Muhammad R. Hajj

Muhammad R. Hajj, Stevens Institute of Technologyhttps://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/sust-seminar-headshots/1126/thumbnail.jp

Lesbophobia Through Pornography

Does the consumption of lesbian pornography promote the objectification of Queer women? In this work, I investigated the relationship between pornography consumption and attitudes toward Queer women. Participants completed measures of hostile and benevolent sexism, anti-Lesbian attitudes, and pornography consumption. In the existing literature, there have been some attempts to study various impacts of pornography consumption. For example, some work has examined the effect of violent pornography on sexist attitudes and violence against women (Hald et al., 2010). There have been other studies that explored the idea that beliefs behind the perpetration of sexual violence against Queer women can reinstate the perpetrator\u27s masculinity (Bedera & Nordmeyer, 2020). Research has also shown that pornography of this nature is correlated with increased hostile sexist beliefs towards women and Rape Myth Acceptance from both men and women (Chapleau et al., 2007). The present study found that cisgender (being defined as one\u27s gender identity that corresponds with their sex at birth) heterosexual men report consuming more pornography overall than women and non-hetero men. Although positive correlations were observed between pornography consumption and sexist attitudes, and between sexist and Lesbophobic attitudes, the hypothesized correlation between consumption of lesbian pornography and sexist and lesbophobic attitudes was not observed

S. Yoshi Maezumi

S. Yoshi Maezumi, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropologyhttps://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/sust-seminar-headshots/1119/thumbnail.jp

More than just a funky smell: fungal volatiles have physiological consequences

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are low molecular weight molecules that easily evaporate at room temperature. Fungal VOCs are responsible for the musty odors we associate with damp indoor environments. It has been hypothesized that they contribute to “sick building syndrome.” The Bennett lab has developed several genetic model systems to test the toxicity of fungal VOCs and found that VOCs have a range of unexpected biological functions

Circadian Rhythmicity of Mood : An Exploratory Study

Human circadian rhythms are widely observed to fluctuate across the 24-hour circadian period, spanning cognitive, behavioral, and physiological domains. Circadian rhythm (CR) systems, particularly the sleep-wake cycle, are widely studied. Dysregulation of the sleep-wake cycle, common in shift work and mood disorders, diminishes mood regulation, resulting in increased negative mood or inappropriate mood responses. Although emotions have been investigated in the context of circadian variability in the sleep-wake cycle, circadian effects on emotional state per se have infrequently been examined. Previous studies suggest an increase in Positive Affect (PA) and decrease in Negative Affect (NA) as the day progresses, while the reverse occurs in the earlier hours of the day. Our study aimed to investigate circadian variation in PA versus NA, and extend these findings to the specific emotional states of Affection and Annoyance. As part of a larger study, thirteen male participants completed affect assessments using the Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS) seven times over a 24-hour period. Primary findings corroborate previous research finding an increase in PA and decrease in NA during the evening, with the reverse occurring in the morning. Future research should include female participants, longitudinal designs, and objective measures of mood, such as cortisol or testosterone levels, in addition to subjective measures. These findings have clinical relevance, particularly for comparing patients\u27 reported mood ratings with expected ratings based on circadian rhythm of mood. Early-morning NA may reflect normal circadian fluctuations, but late-day NA could indicate a severe clinical condition. In summary, this study replicates circadian patterns in PA and NA but finds unique circadian behaviors in Affection and Annoyance, demanding further exploration

Wahwal - Egg - QR Code

Click the download button to get a QR code redirecting to the audio of the Munsee word for Egg - Spoken by Nikole Pecore (Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohican Indian Nation) and recorded in the summer of 2023 by Montclair students Darielly Suriel & Farrah Fornarotto in the NAIS field school.https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/lenapelanguage_audio-otf-qr/1012/thumbnail.jp

Injuries, Trauma, and Death in the Iliad: A Realistic Account or Exaggeration?

The degree of realism in Homer’s descriptions of injuries and deaths in the Iliad has been debated in Classics scholarship, with some scholars hypothesizing that Homer must have had medical training and others concluding that images of wounding exist primarily to communicate heroic ideals. This project re-examines battlefield injuries in the Iliad with reference to ancient medical texts. The methodology includes close reading of the Iliad in order to conduct a quantitative analysis of the type of injuries and their survivability. These data are then compared with evidence from medical writings from Greco-Roman antiquity. The comparison reveals that while the Homeric descriptions lack some of the clinical details contained in medical writings, such as those from the Hippocratic corpus, the fatality level of the wounds mentioned was found to match descriptions of fatality coming as a result of similar injuries described in ancient medical sources. Where Homeric descriptions diverge from medical accounts, the distinctions tend to involve a compression of time in the Homeric narratives, with injury and outcome juxtaposed and details of the recovery or dying process treated briefly if at all. This analysis of battle injuries in the Iliad with reference to ancient medical texts indicates considerable realism with regards to survivability rates from trauma caused by battlefield wounds in the Iliad, as the rates agree with how fatal such wounds were in times when there was no modern medical care

Discovery of DNA Aptamers as Probes for Detecting Ranavirus MCP

Global amphibian populations have been declining since the late 20th century; one of the most significant contributors to these declines is a genus of viral pathogens known as Ranavirus (Rv). Frog virus 3 is one of these viral agents and is currently found affecting frog populations throughout NJ, MD, PA, DE, and VA. While Frog virus 3 is most known for afflicting frogs, the Ranavirus genus can also infect bony fish species as well as reptiles, allowing for a wide vector of transmission and making its spread a danger both locally and globally. In the absence of a cure, it is imperative to be able to detect and monitor the virus in both the wild and commercial sectors, but current testing methods require extensive training, expensive equipment, and are time consuming. To deal with these issues and develop a rapid field test that provides real time results, I have used a DNA aptamer discovery technique to generate short single-stranded DNA sequences that specifically bind to the viral major capsid protein (MCP) of frog virus 3. This technique, known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment), is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based process that narrows a large library of random DNA sequences into a smaller library of targeted sequences. Through the use of SELEX and the subsequent sequencing of the resulting aptamers, I have enriched aptamers for binding to Rv MCP. Such aptamers will be evaluated using electrophoretic mobility shift assays to assess their binding affinity to MCP, to find aptamers for use in the proposed rapid field tests, as well as identify sequence patterns necessary to bind to the viral protein

The Effect of Stormwater Runoff on PFOA Concentrations in Passaic River Tributaries and the Role of Stormwater Management

Stormwater runoff is a key mechanism for the transportation of pollutants into surface water bodies, particularly in urbanized areas with a high percentage of impervious surface cover. Included in these stormwater pollutants are per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic compounds that have gained attention for their persistence in the environment and adverse effects on human health. While green infrastructure (GI) has been proposed as a method for managing stormwater runoff and removing stormwater pollutants, its efficacy in reducing PFAS contamination in stormwater remains understudied. This study aims to investigate the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a member of the PFAS group, in the Second and Third Rivers of Montclair, New Jersey after precipitation events. Water samples will be prepared and analyzed using solid phase extraction (SPE) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). PFOA concentrations of samples taken after precipitation events are expected to be above 4 ppt, the EPA’s proposed Maximum Contamination Level for drinking water. These findings will be used in conjunction with literature to determine the best stormwater management practices to mitigate PFAS contamination of surface freshwater in Montclair