Browse Articles

Idotea balthica comparison: Anatomy, locomotion, and seaweed preference of Massachusetts isopods

Yee et al. | Feb 17, 2022

<em>Idotea balthica</em> comparison: Anatomy, locomotion, and seaweed preference of Massachusetts isopods

Here the authors examined a population of Massachusetts marine isopods, seeking to classify them based on comparison of their morphology, movement, and seaweed preference compared to those of known species. In this process they found that they were most similar to Idotea balthica. The authors suggest that this knowledge combined with monitoring populations of marine biology such as these isopods in different physical and ecological areas can provide useful insight into the effects of climate change.

Read More...

Reimagize – a digital card-based roleplaying game to improve adolescent girls’ body image

Kumar et al. | Oct 04, 2021

Reimagize – a digital card-based roleplaying game to improve adolescent girls’ body image

Reimagize, a role-playing with decision-making, was conjured, implementing social psychological concepts like counter-stereotyping and perspective-taking. As the game works implicitly to influence body image, it even counters image issues beyond personal body dissatisfaction. This study explored whether a digital role-playing card game, incorporating some of the most common prejudices of body image (like size prejudice, prejudices from the media, etc.) as identified by a digital survey/questionnaire completed by Indian girls aged 11-21, could counter these issues and reduce personal body dissatisfaction.

Read More...

A novel filtration model for microplastics using natural oils and its application to the environment

Park et al. | Jun 27, 2022

A novel filtration model for microplastics using natural oils and its application to the environment

Recognizing the need for a method to filter microplastics from polluted water the authors sought to use nonpolar solvents, palm oil and palm kernel oil, to filter microplastics out of model seawater. By relying on the separation of polar and nonpolar solvents followed by freezing the nonpolar solvent, they reported that microplastics could be extracted with percentages ranging from 96.2% to 94.2%. They also provided an estimation to use this method as part of container ships to clean the Pacific Ocean of microplastics.

Read More...

An analysis of junior rower performance and how it is affected by rower's features

Biller et al. | Jan 07, 2022

An analysis of junior rower performance and how it is affected by rower's features

In this study, with consideration for the increasing participation of high school students in indoor rowing, the authors analyzed World Indoor Rowing Championship data. Statistical analysis revealed two key features that can determine the performance of a rower as well as increasing competitiveness in nearly all categories considered. They conclude by offering a 2000-meter ergometer time distribution that can help junior rowers assess their current performance relative to the world competition.

Read More...

A HOG feature extraction and CNN approach to Parkinson’s spiral drawing diagnosis

Tripathi et al. | Aug 09, 2024

A HOG feature extraction and CNN approach to Parkinson’s spiral drawing diagnosis

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S., second only to Alzheimer’s disease. Current diagnostic methods are often inefficient and dependent on clinical exams. This study explored using machine and deep learning to enhance PD diagnosis by analyzing spiral drawings affected by hand tremors, a common PD symptom.

Read More...

Solubility of graphite and the efficacy of using its dissolved form as a conductive paste

Kirby et al. | Aug 23, 2024

Solubility of graphite and the efficacy of using its dissolved form as a conductive paste

This study explored the use of graphite's conductivity for circuit boards by creating a conductive paste through exfoliation with organic solvents and sonication. The combination of acetone and sonication was found to be the most effective, producing a high-conductivity paste with desirable properties such as a low boiling point. While not a replacement for wires, this conductive paste has potential applications in electronics and infrastructure, provided that key engineering challenges are addressed.

Read More...