The Tech Digest (Vol. 3, Issue 1, JAN/FEB 2023)

THE TECH SCIENCE DIGEST

January - February 2023

Volume 3, Issue 1

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTORY ARTICLES

Makeup's Cute, Lead's Not

Stop Procrastinating! What to do Instead

BIOLOGY

Gambling Squirrels

The Potential Cure for Skin Cancer: Artificial Skin

PSYCHOLOGY/NEUROSCIENCE

Laughing Enhances Your Health

CHEMISTRY

Testing Tattoo Ink

ASTRONOMY/ASTROPHYSICS

Living on the Real Tatooine

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Transgenerational Impact of Chemicals in Plastics

Traffic Pollution Exposure's Effects on Brain Function

How to Truly End Plastic Pollution

TECHNOLOGY

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY

MONTH IN MEDECINE

Below are just three of the many notable African American doctors and scientific researchers that have made significant contributions to the world of modern medecine as we know it today.

ALEXA CANADY

In 1981, Dr. Canady became the first African American woman neurosurgeon in the United States. She conducted research that led to the invention of a medical device used to treat hydrocephalus.

PERCY JULIAN

Julian was an American research chemist most well known for creating the antiglaucoma drug physostigmine. He also invented medical drugs such as steroids, cortisone, and birth control pills.

VIVIEN THOMAS

Thomas was an American surgeon who in the 1940s helped develop an important procedure to treat blue baby syndrome. He taught many surgeons life saving techniques for heart and lung procedures.

Introductory Articles

MAKEUP'S CUTE, LEAD'S NOT

BY: Mylien Lai

Isn’t it cute when children try on makeup for the first time? Yet...they might be wearing lead, asbestos, and other toxic chemicals on their faces. What makes it worse is that the type of makeup products they’re wearing–glitter, face paint, and lip gloss–are marketed for children.

The chemicals, as contaminants or intentionally added, are linked to serious health effects, including cancer.. Compared to adults, children are at more risk for harm due to their developing immune systems and habit to ingest more chemicals. Besides skin absorption, children can accidentally ingest them orally–about a third of them reported this occurrence in a study.

With this information, states–including New York and Washington–are considering tightening up regulations around personal care products, toys, and makeup. However, there are few federal regulations surrounding this issue. Hopefully that will soon change!

STOPPROCRASTINATING!

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD BY NATALIE KHINE

Recently, teens and adults have turned to procrastination as a coping mechanism to destress or relax. However, many are not aware of the harmful effects of procrastination. In a recent study, approximately 3,500 students were followed over the course of nine months to see if procrastination would lead to a development in health issues. The results showed that those who procrastinated had more anxiety and stress than those who didn’t. They also were at a greater risk of both physical and psychological issues. There are two types of procrastinators: the passive and the active. The passive procrastinator avoids task because they are indecisive. The active procrastinator avoids tasks because they work more efficiently under pressure. However, both can lead to detrimental side effects including impulsivity, low self-efficiency, and low conscientiousness.

A new approach you can take to avoid procrastination is to set small goals. Setting small goals can help you tackle the big mountain of work gradually without feeling overwhelmed. Something that comes with procrastination is the feeling of guilt. Many attack themselves for not being productive enough, but by taking accountability of your actions, you can forgive yourself. By doing so, you’re building a sense of self-compassion that can drive you to work harder. Don’t feel too discouraged if you procrastinate; it’s a universal thing, and you’re not alone!

Biology

GAMBLING SQUIRRELS

By Mylien Lai

Turns out it’s not just humans that gamble, but squirrels do too! And compared to us, they have better results. According to the Kluane Red Squirrel Project, female squirrels that have large litter sizes consistently, even in years with a scarcity of food, usually have a higher fitness than squirrels with small litter sizes. And it might be better that way Even though they do suffer short-term losses, the squirrels easily recuperate once they successfully reproduce in a year with an abundance of food. On the other hand, squirrels with small litter sizes usually lose fitness and the chances at reproductive success.

And why do they do this? It might be because of their food! They may be eating certain parts of the spruce tree–one of the major food sources–that the food may be altering their physiology. Of course, with climate change, these cues are becoming less reliable As a result, it could lead to damaging effects to the forest ecosystem. For now, the squirrels’ penchant for gambling may get them success. But don’t try this at home!

