Gender Disparities in
Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Alexander Rasgon

While affecting only 1% of the population, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are two of the most severe and life altering mental disorders that afflict humans. Unlike depression, rates for these disorders are the same for men and women, but sometimes affect them in different ways. While no gender differences have been documented in the symptoms of schizophrenia, several biological differences in brain function have been noted. Evidence exists that biipolar disorder may affect men and women differently, particular for women during menstruation and menopause.

Some of these differences will be reviewed in this talk in an attempt to expand people's knowledge of these disorders.

SCID: Immune Deficiency DIsorder
Andre Bradley

Severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID) is a deficiency of the immune system that interferes with the immune system's ability to fight off infection. This immune disorder is initiated by a genetic mutation in the interleukin 2 receptor gamma (IL2RG) gene that encodes for a specific protein needed for the production of lymphocytes, mainly B-cells and T-cells. The B-cells and T-cells are subtypes of lymphocytes that create antibodies and kill viruses and bacteria.

During the formation of blood cells from stem cells in bone marrow, these young blood cells carry on the exterior of their cell membranes a protein that the IL2RG gene encodes for called the pro gamma chain. The pro gamma chain, in conjunction with other proteins, helps with the production of blood cells including lymphocytes, mainly those called B-cells and T-cells. The IL2RG gene also is a prominent influence in the growth of these subtypes. When the IL2RG gene is mutated, it cannot properly encode for the pro gamma chain; the result can be the inability of stem cells to develop into B-cells and T-cells during hematopoiesis. This absence of critical lymphocyte cells makes it impossible for the immune system to function, causing a patient's fatal susceptibility to the most minute exposure to invading bacteria and viruses.

During my truly terrific talk, I will give a quick survey about the production of T-cells and B-cells and how they fight off viruses and bacteria. I will explain what I understand about the process of the Interleukin 2 Receptor Gamma gene encoding for the pro gamma chain, the IL2RG's specific role in helping the hematopoiesis process, and I hope I can figure out where the specific mutation happens on the DNA double helix. I will also report on a study of this system.

Evolution of the Camera Eye
Anna Case

I have always had a strong interest in evolution; I think it's awesome that this one theory can unite all life, and I also think it's a wonderful example of how powerful a tool science can be. I decided to look at the evolution of the eye because it's a very complex organ which makes it very interesting to look at evolutionarily, and also because it's very frequently used as an example by creationists to explain why they believe evolution is impossible. The eye is an irreducibly complex organ, meaning it cannot work if one of its many parts doesn't work. Creationists frequently say that irreducible complexity cannot arrive from evolution. But their argument is based on the false premise that evolution happens with the addition of one part after another, when in reality, structures can change function, be deleted, or have new structures form from them.

The studies that I am reviewing for this paper use genetic analysis to understand the evolution of the eye. Both studies that I looked at used the expressed DNA of the organisms--meaning the DNA that codes for proteins. The first study (Ogura et al., 2004) compares the expressed genes in an octopus eye to genes of the eyes of many other species, including humans. Anatomically, the eye of an octopus is remarkably similar to ours, and it is widely considered to have evolved separately from ours, making it an example of convergent evolution. The other primary article (Onuma et al., 2002) describes a study done on a group of genes in fruit flies and in frogs that are thought to be responsible for eye development. In both studies, the authors come to the conclusion that the genes that are instrumental to the development of the eye are highly conserved across species, meaning that many species have them.

Bipolar Disorder Medication
Anne Miller

Bipolar disorder is an extremely serious psychiatric disorder that involves high morbidity as well as mortality and is ranked by the world health organization as the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide. Conventional anti psychotic medications, such as lithium, have been used historically for treating mania associated with bipolar depression, but recent studies have indicated the effectiveness of using anti psychotic and antidepressant medications adjunctively in treating bipolar disorder. Recent randomized, double blind, placebo controlled studies have shown clozapine, risperidone and olanzapine to be effective with antimanic and antidepressant effects, both as monotherapy and add-on maintenance therapy with lithium or valproate. Researchers have found medications such as Wellbutrin and Paxil effective as adjunctive treatments as well.

