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  "Oh, We're Just Talking": Operationalizing a Contemporary Dating Phenomenon

  Leora Wasserman, Samantha Tomasi, Emma Immediato, Gianna Deni, and Jennifer Ranaldo

  “Just talking” is a new cultural phenomenon among emerging adults. The term seems to imply a relationship intentionally left without a label; however, it has yet to be explored by researchers. Guided by prior research indicating that this phase may lack labels, commitment, and exclusivity, this study attempted to define “just talking” as an intentionally ambiguous preliminary dating phase that lacks definitional consensus, since there is general disagreement on what it means when someone says that they are “just talking” to someone else. Through recruitment of 37 (Men: 13, Women: 22, Gender diverse: 2) college-aged students, a qualitative analysis was conducted through men-only, women-only, and mixed-gender focus groups. Focus group facilitators used a semi-structured interview guide designed to explore the progression, communication tactics, and intimacies of “just talking.” Focus groups were conducted via Zoom and recorded. The researchers analyzed transcripts from the focus groups into themes and codes meant to capture the essence of the “just talking” stage. Results indicate that the term “just talking” represents a relationship stage that is not yet a relationship but differs from a “hookup”. It is often more related to an emotional and intimate connection gained through daily communication than a casual physical encounter (hookup), more aligned with the traditional theme of courtship and less with college students’ adaption of hooking up without attachment.

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  Public Health Implications of Chronic Wasting Disease: A Fifteen Year Follow-Up to a Point Source Exposure in Upstate New York

  Cambria Weeden, Amanda Roome, and Kathryn Olszowy

  Prion diseases have become increasingly important within biomedical research over the past several decades due to the increasing prevalence of these diseases among human and non-human animal populations and their potential to cross the species barrier. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) represents one condition with a troubling potential for cross-species transmission from cervids to humans. Prion diseases are 100% fatal and no treatment currently exists. According to USGS, CWD has been identified among both free-ranging and commercially captive cervids in Asia, Europe, and North America. The Oneida County Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Project involves a collaborative effort between the Oneida County Health Department and Binghamton University to investigate a known-point source exposure to CWD by participants eating contaminated venison at a game dinner in Upstate New York in 2005. This longitudinal study began with a baseline of eighty-one exposed individuals whose behavioral and health data were collected over the following fifteen year through 2020. During this study period, the number of participants who consumed venison and engaged in antler removal fell by 17.1%, and 5.7%, respectively. This study will detail our current results through a cross-sectional analysis of behavioral patterns and the health statuses of all participants in 2005, 2012, and 2020, in addition to a longitudinal analysis of a subset of the individuals who remained in this study throughout its duration. Research into the epidemiological characteristics and biological mechanisms behind CWD represents a critical avenue for both public health and biomedical studies.

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  Behavioral and Environmental Residential Risk Factors for Lyme Disease in the Southern Tier of New York

  Diana Weiss, Danielle Carucci, Margaret Duris, Megan Gauck, Katherine Lacy, Anna Lynch, and Ralph M. Garruto

  During the past 40 years, Lyme disease has emerged as the most widely reported vector-borne illness in the U.S., with the majority of cases occurring in the Northeastern United States. The pathogenic bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi relies on the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, the primary enzootic vector responsible for the passage of the bacteria to humans. Behavioral risk factors for tick-borne diseases include those that increase the likelihood of being bit by a tick, including contact with vegetation, exposed skin, and spending time outdoors, all of which can occur within one’s residential yard. Risk factors within the assumed safety net of the home have not been extensively studied, nor has the effects of pet ownership, nor the presence of wild animals within the yard. During 2019-2020 we conducted 130 surveys of households in Broome and Chenango Counties, and performed tick drags in the rear yards of 102 of these homes. Risk factors included household members’ time spent in yard, type of outside activity, use of tick control methods, seasonal activity, and pet ownership, as well as specifics of the yard, including amount and type of vegetation and presence of wild animals. The household’s history of tick bites and infection were also recorded. A risk analysis is currently underway to determine which factors contribute to a higher risk of contracting tick-borne illnesses. This study is part of our ongoing effort to understand the threat of tick-borne diseases in peri-urban and urban settings within the Southern Tier of New York.

