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Here we present the development of the Mentoring in Undergraduate Research Survey (MURS) as a measure of a range of mentoring experienced by undergraduate science researchers. We drafted items based on qualitative research and refined the items through cognitive interviews and expert sorting. We used one national dataset to evaluate the internal structure of the measure and a second national dataset to examine how responses on the MURS related to theoretically relevant constructs and student characteristics. Our factor analytic results indicate seven lower order forms of mentoring experiences: abusive supervision, accessibility, technical support, psychosocial support, interpersonal mismatch, sexual harassment, and unfair treatment. These forms of mentoring mapped onto two higher-order factors: supportive and destructive mentoring experiences. Although most undergraduates reported experiencing supportive mentoring, some reported experiencing absence of supportive as well as destructive experiences. Undergraduates who experienced less supportive and more destructive mentoring also experienced lower scientific integration and a dampening of their beliefs about the value of research. The MURS should be useful for investigating the effects of mentoring experienced by undergraduate researchers and for testing interventions aimed at fostering supportive experiences and reducing or preventing destructive experiences and their impacts.

Objectives Informing research participants of the results of studies in which they took part is viewed as an ethical imperative. However, there is little guidance in the literature about how to do this. The Fluoxetine Or Control Under Supervision trial randomised 3127 patients with a recent acute stroke to 6 months of fluoxetine or placebo and was published in the Lancet on 5 December 2018. The trial team decided to inform the participants of the results at exactly the same time as the Lancet publication, and also whether they had been allocated fluoxetine or placebo. In this report, we describe how we informed participants of the results.Design In the 6-month and 12-month follow-up questionnaires, we invited participants to provide an email address if they wished to be informed of the results of the trial. We re-opened our trial telephone helpline between 5 December 2018 and 31 March 2019.Setting UK stroke services.Participants 3127 participants were randomised. 2847 returned 6-month follow-up forms and 2703 returned 12-month follow-up forms; the remaining participants had died (380), withdrawn consent or did not respond.Results Of those returning follow-up questionnaires, a total of 1845 email addresses were provided and a further 50 people requested results to be sent by post. Results were sent to all email and postal addresses provided; 309 emails were returned unrecognised. Seventeen people replied, of whom three called the helpline and the rest responded by email.Conclusion It is feasible to disseminate results of large trials to research participants, though only around 60% of those randomised wanted to receive the results. The system we developed was efficient and required very little resource, and could be replicated by trialists in the future.Trial registration number ISRCTN83290762; Post-results.

The continent of Antarctica has remained relatively free of the impacts of invasive species to date. However, Antarctica is under increasing anthropogenic pressure from human activity and climate change, elevating the risk of alien species introductions. Scientific research and the maintenance of research stations by Antarctic Treaty Parties requires the transfer of large amounts of equipment and cargo, which can harbour biosecurity risk material. Here, we assess two decades of data collected by the Australian Antarctic Division on the detection of biosecurity risk material in its facilities and vessels, both during transport and in Antarctica. We use these data to identify emerging risk species or pathways, to compare the variability in detections over time and to construct a consequence table to facilitate effective responses and resource allocation to future detections, translating our research findings into guidance for decision-makers. We find that, despite the development of policy instruments, monitoring and management for the prevention of alien species introductions to Antarctica, the risk of introductions is ongoing. We highlight areas of concern, including the transport of live spiders and the continuing potential for cargo to harbour biosecurity risk material and the benefit of ongoing training and investment and support for staff and expeditioners in the reporting of non-native species detections. Finally, we provide tools and recommendations for decision-makers and on-ground managers in the Antarctic biosecurity space, based on our research. Future studies on the establishment risk of commonly transported species would assist in improving these tools.

This study sought to provide insight into whether Georgia Extension meets the needs of its clients farming in rural areas, specifically row-crop farmers in rural Southeast Georgia. This qualitative study utilized a semi-structured interview of four purposively selected Southeast Georgia row-crop farmers. Three themes and seven sub-themes emerged from the data. Challenges facing row-crop farmers were identified as (a) surmounting the current culture surrounding row-crop farming, (b) facing a lack of representation and consideration, and (c) coping with uncontrollable circumstances. Participants' perceptions and usage of the Extension Service differed based on their views of the local Extension Service office or the Statewide Extension Service. Areas in which farmers identified they would like to see the Extension Service improve include (a) an increase in applied research projects and programming and (b) a more consistent Extension presence. Respondents indicated that challenges are increasing in areas where the Extension Service could assist. While the view of the county Extension agent was highly positive, the farmers' opinions of statewide Extension leadership were less optimistic. The participants highly regard the unbiased research-based information delivered through county Extension personnel. However, the service provided through neighboring counties and state specialists shaped different views of the Extension Service among the group. Recommendations include conducting localized needs assessments, professional development for agents and specialists that address current trends and implications in Extension, farmer participation in agent and specialist evaluation, and replication of this study in each of Georgia's Extension regions.

