Medicine

For that which is relating or is of the topic of Medicine

COVID-19 Pneumonia – A Different Illness Than Its Traditional Counterpart

COVID-19 Pneumonia – A Different Illness Than Its Traditional Counterpart

Figure 1: This is an image of a child with pneumonia. The fluid build-up in the lungs (known as pleural effusion) is visible here Source: Wikimedia Commons Pneumonia is a common illness with a variety of causes. It is often triggered by some form of viral or bacterial infection, like influenza. The alveolar space, the …

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Twin Impacts of the Chernobyl Disaster: Birth Defects and Mental Health

Twin Impacts of the Chernobyl Disaster: Birth Defects and Mental Health

Figure 1: Damage caused to reactor 4 of the Chernobyl plant after the explosion Source: Wikimedia Commons Introduction: The notorious Chernobyl Disaster took place at reactor 4 near the town of Pripyat, Ukraine on the morning of April 26, 1986. According to the National Cancer Institute, the accident caused 5 million people in Belarus, Russia …

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Fighting Hospital Hardships: An Intervention for Reducing Stress in Hospital Workers

Fighting Hospital Hardships: An Intervention for Reducing Stress in Hospital Workers

Figure 1: This figure describes some of the symptoms of stress, which can have negative consequences for many body systems Source: Wikimedia Commons Hospital workers perform valuable work in caring for the sick and injured, but as part of their work, these workers are exposed to a variety of stressors. In a review of an …

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The "Old Friends" Hypothesis and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The “Old Friends” Hypothesis and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Sakeena Badrane1, Vivek Babu2, Sanah Handu1 1University of Pittsburgh, 2Drexel University Source: Wikimedia Commons Introduction Since the onset of the pandemic, the American populace has lived in varying levels of isolation. In March, the country entered a complete lockdown. Fear of the unknown in conjunction with warnings from the CDC resulted in most Americans …

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Genetic Cheating? Identifying CRISPR/Cas Gene Doping

Genetic Cheating? Identifying CRISPR/Cas Gene Doping

Figure 1: Lance Armstrong, a well-known professional cyclist, has been implicated in drug doping scandals throughout his career Source: Wikimedia Commons When one considers cheating in the world of athletics, the typical cases that come to mind are those of Marion Jones, Tyson Gay, and Lance Armstrong, athletes who all admitted to using steroids and …

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COVID-19 May Inflict Lasting Damage on the Central Nervous System

COVID-19 May Inflict Lasting Damage on the Central Nervous System

Figure 1: Transmission electron microscope image of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The ligands on the surface of the virus bind to receptors in the olfactory bulb Source: Wikimedia Commons Even as researchers continue to uncover more about the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, the long-term effects of COVID-19 remain unstudied. However, decades of past studies on similar viruses combined …

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Risk of Death Among Recently Released Inmates

Risk of Death Among Recently Released Inmates

Figure 1: While healthcare inequity is certainly an issue while prisoners are imprisoned, there are added concerns regarding the health conditions that develop or are exacerbated following their release Source: Pixabay For those incarcerated, the prison healthcare system severely impacts their quality of life and lifespan. Several studies have linked incarceration to poor health conditions, …

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Vaping and Mental Fog – The Connection Between E-Cigarette Use and Mental Function

Vaping and Mental Fog – The Connection Between E-Cigarette Use and Mental Function

Figure 1: Use of e-cigarette devices, like the one in the image above, is on the rise both in the US and globally Source: Wikimedia Commons Over the past several years, there has been a slow decrease in the number of cigarette smokers around the world. However, the number of vapers – people who use …

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Incarceration and Motherhood: A Brief Overview of Maternal Health Issues in American Prisons

Incarceration and Motherhood: A Brief Overview of Maternal Health Issues in American Prisons

Figure 1: Guards in prisons are able to put prisoners in shackles whenever they see fit – for pregnant women giving birth, shackling can result in severe complications Source: Wikimedia Commons Pregnancy can come with several complications for the mother, including high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia (“common complications of pregnancy,” n.d.). In addition, …

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Exploring Possibilities for the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Exploring Possibilities for the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Figure 1: Extracellular deposits of amyloid-beta proteins as seen in Alzheimer’s Disease patients Source: Wikimedia Commons As of June 2020, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) was the sixth most common cause of death in the United States, as well as the leading cause for the onset of dementia. Largely due to continuously increasing life expectancies, it is …

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