Accepted Manuscripts on Science & Sustainability

Alternate Methods to Facilitate the Nucleophilic Attack of Alcohols in Fischer Esterification: The Application of Sulfonated Silica Gel as an Acid Catalyst and Zinc Oxide as a UV Photocatalyst

Author: Eric M. Reilly

July 22, 2025

Fischer esterification is one of the most prominent industrial methods of ester production, involving a reaction between an alcohol and carboxylic acid in the presence of a catalyst to turn the carboxylic acid into an ester. However, Fischer esterification results in large amounts of waste due to th...

The Effect of Allura red AC on the Motility and Regeneration Rate of Dugesia tigrina

Author: Christie Lauren Arce

July 21, 2025

Red 40 dye has been banned in European countries due to rising health concerns. There is evidence that Red 40, also called Allura red AC, can cause hyperactivity in humans along with negatively affecting the colon and causing Early Onset Colorectal cancer in mice. This study aimed to investigate if ...

The Neurobiology of Suicide: Claudin-5 is a Novel Biomarker of Suicide Pathogenesis

Author: Natasha Kulviwat

July 19, 2025

Every forty seconds, suicide steals a life, yet no biomarkers exist for suicide. Suicide has largely been investigated from a psychological lens, and therefore the pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated blood-brain barrier (BBB) claudin-5 breakdown, the most enriched BBB tight junctio...

Bistable Structures: The design and fabrication of a large-scale hygroscopic bistable sinusoidal arch structure with applications with autonomous environmental actuation

Author: Chris Zhang

July 16, 2025

Bistable structures, structures with two distinct equilibrium states achieved via buckling-like deformations, are seen throughout engineering applications in shape-morphing and energyharvesting systems. Typically actuated by mechanically induced snap-through buckling, sinusoidal arches, a unique geo...

IMPACT OF FLUCTUATIONS BETWEEN MGLUR5 AND MELATONIN IN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD)

Author: Afnan Ali

July 11, 2025

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a debilitative illness that severely impacts quality and duration of life, with neurologists and psychologists seeking remedies to this disease. Currently, past studies have found that metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) and melatonin have been impli...

An Organic, Sustainable Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Flexible Energy Storage Applications

Author: Mai Tran

July 08, 2025

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) have attracted the attention of researchers over the last decade. Combining the merits of solid- and liquid-state electrolytes, GPEs reduce the risk of leakage and flammability, while offering higher ion mobility and conductivity than solid electrolytes. In particular,...

The Effect of Thiolated GMO consumption on the Fecundity and Longevity of Drosophila melanogaster

Author: Kenzie Albano, Saswati Bhattacharya

July 07, 2025

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have made a significant impact on our lives today. Most food products we consume have been genetically modified to enhance certain characteristics. This may include genes inserted to produce proteins that repel insects or enhance nutrient production in the food....

The Effect of Thiolated GMO consumption on the Fecundity and Longevity of Drosophila melanogaster

Author: Kenzie Albano

July 06, 2025

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have made a significant impact on our lives today. Most food products we consume have been genetically modified to enhance certain characteristics. This may include genes inserted to produce proteins that repel insects or enhance nutrient production in the food....

THE EFFECT OF ARTHROSPIRA (SPIRULINA) ON THE GROWTH OF BRASSICA OLERACEA VAR. CAPTITA

Author: Bielka Perez, Jimena Machuca

June 30, 2025

Exploration on Mars has caught the attention of many experts, scientists, and nations across the globe. However, there are a multitude of challenges that must be addressed before sending humans to Mars. This includes huge costs within the mission and even problematic issues revolving around human he...

The Effects of Ratios of Martian Regolith Simulant and Soil Compost along with Simulated Levels on the Cultivation of Beta Vulgaris

Author: Shannon Higgins

June 27, 2025

Major space organizations together with private companies now focus on sending humans to Mars which used to exist only in science fiction stories. The Soviet Union achieved a historic milestone in 1971 when Mars 3 successfully landed on the planet which enabled current space exploration progress. NA...