http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 720 https://escholarship.org/uc/ulab_phhs/rss Recent eScholarship items from Public Health & Health Science Division, ULAB Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:50:38 +0000 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9zm849rd Effect of Water Contamination Levels on Public Health Outcomes on Children, Infants &amp; Minority Populations in California https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9zm849rd Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Pinedo, Graciela Davidson, Melanie B Chandler, Alessandra Yang, Yitong Kan, Miriam Huang, Angie https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9kg5z55t Advanced Techniques for Stem Cell Therapies: A Dual Approach to Cell Senescence and Stress-Induced Proliferation https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9kg5z55t Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Narayanam, Neha Hu, Austin Jung, Lauren Kith, Natalie Jin Choi, Seo Diaz, Desnine https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9bq4643p Targeting the Canonical NF-κB Pathway to Mitigate Skin Aging While Preserving Immune Function https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9bq4643p Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Gilbride, Kaitlyn Yuen, Elise Matson, Erika Tran, Natalie Singh, Sanya Bhushan, Rithik https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8zn220k4 Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Adverse Pregnancy and Fetal Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8zn220k4 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Wang, Elizabeth Malilay, Samantha Valle Portela, Aryana Alvarez Barajas, Irene Sofia Gomez, Ana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8w47b4qz Targeting Cancer Stem Cell Resistance: Limitations of CAR-T Cells and Emerging Approaches https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8w47b4qz Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Christopher Majumder, Antara Patel, Rut Le, Tammy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/84p5w68m Epigenetic Modulation of Reproductive Genes by Endocrine Disruptors https://escholarship.org/uc/item/84p5w68m Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Xia, Yihan Bajwa, Anmol Mai Phuong T Le, Annie Loon Phyu, Mya Santos, Charlize Shah, Aaron B Wang, Hunter T https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7s04z91w Investigating Treatment Efficacy in Staphylococcus aureus with a focus on MRSA and VRSA https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7s04z91w Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Sidhu, Daleen Choudhury, Ananya Girish, Lavanya Kaur, Piyusha Kim, Sumin Payyappilly, Theresa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7r12m820 Evolution of Neuroplasticity: Age-Related Changes and Influencing Factors https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7r12m820 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Brar, Ravneet Mupparti, Aarushi Budiman, Natalie Gonzalez, Cindy Holandez, Jasmine Maganti, Akhila Wu, Amy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7nv116jc Targeting CHRM3 for REM Sleep Modulation: A Potential Strategy to Mood Stabilization in Bipolar Disorder https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7nv116jc Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Guzman Marquez, Evi Tantisira, Alana Ghazarian, Anaeiss Fairweather, John Jia He, Jia Massoun, Jasnoor Abdulwahhab, Hussein https://escholarship.org/uc/item/75k1023w What are the long-term vascular effects of mild COVID-19 on arterial stiffness and hemodynamics? https://escholarship.org/uc/item/75k1023w Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Singh, Sukriti Dinh, Amy Nguyen, An Pan, Vanessa Tang, Quynh Giua, Isabel https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6r15p98x CHRONIC LOW-LEVEL ARSENIC EXPOSURE AND LUNG CANCER: MECHANISMS, DISPARITIES, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6r15p98x Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Bordador, Mikayla Liu, Miranda Hosn, Natalie Kwon, April https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4w01768r The Interplay Between Genetic Polymorphisms and Age Impacting Depression Treatment Efficacy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4w01768r Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Park, Sarah Mazumder, Joyeta Grieb, Maddie Kaur, Puneet Chen, Stephanie Liao, Emily https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mr9h0m6 The Impact of Environmental Pollution on Cognitive Development and Learning in Children and Adults https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mr9h0m6 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Rai, Soumya Chaisomboonpan, Yanisa Gomez, Vanessa Gumalo, Ally Liu, Alyssa Randhawa, Suneet https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xr7s351 What are the long-term outcomes of using mesenchymal stem cells from different sources (e.g.,adipose-derived, bone marrow) in reconstructive skin grafts, and how do these sources comparein terms of regenerative capabilities and immune compatibility? https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xr7s351 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Samim, Fakhrunnesa Batth, Harkirat Sahijpal, Saivi Khan, Nabah Hou, Jasmine Tam, Kiana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8z10r7v1 <p>With social media's prevalence in recent decades, the relationship between social media and the well-being of its users has always been under debate—with some believing that social media tends to have a negative impact and others believing that social media has a positive impact. This systematic review aims to determine how social media contributes to feelings of social isolation or connectedness among college students at the University of California, Berkeley.</p><p>We conducted a university-wide survey to determine how college students feel about using social media. Using cluster analysis and the data analysis program R, we determined that most college students feel socially connected while using social media. While some past research articles support this theory, most do not discuss the ways in which college students generally tend to feel socially connected on social media platforms. Our paper explores specific factors contributing to college students’ social connectedness... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8z10r7v1 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Nanda, Heer Gharabi, Ameneh Wang, Elizabeth Kolhatkar, Kayhan Choi, Seo Jin Le, Trang Chaisomboonpan, Yanisa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8x88972w The goal of this literature review is to analyze different herbal medicine treatment options for Glioblastoma, a highly malignant cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord. The four different herbal medicine treatments that are studied in the paper are Curcumin, Flavonoids, Quercetin, and Terpenoids. Curcumin is used as a key inhibitor in various pathways in the cell proliferation and apoptosis of GBM cells. Flavonoids regulate tumor cell glucose metabolism by preventing cancer cells from uptaking glucose and cannot harness energy in the form of ATP. Quercetin is targeted at glioma cancer growth without negatively impacting normal CNS cells. Terpenoids are used to inhibit the transfer of P-glycoprotein, which can inhibit glioblastoma formation. All four herbal treatments have been shown to slow the progression of Glioblastoma by inhibiting the proliferation of Glioblastoma cells. This can be seen through the decrease in the tumor size of Glioblastoma patients. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8x88972w Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Pham, Hieu Garimella, Mallika Yu, Tiffany Cho, Rachel Fukushima, Yasmin Chen, Jeffrey https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8n45n0rx Climate change poses a significant challenge to global human health, particularly impacting vulnerable populations such as infants, children, and youths. Despite growing awareness of its environmental effects, the relationship between climate change and human health remains underexplored. This study aims to address this gap by conducting an observational analysis of the association between climate change, characterized by the total greenhouse gas emissions from the Worldbank database, and stillbirths, neonatal, under-5 and child and youth (ages 5 – 24) mortality rates from the UNICEF database. By stratifying the analysis based on UNICEF regions, this study seeks to explore the spatial and temporal patterns to provide insights for policymakers, non- governmental organization, and the public to target interventions effectively. The results reveal complex relationships with varying mortality rates across UNICEF regions despite the differing levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Across... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8n45n0rx Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Subijanto, Caitlin Kelley, Hannah Cho, Jamie Sainarayanan, Anusha https://escholarship.org/uc/item/70649783 California has the largest homeless population in the nation, with a significant gap between the demand and supply of affordable housing. This disparity not only undermines the quality of life and educational opportunities for residents but also poses grave health risks. This study investigates the nexus between social policies and homelessness in California. By analyzing systemic factors such as exorbitant housing costs and inadequate social safety nets, we uncover the root causes of housing instability. Our examination extends to exploring the multifaceted health disparities experienced by homeless individuals, particularly older adults, and elucidating the complex interplay of mental health struggles within this demographic. Findings reveal that prevailing social policies significantly contribute to homelessness, exacerbating health inequities among vulnerable populations. Our analysis stresses the urgent need for evidence-based policy reforms and holistic, community-based... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/70649783 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Hsiao, Paula Wahab, Asim Hwang, Jay Bindra, Melina https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6mg3r54p Cannabis, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, has historically been utilized for its medicinal properties, notably for pain management and symptom relief in various health conditions. Recent research has expanded its potential therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer treatment and chronic pain management. This paper explores the role of two primary cannabinoids, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), in addressing cancer-related symptoms and chronic pain. THC and CBD have demonstrated significant anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities, which are mediated through interactions with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). THC primarily targets CB1 receptors to modulate pain and neuroinflammation, while CBD exerts effects through a more complex mechanism involving various receptors, including CB2, TRPV1, and 5-HT1A. The paper reviews clinical and preclinical studies to elucidate the efficacy of these cannabinoids in alleviating symptoms such as pain, anxiety,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6mg3r54p Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Ansari, Haya Huang, Yujing Lizarraga, Alyssa Tu, Tiffany https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5ns029bd Our study focuses on the impact of the pesticide DDT on maternal and child health, specifically in relation to obesity and breast cancer. The objective is to investigate the interdependence of obesity and breast cancer resulting from DDT exposure on a hormonal level, particularly estrogen, and to understand the association between DDT exposure and maternal and child health. The methodology employs a meta-analysis approach, analyzing independent studies on DDT's impacts on obesity and breast cancer, and examining the correlation between maternal DDT exposure and obesity, as well as the impact of obesity on breast cancer gene mutations. The study population primarily consists of mothers and their newborn children from the United States, with a focus on the persistence of DDT in regions such as South America, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, rodent studies were analyzed to see the impacts of DDT on generational development and reproduction. The data analysis is drawn from primary... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5ns029bd Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Neravetla, Arushi Sengupta, Trisha Sulivar-Monis, Raylene A Son, Emily Ravichandran, Meghaa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5j55830n This research paper explores the multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on minority groups, focusing on two key aspects: vaccination rates and public trust in the government. Through a comprehensive literature review, the vaccination rates within various minority groups are examined, revealing disparities particularly prevalent among African Americans and refugees. Factors contributing to these disparities, including districts in the government, are identified and analyzed. Additionally, the paper investigates the influence of public health policies on political trust both domestically and internationally. By studying different policies implemented during the pandemic, the research aims to assess their effectiveness in fostering public trust and enhancing the overall welfare of the population. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between COVID-19, minority communities, vaccination rates, public trust, and governmental policies, offering valuable... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5j55830n Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Mao, Mo Giron, Stephanie Chang, Austin Subramanian, Subha https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mk34356 Probiotics are known for providing health benefits, calling for clinical result testing on subjects. We focus on the biological effects of the following probiotics to find their potential to help neurological disorders: Lactobacillus brevis, Enterococcus, and Bifidobacterium longum. We delve into how probiotics work with the gut-brain axis—the communication center between the central and the enteric nervous system—and its effect on different neurological disorders through an extensive literature review. We found that Lactobacillus brevis helps the immune system with the potential to help with stress and anxiety disorders. Bifidobacterium longum has been shown to help age-associated disorders like Alzheimer’s and reduce severe stress levels. Enterococcus has been shown to help neuroinflammation-based diseases like Parkinson’s. Enterococcus is also shown to be more present in people with depression than without. These results bring attention to specific probiotic potential in helping... