Category: Year

2017-18

Mediterranean-type diet may reduce effects of osteoporosis

Nita Wong ‘21 Characterized by high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, unrefined cereals, olive oil, and fish, the Mediterranean diet is known for its myriad of health benefits: previous research suggests that adherence to such eating habits improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reduces risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, prevents heart disease and strokes, and protects against type two diabetes. A recent study conducted … Continue reading Mediterranean-type diet may reduce effects of osteoporosis

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2017-18

Consumption of whole dairy products not linked to cardiovascular disease

Nita Wong ‘21 Whole milk, yogurt, cheese, and other full-fat dairy products have long been associated with health risks due to their saturated fat content. Nonetheless, a recent study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was unable to find a significant link between dairy fats and increased risk of heart … Continue reading Consumption of whole dairy products not linked to cardiovascular disease

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2017-18

Multivitamins show no cardiovascular health benefits

Nita Wong ‘21 Up to 30 percent of Americans take multivitamin and mineral supplements; in fact, the global nutritional supplement industry is projected to reach $278 billion within the next six years. A recent study conducted by the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and published by the American Heart Association, however, found no link between consumption of such dietary … Continue reading Multivitamins show no cardiovascular health benefits

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2017-18

The Use of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing Tool in Treating Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Stephanie Budhan ‘20 Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is dominantly inherited genetic disorder that causes the development of Alzheimer’s Disease in individuals younger than 65 years old. AD is caused by a point mutation in three major genes, one of which is amyloid precursor protein (APP). APP is cleaved to generate beta amyloid which makes up the amyloid plaque found in the brains of AD patients. … Continue reading The Use of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing Tool in Treating Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

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2017-18

The Effects of Short Term Estrogen Therapy on Long Term Cognition in Mouse Model

Stephanie Budhan ‘20 Menopause in women is characterized by the decline in the production of reproductive hormones such as estrogen. Estrogen plays in a major role in maintaining cognition. Thus, post-menopausal estrogen therapy has the potential to enhance cognition in women. However, treatment success, and it appears that estrogen therapy is only effective at a critical time or age in women. Previously, researchers at Tulane … Continue reading The Effects of Short Term Estrogen Therapy on Long Term Cognition in Mouse Model

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2017-18

The Perceived Need, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Individuals with Eating Disorders in College Students

Stephanie Budhan ‘20 An eating disorder (ED) is a condition characterized by abnormal eating behaviors and a negative attitude towards food. Eating disorders are one of the deadliest types of mental illness yet remain under-treated within the population. Only one-third of individuals suffering from an ED have received treatment. Under-treatment of an ED is likely due to misconceptions about them. For example, it is generally … Continue reading The Perceived Need, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Individuals with Eating Disorders in College Students

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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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