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Impact Of The Western Diet On Mood
Get PDFRecent evidence points toward the effect of diet quality on mood. The purpose of this study was to contextualize the effects of individual dietary habits and their association with mental health. Specifically, we focused on the connection between Western dietary practices and symptoms of depression and anxiety. An anonymous online survey was administered through social media and in-person outreach. The survey included basic demographic questions and questions focused on dietary habits and typical states of emotion. Pearson’s Correlation Analysis was utilized using SPSS version 28.0. There is a positive correlation between the Western diet and depressive symptoms, such as feelings of worthlessness, restlessness, and hopelessness. The consumption of more whole foods and avoiding the Western diet assists in the support of a well-balanced mental health state.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1110/thumbnail.jp
The Link Between Financial Insecurity and Crime: Would a UBI Help?
Get PDFIn the United States, sky-high incarceration rates disproportionately impact marginalized low-income communities and particularly communities of color. Without a financial security net, people are more exposed to food insecurity, stress, school incompletion and other factors associated with crime. While the current welfare system provides some assistance, its limitations hinder individuals\u27 economic autonomy and fall short of fully addressing the root causes of poverty. In order to understand whether a universal basic income (UBI) would be more effective in reducing crime, this research analyzes the impact of Latin American conditional cash transfer programs, Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend, and the Canadian Mincome experiment on crime rates. It is then considered how the demonstrated link between increased anti-poverty spending and decreased crime might apply to a basic income in the US. Evidence suggests that the cost of a UBI might be offset by resulting decreases in policing, incarceration, and other costs.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1126/thumbnail.jp
Author or Archetype: The Importance of Philaenis As a Historical Figure and Subject of Ridicule
Get PDFWhen we talk about ancient Greek and Latin literature, we tend to think of the epics of Homer or the poetry of Ovid. However, we often overlook other genres––especially those including crude language and subject matters. This paper explores a series of texts describing Philaenis, the alleged author of an ancient sex and courtship manual, whose existence is still debated. It looks at a variety of authors, analyzing the language used to describe Philaenis and drawing conclusions about the legitimacy of her existence. This research argues that due to the widespread knowledge of her name and what it represents, Philaenis was a real historical figure. However, most of the writings in which her name appears use her as an archetype embodying female sexual promiscuity. This research displays how sexually autonomous women in ancient societies had their personas skewed by male authors, eventually becoming symbols for how women shouldn’t act.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1127/thumbnail.jp
Exploring Relative Value Bias: Learned Outcomes or Choice Repetition?
Get PDFPeople sometimes choose options yielding relatively better outcomes in past contexts, even when those options have lower absolute values. This study tested whether this effect is due to participants learning relative outcomes or simply repeating previous choices. Participants (n = 151) were randomly assigned to two conditions and completed a two-phase choice task. In the learning phase, participants either actively chose from (choice condition) or passively viewed (sampling condition) pairs of symbols and received reward feedback. In the subsequent transfer phase, participants were shown different combinations of the same symbols and were asked to choose the symbol with the higher value on each trial. Choice patterns in both conditions exhibited a bias towards lower-valued options yielding relatively greater outcomes in the learning phase. However, the effect was slightly stronger in the choice condition. Our findings suggest choice repetition plays a minor role, but cannot fully account for relative value choice biases.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1129/thumbnail.jp
Flood Mitigation Through Reinforcing Riparian Buffers
Get PDFThe City of Binghamton and Town of Conklin contain many communities within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain map for massive 100- and 500-year events. Damage from flooded river banks has devastated infrastructure and countless homes in the Greater Binghamton Area over the past few decades. Anthropogenic global climate change is expected to increase both the frequency and severity of these massive flooding events, leaving Susquehanna River flooding as a looming and increasingly potent threat to the Greater Binghamton community. This project aims to mitigate the extent of future flood events in the Greater Binghamton Area through the implementation of natural riparian buffers and the removal of invasive species at sites along the Susquehanna River.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1130/thumbnail.jp
Exploring the Literature: A Systematic Review of Telemental Health Services for Rural K-12 Students