Bipolar disorder is often difficult to treat, in large part because the differing types of presentations of the disorder make it extremely challenging. In the same patient the clinician must be aware of treating both acute manic and depressive episodes, addressing mixed mood and rapid cycling states, avoiding medications that can destabilize mood, and attempting to prevent recurrent episodes. In this discussion I will focus on the neurobiology of bipolar disorder, issues of predisposition/heredity, ways in which public health approaches treatment, criteria for diagnosis and look at the positive and negative roles medications have on treating the disease.

TBI's and Visual Agnosias
Austin Knaplund

A visual agnosia (VA) is an inability to process visual information despite normal functioning of the eyes. These are further divided into two main categories: apperceptive and associative VA's. Ap perceptive agnosias stem from an inability of the mind to group edges, lines, and shapes into objects, while associative agnosias are an inability to retrieve stored semantic memories of an object, despite being able to see the object. Both forms of VA are brought about by severe injury to the brain, whether through stroke, aneurysm, or blunt force to the head. Agnosias in general, and VA's in particular, are nigh impossible to cure, although rehabilitation and therapy are possible aids.

During my glorious oration, I will give an overview of visual agnosias and their roots, focusing primarily visual agnosias that result from traumatic brain injuries (TBI's). To do this, I will call on research done by McKenna, Cooke, Fleming, Jefferson, and Ogden, which compared patients with visual agnosias against healthy individuals using a series of tests. I will discuss McKenna et al.'s results, which help to specify which forms of visual agnosias are present in a large sample of patients with TBI's.

Effects of Sulforaphane on Prevention of Breast Cancer
Ben Kalama

After lung cancer, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in Western women. Breast cancer is the rapid proliferation of tumor cells within the breast. Breast cancer can start in the milk ducts, alveoli, fatty tissue, or connective tissue of the breast and can spread to other parts of the breast or other organ systems. Proliferation of these cells can lead to disruption of functions of vital organs and lead to death.

Recently a lot of breast cancer research is being done to understand the chemo-preventive characteristics of sulforaphan. Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, most commonly broccoli. In my presentation I will talk about some of the research that has been done to determine ways in which sulforaphane may inhibit proliferation of breast cancer cells.

Fibromyalgia and Gender
Geo Interiano

During the Anna Charles case study I was confronted with Fibromyalgia syndrome. As I looked more into it I could see that fibromyalgia was frequently misdiagnosed, and when it was diagnosed it was found more commonly in women. This sparked my interest. Why was it that women were diagnosed with fibromyalgia more than men? Was it something about their biology or their diets? As these questions stormed through my head, I started looking up information. I found quickly that many studies did not look solely at fibromyalgia and gender. Instead they looked at comparisons of fibromyalgia and other diseases and their effects on humans. Through these articles I was able to get a glimpse of possible answers to my questions.

According to Vishne et al., people with fibromyalgia experience pain and tenderness over many parts of their bodies and little is known about what causes this disorder. This interested me even more. Why is so little known? I have heard that some doctors tell patients it is all in their heads. Is it really? What does this mean? Vishne et al. came to the conclusion that fibromyalgia is more common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). They also found that fibromyalgia is more common in males than females, which is opposite from what I expected.

During my presentation I will talk about what fibromyalgia is.and how frequently it is misdiagnosed and diagnosed. I will focus on the study by Vishne et al. on possible associations of fibromyalgia with gender or MDD.

Schizophrenia and Cannabis
Hannah Hildreth

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder characterized by psychotic symptoms such as auditory hallucinations and paranoia. The lack of explanation for the cause of this mental disorder is due partly to the synergy of environmental and genetic risk factors and the fact that each case is different from others. The similarities between symptoms of schizophrenia and symptoms of cannabis use, like lack of motivation, has cause some scientists to look into cannabis use as a risk factor for schizophrenia and to do research on the role of the endocannabinoid system (EC) may play in schizophrenia. Several studies have found that the use of cannabis is higher among people with psychoses and that the use of cannabis can worsen symptoms.