Many global environments face increasing pressures on soil resources, and effective, scalable methods for assessment of soil condition and capital are essential to respond to tangible soil threats. This situation is common across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), where high throughput soil analysis laboratories are limited, and issues such as soil organic carbon decline, acidification and fertility declines are present. Soil spectral inference presents an opportunity in such regions to provide rapid insights into soil capital and condition, though the need for robust calibration libraries remains a limiting factor. This work investigates the utility of a regionally appropriate spectral library, the New Zealand Soil Spectral Library (NZSSL) to support the development of soil spectral inference in data-poor environments, such as PICTs, through a case study on the island of Tongatapu in The Kingdom of Tonga. We contrast the performance of existing partial least squares regression (PLSR) models developed for New Zealand soils on soils from Tongatapu and explore the opportunities for enhancement of predictions formed through memory-based learning (MBL) supplemented with local data. Our work shows the potential for cost-effective and timely soil monitoring through soil spectral inference in PICTs. The work further underscores the importance of regional cooperation and data-sharing for addressing soil security.

Abstract Coordinated cell interactions within the esophagus maintain homeostasis, and disruption can lead to eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a chronic inflammatory disease with poorly understood pathogenesis. We profile 421,312 individual cells from the esophageal mucosa of 7 healthy and 15 EoE participants, revealing 60 cell subsets and functional alterations in cell states, compositions, and interactions that highlight previously unclear features of EoE. Active disease displays enrichment of ALOX15 + macrophages, PRDM16 + dendritic cells expressing the EoE risk gene ATP10A, and cycling mast cells, with concomitant reduction of TH17 cells. Ligand–receptor expression uncovers eosinophil recruitment programs, increased fibroblast interactions in disease, and IL-9+IL-4+IL-13+ TH2 and endothelial cells as potential mast cell interactors. Resolution of inflammation-associated signatures includes mast and CD4+ TRM cell contraction and cell type-specific downregulation of eosinophil chemoattractant, growth, and survival factors. These cellular alterations in EoE and remission advance our understanding of eosinophilic inflammation and opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Students' beliefs about their abilities (called "lay theories") affect their motivations, behaviors, and academic success. Lay theories include beliefs about the potential to improve intelligence (mindset), who (i.e., everyone or only some people) has the potential to be excellent in a field (universality), and whether reaching excellence in a field requires raw intellectual talent (brilliance). Research demonstrates that each of these beliefs influences students' educational experiences and academic outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether they represent distinct latent constructs or are susceptible to the "jangle fallacy" (i.e., different names given to the same underlying construct). We conducted a multiphase, mixed-methods study to: 1) evaluate whether mindset, universality, and brilliance beliefs represent conceptually and empirically discriminable concepts, and 2) evaluate whether mindset, universality, and brilliance beliefs contribute unique explanatory value for both psychosocial (e.g., sense of belonging) and academic outcomes (e.g., course grades). To address these questions, we developed and collected validity evidence for a new measure of science and math undergraduates' lay theories, called the Undergraduate Lay Theories of Abilities (ULTrA) survey. Factor analyses suggest that mindset, brilliance, and universality are distinct and empirically discriminable constructs. Structural Equation Models indicate that each lay theory contributes unique predictive value to relevant outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill trauma patients with severe injuries are at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding simultaneously. Currently, the optimal VTE prophylaxis strategy is unknown for trauma patients with a contraindication to pharmacological prophylaxis because of a risk of bleeding. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using decision analysis, we estimated the cost effectiveness of three VTE prophylaxis strategies-pneumatic compression devices (PCDs) and expectant management alone, serial Doppler ultrasound (SDU) screening, and prophylactic insertion of a vena cava filter (VCF) -- in trauma patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with severe injuries who were believed to have a contraindication to pharmacological prophylaxis for up to two weeks because of a risk of major bleeding. Data on the probability of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and on the effectiveness of the prophylactic strategies, were taken from observational and randomized controlled studies. The probabilities of in-hospital death, ICU and hospital discharge rates, and resource use were taken from a population-based cohort of trauma patients with severe injuries (injury severity scores >12) admitted to the ICU of a regional trauma centre. The incidence of DVT at 12 weeks was similar for the PCD (14.9%) and SDU (15.0%) strategies, but higher for the VCF (25.7%) strategy. Conversely, the incidence of PE at 12 weeks was highest in the PCD strategy (2.9%), followed by the SDU (1.5%) and VCF (0.3%) strategies. Expected mortality and quality-adjusted life years were nearly identical for all three management strategies. Expected health care costs at 12 weeks were Can$55,831 for the PCD strategy, Can$55,334 for the SDU screening strategy, and Can$57,377 for the VCF strategy, with similar trends noted over a lifetime analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The attributable mortality due to PE in trauma patients with severe injuries is low relative to other causes of mortality. Prophylactic placement of VCF in patients at high risk of VTE who cannot receive pharmacological prophylaxis is expensive and associated with an increased risk of DVT. Compared to the other strategies, SDU screening was associated with better clinical outcomes and lower costs.

