Factors of Motivation in Education: Perspectives of College Students and Their Professors

This study examines motivational factors based on college students’ and faculties’ perceptions to determine which factors are most impactful. The researchers utilized Jones’ MUSIC® Model of Motivation College Student and Professor inventories. Both are designed to determine the factors that impact student motivation (Jones, 2020). The Caring factor was the highest endorsed factor by both college students and faculty in all data collections. A paired sample t-test revealed that the Usefulness factor was rated statistically different by faculty and students. These data can be used to inform programmatic decisions and course design in the university’s education department

Flotation-separation of toxic metal ions from aqueous solutions using thiosemicarbazide derivatives as chelating agents and oleic acid as a surfactant

A simple and rapid procedure was developed for flotation-separation of toxic metal ions namely Hg2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ from aqueous solutions. Thiosemicarbazide derivatives such as: 1-(amino-N-phenylmethanethio)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2PPS), N-phenyl-2-(pyridine-2-ylcarbamothioyl)hydrazinecarboxamide (H2PBO), 1-(amino(thioformyl)-N-phenylform)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2APO), and 1-(amino-N-(pyridine-3-yl) methanethio)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2PPY) have been used as organic chelating agents and oleic acid (HOL) as a surfactant. The different parameters affecting the flotation process namely, metal ion, ligands and surfactant concentrations, foreign ions (which are normally present in fresh and saline waters), pH and temperature are examined. About 100% of mercury, cadmium and manganese ions float at room temperature (~ 25 oC), at a metal:ligand ratio of 1:2  and at pH ~5. The procedure was successfully applied to recover Hg2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ ions spiked into some water samples. The flotation mechanism is suggested based on some physical and chemical studies on the ligands and metal-complexes isolated from the floated layers

Clinical Trial Readiness in Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R1 (LGMDR1): A GRASP Consortium Study

\ua9 2025 The Author(s). Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association.Objective: Identifying functional measures that are both valid and reliable in the limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) population is critical for quantifying the level of functional impairment related to disease progression in order to establish clinical trial readiness in the context of anticipated therapeutic trials. Methods: Through the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP-LGMD) Consortium, 42 subjects with LGMDR1 were enrolled in a 12-month natural history study across 11 international sites. Each subject completed a battery of clinical outcome assessments (COA), including the North Star Assessment for Limb Girdle-Type Dystrophies (NSAD), 10-m walk/run, and Performance of the Upper Limb (PUL), in addition to several patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). Results: In this baseline cross-sectional analysis, significant correlations were found between COAs and PROMs, with significant differences in the performance of assessments based on subjects\u27 ambulatory status and genetic variant classification. Interpretation: The study has determined that the NSAD and other assessments are valid and reliable measures for quantifying the level of disease impairment in individuals with LGMDR1

Morphological Deformities as Biomarkers in Fish from Contaminated Rivers in Taiwan

Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) were collected seasonally from four contaminated rivers in southwestern Taiwan for studies of morphological deformities that could be used as biomarkers of contamination. Morphological deformities found in tilapia were separated into 15 categories. Overall, the prevalence of deformities such as split fins, lower lip extension and gill deformities were significantly related to various water quality parameters, including low DO and high ammonium, lead and zinc concentrations. The persistence of tilapia in polluted waters and the development of a suite of morphological deformities suggest that tilapia can be used as sentinels of non-point source pollution in rivers

Prospective observational study of FKRP-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9: A GRASP consortium study

