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Science & Technology

Doctors speak about medical mindsets

By SAMHITA ILANGO | September 27, 2012

On September 20, Drs. Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband of Harvard Medical School presented a talk titled “Your Medical Mind: How to Decide What Is Right for You” as part of the Conversations in Medicine Symposium, and discussed their recently published book of the same name. The husband and wife duo described how people’s different mindsets affect their actions when faced with a medical dilemma. The student-organized talk was a hosted by Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-medical Honor Society (AED) and the Women’s Pre-Health Leadership Society (WPHLS).

Parts of bee genome affect behavior

By ERICK SUN | September 27, 2012

As most people know, the basic component that determines how an organism develops is its genome — the complete DNA sequence that can be decoded into proteins, which ultimately make up the organism.

Animal Antics: New tracking methods could help save turtles

By MELANIE HSU | September 27, 2012

While sharks and piranhas have a history of terrorizing the silver screen, their Testudines friends are adored by fans everywhere. The fame (or infamy) of characters like Bowser from the “Mario” series and protagonists of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are signs that turtles have successfully invaded popular culture. Unfortunately, the reality of turtle life is a rather harsh one; many species, such as the loggerhead sea turtle, are struggling to stay off the extinct species list.

Professor awarded for finds in genetics

By MICHAEL YAMAKAWA | September 20, 2012

Hopkins added another decoration to its faculty’s ranks with Dr. Donald Brown’s receipt of the prestigious Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science. Brown, an adjunct professor in the department of biology since 1969, won the award for his work in genetics. He was also acknowledged for his role mentoring young scientists. Tom Maniatis of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics department at Columbia University was also recognized.

“Faststitch” designed for surgical suturing

By Ian Yu | September 20, 2012

Hopkins students have developed a plier-like device that can expedite and improve suturing, the method of sewing closed a patient’s operating site at the end of surgery. Daniel Peng, a senior Biomedical Engineering major, explained that significant complications can arise from the 4.5 million open abdominal surgeries performed each year.

Nanoparticle study improves drug delivery to the brain

By ERICK SUN | September 20, 2012

In recent years, the technology of nanoparticles has become a fascinating area of research for scientists. Nanoparticles are defined as anything 100 nanometers or less, and they have incredible potential for medical uses due to their small size and unique properties.

Animal Antics: Pit viper females found to give virgin births

By MELANIE HSU | September 20, 2012

Why is childbirth in humans such an agonizing and difficult process? The answer, as you might expect, lies in our evolutionary history. David K. Jordan, professor of anthropology at the University of California San Diego, believes that the human pelvis, and mammalian pelvises in general, has been shaped by competing evolutionary forces.

Gene therapy offers solution to anosmia

By ELLE PFEFFER | September 20, 2012

Our sense of smell is one of our most important capabilities as humans. Beyond how we normally define it, smell also plays into our sense of taste and affects our appetite. But what happens when a person suffers from anosmia, the loss of smell, due to a genetic disorder, degenerative disease, or trauma? Can the sense be restored?

Roaches may aid future EMS rescues

By ERICK SUN | September 13, 2012

As an upperclassman who recently moved off campus, I have had the unfortunate experience of doing a little cockroach pest control in my apartment kitchen recently.

Chemists prove hydrogen catalyst mechanism

By Ian Yu | September 13, 2012

Hydrogen fuel cells can power cars and other vehicles, but generating power from water has some challenges. Platinum is too expensive to use as a catalyst for the reaction, and until recently, the mechanism of the cheaper cobalt-based catalysts remained a mystery.

Apple’s iPhone 5 launches with new features

By Alice Hung | September 13, 2012

Rumors about the new iPhone 5 seemed endless for the past couple years. After Apple lovers got past the disappointment brought on by the release of the iPhone 4S in place of the iPhone 5 last year, their imagination and excitement about the magical iPhone 5 only heightened. Fortunately, Apple seems to have lived up to the expectations with the recent unveiling of the iPhone 5.

Sea otters help lower carbon dioxide levels

By RACHEL WITKIN | September 13, 2012

Sea otters are known for their impressive swimming abilities, and of course, being really cute. A recent study, however, shows that they also have the ability to fight global warming. Sea otters eat sea urchins, which means that there are fewer sea urchins to eat kelp, allowing the kelp population to flourish and absorb 12 times more carbon dioxide than it would without the sea otters.

Top endangered species identified

By MELANIE HSU | September 13, 2012

Just two days ago, conservation scientists released a list of the world’s 100 most endangered animals during a presentation at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea. Compiled by more than 8,000 scientists affiliated with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), this list includes species that are very likely to go extinct if nothing is done to protect them.

New blood glucose sensor for diabetics

By Alice Hung | September 13, 2012

The daily glucose check has long been a pain, quite literally, for many diabetics. Fortunately, researchers from the Frauhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems recently engineered a biosensor that can take non-invasive blood sugar measurements using sweat or tears instead of blood. Manufacturing these devices is cost-efficient, making them ideal for mass production.

Mars ice caps decode planet’s past

By Mo-Yu Zhou | September 13, 2012

In order to glean information about Earth’s climate history, scientists can analyze ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica’s ice caps. Similarly, Mars’ past climate can be determined by examining its ice caps. Using this technique, researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen have put together the first dated account of climate history for Mars. Their findings show that the variations in Mars’ climate are linked to solar insolation, which is a measure of solar radiation energy.

Safety procedures eliminate some central line infections

By ELLE PFEFFER | September 13, 2012

Pediatric oncology patients are at uniquely high risk of developing dangerous infections. “Any time a kid gets an infection, it is a failure,” said Michael Rinke, a Hopkins professor of pediatrics in the Division of Quality and Safety and lead investigator on a new study that deals with preventing central line infections in these patients.

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