![Elevated levels of IL-8, TGF-β, and TNF-α associated with pneumoconiosis: A meta-analysis](/rails/active_storage/representations/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBb0FNIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--d32dddf6505bcd17a070196a0ae31d0cf05505a8/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdCem9MWm05eWJXRjBTU0lJYW5CbkJqb0dSVlE2QzNKbGMybDZaVWtpRFRZd01IZzJNREErQmpzR1ZBPT0iLCJleHAiOm51bGwsInB1ciI6InZhcmlhdGlvbiJ9fQ==--a3b53ba1a0f83efef18f6e75a8d4ce784384bee2/JEI-22-150_feature.jpg)
The authors looked at previous studies to evaluate the ability to use serum levels of certain cytokines as biomarkers for pneumoconiosis.
Read More...Elevated levels of IL-8, TGF-β, and TNF-α associated with pneumoconiosis: A meta-analysis
The authors looked at previous studies to evaluate the ability to use serum levels of certain cytokines as biomarkers for pneumoconiosis.
Read More...Diamagnetic Solutions Show a Significant Reduction in Flow Rate When Exposed to a Magnetic Field Greater Than or Equal to 0.7 Tesla
There are complex interactions between water and outside forces such as magnetic fields. This study aims to examine the effects of magnetic forces on the flow rate of water. The alteration of flow rate by magnets could have exciting applications in many fields.
Read More...Analyzing the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on plant communication of nutrients
The authors looked at the ability of plants to transfer phosphate between each other through mycorrhizal fungi. Specifically, they looked at whether plants with excess phosphate would transfer this nutrient to other plants that had depleted levels of phosphate.
Read More...Effects of caffeine on muscle signals measured with sEMG signals
Here, the authors used surface electromyography to measure the effects of caffeine intake on the resting activity of muscles. They found a significant increase in the measured amplitude suggesting that caffeine intake increased the number of activated muscle fibers during rest. While previous research has focused on caffeine's effect on the contraction signals of muscles, this research suggests that its effects extend to even when a muscle is at rest.
Read More...Performance of Panicum virgatum Cultivars in Competition With Bromus inermis and Differing Amounts of N Fertilizer
With growing demands for ethanol, many researchers are turning to Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) as a feedstock of cellulosic ethanol. In this study, Ferris and Gillan examine the germination, biomass, nitrogen, survival, and chlorophyll absorbance of two switchgrass cultivars of grown in competition with Bromus inermis (smooth brome) with two varying levels of nitrogen fertilizer. Results presented indicate that during establishment, competition from other species has a greater effect than nitrogen fertilizer.
Read More...Redesigning an Experiment to Determine the Coefficient of Friction
In a common high school experiment to measure friction coefficients, a weighted mass attached to a spring scale is dragged across a surface at a constant velocity. While the constant velocity is necessary for an accurate measurement, it can be difficult to maintain and this can lead to large errors. Here, the authors designed a new experiment to measure friction coefficients in the classroom using only static force and show that their method has a lower standard deviation than the traditional experiment.
Read More...Evaluating Biomarkers and Treatments for Acute Kidney Injury in a Zebrafish Model
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, and 81% of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) patients in the renal fibrosis stage later develop CAD. In this study, Mathew and Joykutty aimed to create a cost-effective strategy to treat AKI and thus prevent CAD using a model of the zebrafish, Danio rerio. They first tested whether AKI is induced in Danio rerio upon exposure to environmental toxins, then evaluated nitrotyrosine as an early biomarker for toxin-induced AKI. Finally, they evaluated 4 treatments of renal fibrosis, the last stage of AKI, and found that the compound SB431542 was the most effective treatment (reduced fibrosis by 99.97%). Their approach to treating AKI patients, and potentially prevent CAD, is economically feasible for translation into the clinic in both developing and developed countries.
Read More...Accessibility to urgent care services for disadvantaged populations: An analysis of healthcare disparities
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the depth and significance of healthcare inequality in the United States. Xiao, Xiao, and Gong examine healthcare disparities in the Richmond (Virginia) metropolitan area by analyzing whether people from disadvantaged populations must travel for longer to reach healthcare facilities.
Read More...Does technology help or hurt learning? Evidence from middle school and high school students
Here, recognizing the vastly different opinion held regarding device usage, the authors considered the effects of technology use on middle and high school students' learning effectiveness. Using an anonymous online survey they found partial support that device use at school increases learning effectiveness, but found strong support for a negative effect of technology use at home on learning effectiveness. Based on their findings they suggest that the efficacy of technology depends on environmental context along with other important factors that need consideration.
Read More...Correlation between shutdowns and CO levels across the United States.
Concerns regarding the rapid spread of Sars-CoV2 in early 2020 led company and local governmental officials in many states to ask people to work from home and avoid leaving their homes; measures commonly referred to as shutdowns. Here, the authors investigate how shutdowns affected carbon monoxide (CO) levels in 15 US states using publicly available data. Their results suggest that CO levels decreased as a result of these measures over the course of 2020, a trend which started to reverse after shutdowns ended.
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