Browse Articles

The Effect of Radiant Energy on Radish Seed Germination

Simon et al. | Jul 06, 2018

The Effect of Radiant Energy on Radish Seed Germination

Simon and colleagues test how exposure to microwaves affect radish seed germination, either microwaving seeds for ninety seconds or four minutes prior to planting. Surprisingly, the authors found that seeds microwaved for four minutes exhibited 150% increased germination as compared to controls. The authors hypothesize that breakdown of the radish seed coat when exposed to heat may allow seedlings to sprout more efficiently.

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Study of PINN sensor layout in evaluating WSS with application to patient-specific carotid flow

Nie et al. | Sep 04, 2026

Study of PINN sensor layout in evaluating WSS with application to patient-specific carotid flow

Physics‑Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) offer a promising way to estimate blood‑flow behavior in arteries, especially near the vessel wall where traditional methods struggle. In this study, students tested how sensor density and placement affect PINN accuracy in modeling carotid artery flow and found that accuracy improves up to a moderate sensor density and depends strongly on how close sensors are placed to the arterial wall. Applying the optimized configuration to a patient‑specific carotid model produced velocity predictions closely matching computational fluid dynamics results, highlighting PINNs’ potential for future personalized cardiovascular assessment.

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Large-scale brain network connectivity under anxiety induced by naturalistic story listening

Chang et al. | Jun 03, 2026

Large-scale brain network connectivity under anxiety induced by naturalistic story listening

This study found that anxiety induced by a suspenseful story increased communication between the brain’s salience, default mode, and central executive networks, with the central executive network acting as a bridge during peak tension. These findings suggest that anxiety alters large-scale brain connectivity patterns and may help inform future diagnostic tools and personalized treatments for anxiety disorders.

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The effects of a high-sucrose diet on the survival of Drosophila melanogaster from a bacterial infection

Warwick et al. | May 22, 2026

The effects of a high-sucrose diet on the survival of <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> from a bacterial infection

Excess sucrose consumption has been associated with several health problems, including inflammation and potential negative effects on immune function. However, the exact relationship between sucrose intake and immunity remains unclear, especially during bacterial infections. This study examined how sucrose intake affected the survival of fruit flies following oral infection with the bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens.

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