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  Color and Abstraction: Peter Bradley’s Resistance Against “Black Art” Through Curation and Painting

  Sherry Weng

  The 1971 Contemporary Black Artists in America exhibit mounted by the Whitney Museum at​ ​the height of the Black Arts Movement, a period when black political art was celebrated,​ ​generated opposition. Twenty-four artists withdrew from the exhibition because the Whitney,​ ​which refused to hire any​ ​black curators or co-curators and invited an assortment of artists whose​ ​only similarity was their race, had the effect of boxing black artists into a singular “marked”​ ​category as black artists. Art collector and supporter of civil rights activists John de Menil saw​ ​the resistance towards the exhibit and urged artist Peter Bradley to curate a modern art exhibit​ ​that didn’t simply tokenize black artists. Galvanized by his frustration with the Whitney​ ​Museum, Bradley curated The DeLuxe Show, which opened in Houston as the first racially​ ​integrated art exhibition in the US. Unlike Robert Doty, the white curator of the Whitney exhibit,​ w​ho wanted to showcase the “Black experience,” Bradley defied the idea of “black shows and​ ​white shows” and​ ​promoted good black artists, affording them the same attention as good white​ ​artists. Beyond his curatorial work as a retort to the narrative that museums were pushing on​ ​black artists at the time, Bradley’s work as an artist also serves as a response. Working with a​ ​nonrepresentational style, as​ ​seen in his 1974 painting Linne II, Bradley refused to submit to the​ ​pressure for black artists to create figurative art that would contribute to the expression of Black​ ​struggle, insisting instead on pursuing abstract painting.

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  Vision in Virginia Woolfe's To the Lighthouse

  Sydney Werner

  In their article, "The Eye, The Mind & the Spirit: Why ‘the Look of Things’ Held a ‘Great Power’ Over Virginia Woolf," author Michael R. Schrimper creates an argument surrounding the idea of Virginia Woolf being "fixated on vision."Schrimper bifurcates "vision" between two poles: "the actual act of seeing," and "the concentrated observation of objects and surroundings” (33). They go on to detail how that vision manifests itself in terms of active "seeing" and being "seen.". "Seeing" and "being seen" splits the act of perception into a straightforward logic of subject/object; either/or; active/passive. Woolf is perhaps arguing "seeing" cannot be separate from "being seen," and vice versa. Aside from offering various glimpses into conscious vision, or the act of sight occurring in Woolf’s works, such as when they state "vanishing even as she looked, and then, as she moved" (Woolf 124), the author argues sight retains a specific narrative function for Woolf. Schrimper stratifies Woolf's interest in vision into four components, of which two are especially significant: "Woolf believed that to behold a scene or object closely was to create a temporary stoppage against the passing of time. Thirdly, Woolf drew a connection among observation and cognition and spirituality." (33). In my research, I distill Schrimper's distinction between the second and third component influencing why vision held a great power over Woolf. Departing from Schrimper, I argue that those two components are commonly one in the same within Woolf’s novel.

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  Comparing Pre- and Post- Pandemic Viewer Responses to Eating Disorder Testimonials

  Celia Woodruff

  Many people experienced new or exacerbated mental, physical, and emotional health problems during the pandemic. For example, the University of Michigan Health Lab conducted a study in response to the statistically significant spike in hospitalizations for eating disorders among adolescents during COVID-19. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. With a rise in eating disorder cases and hospitalizations, and little literature published on the effects of pandemic conditions on young persons (aged 10-19 years) with eating disorders, we decided to conduct a qualitative and quantitative investigation of YouTube eating disorder testimonials before and after the onset of the pandemic (March 11, 2020). Our preliminary findings and sentiment analysis indicate that between the pre- and post-pandemic onset testimonials, comments are generally neutral to positive. However, the data still presented itself as statistically significant, possibly attributed to the post-pandemic responses being more positive than the pre-pandemic responses.

