University of Ottawa Science Undergraduate Research Journal
The University of Ottawa Science Undergraduate Research Journal (OSURJ) is an online, open-access, multidisciplinary, non-proprietary, bilingual academic journal that is published and reviewed by University of Ottawa students.
OSURJ Publication Rights Policy Agreement Please fill in the following blanks. I, ____________________ (submitting author) am submitting an article to the University of Ottawa Science Undergraduate Research Journal (OSURJ) entitled _________________________________________________________________________ OSURJ Mandate: The University of Ottawa Science Undergraduate Research Journal is a bilingual multidisciplinary open-access and non-proprietary journal. A journal of this nature embraces all disciplines of science and is the result of a collaborative effort between undergraduate, graduate, and faculty members. Our goal is to provide invaluable publishing and submission process experience to undergraduate students and ultimately to promote undergraduate research within the uOttawa community. Review Process of OSURJ OSURJ uses a double-blind review process. The submitted article is first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief(s) to confirm whether the submission is within the scope of OSURJ. After which, it is sent to the managing editor(s) who assign the article to the relevant undergraduate associate reviewer and graduate or faculty reviewer for independent review. The reviewers recommend to either reject, accept, or conditionally accept the article with revisions required. Based on the recommendations from both reviewers, the Co-Editor-in-Chief(s) make(s) the final decision regarding publication. III. Proprietorship and Author Rights: Authors retain all copyrights to their research and original data and may publish in other journals at the journal’s discretion. OSURJ acknowledges that all information submitted by the author(s) is their intellectual property and therefore any republication of such property is not allowed without written consent from the submitting author(s). Articles published in OSURJ may be published in other journals. However, authors should be made aware that other publishers may not permit the republication of original research published in an undergraduate journal such as OSURJ. Consequently, the author should consult the publication policies of other journals, and all relevant parties should be made aware of this possibility before proceeding with article submission. Falsification of Data: Methods for the acquisition and analysis of data should be accurately and fully displayed to allow for replication by other researchers. Data fabrication and alteration is unethical and may lead to unfounded conclusions. As such, it is not permitted by OSURJ. Statement of Originality The author(s) confirms that their submission, including all content, phrases, graphics and figures are their own. The article demonstrates the author’s own work and skill. The author is aware that plagiarism (the use of someone else's work without their permission and/or without acknowledging the original source) is wrong. They confirm that ALL the work submitted for consideration is their own work and confirms to explicitly indicate and source outside material. The author recognizes that failure to comply with academic integrity could result in disqualification from the journal or other measures. Permission from All Contributors: Given that research is collaboratively conducted with professors and other students, OSURJ requires that all contributors (co-authors, primary investigators, lab managers, supervisors) consent to the submission of the article to OSURJ. Any person listed as an author of an article must have contributed greatly to the data, analysis or interpretation of said data and should provide approval of the submitted version. It is unethical to not list those who contributed to the standards of an author and to include those who do not meet the criteria for authorship. For articles with multiple authors, primary, secondary (etc.) author status must also be agreed upon. As the submitting author, you must declare that you have read this publication agreement and grant your permission for OSURJ to publish the submitted article. You must also declare that all contributors with claims to this intellectual property have read this agreement and have signed below. VII. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial, academic, or personal relationships that could be perceived to influence the research or its interpretation. If no conflicts exist, authors must state: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.” ____________________________________________________________ VIII. Research Ethics Compliance Authors must confirm that any research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data received appropriate institutional ethics approval and was conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines. Documentation may be requested by OSURJ. Use of AI Tools Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools in writing, data analysis, or figure preparation. AI tools may not be listed as authors and must not be used to generate falsified data or citations. As the submitting author, I hereby declare that I have read this publication agreement and grant my permission for OSURJ to publish the submitted article. I also declare that all contributors with claims to this intellectual property have read this agreement and have signed below. Signed, ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name of submitting Author Signature Date As a contributing investigator/supervisor/author, I hereby declare that I have read this publication agreement and grant my permission for OSURJ to publish the submitted article. I also declare that I understand that re-publication of this article after publication in this journal, while permitted by OSURJ, might not be permitted by other scholarly journals. Signed, ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name (indicate role) Signature Date ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name (indicate role) Signature Date ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name (indicate role) Signature Date ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name (indicate role) Signature Date ______________________________ _______________________________ ________ Name (indicate role) Signature Date
After the Revolution: Where X-Ray Crystallography Stands in Context with Electron Cryo-Microscopy
Despite the surge of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) as a leading method for structural determination in recent years after its “resolution revolution,” X-ray crystallography continues to play a key and crucial role in the field of structural biology. Although cryo-EM makes it possible to resolve non-crystallizable macromolecules, X-ray crystallography remains more effective in achieving atomic resolution and has the ability to define side chain and ligand orientations and interactions, making it useful in the mechanistic and enzymological study of proteins. This review highlights X-ray crystallography and emphasizes that X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM remain complementary methods in determining macromolecular structures instead of the former being fully replaced by the latter. In this context, together with other methods for structural analysis, X-ray crystallography is shown to adapt to the evolving structural biology landscape.
