Improved Zika Vaccine Produced by Tobacco Plant extract
By Rideeta Raquib ’19 The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a deadly virus transmitted through mosquito bites that at its climax has infected more than 1.5 million people in Brazil in 2015. The virus continues to spread with approximately 200 ZIKV cases reported in the United States this year. In order to combat the epidemic, new ZIKV vaccines have been developed to inactivate the virus. However, … Continue reading Improved Zika Vaccine Produced by Tobacco Plant extract
Researchers Develop Low-Power Assistive Stairs
By Anna Tarasova ’19 Many elderly and mobility-impaired individuals are unable or tend to be unwilling to use stairs. While assistive technologies exist, they are frequently costly and unsustainable. The principle of energy recycling has been previously applied to walking assistance mechanisms that take advantage of the continuous braking and propelling of the legs. However, during stair-walking, ascent is a period of constant propulsion and … Continue reading Researchers Develop Low-Power Assistive Stairs
A New Model for Group Decision-Making
By Anna Tarasova ’19 Making a decision in a group requires integrating individual and group beliefs. It has been previously demonstrated that one is more likely to assign greater credibility to the beliefs of a larger group than to those of a smaller group. Prior researchers have also theorized that the adoption of group beliefs by individuals is driven by a desire to mitigate potential … Continue reading A New Model for Group Decision-Making
Restoring Auditory Cortex Plasticity in Adults
By Anna Tarasova ’19 Being able to form, maintain, and strengthen neural connections within the auditory cortex is an important part of language acquisition. Neural plasticity, or the ability of the brain to establish new connections, is especially high in childhood, but decreases with age. A discovery made by Dr. Jay Blundon and his colleagues at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has the potential … Continue reading Restoring Auditory Cortex Plasticity in Adults
Sleep and Its Impact on Alzheimer’s Disease
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 A good night’s rest is hard to come by these days, however a study led by Yo-El S. Ju MD from Washington University suggests that it is more important than one may realize. They found that inadequate sleep causes the Alzheimer’s related protein, amyloid beta, to increase. They tested the amyloid beta levels from the cerebral spinal fluid of 22 middle … Continue reading Sleep and Its Impact on Alzheimer’s Disease
Tardigrade and Its Impact on Survivability
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Whether the world ends in asteroids or radiation, the big question is what, if anything, will survive. Researchers lead by Dr. David Sloan from the University of Oxford assessed the resilience of species when against three astrophysical catastrophes (asteroids, supernovas, and gamma-ray bursts) that could sterilize the planet. Â These events threaten the survival of species with radiation and by deterioration of … Continue reading Tardigrade and Its Impact on Survivability
The Anti-CRISPR
By Meghan Bialt-DeCelie ’19 Since the explosion of CRISPR-Cas 9, a gene editing technology, researchers have been further exploring its mechanisms and ways of improving the system. AcrIIA4 is a known anti-CRISPR protein that inhibits the CRISPR-Cas 9 complex, but the mechanism and residues involved were not as explored. Researchers lead by Jiyung Shin, PhD from The University of California Berkley investigated AcrIIA4 to … Continue reading The Anti-CRISPR
Cancer Therapy Employing Lipid-coated Gold Nanorod
By Rideeta Raquib ’19 Gene regulation induced by light has potential for noninvasive control over the function of target cells. One such method involves the delivery of photothermal heaters and heat shock protein (HSP) promoter-driven protein expression vectors into the cells and then illuminating them to activate the cells. HSP promoters are controlled by heat shock factor, which is a transcription factor in the cytosol … Continue reading Cancer Therapy Employing Lipid-coated Gold Nanorod
Novel Findings to Tackle Malaria
By Rideeta Raquib ’19 Malaria is a deadly disease caused by single-celled parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Once the body is infected, sporozoites migrate to the liver and replicate to merozoites. A sporozoite in a motile, sporelike phase during a parasite’s asexual reproduction. A merozoite is the growth stage, which occurs in the bloodstream. The toxins released by merozoites destroy red blood cells and can … Continue reading Novel Findings to Tackle Malaria
Music Affects Brain Structure
By Rideeta Raquib ’19 Whether it be going out for a jog or driving a car, our day-to-day physical movements are often coordinated with music. Recently, researchers have harnessed music and employed auditory cues in response to musical stimuli to enhance movement learning and rehabilitation. Previous studies have shown that musicians tend to have a higher fractional anisotropy (FA) values than non-musicians. FA is a … Continue reading Music Affects Brain Structure
Neutrophilic Pleocytosis is Connected to Viral CNS Infections
By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Viral central nervous system (CNS) infections are often associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocytic pleocytosis, or an increase in the fluid’s white blood cell count. However, these infections are also connected to neutrophilic pleocytosis, an increase in the fluid’s neutrophil count. The clinical and prognostic significance of CSF neutrophilic pleocytosis remains unknown in patients. Doctor Siraya Jaijakul and researchers at the … Continue reading Neutrophilic Pleocytosis is Connected to Viral CNS Infections
Capsule Robots Can Be Used for Biosensor Implantation
By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Biosensors have become increasingly practical within the medical field, as they can detect different biometrics such as heart rate and body temperature levels. However, current biosensors can wear out quickly and elicit health problems such as trauma. Many efforts — especially in the area of capsule robotics — have been made to develop biosensors that are noninvasive and effective at monitoring … Continue reading Capsule Robots Can Be Used for Biosensor Implantation