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  The Importance of Aquatec Paint in and Beyond the Art Sphere

  CK Zaki

  Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden, the founders of Bocour Artist Colors (the predecessor company to the Golden Artist Colors company of today) created the revolutionary paint Aquatec in the mid 20th century. Although today it is no longer eponymously recognized outside of specialized art spaces, partly due to the dominance of a competing product from the Liquitex brand, the prevalence of low-VOC polymer acrylic paints like Aquatec are at an all time high in the painted items of everyday use. The company's refinement of their paint formulation from the densely pigmented but highly toxic antecedent paint to Aquatec, Magna, uncovers the motivations for and the beginnings of the non toxic paint movement. From professional artists, to concerned parents, and manufacturers using industrial coatings, there has been a growing and increasingly urgent interest in non-toxic and environmentally friendly paint options. The research into Aquatec paint’s creation and its subsequent loss of visibility unearths its significance as a lost fossil of modern day paint chemistry. Aquatec remains an important catalyst in the Golden Artist Colors company influencing subsequent innovations in paint formulations. Many of the paintings in the Bocour Collection donated to the Binghamton University Art Museum feature Aquatec’s versatility, evident in its stylistically diverse applications. Aquatec, I argue, should be understood as a defining innovation in paint chemistry that has had ramifications within, and far beyond, the art world.

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  Trump and the Coronavirus: Examining the Past to Improve the Future

  Matt Zuckerman

  There is no question that individuals across the globe have had to suffer and contend with the reality of the coronavirus pandemic; many lost family and friends, and felt as if their livelihoods were ripped apart as they had to suffer the shockwaves of unprecedented shutdowns and quarantine. Many within the United States must also grapple with the unanswered questions surrounding the pandemic, specifically at the national governmental level. A common sentiment is that former President Trump handled the pandemic poorly. This research argues that the former president contributed to a delayed and unsatisfactory response through decisions he made in rhetoric and policy. I assess decisions he made in handling the crisis through an examination of a variety of sources, including his own Twitter account and the responses of his White House Response Coordinators, most notably Dr. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx. Other sources include opinions from medical experts, CDC guidelines, as well as accounts from reputable journalists across political networks. My analysis of this collective information will provide insight into how pandemic responses should be reformed in the future in order to meet national and global public health demands. This will help to not only clarify and uncover pieces of the past for Americans, but also serve as a benchmark for future success in healthcare outcomes as it pertains to pandemics. It is only through an analysis of past-pandemic catastrophe that we may have any chance of improving in the future.

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  Impact of Mask Mandates on COVID-19 Outcomes

  Amera AI Amery and Xilin Zhang

  Most of US counties implemented mask mandates policies in Jun and July 2020 to control the spread of Covid-19. These policies include resident and employee mask mandates. An event-based model during 20 weeks after implementing the policy is designed to evaluate the impact of Mask Mandate on Covid-19 confirmed cases, google mobility data and other five intervention policies are investigated in this study. Furthermore, US counties are stratified by US Census region and risk levels. Adoption for mask mandate did not show any statistically significant effect of using mask in West and Midwest regions. In the South region, results show no effect within first 10 weeks of implementation of the mask mandate. In the Northeast region, all counties mandated mask policy. So, we excluded this region. For different risks levels, 8 weeks after implementing mask policy is evaluated, similar trend is observed for all risk levels (Low, Medium, High-risk, Extreme and Critical) where no effect of using mask mandate during the study period.

