Category: 2021-22

2021-22, Cancer, Health and Medicine

Onions and Garlic May Help Reduce Stomach Cancer Risk

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and dietary habits play an important role in the development of this cancer. For example, heavy alcohol consumption or high consumption of salt-preserved foods increases the risk of stomach cancer, while diets rich in fruits or vegetables decrease the risk. However, the specific types of vegetables that are … Continue reading Onions and Garlic May Help Reduce Stomach Cancer Risk

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2021-22, Cellular and Molecular Science, Evolution, Genetics, Natural World

Fish Out of Water: Uncovering the Mechanisms for Survival in Extreme Environments

Peter Gillespie ’25 Most fish, when left without water, will simply not survive. However, research from Dr. Chi-Kuo Hu from Stony Brook University reveals how the embryos of the African turquoise killifish can survive eight-month long droughts in a dormant state known as diapause. Diapause is a state of suspended animation during which a fully developed killifish may temporarily halt its development. Dr. Hu and … Continue reading Fish Out of Water: Uncovering the Mechanisms for Survival in Extreme Environments

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2021-22, Psychology

The Influence of Color in Artwork on Personal Preference

Joyce Chen ’23 While one’s artistic tastes are subjective, there is a universal preference for certain colors in artwork. This was observed in recent studies that assessed participants’ color preferences by changing the color spectrum of several unfamiliar paintings. Overall, the participants preferred the color compositions most similar to the original paintings, though the reasons for these preferences remain unknown. Dr. Shigeki Nakauchi of the … Continue reading The Influence of Color in Artwork on Personal Preference

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2021-22, General Neuroscience

Music-Based Sensory Therapy Alleviates Symptoms of Anxiety

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions involving excessive nervousness and fear, which are often characterized by distinct phobias, restlessness, and panic attacks. Many conditions spanning the spectrum of anxiety disorders are diagnostically linked to early stressful life events (ELS) in an individual’s development, which compound the stresses of traumatic or rapidly transformational experiences and negatively rewire signaling patterns in key neural pathways. … Continue reading Music-Based Sensory Therapy Alleviates Symptoms of Anxiety

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2021-22, Brain

MRI Brain Mapping of Glymphatic System May Inform AD Diagnostic

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and form of dementia that causes progressive loss of memory, critical thinking skills, and behavioral capabilities. Among other pathophysiological mechanisms, the disease is characterized by disruptions in the glymphatic system, which is responsible for the facilitation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange driving macroscopic waste and solute clearance. Breakdowns in this clearance … Continue reading MRI Brain Mapping of Glymphatic System May Inform AD Diagnostic

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2021-22, Cognition

Square Dancing can Improve Cognitive Performance in Older Women

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 It is a well-known fact that exercise has many physical and psychological benefits. For example, persistent exercise is associated with increased muscle strength, a better metabolism, and even improving mood. Amidst common forms of exercise such as weight lifting and running, other activities such as dancing can fall into this category. Previous studies have shown that dancing offers advantages such as improvements … Continue reading Square Dancing can Improve Cognitive Performance in Older Women

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2021-22, Chemistry, Health and Medicine

From Sugars to Medicine: Advancements in Selective Carbohydrate Modification

Peter Gillespie ’25 What if simple sugars could be turned into vital medicines? Dr. Ming-Yu Ngai and his team at Stony Brook University are making this dream a reality.  Due to their relevance in cell-cell recognition, protein folding, inflammation, and infection, carbohydrate modification poses an intriguing avenue through which scientists can treat issues from viral infection to malfunctions in protein folding. Changing the character of … Continue reading From Sugars to Medicine: Advancements in Selective Carbohydrate Modification

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2021-22, Depression

History of Maternal Depression May Correlate with Hippocampal Volume in their Children

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 Depression is defined as a mental disorder in which a person has consistent feelings of sadness and a severe loss of interest. Affecting all age groups, parents can be inflicted with depression or depression-like symptoms. Previous studies have found that children of parents suffering from depression have an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders during their lifetimes. However, the process of how … Continue reading History of Maternal Depression May Correlate with Hippocampal Volume in their Children

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2021-22, Biology, discovery

Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

Sooraj Shah ’24 While much focus has been given to the COVID-19 pandemic, autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, also affect seven percent of the American population. Recent research suggests a potential link between mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and the two diseases, as both COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases trigger increased MAIT cell response. A study led by Dr. Charles Vorkas, a professor in the Department … Continue reading Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

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2021-22, COVID-19, Disease

Usage of Music Therapy on Anxiety-Presenting COVID-19 Patients

Sooraj Shah ’24 A rise in chronic respiratory and cardiac ailments has been attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. However, one overlooked consequence of COVID-19 is isolation, which increases the risk of developing stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as patients ponder whether separation is permanent. Previous research supports music as an important tool in addressing this psychological distress, as it has been shown to … Continue reading Usage of Music Therapy on Anxiety-Presenting COVID-19 Patients

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2021-22

Feeling the Rainbow: Advances in Multisensory Artistic Experiences for the Visually Impaired

Peter Gillespie ’25 Is art seen, or is it experienced? Thanks to the work of researchers Jorge Bartolome, Gilsang Cho, and Jun-Dong Cho at Sungkyunkwan University, people with visual impairments can now appreciate artwork through senses other than vision. Previous research in allowing people with visual impairments to experience art has appealed to just one other sense, such as sound or touch. However, Bartolome and … Continue reading Feeling the Rainbow: Advances in Multisensory Artistic Experiences for the Visually Impaired

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2021-22, COVID-19, music

Using Computation Fluid Dynamics to Mitigate Airborne Disease Transmission in Orchestras

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many performing arts groups such as choirs, orchestras, opera, and dance companies have suffered a heavy loss. This is mainly because COVID-19 can be spread through infectious aerosols produced by singing or playing wind instruments, which led to show cancellations throughout the industry. To assess mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of infection to performers, … Continue reading Using Computation Fluid Dynamics to Mitigate Airborne Disease Transmission in Orchestras

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