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Literature Reviews

Adolescent Marijuana Use: Effects On Cognitive Functioning

As more states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, its use among adolescents is increasing. This is problematic because marijuana's psychoactive component, THC, can act directly on parts of the brain in critical development during adolescence. Current literature proposes long-term cognitive effects based on recurring correlations; however, a lack of consistent and reliable approaches for controlling confounding variables remains an issue. This review will focus on the current state of research on the effects of adolescent marijuana use on cognitive function, its potential long-term consequences, and highlight the inconsistencies in research methodologies.

Effects of High Severity Wildfire on Mycorrhizal Fungi in Boreal Forests

Boreal forests are warming faster than the rest of the globe, leading to more frequent and severe wildfires. A main component of boreal forest recovery is mycorrhizal fungi, which establish mutualistic symbioses with host plants within the roots and soil. However, this symbiosis may be threatened by high severity fires, which burn the canopy of trees and the soil. This review will evaluate the current literature on high severity wildfire and mycorrhizal fungi in boreal forests.

Nickase: the Next Tool in Gene Editing

CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionized the field of genetic engineering but has significant drawbacks, as the double-strand breaks it induces have a relatively high rate of mutations and off-target activity. An emerging alternative is NICER, a technique utilizing an endonuclease called nickase, which has much lower levels of mutagenicity and a high level of specificity that rivals CRISPR-Cas9. This review will survey the various developments made in the nickase pipeline, specifically how they make up for CRISPR’s drawbacks, and its potential for treating genetic disorders with more accuracy and efficiency than current therapeutic tools.

Disparity in Cervical Cancer Screening in Muslim American Women

Cervical cancer can be successfully prevented or mitigated through routine cervical cancer screening. However, a significant disparity in screening exists in the Muslim American women population due to societal pressures, healthcare inequities, and a lack of recognition as a disparate community. This review explores these barriers and strategies in addressing them, to ultimately aims raise awareness of the health disparities of Muslim American women.

Current Limitations of Photodynamic Therapy for Oncological Applications and their Solutions

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered a relatively new, but effective treatment for cancer attributed to its minimal invasiveness and versatility for a wide variety of existing cancers. However, PDT is underapplied in clinical settings due to various limitations. Despite the restriction of PDT for cancer treatment, there is increasing research that aims to find solutions to its limitations. This review analyzes the limitations of PDT for oncological use and report current solutions to them.

A Review in Regenerative Medicine: Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC) have been a recent area of interest within regenerative medicine. In association with hUC-MSC, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of the rapamycin pathway (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) is a secretory pathway responsible for regulating a variety of cell functions. The processes between the hUC-MSCs and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR are commonly interdependent, but due to their novelty, most of the mechanisms in this relationship are still unknown. This review will discuss the potential of using hUC-MSCs in conjunction with the PI3K/AKT/mTOR for future regenerative treatment.

Efficacy of Diet Based Interventions for Crohn’s Disease

While the current leading forms of treatment for Crohn’s Disease have been immunosuppressive and biologic medications, more focus needs to be placed on alternative therapies for those who cannot tolerate the drugs that are frequently prescribed. One alternative therapy that is being researched is the implementation of a solely diet-based approach for the purpose of limiting disease activity. This review will evaluate the efficacy of the three main diet-based interventions as monotherapy—Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN), Partial Enteral Nutrition (PEN), and the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED)—with focus placed on the assessment of inflammatory markers and patient reported outcomes.

Chronological Shifts: How Circadian Rhythm Changes with Age in Mammals

Circadian rhythms in mammals are orchestrated by a highly prevalent timing system, at the heart of which lies a complex molecular process regulated by a central clock in the brain. Similar to other physiological systems, the circadian system undergoes degradation with age. This article aims to introduce the definition of circadian rhythm, delve into its fundamental principles, and explore the correlation between changes in circadian rhythm and the aging process.

Finding Malaria’s Achilles Heel: Intervention Strategies Informed by Life History and Evolution

Malaria’s long evolutionary history among humans and its mosquito vector has resulted in intense selection pressure on each organism to evolve traits that confer survival. This coevolution makes malaria a challenging disease to eradicate; therefore, achieving malarial control requires an extensive understanding of malaria’s evolutionary and life history. Malaria’s life and evolutionary history reveal that arresting mosquito longevity is the key to malarial control. This paper will demonstrate that an effective intervention strategy must take a multifaceted and ecologically conscious approach towards targeting the mosquito vector.

Early Introduction of Food Allergens in Fetuses and Infants

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a preventative measure against food allergies that introduces increasing doses of an allergen to a patient under medical supervision. Research has sought to understand the benefits of introducing allergens in different age groups, but studies have yet to be compared to find the ideal window of time for children to be introduced to allergens. This literature review aims to determine whether this window exists in early childhood or the fetal stages to prevent the development of allergies using OIT.