Ketamine has been used to induce loss of consciousness for general anesthesia for decades. Recently, this medicine has been used as a second-line treatment in clinical trials and research to treat depression, which has sparked controversy. It is not hard to find news about addiction and misuse, or even death when you search for ketamine. Moreover, this drug is not approved by the FDA to treat depression. Despite its bad reputation, ketamine is a promising medication for depression and an impactful chemical for psychological disorder research.

Let’s first explore the reasons why ketamine can be a good alternative for standard treatment when those common medications do not help alleviate depression. The current antidepressants act to increase the level of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine neurotransmitters in the brain to make patients feel happier. As a new researcher myself, I consider this method ineffective. By enhancing the happy mood to treat depressed patients, researchers and doctors assume that depression is a mood disorder, and patients are simply unhappy. In reality, the causes of depression are much more complicated. A major one involves the alteration of synapses’ size and activity which then affects the connection between neurons. Therefore, in an attempt to treat depression, medicine should aim to fix the changes in how neurons communicate. Through many years of research on cell culture and rodent models, scientists found that ketamine enhances the activity at glutaminergic synapses and increases synaptic sizes, which are heavily reduced in depression. In short, ketamine reverses some of the known physiological alterations. Ketamine treatment has shown success in reducing symptoms of depression in many clinical trials. A patient is eligible if common antidepressants have proven ineffective. Patients are treated with low doses of ketamine along with cognitive behavior training under strict treatment plans with research physicians. 

Despite the promising results, ketamine should not be approved for general depression treatment. Research on ketamine is limited. Scientists have focused on the effects on the damaged parts of the brain (cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, etc.), but they have not explored the consequences of long-term ketamine usage on the brain as a whole. Ketamine is also highly addictive, leading to a potential long-term struggle for patients who are already mentally ill. We should think of the success of ketamine treatment as the groundwork to develop new medications that target the same neurotransmitter (glutamate) but without the addictive effects and other unknown consequences on the brain. Hopefully, a new medicine might offer a better first-line treatment for depression compared to the current antidepressants on the market. 

Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, senior chemistry and communication major, describes a chaotic two days in Peru before her trip was cut short and she was obliged to either return to the United States or risk being stranded for an indefinite amount of time. 

On March 12 I departed Kansas City for Lima, Peru on the trip of a lifetime to conduct research on electricity access in rural communities. This project was both the culmination of nearly three years of research I have completed in the field of electrification – the first two years through research for my chemistry major and the third through an independent study in business – and my Journey Grant. 

I spent months preparing for this trip – developing relationships with contacts on the ground, training for the high altitude villages I would be spending time in and learning absolutely everything I could about electricity access throughout Latin America. 

Yet when the day of my departure arrived, I was nervous. 

On the eve of my flight the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be a pandemic and, seemingly in response, President Trump announced a new policy barring individuals from European countries to travel to the United States. 

I took these announcements seriously, but I was healthy, and I judged the risks of my trip to be minimal. At the time there were only five known cases of the virus in Peru, and each of these was far from where I would be staying. I had no idea how quickly things would change. 

Things were seemingly fine when I boarded my flight. Yet during the approximately 12 hours that I was traveling – and offline – chaos erupted. When my flight touched down in Lima we were told that “new regulations” had been implemented “a few hours ago.” Without explanation we were whisked off the plane and greeted by a crowd of individuals covered from head to toe in personal protective equipment (PPE) who promptly recorded the temperatures of every person departing the plane. 

It wasn’t until after this experience that I managed to reconnect to Wi-Fi and learned that in the time I was on the flight a state of emergency had been issued over Kansas City, several countries around the world had closed their borders and the number of recorded COVID-19 cases and deaths had increased dramatically. 

Despite the news, after exiting the airport things were eerily normal. The streets were busy and people were calm, there was not a single mask in sight. However, the next day when I began exploring Lima it became clear that people were concerned about the threat of the coronavirus. Many of the touristic areas were empty and store owners expressed concerns about rapidly decreasing sales volumes. 

