Quantifying Ozempic’s Impact: Sentiment-Based Drug Evaluation with BERT and Mistral Models

Semaglutide, sold under the name Ozempic, is a medication that aids in blood sugar management as well as weight loss in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic is frequently advertised as an effective weight loss drug due to the uncontrolled popularity stemming around it from social media. The purpose of this study is to understand the public opinion and real-life testimonials regarding the use of Ozempic via Youtube comments. I trained BERT and Mistral models for sentiment classification and thematic pattern recognition using a labelled dataset of generated content. Three major perspectives were identified to focus on: users of Ozempic, the families of users of Ozempic, and the general public. This study utilized natural processing language (NLP) to analyze sentiment patterns, issues repeated over time, and the general perception of the effectiveness of the drug of different people. The results provide information on the qualitative effects experienced by users of Ozempic outside the clinical setting and the views that shape the perception of Ozempic in public

Human In Vitro Modeling of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been the leading cause of disability and death in young people, and there has been a search for a fitting model to understand the effects of trauma on the brain. To develop a TBI in vitro model that utilizes brain organoids, I utilized resin-based 3D printing to print a model and test how this model works on brain organoids. This research can provide an alternative to the current model to acquire and analyze data from brain organoids when traumatized (which delivers uniform displacement). Currently, I am analyzing the model’s performance using MATLAB to process recorded images and assess displacement, ensuring the model\u27s reliability in simulating trauma

Breaking to Build

The internship represented a deliberate approach to creative Miring, challenging traditional boundaries of literary expression. At its core, the project sought to investigate how prose can transcend its conventional mediums and interact with other creative disciplines in meaningful ways. Grounded in contemporary theories of intermediality and transmedia storytelling, the methodology centered on creating original works is either inspired by previous artworks or reimagining them afterwards through different creative lenses. This process incorporates established techniques such as erasure, ekphrasis, found poetry, and others, which translate visual art into vivid literary descriptions. Through hands-on experimentation and reflective documentation, the project aimed to provide insights into innovative narrative development and encourage a more expansive understanding of What constitutes a written work in aincreasingly interconnected artistic landscape

The role of basal acetylcholine release on neuronal activity in the medial habenula

Nicotine is an addictive chemical that leads to tolerance and withdrawal and acts as an agonist for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), a family of ligand-gated ion channels. When nicotine binds to nAChRs, the ligand-gated ion channels open and allow ions like calcium to enter the cell. Calcium can activate an assortment of downstream signaling processes, including further ionic currents via a calcium-gated ion channel (CaCC) called TMEM16A. Since this ion channel impacts neuron firing rate, we hypothesized that it may regulate the contribution of acetylcholine on cell firing. To test this, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology in acute slices of mouse brain and examined neuron firing rates in the medial habenula of the mice brains. Using Clampfit analysis, we were able to identify neuronal firing rates in these brain slices including changes elucidated by nAChR blockade. Here, we will present evidence that acetylcholine exhibits basal release into medial habenula neurons, and explain how TMEM16A feedback impacts resultant changes to neuron firing rates in nicotine-exposed animals

Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Of Ultra High-Performance Fiber

This study investigates the mechanical behavior of 3D-printed Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and Ultra High Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC). It intends to contribute to the research regarding detailed experimental assurance in concrete 3D printing. Current methods are based on coring samples out of 3D printed elements, eliminating the 3D printing features. This study bridges these approaches by proposing a process to evaluate its mechanical properties that account for layered concrete\u27s unique geometric features. A nanomodified mixture is developed to fulfill the fresh-state properties necessary for 3D printing. A flow table test validates this before printing with a piston extruder and a 3-axis gantry printer. A highly flowable mix is used as capping material to maintain surface geometry, providing a smooth, parallel loading surface for mechanical tests. Mechanical properties of the printed UHPC and UHPFRC are assessed by uniaxial compression, tensile splitting, and notched three-point bending tests. Properties of the printed samples are studied by comparing compressive and tensile strengths to cast samples from the same batch. Documentation of dimension and cause of failure included image analyses supported by 3D scanning. The test results provide valuable insight into the effects of the geometric features of 3D printed UHPC samples