Get PDFThe lack of mental health services among K-12 rural students has received insufficient attention in the literature. This study systematically reviews the existing literature based on the guiding research question: “What is the state of the literature on telemental health services in rural K-12 schools in the United States since the pandemic?” We searched 14 independent databases to identify any literature on this topic. The initial search garnered N = 4,265 articles. After removing duplicates, the present systematic review identified N = 1,482 articles for review. The first round of screening included identifying articles based on the following inclusion criteria: articles published in the United States, empirical studies, written in English, involved the K-12 school system, focused on rural areas, mental health, and telehealth services. Initial results indicate this is an emerging area of research with little scholarship published since the COVID-19 pandemic.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1132/thumbnail.jp
Drag Reduction System for Binghamton Motorsports Electric Formula 1 Car
Get PDFActive aerodynamics is key in Formula 1 racing. In this project, an active Drag Reduction System (DRS) is designed for the Binghamton Motorsports Formula SAE car\u27s three-element rear wing, allowing the driver to decrease drag on straightaways and improve lap time. The driver can activate the DRS by pressing a steering wheel button, triggering two servo motors to adjust the wing position. We used ANSYS Fluent for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of previously optimized rear wing at closed and open positions and SolidWorks for motion analysis to identify maximum forces during DRS activation. These forces informed a finite element analysis (FEA) in ANSYS Workbench guiding material selection for safe operation of the DRS.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1133/thumbnail.jp
Stabilization of the G-quadruplex in Oncogenes MYC and KRAS as a Potential Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Get PDFThe G-quadruplex (G4) is an alternate state of DNA, formed when guanines hydrogen bond to each other and stack to form a unique structure. G4s cluster in DNA regions controlling replication, translation, transcription, and repair. The G4s in the promoter regions of cancer genes MYC and KRAS are frequently dysregulated in ovarian cancer. MYC is a proto-oncogene that regulates cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. KRAS is a proto-oncogene that regulates cell growth and apoptosis. The goal of this project was to test various compounds for their interaction with the G4 using the FRET Melt2 assay. Stabilization of the G4 indicates that a compound may decrease the expression of MYC or KRAS and limit cancer growth. The compounds identified as stabilizers of G4 were then tested for cytotoxicity in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. Of these compounds, KN242 was shown to increase the stabilization of the G-quadruplex and decrease cellular viability.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1145/thumbnail.jp
Island-wide characterization of agricultural production challenges the demographic collapse hypothesis for Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Get PDFCommunities in resource-poor areas face health, food production, sustainability, and overall survival challenges. Consequently, they are commonly featured in global debates surrounding societal collapse. Rapa Nui (Easter Is- land) is often used as an example of how overexploitation of limited resources resulted in a catastrophic popula- tion collapse. A vital component of this narrative is that the rapid rise and fall of pre-contact Rapanui population growth rates was driven by the construction and overexploitation of once extensive rock gardens. However, the extent of island-wide rock gardening, while key for understanding food systems and demography, must be better understood. Here, we use shortwave infrared (SWIR) satellite imagery and machine learning to generate an island- wide estimate of rock gardening and reevaluate previous population size models for Rapa Nui. We show that the extent of this agricultural infrastructure is substantially less than previously claimed and likely could not have supported the large population sizes that have been assumed
Pre-analytical challenges from adsorptive losses associated with thiamine analysis
Get PDFThiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential vitamin serving in its diphosphate form as a cofactor for enzymes in the citric acid cycle and pentose-phosphate pathways. Its concentration reported in the pM and nM range in environmental and clinical analyses prompted our consideration of the components used in pre-analytical processing, including the selection of filters, filter apparatuses, and sample vials. The seemingly innocuous use of glass fiber filters, glass filter flasks, and glass vials, ubiquitous in laboratory analysis of clinical and environmental samples, led to marked thiamine losses. 19.3 nM thiamine was recovered from a 100 nM standard following storage in glass autosampler vials and only 1 nM of thiamine was obtained in the filtrate of a 100 nM thiamine stock passed through a borosilicate glass fiber filter. We further observed a significant shift towards phosphorylated derivatives of thiamine when an equimolar mixture of thiamine, thiamine monophosphate, and thiamine diphosphate was stored in glass (most notably non-silanized glass, where a reduction of 54% of the thiamine peak area was observed) versus polypropylene autosampler vials. The selective losses of thiamine could lead to errors in interpreting the distribution of phosphorylated species in samples. Further, some loss of phosphorylated thiamine derivatives selectively to amber glass vials was observed relative to other glass vials. Our results suggest the use of polymeric filters (including nylon and cellulose acetate) and storage container materials (including polycarbonate and polypropylene) for thiamine handling. Losses to cellulose nitrate and polyethersulfone filters were far less substantial than to glass fiber filters, but were still notable given the low concentrations expected in samples. Thiamine losses were negated when thiamine was stored diluted in trichloroacetic acid or as thiochrome formed in situ, both of which are common practices, but not ubiquitous, in thiamine sample preparation