Figure 1: The logo of a commonly used moisturizer, Cetaphil. Typically available in a cream, this lotion promises to provide lightweight, all-day hydration. Source: Wikimedia Commons Despite their frequent recommendation by dermatologists and daily use in both personal routine and medical care, relatively little time has been afforded to the scientific study of moisturizers. Doctors …
Figure 1: The heart is one of the most complex organs in the body. Pictured here are some of its more major anatomical features. There are many more features, and a large number are not heavily researched. There are some that researchers are not even sure of their function. By continuing research into these parts …
Figure 1: Blue Whale Surfacing off the Coast of Oregon Source: Wikimedia Commons Both toothed and baleen whales are some of the largest animals to ever exist – Orcinus orca, or the killer whale, clocks in around 11 feet. Its larger and deeper-dwelling toothed cousin, the sperm whale measures up to a massive 20 meters …
Whale Size Correlates with Feeding Pattern Efficiency Read More »
Figure 1: A map showing relative rates of pancreatic cancer across the globe. The darker the color, the higher the rate. 55% of the world’s cases come from developed countries because pancreatic cancer’s risk factors include obesity, smoking, and diabetes. Image retrieved from Wikipedia Commons In recent years, mapping the rate of disease spread across …
The Geography of Disease: a Bayesian Approach to Epidemiology Read More »
Figure 1: SEM image of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) budding from a human T cell. Since their clinical discovery in 1981, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been one of the most deadly and difficult to treat pathogens. The trouble in finding a cure for HIV is largely due to the pathogen’s ability to …
Hidden Cell-Based HIV Reservoirs Found via Sugar Signatures Read More »
Figure 1: Researchers at the Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have formulated a new method of studying epigenetic factors during the gastrulation period in mice. The gastrulation period, shown in the above image, is an early stage of development in which the body axes and germ layers form. Before gastrulation, which typically occurs …
The pliability and low-cost of synthetic thermoplastics have rendered them nearly irreplaceable in the modern world. The discovery of polymeric materials was an incredible feat for humankind. But in spite of their many favorable properties, one thing has become abundantly and alarmingly clear: they are incapable of degradation. The rate at which we discard these …
Bio-renewable Alternative to Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Read More »
Many important discoveries in human biology that affect how we treat disease and understand human development were not made by studying the human body. Instead, these discoveries were made by studying the biological processes of organisms like mice, fish, and worms. Model organisms are species that are extensively studied to understand biological phenomena that provide …
Figure 1: This figure illustrates the interaction between an enzyme, a substrate, and a cofactor. The enzyme is glucosidase, which catalyzes the breakdown of its substrate maltose to glucose. This reaction is facilitated by the cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). This cofactor is derived from vitamin B3.3 The images above (of NAD+ and glucosidase) have …
Figure 1: Insect microbiomes offer a promising source for the discovery of antimicrobial compounds. Depicted is a leaf-cutter ant coated in a white sheen made up of bacteria of the genus Pseudonocardia. The bacteria protect the fungus consumed by the ants from parasitic invasion, and the chemical compounds they secrete to impede parasitic growth hold …