The Feasibility of Powering an Attic Fan with a Stirling Engine

Interest in stirling engines has increased since existing thermal gradients can be carbon neutral. Our goal is to produce sufficient electricity to run a fan under the constraint of a 20 ºC temperature difference on either side of ceiling drywall in an attic. A small commercial low-temperature gamma type Stirling engine was placed in a model attic with the intent to generate electricity. The first iteration attempted to conduct thermal energy from a heated shingle via copper tubing to the engine’s top plate but was not successful. The second utilized a heated attic chamber and generated a representative temperature differential across the engine’s surfaces. The next hurdle was to transfer the mechanical energy of the Stirling engine flywheel to an electrical generator. Several custom flanges and pulley wheels were designed and printed. Direct frictional contact proved problematic owing to out-of-roundness of the printed wheels. Currently, the engine’s flywheel is being augmented with fenders such that a friction drive belt can allow the transfer using modest tension. We hope that this design is adequate to consistently generate a measurable amount of electricity

Identification of effects of Matricaria chamomilla essential oil against bacteria

Modern medicine has been seen to cause a development of resistance after time of usage, this ineffectiveness causes stronger doses and the need for a change in antibiotics. Due to this problem, the development of more antibiotics has become crucial despite its difficult process to create and execute. Natural products have been noted to have much less resistance development over time from their usage despite dating back to ancient times. This project aims to test the antibacterial properties that are contained in the natural product of Matricaria Recutita through the creation of essential oil from ground-dried chamomile and the comparison to the store-bought counterpart compared to the current antibiotic treatment to identify the effectiveness in bacteria and its comparison to modern antibacterial medicine. Then testing the minimum inhibitory concentration to identify to what intensity this treatment must be used. The results will allow the possibility of natural products to be incorporated into modern medicine to fight bacteria

Modeling Drivers of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in HIV Transmission in Marginalized Communities in Chicago

Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a public health priority in Illinois, with the statewide Getting- to-Zero (GTZ) initiative aiming to reach a “functional zero” by 2030. Functional zero means that Illinois will report fewer than 100 new cases of HIV annually, the point where the HIV epidemic no longer sustain itself. Racial and ethnic minorities as well as sexual and gender minorities are disproportionately affected by HIV. More specifically, young Black and Latinx men who have sex with men (YMSM) as well as trans women (TW) are considered especially vulnerable to HIV infection. Given that Black YMSM have been found to engage in similar or even decreased rates of HIV risk behaviors compared to other racial groups, racial disparities within HIV transmission are unexplained by assessing individual-level behavior. This study uses a systems approach along with sexual network data to model interactions between concurrent individual-level risk factors for HIV transmission and the broader social and structural systems that shape them. This study aims to illuminate the drivers of racial and ethnic disparities within HIV infections in Chicago. The project also aims to identify targets for public health interventions that can prevent new HIV infections in these communities

Examining the Differences in Water Treatment Between Chicago and Evanston

Drinking water is a critical component of peoples\u27 everyday lives, so it is critical that the quality of municipal tap water is accurately measured and adheres to contaminant limits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) in 1991 to reduce exposure to lead and copper in drinking water, which can cause numerous health impacts like cognitive defects and liver damage. However, proper measurement of lead concentration remains difficult, especially in cities like Chicago and Evanston where lead service lines are ubiquitous. The 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require sequential first- and fifth-liter samples. Our study collected water from households in Evanston and Chicago, who both draw water from Lake Michigan, but use different water treatment practices that are unknown to the public. Our study discusses the differences in concentrations of lead, copper, and other water contaminants taken through this revised sampling method. In our study, we identify significant differences in water quality between the two cities that are likely due to differences in water treatment practices, and discuss the implications of these results for optimal corrosion control strategies

2023 Class Photograph

https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/class_photos/1032/thumbnail.jp