Although the 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is below 10%, it increases to greater than 90% if it is diagnosed early. We hypothesized from our research that analyzing non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in a patient's exome sequence would be an indicator for high genetic risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Recent research suggests that the "American Dream" of income mobility may be becoming increasingly hard to obtain. Datta and Schmitz explore the role of government spending in socioeconomic opportunity by determining which state government spending components are associated with increased income mobility.

This study examined the ability of copper and copper alloy surfaces to inhibit bacterial growth, which may be help prevent healthcare-associated infections. The authors exposed two non-pathogenic strains of bacteria to different metal plates for varying degrees of time and measured bacterial growth.

Regenerative medicine has become a mainstay in recent times, and employing stem cells to treat several degenerative, inflammatory conditions has resulted in very promising outcomes. These forms of cell-based therapies are novel approaches to existing treatment modalities. In this study, the authors compared the concentrations of the cytokines PDGF, IL-8, and VEGF between conditioned and spent media of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to evaluate their potential therapeutic properties for wound healing in inflammatory conditions. They hypothesized that conditioned media contains higher concentrations of wound healing cytokines compared to spent media. The authors found that while IL-8 and VEGF were present in highest concentrations in conditioned media, PDGF was present in maximal amounts in spent media.

In this study, the authors investigate the disinfectant potential of many household spices and minerals. More specifically, they test whether these compounds can be used to disinfect mobile phones after daily use with the hope of identifying environmentally-friendly cleaning options.

In this study, the authors investigate the anti-cancer effects of Annona Reticulata (Ramphal or custard apple) by testing whether its extract could inhibit HeLa cell viability.

This study sought to determine if there is an association between the single nucleotide polymorphism rs7528684 of the Fc receptor-like-3 (FCRL3) gene and asthma or allergic rhinitis (AR). Based on previous studies in an Asian population, we hypothesized that participants with an AA genotype of FCRL3 would be more likely to have asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. To test the hypothesis, surveys were administered to participants, and genotyping was performed on spit samples via PCR, restriction digest, and gel electrophoresis.

Omega-3 fatty acid derived lipid mediators have been implicated in resolving inflammation, and wound healing. Authors measured the impact of supplementation with lipid mediator Resolvin D1 and its precursor 17-HDHA on planaria regeneration. Planaria not only synthesize RvD1 from 17-DHA, but both RvD1 and 17-DHA enhanced regeneration.

One important factor that contributes to human cancers is accumulated damage to cells' DNA due to the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. In this study, the authors investigate the effects of several different tea leaf extracts on oxidative stress in cultured human prostate cells to see if antioxidants in the tea leaves could help protect cells from this type of DNA damage. They found that all four types of tea extract (as well as direct application of the antioxidant EGCG) improved the outcomes for the cultured cells, with white tea extract having the strongest effect. This research suggests that tea extracts and the antioxidants that they contain may have applications in the treatment of the many diseases associated with cellular DNA damage, including cancer.

Trihalomethanes, probable human carcinogens, are commonly found disinfection by-products (DBPs) in public water systems (PWS). The authors investigated the correlation between trihalomethane concentrations and socioeconomic factors in New York State, finding a negative correlation between median household income and trihalomethane concentrations. The inverse association between trihalomethanes and household income may indicate socioeconomic disparity regarding drinking water quality and the need for improved efforts to assist small- and medium-sized community water systems to lower DBP levels in New York State.