Student Pressures and the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship

My research topic was inspired by my experience as a Resident Assistant through University of Arkansas Housing. Through this position, I have worked closely with students and developed an understanding of the concerns that result from entering college. Students’ financial situation, one of the most fundamental of the concerns, revealed an interesting pattern. Many students that attend the University of Arkansas are Arkansas residents who have received financial support through the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, a scholarship now supported by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. Many of these students also still experience financial burden. Together these facts bring up many questions. Is the amount of money received through this scholarship large enough to influence students’ perception in regards to college affordability? Does the receipt of this scholarship pressure some students to attend a four-year university when they are not ready? Is this scholarship ultimately helping or hurting students’ financial situation? I chose to do my research on this topic to better understand the pressures this scholarship may have on the decisions students make in regards to their college career

Pulsed Frequency Shifted Feedback Laser for Accurate Long Distance Measurements: Beat Order Determination

Long-distance measurements (10 m - 1000 m) with an accuracy of 10-7 is a challenge for many applications. We show that it is achievable with Frequency Shifted Feedback (FSF) laser interferometry technique, provided that the determination of the radio frequency beat order be made without ambiguity and on a time scale compatible with atmospheric applications. Using the pulsed-FSF laser that we developed for laser guide star application, we propose and test, up to 240 m, a simple method for measuring the beat order in real time. The moving-comb and Yatsenko models are also discussed. The first of these models fails to interpret our long-distance interferometry results. We show that the accuracy of long-distance measurements depends primarily on the stabilization of the acoustic frequency of the modulator

Massive Atropine Eye Drop Ingestion Treated with High-Dose Physostigmine to Avoid Intubation

Case: A 34-year-old male presented after ingesting 150 mg of atropine. He had altered mental status, sinus tachycardia, dry mucosa, flushed skin, and hyperthermia. Sequential doses of physostigmine, totaling 14 mg, were successful in reversing antimuscarinic toxicity and prevented the need to perform airway control with endotracheal intubation. At completion of treatment, heart rate and mental status had improved, and intubation was never performed. Discussion: Atropine causes anticholinergic toxicity; physostigmine reverses this by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. Atropine eye drop ingestions are rare. The 14 mg of physostigmine administered is much higher than typical dosing. It is likely the physostigmine prevented intubation. Atropine eye drops can be dangerous, and physostigmine should be considered in treatment. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(1):77–79.

BTECH: A Platform to Integrate Genomic, Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Alterations in Brain Tumors

The identification of molecular signatures predictive of clinical behavior and outcome in brain tumors has been the focus of many studies in the recent years. Despite the wealth of data that are available in the public domain on alterations in the genome, epigenome and transcriptome of brain tumors, the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to tumor initiation and progression remain largely unknown. Unfortunately, most of these data are scattered in multiple databases and supplementary materials of publications, thus making their retrieval, evaluation, comparison and visualization a rather arduous task. Here we report the development and implementation of an open access database (BTECH), a community resource for the deposition of a wide range of molecular data derived from brain tumor studies. This comprehensive database integrates multiple datasets, including transcript profiles, epigenomic CpG methylation data, DNA copy number alterations and structural chromosomal rearrangements, tumor-associated gene lists, SNPs, genomic features concerning Alu repeats and general genomic annotations. A genome browser has also been developed that allows for the simultaneous visualization of the different datasets and the various annotated features. Besides enabling an integrative view of diverse datasets through the genome browser, we also provide links to the original references for users to have a more accurate understanding of each specific dataset. This integrated platform will facilitate uncovering interactions among genetic and epigenetic factors associated with brain tumor development. BTECH is freely available at http://cmbteg.childrensmemorial.org/. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12021-010-9091-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Stress Sensors for Biomedical Applications

Research was conducted to develop a design for an effective sensor to be used in biomedical applications, specifically to monitor the stress on joint implants received by patients. The sensors will be synthesized using a manetostrictive composite material (MCM) of Terfenol-D (Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe2), epoxy resin, and ferromagnetic material. The sensing is based on the Villari effect, or inverse magnetostriction. The magnetic domains in the sensor will line up and expand, thus modifying the magnetic properties of the material when an external mechanical stress is applied. A magnetic circuit will be fabricated to wirelessly sense the stress in the sensor, and further research will be gathered to compare and contrast the prototype to sensors for the same application currently available in the field. The goal is to use information about current sensors and the magnetic properties of the sensor that will be fabricated to create a less-invasive, effective, and wireless sensor to monitor joint implants

No Established Link between Repeated Transient Chokes and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Related Effects. Comment on Lim, L.J.H. et al. Dangers of Mixed Martial Arts in the Development of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. <i>Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health</i> 2019, <i>16</i>, 254

This letter to the editor is in response to &#8220;Dangers of Mixed Martial Arts in the Development of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy&#8222; by authors Lim, Ho, and Ho, which was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2019; 16: 254). This communication clarifies some potentially misleading word choices by the authors and addresses the insinuated, but not established, link between repeated transient choking episodes during martial arts training and a gradual decline in neuropsychiatric testing in the patient presented in the report