Beyond the Native State: From Protein Structure to Function Through Energy Landscapes and Conformational Ensembles
Rather than viewing protein folding as the formation of a single native structure, modern biophysics describes proteins as statistical ensembles of interconverting conformations whose populations are determined by thermodynamics, kinetics, and the energy landscape imposed by molecular interactions. Within this framework, folding is not considered a discrete event, but a dynamic process. When placed in a cellular context, these dynamic conformational ensembles are coupled to protein function and are directly influenced by the intracellular environment and interacting proteins. Protein folding and function still follow biophysical laws, albeit with varying significances, and can be described using kinetic models of intra- and intermolecular interactions. This review explores the biophysical, biochemical, and cellular determinants of protein folding, specifically highlighting that protein behaviour is a property of ensemble dynamics and the intracellular environment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ishaan Goswami, Isra F. Omar
Neurofilaments and Beyond: Multi‑Modal Biomarkers and the Hidden Biology of ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive upper and lower motor neuron loss and death from respiratory failure within a few years of symptom onset. The marked clinical and biological heterogeneity of ALS has hindered the development of effective therapies, prompting intense interest in biomarkers that can improve diagnosis, prognostication, and trial efficiency. This review summarizes recent advances in fluid, imaging, genetic, and digital biomarkers of ALS, with a particular focus on neurofilament light chain as a leading candidate for prognostic and pharmacodynamic use. It highlights how current biomarkers, while promising, remain imperfect surrogates for underlying disease biology, and often expose fundamental gaps in understanding ALS pathogenesis. It argues that to fully realize the potential of biomarkers, the field must invest more heavily in mechanistic and longitudinal research that links biomarker dynamics to cellular pathways, genetics, and patient outcomes, ultimately enabling more rational, personalized therapeutic strategies.
Statistical Significance Reconsidered: The Role of Bayesian Methods in the Life Sciences
Statistical reasoning underpins the interpretation of experimental results in the life sciences. For decades, frequentist hypothesis testing has dominated research practice, with the p-value serving as a heuristic benchmark of significance. Yet, p-values are often misunderstood and limited in what they reveal. Statistical power further complicates inference, as underpowered studies risk generating misleading results while overpowered designs may detect biologically trivial effects. Bayesian methods provide an alternative framework that addresses several of these limitations. By incorporating prior knowledge and directly comparing the probabilities of competing hypotheses, Bayesian inference produces richer outputs, such as Bayes factors, posterior probabilities, and credible intervals. Posterior predictive checks allow researchers to evaluate model fit and simulate new data, a valuable tool when replication is costly. However, Bayesian statistics also introduces challenges: the choice of prior can bias results, and computational demands can be steep for complex models. This review synthesizes the strengths and weaknesses of both frequentist and Bayesian approaches, emphasizing their philosophical differences and practical implications for experimental design, ethics, and interpretation in the life sciences. Rather than positioning one framework as superior, we argue for statistical “bilingualism,” where fluency in both traditions equips researchers to balance standardized inference with adaptive, knowledge-rich modeling. Such dual competency is increasingly essential in an era of high-dimensional data, complex biology, and growing demands for transparency in scientific practice.
