The authors tested the impact of various additives on biopolymer degradation.
Read More...A comparison of starches and plasticizers for biopolymer synthesis and degradation
The efficacy of spent green tea leaves and coffee grounds on the growth of Ocimum basilicum
The authors looked at fertilizer derived from coffee ground tea leaves, measuring the effectiveness by measuring the height, weight, and number of leaves on basil plants.
Read More...The effects of food type on mediator-less microbial fuel cell electricity output
The authors look at how different food types impact the ability of bacteria to produce electricity.
Read More...Quantifying natural recovery of dopamine deficits induced by chronic stress
Here the authors investigated the natural recovery of stress-induced dopamine-related gene deficits in C. elegans by measuring the expression of cat-2 (dopamine biosynthesis) and sod-2 (oxidative stress) following exposure to starvation or hydrocortisone. They found that the reversibility of sod-2 and the expression of cat-2 were highly dependent on the type and severity of the stressor, suggesting that the body's natural ability to recover from dopamine dysfunction has biological limitations.
Read More...Eggshell consumption in different reproductive stages and broods of the Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana
The authors investigate whether Western Bluebirds and other perching birds consume eggshells, as a source of calcium, at a greater rate before reproduction and during nest building when they are unable to store calcium.
Read More...Qualitative tracking of human and animation motions reveals differences in their walking gaits
In their attempt to evoke a greater emotional connection with viewers, animators have strived to replicate human movements in their animations. However, animation movements still appear distinct from human movements. With a focus on walking, we hypothesized that animations, unaffected by real external forces (e.g. gravity), would move with a universally distinct, gliding gait that is discernible from humans.
Read More...SOS-PVCase: A machine learning optimized lignin peroxidase with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) degrading properties
The authors looked at the primary structure of lignin peroxidase in an attempt to identify mutations that would improve both the stability and solubility of the peroxidase protein. The goal is to engineer peroxidase enzymes that are stable to help break down polymers, such as PVC, into monomers that can be reused instead of going to landfills.
Read More...Augmented Reality Chess Analyzer (ARChessAnalyzer): In-Device Inference of Physical Chess Game Positions through Board Segmentation and Piece Recognition using Convolutional Neural Networks
In this study the authors develop an app for faster chess game entry method to help chess learners improve their game. This culminated in the Augmented Reality Chess Analyzer (ARChessAnalyzer) which uses traditional image and vision techniques for chess board recognition and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for chess piece recognition.
Read More...Nonthermal nitrogen fixation with air and water by using a low-pressure plasma
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Growth Numbers Are Unchanged in the Presence of Yogurt
Disruptions to the microbiome, specifically the imbalance in the two major phyla, the Firmicutes and the Bacteroidetes, have been linked to the development of obesity. This study explored whether or not Fage plain total 0% Greek yogurt, which contains live and active bacterial cultures belonging to the Firmicute phylum, could decrease the numbers of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an organism found in the human gut that belongs to the Bacteroidetes phylum.
Read More...