In this article, the authors identify the characteristics that make a book a best-seller. Knowing what, besides content, predicts the success of a book can help publishers maximize the success of their print products.
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The effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of a gelatin biopolymer
Here, in an effort to identify alternatives to oil-based plastic, the authors sought to investigate the effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of gelatin bioplastic matrices. Through measurements of their tensile strength and elongation at break, along with FTIR spectroscopy, they identified 3% w/v polyethylene glycol film as having the best performance in their study..
Read More...Synthetic auxin’s effect on root hair growth and peroxisomes in Arabidopsis thaliana
The authors looked at the ability of synthetic auxin to increase root hair growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. They found that 0.1 µM synthetic auxin significantly increased root hair length, but that 0.01 µM and 1 µM did not have any significant effect.
Read More...Therapy dogs effectively reduce stress in college preparatory students
In this article the authors looked at the effect of spending time with a therapy dog before and after stressful events. They found that interacting with a therapy before a stressful event showed more significant reduction in signs of stress compared to interacting with a therapy dog after stressful events have already occurred.
Read More...Who controls U.S. politics? An analysis of major political endorsements in U.S. midterm elections
The authors analyze political endorsement patterns and impacts from the 2018 and 2020 midterm elections and find that such endorsements may be predictable based on the ideological and demographic factors of the endorser.
Read More...Managing CO2 levels through precipitation-based capture from seawater and electrochemical conversion
The authors set out to develop an electrochemical device that would have efficient and sustained carbon dioxide capture.
Read More...Analysis of ultraviolet light as a bactericide of gram-negative bacteria in Cladophora macroalgae extracts
Here, the authors sought to use Cladophora macroalgae as a possible antibiotic to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. However, when they observed algae extracts to be greatly contaminated with gram-negative bacteria, they adapted to explore the ability to use ultraviolet light as a bactericide. They found that treatment with ultraviolet light had a significant effect.
Read More...Expressional correlations between SERPINA6 and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma-linked genes
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, with early diagnosis and treatment challenges. When any of the genes KRAS, SMAD4, TP53, and BRCA2 are heavily mutated, they correlate with PDAC progression. Cellular stress, partly regulated by the gene SERPINA6, also correlates with PDAC progression. When SERPINA6 is highly expressed, corticosteroid-binding globulin inhibits the effect of the stress hormone cortisol. In this study, the authors explored whether there is an inverse correlation between the expression of SERPINA6 and PDAC-linked genes.
Read More...Effects of Various Environmental Factors on Stomatal Density, Area, and Potential Conductance Index
In this study, the authors investigate the combinatorial effects of CO2 plus other environmental factors including salinity, temperature, acidity, and drought on how effectively plants can transport water and carbon through their stomata.
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.
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