Werner Syndrome: Symptoms, Hallmarks of Aging, Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Pathway Inhibitors
Werner Syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal recessive progeroid disorder characterized by accelerated aging and the premature onset of age-related conditions, such as stunted growth, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, malignancies, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Clinical disease manifestations typically begin in adolescence to early adulthood, and result in a reduced lifespan compared to healthy individuals. WS arises from loss-of-function mutations in the WRN gene, which encodes a RecQ family helicase that has implications in DNA repair, replication, and telomere maintenance. Deficiency in functional RecQ helicase activity results in dysfunction that links WS to the hallmarks of aging, including genomic instability, telomere attrition, and premature cellular senescence. To date, there is no cure for WS, with current therapies primarily focusing on disease management through inhibition of important proteins in aging- and stress-related signaling pathways, namely mTOR and p38 MAPK. These emerging approaches have shown promising results in cellular models, but have yet to be tested in human clinical studies. This review therefore examines WS as a potential model for understanding the mechanisms of aging, and the implications of existing findings for informing new therapeutic strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tabassum Howlader, Kamron Yunusov, Annie Xiang
Exercise Under the Microscope: How Physical Activity Reshapes Aging Muscle Biology
Sarcopenia is an age-related musculoskeletal disease characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and regenerative capacity, contributing to frailty, impaired mobility, and reduced independence in older adults. While pharmacological therapies targeting muscle degeneration continue to emerge, exercise remains one of the most effective and accessible interventions for preserving musculoskeletal health during aging. This commentary discusses the study by Cosgrove et al., which used single-cell transcriptomic analyses to demonstrate that exercise modulates aging tissue biology through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Exercise directly influenced inflammatory signaling, stem cell communication, and regenerative pathways while indirectly improving broader physiological processes associated with healthy aging and functional recovery. By reducing inflammatory signatures and restoring youthful intercellular communication within aged skeletal muscle, exercise may improve tissue regeneration beyond its effects on muscle mass alone. These findings emphasize the growing importance of rehabilitation-based strategies for preserving mobility, improving recovery, and maintaining functional independence in aging populations.
Galileo as Physicist and Polemicist: Commentary on an Unpublished Mid-Twentieth-Century Pedagogical Essay
This commentary examines an unpublished mid-20th-century pedagogical essay on Galileo Galilei authored by physicist and educator Mam Chand Jain. Written within a classical physics teaching tradition that integrated history, philosophy, and mathematical derivation, the essay presents Galileo not merely as a source of foundational laws but as a persuasive figure whose scientific arguments effected a broader worldview shift. The original work combines biographical reflection, mechanical analysis of Galileo’s contributions to classical mechanics and astronomy, and a mathematical–philosophical treatment of the so-called Galileo–Plato problem concerning the “abode of God.” In this commentary, the essay is situated within its historical and educational context, highlighting both its conceptual strengths and its limitations in light of subsequent historiography and physical theory. Particular attention is given to its pedagogical method, which foregrounds the development of physical intuition through historical argumentation rather than rote formalism. This commentary argues that such integrative approaches remain valuable for contemporary scientific pedagogy, offering an integrated framework for understanding how scientific knowledge is discovered, communicated, and taught.
The lac Operon: From a Bacterial Model to a Language for Gene Regulation
This article offers a historical and conceptual commentary on the operon model formulated by Jacob and Monod from their study of the lac system in Escherichia coli in 1961. It revisits how the introduction of regulatory genes, operator sequences, and an unstable messenger, mRNA, made it possible to frame gene expression control as a logical problem based on decision circuits rather than a simple reading of DNA. The text shows that the lac operon remains a canonical example in molecular biology education, central to textbooks and assessment tools, and that it still shapes students’ initial representations of gene regulation. Finally, it highlights the lasting influence of the operon model on synthetic biology and systems biology, where repressor–operator logic, modular architectures, and the notion of regulatory circuits continue to inspire the design of artificial gene networks.
