There are many genes that have been identified to cause Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD for short), as well as all the other disorders related to it One such gene is the chromatin remodeler CHD8 and methyltransferase KMT2A, the former of which is known to cause intellectual disability (ID) and the latter to cause Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome. Is there any mechanistical link between the two genes, and does this mean that CHD8 also causes Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome? It appears that there is, and that it also points at a larger pattern for other similarly linked genes, and could help with identifying other genes that cause known disorders – for instance, perhaps useful in finding new genes that may also cause ASD.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder affecting approximately 1-2% of the population. OCD symptoms include unwanted thoughts or feelings (obsessions) and repetitive physical or mental actions (compulsions). The genetic causes of OCD are still being investigated; however, recent research has identified mutations in six genes associated with OCD: SLITRK5, SETD5, CHD8, KDM3B, ASXL3, and FBL (6). SLITRK5’s link to may OCD exist through excitatory and inhibitory synaptogenesis, SETD5’s association with OCD could be through the process of cell proliferation, CHD8 Mutations could cause overstimulated nerve cells via a surplus of glutamate, the deletion of KDM3B can often causes repetitive actions, mutations in ASXL3 are frequently linked to ID and developmental delays, and FBL is linked to various addiction disorders.

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Vaccines, an essential tool for bolstering the immune system's defense against pathogens, work by introducing harmless pathogen components, or antigens, into the body. This prompts the immune system to recognize and mount a defense against these foreign invaders, primarily through the involvement of different white blood cell types, particularly T cells and B cells, each with distinct roles. Vaccines are important because they help us prevent sickness and give us advantages against pathogens, which evolve more quickly than humans. Nanotechnology, which works with super tiny materials at the molecular level, is being used to create cool new ways to make vaccines. It uses things called nanoparticles, which help protect vaccine parts from damage and control how they get released in the body, making our immune system get stronger. These nanoparticles also help in making special vaccines that look like the bad germs we want to fight, which makes our immune system get better at recognizing and fighting them. So, by using nanotechnology, vaccines become stronger, more precise, and better at keeping up with the changing germs that make us sick.

Synchronisation occurs commonly in various mechanical and biological systems. In this paper, I examine the synchronisation of two metronomes placed on a freely moving board. Using various approximations and assumptions, my paper proves why metronomes synchronise when they are almost in sync to begin with. Analysing metronomes provides a mechanical solution for synchronisation and is the first step to understanding more complex biological synchronisations modelled by the Kuramoto model.

This paper provides an overview of various antidepressants, which are often used to treat depression. Depression is a prevalent mental disorder characterised by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable and rewarding activities. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that depression affects approximately 3.8% of the population, which is equivalent to approximately 300 million people globally. Depression is caused by biological, genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors. The conventional treatments include therapeutic and social support for mild depression and pharmacological interventions for moderate to severe instances, primarily involving antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs. SSRIs and SNRIs target neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine to alleviate depressive symptoms. However, these antidepressants have potential side effects such as cardiovascular issues, gasastrointestinal problems, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and increased suicidal thoughts. Despite all these side effects, antidepressants remain a crucial tool to combat depression.

The extent to which special relativity may be used to simulate gravity is investigated in this paper using a theoretical approach, where the “gravitational” time dilation calculated using the two methods are compared. The method was to establish, with reference to their co-moving rest frame, two uniformly accelerating observers that are stationary with respect to one another. The time dilation experienced by these two observers in special relativity is then analytically and numerically compared to that derived by general relativity, if the same observers were taken to be at rest in a uniform gravitational field. The special relativity formula was shown to have an accuracy of 9.11 percent, and that the two formulas have matching behaviours up to the sub-leading order of their expansions. The accuracy was also shown to decrease when distance increases, demonstrating that this method is only valid for simulating gravity on a local scale. The results therefore agree with predictions; according to the equivalence principle, the accelerated frame is equivalent to a gravitational field only on a local scale where spacetime can be seen as locally flat and the gravitational field as approximately uniform.