to counterbalance capitalism’s abuses in society, and most participants demonstrated that their core Jewish values, especially pertaining to ideas such as tzedakah, or the giving of charity, incentivize them to work to lessen—not eliminate—the injustices they see.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1041/thumbnail.jp
Capitalism and the Historical Psychology of Greed
Get PDFOftentimes, greed and capitalism are viewed to coexist and connect interchangeably. Capitalism, in modern day America, has infiltrated the emotion of greed and turned it into an apparently a-historical “human nature”. Aligning with parables from the Bible, which act as foundational precepts of Judeo-Christian societies, greed, understood in general terms, has existed before capitalism, including specific stories of intense interaction between symbolic characters. Since then, societal changes were significant, and capitalism has emerged and established itself as apparently a-historical. National traits amongst society have shaped and been shaped by historical forms of the human psyche, while still upholding general values that have prevailed throughout time. Therefore, today, greed assumed a specific form under capitalism, and the people involved in the free market exacerbate this trait as the propensity for the infinite accumulation of abstract wealth. In dissecting psychology in the modern capitalist world, I will demonstrate through core psychological and societal truths, that greed has evolved over time and now operates in conjunction with capitalist ideology and forms of practice.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1049/thumbnail.jp
Exclusion of Overabundant White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Results in Shifts in Soil Microbial Communities and Abiotic Soil Condition in a Northeastern Deciduous Forest
Get PDFPast and current anthropogenic practices have resulted in dramatic alterations to ungulate population densities worldwide. When ungulate populations are overabundant, they can alter the dynamics, and function of ecosystems. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can occur at densities far greater than their historical records in parts of their native range, which includes forests in the northeastern U.S. They have been shown to alter native vegetative community structure, indirectly impact animal communities, and promote the success of invasive species. Despite much research into the effects of overabundant ungulates and deer in particular, less is known about the effects of deer on soil microbial communities. We utilized soil samples from inside and outside of six deer exclosures located in a regional second growth mixed hardwood forest on the Binghamton University campus in Vestal NY, U.S.A. A metagenomic analysis was conducted on DNA extracted from the soil to identify the microbes present. Soil characteristics including soil organic matter, soil moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity were also measured. Soil samples from inside exclosures had on average lower pH, higher soil moisture and organic matter, and higher electrical conductivity. The microbial communities across all samples were dominated by Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria. However, the structure of the microbial community appeared to differ between inside and outside samples, with outside soil more closely resembling other outside samples and inside soils showing more variability in community structure. Our results suggest that overabundant deer may have an homogenization effect on the soil abiotic environment and the soil microbial community.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1065/thumbnail.jp
Cleaning Chemicals from the Environment Utilizing Mycoremediation: The Capacity of Three Fungi Species to Intercept Perfluorooctanoic Acid
Get PDFAnthropogenic contamination of water, soil, and air has been increasingly documented over the past few decades. One chemical of particular concern is Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), which is found in fluoropolymers present in non-stick pan coatings and stain resistant fabrics in clothing and rugs. It can also be generated from the degradation of larger perfluorinated compounds, such as Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). It is pervasive in the environment, and resists degradation which has led to its presence in low levels within human blood worldwide. Numerous human health risks have been noted from PFOA contamination and exposure, including hypertension, thyroid disorders, cancers, and more. Prior research has determined chemical means to break the larger PFAS precursor down to PFOA. However, to date no research has identified biological means for removal or degradation of PFOA from the environment. Fungi are well known for their capacity to intercept or even degrade toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, textile dyes, heavy metals, and crude oil. Given these qualities, we tested the ability of three species of fungi (Stropharia rugosoannulata, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Agaricus campestris) to intercept environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOA from contaminated solution over 24 hours. We found both S. rugosoannulata and P. ostreatus removed significantly higher amounts of PFOA (1ppm) from contaminated solution relative to controls over 24 hours. This research suggests a future possibility of utilizing fungi as a low-impact and cost-effective capturing system to mitigate widespread PFOA contamination.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1103/thumbnail.jp
Anxious Emotions Lead to Anxious Solutions? Examining the Relationships Between Emotions, Alcohol Consumption, and Consent
