Medicine

Human Endogenous Retroviruses Might Unlock a New Field of Neurodegenerative Disease Research

2021, Biology, Medicine, Neuroscience • August 12, 2021

Figure 1: Researchers have found viral genetic materials within the human genome which are the result of retroviruses that infected our ancestors millions of years ago. Scientists refer to these viruses as human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). HERVs have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). (Source: Public Domain Pictures, Виталий Смолыгин) Viral …

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Mucins: The Medical Target of the Future

2021, Biology, Medicine • August 8, 2021

Figure: Diagram of Mucin Structure. Mucins are glycosylated membrane proteins with complex o-glycans on their extracellular TR region, which provide identifying information for interactions with microbes (Source: Jcastr07, Wikimedia Commons). While the microbiome has been receiving increasing attention as a key physiological player, the mucinome, or mucus composition in the body, may be the gateway …

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The Positives of Plushies: Stuffed Animals Have Benefits for Children and Adults

2021, Medicine, Neuroscience • August 8, 2021

Figure: A young girl sleeps with a teddy bear in her arms after receiving medical treatment at Gheskio Field Hospital (Joshua Lee Kelsey, Wikimedia Commons). For many children, stuffed animals are loyal and comforting companions. A fluffy friend can make a trip to the doctor or sleeping in the dark seem a little less daunting. …

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An Overview of Oncology Treatments

2021, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine • July 25, 2021

Lead Authors: Dina Rabadi1, Sarah Matatov2 Co-Authors: Carolina Guerrero1, Nina Klee1,Whitney Nicanor Mabwi3, Bamlak Messay1, Yu Quan Ng4, Melanie Prakash1, Andrew Sasser1, Jillian Troth1 Dartmouth College1, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign2, Moi University3, Williams College4 Cover Figure: A clipboard surrounded by various drugs and delivery methods to treat cancer, showing the vast options and challenges …

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UV-Vis Spectroscopy: A Step in the Light Direction

2021, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics • June 23, 2021

Executive Board Advisor: Nishi Jain Co-Authors: Daniela Galvez-Cepeda, Katherine Faulkner, Sonia Fung, Alexandra McOsker, Sarah Matatov, Arooba Ahmed, Lina Lew, Maria Clara Trajano, Sreya Roy, Carolina Guerrero, Anahita Kodali, Maeen Arslan, Aadhishre Kasat Figure 1: UV Spectroscopy is a powerful tool that’s emerging in a wide array of academic labs to characterize molecules, chemical compounds, …

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PCR: Captivation Through Replication

2021, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics • June 23, 2021

Executive Board Advisor: Nishi Jain Co-Authors: Vivek Babu, Collins Kariuki, Carolina Guerrero, Alex MckOsker, Daniela Galvez-Cepeda, Anahita Kodali, Sonia Fung, Maeen Arslan Figure 1:PCR is a widely used technique that was developed in the 1970s to replicate DNA for experimental purposes Source: Pixabay DNA has long been an enigma, evading the understanding of scientists for …

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Bile Acid-Induced Satiety to Treat Obesity

2021, Medicine, Neuroscience • June 23, 2021

Figure 1: Diagram of the effects of bile acids on food intake. Bile acids from the digestive system bind to TGR-5 receptors on the surface of hypothalamic cells in the brain to effectively increase insulin synthesis and decrease food intake Source: Frontiers, Danic et al. Obesity has become a worldwide health crisis affecting approximately 13% …

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The Chernobyl Accident — A Natural Experiment for the Effects of Radiation on Humans

2021, Biology, Medicine • June 23, 2021

Figure 1: A monument (front left) to the meltdown at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant that occurred in Reactor Number Four (back right) Source: Wikimedia Commons, Tiia Monto In April 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the town of Pripyat in the former USSR (and present-day Ukraine) experienced an uncontrolled chain reaction in Reactor …

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How the Plague Changed Our Genes

2021, Biology, Medicine • June 23, 2021

Figure 1: An image of the Yersinia pestis bacterium that caused the Black Plague. The image was taken with a scanning electron microscope using a sample collected from the digestive tract of an infected flea Source: Wikimedia Commons, Rocky Mountain Laboratories Some use the word “plague” to mean any infectious disease that infects many people, but …

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Another Genetic “Letter” Found in Viruses

2021, Biology, Medicine • May 30, 2021

Figure 1: A schematic of the double helix of DNA Source: Wikimedia Commons, National Human Genome Research Institute DNA is made of nucleotides, which consist of a deoxyribose sugar bound to a phosphate group along with a nitrogen base, joined together with bonds between their sugars and phosphate groups. Most organisms contain 4 different nitrogenous …

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