In Situ Administration of Cytokine Combinations Could Be the Future of Immunotherapy
By Riya Gandhi ‘22 Rather than look outwards for new cancer treatments, scientists are beginning to look inwards – that is, inside the human body – for advanced therapeutic treatments. Although the use of cytokines, biomolecules that direct an immune response,in cancer therapy has been attempted for decades, there is still room for much improvement. In a recent study on cytokines, researchers under the guidance … Continue reading In Situ Administration of Cytokine Combinations Could Be the Future of Immunotherapy
Elimination of Pathogens by Signaling Interference
By Allan Mai ‘20 Ever see that probiotic label on the side of a container of yogurt or another dairy product and wonder what it means? Probiotic nutrition helps reduce pathogenic colonization of the intestines; however, until recently, researchers’ knowledge of the mechanism behind this process was ambiguous. Pipat Piewngam of Mahidol University in Thailand and his colleagues have discovered that the probiotic Bacillus works … Continue reading Elimination of Pathogens by Signaling Interference
The Preservation of Respiratory Function After a Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
By Allan Mai ‘20 After a traumatic spinal cord injury, a primary cause for concern is the threat of a dysfunctional respiratory system; a means by which to preserve respiratory functions is needed to decrease mortality rates in patients with spinal cord injuries. In a recent study, Dr. Kajana Satkunendrarajah of the Kembril Research Institute in Toronto discovered a potential solution to this problem which … Continue reading The Preservation of Respiratory Function After a Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
Using the Genome to Forecast Health
By Allan Mai ‘20 Wouldn’t it be convenient if researchers could tell how likely an individual is to have a certain disease just by looking at his or her genome? Researchers are doing exactly that by looking at over 6.6 million points of the human genome; according to Sekar Kathiresan, a geneticist at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General), scientists now have the ability to calculate … Continue reading Using the Genome to Forecast Health
An Environmentally Friendly Solution for Oil Contaminated Soils
By Raymond Cheung ‘22 Global oil production is on the rise; in 2017, a record of 92.6 million barrels were processed daily (1). Although the petroleum refining process is needed to refine crude oil into usable products, the process often generates significant amounts of oil sludge. These oil sludges contain toxic chemicals that are hazardous to the environment and as a result, are difficult to … Continue reading An Environmentally Friendly Solution for Oil Contaminated Soils
Tree Diversity and Climate Change
By Raymond Cheung ‘22 Since trees can absorb greenhouse gases through photosynthesis, reforestation efforts are becoming a more crucial way to combat climate change. However, new research suggests that the number of tree species planted is as essential as the quantity. A recent study conducted by Yuanyuan Huang and more than sixty scientists from China, Switzerland, and Germany analyzed over 150,000 trees planted in the … Continue reading Tree Diversity and Climate Change
Sleep Deprivation and Performance
By Raymond Cheung ‘22 Sleep is a necessity that many do not get enough of on a daily basis. Sleep deprivation can significantly impair cognitive function, which can prove dangerous and costly for intensive jobs. While the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on performance are not new, a recent study by Michelle E. Stepan and researchers from Michigan State University employed a large controlled sample … Continue reading Sleep Deprivation and Performance
Correlation Between the Mediterranean Diet and age-related Macular Degeneration
By Mariam Malik ‘22 The human eye’s abilities are often taken granted. Currently, roughly 1.8 million Americans are affected by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of blindness. AMD directly affects the eye’s central vision, which is vital in individuals’ abilities to see faces and read. Researchers from the European Union have collected and analyzed data that links the Mediterranean Diet to … Continue reading Correlation Between the Mediterranean Diet and age-related Macular Degeneration
The affect of hunger on brain health
By Mariam Malik ‘22 It is not uncommon to hear to blame a moment of overreaction on being hungry. However, the connection between the two has not been greatly explored until recently. At the University of Guelph in Canada, PhD student Thomas Homran led an experiment on mice to see what it is that makes us “hangry”. In one small room, a group of rats … Continue reading The affect of hunger on brain health
Findings of Disease for Contact-Lens Users
By Mariam Malik ‘22 Out of the individuals you know, it is often difficult to determine whether or not they wear contact lenses. Due to their efficiency, contacts have become a phenomenon in eye care and vision. A new study from the University College of London has resulted in the awareness of Acanthamoeba keratitis infections, a disease that affects the cornea and causes it to … Continue reading Findings of Disease for Contact-Lens Users
The Efficiency and Effectiveness of Different Drug Labels
By Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 The labels on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are what most use to understand their contents and effects. However, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), finding a disparity in the different kinds of prescription drug labels, has proposed a standardized label to be used for OTC drugs in Australia. Vivian Tong and her research team aimed to test different drug label formats and … Continue reading The Efficiency and Effectiveness of Different Drug Labels
The Effects Of Climate Change On The Macroporosity Of Soil
By Kavindra Sahabir ‘21 Climate change, in addition to contributing to rising temperatures around the globe, may also be affecting the availability of water and production of food. Soil macropores are, at their most basic level, holes in soil that act as natural drains of water due to gravity. They affect factors such as nutrient transport for plants and water runoff in fields, which in … Continue reading The Effects Of Climate Change On The Macroporosity Of Soil
