The mass production and disposal of non-degradable fossil-based plastics is responsible for alarming environmental and social issues when not managed responsibly. Towards manufacturing environmentally-friendly materials, biopolymers, that is, polymers synthesized by living organisms, emerge as promising sustainable alternatives as they combine attractive mechanical properties, compostability, and renewable sourcing.

Abstract

The protection of critical infrastructure (water, energy, food supply, healthcare etc.) from cyberattack has…

In a study for the British Journal of Political Science, the authors found that Muslim religious leaders weaken their perceived religious authority when they engage with politics.

"The COVID-19 effect is likely to reduce the demand for public transport in favor of lower density alternatives," write the authors. Their study considers links between commuters' demographic factors and incidence of disease transmission, as well as the environmental implications of decreased ridership on public transport.

This study finds that Maryland's all-payer model for healthcare comparatively lowered the risk of complications from surgery, as well as reducing increases in associated costs.

Hospital at Home programs offer an alternative care model for acutely ill patients to receive intensive at-home treatment. With better policy and operations, can this model work at scale in the United States beyond the pandemic?

This study examines the impact of natural gas prices on the power systems of Mexico and the United States. In Energy Policy, The International Journal of the Political, Economic, Planning, Environmental and Social Aspects of Energy.

The authors identify mental health stressors and strategies for coping with distress among underserved Latino communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It now seems technically feasible to culture human embryos beyond the “fourteen‐day limit,” which has the potential to increase scientific understanding of human development and perhaps improve infertility treatments. Robust stakeholder engagement preceded adoption of the fourteen‐day limit and should arguably be part of efforts to reassess it, write the authors.

This study leverages validated patient-reported outcomes measures  to analyze the association between "financial toxicity" and quality of life and satisfaction among women undergoing ablative breast cancer surgery. Journal of the American College of Surgeons