
In this study, the authors assess the factors that allow some speedcubers to solve Rubik's Cubes faster than others.
Read More...Rubik’s cube: What separates the fastest solvers from the rest?
In this study, the authors assess the factors that allow some speedcubers to solve Rubik's Cubes faster than others.
Read More...Friend or Foe: Investigating the Relationship between a Corn Crop and a Native Ragweed Population
Farmers will need to increase crop yields to feed the world's growing population efficiently. The authors here investigate the effects of growing corn in the presence or absence of ragweed, an invasive weed found in many fields and gardens. Surprisingly, the authors found that corn grown in the presence of weeds grew taller and were more productive than corn that had weeds removed. This may help gardeners rethink the necessity of weeding, and may point a way to improve farm yields in the future.
Read More...Slowing the Mold Growth on Stored Corn: The Effects of Vinegar, Baker’s Yeast, and Yogurt on Corn Weight Loss
Chemical preservatives are often used to reduce grain spoilage due to mold, but can have harmful heath and environmental effects. In this study, the authors tested three low toxic compounds for their effects on mold growth on corn kernels and found that all three were successful at slowing growth.
Read More...Development of anti-cancer bionanoparticles isolated from corn for bone cancer treatment
This study hypothesizes that nanoparticles derived from corn (cNPs)may have anti-proliferative effects on bone cancer and metastasized bone cancer. It finds that human osteosarcoma and human lung carcinoma metastasized to bone marrow cell viability decreased to 0% when treated with cNPs. Overall, these results indicate that cNPs have anti-proliferative effects on bone cancer cells and cancer cells that metastasize to the bone.
Read More...The Effects of Ocean Acidification on the food location behavior and Locomotion of Pagurus Longicarpus
Increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide is slowly acidifying our oceans. Here the authors test the effects of ocean acidification on the ability of hermit crabs (P. longicarpus) to find food. Though no statistically significant changes in food finding were observed, the data suggest a trend toward different activity.
Read More...Glyphosate Levels in American Food Products Meet Government Safety Levels Yet Exceed Concentrations Associated with Negative Effects
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, frequently used in the agricultural industry worldwide. Current literature reveals contradictory findings regarding the effects of glyphosate on vertebrates, leading to concerns about human consumption and differing views on safety levels. Here, authors sought to measure glyphosate levels in common commercially available food products. While some product levels exceed the thresholds at which negative effects have been observed, none exceed government limits.
Read More...Mapping QTLs for Popping Ability in a Popcorn × Dent Maize Genetic Cross
Have you ever wondered what contributes to the popping ability of popcorn? In this study, the authors use Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) mapping to identify genes that may contribute to specific popping characteristics including kernel size and popping expansion volume (PEV).
Read More...The effect of Omega-3 on bovine blood cells as a potential remedy for Cerebral Cavernous Malformations
Here, the authors investigated if dietary Omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the potential for cerebral cavernous malformations, which are brain lesions that occur due to a genetic mutation where high membrane permeability occurs between endothelial cell junctions. In a bovine-based study where some cows were fed an Omega-3 diet, the authors found the membranes of bovine blood cells increased in thickness with Omega-3 supplementation. As a result, they suggest that dietary Omega-3 could be considered as a possible preventative measure for cerebral cavernous malformations.
Read More...The Effect of Different Fructose Diets on the Lifespan of C. elegans
High-fructose diets consumed widely in modern societies predisposes to metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Using the worm C. elegans, the authors of this study investigated the effect of fructose on the worm's survival rates. They found that worms fed 15% fructose had a lower life expectancy than those on a fructose-free diet. These results suggest that, like in humans, fructose has a negative effect on worm survival, which makes them an easy, attractive model to study the effects of fructose on health.
Read More...The Effect of Poverty on Mosquito-borne Illness Across the United States
Mosquito-borne diseases are a major issue across the world, and the objective for this project was to determine the characteristics that make some communities more susceptible to these diseases than others. The authors identified and studied characteristics that make communities susceptible to mosquito-borne diseases, including water in square miles, average temperature, population, population density, and poverty rates per county. They found that the population of a county is the best indicator of the prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases.
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