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Urban Land Use Efficiency in the United States: Assessing UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
No full textThis study evaluates urban land use efficiency across the contiguous United States from 2000 to 2020 using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 11.3.1, which measures the ratio of Land Consumption Rate (LCR) to Population Growth Rate (PGR). Leveraging NLCD Impervious Surface data and WorldPop population estimates, the study calculates the LCRPGR indicator for 2,229 urban areas and examines regional and temporal trends. Results indicate that urban land area increased by 23% over two decades, while population grew by 31%, suggesting a moderate trend toward densification. The median LCRPGR declined from 0.838 (2000–2010) to 0.627 (2010–2020), signaling improved land use efficiency, although significant regional disparities persist. K-means and K-medians clustering reveal spatial variations in urban growth patterns, with older cities and western urban areas exhibiting more compact development. Comparative analysis with international cases and literature suggests that U.S. cities are gradually transitioning from expansive to more sustainable growth models. This research highlights the utility of LCRPGR in diagnosing urban development efficiency and underscores the need for integrated spatial planning and policy interventions to achieve sustainable urbanization in developed contexts
From Peak to Plunge: A Multi-Database Analysis of State-Level Disparities in Hydromorphone Use in the US
Get PDFBackground: Hydromorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid agonist and a hydrogenated ketone of morphine. This study examined hydromorphone use in the United States (US) using three databases. Methods: The distribution of hydromorphone in the US (in grams) was provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automated Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) by state, zip code, and business type (pharmacies, hospitals, providers, etc.). Hydromorphone prescription claims were also examined using the Medicaid and Medicare Part D programs from 2010 to 2023. Results: Hydromorphone increased by +30.6% by 2013, followed by a decrease of −55.9% by 2023 in ARCOS. Medicaid prescriptions increased by +39.6% by 2015 and decreased by −48.9% by 2023. Medicare Part D claims increased by +8.5% by 2015 and decreased by −31.9% by 2023. There were also pronounced regional disparities in hydromorphone use identified in ARCOS (158.7-fold), Medicaid (17.5-fold), and Medicare Part D (13.7-fold). Conclusions: Hydromorphone use in the US has decreased substantially from 2010 to 2023. Additionally, these findings highlight considerable regional disparities, which may inform targeted opioid stewardship initiatives and guide policymakers to ensure safe and equitable opioid prescribing practices
“África es Nuestro Corazón, Nuestra Sangre”: Cuban Revolutionary Internationalism in Africa during the Inter-Conference Period, 1966-1979
No full textCuban foreign policy demonstrated continuity in Africa between the Tricontinental Conference of 1966 and the Sixth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1979. I look at Cuban involvement in African liberation movements of the mid-1960s to characterize the initial launch of Cuba’s yet-to-be fully developed Africa policy. Next, through the lens of the Ogaden War, I examine at the evolution of Cuban foreign policy in the late 1970s. By the time representatives from 82 countries came to Havana in January 1966, Cuba was heralded by the majority of non-aligned countries for their bravery and selflessness. By the late 1970s, significant opposition to Cuba existed within the movement, primarily characterized by accusations of operating as a Soviet proxy. I investigate this shift and demonstrate the continuity of Cuban foreign policy aims during the Inter-Conference Period. The Cuban socialist project has always portrayed itself as an international idea tied to Che Guevara’s internationalist vision. Were global Communism and the struggle for national liberation fully compatible? Was Cuba’s self-characterization a cover to advance its agenda or a genuine foundation for international relations that operated differently from Western countries or even the Soviet bloc? I argue the latter and contribute to the scholarship of voices such as Gleijeses, Christine Hatzky, and Richard L. Harris that have developed frameworks for understanding Cuban internationalism on the African continent. Additionally, I apply my research into the context of the NAM’s failures, as well as incorporating elements of Global South studies led by scholars like Samir Amin and Vijay Prashad
Womb to Waste: Climate Change’s Silent Attack on Reproductive Rights
Get PDFWomen experience disproportionate impact on the effects of climate change—they’ve proven more likely to die in a climate disaster, rely on the resources that the climate crisis devastates, and to experience gender-based violence. This study examines the reproductive health within gender-based violence, positing that women residing in economically disadvantaged countries, identifying with historically marginalized communities, and/or possessing harmful medical predispositions, experience more severe maternal and fetal health outcomes. By examining data and academic literature through biomedical and biological studies of sexual violence, birth rates, climate-related stressors, and harmful pollutants, this study concludes a strong connection between climate-related weather conditions and a depreciation in women’s reproductive justice. Through this, one can understand the effects of environmental degradation on access to reproductive resources, and gendered struggles in the climate crisis. Climate change can thereafter be understood as a consequential women’s health crisis, inspiring female-centered solutions to climate justice.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2025/1015/thumbnail.jp
The Effect of Sleep Routines on Infant MRI Acquisitions
Get PDFMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with infants is typically conducted during natural sleep, which poses challenges in ensuring they fall and stay asleep. Prior research has identified techniques to address this, however this study examines how MRI visit variables like MRI time and infant sleep habits relate to imaging outcomes. The sample included 44 infants aged 6-12 months (M = 7.9, SD = 2.2; 23 females; 10% Hispanic, 5% African American, 17% multiracial) from Binghamton, NY. Infants completed 1-3 MRI visits and were divided into successful or unsuccessful scan groups. Parents completed surveys on infants’ sleep routines before the MRI. Variables analyzed included sleep habits, environmental factors, and scan timing relative to bedtime/naptime. Data analysis will identify patterns between groups associated with successful scans, and use decision tree models to predict acquisition outcome. Findings will provide evidence-based guidelines for optimizing MRI acquisition protocols with infant participants, improving feasibility and data quality.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2025/1020/thumbnail.jp
Autocracies For the Working-Class
Get PDFThe results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election came as a shock to some but on par with world trends of backsliding democracy and the spread of competitive authoritarianism. When considering authoritarianism on a micro level–the way authoritarian tendencies manifest in everyday life–the paradoxical relationship between authoritarian rule and lower-class support becomes more prominent. The interdependent relationship between the two suggests a dangerous future for working-class Americans, where economic and nationalist policies come at the cost of a dismantled democracy. In 1970s Mexico, the PRI secured working-class loyalty by promising living improvements and promoting mobilization through state-sponsored organizations, suppressing any real political empowerment. In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Trump’s campaign utilized similar tactics as observed in 1970s Mexico. This research explores the methodology behind how autocratic regimes market themselves to the working class and contribute to the growing network of studies focusing on the democratic backsliding pandemic.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2025/1022/thumbnail.jp