Embedded Files
The Journey of the "Missing Jewel"
The reason I began to set sail into the vast ocean of research was to find a missing "jewel" to fit into my crown of research. I realized that "jewel" was missing upon looking at what past "sailors"(researchers) were discovering in the field. I noticed that researchers took their investigations, looking for a cure to epilepsy, to the "islands" of avobenzene and turmeric. These treatments are very similar to each other upon the successful results they had for the symptoms of epilepsy, however they both serve as well-known allergens to patients. Although turmeric is a natural alternative to the FDA approved drug, avobenzone, many patients are extremely allergic to this compound. Finding about this gap or "missing jewel", I became hopeful I could find a "crowing jewel" to fill my crown. I set sail to find a solution or cure. Atlast! I finally found Non-Centrifugal Sugar (NCS) a compound that has some of the same benefits as the prior cures, but differently this compound is not one that is an allergen for patients. I took this "jewel" and now am beggining to look at how this medicine or cure can help patients, the ultimate goal of my voyage!
Although I found the "jewel", I still needed to make a plan to get the jewel to fit into my "crown of research". I began to ask the other "sailors" that set sea to find the "islands" of the past treatments. They told me some aspects that I definitely wanted incorporated into my project. Specific "sailors" who's advice I used were researchers Jegannanth, Kuntamukkala, and James. These aspects included the basic husbandry and taking care of the flies and the flies' overall environment. I also took the same process of administering my treatment to my flies and making my treatment vials and empty vials. This researcher or "sailor" also specifically told me about my vortex mixing protocols and also to film my flies through my "camera" to record the "crowing jewel" in action. The amounts of "my jewel" I wanted to be exposed came from a separate researcher, researching the effects of the Semolina-Jaggery, which is the type of NCS I am using , on the Impact of Survival in Fruit Flies. I chose the same percentages of NCS they used because they used the perfect amount of the "crowning jewel" for their treatment, and the fruit flies were able to survive and take in the benefits of the NCS, the jewel. Consulting past "sailors" I feel is important to learn rather in collaboration than in isolation. My final plan or "treasure map" is listed to the right.
Making My Own Plans for the "Jewel"
Looking at past "sailors" plans helped me make my own, but for my personal journey I knew there was input I needed to add myself. I know looking at the plan above, you can see the aspects I changed or implemented. I changed the exposure to treatment to fit in with the "itinerary of the journey", or my plan of action. To make my research reliable, I just needed to make sure this time was uniform across my "fleets", or sample groups. I also changed the time the flies stay in the empty vials, waiting to be centrifuged, I changed this also due to my plan of action or my schedule. I just needed to make this time uniform across my sample groups as well, but more importantly keep it within 2-7 hours, so that the flies dont end up dying. Also collaboration with the other sailors is important to me it is also important to integrate your own plans and change the "itinerary" when neccessary.
My Heavily Anticipated Journey!
My Heavily Anticipated Journey!
After making a solid plan, I could finally set sail on my endeavors to fit the "jewel" in the "crown". I began my data collection process, finally! I was waiting for this particular destination for so so long. I immediately started with experimental trials on my control group and started recording their siezure recovery rates. However, unfortunately I quickly found out that in the vials of 10-15 flies it was so hard to see each fly individually, which I needed to do for these flies to count as individual data points. To overcome this fault in the path I decided to further split my empty vials into vials of 3-4 flies. Thankfully, I was able to see the flies recovery times so much clearer and I was back on track to reach my final goal! Currently I am focussing on analyzing my data points and actually putting meaning behind those numbers. I am running paired t tests between each of my sample groups data, and basically what this will allow me to do is see if the differences I observed were ultimately statistically significant or not. After this, I want to make visuals of my data and find the right words to explain my data analysis and why specifically I chose a paired-t-test. I have almost reached this destination and am so glad I went through this much anticipated process in my "journey"
This is an image of my newly modified vial method where I only had 3-5 flies!