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  Individual and Interactive Effects of Polyester Microplastics and Naproxen-Sodium on Lactuca Sativa Growth and Development and Soil Abiotic Conditions

  Andy Chen, Pamela Barroso, Jennifer Tran, and Ashley Gance

  Due to the dramatic expansion of plastic production over the last 65 years, plastic has become a major contributor to global pollution. Microplastics (MPs), formed from the physical breakdown of larger plastics, have been found in many ecosystems. Much research has been done on the effects of MPs in aquatic ecosystems, but fewer studies have explored impacts of MPs in terrestrial environments. MPs in terrestrial systems are found primarily in soils, particularly in agricultural areas where plastic usage permeates modern agricultural practices. Additionally, pharmaceutical contamination of water supplies is considered an emerging pollutant threat. Naproxen-sodium is one of the most widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), and has been found in wastewater and natural freshwater bodies. Thus, terrestrial plants, especially in agricultural systems, may be exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously. Our research explored individual effects of MP pollution intensity in soils and exposure to naproxen contamination on the growth and development of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) as well as potential interactive effects between these two contaminants. We also assessed impacts on soil abiotic conditions (pH and electrical conductivity). Preliminary results show that compared to the control, all treatments significantly reduced the total number of leaves, with high MP and high MP/naproxen treatments having the most effect. Additionally, exposure to high MP levels in soil negatively impacted the number and size of leaves and the fresh weight biomass, possibly driven by lower water content in shoots. These results indicate that both contaminants, alone and together, can influence lettuce growth and development.

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  Isotope Paleoecology of the Miocene Planktic Foraminifera Globoquadrina Dehiscens as Inferred from International Ocean Discovery Program Site U1510, Southwest Pacific

  Alexander Corsello, Adriane Lam, Bruce Wegter, and Catherine Beck

  Globoquadrina dehiscens is a species of planktic foraminifera which lived during the Miocene Epoch. While this species has an easily recognizable test, the paleoecology of G. dehiscens from prior studies indicate it has a variable position in the water column. One study placed G. dehiscens in the intermediate section of the water column, but this was based on limited sample size. Additionally, little work has been done on determining if and how G. dehiscences changes location in the water column throughout its life cycle. The purpose of this study is to establish the dwelling depth of Globoquadrina dehiscens and if that dwelling depth changed through its life cycle. This was accomplished through stable isotopic analyses (δ13C, δ18O) of fossil specimens in six different size fractions from samples that span the Miocene Climate Optimum at IODP Site U1510. By comparing the stable isotopic values of this species to those of known species who live in the mixed-layer and thermocline, it will be possible to determine where and how G. dehiscens lived and moved throughout the water column during its life cycle. Through this work it will be possible to determine if G. dehiscens can be reliably used to reconstruct Miocene ocean conditions. Understanding the location of an additional species that is common in the warm Miocene could help illustrate past ocean conditions that are used as analogues for future warming.

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  Has Capitalism Consumed the 10 Commandments?

  Alex Eckstein

  The research focuses on the effects of capitalism on society and the relationship of that to the covenant with God as expressed in the Ten Commandments. In particular, I explore how the Commandments represent core Judeo-Christian values and how one cannot be a faithful subject of these principles—a true Jew or a true Christian—while also unproblematically, uncritically operating in a capitalist society. My argument is broken into two complementing sections: The first, I explain at the institutional level how those in the marketplace and government use the theory of capitalism as it is elicited by Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, and Branko Milanović to make decision and influence society. Second, I examine capitalism at the individual level. The goal of this research is to educate individuals on how powerful capitalism is as ideology and how people who are religious should recognize the contradictions at play between Judeo-Christian values and the capitalist logical of surplus value, which sublimates all other beliefs into its singular aim of private profit.

