Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is involved in many important cellular processes. Humans are unable to produce Vitamin C and thus must obtain it from exogenous sources such as citrus fruits, peppers, or flowering vegetables. In this study, the authors investigate whether or not organic and non-organic fruits have comparable vitamin C levels. This type of study has important implications for consumers.
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The effect of circumference on the segregation of objects in a mixture
The authors test how the size-segregation theory applies to the behavior of hollow and irregular-shaped objects.
Read More...The effect of workspace tidiness on schoolwork performance of high school students
In this study, the authors investigate the effect of disorganization and messiness on high school students' ability to perform well on a standardized test.
Read More...Teenagers’ memory recall of narrative writing versus informational writing and its link to emotion
Here, seeking to understand the effects of emotion on memory recall, the authors used a study of 30 teenagers, comparing their ability to recall details from information or narrative writing. They found improved recall of narrative writing, suggesting emotional response can contribute to improved memory recall.
Read More...The effects of COVID-19 pandemic social isolation on the mental and physical health of the general population
Here, seeking to better understand on the effects of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors used a survey during April and May of 2020 of participants primarily in Long Island, NY to assess the physical and mental health of the general population. They found negative impacts to physical health and increases in depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness across all groups. More significant increases in negative mental health symptoms were observed in younger age groups and amongst women.
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...Optimizing 3D printing parameters: Evaluating infill type and layer height effects on tensile fracture force
In this study, the authors test different infill patterns to determine which would be the strongest and most durable for 3D printing applications, which have become an integral part of many facets of life.
Read More...Building a video classifier to improve the accuracy of depth-aware frame interpolation
In this study, the authors share their work on improving the frame rate of videos to reduce data sent to users with both 2D and 3D footage. This work helps improve the experience for both types of footage!
Read More...Androgen Diffusion Patterns in Soil: Potential Watershed Impacts
Androgens are natural or synthetic steroid hormones that control secondary male sex characteristics. Androgens are excreted in cattle urine and feces, and can run off or seep into nearby waters, negatively impacting aquatic life and potentially polluting human water sources. Here, the authors investigated the effectiveness of soil as a natural barrier against androgen flow into vulnerable waterways. Their results, obtained by testing diffusion patterns of luminol, an androgen chemical analog, indicated that soil is a poor barrier to androgen diffusion.
Read More...Upregulation of the Ribosomal Pathway as a Potential Blood-Based Genetic Biomarker for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and PTSD
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two of the fastest growing comorbid diseases in the world. Using publicly available datasets from the National Institute for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Ravi and Lee conducted a differential gene expression analysis using 184 blood samples from either control individuals or individuals with comorbid MDD and PTSD. As a result, the authors identified 253 highly differentially-expressed genes, with enrichment for proteins in the gene ontology group 'Ribosomal Pathway'. These genes may be used as blood-based biomarkers for susceptibility to MDD or PTSD, and to tailor treatments within a personalized medicine regime.
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