YSM Issue 93.4 Full Magazine

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WHY DID I GET SICK WHENMY ROOMMATE DIDN’T?By Lauren ChongCAN WE GENERATE CARBON-FREE ENERGY FROM SMALLTEMPERATURE CHANGES?By Madison HouckAs global temperatures rise, small temperature changesmight provide a new way for us to generate power. Arecent project, headed by Yu Hushino and Teppei Yamada,has engineered a thermocell—a device that generates electricityfrom heat—that might make this source of affordable and efficientcarbon-free energy closer than you think.The cell uses poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels asaffordable materials. A hydrogel is a large molecule that can holdwater. At low temperatures, acids attached to the hydrogels loseprotons to water in the environment. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)hydrogels, however, are special because they clump together andshut water out when heated. Therefore, at high temperatures, withless water, protons stay attached to the acids. “The pH shift [due tothe changing concentration of free protons] is the most importantphenomenon we use,” Yu said.But how does that pH shift generate voltage? The solution alsocontains compounds that transfer electrons and protons. So, ifthere are more protons on one side of the cell, the compounds loseelectrons, creating a current. “It’s a shift of equilibrium,” Teppeisaid. The greater the pH shift, the more voltage is generated.Solar power is one of the main ways to generate electricitywithout fossil fuels. However, solar panels are unable to convertall of their heat energy into power. That’s where Yu and Teppei’sthermocell comes in. “Using our device to collect heat from carbonfreeenergy is one of the most interesting future applications,” Yusaid. Their device could use otherwise “wasted” heat to create atemperature change large enough to generate power, improvingthe efficiency of carbon-free energy sources. ■Whether it’s roommates, suitemates, or friends, studentsat Yale are constantly in the vicinity of others. Thus,it’s surprising whenever one person falls ill to viralinfections such as the common cold, yet their roommate, whoshares their personal space to the greatest extent, does not. Whyis that? It is all embedded in a concept of neutrophils, a type ofwhite blood cell that fights pathogens, and the response of nasalmediators in the mucosa, the tissue lining the lung.Researchers at the University College London administered fiftyeightparticipants with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a causeof neutrophilic lung inflammation, then analyzed the immune cellsand proteins in their nasal mucosa. Only fifty-seven percent of theparticipants actually displayed symptoms of infection. Those infectedpossessed a neutrophilic inflammatory signal beforehand. Afterinfection, they repressed an early immune response but later releasedcytokines, cell signaling proteins, that induced inflammation. Incontrast, those who were not susceptible to infection had much lowerneutrophil levels before infection and had an increased immuneresponse a couple of days after infection. The researchers tested onmice and found a similar correlation: neutrophil response prior toexposure to the virus increased chances of infection.The researchers propose that their findings might apply to virusesbeyond RSV. In the unprecedented times of SARS-CoV-2, whereindividual responses are also known to vary widely, your neutrophilicinflammation might help determine whether or not you’ll fall sickwhen your roommates, friends, or family members do. ■Habibi, M.S., Thwaites, R.S., Chang, M., Jozwik, A., Paras,A., Kirsebom, F., Varese, A., Owen, A., Cuthbertson, L.,James, P., Tunstall, T., Nickle, D., Hansel, T.T., Moffatt,M.F., Johansson, C., Chiu, C., & Openshaw, P.J.M. (2020).Neutrophilic Inflammation in the Respiratory MucosaPredisposes to RSV Infection. Science, 370(6513), https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9301Guo, B., Hoshino, Y., Gao, F., Hayashi, K., Miura, Y., Kimizuka, N.,& Yamada, T. (2020). Thermocells Driven by Phase Transitionof Hydrogel Nanoparticles. Journal of the American ChemicalSociety 142(41), 17318–22. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.0c08600Service, R.F. (2020, May 11). New solar panels suck waterfrom air to cool themselves down. Retrieved November 08,2020, from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/new-solar-panels-suck-water-air-cool-themselves-down4 Yale Scientific Magazine December 2020 www.yalescientific.org
e Editor-in-ChiefpeaksAN EVENTFUL YEARAs we end a year that has been by all measures tumultuous, we can look backand find comfort in how far we have come together. For many of us onthe Yale Scientific masthead, the rituals that accompany the publication ofeach YSM issue—pitch meeting, writers’ meetings, layout week, etc.—have providedsome normalcy to our academic experience, for which we are grateful.We were pleasantly surprised to find that progress in all areas of science hascontinued relatively unabated through this difficult time. We continue to showcasethe very best of science being done at Yale and beyond, from the environmentalimpact of asphalt (p. 6), the neuroscience of interpersonal interactions (p. 7), tothe biochemistry of the classic combination of salted caramel (p. 28). Our coverarticle by Angelica Lorenzo features a new model that describes how seasonaldiet adaptations and migration, rather than predatory pressure as previouslyassumed, drive herbivore population changes on the African savanna (p. 22). Thismathematically driven insight enhances our understanding of an ecology that isbeing particularly threatened and transformed by climate change. Another fulllengthtells the story of identifying a single molecule that links fatty liver