Browse Articles

Implication of education levels on gender wage gap across states in the United States and Puerto Rico

Dash et al. | Apr 16, 2025

Implication of education levels on gender wage gap across states in the United States and Puerto Rico

Here the authors examined the relationship between education levels and the gender wage gap (GWG) in the US and Puerto Rico from 2010 to 2022, hypothesizing that higher education would correlate with a lower GWG. Their analysis of income data revealed an inverse correlation, where higher education levels were associated with reduced gender wage disparities, suggesting that policies aimed at closing the gender gap in higher education could promote socioeconomic equality.

Read More...

Predicting smoking status based on RNA sequencing data

Yang et al. | Aug 30, 2024

Predicting smoking status based on RNA sequencing data
Image credit: Yang and Stanley 2024

Given an association between nicotine addiction and gene expression, we hypothesized that expression of genes commonly associated with smoking status would have variable expression between smokers and non-smokers. To test whether gene expression varies between smokers and non-smokers, we analyzed two publicly-available datasets that profiled RNA gene expression from brain (nucleus accumbens) and lung tissue taken from patients identified as smokers or non-smokers. We discovered statistically significant differences in expression of dozens of genes between smokers and non-smokers. To test whether gene expression can be used to predict whether a patient is a smoker or non-smoker, we used gene expression as the training data for a logistic regression or random forest classification model. The random forest classifier trained on lung tissue data showed the most robust results, with area under curve (AUC) values consistently between 0.82 and 0.93. Both models trained on nucleus accumbens data had poorer performance, with AUC values consistently between 0.65 and 0.7 when using random forest. These results suggest gene expression can be used to predict smoking status using traditional machine learning models. Additionally, based on our random forest model, we proposed KCNJ3 and TXLNGY as two candidate markers of smoking status. These findings, coupled with other genes identified in this study, present promising avenues for advancing applications related to the genetic foundation of smoking-related characteristics.

Read More...

How are genetically modified foods discussed on TikTok? An analysis of #GMOFOODS

Basch et al. | Nov 20, 2023

How are genetically modified foods discussed on TikTok? An analysis of #GMOFOODS
Image credit: Camilo Jimenez

Here, the authors investigated engagement with #GMOFOODS, a hashtag on TikTok. They hypothesized that content focused on the negative effects of genetically modified organisms would receive more interaction driven by consumers. They found that the most common cateogry focused on the disadvantages of GMOs related to nutrition and health with the number of views determining if the video would be provided to users.

Read More...

Artificial intelligence assisted violin performance learning

Zhang et al. | Aug 30, 2023

Artificial intelligence assisted violin performance learning
Image credit: Philip Myrtorp

In this study the authors looked at the ability of artificial intelligence to detect tempo, rhythm, and intonation of a piece played on violin. Technology such as this would allow for students to practice and get feedback without the need of a teacher.

Read More...

The impact of genetic analysis on the early detection of colorectal cancer

Agrawal et al. | Aug 24, 2023

The impact of genetic analysis on the early detection of colorectal cancer

Although the 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is below 10%, it increases to greater than 90% if it is diagnosed early. We hypothesized from our research that analyzing non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in a patient's exome sequence would be an indicator for high genetic risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Read More...

Impact of hog farming on water quality of aquatic environments in North Carolina

Kancharla et al. | Aug 08, 2023

Impact of hog farming on water quality of aquatic environments in North Carolina

This study collected samples from water bodies near hog farms and an aquatic environment not near a hog farm. It was hypothesized that water bodies near the hog farms would have lower water quality with higher turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and pH than the water body not in proximity to a hog farm because of water contamination with hog waste. Results showed that the turbidity was 4–6 times higher, TDS was 1.5–2 times higher, and pH was 3 units higher in the 2 experimental locations compared to the control location. This study and its findings are important for understanding the impact of hog farming on the proximal water bodies.

Read More...

Maximizing anaerobic biogas production using temperature variance

Verma et al. | Aug 03, 2023

Maximizing anaerobic biogas production using temperature variance

We conducted this research as our start-up's research that addresses the problem of biogas production in cow-dense regions like India. We hypothesized that the thermophilic temperature (45-60oC) would increase biogas production. The production process is much faster and more abundant at temperatures around 55-60oC.

Read More...