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4mk34356 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Vivian Chan, Morgan Moon, Patricia Ruiz, Nailah Chavez, Ariana Jain, Ananya Khandaqji, Faris https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4hz556qg This study investigates the connection between antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and climate change across diverse global regions. The study focuses on Mexico, Southeast Asia, and Canada. By analyzing how regional climatic conditions such as temperature, humidity, and seasonal weather patterns influence AMR dynamics, the research can address the critical question of how to tackle AMR. Based on the global escalation of AMR and its profound implications for public health, our study is vital in highlighting the necessity for integrated climate change mitigation strategies within AMR management. The findings emphasize the urgency of surveillance, targeted research, and enforcing strict antimicrobial stewardship to counteract the rising threat of AMR, thereby informing more effective global health responses and policy-making in an era of significant environmental change. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4hz556qg Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Raxwal, Tejas Liang, Ashley Lindo, Ava Hernandez, Brisa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/21r27140 There exists a notably high level of dissatisfaction among lower-limb amputee patients fitted with their affiliated prosthetics. Approximately 40%-60% of amputee patients have been surveyed as dissatisfied with their prostheses. Fifty-seven percent are dissatisfied with the comfort of their prostheses, and over 50% report pain while using their prostheses. Rejection of the prosthesis can be seen as the ultimate expression of dissatisfaction with the prosthesis and occurs in up to 31% of cases of prostheses prescribed to armed forces service members with lower limb amputations, mainly as a result of technical problems (e.g., “too much fuss” during use and the prosthesis being “too heavy”). As a solution to this significant surveyed dissatisfaction, our study attempts to utilize a unique model known as the ‘BirdBot Model’–a lower limb prosthetic model inspired by the biomechanics of emu and ostrich (flightless birds) leg limbs– to explore how the model’s design, movement capabilities,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/21r27140 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Rahai, Tara Singh, Sukriti Kim, Jiho Yu, Jennifer Villaroman, Alinna https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1c51b35p Several studies indicate the lack of a comprehensive understanding of climate change among the youth populations. However, perspectives regarding the socio-ecological factors influencing climate anxiety in young people have yet to be accomplished. We were able to report this in terms of a survey that collected data regarding participants’ levels of climate anxiety, demographic information, and perceptions of various socio-ecological factors. Although the sample size was limited, with this method, we gathered insight and opinions regarding effective strategies to address and alleviate anxiety surrounding the global climate change issue, specifically regarding the students in the University of California, Berkeley from varying demographic backgrounds. Such exposure to a range of perspectives contributed to varying levels of concern and engagement with climate change issues. The importance of individual and collective action to address climate change and its psychological impacts... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1c51b35p Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Barua, Snigdha Lin, Melody Evonne Pattar, Navreet Kaur Ta, Aileen Tam Stephenson, Lena Marra Wong, Clarissa https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0v99m295 Breast Cancer remains a significant health issue, with roughly around 42,000 maternal deaths occurring each year. The relationship between exercise and breast cancer has been widely studied with substantial evidence suggesting that higher exercise can lower breast cancer proliferation. The meta analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between exercise activating the hormones and receptors of dopamine, insulin, and estrogen and breast cancer across different populations. We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases and included studies that reported the association between exercise and the hormones and their impact on breast cancer. Through this analysis, we were able to generate novel mechanisms for the hormones and were able to link exercise and breast cancer. Our findings suggest that an increase in exercise increased the levels of dopamine while lowering insulin and estrogen levels. These effects have a strong relationship with lowering breast cancer proliferation.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0v99m295 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Chaudhary, Zaim Singh, Jaideep Singh, Kavi Daniel Fanaei, Mahsa Gadiparthy, Megan Ma, Michelle Yingen Nallagatla, Tanvi https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0bb5b93z Dysregulated sleep is often a typical companion of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, but the exact relationship between the two remains complex. Beta-amyloid (Aβ) is a protein related to the onset of dementia, with high levels of Aβ plaque buildup being positively correlated with Alzheimer’s disease, but it is unclear by which mechanism Aβ causes dementia. Recent studies have suggested a bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbances and Alzheimer's pathology, wherein disrupted sleep may prevent the clearing of Aβ plaque from the extracellular space, thus exacerbating Aβ accumulation and vice versa, creating a cycle that accelerates cognitive decline. Continuously activated microglia may play a role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia are the main sources of brain inflammation, and thus, research indicates that excessively activated microglia can generate elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which are neuroimmune... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0bb5b93z Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Touserkani, Nicholette Lassalle, Isabella Yang, Aris Jones, Sarah Mach, Amber Gilbride, Kaitlyn Kim, Stephanie Dao, Anton https://escholarship.org/uc/item/01x2z8r4 The RAS protein family functions as binary switch proteins toggling between active (GTP-bound) and inactive (GDP-bound) states, regulating pivotal cellular pathways like PI3K, MAPK, and Ral-GEF. Dysregulation of Ras signaling, often via mutations, leads to constitutive activation of downstream pathways, driving uncontrolled cell proliferation, a hallmark of cancer. Targeting aberrant Ras signaling pathways with small molecular inhibitors represents a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment. This review examines three main approaches: Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs), upstream regulation of KRAS, and kinase inhibitors targeting RAS effector pathways. FTIs: inhibiting Ras activation, exhibit cytostatic effects on cancer cells, with clinical trials demonstrating promising activity in various cancer types. Sotorasib: a KRAS p.G12C inhibitor, shows efficacy in KRAS p.G12C-mutated cancers, including pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancers, highlighting its potential... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/01x2z8r4 Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Celina Nambiar, Nandika Soriano, Lianna Ha, Brandon Mariano, Ralph Vo, Viet https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9r0155c7 This paper details a theoretical research proposal to explore the efficacy of theevent-related potential (ERP) component P300 as a potential biomarker in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. To determine P300’s efficacy as a biomarker, an electroencephalogram test, which monitors and generates data on the electrical activity of the brain via scalp electrodes, and an auditory oddball test, which aims to assess the cognitive functioning of participants, were performed. The auditory oddball test involved playing a series of tones of two different frequencies (one is the standard tone, and the other is the target tone) for participants and having participants press a button whenever they heard a target tone. Accuracy and reaction time were recorded. The aforementioned two tests depicted a strong association between P300 and the cognitive decline of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), suggesting that this ERP component may be used for the early detection of AD, which may... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9r0155c7 Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Jane Lee, Jean Shah, Avisha Ye, Jean ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6s28350w Antibody Dependent Enhancement (ADE) is a phenomenon in which viral particles bind to virus-specific antibodies, enhancing their uptake by host cells and resulting in increased viral replication and infection. First discovered while studying dengue virus (DENV) in primates, ADE can be explained by two general mechanisms, depending on the type of virus involved. In DENV infection, ADE manifests as largely different reactivity upon secondary infection with a cross-reactive serotype and this information provides a large implication to the authorization of DENGVAXIA vaccine use. Looking into the need of vaccines considering the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, authors are providing a review of current knowledge correlating SARS-CoV-2 and ADE phenomenon. Using SARS-CoV-1 as a model, we can hypothesize the possible ADE pathway in SAR- CoV-2. The S protein binds to the ACE2 receptor on the host cell and triggers different immune responses depending on the titer of antibodies present. Despite... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6s28350w Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Aggarwal, Eshika Desai, Tanuja Fox, Kenneth Sood, Ria Kim, Yelin Tjang, Laurentia ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66s3j35f Although the development of antiretroviral treatment has been successful in mitigating and suppressing HIV/AIDS infections globally, it has not changed the fact that 1.7 million new infections have occurred in 2019.The objective of the literature review is to determine the current treatments for HIV and their shortcomings, future approaches using nanotechnology, and the current related health disparities which may be mitigated by advances in this field.&nbsp; Both globally and in the United States, the main demographic of HIV/AIDs victims are from disadvantaged communities that lack access to treatment and prevention education. Despite the use of antiretroviral treatment reaching global access and its successful efforts, there are still many challenges with the containment of the virus since the treatment does not effectively suppress the virus. Future approaches using nanotechnology are quite varied in the types of particles used but are mainly used to increase delivery efficiency... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66s3j35f Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Samimi, Yusef Schultz, Eva Vance, Jessica Zhang, Gloria Gonzalez, Daniel ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6245b8fm Environmental health is becoming increasingly important in the broader context ofclimate change. This article aims to analyze the factors most impactful in determining human health, which was done by performing correlational analysis on a myriad of environmental factors. Each of these factors were evaluated by looking at counties or states as a whole and analyzing the strength of correlation between life expectancy in a county/state to a specific metric measuring environmental health, whether that be natural disasters, air quality, average temperature, exercise rate, water quality, walk score, or food security. The strength of correlation is in the form of an r-squared value, which is a metric that gives a measure of how much of a particular independent variable impacts the dependent variable, which here is life expectancy. The results show that lifestyle factors like food and exercise have a larger impact than expected, while factors such as air and water quality have a less... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6245b8fm Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Ding, Yifan Tran, Catherine Valdovinos, Ashton Carbonell, Pauline Kantamneni, Namrata ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6127k4d5 <p>Prokaryotes, such as bacteria, have evolved defense mechanisms that protect them from foreign bodies invading and harming them.1 One of these mechanisms is the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), alongside their accompanying CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins.1 This system functions as an immune response that protects prokaryotes from viruses (and other harmful bodies) by detecting foreign genetic material invading them and disabling their functionality and ability to spread.2 Understanding the underlying mechanism of this immune response allowed scientists around the world to develop CRISPR and adapt it to various uses in gene editing, agriculture, and most recently, diagnosis of infectious and noninfectious diseases.2 &nbsp;The discovery of CRISPR as a biomedical disease detection tool has revolutionized modern day medicine and its accessibility.&nbsp;</p><p>Infectious diseases are those that are caused by microorganisms and easily passed from... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6127k4d5 Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Alqahtani, Khaled Dhillon, Sukhdeep Sequeira, Rohin Yang, Amy Aydin, Damla ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kn6x4hh An Epidemiological Comparison of COVID-19 Waves in Malaysia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kn6x4hh Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Feinberg, Alyssa Loyola, Alondra Sima, Meti Tom, Chris Yang, Kevin ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2zw8k5mx Several studies have introduced CRISPR-Cas9 as a prominent genome-editing technology. CRISPR was first established as a bacterial immune system and was later founded as a new genome-editing technology by Jennifer Doudna and colleagues around the turn of the decade. CRISPR is preceded by zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs); however, it improves upon these previous genome-editing designs by using RNA as its binding domain and by already containing nucleases—reducing the need to intentionally engineer these domains into the technology. Complementarity between the different RNAs (tracrRNA and crRNA) and protein aspects (Cas systems) of CRISPR act in conjunction to both efficiently assemble and confer its intended purpose. After extensive use in mammalian cell cultures and various model organisms, the CRISPR-Cas system has subsequently been used to mediate several genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and some cancers in humans.... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2zw8k5mx Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Barsdale, Zach Park, Rebecca Tumelty, Connor ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1960184v Implications of ACE-I and ARBs on COVID-19 Prognosis in Hypertensive Patients https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1960184v Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Avalos, Krystina Liu, Grace Yung, Angela Sharma, Ambika ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0p704840 This is a literature review on the effects of spike mutations in the B1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant and its effect on vaccine efficacy. This paper has organized the pertinent literature on the researched effects of vaccine efficacy and explores a number of mutations in the spike protein. The search was conducted on PubMed and the criteria for inclusion was based on relevance to specifically mutations in the B1.1.7 variant, being a primary source, conducted after January of 2021, and its reproducibility and pertinence to the research topic. There are 16 fully extracted studies discussed in the results, with a brief overview of the conducted experiment in relation to the papers’ conclusions. The strengths of this paper are distilling the molecular methods of these individual papers and being able to compare and contrast diverse experiments on the same mutations. However, due to the diversity of experiments discussed in this paper, the landscape of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and vaccine efficacy... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0p704840 Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Shuere, Rebecca Bansal, Anika Bi, Yingshan Sheth, Muskan Huang, Cinlong ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/043938jf Maternal mortality is defined as the number of deaths related to complications during or after childbirth. Food deserts are defined as regions that have limited access to affordable and healthy food options. This study utilized R to analyze data from the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service’s Food Access Research Atlas and maternal mortality rates from the UCSF paper “Maternal Morbidity and Outcomes Including Mortality, California 2001-2006.” to search for an association between the two variables. The research atlas maps areas in Northern California with low access to grocery stores, as well as provides information on food access throughout the United States using census tracts. The independent variable in this study is food access and the dependent variable is maternal mortality. After analyzing the data collected using R, correlation graphs were created and intercepts and R values were identified. This information was used to further understand the... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/043938jf Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Bao, Adelaide Schmulbach, Arianna Zhou, Elizabeth Khangura, Gurashish Desta, Lula Shrestha, Riya ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5d99h9r7 The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has profoundly affected global health, presenting unprecedented challenges to pregnant women and their offspring. This paper explores the impacts of COVID-19 on maternal, neonatal, and childhood health, shedding light on both short-term and potential long-term consequences. The transmission of the virus from mother to child, though relatively low compared to other vertically transmitted diseases, remains a subject of ongoing study. Maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery, cesarean section, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Additionally, COVID-19 infection appears to influence placental pathology, raising concerns about fetal development and health in the long term. The pandemic has exacerbated maternal mental health challenges, including an increased prevalence of postpartum depression. Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 may experience lower neonatal weight,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5d99h9r7 Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Kan, Katherine Sanchez, Griselda Greenberg, Nina Villa, Sarah Tizazu, Meron https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0zr9w5jg Despite an increased understanding of the pathophysiology of breast cancer in recent years, the disease remains largely prevalent in the female population due to its disordered process. Breast cancer is known to affect 1 in 8 women and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women as well. Treatments are currently being administered mostly in surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy, but current research indicates that there are potential remedies that could alter the metastasis of breast cancer on the DNA level. The usage of CRISPR(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats)/Cas9 within breast cancer treatments has grown in popularity immensely in the last decade. CRISPR/Cas9 is a system that utilizes a guide RNA to target and cut specific DNA sequences with the intention of genetically altering the genome. In cancer treatments, the knockout of specific genes utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system has proven variably successful in apoptosis by indirectly... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0zr9w5jg Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Williams, Etain Chiang, Lauren Giang, Allie Wei, Amber Zhang, Julia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9wf5q2sg Multitudes of epidemiological factors contribute to the resultant effects in the mental health of adolescents, defined by the World Health Organization as between ages of 10 to 19. Presently, both prevailing aspects, including the occuring Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent social lockdown, and inherent social determinants like certain academic environments, poverty, chronic loneliness, and lack of available treatment or research influence the state of adolescent mental health. This literature review seeks to identify critical determinants of adolescent mental health and study their long term influence on mental health epidemiology as a whole. By compiling a plethora of various case studies from publications on PubMed and MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and PLOS One along with data from important surveys such as Youth Self Report, Adult Self Report, and TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey, this study generates a comprehensive overview of facets underlying the current trends... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9wf5q2sg Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Christopher Liu, Eileen Hanseter, Cerasela Choi, Kailey Thomas, Ann Bae, Keunbeom Nguyen, Ellen https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6m00737q The purpose of our research study was to determine the social and ethical aspects of genetic engineering. What originally began as a way to decrease an embryo's risk of genetic diseases has now become a way to alter its appearance; this paper aims to challenge the risks of genetic engineering. To dive deeper into our research question, we were able to examine sources on a global level to determine the perspectives of genetic engineering in different parts of the world. As the current field of genetic engineering is under speculation by many providers, evaluating the pros and cons of each scenario can determine the efficacy of genetic engineering. Employing clinical technology and socially ethical framework were two main criterias which were used in determining the parameters in understanding if genetic engineering is a viable treatment option. The research examined explains any known sideaffects, while also bringing to light the unknown side effects that can result from genetic... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6m00737q Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Anand, Aarti Ponder, Jaszmyn P Singh, Maya Nesheiwat, Sam https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6df847qv Several studies have examined the efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool in remedying the toxic effects of Huntington’s disease (HD) as a potential therapy for preventing the neurodegeneration that is observed in HD. Huntington’s disease is caused by an abnormality in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to the encoding of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). The accumulation of mHTT protein in neurons has been found to cause oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. Additionally, the abnormality in the HTT gene has been attributed to the abnormal expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat sequence. Therefore, some studies used CRISPR/Cas9 to target the mHTT gene, along with genes that play a role in redox regulation, including Nrf2 and SOD2. The results of this study showed a decrease in oxidative stress and greater mitochondrial function. A second study builds on these findings in recognizing the dangers involved with removing the CAG repeat in the gene. This study... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6df847qv Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Yuna Zhu, Haoyang Mahmoud, Abdurrahmaan Silva, Jimena R Ashman, Kiara Jaiswal, Anshika https://escholarship.org/uc/item/63m4n2dp Public health research has assessed the negative human health outcomes from continued exposure to air pollutants, in particular, fine particulate matter (PM2.5 , PM10), nitrogen oxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). Recent studies have honed in on expectant mothers and their developing fetuses as a large, at-risk population for these exposures. Ambient air pollutant exposure is linked with negative physical, mental, and behavioral health outcomes in both child and mother. Expectant mothers subjected to contaminants (PM2.5 , PM10 , NO2 , O3) over an extended period of time have an increased risk of their child being born prematurely with low birth weight and size, neurological delays, impaired motor and cognitive function, and development of lung related diseases such as cancer and asthma. In their early stages of life, children whose mothers were exposed to air pollutants during pregnancy also had detrimental mental and behavioral health outcomes. These negative health effects were not... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/63m4n2dp Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Tran, Vivian Perez, Isabella Buxton, Jessica Bordador, Mikayla Edralin, Niam https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4n71x4w8 The goal of this literature review is to analyze various treatment options for Alzheimer’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects many Americans. Four drugs being studied in the paper include Donepezil, Memantine, Lecanemab, and Rivastigmine. Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is used for patients with mild or moderate AD. Memantine is used to block the overflow of glutamate through NMDA receptors and to treat patients with moderate to severe AD. It can be used in combination therapy with Donepezil and Galantamine. Lecanemab is used to target amyloid-beta plaques and to reduce aggregates. Rivastigmine is a carbamate cholinesterase inhibitor that can be used to inhibit both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase for mild to moderate cases of AD. All four drugs have been shown to slow down the progression of AD by increasing cognitive performance and to improve the quality of life for patients and their caregivers https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4n71x4w8 Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Ballapuram, Aishwarya Wu, Jenny Oberdorfer, Jack Pham, Hieu Shankar, Sitara Sureshbabu, Srutika https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2g05t3w5 General anesthesia (GA) is a widely used medical intervention, given to patients to eliminate pain during invasive procedures and surgeries, effectively revolutionizing the field of medicine. GA induces a reversible unconscious state by potentiating inhibitory receptors like GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptors. Despite the practical uses of GA, recent studies have raised concerns about the potential risks associated with anesthesia exposure on the brain and cognitive function. In recent studies, these adverse effects, like neuronal death, can cause neurotoxicity despite the reversible and transitory nature of most GAs. In this paper, we discuss the neurological and behavioral outcomes after GA in developing and post-developed brains. These findings highlight serious concern on how GA impacts neurocognition and brain activity in both immature and mature brains and the potential harmful long term effects of GA. By understanding anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity, more avenues can... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2g05t3w5 Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Jean Cisse, Farah Flores, Crizel Guo, Dan-Dan Lamden, Rachael https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1xk659wx The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global issue that requires effective control and prevention measures. Understanding how the virus spreads is crucial in implementing non-pharmaceutical measures. Previous studies have focused on the effects of urban socio-political measures on the contagion rate, but the fine-grained geographic urban spreading pattern remains an open question. To address this, we analyzed the trajectory data of 197,808 smartphone users (including 17,808 anonymous confirmed cases) in nine cities in China. Our analysis revealed that the spatial distribution of confirmed cases in all cities followed a power-law-like model and the spreading centroid human mobility remained constant over time. We also found that long average traveling distance resulted in a high growth rate of spreading radius and wide spatial diffusion of confirmed cases in the fine-grained geographic model. Using the Kendall model, we simulated the urban spreading of COVID-19, which matched the... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1xk659wx Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Gunatilake, Tessanya Cho, Charles Huang, Skye Sanchez, Isaac https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1x85g6c9 In the United States alone, approximately 2.1 million people are living with limb loss, a number expected to double by 2050. Despite the number of amputees expected to increase, current infrastructures, from policies to health personnel, fail to support amputees in need of prosthetics worldwide. This study explores the variables causing the difficulties in accessibility and turn, the factors that affect the quality of life after limb loss. Included in this research paper is the analysis of different barriers to the implementation of prosthetics on a national and public health scale. Current literature suggests a combination of internal and external factors that influence the access to prosthetics and quality of life for amputees including socioeconomic factors such as income, race or ethnicity, insurance, and geographic location. There will be an exploration into the development of 3D printing as a promising solution to improving the quality of life for amputees while addressing... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1x85g6c9 Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Narayanan, Easha Tu, Carina Subijanto, Caitlin Rosales, Alex Ibarra, Britney Hussain, Sameera Rahai, Tara https://escholarship.org/uc/item/14d443qj Maternal mortality remains a significant global health challenge, with roughly 300,000 maternal deaths occurring annually, most of which are preventable. The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal mortality rates (MMR) has been widely studied, with a growing body of evidence suggesting that lower SES is associated with higher MMR. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between SES and MMR across different countries. We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases and included studies that reported the association between SES and MMR. We used a random-effects model to estimate the overall effect size and explored potential sources of heterogeneity using subgroup analyses. Our findings suggest that there is a significant inverse association between SES and MMR, with higher SES being associated with lower MMR. However, the magnitude of the effect varied across different regions, with the strongest association observed in low and... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/14d443qj Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Lee, Aidan Aktepe, Asli Hoang, Tiffany Teh, Li Soriano, Lianna Megerditchian, Vars https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6q36c5qs Our paper discusses findings on the correlation between pain perception and psychiatric disorders. The psychiatric disorders we chose to study are Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Anxiety, Major Depression, and Parkinson’s Disease. We performed a literature review on 30 articles, with at least 6 studies per illness. We hypothesized that pain perception is altered by psychiatric disorders. Whether pain perception was increased or decreased depended on the type of mental illness. We reviewed research articles that induced pain in healthy controls and patients and recorded the difference in pain tolerance and threshold. The pain stimulus varied from electrical, emotional (photo), thermal, and ischemic. Our findings showed that for schizophrenia and bipolar depression there is a very strong case for a decreased pain sensitivity on account of the disorder. Depression had more of a nuanced result as thermal pain decreased pain sensitivity, ischemic pain increased pain sensitivity, and... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6q36c5qs Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Chi, Serena Zhu, Christine Nguyen, Nancy Oshideri, Nikan Jaffe, Noah A Wang, Roy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kv9c6pd SARS-CoV-2, more commonly known as COVID-19, is a novel coronavirus that has spread on a global scale since its emergence in late 2019. The ongoing pandemic fueled researchers to study new COVID-19 detection methods that are more efficient and accurate alongside new mutations that are coming to light. COVID-19 testing has been heavily dominated by the utilization of polymerase chain reactions (PCR). However, PCR testing often takes an extended period of time before individuals receive their results and requires the precision of skilled personnel to handle scientific equipment and conduct readings. PCR testing requires a large number of resources to conduct, making it difficult for individuals within the general community to conveniently and quickly get tested in the case of close exposure. Thus, researchers around the world have been looking for alternative methods of COVID-19 detection that not only are fast and convenient for test-takers but also maintain the same degree of... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kv9c6pd Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Tran, Vivian Chan, Steven-Jethro Touserkani, Nicholette Chanchani, Aryaa Huynh, Thao Muwonge, Haroon https://escholarship.org/uc/item/50j1q123 Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health issues that we face today, and yet they are often not addressed or treated insufficiently. They can lead to various other mental disorders and even impact physical health. Previous research conducted on this topic focused on the social determinants of mental health as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study aims to determine the impacts that social factors in addition to the pandemic have on individuals’ perceptions of mental health and their decision to seek clinical or personal treatment. A survey sent to students at the University of California, Berkeley was used to gauge the magnitude of anxiety/depression that respondents experienced as a result of their individual experiences with regards to collegiate life and the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that participants that had doctors who thoroughly explained the effects of medications instilled more trust in their patients, which led to greater... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/50j1q123 Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Wen, Brian Barua, Snigdha Kohli, Gursimar K Muhammad, Rameesha Stewart, Paige Ta, Katelyn Wonosaputra, Nicholas https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4p2129vz Our study aims to analyze COVID-19 vaccine administration in California based on various racial demographics using data collected from the California Open Data Portal (“California Grants Portal,” n.d). This analysis will focus on the months following the CDC’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccines, including Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna (Spikevax), and Janssen (J&amp;J). Our goal is to examine COVID-19 vaccine equity and accessibility for various racial demographic groups in California, including American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Black people or African Americans, Latinos, Pacific Islanders or other Pacific Islanders, and Whites. In our research study, we found that Whites were administered all COVID-19 vaccines at a much higher rate in the early months of the CDC’s EUA in comparison to other racial demographic groups in California. In addition, another significant finding was how other racial demographic groups, including American Indian or Alaska... