Finger Lengths and Their Ratios May Be Indicative of Covid-19 Risk

Lydia Wang ’26 SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that attacks the respiratory system, causing the disease COVID-19. The disease’s severity and risk factors have been shown to vary across certain populations. In particular, COVID-19 mortality rates were observed to be significantly higher in males than in females. One possible explanation for this cites testosterone levels, which have been seen to correlate with the ratio of digit … Continue reading Finger Lengths and Their Ratios May Be Indicative of Covid-19 Risk

Depression as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 Infection

Peter Gillespie ’25 Covid-19 has been at the forefront of concern for many since the pandemic struck, especially for patients with risk factors for severe diseases if infected by Covid-19. Respiratory and cardiovascular disease, old age, hypertension, and diabetes have already been established as high risk factors for severe Covid-19 infection. However, recent research from Dr. Sean Clouston and his colleagues has identified a new … Continue reading Depression as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 Infection

COVID-19 Causes Increased Anxiety In Lung Cancer Patients

Figure 1: Stony Brook University research team finds significant increase in psychological stress among lung cancer patients during pandemic. Zhifei Zeng ’23 COVID-19, which has ravaged the world, is still a public health concern and there are multiple theories about the cause of severe COVID-19 infection in young people. Previous research on genetic factors associated with severe COVID-19 has been limited to the gene pool … Continue reading COVID-19 Causes Increased Anxiety In Lung Cancer Patients

Why Do Some Young People Develop Severe COVID-19?

Zhifei Zeng ’23 COVID-19, which has ravaged the world, is still a public health concern and there are multiple theories about the cause of severe COVID-19 infection in young people. Previous research on genetic factors associated with severe COVID-19 has been limited to the gene pool of European populations. Coincidentally, while comparing the gene pools of Japanese and European patients, a large Japanese genetic research … Continue reading Why Do Some Young People Develop Severe COVID-19?

Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

Sooraj Shah ’24 While much focus has been given to the COVID-19 pandemic, autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, also affect seven percent of the American population. Recent research suggests a potential link between mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and the two diseases, as both COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases trigger increased MAIT cell response. A study led by Dr. Charles Vorkas, a professor in the Department … Continue reading Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

Using Computation Fluid Dynamics to Mitigate Airborne Disease Transmission in Orchestras

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many performing arts groups such as choirs, orchestras, opera, and dance companies have suffered a heavy loss. This is mainly because COVID-19 can be spread through infectious aerosols produced by singing or playing wind instruments, which led to show cancellations throughout the industry. To assess mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of infection to performers, … Continue reading Using Computation Fluid Dynamics to Mitigate Airborne Disease Transmission in Orchestras

Discrimination During COVID-19 Exacerbates Academic Disconnect of Asian Students

Zhifei Zeng ’23 Since January 2020, the world has been suffering from a pandemic brought about by COVID-19. In addition to the direct health threat posed by the virus, a survey showed that the rate of racist and xenophobic attacks against Asians increased all over the globe, especially in the United States. In fact, the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center has reported 3,800 hate crimes … Continue reading Discrimination During COVID-19 Exacerbates Academic Disconnect of Asian Students

Pandemic-related Stress Overwhelms Pregnant Women Globally

Joyce Chen ’23 Within the past year, the onset and duration of the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the world. Aside from the detrimental effects on physical health, the virus has taken a significant impact on mental wellbeing. Many pregnant women have reported feeling heightened levels of stress at this time because they do not feel prepared to give birth and are afraid of their … Continue reading Pandemic-related Stress Overwhelms Pregnant Women Globally

Discovery of Inflammation-Inducing Enzyme May Be Key to Reducing COVID-19 Severity

Sooraj Shah ’24 COVID-19, ravaging the world since November of 2019, is not slowing down anytime soon. With mutated variants of the disease now circulating, cases are rising at an alarming rate once again, and the world is desperate for answers. While the vaccine currently protects against the original strain of the virus, it may not be as protective against  mutated strains that consist of … Continue reading Discovery of Inflammation-Inducing Enzyme May Be Key to Reducing COVID-19 Severity

Online Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 Risk and Cost Estimates on Worry and Health Behavior Compliance in Young Adult

Thumyat Noe ’23 The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major mental health consequences such as anxiety and non-compliance with health guidelines within the general population, especially among young adults. To effectively treat anxiety and encourage compliance with public health guidelines among young adults, it is important to understand factors that contribute to COVID-19 related anxiety as well as decision-making mechanisms that contribute to compliance with … Continue reading Online Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 Risk and Cost Estimates on Worry and Health Behavior Compliance in Young Adult

Ageism during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the day-to-day lives of countless people. Experts predict that society will revert to how it was pre-pandemic with the development of the Covid-19 vaccine. However, since a limited number of vaccines have been produced and shipped to vaccination centers, demand currently outweighs the supply. Nevertheless, ageism is prevalent in the United States and has intensified within the … Continue reading Ageism during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Discovering the Role of the Neuropilin Pain Pathway in Asymptomatic COVID-19 Cases

Aditi Kaveti ’23 In the United States, there have been more than 7 million documented cases of COVID-19, leading to over 200,000 deaths nationwide. This high number of cases is due to the rapid spread of the deadly disease, which is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Many researchers believe that the rapid spread can be in part attributed to a high number of asymptomatic … Continue reading Discovering the Role of the Neuropilin Pain Pathway in Asymptomatic COVID-19 Cases