The authors tested the impact of various additives on biopolymer degradation.
Read More...A comparison of starches and plasticizers for biopolymer synthesis and degradation
Optimized biochemical depolymerization of plastics from surgical face masks
The authors combine chemical, enzymatic, and microbial-based methods to optimize degradation of plastics within a surgical facemask.
Read More...Kinetic Monitoring and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy of the Green Oxidation of (-)-Menthol to (-)-Menthone
In an effort to reduce the production of hazardous substances, green chemistry aims to make chemical processes more sustainable. One way to do so is changing solvents in chemical reactions. Here, authors assessed different “green” solvents on the oxidation of (-)-menthol to (-)-menthone using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, optimizing the solvent system for this reaction.
Read More...Examining Heat Recovery from Electric Light Bulbs Using Thermoelectric Generators
Here the author investigates how much heat energy is output and recovered from a conventional electric light bulb.
Read More...Don’t Waste the Medical Waste: Reducing Improperly Classified Hazardous Waste in a Medical Facility
Hemani et al. tackled the problem of rampant hospital waste by implementing staff training to help inform hospital workers about proper waste disposal. The authors observed a significant increase in proper waste disposal after the training, showing that simple strategies, such as in-person classroom training and posters, can have a profound effect on limiting improper waste handling.
Read More...Behavioral Longevity: The Impact of Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Obesity on Life Expectancy
In this article, the authors look into what is already known about the factor affecting longevity and determine the importance of behavioral factors including alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity on longevity. The authors quantify data from over 150 countries and, interestingly, find that the impact each factor has on longevity is at least in part dependent on the country's economic development status. Overall, they conclude that an average person’s life expectancy can increase by more than 3 years if smoking and alcohol consumption is reduced by a half and weight is decreased by 10%.
Read More...Lung cancer AI-based diagnosis through multi-modal integration of clinical and imaging data
Lung cancer is highly fatal, largely due to late diagnoses, but early detection can greatly improve survival. This study developed three models to enhance early diagnosis: an MLP for clinical data, a CNN for imaging data, and a hybrid model combining both.
Read More...The effect of youth marijuana use on high-risk drug use: Examining gateway and substitution hypothesis
The authors looked at whether youth use of marijuana related to later high-risk drug use. Using survey data from 2010-2019 they found that youth marijuana use did correlate to an increased risk of high-risk drug use.
Read More...The Effect of Font Type on a School’s Ink Cost
Your choice of font can impact more than style. Here the authors demonstrate that font choice can affect the amount of ink a given print-out requires. The authors estimate that a switch to Garamond font, size 12, by all teachers in his school district would save almost $21,000 annually.
Read More...Earthworms as soil quality indicators: A case study of Crissy Field and Bayview Hunters Point naval shipyard
The authors looked at soil quality of former military sites where chemical disposal was known to have occurred. Along with testing for heavy metals, the authors also looked for the presence (and number) of earthworms present in topsoil samples as a marker of soil health.
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