Abstract Background Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is a global viral pathogen of domestic equids which causes reproductive, respiratory and neurological disease. Few isolates acquired from naturally infected USA-based hosts have been fully sequenced and analyzed to date. An ORF 30 (DNA polymerase) variant (A2254G) has previously been associated with neurological disease in host animals. The purpose of this study was to perform phylogenomic analysis of EHV-1 isolates acquired from USA-based hosts and compare these isolates to previously sequenced global isolates. Methods EHV-1 was isolated from 23 naturally infected USA-based equids (6 different states, 15 disease outbreaks) with reproductive (22/23) or neurological disease (1/23). Following virus isolation, EHV-1 DNA was extracted for sequencing using Illumina MiSeq. Following reference-based assembly, whole viral genomes were annotated and assessed. Previously sequenced EHV-1 isolates (n = 114) obtained from global host equids were included in phylogenomic analyses. Results The overall average genomic distance was 0.0828% (SE 0.004%) for the 23 newly sequenced USA isolates and 0.0705% (SE 0.003%) when all 137 isolates were included. Clade structure was predominantly based on geographic origin. Numerous nucleotide substitutions (mean [range], 179 [114–297] synonymous and 81 [38–120] non-synonymous substitutions per isolate) were identified throughout the genome of the newly sequenced USA isolates. The previously described ORF 30 A2254G substitution (associated with neurological disease) was found in only one isolate obtained from a host with non-neurological clinical signs (reproductive disease), six additional, unique, non-synonymous ORF 30 substitutions were detected in 22/23 USA isolates. Evidence of recombination was present in most (22/23) of the newly sequenced USA isolates. Conclusions Overall, the genomes of the 23 newly sequenced EHV-1 isolates obtained from USA-based hosts were broadly similar to global isolates. The previously described ORF 30 A2254G neurological substitution was infrequently detected in the newly sequenced USA isolates, most of which were obtained from host animals with reproductive disease. Recombination was likely to be partially responsible for genomic diversity in the newly sequenced USA isolates.

The project was initiated when a medical student expressed interest in shadowing a chaplain during their third-year clinical rotations. The Hospital Library Service supported this inquiry by providing readings about intentional programs and a medical practitioner spiritual screening for both the chaplain and student to review. By coordinating with the student’s medical supervision, different times were found throughout the day such that a variety of pastoral care instances could be observed. As part of the welcome extended to each patient, the chaplain introduced the medical student and obtained consent for them to be present during the care conversations that followed. These visits occurred over two months in the spring of 2024. This experience provided an opportunity for both the chaplain and student to reflect on the process of acknowledging, confirming, affirming, and encouraging patients and their families. Additionally, through these visits and subsequent conversations, a holistic health and wellness model was used to emphasize compassionate and spiritual patient care.