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  Capitalist Expansion in Hawaii

  Abby Feintuch

  Hawaiians have been exploited by the United States and its capitalist model of society at least since the earlier 20th century. But, to what extent and in what ways do Hawaiians today embrace or reject the continuing expansion of American capitalism and its processes of alienation, gentrification and exploitation? Do they believe that the latter are symptoms of capitalism or do they see capitalism a positive force disconnected to the exploitation of the land and its people? Hawaiians continue to endure economic displacement, living in a socially ruinous and only semi-democratic capitalist society. Productive activity in Hawaii is centered on surplus value and the full commercialization of life. Hawaiians are attempting to resist this situation by creating schools that teach life as it is imagined before the US occupation, presenting the narrative that there can be a form of life that isn’t American capitalism. For those involved in this Hawaiian resistance, capitalism is rejected as a source of and fuel for colonialism and economic exploitation. The counter-resistance movement, however, claims that without the tourist industry and broader capitalist expansion, Hawaiians would not have even the minimal income that they do. In this research, I analyze this debate and demonstrate how the latter position is an expression of capitalist ideology against the forces of resistance of the former.

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  Forecasting Binghamton University’s Future Electricity Consumption Using Building Classifications and Historical Weather Data as Inputs into a Machine Learning Model

  Aaliya Jakir

  With the rise of energy consumption intensifying the adverse impacts of carbon emissions, different alternatives to achieve sustainability and carbon neutrality are explored in academic conversations. Energy consumption forecasting, which refers to analyzing historical electricity usage to predict future trajectories, is a promising solution to achieve these visions of sustainability as this methodology enables organizations to identify their energy wastage to decrease their electricity usage, while also having the additional benefits of creating energy budgets and saving costs (Amber et al., 2017). My research specifically focuses on creating an energy consumption forecasting model for Binghamton University, using data from 2017-2020. To engineer this model, I will be classifying different university buildings and analyzing the correlation of these building’s electricity usage patterns with historical weather data. This information will then be processed through a machine learning model using AzureML Studio to forecast future electricity usage patterns. By presenting a model for forecasting future energy consumption utilizing building classifications and historical weather data as inputs, my research will illustrate the accuracy of energy consumption forecasting. I specifically argue that Binghamton University should implement this energy usage forecasting model as they have the potential to reduce carbon emissions, help financial budgeting, and minimize energy expenses.

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  Reed This

  Andrew Salisbury

  Language is the medium through which humans communicate. From the beginning of recorded history, humans have been devising visual symbols to register this communication. These symbols and the shapes they take have a close relationship to the culture they are developed by and for. When language takes a visual form it is not only a recording of speech but also a recording of motion and cultural ideals. Through an understanding of the material circumstances involved in the development of a script, we can dissect the expressive range of the shapes made with these materials. From here, we understand scripts and letterforms not as random or predetermined shapes but as points of relevant cultural and individual decisions. The reed pen, use for thousands of years throughout the Mediterranean, influenced the development of many widespread scripts. Using this pen as the major material circumstance for the Egyptian, Greek, and Latin scripts, a distinction can be made between written, drawn, and inscribed text. These material differences are naturally tied to particular movements in the recording process. These differences allow for distinct expressive ranges that can be used to communicate various cultural ideas. This cultural communication goes beyond the linguistic recording. By understanding the reed pen as it is connected to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman writing and culture, a method of analysis is created with which any script or typeface may be seen as a product of material, cultural, and historical circumstances.

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  The Unrecognized Threat: Evaluating the Global Impact of Post-Acute COVID-19 on Children and Adolescents

  Abigail Sprague

  Post-Acute-COVID is a contemporary and adaptive syndrome with a multisystem effect on the body, prolonging the traditional COVID-19 symptoms. Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, over 12.7 million individuals under 18 have tested positive for the virus. Children without pre-existing conditions tend to present asymptomatic or with acute symptoms; however, some pediatric patients continue to experience chronic symptoms comparable to those seen in adults, weeks or years following the contraction, becoming known as COVID long haulers. The most prevalent symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and difficulty concentrating. Utilizing phenomenological and qualitative content analysis, the study investigates (1) the impact of post-COVID-19 syndrome on children and adolescents' daily lives, (2) the effects of the virus on growth and development, and (3) the similarity between post-infection symptoms of COVID-19 and those experienced following Russian Influenza and the Spanish Flu. As society continues to prioritize vaccination, disease eradication, and contact tracing of COVID-19, the long-term effects of COVID-19 are under-reported in media and studies, especially data revealing the impact on children and adolescents. This project aims to evaluate the effect that Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome has on the youth population, highlighting the underrepresented personal experiences and demonstrating the significance of the disease by evaluating the long-term impacts of comparative pandemics.