Rethinking Physician Wellness: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Addressing Burnout in Canada
Burnout among Canadian physicians and trainees is a pressing issue, worsening workforce shortages and patient care. Traditional wellness programs have shown inconsistent success, underscoring the need for innovation. This review explores how artificial intelligence (AI) could support mental health in medical education and practice. AI conversational platforms have reduced anxiety and depression through confidential, on-demand interaction. Predictive models using surveys, demographics, and electronic logs identified high-risk individuals with up to 80% accuracy. Combining wearables with workplace data offers continuous monitoring. AI may strengthen wellness strategies with earlier detection and tailored support, though ethical and equity safeguards remain critical.
Rethinking the Central Dogma: Protein Amyloids acting as Transgenerational Epigenetic Memory Carriers
Nucleic acids remain the primary mechanism for transmitting hereditary information across generations. Despite advances in genome-wide association studies and epigenetic reprogramming mechanisms, many familial traits and disease susceptibilities remain unexplained, a gap known as “missing heritability” (1). Conventionally, epigenetic inheritance is attributed to small RNA or chromatin/histone modifications. However, a revolutionary finding by Matthew Eroglu and colleagues identified amyloid-like protein aggregates in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) that persist across generations to influence developmental phenotypes. This suggests proteins can act as independent carriers of transgenerational epigenetic memory. This commentary examines how these findings challenge the Central Dogma, expand inheritance models, and redefine amyloids beyond disease pathology.
Strengthening Social Determinants of Health Education in Canadian Medical Schools
The social determinants of health (SDOH), including income, housing, and education, are major drivers of health outcomes in Canada. Ignoring these factors can lead to misinterpretation of patient behaviours and reinforcing inequities. Housing insecurity and poverty increase risks of mortality, poor perinatal outcomes, and cancer disparities, with disadvantaged, immigrant, Indigenous, and racialized groups disproportionately affected. Canadian medical schools teach SDOH through lectures, case discussions, and service-learning, yet current approaches are fragmented and often optional. This paper argues for structured, longitudinal advocacy training to better prepare future physicians to address inequities and advance social accountability in healthcare.
We’ve Been Putting People to Sleep for 175 Years. And We Still Don’t Fully Know How
One would think that with all the advances in modern medicine, most of the body’s functions would be at least somewhat understood. However, a very common activity in modern medicine, and medicine in general, is putting a patient to sleep with drugs or gases in order to perform surgery on an unconscious patient. In order to perform surgical procedures, a patient is usually placed on a surgical table, given a number of medications, and then made fully unconscious prior to any incisions. Once the procedure is completed, the patient is then awakened from the anesthetic and is often unable to recall anything prior to falling asleep. He or she will have no memory of the actual surgery. Most patients do very well under general anesthesia and have few problems. However, surprisingly, little is known about the basic neurobiology of general anesthesia, and anesthesiologists are generally unable to describe in general terms how a commonly used anesthetic causes unconsciousness. The paper examines the history of the gap between promised pain relief and achieved pain relief, discusses current explanations of this, and explains why the deepest problem is not pharmacological but one of the oldest problems in science: what do we mean by ‘consciousness’ ?
Benzylium Versus Tropylium-like Ion Formation: The Dissociation of Ionized 1-Methylnaphthalene
The formation of benzylium versus tropylium ions in the dissociation of gas-phase ions has a long and rich history. In this brief report, the possible formation of these two structurally isomeric ions in the dissociation of ionized 1-methylnaphthalene was explored. Hydrogen (H)-loss from 1-methylnaphthalene gave a distinct ion species compared to those generated by bromine (Br) atom-loss from 2-(bromomethyl)naphthalene, 1-methyl-4-bromonaphthalene, and 1-bromo-2-methylnaphthalene. The primary dissociation pathway for the tropylium ion structure [molecule (M)-H]+ ion from cycloheptatriene was H-atom loss. This was also the primary reaction for [M-H]+ from 1-methylnaphthalene, a result consistent with the ion-molecule reaction chemistry of Gotkis and Lifshitz, which suggested this population of ions was largely benzotropylium. The three brominated species must thus lose Br to make the naphthylmethyl cation structure as the common reacting configuration.