"It's essentially impossible for a female to recuperate the fitness costs of not ramping up reproduction in a mast year, so the stakes are extremely high."

The Potential Cure For Skin Cancer: Artificial Skin

By: Sanavi Kulkarni

Our skin has three layers, the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. Under normal circumstances, our skin will regenerate every twenty seven days and the cells remain in their respective layers. However, for patients with skin cancer, abnormal growth of the skin cells will spread through all layers. Various drugs that block cell signaling pathways have been tested on humans to act as suppressors for abnormal cell growth, but the greatest results scientists have received was from using artificial skin.

Artificial skin pieces are crafted with collagen which is found in the dermis. Its natural polypeptides allow the pieces to genetically manipulate human skin cells which allows them to grow within layers instead of uncontrollably. Artificial skin therapy can follow the development for skin cancer as well as other disorders. This process has observable effects on skin, but it's unknown what happens to an entire organism

One experiment used artificial skin for the closure of skin cancer wounds. The results showed four out of the five patients' skin had completely healed with the therapy, with the other patient having an inadequate new layer of skin. It was concluded that artificial skin was cosmetically acceptable as it was able to decrease the pain and bleeding caused by skin cancer.

Psychology & Neuroscience

LaughingEnhancesyourHealth:

A GUIDE TO LIVING A LONGER, HAPPIER LIFE BY NATALIE KHINE

Yup, you saw that right. Research has shown that laughing regularly can actually decrease your chances of dying early. Believe it or not, it’s true. Laughing improves your immune system by releasing neuropeptides that contribute to fighting off potential harmful pathogens.

Natalie Dattilo, former director of psychology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital states that laughing “hikes endorphins, which have pain-relieving effects”. Whether you are stressed from school-work or nervous for your upcoming exams, laughing is here for you! A good giggle triggers the activation of your stress response. It has the ability to raise and lower your heart rate and blood pressure, which as a result gives you that feel-good emotion

An analysis on the effect of clowns on hospitalized kids led by Brazilian and Canadian researchers also concluded that kids who were exposed to the clowns were notably less nervous during procedures, irrespective of whether or not parents were with them These same kids also experienced a significant improvement in their emotional wellbeing

In times where some may find it hard to access medicine, laughter is the best non-medicine approach. Whether it’s making a knock knock joke or just casually laughing with your friends, the benefits are undeniable Give it a try, and see where it takes you!

Chemistry

TESTINGTATTOOINK

WHATAREWEINJECTINGINTO OURSKIN?

ByFrancescaNegri

Tattoos are a celebrated art form, a medium for self expression, and a way to pay homage to personal memories. As more and more people throughout the 21st century continue to adorn their skin with permanent illustrations, scientists are asking what elements exactly are tattoo pigments composed of? And how safe is this ink for us in the longrun?

John Swierk, a Ph.D. and chemistry professor at Binghamton University, recentlyledaresearchteamtoinvestigatethecomponentsoftattooinkby performing analysis on the nation’s most popular brands. The team discovered that there are no pigments specifically manufactured for tattoo inkmeaningthatthepigmententeringyourskinisthesameasthatusedfor dyingpaintandtextiles.

Swierk’sresearchersperformedchemicalanalysesoftattooinkusingRaman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The results of their study revealed the presence of certain unlabeled ingredients and identified specific pigments in different ink samples.Swierkstatedthat23ofthe56differentinksanalyzedlikelycontain azopigments–dyesthatwhendamagedbybacteriaorexposuretoUVlight canbreakdownintoapotentiallycarcinogenic,nitrogen-basedcompound.

The mission of Swierk’s research team is to inform tattoo artists and clients on the composition of their inks, enabling them to make more educated decisionsaboutwhichproductstouseandwhichonestoavoid.Theteam’s dataiscurrentlyavailableforviewingontheirwebsitewhatsinmyink.com.

Astronomy & Astrophysics

LIVING ON THE REAL LIVING ON THE REAL TTATOOINE ATOOINE

BY ADAM SANTANA

No, Luke Skywalker is still Fictional.

The existence of binary star systems, solar systems with two stars, isn't a new fact, and neither is the notion that these systems could indeed harbor orbiting planets. What was a topic for debate, however, was whether or not those planets were conducive to life.

