Category: Health and Medicine

2022-23, COVID-19, Disease, Health and Medicine

Bupropion as a Possible Treatment for COVID-19-Related Brain Fog

Jessica George ’24 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide, and many have reported persistent symptoms even after recovery from the initial infection. One of the most common long-term symptoms reported is “brain fog,” a condition characterized by cognitive impairments such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and mental fatigue. A recent case series published by Dr. Samuel Reinfeld from the Stony Brook University … Continue reading Bupropion as a Possible Treatment for COVID-19-Related Brain Fog

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2022-23, Cognition, General Neuroscience, Health and Medicine, Uncategorized, Year

Dancing on the Way to Good Health: The Implications for Culturally Relevant Dancing in the Latino Older Adult Population

Peter Gillespie ’25 Figure 1  Merengue, cha-cha cha, bachata, and salsa are four popular forms of dancing that have the potential to increase physical activity, thereby helping to prevent cognitive decline. Physical activity is crucial in improving the health of older individuals. Within the Latino community, there is a rich cultural history of various genres of dance that may help promote  widespread physical activity among … Continue reading Dancing on the Way to Good Health: The Implications for Culturally Relevant Dancing in the Latino Older Adult Population

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2022-23, COVID-19, Health and Medicine, Sociology, Year

Pandemic year brought on exacerbation of race, gender, and geographical disparities of drug overdoses

By: Jessica George, Class of 2024 The opioid epidemic has been a major public health crisis in the United States for several decades; fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has emerged as a significant contributor to the increase in drug overdose deaths in recent years. Given the prevalence and gravity of this problem, it is imperative to investigate any discrepancies that may exist between populations so as … Continue reading Pandemic year brought on exacerbation of race, gender, and geographical disparities of drug overdoses

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2022-23, Computer Science, Health and Medicine, Physics and Technology, Year

Fighting opioid mortality rates with AI-based forecasts using social media language

By Shahzadi Adeena, Class of 2025 Figure 1:  Pill container laying on counter with cap off The United States has been battling an opioid epidemic for over twenty years, with opioid-related deaths increasing by 350% in this period. A critical obstacle is that the driving force (such as usage of prescription drugs or synthetic opioids) differs within communities and over time. Current methods to follow … Continue reading Fighting opioid mortality rates with AI-based forecasts using social media language

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2022-23, Biology, Medicine and Physiology, Neurology

Development of Innovative Burn Assessment Technique Using Neural Network

Julia Chivu ’23 The current burn injury evaluation methods available for clinical use are ineffective and outdated. These circumstances are problematic as the initial injury assessment is necessary to ensure the best clinical treatment plan for the patient. Burns can lead to deep tissue damages, necrosis, and severe scarring. Without a proper course of action, the injury can negatively impact the patient’s quality of life, … Continue reading Development of Innovative Burn Assessment Technique Using Neural Network

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2022-23, Biology, Cancer, Medicine and Physiology

Predicting the Future: The Prognostic Value of Tumor Budding and Microenvironment in Colon Cancer

Peter Gillespie ’25 Can the success of cancer treatment be predicted before treatment begins? Findings from Dr. Wen and his colleagues at Stony Brook Medicine suggest that certain characteristics of the tumor and the microenvironment can predict the success of treatment in colon cancer patients. Dr. Wen and colleagues investigated the prognostic ability of intratumoral budding, which is the presence of one or a few … Continue reading Predicting the Future: The Prognostic Value of Tumor Budding and Microenvironment in Colon Cancer

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2022-23, Cancer, Health, Health and Medicine, Year

What’s better: negative-pressure wound therapy or standard surgical dressings?

By Shahzadi Adeena, Class of 2025 Figure 1: Health professional holding rolled out gauze Doctors seek to improve post-operative care, as it is a critical aspect of surgery that determines success or infection. Following a surgical procedure, it is routine to apply standard surgical dressings (SSDs) on patients to promote healing and prevent infection. Modern surgical dressings are usually gauze dressings made of cotton, rayon, … Continue reading What’s better: negative-pressure wound therapy or standard surgical dressings?

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2022-23, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology, mental health, Sociology, Year

Black Patients More Likely Than White Patients to Suffer Negative Outcomes After Spine Surgery

By: Jessica George, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Disparities in healthcare outcomes may be due to systemic biases in healthcare delivery Racial disparities in healthcare outcomes have been well-documented in numerous studies, including those focused on surgical procedures. Despite advances in surgical techniques and technologies, disparities in surgical outcomes persist, with some racial and ethnic groups experiencing worse outcomes than others. Understanding the factors that … Continue reading Black Patients More Likely Than White Patients to Suffer Negative Outcomes After Spine Surgery

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2022-23, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology, Pharmacology

Potential for Macrophage Cell Cultures to Produce New Medications

Julia Chivu ’23 Macrophages typically dominate the immune system with broad responsibilities related to cell repair, immune response, and homeostasis. However, macrophages also have organ-specific functions embedded into their epigenetic makeup. These powerful and specialized cells may be used in various macrophage therapies that can impact both humans and animals. In spite of this astounding potential, these treatment options are not available yet since scientists … Continue reading Potential for Macrophage Cell Cultures to Produce New Medications

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2022-23, Health and Medicine, mental health

Mental Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Stressors Among Latina/o/x College Students with Varying Self and Parental Immigration Status

Sydney Giron ’26 The COVID-19 pandemic produced significant levels of reported psychological distress for individuals worldwide. Relative to a baseline, a higher prevalence of depression (33.7%), anxiety (31.9%), and stress (29.6%) were evident in the general population. However, college students experienced an exacerbated array of stressors. Stressors such as academic/job performance, sociability, and health concerns for themselves and their loved ones contributed to psychological decline, … Continue reading Mental Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Stressors Among Latina/o/x College Students with Varying Self and Parental Immigration Status

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2022-23, Cancer, Health and Medicine, Medicine and Physiology

Increased Movement of Cancer Cells in Fluids of High Viscosity Hints at Possible Control Mechanism

Sooraj Shah ’24 With more than 1.9 million individuals in the US being diagnosed with cancer each year, research revolving around the behavior of cancer cells is an important aspect of the search for better treatments. The study of cancer cells in biological assays within a lab has led to great research regarding the structure, motion, and activity of cancer cells in-vitro. A specific part … Continue reading Increased Movement of Cancer Cells in Fluids of High Viscosity Hints at Possible Control Mechanism

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2022-23, COVID-19, Health and Medicine

As the Covid Pandemic Grew, Concern for Climate Change Shriveled

Sooraj Shah ’24 The COVID-19 pandemic has been featured on every television and newspaper since early 2020. Social media platforms were also covered with news about the virus including deaths, cases, and variants. As COVID grew, the coverage revolving around other public concerns seemingly took a back seat, one of these being climate change. A study led by Dr. Oleg Smirnov, a professor within the … Continue reading As the Covid Pandemic Grew, Concern for Climate Change Shriveled

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