Copyright (c) 2026 Paul Mayer, Joseph Costello
A Comparison of Bioactive Molecules in Three Sage Varieties
Sage belongs to the genus Salvia in the family Lamiaceae and is a large, globally distributed aromatic plant with a wide variety of species. This work explores and compares the chemical composition of raw plant material from common sage (Salvia officinalis), clary sage (Salvia sclarea) and white sage (Salvia apiana) using microwave-distilled hydrosol extraction, supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) extraction, and alcohol extraction. All extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results show that the sc-CO2 and alcohol extraction methods yield more chemical components than hydrosol extraction, such as epimanool, humulene, sclareol and linalyl acetate. The chemical composition of common sage closely resembles that of a commercially obtained dried white sage, while clary sage varies greatly depending on the extraction method. The powdered white sage does not show any components other than camphor and eucalyptol, likely due to its age and how it is dried or powdered.
Copyright (c) 2026 Cindy Yao, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Derivatization of Rosemary is Integral to its Analysis
Plants of the Lamiaceae family, such as rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), common sage (Salvia officinalis), and white sage (Salvia apiana), are known for their bold flavours, fragrant leaves, and rich sources of bioactive compounds. A key characteristic shared by these plants is their high content of carnosic acid, a prominent phenolic diterpene, and its derivatives. However, the analysis of these compounds via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is challenging and not frequently explored due to their high polarity and low volatility. Derivatization techniques like trimethylsilylation and appropriate solvent selection can address these limitations by enhancing compound volatility, allowing for effective GC-MS identification through characteristic fragmentation patterns. We employed trimethylsilyl derivatization of acetonitrile extracts of rosemary, white and common sage, and quantified carnosic acid, rosmanol, and 12-O-methylcarnosic acid. Rosemary contained the highest amount of carnosic acid at 3.4 mg/mL, followed by common sage at 2.0 mg/mL and white sage at 0.7 mg/mL. Rosemary contained the most rosmanol at 2.2 mg/mL followed by common sage (0.3 mg/mL), and white sage contained minimal amounts (0.003 mg/mL). Additionally, both common sage and rosemary were found to contain 12-O-methylcarnosic acid, with concentrations of 1.3 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively. Thus, we demonstrated that simple solvent extraction and TMS derivatization is an effective approach to quantifying these bioactive compounds in plants.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ahona Deb, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Effect of Sustainable Aviation Fuels on Contrail Formation Across Flight Routes: A Thermodynamic Analysis
Aviation-induced contrail cirrus is known to be responsible for significant climate impact, yet fuel and engine-based mitigation strategies receive less emphasis than flight path and altitude optimization research. Flight path optimization studies require an enormous amount of multiparty coordination, real-time data collection, and resource-rich research partners. This study assesses the impact of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) on contrail formation, which is a research avenue more amenable to modeling. The usage of three SAF types, Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK), Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK), and Alcohol-to-Jet Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (ATJ-SPK), was modeled on four representative flight routes. A mathematical framework based on the Schmidt-Appleman criterion (SAC) was developed. This framework was applied to atmospheric data at each waypoint along great circle routes for the four flight paths, enabling spatially resolved contrail formation probabilities to be evaluated for each fuel type. All three SAFs produced a marginal increase in mean contrail formation probability relative to baseline kerosene across all routes. This result is attributed to the higher water vapor emission indices and specific combustion heat of SAFs, which increase the slope parameter G and shift the threshold temperatures toward warmer values. However, this thermodynamic effect operates independently of the primary mitigatory mechanism of SAFs: the reduction of non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) emissions. The reduced nvPM emissions suppress ice crystal nucleation through a distinct physical pathway not captured within the thermodynamic framework. The results therefore represent a worst-case estimate of contrail formation probability, and the full climate benefit of SAF deployment is expected to be realized when nvPM effects are incorporated alongside the thermodynamic assessment presented here.
Forest-Fire Intensity and Age-Standardized Heart-Attack Hospitalization Rates in Canada, 2014–2022: An Ecological Observational Time-Series Study.