The endocannabinoid system is a lipid signaling system that exists throughout the body and takes part in many regulatory homeostatic functions. There is a growing body of research on the EC system and its relation to mental disorders. In my presentation, I will give an overview of schizophrenia and the EC system and describe study by De Marchi et al. (2003) in which they tested the hypothesis that schizophrenia might be associated with alterations of the EC system. They looked in particular at the structure of cannabinoid receptors and an enzyme involved in inactivating endocannabinoids.

Effects of Exercise on Depression in the Elderly
Hannah Wolfson

Many studies have indicated that depression is a growing epidemic and is especially prevalent and dangerous in seniors. Currently numerous treatments are available for depression, although their efficacy may vary in people of different ages. According to Antunes et al., exercise is an effective form of treatment for depression as it activates specific hormone release, improves overall health and self esteem, and increases social interaction. In my paper, I focus on two studies that investigated the positive effects of exercise on reducing symptoms of depression in elderly populations. Antunes et al. conducted a study on forty men over the age of sixty and found that those who exercised regularly, in contrast to those who never exercised, had lower scores of depression and anxiety and higher quality of life scores. In a more extensive study, Lindwall et al. showed that factors such as intensity, frequency and duration of exercise, sex, and past activity levels are all significantly related to depression levels in seniors. For example, according to Lindwall et al., lighter exercise done several time per week appeared to be most effective in alleviating symptoms of depression in women, whereas strenuous exercise had more effect in men; surprisingly, daily exercise did not lower depression scores as much as when subjects exercised several times per week.

One of the crucial reasons exercise is effective in treating depression is believed to be its ability to increase neurotransmitter levels that may be low in the hypothalamus and hormone production in the pituitary gland (Previde, 1983). A chief neurotransmitter released during prolonged strenuous exercise is beta-endorphin, an opiate (natural pain-reliever), which is responsible for post-exercise mild euphoria. An obvious problem with exercise in the elderly is that they may have limitations due to pain during certain movements, illnesses such as arthritis, certain heart conditions, or balance disorders,

Parvovirus B19 and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Jana Farell

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the chronic progression of the inflammation of synovial joints. This disorder can cause immobility in serious cases, but most cases are treated by anti-inflammatory drugs so that the disease does not progress to this state. The joints most commonly afflicted include wrist, ankle, feet, and knees. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common among women than men, but the percentage of the world's population with this disorder is small, around one percent. There has been much research to determine the causes for rheumatoid arthritis, but the origins of this disease remain something of a medical mystery--there are many hypotheses, but none have proven to account for all cases.

The human parvovirus B19 as a causative agent for rheumatoid arthritis was the primary focus of my research. A study by Oguz et al. shows that in some cases of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, B19 virus may be the cause. However, Oguz et al. cannot claim that B19 virus is the only, or even primary, cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

Hyperbilirubinemia
Kalei Sabaratnam

The topic of my final paper is hyperbilirubinemia with a specific focus on neonates. Bilirubin is a substance formed when the hemoglobin from dying red blood cells is broken down. It is a non-recyclable substance, and due to its toxicity, is sent through the biliary tract bound to albumin. In the liver, bilirubin is conjugated and made water soluble, then excreted via the biliary tract to the small intestine and it contributes to the brown color of feces. Some is excreted in urine. However, there are several conditions in which the level of bilirubin is abnormal, either due to increased red blood cell production (prehepatic), damage to liver cells (hepatic), and after bilirubin leaves the liver (post-hepatic). These conditions result in jaundice which is a yellowing of the skin caused by hyperbilirubinemia (elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood).

The physiology of the neonate or infant undergoes many changes in the transition from womb to world when the fetus is separated from its mother's circulatory system and starts to take in food and excrete feces and urine on its own. Especially in cases of premature or "near-term" births, infants cannot completely maintain homeostasis and may suffer from problems in regulating the levels of metabolites. When the infant is born, bilirubin begins to build up in the blood stream. giving almost all neonates a slightly yellow color due to elevated level of bilirubin. Usually this quickly adjusts as the infant's liver takes over; however, the condition may persist due to several important factors such as hemolysis and reduced ingestion of breast milk. When bilirubin became's too highly concentrated it becomes a condition called kernicterus.