disease todiabetes (p. 12); yet another article spotlights efforts at the Yale Quantum Instituteto reduce errors for qubits in quantum computing (p. 19). From minute to vasttime and length scales, each of these research findings strongly impact and informour quest to understand and interact with the natural world.Interspersed throughout the magazine are a few pieces on COVID-19-relatedresearch—how sewage samples aid in measuring COVID-19 progress (p. 9),immune response features that keep some unaffected by the common cold (p.4), and the reliability of COVID-19 tests (p. 34). The recent approvals of theCOVID-19 vaccines represent a step forward in our fight against the pandemic,and also a landmark achievement in the development of the mRNA vaccineparadigm. Yet, as the nation continues to record new highs in case numbersevery day, a very strong case remains for us to simply follow health guidelines, beconsiderate to others, and use (scientifically-driven) common sense.I would like to end, as with the past two issues, by expressing my deepestgratitude to our masthead and contributors, in particular to the first-years whoseunmistakable zeal for communicating science make them a welcome force in theYSM community. A big thank you to our subscribers, Yale departments, and theYale Science and Engineering Association for their support, with which the nation’soldest college science publication will continue to thrive, through thick and thin.bouthe ArtMarcus Sak, Editor-in-ChiefThis issue’s cover features the balancebetween two main players ofthe savanna biome: herbivores andvegetation. In a mix of earth-tonedtrees, shrubs, and grasses, the diversegrazers of savannas can modulatetheir feeding habits and thustheir population dynamics.Sophia Zhao, Cover ArtistMASTHEADDecember 2020 VOL. 93 NO. 4EDITORIAL BOARDEditor-in-ChiefManaging EditorsNews EditorFeatures EditorArticles EditorOnline EditorsCopy EditorsScope EditorsPRODUCTION & DESIGNProduction ManagerLayout EditorArt EditorCover ArtistPhotography EditorWebmastersSocial Media CoordinatorBUSINESSPublisherOperations ManagerAdvertising ManagersOUTREACHSynapse PresidentsSynapse Vice PresidentOutreach CoordinatorsSTAFFSelma AbouneamehRyan Bose-RoyDilge BuksurKelly ChenElaine ChengLauren ChongKrishna DasariAlex DongMurilo DorionMatthew FanMaya GeradiAlexandra Haslund-GourleyMadison HouckElisa HowardADVISORY BOARDPriyamvada NatarajanSandy ChangKurt Zilm, ChairFred VolkmarStanley EisenstatJames DuncanStephen StearnsJakub SzeferWerner WolfJohn WettlauferWilliam SummersScott StrobelRobert BazellCraig CrewsAyaska FernandoElissa Dunn LevyAlice HuangMiriam KopytoCharlotte LeakeyVeronica LeeKaren LinEric LinhAnMei LittlePhoebe LiuLucas LomanAngelica LorenzoVictoria LuJenny MaoTai MichaelsVictoria OuyangMarcus SakKelly FarleyAnna SunXiaoying ZhengHannah RoJames HanTiffany LiaoMaria Fernanda PachecoNithyashri BaskaranSerena Thaw-PoonLorenzo ArvanitisBrett JenningsAntalique TranJulia ZhengEllie GabrielSophia ZhaoKate KellySiena CizdzielMatt TuMegan HeSebastian TsaiJenny TanStephanie HuCynthia LinMichelle BarsukovKatherine DaiChelsea WangNadean AlnajjarBlake BridgeAgastya RanaJerry RuvalcabaNoora SaidAnnika SalmiSydney ScottIshani SinghAthena StenorIzzi TrindadeVictoria VeraAnavi UppalKerui YangCatherine ZhengAstronomyBiological and Biomedical SciencesChemistryChild Study CenterComputer ScienceDiagnostic RadiologyEcology & Evolutionary BiologyElectrical EngineeringEmeritusGeology & GeophysicsHistory of Science, Medicine, & Public HealthMolecular Biophysics & BiochemistryMolecular, Cellular, & Developmental BiologyMolecular, Cellular, & Developmental BiologyUndergraduate AdmissionsYale Science & Engineering AssociationThe Yale Scientific Magazine (YSM) is published four times a year by YaleScientific Publications, Inc. Third class postage paid in New Haven, CT 06520.Non-profit postage permit number 01106 paid for May 19, 1927 under the actof August 1912. ISN:0091-287. We reserve the right to edit any submissions,solicited or unsolicited, for publication. This magazine is published by YaleCollege students, and Yale University is not responsible for its contents. Perspectivesexpressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of YSM.We retain the right to reprint contributions, both text and graphics, in futureissues as well as a non-exclusive right to reproduce these in electronic form.The YSM welcomes comments and feedback. Letters to the editor should beunder two hundred words and should include the author’s name and contactinformation. We reserve the right to edit letters before publication. Please sendquestions and comments to yalescientific@yale.edu. Special thanks to YaleStudent Technology Collaborative.
Page 1 and 2: Yale ScientificTHE NATION’S OLDES
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Page 7 and 8: Psychology / Materials ScienceNEWSI
Page 9 and 10: Public HealthNEWSTHROUGHTHE PIPESWa
Page 11 and 12: TREATY URSELFNeuroscienceNEWSConnec
Page 13 and 14: BiochemistryFOCUSThe study cemented
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Page 17 and 18: BiochemistryFOCUSA micrograph of sk
Page 19 and 20: ADJUSTINGQuantum CouplingFOCUSFORAc
Page 21 and 22: Quantum CouplingFOCUStheir system w
Page 23 and 24: EcologyFOCUSconsume, and nonmigrato
Page 25 and 26: Planetary ScienceFOCUSPLANETARYPROT
Page 27 and 28: METALLIZING BY ISABEL TRINDADEUSING
Page 29 and 30: Culinary ScienceFOCUSIMAGE COURTESY
Page 31 and 32: MicrobiologyFOCUSsignificant change
Page 33 and 34: RoboticsFOCUSenvironment and a real
Page 35 and 36: OINTCLIMATE CHANGE IS WORSETHAN YOU
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Page 39 and 40: IMAGE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

YSM Issue 93.4 Full Magazine

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