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Tap water quality analysis in Ulaanbaatar City

Munkhbat et al. | Sep 25, 2022

Tap water quality analysis in Ulaanbaatar City

There have been several issues concerning the water quality in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in the past few years. This study, we collected 28 samples from 6 districts of Ulaanbaatar to check if the water supply quality met the standards of the World Health Organization, the Environmental Protection Agency, and a Mongolian National Standard. Only three samples fully met all the requirements of the global standards. Samples in Zaisan showed higher hardness (>120 ppm) and alkalinity levels (20–200 ppm) over the other districts in the city. Overall, the results show that it is important to ensure a safe and accessible water supply in Ulaanbaatar to prevent future water quality issues.

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The effect of floating plant on water purification: Comparison of the water purification capability of Water Hyacinth, Duckweed, and Azolla

Park et al. | Nov 21, 2020

The effect of floating plant on water purification: Comparison of the water purification capability of Water Hyacinth, Duckweed, and Azolla

Clean water is a necessity for every household, yet water pollution is a serious problem in many parts of the world and plays a major role in compromising water security in the 21st century. In this paper, the authors address the utility of several plants as natural water purifiers. They estimate the effectiveness of duckweed, hyacinth, and azolla in improving the quality of water from the Mithi river in India by measuring several metrics. They conclude that all three plants are effective in improving water quality, suggesting that these plants as eco-friendly options for water treatment.

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Multi-omic analysis identifies mitochondrial dysfunction as a key feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Velu et al. | Sep 26, 2026

Multi-omic analysis identifies mitochondrial dysfunction as a key feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

This study used multi-omic analysis to investigate gene expression and DNA methylation patterns associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The researchers found significant downregulation of mitochondrial and energy-related pathways, highlighting mitochondrial dysfunction—particularly altered PINK1 expression—as a potential contributor and therapeutic target in HCM.

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Increased survival of aquatic life through algal pretreatment of nitrate-contaminated runoff

Venkat et al. | Sep 12, 2026

Increased survival of aquatic life through algal pretreatment of nitrate-contaminated runoff
Image credit: Liz Harrell

Here the authors investigated the effectiveness of algal pretreatment in reducing nitrate toxicity and extending the survival of fish in contaminated river water. Their findings demonstrate that treating nitrate-polluted water with algae extended fish survival by up to 50%, suggesting that algae could serve as a valuable tool for mitigating the destructive impacts of agricultural and industrial runoff on aquatic ecosystems.

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Retinal biomarkers for the detection of neurological disease using deep learning

Kim et al. | Sep 04, 2026

Retinal biomarkers for the detection of neurological disease using deep learning

The authors looked at whether retinal features, specifically lens clarity, optic nerve cupping, and hyperreflective foci, can serve as biomarkers for neuro-ophthalmological diseases, which share pathological mechanisms with neurodegeneration and may indicate broader neurological risk. Using multimodal clinical data and machine learning, they investigated the potential of retinal imaging as a complementary diagnostic tool for more accurate and accessible detection of neurological disorders.

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Electrocatalytic oxidation of furfural on Co3O4/nickel foam catalyst: performance and mechanistic study

Song et al. | Jul 19, 2026

Electrocatalytic oxidation of furfural on Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/nickel foam catalyst: performance and mechanistic study
Image credit: Shraga kopstein

In this study, the authors hypothesized that the unique redox properties of cobalt oxide (Co3O4), combined with the conductive nature of the nickel foam (NF) substrate, synergistically enhances the catalytic performance for furfural oxidation. The study showed successful synthesis of Co3O4 nanoflowers directly grown on NF and tested their capacity to serve as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for furfural oxidation. Beyond furfural oxidation, this study also offers broader implications for sustainable chemistry by establishing design principles for efficient nucleophilic oxidation reaction catalysts, demonstrating an energy-saving alternative to conventional oxygen evolution reaction-coupled processes, and showcasing how biomass conversion can be integrated with renewable energy systems.

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