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4p2129vz Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Bui, Jenny Chang, Claire Nguyen, Lynn Padilla, Natalia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xc909d8 Castleman Disease is a rare disorder in which a person experiences an overgrowth of cells in the lymph nodes. Research on Castleman Disease is, at the moment, very elementary due to the lack of patient population size and previous research. Currently, the only research on Castleman disease covers understanding classifications of the disorder, possible causes ranging from immune deficiencies to cytokines, and genetics (Jiang et al., 2020). Because of the disease’s rarity, scientists have not conducted much research; thus, there is still no cure for this disease, and its cause is largely unknown. We analyzed research publications from sources such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and NIH. This paper will study the development of Castleman Disease in relation to the interplay between genetic and epidemiological factors, as evidenced by the associations between Castleman Disease and specific DNA mutations, HIV, and HHV-8. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xc909d8 Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Gonzalez, Daniel Rathaur, Pooja Sarabia, Julia Situ, Daphne Samala, Sanghvi Lam, Samantha https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2m5634t7 Due to antimicrobial resistance, current treatments for tuberculosis (TB) are very limited and have very low efficacy. Existing therapeutics are inadequate for the ongoing epidemic of drug resistance TB. The evolutionary push of mutations created is destabilizing global TB control, thereby needing new novel therapies for treatment and screening purposes. In this paper, we propose two potential pathways that target TB through IFN-I signaling and the AhR pathway which allows for more accurate and efficient early screening of TB. Targeting these pathways impacts TB outcome by increasing treatment efficacy and strengthening host defense. IFN-I signaling and the AHR pathway can be seen as potential targets for host directed therapies. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2m5634t7 Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Sima, Jessica Lee, Jean Wijaya, Lila Choi, Karissa Coutlakis, Anastasia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/13p5r3wk Although music has been called the universal language, its unifying effects aside, music seems to be universal in a particular biological phenomenon: plasticity. Music experience (defined as either playing, listening to, or creating music) has garnered responsibility for a broad range of processes that can ultimately be unified under the broad umbrella of ‘plasticity’ (Strait, 2012). Plasticity can take many forms and can be developed through numerous avenues. Music is able to play a part in many of those avenues. From the molecular to the individual level, and from the clinical to the basic-science realms, the effects of music on plasticity are intriguing, and its implication in numerous medical settings or neurological functions cannot be understated. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/13p5r3wk Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Barsdale, Zachary Mao, Mo https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0z62945j This paper analyzes the difference between Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in adults and children. Specifically, it discusses the biological differences in cancer subtypes seen between these two groups, how they affect the possible treatment options, and how these differences play a role in the disparity in prognostic outcomes. In addition, this paper also examines how the age differences play a role in risk management for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0z62945j Fri, 4 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Cheng, Winnie Buxton, Jessica Kim, Stephanie Matar, Carmen Pham, Alan Shih, Tyler Watanabe-Knight, Mia https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0t34s5b8 <p>Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological condition resulting from the death of neural cells that causes a deprivation in cognitive functionality, communication, and motor skills in patients. The condition has an inordinate impact on older populations, with 90% of all cases affecting those 65 years or older. As the most common type of dementia, comprising approximately 70% of all dementia cases, Alzheimer’s disease affects about 5 million people in the United States. The rate of the condition’s extent among the population is increasing exponentially, with the number of people enduring Alzheimer’s estimated to triple by 2060 in the United States.</p><p>Due to the widespread impact of Alzheimer’s, developing treatments that govern the symptoms of the condition is an immense priority for researchers all over the globe. In the spirit of the venture to aid patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, also known as AD, researchers have in recent years been testing several monotherapies,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0t34s5b8 Sat, 5 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Pacheco, Selina Pandey, Shrina Pandey, Ishna He, Minyi Paing, Ei Chit ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8jm4x870 <p>Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological condition resulting from the death of neural cells that causes a deprivation in cognitive functionality, communication, and motor skills in patients. The condition has an inordinate impact on older populations, with 90% of all cases affecting those 65 years or older1. As the most common type of dementia, comprising approximately 70% of all dementia cases, Alzheimer’s disease affects about 5 million people in the United States. The rate of the condition’s extent among the population is increasing exponentially, with the number of people enduring Alzheimer’s estimated to triple by 2060 in the United States.1</p><p>Due to the widespread impact of Alzheimer’s, developing treatments that govern the symptoms of the condition is an immense priority for researchers all over the globe. In the spirit of the venture to aid patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, also known as AD, researchers have in recent years been testing several monotherapies,... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8jm4x870 Wed, 26 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Pandey, Shrina Pandey, Ishna He, Minyi Paing, Ei Chit Pacheco, Selina ULAB PHHS https://escholarship.org/uc/item/75n1v8fv This paper analyzes various biochemical differences observed between patients afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease and those without the diagnosis. Such disparities explored in this work include the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the form of Lewy Bodies along with significant changes in the bacterial populations of Akkermansia, Streptococcaceae, Prevotella, and Lactococcus. Specifically, these distinct markers are examined in the context of the enteric system as a means of synthesizing connections between nuanced changes within the gut and the progression of PD. Essentially, this study supports an alternative attempt of better understanding the disease beyond a sole, isolated focus on the brain and central nervous system. Further confounding variables that have been linked to PD are also examined in a similar context; for instance for the variable age, it was indeed found that one of the potential reasons why age is a risk factor for PD can be tied back to the gut through an... https://escholarship.org/uc/item/75n1v8fv Wed, 26 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000 Chiok, Kaitlyn Kolanjian, Arsine Lee, Yeji Singh, Tanirika ULAB PHHS Chana, Angikaar S