Wildfires have become more prevalent and intense with climate change. The inhalation of wildfire smoke is known to increase systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, increasing rates of respiratory disease, and potentially some cardiovascular diseases. While some studies link PM2.5 exposure to respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes, the effect on heart-attack hospitalizations, particularly at the national scale in Canada, remains unclear. This ecological observational time-series study used 108 province-year observations between 2014 and 2022 from the CIHI age-standardized heart-attack hospitalization rates database and the National Forestry Database for all 10 Canadian provinces and 3 territories. The outcome variable was age-standardized heart-attack hospitalization rates per 100,000, and the main exposure `was a wildfire exposure index aggregating wildfire intensity metrics into a single variable. We used multiple linear regression with province-fixed effects adjusting for year (α = 0.05). Wildfire exposure was not significantly associated with heart-attack hospitalization rates (B = -0.0017, p=.338). The year showed significant negative association with heart-attack hospitalization rates (B = -5.25 per 100,000 per year, p < 0.001). The model explained a large proportion of the variance in heart-attack hospitalization rates (adjusted R2 = 0.82). At the province-year scale, wildfire intensity does not appear to be a major driver of annual heart-attack hospitalization rates. Variation in heart-attack rates is more driven by provincial differences and secular declines over time. More individual-level studies using high-resolution wildfire-smoke exposure data are required to clarify potential cardiovascular impacts.
Fragrant Fakery: Sniffing Out the Truth in "Pure" Green Coffee Oil
The natural extracts industry is plagued by imitation products that pose health risks, despite oversight by agencies such as the FDA and Health Canada. Coffee oils are a popular extract and are particularly susceptible to adulteration. The study compares the store-bought oil to a pure cold-pressed extract of green coffee beans using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to find signs of adulteration. The store-bought oil exhibited markers of adulteration such as cyclamen aldehyde (cyclamal) and isopropyl myristate, while lacking several natural compounds such as palmitic acid and vitamin E found in cold-pressed green coffee oil (GCO). In comparison, through examination, the results show that an unregulated product, a “pre-workout” powder, is reported to contain methylhexanamine (DMAA) and its analogue DMHA, both of which were indeed identified, supporting the authenticity of the supplement. These results highlight the need for enforcement of regulations for consumer safety.
Copyright (c) 2026 Maximiliano Araneda Suárez, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Global Patterns of Skilled Birth Attendance, Socioeconomic Factors, and Maternal Mortality
Skilled birth attendance (SBA) is an important proxy for quality of maternal care, and is negatively correlated with maternal death. The present cross-national ecological study aimed to examine the association between SBA and maternal death considering socioeconomic predictors of MMR across a broad range of countries, and World Bank World Development Indicators were extracted for 180 countries between 2010 and 2023. Hierarchical linear regressions were performed to examine the association between SBA and MMR adjusting for GDP per capita, life expectancy, female literacy, sanitation, adolescent fertility and health expenditures. SBA ranges from 58.5% (low-income) to 98.8% (high-income) while the MMRs are 538.3 (low-income) to 19.3 (high-income). The correlations of SBA with MMR show a high degree of negative association (r = -0.775, p < 0.001). Once fully adjusted for wealth, social and demographic factors, the association between SBA and log(MMR) turned out to be non-significant (β = -0.004, p = 0.539). GDP per capita, life expectancy (β = -0.049, p = 0.010) and adolescent fertility (β = +0.006, p = 0.032) have remained significant independent predictors of log(MMR). The full adjusted model explained 81.4% of the variance in log(MMR). While SBA was not an independent predictor of maternal death at the ecological level controlling for level of development in the country, its beneficial effects were included within country level social determinants. This must be interpreted with caution due to ecological fallacy and a cross-section study design. At the individual level, there are direct clinical benefits for mothers receiving skilled birth attendance. Sustained reduction in maternal mortality requires the combination of development inputs related to education, sanitation, reproductive health and access to health care.