Getting Through Stormy Days At Sea
Getting Through Stormy Days At Sea
Unfortunately I had to encounter some stormy days in this entire journey. One day upon the high seas I completed all my methodology for my first vial of my control group and I realized when watching the videos that I was not able to isolate each fly. At least I was able to see this problem early on in my process and thus was able to resolve it with my less flies in each vial approach. My other stormy day was before I started the research project I had a rough time getting enough flies to start data collection. I initally planned on using the F2 generation, however, I had to result in using the F3 generation and breed the flies over my winter break. My efforts ended in sucess though! and luckily I was succesfuly able to start data collection within my planned timeframe! Although i encountered these stormy days at sea, they ultimately led to my success!
Results! (So far)
Results! (So far)
(3 minute presentation): Looking at the specific data points I found interesting and comparing them to previous data points of past researchers
I included a visual of what my paired t test entails, I hope to actually include graphs of my specific data in regards to the function and theory regarding the paired t test and I would also like to include more explanation in regards to why I chose a paired t test as well. I believe having a plan can help me reach any "destination" and will ultimately help me with placing my "jewel" in my "crown".
Although I am fully not done with my journey of data collection or completing the paired t test process. I have included some interesting discoveries I have made along my path so far in ultimately achieving my goal of "fitting the jewel into my crown". I have noticed a significant decrease in the recovert times between my first sample group(control) and my third sample group, the highest concentration of treatment I administered(15% jaggery). I believe that this is just an initial discovery and once actually completing my final data analysis and everything I will definitely be able to elaborate much more on my findings and if my findings were statistically significant or not.
This is my current plan for my paired t test which I will optimize soon
Why is the "Treasure" So Important!
Why is the "Treasure" So Important!
In regards to my specific research question, my results mean that the NCS actually worked to decrease the siezure recovery time in bs Drosophilia, this means they minimize symptoms of epilepsy! However in a real world aspect they will determine if jaggery is a treatment for epilepsy. This is so important because about 1.2% of people in the United States struggle with this disorder and they deserve more than the treatments available such as avobenzone and turmeric or circumin (Mayo Clinic 2021). Many of these patients are severly allergic to these treatments and it is unfair to see these patients left with no care. I also believe that NCS is so easy to add to patients lives as needed and can fit into their lifestyle as well. If my results prove to be statitiscally significant, the finalized "crown" with the addititon of the "jewel" can possibly be a stepping stone to help the "kingdom" of patients waiting to get care they deserve.
How can "a diamond in the rough" still be so valuable!
How can "a diamond in the rough" still be so valuable!
Although, the treasure on the outside may look like the end all be all for the "kingdom" of patients. There are certain aspects that one must look at before putting the results of my project to use. For example, a limitation of my research is the age synchronization aspect. Although all the flies I used were adults from the f3 generation and this is what the papers I looked at used as well, there are must more accurate ways to age synchronize the flies, but due to my roadblock of not getting or having enough flies to start data collection within my planned time frame I unfortunately I had to resort to this method. Another limitation is achieving the clearness of the data from the taken videos. Even though I tried to get the best quality of footage from further separating my vials, this still serves as a limitation to my study because some of the footage I had to analyze wasnt the clearest. I am dealing with these limitations by definitely addressing them and what I did to minimize them and I also am figuring out how to explain that my research still holds relevant. Although my "treasure" comes with some dents, it is still valuable because it provides as the first step for a new, innovative treatment to epilepsy!
Final Days at Sea
Final Days at Sea
In my final days at sea from this whole process I want to emphasize the wonderful lessons I learned from these treacherous days at sea. I even value the stormy days when the ship and crew were all ablaze. I think my data as a whole will serve as the first step of connecting with the "kingdom" of patients and will be known as valuable treasure by generations to come. I think my "treasure" and fitting the "jewel" in the "crown" will be the inspiration to many other research projects or "journeys at sea" which will help tackle the goal of ultimately finding a cure or a new cure than the ones in place. Looking at my specific research's impact on the conversation of other "sailors" or researchers I believe that I was able to expand on "sailors'" Jegannanth, Kuntamukkala, and James path and found a new natural alternative to their alternative to avobenze, turmeric. My alternative, NCS, will one day hope to serve patients who are allergic to turmeric or avobenzene or maybe don't have the access to these treatments. I hope this new cure serves as a better response to the "kindgom" of patients battling epilepsy. I hope that my data helps this "kindgdom" suffering from epilepsy filled with people of all genders, races, ethnic backgrounds and ages(Mayo Clinic).
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse