Biodiversity Informatics
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Call for nomination 2025 USCACA/AFCR Youth Award
No full textThe USCACA Junior Faculty Awards will recognize 3 to 6 outstanding junior Chinese faculty for their significant contributions to translational or clinical cancer research. Eligibility is open to junior Chinese faculty currently engaged in translational or clinical cancer research, holding the rank of Associate Professor (or equivalent) in China, or Instructor or Assistant Professor (or equivalent) in the United States. In addition, candidates in China must have obtained training in the US and subsequently returned to China within the last three years or confirmed to return China by the end of 2025, and are currently active in (or will be continue their) translational and clinical cancer research in China
Teacher and Student Perceptions of Competency Based Education: A Mixed Methods Exploration
Full text linkThis study sought to uncover the perceptions of elementary teachers, and students about competency-based education (CBE) in a district transitioning from traditional practices. The purpose was to investigate how CBE is perceived from varying perspectives and identify areas working well and needing improvement during the transition. Utilizing a mixed-methods design, data was collected via qualitative surveys and interviews with teachers, administrators, and students from two suburban elementary schools. Findings indicate teachers generally viewed CBE positively, highlighting benefits such as improved tracking of student mastery, positive classroom climates, and better differentiation. They perceived increased student agency and understanding of learning objectives. Challenges included inconsistencies in assessment and grading, confusion among families and upper elementary teachers regarding the mastery-based system, and insufficient resources. Supportive staff and collaborative environments aided teachers. Students reported mostly positive or neutral perceptions but expressed a desire for greater control and interest incorporation in their learning. Findings suggest a need to enhance student agency through personalized learning, improve family communication about the new grading system, and provide more resources and clearer guidelines for effective CBE implementation, particularly for upper grades. This research offers valuable insight into elementary CBE transitions despite sample size limitations
Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Decatur County, Kansas
Full text linkDecatur County is a 900-square-mlle area in the High Plains section of northwestern Kansas. The altitude of land surface ranges from about 2,330 to 2,970 feet above mean sea level. The climate is subhumid to semiarid, with a mean annual precipitation of 18.42 inches. The oldest rocks exposed consist of chalk and shale beds of Late Cretaceous age. The Cretaceous rocks crop out in only two small exposures but form the relatively impervious bedrock above which ground water occurs in nearly all the county. The Ogallala Formation of Tertiary (Pliocene) age overlies the Cretaceous rocks in the upland areas and is the most widespread aquifer in the county. Stream erosion has removed the Ogallala Formation along the principal valleys, but streams, through several cycles of alluviation, have subsequently deposited the more permeable sediments in the valleys. Eolian silts of late Pleistocene age mantle much of the upland areas and obscure the stream terraces along the principal valleys.
There are two principal aquifers in the county--the Ogallala Formation that underlies the upland areas and the relatively narrow alluvial deposits in the four major stream valleys. The upland areas have more areal extent than the alluvial valleys, but the highest yielding wells are in the major valleys where most of the irrigation is practiced. Based on population figures and livestock statistics, an estimated 750 to 1,000 acre-feet of ground water is used annually in rural areas for household and livestock purposes. Three cities use a total of about 400 acre-feet of ground water per year. About 17,000 acre-feet of ground water is appropriated for the irrigation of 10,500 acres. Ground water in the county is moderately hard, but its quality is adequate for most purposes
Teaching Pronunciation as a NNEST in an Intensive English Program in the U.S.: A Professional Journey
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The Impact of Esports on the Habits, Health, and Wellness of the Collegiate Player
Full text linkCollege students continue to invest a good deal of time in electronic sports despite potential risks such as addiction, health impairment, and social isolation possibly outweighing the benefits of gameplay. This mixed-methods study examines the impact of esports on 38 collegiate gamers and further explores the students’ motivations, gaming habits, and the effects of their engagement on academic performance, social interactions, and overall well-being. It reveals that esports may be beneficial in the formation of friendships, reducing negative peer pressure, and enhancing social capital. Academic advantages are also prominent, with participants reporting improved skills relevant to their coursework, better grades, and an enhanced focus on academics due to the structured nature of esports. However, the study also addresses potential risks, including toxicity, addiction, and adverse health effects like sleep deprivation and stress. Included are critical considerations and policy recommendations for campus esports programs as well as future research directions
An updated review on the utility of hematopoietic stem cell transplant in the treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis
Full text linkINTRODUCTION: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been shown to be an effective treatment in many severe autoimmune diseases. There have been a number of reported cases of successful HSCT in severe, refractory myasthenia gravis (MG).
OBJECTIVE: To review and summarize the current literature on the role of HSCT in the management of refractory MG.
METHODS: Databases including PubMed, clinical trials.gov, and Cochrane Reviews were searched for research articles containing “hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,” “stem cell,” and “myasthenia gravis.” Articles were excluded if they were not written in English.
RESULTS: A total of 16 patients across 8 publications were identified as having undergone HSCT in the setting of MG. Following HSCT, all patients had significant improvement in their MG status, with 11 achieving complete stable remission. Common adverse effects were mostly infection-related and included neutropenic fever, cytomegalovirus viremia or reactivation, mucositis, and upper respiratory tract infection.
CONCLUSION: HSCT has the potential to provide sustained benefit for patients with MG who are refractory to conventional treatment. A large-scale prospective study is warranted to better define its role in the treatment of MG
First documented record of the Indian Roofed Turtle, Pangshura tecta (Gray 1831), from Makwal Wetland, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Full text linkCoracoid asymmetries in adult Pondsliders,Trachemys scripta (Schoepff 1792), in Spain
Full text linkMorphological variation is the result of interplay among multiple intervening factors. Appendicular bonemorphology in reptiles has been addressed rarely in the literature and, to our knowledge, the girdles of turtles havenever been utilized to address developmental questions of form asymmetry. We quantified left-right symmetry of thecoracoids in 42 (10 male and 32 female) Pondsliders, Trachemys scripta (Schoepff 1792), an exotic emydid in Spain. Wemeasured form symmetry between the right and left coracoids using geometric morphometric techniques by means of14 paired landmarks and 66 paired semi-landmarks. Both sexes exhibited fluctuating asymmetry (FA: small and randomdeviations in the symmetry, but with a variation normally distributed around a zero mean) and directional asymmetry(DA: a greater development on one side, with most asymmetry in the same direction). DA has been describedas a product of genotype as well as functional lateralization. The most probable explanation for the detected DA is thatit results from a functional imbalance due to limb lateralization, which results from an unequal pull of paired muscleson bones. Low levels of FA, apparently the result of subclinical metabolic osteopathies (presumably attributable toimproper diets of most of the animals examined, as they had been kept as pets), are excluded
