Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
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Science & Technology

Information can be stored in bacterial genome

By ELLI TIAN | December 4, 2014

With recent advances in nanotechnology, computers and microchips have gotten exponentially smaller and more powerful over the past few decades. In fact, this phenomenon is so well known that it’s been given a name: Moore’s Law, after the scientist who first described it. Many may be doubtful that this trend will continue forever, due to the physical limits of technological materials, but as it turns out, our bodies already contain tiny, natural computing agents — the bacteria Escherichia coli. Recently, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a way to store information in this common bacterium.

Study looks at how patients choose doctors

By REGINA PALATINI | December 4, 2014

Individuals faced with the prospect of choosing a new doctor consider a variety of factors when making their decision. Experience, recommendations from friends and family, specialized training, location, convenience and quality of medical education are just a few of the factors that may run through patients’ minds after receiving a diagnosis. Given that choosing a physician and a treatment are among the most important choices that cancer patients will make, researchers recently looked into how patients make these decisions.

Zinc supplements differentially affect insulin

By JOAN YEA | December 4, 2014

This past decade has seen significant advancements in the efficacy of medical procedures, and research on the genetics of type 2 diabetes is one area that has greatly expanded in recent years. As of now, type 2 diabetes is known to be influenced by more than 50 genetic variants, some of which have been studied for their effect on responses to treatment.

Premature newborns at risk from toxic chemical

By TIFFANY LE | December 4, 2014

Parents of premature infants are already concerned about their baby’s health, and they may now have another worry. Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers discovered that plastics used to treat premature babies, or preemies, contain levels of a chemical called DEHP up to 160,000 times the safe amount. The finding means doctors might need to find alternative products to save our littlest patients.

Depression may be like an infectious disease

By SARAH SUKARDI | December 4, 2014

Depression has long been a misunderstood disorder. Even its classification remains tenuous: It has been characterized as a disease, an emotional disorder and a dysfunction of the brain, among many other labels. And the affliction itself continues to resist understanding.

80 million bacteria transferred in a kiss

By ELIZABETH LIU | November 20, 2014

Warm fuzzy feelings are not the only things being shared when you kiss someone — a study published in science journal Microbiome reveals that a single, 10-second kiss can transfer as many as 80 million bacteria. The study also discovered that couples who kiss each other more than nine times a day share similar communities of oral bacteria.

The Brain Wave: Fishing for better brain repair therapeutics

By DUY PHAN | November 20, 2014

The inability of central nervous system (CNS) neurons to regenerate constitutes the greatest challenge to the development of therapies for nervous system disorders and injuries. Unlike muscle or skin tissue, neurons in the brain and the spinal cord suffer from a severe regenerative failure. This lack of regenerative ability explains why neurodegenerative disorders and traumatic injuries to the CNS are so devastating. For example, there are 200,000 people currently living in the United States with Spinal Cord Injury, accumulating a lifetime cost of up to $3 million. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, comprise a significant economic and social burden to individuals and society.

Guest Column: Study finds that creative people cheat more often

By SAMHITA ILANGO | November 20, 2014

Flashing back to the third grade, you’re surrounded by the bright vibrancy that encompassed the welcoming elementary school walls. It’s Tuesday, and the weekly spelling quiz is about to begin. You studied, but not enough; your mother got you a new paint set, and you spent the majority of last evening mixing colors and painting. Your palms are clammy and then quickly escalate to moist as your teacher instructs the class to spell the first word. The unthinkable has happened, and you are faced with the impending doom that tricky inflected endings bring. Your neighbor, with a champion smile on her face, frantically spells the word. You hear an eraser being rubbed against paper to your left, and swift as a feather, your neighbor’s answer sheet has been flown to the ground. Do you dart your eyes and look to your left? Or do you hold up to your honest upbringing and ignore the paper on the floor, even if it could save your test? Would you really resort to cheating? Being exposed to situations like this in life is inevitable, but do we act? Being the creative individual you are, the answer is yes.

Hopkins scientists use bacteria to fight malaria

By Catie Paul | November 20, 2014

A mosquito is smaller than a paperclip, but it can potentially take down a human with just a bite. Recently, a scientist has found a strain of bacteria that, if ingested by a mosquito, may kill it as well as prevent it from passing on two serious diseases, malaria and dengue. Although this research is still in its infancy, it could someday be used to end the threat of malaria.

Cheater gene explains multicellular evolution

By TONY WU | November 20, 2014

The first lifeforms that appeared on earth were composed of single-celled organisms, and after millions of years, they evolved into multicellular entities. Cells cooperate to form organs, and systems of organs combine to form beings, from trees to whales. Though many aspects of organismal evolution are well-understood, scientists have struggled to discover the exact process by which single cells developed into multicellular organisms. Recently, a research team from New Zealand Institute and the Max Planck Institute have found a possible theory for the development of multicellular life.

China takes drastic measures to clean up for APEC

By SUNNY CAI | November 20, 2014

Countries often aim to present the best version of themselves to the world when hosting major international events. Some countries have taken drastic measures to ensure that visitors see as much of the nation’s good side and as little of its bad side as possible.

Koala genes used to study human genome

By ELSHEBA ABRAHAM | November 20, 2014

Scientists are constantly finding ways to better understand the intricacies of human DNA. A recent study has investigated the presence of endogenous retroviruses present in the human genome. 

Science News editor speaks on communication

By ALIZAY JALISI | November 20, 2014

Usually you might find my name next to yet another Ebola article naming the umpteenth person to be infected by the deadly virus, or perhaps relaying Hopkins students’ cynicism toward the request of Americans to U.S. President Barack Obama to ban all air travel to high prevalence countries, but for this issue of The News-Letter, I have prepared something different. I have decided to address the anti-climactic underlying question that serves as the backbone for the DNA of this section, and as a dedicated reader, I ask you to push yourself to answer it as well.

Mushroom hallucinogen could help smokers quit

By Catie Paul | November 13, 2014

Hallucinogenic mushrooms, often used as recreational drugs, could soon be used in medicine as well. A recent preliminary study has found that a combination of hallucinogen injections and therapy had an 80 percent success rate at getting smokers to stop smoking. This could become a treatment for smokers who are unable to quit through traditional methods.

Scratching an itch makes it worse, study finds

By TONY WU | November 13, 2014

Advances in science have enabled scientists to debunk a lot of household myths that persist over the centuries. Recently, another household myth has proven to be based in science. Zhou-Feng Chen, the director of the Study of Itch at Washington University in St. Louis, investigated the effect of scratching on itches and found that itches get worse if scratched.

Mice have different genetic responses to Ebola

By SUNNY CAI | November 13, 2014

Just as the severity of the Ebola epidemic has varied from country to country, the severity of the disease when contracted varies from person to person. Some people who contract the virus are able to completely resist the disease; some suffer varying severities of illness and eventually recover, while others succumb to internal bleeding, organ failure and death. A new study led by systems biologists and virologists Angela Rasmussen and Michael Katze at the University of Washington Department of Microbiology suggests that genetic factors may cause the wide range of responses to the Ebola virus.

Climate change report urges leaders to act

By VICTOR DADFAR | November 13, 2014

A new 175-page report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), part of the United Nations, warns of serious consequences to the planet if nothing is done to prevent climate change.

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