On my second day in Peru I heard rumors that the airports were going to close in 30 hours. Though I couldn’t find anything official to corroborate these claims, locals I interacted with were warning me that if I didn’t leave soon I could get stuck in Lima – according to their friend’s cousin’s brother who works at the airport and was told to prepare for a few months of unemployment. 

At first I dismissed these rumors, but after hearing the same claim a dozen times from a dozen different people I started to believe that there might be some truth to them. The next morning I was scheduled to fly to Cusco and meet a guide who would travel with me to several rural communities on, and around, Machu Picchu. I decided to catch that flight and hear from that guide before deciding whether to return to the United States or continue with my trip.

However, the pandemonium increased overnight. When I arrived back at Lima airport it was apparent that people were panicked, and I could see large groups of airline staff in full PPE outfits walking through every terminal. 

I called my travel agent who advised me to be cautious but agreed that I could go to Cusco and reevaluate the situation from there. I had a bad feeling but went through security and boarded the flight regardless. After sitting on the tarmac for 40 minutes we received word that the flight had been canceled, much like many other domestic flights that day.  

Again I called my travel agent, unsure whether to reboard onto the new flight we were being offered later that day. Frantically she advised me that if I wanted to leave Peru I would have to do it “NOW.” Every single flight before the rumored airport closures was filling up, and the opportunity to return to the states was rapidly shrinking. 

I was shocked, I had no idea how quickly the situation would devolve, but I was also very fortunate to have a travel agent who was diligently monitoring the flights available for me. With a lot of luck I was able to secure the second-to-last available seat on the last flight out of Peru that evening. 

I spent my final few hours on the ground exploring downtown Lima, and was struck by how quickly the city seemed to be emptying out. When I returned to the airport that evening it was startling how many people seemed to be desperately trying to leave Peru. The lines to check-in for flights were extending out of the doors, and people were frantically scrambling to be the first in the queue at the ticketing counters. Luckily I boarded my flight without any issues. 

Within a few hours of my flight departing the Peruvian government announced that all flights in, and out, of the country would be immediately halted, and domestic travel would be greatly restricted. Dozens of families were stranded, including tourists from Ireland and Japan, and the United States is currently sparring with the national government over repatriation flights. 

If I had not secured a seat on the flight that I did, it is unlikely I would have been able to return from Peru for at least several weeks. 

At the end of the day, I was extremely lucky. I was able to leave and I had a safe place to return to. I am immensely grateful for those things, but at the same time I am filled with regret for the people I left behind. The rural communities I was set to conduct research in are extremely reliant on income from tourism, and the loss of revenue they are facing will be devastating. 

The work that I was doing was in a genuine effort to help communities which do not share in the luxuries we – in more developed nations – largely take for granted, like electricity. And yet, ironically, it was that same privilege that allowed me leave while so many others were forced to stay. 

This pandemic is exposing vast inequities in our institutional structures, internationally and domestically. I hope we use this time to reevaluate these systems and, when this is all over, we are able to establish new normals and rebuild our societies to be more fair, even and equitable for every person in every place.

Sam Fulte, senior biochemistry major who is engaged in research about the human gut microbiome, described that attending conferences enables students to develop networks and learn about opportunities beyond Jewell.

“One of the cool things about conferences for undergraduates is that they normally have a networking session or a graduate school information session. Conferences are a good place to explore different graduate schools or career opportunities after college,” said Fulte.

Fulte recently attended the annual “Out in STEM (oSTEM)” conference in Houston, TX, along with Alexis Mann, senior Oxbridge: Molecular Biology major, and Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, junior chemistry and communication major.

(From left to right) Alexis Mann, Sam Fulte and Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe at the oSTEM conference in Houston, Nov. 2018.

Mann, who focuses on trying to better determine the mechanism behind axonal degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease as well as potential pathways that could rescue (or slow the degenerative process) said degeneration, noted that attendance at this conference was made possible only through support and funding from faculty and staff at Jewell.