Revealed at the American Astronomical Society meeting, researchers have reported that simulations have shown earthlike planets could successfully remain in a stable orbit around binary stars for at least a billion years—a long enough duration to allow for the potential of life, so long as other factors, like temperature, remain agreeable. Luckily, of the planets that managed to hold onto their orbits, 15% stayed in the temperate habitable zone.

In these simulations, the researchers ran through about 4,000 different scenarios, each altering variables such as the masses of the stars, as well as the shape and size of both their orbits and the orbit of the planet around them.

These simulations were then observed for up to a billion years of simulated time to monitor the planets' orbits. Of those 4,000, an impressive 500 maintained a stable orbit in the habitable zone for at least 80% of the simulation.

However, as the presenting researcher Michael Pedowitz stated, the definition used in the simulation for the habitable zone was an overly strict one—the planets modeled in the study were void of any atmosphere or oceans, which would ordinarily help stabilize temperature fluctuations, even to the point of aiding a planet in maintaining habitable conditions if it spends more time outside of the so-called "habitable zone," significantly upping the chances of success. The researchers hope to build a more sophisticated model, as well as increase the simulation's duration and include changes in the stars that could alter the star system.

Earth & Environmental Science

TRANSGENERATIONAL IMPACT OF CHEMICALS IN PLASTICS

By: Teja Kuwayama

Plastics, a now omnipresent material, possess endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) linked to increased risk of chronic diseases and metabolic disorders in offspring. Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) is a type of phthalate used to make plastics more durable and has been recently designated by the US Environmental Protection Agency as one of 20 highpriority substances for risk evaluation.

Most studies have analyzed the maternal impact of EDC exposure on offspring health. Changcheng Zhou, a professor of biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine, led an innovative study examining the impact of DCHP on the metabolic health of firstgeneration (F1) and second-generation (F2) mice offspring. The research team found that DCHP exposure can cause small RNA changes in sperm, using the “PANDORA-seq method” that detects changes overlooked by more traditional RNA-sequencing methods.

This study found that parental exposure to EDCs might have inter/transgenerational impacts on metabolic health. After breeding F1 males with unexposed females, the researchers discovered metabolic disorders in male and female F1 offspring and female F2 offspring, due to parental DCHP exposure. The reasoning behind parental DCHP exposure ’ s sex-specific transgenerational effects is currently unknown.

Despite DCHP’s widespread usage in plastic products, there is not a comprehensive understanding of its implications for human health. Zhou advised that “it's best to minimize our use of plastic products" which would also serve to lessen plastic pollution.

TRAFFIC POLLUTION EXPOSURE’S EFFECTS ON BRAIN FUNCTION

BY: TEJA KUWAYAMA

It was long believed that the brain was protected from pollution's damaging impacts. However, a recent study, by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria, has shown that merely two hours of exposure to diesel exhaust reduces the brain’s functional connectivity.

The research team exposed 25 (healthy) adults to diesel exhaust and filtered air, measuring their brain activity before and after each exposure using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI displayed reduced functional connectivity in widespread areas of the brain’s default mode network (DMN), providing the first proof in humans from a controlled experiment of impaired brain function. Disrupted DMN connectivity has been linked to diminished cognitive performance and symptoms of depression. While the participant’s connectivity returned to normal after exposure Dr. Chris Carlsten (professor and head of respiratory medicine and the Canada Research Chair in occupational and environmental lung disease at UBC) postulates that long-lasting effects may be possible in cases of continuous exposure.

The effects of air pollution have been seen across all major organ systems. Dr. Carlsren stated that “people may want to think twice the next time they're stuck in traffic with the windows rolled down”.

Air pollution has been identified as the greatest environmental threat to human health, showcasing the importance of further evaluating and mitigating its impacts.

HOW TO TRULY END PLASTIC POLLUTION

By:SanaviKulkarni

Foryearsstudentshavebeentaughtthatthemost fundamentalruleofsustainabilityistofollowthe three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But with plastic pollutionbeingamajorglobalchallenge,theidea that we only need to continue recycling is far fromthetruth.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 40% of recycled plastic waste is thrown away due to low quality. Plastic collected from households is downcycled, meaning the single polymers without additive pigments have been spoiled resulting in a loss of quality. We cannot prevent the damage to the structure of plastic after use, but we can prevent the times we use the plastic. Therefore, the solution to ending plastic pollution is a transition from reducing the non-essential plastics to using long-lastingproducts.