Internet Use, Socioeconomic Indicators, and Suicide Mortality: An Ecological Analysis
This study examined the associations between internet use, socioeconomic factors, and suicide mortality from 2015 to 2023 using World Bank data. The objective was to evaluate how technological access correlates with social and economic development indicators in relation to population-level mental health outcomes. The assessment analyzed Country-level data on internet penetration, GDP per capita, literacy, suicide mortality rates, life expectancy, school enrollment, unemployment, electricity access, and population growth. Correlation analyses, descriptive statistics, and global mapping summarized patterns, while hierarchical linear regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors in stages. Results showed significant variation in internet use (2.2–100%) and suicide mortality (0.63–29.53 per 100,000). High-income countries had higher internet penetration (≅ 85%) and elevated suicide rates (≅ 9–11 per 100,000) compared to low-income countries (≅ 11% internet use; ≅ 6.5 per 100,000 suicide). Internet use was strongly correlated with GDP (r ≅ 0.70), literacy (r ≅ 0.60), and life expectancy (r ≅ 0.65). In regression models, internet use showed a weak positive association in unadjusted analyses that reversed to a negative association after accounting for socioeconomic factors (β = -0.30, 95% CI: -0.50, -0.10). Life expectancy and school enrollment were also associated with suicide mortality. These findings indicate that the ecological, cross-sectional association between access to the internet and deaths from suicide is influenced by national socioeconomic circumstances. While more developed countries that had higher levels of internet access were more likely to have lower levels of suicide, the nature of the cross-sectional data and ecological design does not allow causal inference. These results are also important because they show the need to take national socioeconomic status into account when studying relationships between digital technology and the population's health status.
Liquid Gold: Quantification of Vitamin E in Mustard Seed Oil
En plus de sa popularité dans le monde culinaire, la plante de moutarde, membre de la famille des Brassicacées, a une variété d’applications médicales. Cette plante est bien connue pour ses puissantes propriétés antioxydantes et anti-inflammatoires, souvent issues de l’huile dorée de ses graines. Les études existantes reconnaissent la présence de la vitamine E dans l’huile de moutarde, cependant, des recherches approfondies n’ont pas encore été effectuées pour quantifier la vitamine E dans l’huile de graine de moutarde. Cette étude visait à examiner le contenu en vitamine E dans la graine de moutarde jaune (Brassica alba) et noire (Brassica nigra) pour en déterminer la meilleure source. L’analyse et la quantification, réalisées par la chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (CPG-SM), ont révélé que le contenu en vitamine E d’un échantillon d’huile de graine de moutarde noire était de 8.0 µL/mL; 6.8 µL étant du γ-tocophérol et 1.2 µL étant du α-tocophérol. D’une autre part, l’huile de graine de moutarde jaune contenait 0,43 µL/mL sous forme de g-tocophérol seulement. Ces résultats suggèrent que l’huile de graine de moutarde noire est une meilleure source de vitamine E puisqu’elle possède une concentration globalement plus élevée et des formes variées de tocophérol, en contraste avec l’huile de graine de moutarde jaune qui en possédait seulement une forme et ce, à une concentration plus faible.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pegah Yousefirad, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Probing Metal Ion Interactions in Stacked Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as a Molecular Model for Superconductivity
Metal ion intercalated graphene has been shown to display superconductive properties. Most metals chosen for intercalation are alkali and alkaline earth metals. This study explores the intercalation of graphene with nickel as a more environmentally-friendly alternative. As a first step, the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization was used to study the structure of the dimer of coronene intercalated with a Ni atom. The ions were formed by laser desorption from a target containing a mixture of coronene and Ni salt, the dimer ion with m/z 657 was selected, and the collision-induced dissociation mass spectrum was obtained with the LIFT technology on our Bruker MALDI-TOF/TOF. The results showed that the dimer dissociated by H-atom transfer from a coronene molecule to Ni. This was supported by density functional calculations of the reaction energetics. The results suggest that the laser desorption process leads to a cluster ion better described as an ionic complex between CorNiH and Cor-H, rather than a formal [(Cor)2Ni] ion.
