The school year is coming to an end, and for many, this represents both the end and the beginning of new phases of life. These transitional moments are marked by traditions, some that date back to the early days of the College and some that are brand new. Dr. Emily DeMartino, a family nurse practitioner at Mount Holyoke College Health Services, has urged graduating students to form a new tradition themselves by visiting Health Services for a pap smear before leaving campus.
A newly-developed contraceptive targeted toward cisgender men has a 99 percent success rate in preventing pregnancy in mice, according to an article published by The New York Times on March 25, 2022. A report published by HealthDay found that past studies of cis male contraceptives have focused on targeting testosterone levels, whereas the current contraceptive in development works to reduce the functioning of a protein called retinoic acid receptor alpha, which affects sperm formation, embryonic development and cell growth. Researchers explained that this change in direction was due to the adverse side effects that often occur as a result of hormonal-based medication, such as weight gain, depression and high levels of cholesterol. Researchers also noted that the mice regained the ability to reproduce four to six weeks after halting regular pill consumption.
Medicated abortions now account for over half of all abortions in the United States, according to a Feb. 24 policy analysis by the Guttmacher Institute. Preliminary findings indicate that the combination of the pills mifepristone and misoprostol, which work together to induce an abortion, accounted for 54 percent of abortions in the United States in 2020, a significant jump from 39 percent in 2017. Although data collection for 2022 has not been completed, usage is predicted to remain above the 50 percent mark. Various factors contribute to the increase of use, including the COVID-19 pandemic which encouraged remote access to healthcare and increased access to medication instead of in-clinic abortions.
In June 1981, a “virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection,” later identified as human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, was first reported in the United States, according to the HIV.gov website. It has been about 40 years since the first cases of HIV were reported. UNAIDS estimated that in 2020, there were approximately 37.7 million people around the world with HIV and around 680,000 acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related deaths. There is currently no cure for HIV, but advancements in medical science have made it so that people living with HIV can control the impact of the disease on their body as well as its transmission rates.
The Pioneer Valley Microbiology Symposium took place on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Microbiologists at all stages in their careers, from students to researchers to faculty members, attended to spend a day sharing new research and learning from the Pioneer Valley community. Mount Holyoke College had several students and faculty attend the symposium, with Dr. Amy Hitchcock Camp and the Camp Lab attending presentations, Dr. Katie Berry giving a keynote talk during the day’s events and members of the Berry Lab presenting posters.
The new James Webb Telescope saw its first star on Feb. 11, according to NASA. The still blurry photo will allow the telescope’s segmented mirrors to align and capture never before seen images of our universe. Marcia Reike, a professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona and member of the Webb team, spoke to the excitement this news brought in a recent press statement,” Reike said. “The entire Webb team is ecstatic at how well the first steps of taking images and aligning the telescope are proceeding. We were so happy to see that light makes its way into [the Near Infrared Camera].”
Undergraduate students at Mount Holyoke College have long been able to pursue research in STEM departments. However, this year, the path to pursuing research is being restructured as part of the STEM departments’ inclusive education efforts and anti-racism plans, according to the MHC Chemistry and Biochemistry Anti-Racism Community meeting minutes from November 2021.
Between the icy sidewalks, cold temperatures and short daylight hours, outdoor recreation might be near the bottom of your wishlist for the beginning of spring semester. But with current COVID-19 restrictions, getting outside can be a fun way to spend time with friends, get to know the campus and Pioneer Valley and enjoy some wintery New England fun. Here are eight outdoorsy activities to try on and around campus this winter.