In my talk I will discuss what Hyperbilirubinemia is and describe a study by Sarici (2008) that looked at the difference between term and near-term infants.

The Neurological Basis of Central Pain
in Parkinson's Disease Patients
Kat Mott

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease of unknown cause which results in the death of dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra, a mid-brain structure. The substantia nigra is a part of the basal ganglia which are central to motor control. This is why the most noticeable symptoms of PD are motor impairments such as a rest tremor, difficulty initiating voluntary movements, rigidity, slowness of movement, shuffling, and a masked face. Central pain is a less common but serious symptom of PD. Patients describe a burning, itching, or stabbing feeling in some body part, often worse on the side most affected by the disease. This pain cannot be attributed to other painful symptoms of PD such as muscle spasms. It seems to arise out of a neurological abnormality generated by the disease.

My research focused on biological explanations for the occurrence of central pain based on the fact that the basal ganglia dopaminergic pathways are impaired in PD and what roles these pathways play in the processing of pain. I will present a study in which Schestatsky et al. (2007) look at pain thresholds and brain activity in the brains of PD patients with central pain, those without, and healthy subjects. They quantify differences in reactions to pain among these three groups, and one can see how subjects who experience central pain are processing painful stimuli differently than other subjects.

Malnutrition and HIV
KJ Gormley

The two largest causes for which Non-Governmental Organizations raise aid are hunger and HIV/AIDS. These two diseases or social conditions are widespread in the developing world, and much study has been conducted into the causes of morbidity of each. I decided to look at how these two afflictions might intersect and how their individual morbidity rates might have synergy. I looked at two types of severe malnutrition disorders: kwashiorkor or Protein-Energy Malnutrition and Marasmus, a generalized caloric malnutrition. The former is vastly different than the latter, although there is a malnutrition disorder called Marasmatic Kwashiorkor. HIV/AIDS is an immunodeficiency disorder in which the virus uses the immune system of the body to replicate itself, thereby compromising the immune system itself.

In this talk I will review a study conducted in South Africa, in which scientists examined which of several social, associative factors increased HIV/AIDS morbidity. They concluded that increases in HIV/AIDS morbidity were associated with increases in various signs of malnutrition such as low diet diversity and abnormally low Body Mass Indices.

Hypertension in African American Populations
Liz Irving

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the United States. It has caused many deaths and is currently affecting one out of four people in the nation. It is said that with developing countries improving nutrition and control of epidemic diseases, hypertension leading to cardiovascular disease in a few years will be the leading cause of death in the world. Many factors can contribute to hypertension. Some dietary things can be controlled through diet like high salt intake, low potassium intake, a high ratio of dietary sodium to potassium, high alcohol intake, and obesity. Other factors include ones you can't control like genetics, low birth weight, social class, environment, and race. The suggestion that hypertension was associated with race intrigued me, and I wondered if categorizing it in that way was racist. With this interest, I looked into a comparison of rates of hypertension of different ethnic groups in the US. Current reports show that hypertension is most prevalent in people identified as African American. It is thought that African Americans have double the risk of Caucasian Americans of developing hypertension and have the highest mortality rate from the disease.

In my paper I reviewed research that looked for possible biological differences that might lead to the tendency for African Americans to develop hypertension. I will talk about one of these studies that looks at groups of Caucasians and African Americans with untreated hypertension, comparing the mass and diameter of the left ventricle and the thickness of the interventricular septum and posterior walls.

Iron Deficiency and ADHD
Martina Bottinelli

Antiviral Control and Pandemics
Sammy Ruigu

Global pandemics are a constant threat to the survival of the human species. The most recent epidemic to engulf the world in disease and pestilence was the 1918 H1N1 influenza virus. This strain of influenza spread to all but the farthest reaches of the planet and was estimated to have killed upwards of 50 million people worldwide. However, until recently the origins and pathogenicity of the virus have been shrouded in mystery. Why did the disease emerge so quickly, kill countless individuals, and then just as quickly vanish without a trace? Was the disease's origin the cause of its virulence or did it develop some genetic mutation that allowed it to bypass the body's natural defenses?

