Tag: Featured

Environment, Evolution

Freshwater Pond on Southampton Island Contains Traces of the Extinct Sadlermiut People

Joyce Chen ’23 The Sadlermiut were a past civilization that lived on Southampton Island in Nunavut, Canada. Accustomed to the harsh weather of Arctic Canada, the Sadlermiut were natural hunter-gatherers and fishermen. Recovery of past artifacts and skeletal remains suggested that the civilization occupied regions of Southampton Island ranging back to 1250 CE up until 1903, when they were wiped out by a pandemic introduced … Continue reading Freshwater Pond on Southampton Island Contains Traces of the Extinct Sadlermiut People

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Neurology

Glial Cells May Shape Brain Tumor Microenvironments

Alex Moir ’23 Glial cells, located in the central nervous system (CNS), support neurons by clearing extracellular waste and mounting an immune response against potential pathogens. Glioma are tumors occurring in the CNS that originate from these glial cells. As glioma tumors progress and become more aggressive, they invade surrounding tissue and develop a hospitable tumor microenvironment (TME). Two types of resident CNS immune cells, … Continue reading Glial Cells May Shape Brain Tumor Microenvironments

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well-being

Release of Biological Molecules May Promote Formation of Vasculature in a Developing Embryo

Joyce Chen ’23 When an embryo develops, its cells undergo numerous rounds of cell division and arrange into a highly organized system of tissues that collectively assemble into organs. While positioning themselves at the midline, cells known as angioblasts are responsible for the formation of blood vessels in major arteries and veins. Simultaneously, somites — structures in the developing embryo that give rise to bone, … Continue reading Release of Biological Molecules May Promote Formation of Vasculature in a Developing Embryo

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Depression

Early Onset Depressive Disorders in Adolescent Females

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 Depression is an illness that can cause feelings of sadness and can affect the way one thinks and acts. The first onset of depression is seen in childhood and often precedes chronic depression later on in life. Interestingly, it is correlated with differences in biological sex, as females have a 30% higher chance of struggling with first onset depression compared to males. … Continue reading Early Onset Depressive Disorders in Adolescent Females

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Neuroscience

Anti-NMDAR Autoantibodies Disrupt Ionotropic Receptor Signaling

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are ligand-gated ion channels whose signaling enables higher-order functions, such as learning and memory, throughout the brain. They are activated by glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and are dynamically distributed across synaptic and extrasynaptic sites. The obligate composition of these protein receptors includes two subunits known as GluN1 paired with combinations of spliced regulatory … Continue reading Anti-NMDAR Autoantibodies Disrupt Ionotropic Receptor Signaling

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Brain

Loss of Dopamine Impairs Voluntary Movement in Parkinson’s Disease

Sooraj Shah ’24 For years, the correlation between loss of the hormone dopamine and the development of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has been evident. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that assists in the propagation of electrical signals in the brain, which facilitate everyday movements such as walking and writing. A reduction of dopamine levels in an individual with Parkinson’s disease may lead to shaking and poor coordination. … Continue reading Loss of Dopamine Impairs Voluntary Movement in Parkinson’s Disease

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Psychology

Social Evaluation and Anxiety Can Affect Perception of Threats

Ayesha Azeem ’23 When we make decisions, a multitude of cognitive processes occur. One such factor involved is social evaluation, which may either enhance or hinder perceptual decisions. Perceptual decision-making is defined as choosing one option out of a set based on available sensory information. It is often observed when one perceives threatening stimuli, a response conserved through evolution. Thus, the determination of threatening stimuli … Continue reading Social Evaluation and Anxiety Can Affect Perception of Threats

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Natural World

Ivory Poaching in Elephants Is Causing Tusklessness in Elephants

Yukta Kulkarni ’22 Poaching is defined as the illegal hunting of animals, especially when some part of an animal is profitable. This type of wildlife exploitation has been occurring for years, harming multiple species and causing unforeseen evolutionary consequences. A prominent example of this is habitual ivory poaching, or the killing of both male and female elephants for their extremely valuable ivory tusks. In fact, … Continue reading Ivory Poaching in Elephants Is Causing Tusklessness in Elephants

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Neuroscience, well-being

Immunomodulatory Therapies Improve Long-Term Visual Outcomes Amid Optic Neuritis Preceding Late-Stage MS

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Optic neuritis (ON) is a condition involving inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause its demyelination, or the destruction of the fatty tissue known as myelin that insulates and protects nerves. Although relatively rare, ON first manifests in young adulthood and can cause diminished visual acuity or blurriness, poor pupillary constriction, ophthalmalgia (eye pain), and the inability to see out of one … Continue reading Immunomodulatory Therapies Improve Long-Term Visual Outcomes Amid Optic Neuritis Preceding Late-Stage MS

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discovery

Formation of Night Clouds on Venus May Have Prevented Earth-like Conditions

Sooraj Shah ’24  Venus shares many similarities with Earth, including approximate size and mass. Venus’ surface temperature, however, is much hotter and contains a much thicker atmosphere consisting of carbon dioxide. For years, scientists have made estimates that Venus once was a thriving planet containing the resources for life like Earth. A research study led by astrophysicist Martin Turbet, in collaboration with the University of … Continue reading Formation of Night Clouds on Venus May Have Prevented Earth-like Conditions

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Environment

Deforestation May Affect Worker Productivity in Rural Communities

Ayesha Azeem ’23 Trees are known for their cooling services through shade and evapotranspiration, the process by which water is transferred from land to the atmosphere through evaporation. Unfortunately, tropical deforestation has accelerated exponentially in the past century, leading to the elimination of these cooling services in low latitude countries. Without such cooling services, local temperatures can increase over a single season, which affects not … Continue reading Deforestation May Affect Worker Productivity in Rural Communities

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Uncategorized

Investigating the Efficacy of Blue-Light Lenses in Reducing Eye Strain

Robyn Rutgers ’24 Computer usage is integral to daily life; however, prolonged electronic usage is associated with vision-related problems, or “computer vision syndrome.” Symptoms include blurred vision, dry eyes, redness, and headaches. Some have hypothesized that computer vision syndrome is a result of exposure to blue light emitted from computer screens, causing businesses to market blue-light-blocking lenses as a potential solution. However, a lack of … Continue reading Investigating the Efficacy of Blue-Light Lenses in Reducing Eye Strain

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