Copyright (c) 2026 Victor Lee, Olivia Chen, Natasha Saltarelli , Paul Mayer
Sand Ginger vs Real Ginger: Investigating the composition of Kaempferia Galanga
The aromatic rhizome Kaempferia Galanga, also known as sand ginger, has traditionally been used to relieve cough, inflammation and high blood pressure. This study aims to determine an optimal extraction method and ascertain the composition of commercially available Kaempferia Galanga powder. The extraction efficiencies for acetonitrile maceration extraction, microwave hydrodistillation, and supercritical-CO2 (sc-CO2) extraction are compared, with a focus on the target bioactive compounds ethyl cinnamate and ethyl p-methoxycinnamate. The results showed that the main essential oil components ethyl cinnamate, n-pentadecane, and ethyl p-methoxy cinnamate are present in the extracts of store-bought sand ginger powder. Acetonitrile maceration and sc-CO2 extractions have similar composition, with the three main compounds extracted alongside long-chain fatty acids and terpenoids such as cyperene and germacrene–D. On the other hand, microwave hydrodistillation, followed by solid-phase extraction, produced a profile containing mainly ethyl cinnamate and ethyl p-methoxycinnamate with minimal co-extracted impurities. Processing 500 ml of hydrosol through solid-phase extraction yielded 48.3 mg of extract containing the two main bioactive compounds. Final derived concentrations for ethyl cinnamate, n-pentadecane, and ethyl p-methoxy cinnamate were 0.43-0.45, 0.24-0.26, and 8.7-8.9 mg/g (acetonitrile extract); 7.1, nil, and 16.3–16.4 mg/L (hydrosol); and 2.9%, 1.5%, and 92.9% (sc-CO2).
Copyright (c) 2026 Sum Ki Kelsie Ling, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Sourcing the Antifeedant Properties of Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea)
This study investigated the chemical composition of Matricaria discoidea, commonly known as pineapple weed, for the purpose of analyzing potential medicinal applications. A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer was utilized to identify the compounds in acetonitrile, CO2, and hydrosol extracts of the plant. It was found that the acetonitrile and CO2 extracts contained various expected molecules, including terpenes and terpenoids, commonly present in plant concentrates. However, the most significant finding was the presence of the two isomers of tonghaosu (1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]non-3-ene, 2-(2,4-hexadiynylidene)). The hydrosol was found to have a composition of solely tonghaosu, promoting further applications due to its isolation. The presence of this molecule reinforces pineapple weed's insect-repelling activity. Consequently, the sizeable quantities of tonghaosu in pineapple weed hydrosol extract establish a promising source of the bioactive compound, supporting a potential for use in natural insect repellent and additional medicinal applications.
Copyright (c) 2026 Josiah A. W. Smith, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer
Too Hot to Handle: Chemical Profiling of Six Global Peppercorn Varieties
For centuries, peppercorns have been valued for their aroma, spice, and distinctive flavour profiles across many cultures. While piperine is widely recognized as the primary compound responsible for their characteristic spicy taste, less is known about the broader chemical composition that contributes to their flavour, especially across different varieties of peppercorns. The goal of this study is to identify and compare the volatile compounds present in six types of peppercorns: black pepper (Piper nigrum), white pepper (Piper nigrum), red Pondicherry pepper (Piper nigrum), Indian long pepper (Piper longum var. longum), pink peppercorn (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Szechuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum). Particular attention is given to assessing the distribution of piperine within the Piper species. Ground pepper samples were subjected to supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) extraction, and the resulting extracts were diluted in ethyl acetate before analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis enabled comparisons between Piper and non-Piper peppercorns regarding their dominant chemical constituents, revealing clear differences between true peppercorns and botanically distinct species. Additionally, the pepper samples were subjected to headspace analysis using solid phase microextraction (SPME) before GC-MS analysis. It was found that while all peppercorn varieties shared many of the same volatile compounds in varying amounts, the false peppercorns contained additional unique compounds not observed in the samples belonging to the Piper genus. These findings underscore the potential role of distinct volatile constituents in shaping aromatic differences among peppercorn varieties.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tabeeb Howlader, Sharon Barden, Paul Mayer