Get PDFCollege students report several motives for alcohol consumption when engaging in hookups including: social enhancement, conformity, and coping with unwanted anxious emotions (Lobby et al., 2019). Research is currently mixed about how alcohol impacts sexual consent, and how emotions may drive these factors (Lobby et al., 2019; Marcantonio and Jozkowski, 2021). Socially-oriented anxious emotions, such as nervousness and insecurity, decrease when drinking alcohol in a social setting, and some college students report that alcohol consumption may be habitual prior to attending social events in order to relieve anxiety, a practice known as “pre-gaming” (Blumenthal et al., 2010). Additionally, alcohol consumption may be interpreted as a cue for consent by a prospective sexual partner, leading to decreased verbal consent (Blumenthal et al., 2010). Whether or not socially-oriented anxious emotions are a moderator for alcohol consumption\u27s role in navigating consent in a hookup, or what role these emotions play in relation to alcohol consumption and sexual consent, are not well understood. The current study aims to examine the relationships between anxious emotions, level of alcohol consumption, and the ability to consent. Two surveys were released to a mid-sized northeastern university in 2020 and 2021. Participants (N = 453) completed online questionnaires using Qualtrics software. Researchers analyzed five questions from the survey related to anxious emotions, motivations for and levels of alcohol consumption, and perceptions of consent. Researchers analyzed the data using SPSS software, testing the relationships between alcohol consumption, consent, and anxious emotions. Results have implications for university sexual assault prevention and policy.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1108/thumbnail.jp
Comparison Between Thermal and Hyper-spectral Image Analysis: White-tailed Deer Population Monitoring in the Binghamton University Nature Preserve
Get PDFThe rapid overpopulation of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has severely harmed the Northeast region of the United States. Affected regions have seen increased environmental degradation due to overbrowsing, increased instances of deer-vehicle collisions, and an uptick in Lyme Disease contraction. The overpopulation of White-Tailed Deer (WTD) is mainly due to anthropogenic causes such as the overhunting and over regulation of the primary predators of WTD. Therefore, fully understanding the severity of the WTD overpopulation is crucial in combating the issue and making informed management decisions. The scope of our study focuses on determining the most effective image types and image processing techniques in regards to analyzing census data on mammalian wildlife populations. We will be conducting a UAV-based drone survey of WTD in the Binghamton University Nature Preserve collecting both thermal and hyperspectral data. We will then recruit approximately 100-150 untrained college students, split them into two groups, and have each group review a different drone flight. Each student will individually estimate the amount of deer in the data set they were provided. By placing the student estimates on a bell curve for each flight, we will be able to identify which image type is most effective for counting deer with an eye untrained in image analysis. The results of this experiment will allow us to create a novel methodology that will help us, as well as other scientists, utilize drone-based surveys to more accurately gather census data on WTD.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1112/thumbnail.jp
How the Consumption of Biased Western News Media Creates Susceptibility to Disinformation
Get PDFScholarly studies of political communication and news media bias demonstrate a clear pattern of manipulated information in the news through bigoted narratives in order to cultivate particular perspectives in their audiences; this paper argues that this consistent framing of information has unintentionally created an information environment that makes its consumers more vulnerable to disinformation narratives. In order to demonstrate these dangerous framings, this study will examine the disinformation spread by the Trump campaign about voter fraud during the 2020 US presidential election and Fox News’ related segments. Fox News’ segments can be examined through news media bias frameworks that help to identify their manipulation of events that coincide with the disinformation spread by the Trump campaign and connect directly to the sentiments that incited the Capitol riot. Using these findings in tandem with the current trials surrounding the insurrection in the Capitol underscores the real-life consequences of news media bias in relation to disinformation. Understanding this direct relationship between traditional news media and disinformation narratives is essential to having a greater understanding of disinformation’s spread and how to combat it.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1122/thumbnail.jp
How Critical Race Theory Disinformation Operationalizes Naivete of Public School Children: A Contemporary and Historical Analysis
Get PDFDisinformation upholds racial power structures by promulgating alternative truths to naïve populations. Historically, autocratic regimes have used education to bend students to the state’s will through classroom curricula and textbooks. In the US, Critical Race Theory has been introduced to combat the philosophy of idealizing the state, leading students to question the power structures that led to slavery, segregation, and contemporary inequity. However, there are emerging counter-narratives to CRT which promote a view of the classroom as a place to memorize state-approved content rather than question assumed truths. Through a case study reviewing southern textbooks in the 20th century designed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and modern anti-CRT disinformation campaigns, I analyze three modes in which disinformation operationalizes the naivete of children in the public education system. These modes are textbooks, classroom curricula, and political disinformation campaigns. By illustrating the contemporary modes in which a state or its supporters attempt to use public education to produce naïve students, and provide historical context, this research identifies a pattern of disinformation as a strategy to preserve an ideal vision of the American state. If nothing is done to break this trend, naïve populations of students will be molded into supporting status-quo racist institutions based upon their core education and will likely be ripe for racist digital disinformation campaigns as adults.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1131/thumbnail.jp
Torus Knot (2,3) Sycamore wood, Figure 1
No full textA (2,3) torus knots, trefoil knot carved on a torus, from a 2 x4 x4 block of Sycamore wood. It is 3.5 in diameter, 1.75 deep.https://orb.binghamton.edu/mathematical_sculptures/1648/thumbnail.jp