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  The Efficacy of Various Video Public Service Announcements in Fighting the Spread of Communicable Illness

  Adriana Stasiak

  During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital and broadcast media were integral in quickly disseminating information to large groups of people and keeping them updated as the situation evolved. The many different ways in which information may be presented has been proven to affect how it is received by an audience in terms of emotional response and memorability. However, there exists less research regarding the actual efficacy of different kinds of public service announcements (PSAs) when it comes to combating the spread of communicable illnesses in practice. In addition, there is criticism that certain approaches have been ineffective. This research aims to connect PSAs in video format at various points in time from the 1980s to the present day in the United States during outbreaks of three different communicable diseases (HIV, COVID-19, and influenza) to significant changes in rate of infection or public behavior. Key features within these PSAs, such as tone and information density, will be identified to find a pattern for which kinds of PSAs are typically most effective in preventing the spread of illness for the future.

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  Consumption of Alcohol Among University Students Leads to a Variety of Adverse Health Effects: An Analysis of Alcohol’s Impact on the Adult Mind, Body, and Neurological Behaviors

  Alexander Talkachov, Ariana Gonzalez, Amber Du, Kayla McBride, and Susan Lin

  Binge drinking and alcohol-related health problems are particularly prevalent among university students due to college culture, peer pressure, and social norms. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption, quality of diet, mental distress, and neurobehaviors such as mindfulness and resilience. Research was conducted at Binghamton University through an anonymous online survey that was sent out to numerous age groups through social media platforms, which included questions relating to diet, alcohol consumption, behavior, and mental distress. The final sample of participants consisted of 151 people (72.7% female, age range = 18-29 years, 83.3% college enrolled). The data collected was then analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The results from this study were consistent with the original hypothesis that there is a positive association between the variables examined. Through this study, it was shown that males were more likely to have 5 or more drinks on one occasion (r = -.294, p < .01). There was a positive correlation between followers of a Western Diet and consuming more than 5 drinks on one occasion (r = -.326, p < .01). Findings also indicated a significantly positive correlation between forgetting what happened the night of consuming alcohol and having feelings of guilt and remorse the next day (r = .434, p < .01). Implications for future research include developing preventative methods to reduce risk of adverse alcohol related consequences (i.e., mental distress, poor dietary patterns, reduced brain function) in university students.

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  Effect of Bak and Bax on Oxidative Stress in A549 Cells

  Andrew Werner and Susan Flynn

  Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that drive cancer progression is urgent and vital. Two common characteristics of many cancers are the abnormal expression of the BCL-2 pathway (involved in regulating apoptosis) and elevated levels of oxidative stress. Despite new insights into the role of BCL-2 proteins within and beyond the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, much remains to be elucidated about the function of specific BCL-2 proteins, such as Bak and Bax. Bak and Bax are two proteins within the BCL-2 family of proteins that play a role in mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), leading to the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. The cytochrome c then activates a cascade of caspases 3 and 9 that lead to the activation of proteases. These proteases break down cellular structures leading to cell death. One thing that is unknown about Bak and Bax is their contribution to oxidative stress within cancer cells treated with chemotherapy. One such agent is the anti-cancer drug Trichostatin A (TSA). TSA is a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi). TSA arrests cancer cells in the G2/M phase in a mitochondrial derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent matter leading to apoptosis. Testing the effect of Bak and Bax on oxidative stress in the presence of TSA can shed new light on the functions of Bak and Bax. This can lead to a new understanding of how Bak and Bax interact with different parts of the cell and could lead to a new mechanistic model for Bak and Bax, which can be tested in future projects, including therapeutic design.