Antioxidant therapies are of interest in the prevention and management of ocular disorders such as cataracts. Although an active area of interest, topical therapy with antioxidants for the treatment of cataracts is complicated by multiple ocular anatomical barriers, product stability, and solubility. Entrapment and delivery of antioxidants with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles is a possible solution to these challenges, however, little is known regarding their effects in vitro or in vivo. Our first aim was to investigate the impact of blank and lutein loaded PLGA nanoparticles on viability and development of reactive oxygen species in lens epithelial cells in vitro. Photo-oxidative stress was induced by ultraviolet light exposure with cell viability and reactive oxygen species monitored. Next, an in vivo, selenite model was utilized to induce cataract formation in rodents. Eyes were treated topically with both free lutein and lutein loaded nanoparticles (LNP) at varying concentrations. Eyes were monitored for the development of anterior segment changes and cataract formation. The ability of nanodelivered lutein to reach the anterior segment of the eye was evaluated by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry of aqueous humor samples and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (targeted LC-MS/MS) of lenses. LNP had a minimal impact on the viability of lens epithelial cells during the short exposure timeframe (24 h) and at concentrations < 0.2 μg LNP/μl. A significant reduction in the development of reactive oxygen species was also noted. Animals treated with LNPs at an equivalent lutein concentration of 1,278 μg /mL showed the greatest reduction in cataract scores. Lutein delivery to the anterior segment was confirmed through evaluation of aqueous humor and lens sample evaluation. Topical treatment was not associated with the development of secondary keratitis or anterior uveitis when applied once daily for one week. LNPs may be an effective in the treatment of cataracts.

The DIII-D tokamak has elucidated crucial physics and developed projectable solutions for ITER and fusion power plants in the key areas of core performance, boundary heat and particle transport, and integrated scenario operation, with closing the core-edge integration knowledge gap being the overarching mission. New experimental validation of high-fidelity, multi-channel, non-linear gyrokinetic turbulent transport models for ITER provides strong confidence it will achieve Q ⩾ 10 operation. Experiments identify options for easing H-mode access in hydrogen, and give new insight into the isotopic dependence of transport and confinement. Analysis of 2,1 islands in unoptimized low-torque IBS demonstration discharges suggests their onset time occurs randomly in the constant β phase, most often triggered by non-linear 3-wave coupling, thus identifying an NTM seeding mechanism to avoid. Pure deuterium SPI for disruption mitigation is shown to provide favorable slow cooling, but poor core assimilation, suggesting paths for improved SPI on ITER. At the boundary, measured neutral density and ionization source fluxes are strongly poloidally asymmetric, implying a 2D treatment is needed to model pedestal fuelling. Detailed measurements of pedestal and SOL quantities and impurity charge state radiation in detached divertors has validated edge fluid modelling and new self-consistent ‘pedestal-to-divertor’ integrated modeling that can be used to optimize reactors. New feedback adaptive ELM control minimizes confinement reduction, and RMP ELM suppression with sustained high core performance was obtained for the first time with the outer strike point in a W-coated, compact and unpumped small-angle slot divertor. Advances have been made in integrated operational scenarios for ITER and power plants. Wide pedestal intrinsically ELM-free QH-modes are produced with more reactor-relevant conditions, Low torque IBS with W-equivalent radiators can exhibit predator-prey oscillations in T _e and radiation which need control. High- β _P scenarios with q _min > 2, q _95 –7.9, β _N > 4, β _T –3.3% and H _98y2 > 1.5 are sustained with high density ( $\bar n$ = 7E19 m ^−3 , f _G –1) for 6 τ _E , improving confidence in steady-state tokamak reactors. Diverted NT plasmas achieve high core performance with a non-ELMing edge, offering a possible highly attractive core-edge integration solution for reactors.

Pheromone trapping is a common scouting method used in collaboration with integrated pest management. A major crop pest of many plant species, including Panhandle crops like peanut and cotton, is the soybean looper. A soybean looper pheromone-trapping study performed in Panhandle commercial peanut and cotton fields also attracted other species with similar appearances, sometimes in high numbers. Misidentification would result in overestimation of soybean looper populations and likely unnecessary insecticide applications. The sharp stigma looper, due to its high seasonal abundance and flight pattern similar to that of the soybean looper, was most concerning. This insect is not a pest and can be discerned from the soybean looper easily through its wing markings, if someone knows what to look for, but if these harmless moths were unwittingly thought of as soybean loopers, it could greatly skew population numbers and prompt improper applications of pesticides.