\ua9 2024 The Author(s). Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association. Objective: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9, formerly known as LGMD2I), caused by variants in the fukutin-related protein (FKRP) gene leads to progressive muscle weakness of the shoulder and pelvic limb-girdles and loss of motor function over time. Clinical management and future trial design are improved by determining which standardized clinical outcome assessments (COA) of function are most appropriate to capture disease presentation and progression, informing endpoint selection and enrollment criteria. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the cross-sectional validity and reliability of clinical outcome assessments in patients with FKRP-related LGMDR9 participating in the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP) natural history study. Methods: Enrolled patients completed a battery of COA on two consecutive days, including the North Star Assessment for limb girdle-type dystrophies (NSAD), the 100-m timed test (100 m), and the Performance of Upper Limb 2.0 (PUL). Results: A total of 101 patients with FKRP-related LGMDR9 completed COA evaluations. All functional COA were highly and significantly correlated even across constructs, except for the 9-hole peg test. Similarly, all tests demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability across 2-day visits. The NSAD and PUL demonstrate robust psychometrics with good targeting, ordered response thresholds, fit and stability, and limited dependency of items across the scales. Conclusions: This study has determined the suitability of several functional COA, cross-sectionally, in LGMDR9 to inform future trial design and clinical care

Prospective observational study of FKRP-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9: A GRASP consortium study.

OBJECTIVE: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9, formerly known as LGMD2I), caused by variants in the fukutin-related protein (FKRP) gene leads to progressive muscle weakness of the shoulder and pelvic limb-girdles and loss of motor function over time. Clinical management and future trial design are improved by determining which standardized clinical outcome assessments (COA) of function are most appropriate to capture disease presentation and progression, informing endpoint selection and enrollment criteria. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the cross-sectional validity and reliability of clinical outcome assessments in patients with FKRP-related LGMDR9 participating in the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP) natural history study. METHODS: Enrolled patients completed a battery of COA on two consecutive days, including the North Star Assessment for limb girdle-type dystrophies (NSAD), the 100-m timed test (100 m), and the Performance of Upper Limb 2.0 (PUL). RESULTS: A total of 101 patients with FKRP-related LGMDR9 completed COA evaluations. All functional COA were highly and significantly correlated even across constructs, except for the 9-hole peg test. Similarly, all tests demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability across 2-day visits. The NSAD and PUL demonstrate robust psychometrics with good targeting, ordered response thresholds, fit and stability, and limited dependency of items across the scales. CONCLUSIONS: This study has determined the suitability of several functional COA, cross-sectionally, in LGMDR9 to inform future trial design and clinical care

Habitat Assessment of Non-Wadeable Rivers in Michigan

Habitat evaluation of wadeable streams based on accepted protocols provides a rapid and widely used adjunct to biological assessment. However, little effort has been devoted to habitat evaluation in non-wadeable rivers, where it is likely that protocols will differ and field logistics will be more challenging. We developed and tested a non-wadeable habitat index (NWHI) for rivers of Michigan, where non-wadeable rivers were defined as those of order ≥5, drainage area ≥1600 km 2 , mainstem lengths ≥100 km, and mean annual discharge ≥15 m 3 /s. This identified 22 candidate rivers that ranged in length from 103 to 825 km and in drainage area from 1620 to 16,860 km 2 . We measured 171 individual habitat variables over 2-km reaches at 35 locations on 14 rivers during 2000–2002, where mean wetted width was found to range from 32 to 185 m and mean thalweg depth from 0.8 to 8.3 m. We used correlation and principal components analysis to reduce the number of variables, and examined the spatial pattern of retained variables to exclude any that appeared to reflect spatial location rather than reach condition, resulting in 12 variables to be considered in the habitat index. The proposed NWHI included seven variables: riparian width, large woody debris, aquatic vegetation, bottom deposition, bank stability, thalweg substrate, and off-channel habitat. These variables were included because of their statistical association with independently derived measures of human disturbance in the riparian zone and the catchment, and because they are considered important in other habitat protocols or to the ecology of large rivers. Five variables were excluded because they were primarily related to river size rather than anthropogenic disturbance. This index correlated strongly with indices of disturbance based on the riparian (adjusted R 2 = 0.62) and the catchment (adjusted R 2 = 0.50), and distinguished the 35 river reaches into the categories of poor (2), fair (19), good (13), and excellent (1). Habitat variables retained in the NWHI differ from several used in wadeable streams, and place greater emphasis on known characteristic features of larger rivers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41269/1/267_2004_Article_141.pd