Category: Biology

How Effective Is Hydroxychloroquine Against COVID-19?

In March 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump touted hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mr. Trump highlighted the drug cocktail of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as “one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.”1 But how effective is hydroxychloroquine in combating COVID-19 in actuality?

In this article, we learn about hydroxychloroquine a potential drug treatment for COVID-19 and evaluate its scientific efficacy.

Biology Through the Lens of Fish Odor Syndrome (Trimethylaminuria)

Help, I smell like fish! Is this even possible?

Body odor is a fact of life. For many, this is a simple fix either through some deodorant or a quick shower, but for some unlucky few, a fishy odor always remain. This is none other than Fish Odor Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder also known as Trimethylaminuria (TMAU). Learn more about the biology behind Fish Odor Syndrome, the FMO3 gene, cures and treatments.

The Collapsed Lung: Types of Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax also known as collapsed lung occurs when air is trapped in the pleural space. Trapped air causes a loss of negative pressure in the pleural cavity, reduces surface tension, and induces the lungs to collapse. There are 3 types of Pneumothorax or collapsed lungs: 1) Spontaneous 2) Traumatic, and 3) Tension Pneumothorax.

In this lesson, we learn the different types of pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and important terminology. USMLE

A Global Epidemic: The Novel Coronavirus

A Global Epidemic: The Novel 2019 Coronavirus

On December 31st, 2019, Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization that a group of strange cases of pneumonia were detected in the city of Wuhan. The cause of the pneumonia was unknown, but a week later, Chinese health officials confirmed that the cases were associated with a novel coronavirus.

In this lesson, we learn about what is the coronavirus, how the coronavirus spreads, how deadly it is, and why COVID-19 matters for our public and global health.

Seven General Functions of the Respiratory System

What is the respiratory system? In general, the respiratory system is a biological system that contains organs and structures that assist in gas exchange. Gas exchange involves the movement of carbon dioxide and oxygen between our circulating blood and air. In this educational lesson, we explore seven general functions of our respiratory system.