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Allelopathic Effects of Kudzu (Pueraria montana) on Seed Germination and Their Potential Use As a Natural Herbicide

Mathur et al. | Dec 19, 2013

Allelopathic Effects of Kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana</em>) on Seed Germination and Their Potential Use As a Natural Herbicide

Plants in the wild compete with each other for nutrients and sunlight. Kudzu is a weed that is thought to secrete compounds that inhibit the growth of other plants. Here the authors find that certain parts of kudzu plants can block the germination of clover and dandelion seeds. These experiments may lead to a weed killer that is safe and naturally derived.

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Effects of spices on rice spoilage

Govindaraj et al. | Aug 15, 2022

Effects of spices on rice spoilage

In this work, based on centuries of history where spices have been used and thought to have antimicrobial properties that prolong the shelf life of food, the authors investigated if several spices used in Indian cooking could delay the spoilage of cooked white rice. Based on changed in appearance and smell, as well as growth on agar plates, they found that cinnamon was the most effective in delaying spoilage, followed by cumin, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Their findings suggest the ability to use spices rather than chemical food preservatives to prolong the shelf life of foods.

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The effects of plasticizers on the mechanical properties and chemical composition of a gelatin biopolymer

Ip et al. | Jul 28, 2024

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..

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A comparative study on the suitability of virtual labs for school chemistry experiments

Praveen et al. | Aug 22, 2022

A comparative study on the suitability of virtual labs for school chemistry experiments

Virtual labs have been gaining popularity over the last few years, especially during the worldwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the suitability of virtual labs for school chemistry experiments is addressed and their effectiveness is compared to traditional physical lab experiments by focusing on physical and human resources, convenience, cost, safety, and time involved as well as topic "matter".

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Sex differences in confidence and memory

Primack et al. | Oct 25, 2021

Sex differences in confidence and memory

In this work, the authors sought to provide an original experiment to investigate the conflict over whether males or females tend to exhibit greater accuracy or confidence in their memories. By using an online portal to obtain a convenience sample, the authors found that their results suggest that though males tend to be more confident regarding their memories, they may in fact remember fewer details. The authors suggest that these findings merit further research before making systematic changes regarding crime scene recall settings.

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Automated classification of nebulae using deep learning & machine learning for enhanced discovery

Nair et al. | Feb 01, 2024

Automated classification of nebulae using deep learning & machine learning for enhanced discovery

There are believed to be ~20,000 nebulae in the Milky Way Galaxy. However, humans have only cataloged ~1,800 of them even though we have gathered 1.3 million nebula images. Classification of nebulae is important as it helps scientists understand the chemical composition of a nebula which in turn helps them understand the material of the original star. Our research on nebulae classification aims to make the process of classifying new nebulae faster and more accurate using a hybrid of deep learning and machine learning techniques.

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