In my talk, I will describe the molecular structure of the influenza virus and its methods of transmission and replication. Next I will describe the genetic makeup of the H1N1 influenza virus and its supposed origin, (Zambon, et al.). In my paper I describe methods by which the virus could mutate, allowing it to infect and kill so effectively. In my talk I will explain the benefits and limitations of neuraminidase antiviral drug use based on a study by Lipsitch et al.

Co-occurrence of Type I Diabetes and MS
Sarah McIntire

The purpose of my paper is to focus on the co-occurrence of Type I diabetes (T1D) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These are both thought to be autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks its own cells. In Type I diabetes, a person is unable to product insulin, or unable to produce an amount sufficient to help glucose get into cells as quickly as it is needed. MS is a disease in which the immune system's T-cells attack the myelin sheath of neurons in the central nervous system. This interferes with the transmission of action potentials along the nerve axons and thus has many effects on neural and motor functions.

The two articles I read provided evidence to support a relationship between these diseases through genetic and environmental links (Marrosu et al., 2002; Nielson et al., 2006). The incidence of MS in Sardinia is among the highest in the world, and many studies of MS have been carried out on this population. Marrosu et al. concluded that specific human leukocyte antigen system (HLA) haplotypes predispose Sardinian natives who have MS to T1D, showing a link between the two diseases. Lernmark (2002) critiques this notion that the HLA haplotypes in people from Sardinia with MS can predispose a person to T1D but agrees that the high co-occurrence rate is most likely due to genetic and environmental factors. A deeper understanding of this relationship may provide information that would lead to improved ways to treat these diseases.

EMT Techniques
Sophie Engel

I decided to look at Emergency Medicine and how the emergency medicine system works and deals with out-of-hospital emergencies. I began looking at emergency medicine during high school, when I acquired my EMT-Basic certification after completing a class for my basic certification. I began riding in the ambulance for a town near by, and I knew that I was interested in pursuing this field in the future.

I narrowed down my topic to the emergency medical systems when they deal with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and other heart emergencies. Because heart disease is such a prevalent disease in the United States, and affects the entire world, I found numerous articles that went into detail about emergency medical systems and how the response of the emergency system can help patients in out-of-hospital situations. I also looked at the future of emergency medicine; now AEDs are found in local grocery stores or schools, and are changing the outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by improving the response time for critical care during a heart attack. The defibrillator has helped aid in cardiac care, even when there isn't an emergency medical technician to care for the patient.

In my talk I will review research designed to help emergency systems improve by evaluating advances in emergency medicine and changing technologies used in emergency medicine.

Crohn's Disease
Tal Schecter

Crohn's Disease is a chronic inflammation in the small intestine and sometimes other places in the gastrointestinal tract. It is a subcategory of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. When first discovered, the criteria for "regional ileitis," as it was called then, were that there be inflammatory activity in the ileum resulting in lower right side abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea, as well as anemia and constitutional symptoms. Crohn's disease, as it is now understood, can affect any part of the gastrointestinal system. The inflammation is caused by overactive cytokines in the immune system, namely TNF-α. These immune cells actually attack the patient's own digestive tract. While there are many treatment options for all levels of disease activity, none of them is a cure. All of them may work for a period of time, but the patient can lose responsiveness to them (one of the issues of having an overactive immune system is quick adaptation of antibodies). The cause of Crohn's disease is currently unknown, although there appears to be a hereditary link.

The most recent FDA-approved Crohn's maintenance procedure uses laboratory-engineered antibodies to TNF-α. These drugs have a whole list of risks such as higher risk of infection, cancers, and sepsis. Also, patients can build up antibodies to them, and they will stop responding to that treatment. New research in Crohn's care involves parasitic worms. Some parasitic worms, also known as Helminthes, down-modulate the immune system of their host, and therefore might be beneficial in Crohn's disease. Worm therapy is not yet approved for use by the masses, but it shows lots of promise in treating Crohn's and inducing remission. I will be discussing new research regarding these parasitic worms and their treatment possibilities in Crohn's disease.

Effectiveness of Smallpox Vaccination
Willy Lee