Category: 2017-18

Figure 1. Recent study suggests that daydreaming may denote superior brain efficiency and capacity.
2017-18

Daydreaming – A Possible Sign of Brain Efficiency

By Nita Wong ’21 In today’s fast-paced society, daydreaming carries a negative connotation. Whether it be in class or during a work meeting, a wandering mind is not considered a positive trait. Recent research, however, suggests that daydreaming may denote superior brain efficiency and capacity. A study led by Christine Godwin and Eric Schumacher of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Psychology examined the … Continue reading Daydreaming – A Possible Sign of Brain Efficiency

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Figure 1. Human brain is the most metabolically demanding organ in the body.
2017-18

The Selfish Brain: A Trade-off Between Cognitive And Physical Performance in Humans

By Maryna Mullerman ’20 The brain metabolizes more glucose — a simple and widely accessible sugar — than any other organ in the human body. Daniel Longman and researchers from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom explored the trade-off involving the brain and muscles, or physical performance, in people. The study investigated how mental and physical activities are affected when they are performed … Continue reading The Selfish Brain: A Trade-off Between Cognitive And Physical Performance in Humans

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Figure 1. Caffeine affects heart rate variability in the first five minutes of recovery after physical exercise.
2017-18

Running on Caffeine

By Maryna Mullerman ’20 Caffeine is a stimulant often found in coffee, energy drinks, and medicine. Many researchers have analyzed its physiological effects, but caffeine’s impact on post-exercise recovery is not widely understood.  Doctor Luana Almeida Gonzaga and researchers from São Paulo State University in Brazil conducted a study focusing on cardiovascular parameters, such as heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), and … Continue reading Running on Caffeine

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Figure 1. Sex-linked distinctions in light perception affect sleep and cognition in humans.
2017-18

Sex Differences Affect Light Perception And Sleep

By Maryna Mullerman ’20 Artificial light and technology have been known to affect human sleep patterns. Scientists think that the circadian clock — physiological 24-hour cycle — might shift in the future. Sarah L. Chellappa and researchers from Harvard Medical School aimed to understand how chronic exposure to light at night affects human health and behavior. They explored how differences in light sensitivity between sexes … Continue reading Sex Differences Affect Light Perception And Sleep

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Figure 1: The RNA Polymerase II molecule is an important enzyme involved in the transcription process of DNA to mRNA.
2017-18

Circular RNAs Have Protein Coding Potential

Gene Yang ‘19 Although the RNA molecules involved in protein synthesis have been extensively studied, other novel types of RNA are still relatively unknown and continue being researched. One such novel type of RNA is circular RNA (circRNA), an endogenous and diverse class of molecules that is present in most eukaryotic cells. Circular RNAs are created from the splicing of pre-mRNA molecules  as they form … Continue reading Circular RNAs Have Protein Coding Potential

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Figure 1. Downtown Manhattan, New York City, where high population density makes infectious disease spread easily.
2017-18

Predicting Flu With Mobility Behaviors

Gene Yang ‘19 In the mathematical modeling of infectious disease, determining the mobility of infectious diseases as well as the mobility patterns of individuals in a population is crucial to predicting the spatial and temporal diffusion of such illnesses. Researchers from the University of Trento gathered two types of data, mobility data and self-reported health data, to construct and validate a model that predicts the … Continue reading Predicting Flu With Mobility Behaviors

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2017-18

Shrinking Salt Lakes

Gene Yang ‘19 Representing nearly half of the volume and a quarter of the area of all lakes in the world, saline lakes are a significant part of the regional ecosystem. However, as a result of human consumptive water use from these lakes in recent decades, many large saline lakes have been desiccating at a significant rate. This dessication can eventually lead to the collapse … Continue reading Shrinking Salt Lakes

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Figure 1. Researchers explore the impact of a highly concentrated salt solution, mimicking liquid found on Mars, on the structure of water
2017-18

Investigating Water on Mars

By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Since the discovery of perchlorates in soil acquired from Mars using the Pheonix Lander, researchers have been wondering how a liquid such as this can exist in the extreme cold temperatures found on the planet. A solution of perchlorate at 44% by weight can cause the freezing temperature of water to drop well below that of pure water. Researchers led by … Continue reading Investigating Water on Mars

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Figure 1. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania investigate the loci responsible for the wide variation of skin pigmentation by studying the genomes of African populations.
2017-18

Genetics of Skin Pigmentation

By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Currently, our understanding of the genes behind skin pigmentation in humans is limited, especially for those of African heritage. Researchers led by Nicholas Crawford, PhD from the University of Pennsylvania investigated the genetic variants behind a wider range of skin colors provided from diverse African populations. Melanin is the pigment that provides the wide range of skin colors seen in the … Continue reading Genetics of Skin Pigmentation

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Figure 1. Researchers developed a programmable synthetic tissue that mimics the adaptable structure of cephalopod papillae.
2017-18

Octopus Inspired Synthetic Tissue

By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 One of the most notable features of cephalopods like octopus and cuttlefish is their ability to quickly camouflage with the environment by changing the color and texture of their skin. They are able to dynamically adapt the textures of their skin by contracting muscular hydrostat structures referred to as papillae. Researchers, led by James Pikul PhD, from Cornell University took inspiration … Continue reading Octopus Inspired Synthetic Tissue

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Figure 1. Belgian researchers have made a breakthrough in cancer research by linking fructose 1,6-bisphosphate to the production of Ras molecules, which are commonly found in tumor cells.
2017-18

Researchers Clarify the Link Between Sugar and Cancer

By Meenu Johnkutty ’21 Researchers from the Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology in Belgium have achieved a breakthrough in cancer research. Their project, which began in 2008, finally came to completion after nine long years. The scientists’ focus was the Warburg effect, a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugar molecules, stimulating tumor growth. This effect was named after Nobel laureate Otto Heinrich … Continue reading Researchers Clarify the Link Between Sugar and Cancer

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Figure 1. Researchers discovered lower working memory levels in primary school children who were exposed to traffic-related pollutants.
2017-18

The Effects of Air Pollution on Working Memory in School-Aged Children

By Meenu Johnkutty ’21 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person takes about 23,040 breaths each day. Multiply this figure by 365, and an individual takes a gargantuan 8,409,600 breaths per year. That’s a tremendous amount of air! Because the human population is virtually tied to its air supply, it is no surprise that polluted air is detrimental to the human body. A … Continue reading The Effects of Air Pollution on Working Memory in School-Aged Children

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