Follow

• 

  A Party of Crisis: How the Republican Party is Developing Political Capitalism

  John Aldous

  The Republican Party of the 21st century has gained a reputation both as an advocate for conservative social roles and as a radical force intent on subverting liberal democratic institutions in favor of fanatical capitalism. This research shows how Republican ideology is a radical form of accelerated and unregulated capitalism focused on obscuring new ideas in the political sphere. To this end, Republicans utilize two strategies of gaining and maintaining political control. The first is to create and exploit crises to gain short-term power over legislative and executive institutions. These institutions are then used to exploit bodies meant to uphold a stable and inherently conservative political order. This is done to achieve long-term power without adequate democratic representation. Once power is achieved, Republicans then quickly pass measures to benefit capitalist entities, such as deregulation or tax cuts. This type of crisis politics is particularly reminiscent of capitalist economic functioning.

• 

  Misinformation: The Effects on Past and Future Outbreaks

  Bobby Ambrosino

  Misinformation is a major challenge in addressing large-scale acute infectious outbreaks and has been shown to encourage vaccine hesitancy and decrease vaccination rates. This study examines the effects of misinformation on vaccine hesitancy by comparing studies from past and present outbreaks. Specifically, I investigate the following research question: What are the effects of misinformation on vaccine hesitancy during past and current outbreaks and what are effective preventative measures? I analyze a range of studies using a systematic review approach to identify similarities and differences in the spread of misinformation across outbreaks. My findings shed light on how and why misinformation spreads and the effects it has on combating disease. The implications of my study are significant, as the World Health Organization has ranked misinformation as one of the top ten threats to global health. By identifying patterns and potential solutions, my study contributes to the larger conversation about addressing misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.

• 

  The Association Between Diet Quality and Stress Response

  Jesse Anderson, Caroline Fatta, Sarah Adelson, Eleanor Styczynski, and Adam Assou

  Previous research has looked into how stress affects diet, but not how diet affects stress. We looked into the variety and quality of diets and its association within our stress response. An anonymous online survey was administered through Google Forms. The survey was sent out to the public across several social media platforms, including Instagram, Groupme, and Facebook. The survey included basic demographic questions and questions on diet and mental health. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze data in SPSS version 25.0. There is an association between poor diet and a negative perception of stress. The results display the majority of participants have a slightly negative outlook on stress while consuming a Western diet. This suggests that a better balanced diet may lead to a decrease in negative perceptions of stress and improve outlook on life.

• 

  Satire As Confirmation Bias: South Park Meets The Simpsons

  Nicholas Antonoff

  In this paper, I contrast The Simpsons and South Park to highlight how differing satirical strategies have the potential to spread disinformation through confirmation basis. The creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, employ a satirical strategy that does not seek approval or input from the objects of their satire. In contrast, the creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening, seeks approval and agreement from the objects of their satire. Their different approaches to how they present their content to their audience coupled with the concepts of confirmation bias serve as yet another way for the possible spreading of disinformation. I argue that the difference between these satirical strategies can be defined using the terminology and conceptual frameworks of disinformation studies, namely, confirmation bias and theories of satire that highlight its potential to perpetrate disinformation.

• 

  How Does Capitalism Desensitize Us to the Suffering of Others?

  Jaden Archer

  While football (soccer) is widely known for its captivating atmospheres and immense camaraderie, one must not be blinded to the sinister behavior of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) [International Federation of Association Football] in recent times, especially amid the sought-after World Cup, hosted in Qatar, involving massive projects made possible through irresistible sums of money. Capitalism operates as a double-edged sword being that it is more than capable of bringing about growth and prosperity while simultaneously producing social conflict and human degradation, which is often disregarded by the former. The power-hungry Gulf-state has prioritized enticing profits over the lives of migrant workers, many of whom were employed under unimaginable conditions and initially reeled in by the false potentiality of reliable, well-paying occupations. This research demonstrates how, within capitalism, the overwhelming demand for self-gratification, here via the entertainment of football and case-study of the World Cup, numbs us to inequity.

