Medicine

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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How Tele-Mental Health Helps Us During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021, Medicine, Neuroscience • May 24, 2021

Figure 1: Telehealth consultation via smartphones can serve as a source of at-home mental health care—a service that has become particularly beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic Source: Pixabay The uncertainties caused by COVID-19 could present severe risks of damage to our mental health. These high-risk circumstances include social isolation, widespread unemployment, stress surrounding contracting the …

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The Gut May Be The Door to Effective Depression Treatment

2021, Medicine, Neuroscience • May 12, 2021

First Author: Jillian Troth1 Co-Authors [Alphabetical Order]: Roxanna Attar2, Caroline Conway1, Julia Gainski3, Allison Kifer4, Vincent Lai5, Grace Lee6, Callie Moody1, Melanie Prakash1, Julia Schwab7 1Dartmouth, 2University of Texas at Austin, 3University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 4University of California San Diego, 5Rice University, 6Williams College, 7Danube Private University, Austria Figure 1: Depression is a serious …

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