Category: 2017-18

2017-18

New Wasp Species Discovered in Amazon

Rachel Kogan ’19 DThe Amazon Rainforest spans much of northern South America and is largely considered to be one of the most bio diverse regions on the planet. The ecological diversity in the transitional region between the rainforest and the Andes Mountains in particular has fascinated many scientists for decades. Recently, researchers have uncovered a novel wasp species with unique anatomical features inhabiting this area. … Continue reading New Wasp Species Discovered in Amazon

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2017-18

Air Pollution: A Potential Contributor To Diabetes

Rachel Kogan ’19 Despite efforts to diminish industrial contamination, air pollution remains a prominent issue throughout most of the world. This form of pollution has long been associated with the rise of respiratory tract illnesses such as asthma and lung cancer. However, a recent study, conducted by a team of researchers lead by Al-Aly Ziyad of the Department of Medicine at Washington University in St. … Continue reading Air Pollution: A Potential Contributor To Diabetes

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2017-18

Traveling Waves in the Cortex May Hold the Key to Understanding Human Cognition

Rachel Kogan ’19 “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” This age old phrase serves as the foundation for neuroscience, commenting not only on neuron synchronicity, but also proposing a biological scaffold for behavior and thought. The greater the number of oscillating electrical impulses, or brain waves, fired by a group of neurons, the stronger the signal and potential for action. In the past few years, … Continue reading Traveling Waves in the Cortex May Hold the Key to Understanding Human Cognition

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2017-18

Perception of Human Emotion by Horses Found to be Cross-Modal

Anna Tarasova ‘19 Dogs and horses have long been considered companion animals because of their long history of domestication with humans. Both are also heavily social animals, which means that they use emotional cues to learn about their environment and participate in their social group. The relationship between humans and horses stretches back 5,500 years. Within their species, horses have been seen to demonstrate physiological … Continue reading Perception of Human Emotion by Horses Found to be Cross-Modal

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2017-18

Musical Training Found to be Beneficial to Speech Perception

Anna Tarasova ‘19 Music is an integral part of both ancient and modern society and culture. It has long been used for a variety of communicative and expressive purposes. Recent studies have suggested that musical training may be associated with an improvement in linguistic abilities in childhood. The mechanism responsible for this relationship is uncertain, although it may be due to the acoustic similarity of … Continue reading Musical Training Found to be Beneficial to Speech Perception

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2017-18

Uncovering Prenatal Risk Factors for Autism

Anna Tarasova ‘19 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a mental disorder that affects 1 in 59 children, according to an estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 3.5 million Americans are currently living with ASD. As such, it is vital to study the risk factors that could be affecting the prevalence of this disorder. An association has previously been found … Continue reading Uncovering Prenatal Risk Factors for Autism

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2017-18

Horses Can Integrate Senses to Detect Human Emotion

Caleb Sooknanan ‘20 Horses can cross-modally, or with multiple senses simultaneously, distinguish human facial expressions and recognize people with whom they are acquainted. While horses may be able to cross-modally distinguish human emotions, more research is needed to understand these animals’ cognitive abilities. Doctor Toshizaku Hasegawa and researchers from Hokkaido University in Japan conducted a study in which the expectancy violation method — normally used … Continue reading Horses Can Integrate Senses to Detect Human Emotion

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2017-18

Reducing Cancer Metastasis with Gene Target Therapy

Caleb Sooknanan ‘20 Cancer metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells from an original tumor to another bodily region through a subject’s blood or lymph systems. The possibility of cancer cells entering a subject’s blood stream is mainly dependent upon the motility of cancer cells within the subject’s body. However, more research is needed to understand and detect the genes that account for cancer … Continue reading Reducing Cancer Metastasis with Gene Target Therapy

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2017-18

Using Microelectrode Arrays on Soft Substances

Caleb Sooknanan ‘20 Microelectrode arrays or MEAs are electrode systems that can be used to analyze electric signals among cardiac cells and neuronal cells, repair sensory abilities among human patients, and address nervous system disorders. However, most of the devices currently associated with MEAs rely on silicon or polymer substances, which make it difficult for scientists to mimic the structural and functional capabilities of living … Continue reading Using Microelectrode Arrays on Soft Substances

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2017-18

Investigating Genetic Variation and Selection in Starfish Species Piaster ochraceus

Stephanie Budhan ’21 Extreme environmental disturbances, such as a natural disaster or epidemics, dramatically impact animal population survival. These events have the potential to eliminate entire species, and affect the gene pool or the frequency of certain genes within the population. However, scientists observing these natural disasters and their subsequent effects can be difficult due to their sporadic occurrence. A study conducted by Dr. Lauren … Continue reading Investigating Genetic Variation and Selection in Starfish Species Piaster ochraceus

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2017-18

Social Media User’s Opinion of Fitspiration

Stephanie Budhan ’21 Recently, a fitness trend known as “Fitspiration” has been permeating the internet, promoting a healthy lifestyle through proper exercise and diet. Fitspiration is often seen as a healthier alternative to trends such as “thinspiration” or “bonespiration,” which glorify thin bodies as well as extreme diet and exercise regimens. However, there seems to be controversy regarding the positive message of fitspiration. Some studies … Continue reading Social Media User’s Opinion of Fitspiration

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2017-18

The Relationship Between Vitamin D levels and Insulin Resistance in Obese Individuals

Stephanie Budhan ’21 Obesity, or excessive weight, is often associated with insulin resistance. The hormone insulin helps decrease the body’s sugar levels. During insulin resistance, the body cells do not respond to insulin, causing the body’s sugar levels to remain high. Insulin resistance may lead to weight gain and eventually obesity. Previous research has reported that vitamin D concentration appears to be inversely related to … Continue reading The Relationship Between Vitamin D levels and Insulin Resistance in Obese Individuals

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