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The Protective Effects of Panax notoginseng Saponin on the Blood-Brain Barrier via the Nrf2/ARE Pathway in bEnd3 Cells

Yang et al. | Apr 06, 2016

The Protective Effects of <i>Panax notoginseng</i> Saponin on the Blood-Brain Barrier via the Nrf2/ARE Pathway in bEnd3 Cells

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is related to many neurological disorders, and can be caused by oxidative stress to cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) composing the BBB. The authors of the paper investigated the protective effects of the total saponins in the leaves of Panax notoginseng (LPNS) on oxidative-stress-induced damage in a mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cell line.

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Fire and dry grass: Effects of Pennisetum villosum on a California native, Nassella pulchra, in drought times

Chang et al. | Jan 23, 2022

Fire and dry grass: Effects of <i>Pennisetum villosum</i> on a California native, <i>Nassella pulchra</i>, in drought times

Invasive species pose a significant threat to many ecosystems, whether by outcompeting native species and disturbing food webs, or through increasing risks of natural disasters like flooding and wildfires. The ornamental grass species Pennisetum villosum R. Br. was previously identified by the California Invasive Plant Council as being potentially invasive; this experiment was conducted to determine if P. villosum displays characteristics of an invasive species when grown in a California chaparral environment. Reults found that in both conditions, the two species had similar germination rates, and that P. villosum grew significantly larger than N. pulchra for around 95 days.

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Access to public parks, drinking fountains, and clean public drinking water in the Bay Area is not driven by income

Zaroff et al. | Jul 15, 2021

Access to public parks, drinking fountains, and clean public drinking water in the Bay Area is not driven by income

Access to green space—an area of grass, trees, or other vegetation set apart for recreational or aesthetic purposes in an urban environment—and clean drinking water can be unequally distributed in urban spaces, which are often associated with income inequality. Little is known about public drinking water and green space inequities in the Bay Area. For our study, we sought to understand how public park access, drinking fountain access, and the quality of public drinking water differ across income brackets in the Bay Area. Though we observed smaller-scale instances of inequalities, in the park distribution in the Bay Area as a whole, and in the Southern Bay’s water quality and park distribution, our results indicate that other factors could be influencing water quality, and park and fountain access in the Bay Area.

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Analysis of Technology Usage of Teens: Correlating Social Media, Technology Use, Participation in Sports, and Popularity

Düzgezen et al. | Mar 27, 2020

Analysis of Technology Usage of Teens: Correlating Social Media, Technology Use, Participation in Sports, and Popularity

Social media usage is predicted to impact teen well-being and emotional status. This study sought to assess the impact of teen technology usage on their social lives. Surveys of 8th and 9th graders were used to assess compare technology usage between males and females as well as and how social media usage impacts the perception of social environment at school.

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Synthesis of sodium alginate composite bioplastic films

Kim et al. | Sep 17, 2024

Synthesis of sodium alginate composite bioplastic films

The authors looked at the development of biodegradable bioplastic and its features compared to PET packaging films. They were able to develop a biodegradable plastic with sodium alginate that dissolved in water and degrade in microbial conditions while also being transparent and flexible similar to current plastic films.

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Does language familiarity affect typing speed?

Shin et al. | Aug 23, 2024

Does language familiarity affect typing speed?

In cognitive psychology, typed responses are used to assess thinking skills and creativity, but research on factors influencing typing speed is limited. This study examined how language familiarity affects typing speed, hypothesizing that familiarity with a language would correlate with faster typing. Participants typed faster in English than Latin, with those unfamiliar with Latin showing a larger discrepancy between the two languages, though Latin education level did not significantly impact typing speed, highlighting the role of language familiarity in typing performance.

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