Measurements of the turbulent density wavenumber spectrum, $\delta \hat{n}_e(k_\perp)$ , using the Doppler Back-Scattering (DBS) diagnostic are reported from DIII-D H-mode plasmas with electron cyclotron heating as the only auxiliary heating method. These electron-heated plasmas have low collisionality, $\nu^*_e \lt 1$ , $T_e/T_i \gt 1$ , and zero injected torque—a regime expected to be relevant for future fusion devices. We probe density fluctuations in the core ( ρ ≈ 0.7) over a broad wavenumber range, $0.5 \unicode{x2A7D} k_\perp \unicode{x2A7D} 16$ cm ^−1 ( $0.1 \unicode{x2A7D} k_\perp\rho_s \unicode{x2A7D} 5$ ), to characterize plasma instabilities and compare with theoretical predictions. We present a novel synthetic DBS diagnostic to relate the back-scattered power spectrum, $P_s(k_\perp)$ —which is directly measured by DBS—to the underlying electron density fluctuation spectrum, $\delta \hat{n}_e(k_\perp)$ . The synthetic DBS $P_s(k_\perp)$ spectrum is calculated by combining the SCOTTY beam-tracing code with a model $\delta \hat{n}_e(k_\perp)$ predicted either analytically or numerically. In this work we use the quasi-linear code Trapped Gyro-Landau Fluid (TGLF) to approximate the $\delta \hat{n}_e(k_\perp)$ spectrum. We find that TGLF, using the experimental profiles, is capable of closely reproducing the DBS measurements. Both the DBS measurements and the TGLF-DBS synthetic diagnostic show a wavenumber spectrum with variable decay. The measurements show weak decay ( k ^−0.6 ) for k 8.5 cm ^−1 . Scans of physics parameters using TGLF suggest that the normalized $\nabla T_e$ scale-length, $R/L_{T_e}$ , is an important factor for distinguishing microturbulence regimes in these plasmas. A combination of DBS observations and TGLF simulations indicate that fluctuations remain peaked at ITG-scales (low k ) while $R/L_{T_e}$ -driven TEM/ETG-type modes (intermediate/high k ) are marginally sub-dominant.

This new 6-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department aims to inform Florida growers and the craft brewing and distillery industry about the current knowledge of the potential yield and challenges of barley cultivation in north Florida. Written by Charles E. Barrett, Lincoln Zotarelli, Sylvia M. Willis, Jay M. Capasso, Ethan T. Carter, De Broughton, Kevin R. Athearn, Andrew MacIntosh, Alicia N. Halbritter, Matthew T. Smith, Kevin A. Korus, and Daniel J. Leonard. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1420

Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS) is an overgrowth disorder caused by germline heterozygous mutations in the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A. DNMT3A is a critical regulator of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation and somatic DNMT3A mutations are frequent in hematologic malignancies and clonal hematopoiesis. Yet, the impact of constitutive DNMT3A mutation on hematopoiesis in TBRS is undefined. In order to establish how constitutive mutation of DNMT3A impacts blood development in TBRS we gathered clinical data and analyzed blood parameters in 18 individuals with TBRS. We also determined the distribution of major peripheral blood cell lineages by flow cytometric analyses. Our analyses revealed non-anemic macrocytosis, a relative decrease in lymphocytes and increase in neutrophils in TBRS individuals compared to unaffected controls. We were able to recapitulate these hematologic phenotypes in multiple murine models of TBRS and identified rare hematological and non-hematological malignancies associated with constitutive Dnmt3a mutation. We further show that loss of DNMT3A in TBRS is associated with an altered DNA methylation landscape in hematopoietic cells affecting regions critical to stem cell function and tumorigenesis. Overall, our data identify key hematopoietic effects driven by DNMT3A mutation with clinical implications for individuals with TBRS and DNMT3A-associated clonal hematopoiesis or malignancies.

Lungless salamanders in the family Plethodontidae exhibit an impressive array of life history strategies and occur in a diversity of habitats, including caves. However, relationships between life history, habitat, and body size remain largely unresolved. During an ongoing study on the demography and life history of the paedomorphic, cave-obligate Berry Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus gulolineatus, Brandon 1965), we discovered an exceptionally large individual from the type locality, Berry Cave, Roane County, Tennessee, USA. This salamander measured 145 mm in body length and represents not only the largest G. gulolineatus and Gyrinophilus ever reported, but also the largest plethodontid salamander in the United States. We discuss large body size in G. gulolineatus and compare body size in other large plethodontid salamanders in relation to life history and habitat.