• 

  Impact of ‘Irrelevant’ Information During Intertrial Intervals on Contingency Ratings

  Kevin Artus and Jovin Huang

  The occurrence of the co-absence of two potentially associated stimuli (D-cell events) influences contingency judgments. We previously found manipulating co-absence frequency had more effect than co-absence duration on contingency judgments. We hypothesized filling the co-absence periods with irrelevant information (‘Trash’) would better clear working memory, resulting in stronger learning. We have found this not to be the case and will discuss possible reasons for this observation.

• 

  The Effect of the Overabundance of White-tailed Deer on the Availability of Palatable Vegetation in the Binghamton University Nature Preserve

  Andrew Ashinoff

  White-Tailed deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) are an overabundant species extremely prevalent in forests along the Northeastern Coast of America and other forested areas stretching westward. In this experiment, the effect of the overabundance of White-Tailed deer on palatable vegetation is tested through the use of a profiling board and the software imageJ, in which the vegetation that obscures the profiling board is quantified by the software and analyzed against a protected forest with less deer. The analysis of palatable vegetation on the forest understory is paramount in feeding other forest dwelling organisms that depend on this vegetation for sustenance. The browse habits of Odocoileus Virginianus degrade the availability of palatable plant life and promote the overgrowth of browse tolerant plant species that harm forest biodiversity to an even greater extent. The findings of this study may be indicative of future measures taken to maintain the deer population in northeastern forests.

• 

  The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: A Case Study of the Growth of Satirical Television and Disinformation

  Sam Auerbacher

  The increasing popularity of political satire TV programs raises new questions about their function within the information-media landscape. In this paper, I rely on theoretical discussions of how satire can sometimes function as disinformation in order to understand the growth of such programs over the last two decades. Political satire is unique in that the humorous content allows truth to be disseminated in a more palatable way. In some cases, it may be the only way to safely criticize corrupt power structures and those who control them, while in others, it can hide harmful deceit. My analysis of where The Daily Show with Jon Stewart blurs the boundaries of disinformation and satire can help us understand their function in political discourse.

• 

  Upcycling E-Waste to E-Skin

  Ann Badia and Pauline Macapinlac

  Electronic waste harms the environment and exposes individuals to hazardous materials. In order to lessen the effects of electronic waste, electronics can be repurposed to aid human health. Advanced biosensors can be created by using upcycled electronic waste, such as compact discs. This allows for products to be created without consuming energy and for a reduction in hazardous ways. Moreover, employing compact discs to create biosensors enables for the rapid production of electronic skin without the need for extensive training or microfabrication facilities. These biosensors can be created by harvesting the metal layers of current compact discs. To ensure that these metal layers perform efficiently as biosensors, the most effective strategy to harvest the layer while preserving continuity must be discovered by experimenting with various procedures. Researching solvents and methods of extraction can improve the efficiency of further research and perhaps industrial extraction in the future.

• 

  Planned Developmental Districts and its Consequences on the Surrounding Environment

  Tom Baldessarre

  The proposed development for housing at Bunn Hill is in process in Vestal. The design would put the homes directly next to Nuthatch Hollow, which is west of Bunn Hill Road. Residents have endlessly voiced concerns for a variety of reasons, most notably the change from a Rural Residential (RR) district to a Planned Development District (PDD). Furthermore, Bunn Hill Creek serves as a vital source of protecting the watershed of Nuthatch Hollow. This research heightens how the development of Bunn Hill Road will affect the stream quality and the species that inhabit it. In advancing to see if building these homes are ethical, I constructed a sense of how current PDDs operate, like University Plaza, as Fuller Hollow Creek neighbors in this area through a comparison of the two creeks by an EPT Richness test and a pocket tester to find if development creates a negative impact on the environment.