“Jewell was willing to fund those of us that attended oSTEM this year which was really nice since the conference took place in Houston,” said Mann. “Additionally, many of the science faculty, especially Dr. Wetmore and Dr. Reynolds, are really good about encouraging us to go to different conferences to both get in practice presenting and to begin networking within the field we want to go into after graduation.”

At the oSTEM conference Arthurs-Schoppe, Fulte and Mann each presented their research to students and professionals in the STEM field. Approximately 1,000 students were in attendance of the conference and representatives from companies including Boeing, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) were present.  

Emily Dema, senior Oxbridge: Molecular Biology major, has spent the past few years studying the genetics of innate immunity in model organisms. This research has potential application in the field of medicine and is particularly relevant in response to the global rise in antimicrobial resistance.

Dema was recently able to take this knowledge abroad to participate in a mentorship program at the Women Leaders in Global Health (WLGH) Conference hosted at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Emily Dema (second from left) at the WLGH conference in London, Nov. 2018.

Participation in this conference enabled Dema to develop a strong network and attain insight into her field of choice.

“[At the WLGH conference] I was able to meet researchers, policymakers, and students involved in the field of global health. Individuals represented organizations including the World Health Organization, United Nations, Centers for Disease Control, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, International AIDs Vaccine Initiative, Medicins sans frontier, and academic research institutions,” said Dema. “I really enjoyed speaking with people from all over the world about their involvement in the field, including the challenges and successes that come with the job.”

Many Oxbridge students utilize the opportunity to present to international audiences while abroad in their junior year.

Haley Hart, senior Oxbridge: Molecular Biology major, has been researching cancer treatment options by working to design and create a nanoparticle drug delivery system combining positive aspects of different types of treatments to eliminate the negative side effects of current treatment options.

Hart’s research has widespread potential for application across the globe and she was able to develop her knowledge base by attending diverse conferences while abroad.

“Most of the conferences I have attended were in Oxford. I took advantage of some memberships there and attended as many relevant conferences as I could. A few examples are Oxford University Psychology and Neuroscience seminars and workshops, Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK Neuroscience Symposium, Oxford Nuffield Clinical Neurosciences Symposium,” said Hart.

Fulte, Hart and Mann all presented their research at the Heartland Undergraduate Biochemistry (HUB) Forum hosted at the Kansas University Medical Center this November. There Mann was given an award for the best presentation of an undergraduate poster.

Haley Hart presenting at the HUB conference, Nov. 2018.

Mann attributes her win to practice and advises students to invest time into honing their presentation skills.

“In my opinion, doing these poster presentations [at] conferences is just something people need to practice to prepare. Understanding your research and being comfortable talking about it is the first step, but when you talk to different audiences about your work you need to learn and adapt to the audience so that everyone that talks to you at least has some level of understanding of your work,” said Mann.

This was Mann’s second time presenting at the HUB Forum – both Dema and Mann presented at the Nov. 2016 Forum where Jewell students were awarded first, second and third place in the poster presentation category, Mann was a member of the team who placed second.

Fulte, Dema, Hart and Mann are all planning to present their research at the Tribeta District Conference in April 2019. Tribeta is the national biology honors society and students must fulfil strict academic standards in order to be initiated and awarded the opportunity to present at conferences.

Fulte will also be attending the Keystone Symposium over the Microbiome in Montreal, Canada, in March 2019. Her application to present at this conference is in the review process.

After receiving sponsorship from an alumnus, the chemistry department at Jewell is able to send some students to present at the national American Chemical Society meeting in Orlando, Fl, in Spring 2019.

Approximately 14,000 people are expected to attend this conference and Arthurs-Schoppe, Travis Colpitts, Zach Hand and Nick Hartwig will be there to represent Jewell.

STEM is the term used to describe the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. At Jewell some of the most popular majors in these fields are chemistry, biology, biochemistry and physics.

