Category: Biology

2022-23, Biology

Symptom Manifestation Indicates Severity of Fracture-Derived Ocular Injury

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Orbital fractures are breakages in one or more of the bones surrounding the eyeball (collectively known as the orbit or eye socket) that are typically caused by blunt force trauma to the face. While not common, such fractures may cause serious ocular injury, which in turn may result in blurred or double vision, prolonged ocular or facial pain, poorer visual acuity, afferent … Continue reading Symptom Manifestation Indicates Severity of Fracture-Derived Ocular Injury

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2022-23, Biology, Psychology

Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

Sydney Giron ’26 The olfactory system is involved in ingestive behavior, awareness of environmental hazards, and social interactions. Olfactory function has been used as both a diagnostic and prognostic marker for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies suggest an association between olfactory impairments and negative symptoms that are associated with psychotic disorders. These symptoms include avolition, which is a lack of motivation and alogia, which … Continue reading Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

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2022-23, Biology

Heart Medication as Potential Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder 

Julia Chivu ’24 Heart medication may serve a different purpose than its intended use. According to the National Institute of Health and other research partners, spironolactone may treat alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a brain disorder associated with chronic alcohol abuse, often causing increased rates of morbidity, mortality, and poverty. Since there are limited options for AUD treatment, researchers have turned to … Continue reading Heart Medication as Potential Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder 

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2022-23, Biology

The Impact of Intestinal Microorganisms Should Not be Underestimated: Western-Style Diets May Lead to a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Diet and nutrition are considered to be key factors in the development of colorectal cancer. Previous experiments have shown that a Western diet—with high intake of red and processed meats, sugar, and refined grains, and low intake of vegetables—can induce systemic and intestinal inflammation. These intestinal inflammations may alter populations of intestinal microorganisms. Many intestinal bacteria have been found to cause colorectal … Continue reading The Impact of Intestinal Microorganisms Should Not be Underestimated: Western-Style Diets May Lead to a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer

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2022-23, Biology, Chemistry, Molecular Biology

Mosquito Magnets: Coincidence or Chemicals?

Peter Gillespie ’25 Mosquitos continue to become a burden on global health as rampant vectors for disease, embedding threatening viruses beneath itchy welts that are a nuisance in themselves. However, while one person might return from a mosquito-laden environment riddled with these welts, another might escape unscathed. New research from De Olbadia et al. reveals that this phenomenon is not mere unlucky coincidence, but rather … Continue reading Mosquito Magnets: Coincidence or Chemicals?

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2022-23, Biology, Microbiota

A Mother’s Influence on their Youngs’ Microbial Colonization

Julia Chivu ’22 A mother’s influence on her offspring’s health is present even in the microbes found in her child’s gut. A recent study by associate professor Amy Lu at Stony Brook University and a research team from the Arizona State University hypothesized that bacteria present in the gut of infant geladas are highly influenced by their mothers. The study investigated wild geladas–non-human primates found … Continue reading A Mother’s Influence on their Youngs’ Microbial Colonization

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2022-23, Biology, Cellular and Molecular Science, COVID-19, General Psychology

Why Do Some Young People Develop Severe COVID-19?

Zhifei Zeng ’23 COVID-19, which has ravaged the world, is still a public health concern and there are multiple theories about the cause of severe COVID-19 infection in young people. Previous research on genetic factors associated with severe COVID-19 has been limited to the gene pool of European populations. Coincidentally, while comparing the gene pools of Japanese and European patients, a large Japanese genetic research … Continue reading Why Do Some Young People Develop Severe COVID-19?

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2022-23, Biology, Brain, Cellular and Molecular Science, General Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Neurology, Neuroscience

Lack of CLOCK Regulator Protein May Predict Focal Seizure Susceptibility

By Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Focal seizure activity originates at particular foci﹣those being lobes, regions or hemispheres – of abnormal brain tissue and may emanate outward.  Epilepsy is a chronic central nervous system disorder characterized by uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that triggers recurrent, spontaneous seizures. The majority of new epilepsy cases involve focal epilepsy, in which seizure activity originates in a particular “focus” or … Continue reading Lack of CLOCK Regulator Protein May Predict Focal Seizure Susceptibility

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2022-23, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Genetics

Are Doppelgängers Really Just a Coincidence?

Lydia Wang ’26 Human faces and the ability to recognize different facial identities have played a key role in evolution. It has been observed that human faces have evolved to uniquely distinguish themselves from others. However, many people know someone they resemble; some comparisons are so similar that they are labeled as a doppelgänger, or a living double. Doppelgängers have been an ongoing phenomenon that … Continue reading Are Doppelgängers Really Just a Coincidence?

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2022-23, Biology, Health and Medicine, Neuroscience

Type 2 Diabetes Accelerates Brain Aging-Related Neurocognitive Decline

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by dysfunctions relating to hyperglycemia, the state of high glucose levels in the bloodstream. Such excessive blood sugar is typically the combinatory result of inadequate secretion of insulin (a hormone that directs cells and the liver to take up glucose for energy and long-term storage, respectively), uncontrolled secretion of glucagon (an … Continue reading Type 2 Diabetes Accelerates Brain Aging-Related Neurocognitive Decline

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2021-22, Biology, Brain, Ecology, Evolution

Brawn Before Brains in Early Mammalian Development

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Of all vertebrates, mammals have the largest brains in terms of absolute size and relative to body size. Significant encephalization (an increase in brain size relative to body size) has been observed in the placenta of extant mammals. However, until recently it has not yet been determined when mammalian brains began to increase in size and how they evolved to their current … Continue reading Brawn Before Brains in Early Mammalian Development

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