Preface: The Opioid Crisis Opioids are used to modulate pain signals. The human body possesses an endogenous opiate pathway; this is how the brain modulates pain internally. The major neurotransmitter of the analgesia system is enkephalin, which inhibits a first-order presynaptic neuron from releasing substance p, and the second-order postsynaptic neuron from depolarizing; thus, preventingContinue reading “Research Strategies Scientists are Exploring to Create Better, Safer Treatments for Pain”
Category Archives: Serious
Sea Level Rise, Wellington New Zealand
Sea Level Rise, Wellington New Zealand The projection for sea-level rise in New Zealand is expected to reach up to 10% more than the global average (IPCC, 2013). However, there is a significant amount of uncertainty in future sea-level rise and unattributable likelihoods for each prospective scenario. What is certain is that sea levels willContinue reading “Sea Level Rise, Wellington New Zealand”
Viability of Predator Free NZ 2050
Is a ‘Predator Free NZ’ within reach? Attaining ‘predator free’ mainland islands in New Zealand is an aspiration that seems increasingly technically viable and predominantly cross-culturally desired. In the context of Predator Free New Zealand 2050, predator free refers to the absence of five introduced species: rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, and possums. The eradication ofContinue reading “Viability of Predator Free NZ 2050”
Neuroscience and the Law
Neuroscience and neuroimaging are unequivocally useful for determining an individual’s fitness to stand trial. They also aid our understanding of areas of the brain responsible for a person’s behavior and decision making processes. Other applications of neuroscience in law such as lie detection tests and go/no-go tests are currently either: bias, less reliable, less replicable,Continue reading “Neuroscience and the Law”
The Use of Gene Editing to ‘Correct’ Congenital Deafness
The Disability Paradox Do you know about the disability paradox? It is integral to the argument against the perceived ‘correction’ of certain disabilities, so let’s start there. The disability paradox has two forms: the first is that people with disabilities tend to report that they have serious limitations placed on their daily living, have difficultyContinue reading “The Use of Gene Editing to ‘Correct’ Congenital Deafness”
Maria DaRocha 