• 

  Chronic Wasting Disease: Crossing the Species Barrier into Human Populations

  Stephanie Barrett, Shruti Venkatesh, and Robert Johnson

  Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a prion disease causing degeneration of the centralnervous system within various species of deer, elk, moose and caribou, collectively known as cervids. CWD originated in Colorado in the 1960s and has spread to 29 states, four Canadian provinces, three Scandinavian countries and South Korea. Prions are excreted through bodily fluids, waste, and decomposing carcasses that remain inthe environment, posing a potential threat to other species. A significant number of people are directly exposed to CWD prions through handling and consumption of contaminated cervid carcasses and using cervid brains for tanning. Similar exposure, through incorporation of sheep prions into the food chain, has resulted in a prion disease called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) and subsequent transmission of cow prions to humans, resulting in variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. This study aims to address the risks of CWD transmission to humans and cervids globally.

• 

  Drinking, Nutrition, and Mood Assessment

  Vanessa Bottos, Maya Anand, and Stephanie Toranto

  This study seeks to evaluate the potential correlation between drinking habits, nutritional habits, and overall well being of college aged individuals. An anonymous online survey was administered through Google Forms and shared amongst peers across various college campuses via email. The survey included basic demographic questions and questions regarding alcohol consumption, dietary habits, and mental well being. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze data in SPSS version 25.0. Based on the responses from the survey, dietary patterns of college aged individuals were affected by their drinking habits. Specifically, there was an impact on caloric intake and restrictive eating as a result of binge-drinking and corresponding unhealthy lifestyle choices. Our results suggest there is an association between alcohol use and lifestyle choices. Ultimately, our data accurately represents the hypothesized relationship between drinking, nutrition, and mood.

• 

  Associations Between Cannabis, Cocaine, MDMA “Ecstasy”, and Mental Distress

  Samantha Boventre, Jenna Polis, Rusudan Kvirikashvili, and Nicole Scorr

  Recreational use of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication and psychoactive substances make college students susceptible to increased risk of illicit drug use and mental distress. An anonymous cross-sectional online survey was administered through Google forms to students across different college campuses. The survey consisted of self-reported questions on demographics, drug usage, and mental distress. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze data in SPSS version 25.0. There is a statistically significant positive correlation between very frequent usage (above 40 times annually) of cannabis, cocaine, and MDMA with feeling incompetent and worthless (p < 0.05). There is a statistically significant positive correlation between infrequent (approximately 1-2 times annually) MDMA use to specific mental distress experiences (p < 0.05). Results suggest those who abuse psychoactive substances may be inclined to use other psychoactive substances, which could be linked to an increase in mental distress.

• 

  We Love the Internet! Social Media in Modern Society

  Brendan Bulger

  Due to the profit motive that major social media sites operate on, social media companies generally tend to operate unethically and in a way that is harmful to their users’ privacy and mental health. Despite this, the vast majority of young adults actively use social media. In this study, I will observe some of the harmful effects of social media use, attempt to contextualize social media as an effective tool for social control as well as an example of the operation of capitalist ideology in modern society, and suggest possible solutions/improvements that can be made to negate some of the effects of the prevalence of social media.

• 

  The Combined Impact of Maternal Major Depressive Disorder and Individual Major Depressive Disorder Results in Increased Amounts of Dependent Stress

  Caroline Cahill

  Stress generation is an idea explaining how symptoms of depression contribute to the occurrence of additional stress in an individual's life (Hammen 1991). Increased amounts of dependent stress can occur in individuals with current or past depression (Alloy 2010). Children of mothers with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are at a higher risk of depression and also have increased amounts of stress generation (Feurer et al. 2016). This study identifies the combined impact of individual and maternal MDD on dependent episodic stress. Participants were 228 mothers and their 8–14-year-old children. Diagnostic interviewers assessed mothers’ and children’s histories of MDD. Six months later, children’s levels of dependent stress within that period were assessed. Analyses revealed that offspring with a personal history of MDD, whose mother had MDD, had higher levels of stress generation, suggesting both may increase children’s risk for contributing to the occurrence of additional stress in their lives, which could further increase risk.

• 

  Government Involvement in Films

  Olivia Caldwell

  For this project, I am comparing two films with government involvement - Zero Dark Thirty and American Sniper - with a range of feature films and documentaries without government input. I am analyzing how the components of the films differ, from the way information is spread to the different gains each filmmaker receives by collaborating with the government. Through this project, I attempt to prove that films with government involvement spread propaganda by changing the course of history to fit a pro-United States account. My course of action is to first analyze the films and then gather analytical articles about the films to compare the scholarly conversations and prove whether military films promote government propaganda.

• 

  What are the Effects of Implementing a Rewards System on Individuals with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors?

  Maddie Campo

  Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are self-destructive habits that individuals perform to feel satisfaction. Some common examples include hair twirling, nail biting, and teeth grinding. The limited information surrounding BFRBs as well as the physical harm and stress they can cause makes the disorder an important one to address. I analyze cases of individuals with BFRBs within the health and behavioral sciences, as well as studies on the impact of a rewards system on habitual actions, to determine whether implementing a “rewards system” would produce success in minimizing the frequency of BFRB engagement. The rewards system approach entails giving individuals with BFRBs some intrinsic or extrinsic reward for going a certain amount of time without engaging in their behavior. The overall findings suggest that the rewards system approach with modifications could see finite success in the treatment of BFRBs; however, more research is necessary to determine the long-term effects of this method.

• 

  Effects of Food Insecurity on Resilience Among Undergraduate University Students

  Gabrielle Castillo, Sabrina Bubis, Ushima Chowdhury, Katerina Nagorny, and Lexi Rosenberg

  Food insecurity is a prevalent issue among college students. Stress induced by food insecurity may affect mental resilience. However, no previous reports have addressed this potential relationship. To fill this gap, an anonymous online survey targeting adults 18 years or older was distributed via social media and messaging platforms. The survey included demographic questions and the Brief Resilience Scale. A total of 997 people completed the survey, including 705 females, 246 males, and 46 others. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in SPSS Version 25.0. The results show that food insecurity was positively correlated with consumption of pre-packaged foods (p<0.01). Negative correlations between food insecurity and consumption of dark, green leafy vegetables (p<0.01) and the ability to recover from stressful events (p<0.01) were also found. This suggests a potential link between food insecurity, the consumption of pre-packaged foods, and decreased mental resilience.

• 

  Prosperity Gospel

  Grace Chan

  Mirroring the capitalist world around it, the American Protestant Church preaches a prosperity gospel, a theological, economic, and social force within American religion. This research examines the history and emergence of the prosperity gospel and its relationship to capitalism. Its theology teaches adherents that they will be blessed with material prosperity in the form of health and wealth if they practice its teachings, that is, if they are capitalists. The core idea that religion begets wealth bridges Christianity and capitalism, allowing believers to believe they are Christians while unconditionally accepting market capitalism. In this research, I demonstrate how three streams of thought led nominations of American Protestantism to this point: New Thought, Pentecostalism, and American gospel; in the first, believers accessed supernatural powers of healing through prayer; the second followed the ideas of New Thought but emphasized material prosperity over health; and, finally, these elements coalesced with American individualism and the so-called Protestant work-ethic (of Max Weber) into the prosperity gospel's message that this capitalism masquerading as Christianity would bring blessings upon followers.

• 

  Climate Justice and New Environmental Policies: Binghamton, New York

  Eve Citron

  The blue bag garbage system in downtown Binghamton was implemented in an attempt to limit the amount of trash produced by people in the city by charging individual residents by the bags they purchase, rather than requiring them to pay a tipping fee tax. Ever since its application, little has been explored regarding the success of this system in terms of its sustainable implications and effects on the residents of Binghamton. This research seeks to identify the equity and efficiency of this system through the tracking of garbage production, comparison of monetary data before and after the system's implementation, and the surveying of residents who have experienced this shift in policy. This information is helpful in mitigating future sustainable policy changes and balancing crucial environmental changes, while ensuring these sustainable adjustments do not excessively burden low-income people.

• 

  MCF10A-Z Cell Line in Co-Culture as In vitro Model of Mammary Epithelial Drug Transport

  Phoebe Collins and Tao Zhang

  Many drugs ingested by lactating women are transported into breastmilk and ingested by the infant. To predict the amount in milk, research focuses on developing in vitro models of mammary epithelial drug transport. The mammary epithelium is composed of distinct cell layers; inner, secretory luminal cells and outer, contractile basal cells. This study aims to co-culture two cell lines, a luminal and basal/myoepithelial line, to model drug permeability in the mammary epithelium. Use of the novel line, MCF10A-Z, as a luminal cell in co-culture with basal/myoepithelial cells will be assessed. Unlike the original MCF10A (a mammary line widely used for breast cell study), MCF10A-Z expresses tight junctions with zonula occluden (ZO-1) staining. TJs play a significant transport role, preventing paracellular transport, regulating epithelial transport, and suggesting luminal character. MCF10A-Z TJ function may be more representative of in vivo, making it an ideal luminal line for co-culture to predict drug permeability.

• 

  Abortion Rights: More to the Story than the United States Constitution

  Abigail Connors

  The United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark decision Roe v. Wade in June of 2022 with the infamous case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Healthcare Center. This stripped US women of their right to abortion and committed a wide-scale human rights violation. While abortion rights in the US are commonly discussed as they relate to US law, this research explores how abortion bans more critically violate women’s international human rights as protected by international human rights treaties. The focus then shifts to examine what the impact might be if the US were to recognize safe abortion access as a human right. This recognition could, at minimum, protect women traveling to outside states for an abortion from extradition to their home states for prosecution. More extensively, this recognition could enable the US federal government to implement a nationwide law protecting abortion, ultimately contributing to efforts to stop perpetuating discrimination in healthcare.

• 

  The Pink Tax: The Widespread Impact of Capitalism

  Ella Connors

  Capitalism utilizes the misogynistic ideals present within the United States as a means to expand its power. Patterns of companies marking up items specifically targeted toward female-identifying people have become frighteningly prevalent. A brand of razors may charge more for a “women’s” razor than a “men’s” razor merely due to the complexities of the design. Because women tend to be more likely to purchase specific items such as makeup or nail polish, these items are also marked-up by these private corporations. The patriarchy, or specifically the male-identifying leaders of these corporations, set a standard for females to present themselves in a suitable manner. Thus, they are taught that there are certain products that are necessary to splurge on, no matter what the cost (literally). These corporations take advantage of this discriminatory system for every penny it’s worth. Capitalism (building off of essentialist ideas in American society) allows them to collect these profits and continue an unchecked cycle of exploitation and inequity.

• 

  Best Practices for Bioacoustic Analysis of Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) Advertisement Calls Over a Suburbanization Gradient

  Lizzy Croft and Lindsey Swierk

  Identifying how species respond to an anthropogenic change in their environment is crucial to understanding species persistence and best conservation practices. Wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) can be found throughout all of North America in both human-disturbed and remote habitats, and they are therefore an excellent species to use to test the impacts of environmental change on their behavior and physiology. Wood frog mating activity includes male congregation and auditory chorusing behavior (i.e., advertisement calls). I explored bioacoustics methods for analyzing these wood frog advertisement calls across a suburbanization gradient to determine if and how suburbanization affects the pitch, duration, and number of advertisement calls. I present best practices for measuring individual advertisement calls in the bioacoustics analysis program Raven, and I explain my hypotheses and present preliminary results.

• 

  The Animal-Agriculture Industry and its Environmental Impact

  Teddy D'Angelo

  The animal-agriculture industry is one of the highest greenhouse gas-emitting industries, rivaling other industries such as oil and gas. For example, the top five dairy and meat companies in the United States produce more greenhouse gas emissions than Exxon Mobil. Despite the negative impacts that the industry has on the environment, there is limited regulation as companies lobby governments to exclude them from climate legislation and allow them to continue their practices. Furthermore, the industry ensures that the public does not know the true impact it has on the destruction of the environment and pushes the idea that eating meat is necessary to be healthy and a part of human nature. Corporations trick the general public into thinking that capitalism is human nature and that those who do not conform are outsiders and rightly ridiculed, such as vegans and vegetarians are mocked by meat eaters.