Biochemistry, biology and chemistry majors at Jewell are required to conduct two years of research under the mentorship of a professor. Physics majors are required to complete one year of research.

Photos courtesy of Dr. Lori Wetmore, Emily Dema and Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe

Kansas City Public Library – Central Library

Central Library, the main branch of the Kansas City Public library, is located at 14 West 10th Street in Kansas City, Mo. It is open Monday through Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Parking is free on the weekends and on weekdays for the first hour with validation from library staff. After that hour, parking is $1 for every 20 minutes before 5 p.m. and $2 after 5 p.m. with a maximum charge of $8 per day.

Features of Central Library include a total of 66 computers for various age groups, four study rooms, four meeting rooms, six special event spaces and the Missouri Valley Room.

The Missouri Valley Room is an archive that “provides historians and genealogists with a unique setting in which to conduct research.” There are three collections of resources held in the Missouri Valley Room: the Missouri Valley Collection on local history, the Ramos Collection on African American history and materials on Western expansion. For more information on this archive, visit its page on the Kansas City Public Library website or call 816-701-3427.

Central Library is open to the general public, but to access computers, check out materials and access certain areas of the library you must apply in person for a traditional library card at one of the many branches of the Kansas City Public Library. You must be a current resident of Missouri or Kansas to apply for a traditional library card. If you are a resident of the Kansas City metropolitan area, you can apply online for an eCard, which will only grant you access to the library’s digital collections.

For more information on Kansas City Public Library as a whole, visit its website or call 816-701-3400.

The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum

Some people may not be aware that one of the 13 presidential libraries currently in existence is located in the Kansas City area. The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum specializes in American politics and history in the Truman era or simply President Truman himself. The library and museum are located at 500 W. U.S. Highway 24 in Independence, Mo., just 20 minutes from Jewell’s campus. The library and museum are open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 12-5 p.m., and is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

While the Truman library and museum are open to the general public. Admission is not free.The fee is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $3 for children six to 15, and free for children five years and under. Once you have paid you will gain access to the library as well as all the museum’s temporary and permanent exhibits and attractions.

Any person who is at least 14 years or older, or is accompanied by a person who is 14 years of older, can access over 99 percent of the library’s vast archives. According to the Truman Library Institute, the resources held by the library and museum combined include “15,000,000 pages of manuscript materials, 100,000 still pictures, over 500 hours of disc and tape recordings, 400 motion pictures, approximately 500 oral histories, 75 hours of videotape recordings, 30,000 books, 10,000 periodicals and 1,400 microfilm copies of printed materials” as well as approximately 30,000 objects associated with President Truman including 1,300 letters between him and his wife. Researchers can access this material in one of the library’s research rooms, which are open Monday through Friday 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and closed on all federal holidays. It is highly encouraged for you to inform the library staff that you wish to use a research room prior to your arrival. You can do so by calling 816-268-8200 or sending an email to truman.library@nara.gov.

For more information visit The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum website.

The Clay County Archives and Historical Library

For those looking for primary sources regarding Liberty or Clay County, the Clay County Archives and Historical Library may be useful. Located just several blocks east of campus at 210 E Franklin, the Clay County Archives are open Monday through Wednesday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6:30–9 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. It is closed on holidays and the entire week of Christmas.

Research can be conducted on-site or through correspondence. On-site research is free for members of the archives and is $5 daily for non-members. If you are interested in becoming a member of the archives, you can apply to do so online. The cost of the membership is $15 annually.

The mission of the archives is “procure, preserve, restore, maintain, study, and promote manuscripts, instruments, records, charters, evidence, and documents of a public or private nature which may have statistical, legal or historical significance to Clay County, Mo., its government or residents, or such documents as might be desirable to the association and to encourage public interest therein.” Their collection of material includes birth and death records, census records, circuit court records, county court records, tax lists, deeds, maps and atlases, resources on black history and much more.

For more information visit the Clay County Archives and Historical Library website or call 816-781-3611.