Shrey Thaker ‘22 Many years ago, the thought of paralysis was bleak and often had negative consequences for the patient’s mental state. However, because of the research of Dr. van Zyl and her group, young adult patients may have a hope of regaining their lost motor abilities. Often times, paralysis is caused by a severe infraction on spinal integrity, leading to a loss of nerve … Continue reading A Future for Paralysis Patients: Nerve Transfer
Shrey Thaker ‘22 Since the discovery of DNA and its structure, a common goal of many scientists has to unravel and explore biology through manipulation of its inherent maps. At one point, mapping the human genome was considered key to understanding human life. However, the driving force behind a human being’s unique existence is their extraordinary neural capabilities. Today, the cartography of science strives further: … Continue reading Mapping the Network of Biology: Connectomics
Nomrota Majumder ‘21 Whole Embryo Culture (WEC) came about in the 1950s as a way to observe patterns in mammalian development, investigate birth defects, and analyze explanted organogenesis-stage rodent embryos. Since then, it has been a very treasured technique in biological research methods. Since WEC is conducted in vitro, a serum properly suited for an embryo is crucial to the process, and ever since its … Continue reading Reductions in Complete Rat Serum Yields Promising Results in Whole Embryo Culture
Nomrota Majumder ‘21 Pectus Excavatum (PE) is a structural deformity of the anterior thoracic wall, located along the thoracic artery, and causes the breastbone to essentially sink into the chest. As the most common thoracic wall deformity in children, this condition is often congenital and worsens during the adolescent growth years. In addition to the phenotypic difference associated with this connective tissue disease, other symptoms … Continue reading Pectus Excavatum: Comparing Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Computed Tomography
Nomrota Majumder ‘21 Costunolide, a sesquiterpene lactone extracted from Radix Aucklandiae, is shown to have powerful activity against multiple cancer forms. However, the effects of costunolide has not yet been investigated with gastric cancer, or the formation and growth of malignant cancer cells lining the stomach. As the fifth most common cancer in the world, and the third leading cause of cancer related death in … Continue reading Costunolide: A Potential Drug Molecule for Fighting Gastric Cancer
Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 In patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), fatigue is a very common and debilitating symptom that differs greatly from the fatigue that is commonly associated with other diseases. This is because of the nature of MS, which results from a degradation of the central nervous system as well as a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. Drugs prescribed for MS-induced fatigue are limited … Continue reading The Comparison of the Lipid Profiles and Fatigue Levels of Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 It is common knowledge that athletes are required to be physically fit in order ensure optimal performance when they compete in a physically demanding sport. Athletes must also maintain good mental health in order to perform well, however, an athlete’s mental state is much harder to assess than his or her physical state. One’s physical condition can certainly affect his or her … Continue reading Physical Performance and Mental Fatigue in Athletes
Allan Mai ‘20 Dopamine is a neurotransmitter with implicated functions involving value-based learning. Researchers have discovered that dopamine signals reward prediction and incentive motivation when the brain is actively utilizing its decision making and value-based learning functions. Additionally, dopamine receptors in the brain can be divided into two groups, D1 and D2, which have opposite functions in terms of reward related and aversion related behaviors. … Continue reading Effects of Dopamine in Value-Based Learning
Allan Mai ‘20 Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric illness affecting people on a global scale. There are very few drugs to treat this disorder, but the ones that do exist aim to alter the levels of neurotransmitters in the body. Ketamine is one of these drugs, and researchers have recently shown that the efficacy of the drug might be doubled as a result … Continue reading Potentials of Ketamine in Treating Depression
Allan Mai ‘20 The hippocampus and striatal circuits play essential roles in spatial navigation. This task is completed by integrating information from the environment as well as intrinsic input from the vestibular system which is responsible for balance. Scientists are trying to modify the interaction of the hippocampus and striatal circuits by using the galvanic vestibular system (GVS), and researchers from the German Center for … Continue reading Effects of GVS Signals on Cognitive Functions
By Nicole Zhao ‘20 Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes memory, cognitive and behavioral problems (1). In the United States, approximately 5.5 million people live with Alzheimer’s with two-thirds being women (2). Although Alzheimer’s treatments are heavily researched, the impact of sex on the molecular level of the disease has not been explored. In this article, sex refers to the physiological and biological … Continue reading Molecular Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease Between Male and Female Patients
By Nicole Zhao ‘20 Plants and insects alike often use algogens, noxious substances, as defensive weapons against predators (1). Predators, such as humans, detect these algogens via the receptors of nociceptive sensory neurons and are warned to back off(2). It has previously been shown that Heterocephalus glaber, otherwise known as the naked mole rat, shows no pain behavior when exposed to hydrogen chloride and capsaicin, … Continue reading Why the Highveld Mole Rat Does Not Sense Pain
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