Threatened mangrove forests can regenerate carbon stocks to defer climate change
Joyce Chen ’23 Shrimp is currently in high demand and is the most-consumed seafood in the United States. However, farming shrimp comes with a large sacrifice. Shrimp are found in shrimp ponds, which are converted from mangrove forests; these forests are known for sequestering, or storing, carbon, thereby delaying global warming. With the expansion of shrimp aquaculture, mangrove forests have depleted significantly, losing up to … Continue reading Threatened mangrove forests can regenerate carbon stocks to defer climate change
Depressive symptoms can lead to a false perception of ambiguity
Joyce Chen â23 Unlikely to experience optimism, many depressed individuals often times perceive ambiguity in a negative fashion. Their perception of reality is morphed by their emotions and they misunderstand other peopleâs intentions due to their subjective feelings. They have a negatively biased interpretation of the world, thereby leading to self-doubt and isolation. Thus, a depressed disposition can cause and worsen negative ambiguity processing. A … Continue reading Depressive symptoms can lead to a false perception of ambiguity
Better sleep quality in college students leads to better performance in classes
Joyce Chen â23 College students are known for being sleep-deprived, sometimes sleeping for less than four hours a day or none at all. However, a lack of sleep can result in serious health consequences, such as a weakened immune system that makes people prone to illnesses. Recent research shows that sleep can improve concentration, energy, and mental and physical health in general. To explore this … Continue reading Better sleep quality in college students leads to better performance in classes
Short-term relationships with violent men make women more prone to gender violence
Joyce Chen â23 Violence against women is a common occurence worldwide. In many countries, women are sexually abused or suffer from human trafficking. However, more research is needed to uncover the underlying factors that predispose women to such violence. Researchers under LĂdia Puigvert utilized the âFree Teen Desireâ experimental project to study the link between femalesâ attractions to males and future gender violence as a … Continue reading Short-term relationships with violent men make women more prone to gender violence
The Relationship Between Inflammation and Mental Sluggishness
Ellie Teng â21 Mental sluggishness or âbrain fogâ is often comorbid with inflammation, the bodyâs response to an illness. Previous research has shown the negative impact of inflammation on the brainâs alert state. Although it is still unclear as to how inflammation impacts specific processes of the brain, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham evaluated the impact of mild acute inflammation … Continue reading The Relationship Between Inflammation and Mental Sluggishness
The Role of A Recently Discovered Protein in Obesity
Ellie Teng â21 Progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (PGRMC2) is a signaling protein found in various parts of the body including the uterus and liver. While it is highly expressed in fat tissue, it is also found in especially high levels in brown fat and is required for thermogenesis, the conversion of food into body heat. Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute took this knowledge … Continue reading The Role of A Recently Discovered Protein in Obesity
CRISPR Editing in Fruit Flies to Mimic Monarch Butterflies
Ellie Teng â21 Monarch butterflies can consume toxic milkweed plants due to mutations in their genome. Both the caterpillar and the butterfly store the consumed toxins to defend against predators. Eating a monarch would cause a predator to regurgitate. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have utilized the CRISPR-Cas9 tool to genetically modified harmless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to have the ability to eat … Continue reading CRISPR Editing in Fruit Flies to Mimic Monarch Butterflies
Viruses in Koalas Can Be Models for Genome Immunity
Ellie Teng â21 Retroviruses such as HIV are viruses that take genes from host cells and incorporate them into their own genomes. Transposons are DNA elements that can change positions in the genome, increasing the potential for mutations and genome instability. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) guide the immune system towards silencing the transposons during germline development. Koalas infected by the retrovirus KoRV-A virus are immunodeficient and … Continue reading Viruses in Koalas Can Be Models for Genome Immunity
All Eyes and Ears: How Visual Deprivation Enhances Auditory Learning in Adult Mice
Mariam Malik â22 Past research and work has proven the interconnectedness of all senses and their corresponding cortices in the brain. For example, it has been scientifically proven that those lacking in one sense possess advanced abilities in others. Cross-modal learning, or the manipulation of one sense to cause alterations in another, is a key feature of further research. Researchers at the University of Maryland … Continue reading All Eyes and Ears: How Visual Deprivation Enhances Auditory Learning in Adult Mice
Big-Hearted: Arrhythmia in the Worldâs Largest Living Animal
Mariam Malik â22 Bradycardia is a slower-than-normal heart rate, and can vary depending on age and physical condition. According to the American Heart Association, a heart rate lower than sixty beats per minute (BPM) qualifies as bradycardia. Tachycardia, on the other hand, is a heartbeat that is too fast, specifically one that beats over a hundred times per minute. Both conditions vary by age and … Continue reading Big-Hearted: Arrhythmia in the Worldâs Largest Living Animal
21st Century Mind: The Effects of Blue-Light on the Brain, Retinas, and Rate of Aging
Mariam Malik â22 Blue light from electronic devices, such as smartphones and laptops, is of shorter wavelength on the light spectrum, thereby giving off higher amounts of energy. The harmful effects of absorbing too many light rays, such as UV and micro, have been researched and known. However, a recent study at Oregon State University on Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, shows the damaging … Continue reading 21st Century Mind: The Effects of Blue-Light on the Brain, Retinas, and Rate of Aging
Study Reveals Ability of Human Cartilage to Regenerate
Mariam Malik â22 Cartilage is malleable soft tissue meant to prevent excess friction from joints rubbing against one another. Located in numerous parts of the body, such as the larynx, respiratory tract, and the septum, human cartilage is the most malleable and widespread at birth, eventually being replaced by bone. For a long time, scientists believed that cartilage in joints could not be regrown; however, … Continue reading Study Reveals Ability of Human Cartilage to Regenerate
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