Can Fighting Malaria Combat Low Birth Weight?
By Eshani Goradia â19 A problem in many parts of the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, is low birth weight (LBW). LBW could result in neonatal mortality/morbidity, childhood stunting, a lack of cognitive development, and more. Often times, diseases like malaria can be the cause of LBW. Dr. James G. Beeson and Dr. Julie A. Simpson conducted a mathematical study that suggests incidences of LBW can … Continue reading Can Fighting Malaria Combat Low Birth Weight?
Exploring the Anxiety Associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
By Patrick Yang â20 While symptoms of abdominal pain, gas, and diarrhea are implied in its name, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common gastrointestinal disorder, is also often accompanied by anxiety. The odd association with gut and brain behavior has led scientists to believe that there is a disorder of unknown cause between gut-brain communication that results in the concurrent symptoms. Recent research on IBS … Continue reading Exploring the Anxiety Associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Scientists Show the Importance of Nutrition Education
By Eshani Goradia ’19 How many times have you heard a parent or guardian say, âYou are what you eatâ? The statement, however annoying it may seem, holds a great deal of substance. Researchers for the Federation of the Italian Nutrition Societies (FeSIN) led by Dr. Lorenzo M. Donini studied the domains of human nutrition and the importance of nutrition in education. The FeSIN attributed … Continue reading Scientists Show the Importance of Nutrition Education
Extinction of a Species is Compensated by Remaining Ecosystem
By Patrick Yang ’20 Biodiversity loss is often associated with ecosystem degradation because it is assumed that a speciesâ ecological role vanishes along with the species in the case of extinction. Current models of ecosystems utilize this assumption and predict an accelerated decline in ecological properties as biodiversity loss increases. Although this is a logical prediction, Dr. Martin Solan at the University of Southampton and … Continue reading Extinction of a Species is Compensated by Remaining Ecosystem
Will Weather Affect Traveling Mood?
By Eshani Goradia ’19 Most of us have felt rejuvenated or suppressed by the weather at some point in our lives. However, we probably havenât taken the time to see and record how the weather is actually affecting our behavior. Although many studies in the past investigated the association between season and mood, scientists have not delved into how weather and seasons influence satisfaction … Continue reading Will Weather Affect Traveling Mood?
Scientists Create First Ever Artificial Embryo
By Patrick Yang ’20 Embryo development has been a very limited and sanctioned field of research due to concern for the pregnant mother. Although safety is a priority for live subjects, research in this area could improve understanding of optimal prenatal conditions, as well as the molecular interactions between embryonic stem cells. Researchers have thus entertained the idea of an artificial embryo because it … Continue reading Scientists Create First Ever Artificial Embryo
Glucose Transportation
By: Richard Liang 18â Insulin is an important signaling factor in glucose uptake, acting in concert with glucose transporter GLUT4 to transport glucose into skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. In the presence of insulin, GLUT4 is translocated to the plasma membrane where an exocyst complex tethers the GLUT4 to the membrane, a process that requires G protein RalA to bind to the … Continue reading Glucose Transportation
Improving Influenza Vaccine Efficacy Sans Adjuvants
By: Richard Liang 18â Vaccination is one of the best methods to guard against influenza, as it allows human dendritic cells (DCs) to promote long-term adaptive immunity. Due to the rapid pace of influenza mutation, the composition of influenza vaccines varies annually, with a focus on immunogenicity as opposed to vaccine efficacy. To improve efficacy, immunological agents known as adjuvants can be added … Continue reading Improving Influenza Vaccine Efficacy Sans Adjuvants
Using SIRT1 Activators to Treat Tuberculosis
By: Richard Liang 18â Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease that can remain dormant for many years. Currently, treatment options are limited by Mycobacterium tuberculosisâs ability evade the immune system and mutate into drug-resistant strains. Outbreaks are a more pressing concern in developing countries, where health care is less accessible. In a recent study led by Catherine Y. Cheng from the Singapore … Continue reading Using SIRT1 Activators to Treat Tuberculosis
The Importance of Synthetic Core Promoters in Yeast Fine-Tuning Expression
By Caleb Sooknanan â20 In genetic engineering, metabolic pathways and genetic circuits can be manipulated in microbes to produce chemicals or activate certain functions. To do this, gene expression must be fine-tuned to balance and optimize protein levels of metabolic enzymes or regulators. Â Manipulating these in unicellular eukaryotes often involves core promoter sequences, the minimal portion of the promoter required to initiate DNA … Continue reading The Importance of Synthetic Core Promoters in Yeast Fine-Tuning Expression
Peptide Microarrays Can Identify Tuberculosis Antibody Responses
By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Tuberculosis (TB) is the worldâs most prominent cause of death by infection. Scientists have become increasingly interested in the humoral immune responses associated with TB, but it is difficult to find the antigenic targets that correspond to specific stages of TB infection and disease. Dr. Davide Valentini and researchers at Karolinska Institutet conducted a study to determine whether peptide microarray … Continue reading Peptide Microarrays Can Identify Tuberculosis Antibody Responses
Photocurable Bioinks and 3D-Printed Hydrophilic Drugs
By Caleb Sooknanan ’20 Pharmaceutical dosages are often defined as the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that has a therapeutic effect in the most patients. Using such a generalized method does not account for variations in patient genomic and pathophysiological status, leading to potential negative side-effects. Personalized medicine intends to provide patients with more individualized API concentrations in their prescriptions. However, changes in … Continue reading Photocurable Bioinks and 3D-Printed Hydrophilic Drugs
Young Investigators Review 