This transition relies on policy making. In Ireland, one of the first countries to charge for plastic bags, had a 90% decrease in plastic bag consumption. Additionally the EU’s trend in policy is shifting and promoting improved designs of durable products. Hopefully, the plastic treaty writers of the UN can use these efforts as a guide to emphasize why manufacturers should focus on making longlastingproducts.

Technology

Scientists at Linköping University, Sweden have devised an artificial organic neuron!

Scientists at Linköping University, Sweden have devised an artificial organic neuron!

Scientists at Linköping University, Sweden have devised an artificial organic neuron!

This study comes as a continuation of the team's previous work in 2022, in which the team had integrated an artificial organic neuron into a living carnivorous plant in order to control the opening and closing of its maw. However, the neuron used in that experiment only met 2 of the 20 characteristics used to denote a true biological nerve cell—their latest study details a new artificial neuron called the “conductance-based organic electrochemical neuron,” or c-OECN for short, which mimics 15 characteristics.

In collaboration with the Karolinska Institute, these c-OECNs were put to the test. Researchers connected the neurons to the vagus nerve—the main nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system, which control involuntary body functions such as digestion of mice, and noted that their artificial neuron was capable of stimulating the mice's to create a 4.5% change in heart rate.

It goes without saying that this technology, with continued research and development, could serve as an essential foundation for future medical treatments. Luckily, continued research is exactly what the research team is planning on doing, with the next step being to reduce the energy consumption of the cOECNs to match that of far-more efficient human nerve cells. Through this research, they hope to grow a greater understanding of the human brain as a whole—as the main author of the paper, Padinhare Cholakkal Harikesh, noted, they still don't have a proper understanding of just what the 15 characteristics of the c-OECN actually accomplishes.

word hunt! word hunt!

FIND THE TERMS BELOW MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLES!

CANCER

CONTAMINANT

HYPODERMIS

NEURON

NEUROPEPTIDE

PHTHALATE

PIGMENT

PLANET

POLICY

POLLUTION

PROCRASTINATION

SQUIRREL

SOURCES

American Chemical Society. (2022, August 24). Exposing what’s in tattoo ink – you might be surprised. SciTechDaily.

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. (2023, January 26). Most U.S. children use potentially toxic makeup products, often during play: Children can be exposed to lead, asbestos, and other toxic chemicals through use of makeup and body products. ScienceDaily.

Linköping University. (2023, January 18). Artificial organic neurons created – almost like biological nerve cells. SciTechDaily.

Powell, A. (2023, January 26). A laugh a day keeps the doctor away?. Medical Xpress - medical research advances and health news.

Riordon, J. R. (2023, January 24). Lots of tatooine-like planets around binary stars may be habitable. Science News.

Rosen, M. (2023, February 2). Procrastination may harm your health. Here's what you can do. Science News.

Syberg, K. (2022, December 13). Why recycling isn’t the answer to the plastic pollution problem. Scientific American.

University of British Columbia. (2023, January 24). Traffic pollution impairs brain function: First-in-the-world study suggests that even brief exposure to air pollution has rapid impacts on the brain. ScienceDaily.

University of California - Riverside. (2023, January 26). Health impact of chemicals in plastics is handed down two generations: Mouse study finds paternal exposure to phthalates increases risk of metabolic diseases in progeny.

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. (2023, January 26). Artificial human skin paves the way to new skin cancer therapy. ScienceDaily.

University of Michigan. (2023, January 19). Squirrels that gamble win big when it comes to evolutionary fitness. ScienceDaily.

EXEC BOARD

PRESIDENT

RUBY PERKIS

CO-VP

NICOLE

HUANG

CO-VP

MIEHEMA

MISHI

MEDIA MANAGER

MALIHA

SARA

SECRETARY ANDREW YARILIN

SECRETARY JADEN

FLACH

TREASURER NANCY ZHOU

H E A D S

OLIVIA NIEDZWIEDZKA OUTREACH TESSA STEWART RECOGNITION ANNIE CAI

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