Assessing the Books We Didn’t Buy (the Sequel)

Three universities (Santa Clara University, the University of San Francisco, and Loyola Marymount University) are leveraging patron-initiated borrowing data to inform our collection development. Expanding on a pilot project that began in 2014, we have been looking at five years of recent borrowing data, along with five years of acquisition data and five years of circulation data of local collections, to help us define what a “normal” level of borrowing looks like as well as identify gaps in local collections. We are also using the data to strengthen the meta-collection of our consortium (LINK+) through the intentional and coordinated diversification of approval plan profiles. We will discuss both methodology and findings to date: how this data is being gathered, analyzed, and then used on our campuses to inform collection development decisions

Efficacy of Electromyography and the Dead Bug Exercise

The Dead Bug exercise is performed in physical therapy clinics to restore lumbar spine stability and core strength in patients with lower back pain (LBP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using electromyography (EMG) feedback to enhance proper mechanics during the Dead Bug exercise. Sixteen healthy, college age students volunteered as subjects for the study. Subjects performed the Dead Bug (Fig. 1a.) with and without visual EMG cues and were given instructions on how to execute the exercise. Data was recorded using a BTS FREEEMG Analyzer and signal processed and data analyzed using the BTS SEMGanalyzer software (BTS Bioengineering, Brooklyn, NY). Electrodes were placed on the right rectus abdominis (RA) and right rectus femoris (RF) of each subject of the agonist and antagonist muscle of the movement, respectively. Subjects performed two trials of the exercise on two test days with two weeks in between testing. EMG data were normalized using subjects’ maximum voluntary contraction. Students’ paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis with a p \u3c 0.05 used for significance. The averages of the normalized EMG data (ND) between both visual trials for RA and RF, mean + standard deviation, were 0.302 ± 0.158 and 0.118 ± 0.094, respectively. The averages of the normalized EMG data between both nonvisual trials for RA and RF were 0.284 ± 0.146 and 0.084 ± 0.049, respectively. No significant differences were found for visual and nonvisual trials for agonist and antagonist muscles (Table 2). After evaluation of the study, the study protocol was determined to not be identical to a typical physical therapy setting which utilizes continuous feedback to the patient. Therefore, pilot testing of two subjects was performed on the Dying Bug exercise (Fig. 1b&c.) with continuous visual, biomechanical, palpation, and verbal feedback. As anticipated, a positive trend was shown in mean visual values relative to nonvisual values for the targeted muscles (Table 1)

The Use of EMG as a Physical Therapy Learning Aid

The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle recruitment of an agonist and antagonist muscle during the step up physical therapy exercise with and without visual electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback. 15 healthy, college-aged subjects were recruited to participate in the study. Subjects performed the step up with and without visual feedback in two separate sessions over a four week period. Muscle activity was recorded from the Vastus Medialis (VMO) of the target leg and Medial Gastrocnemius on the contralateral leg. EMG recordings were collected using a BTS FREEEMG system and data was processed using BTS SEMGanalyzer software (BTS Bioengineering, Brooklyn, NY). Results: Average Gastrocnemius muscle activity during visual sessions was .340 mV (SD .141) and .310 mV (SD .138) during non-visual sessions. Average VMO muscle activity was .309 mV (SD .097) during visual sessions and .299 mV (SD .139) during non-visual sessions. A paired t-test was used to determine statistical significance between visual and non-visual sessions. Values were considered significant with a p\u3c.05. No significant difference was observed between visual and non-visual trials for the agonist and antagonist muscles. Two subsequent trials were conducted while visual, verbal and palpation feedback was given throughout the entirety of the exercise. The results showed greater muscle activity in the agonist muscle and less activity in the antagonist muscle when the subject received biofeedback. These findings support the conclusions of previous studies (Holermann, Taian, Vieira, Taskiran, Ekblom, One-Bin), suggesting that EMG biofeedback can be used as a tool for proper muscle recruitment during physical therapy exercises

Pathways to Mathematics College Readiness in Maine

The goal of this study was to examine the pathways to being college ready in mathematics. Students who enter high school already having demonstrated mathematics proficiency on a standardized test in the 8th grade have already taken a significant step towards being college ready. The best scenario is to enter high school proficient in mathematics and having already completed Algebra I, then to complete at least Algebra II and Calculus before graduating from high school. Students completing this pathway are virtually guaranteed to be college ready in mathematics. There also is an alternative path to being college ready. Being proficient entering high school, and then completing a course sequence that includes at least Algebra I, Algebra II, and pre-Calculus significantly increased students\u27 chances of being college ready in mathematics. Thus, it appears 8th grade proficiency is key to becoming college ready in mathematics. It affords opportunities for students to complete Algebra I before entering high school and then take higher level mathematics courses in high school. Alternatively, even if students wait to take Algebra I in high school, if they are proficient and complete at least pre-Calculus, they have a high likelihood of being college ready. The key is 8th grade mathematics proficiency. It opens the gate to a successful high school and college experience in mathematics. The typical sequence of courses completed by most high school students is Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (2012) has endorsed this three course sequence as preparing students for college. However, the evidence from this study does not support this endorsement. Completing Geometry does not substantially ensure college readiness, nor does completing Algebra II ensure college readiness. Students also need to successfully complete either a pre-Calculus or Calculus course in high school to be college ready

The Relationships Between School Poverty and Student Achievement in Maine

The goal of this study was to examine the relationships between school level poverty found in Maine schools and student academic performance. The evidence clearly shows that there is a relationship. As the percent of poverty increases in a school, student performance declines. But the poverty level alone does not explain the wide variations in performance found across the state. The level of poverty in a school is the single best predictor of average student performance, but other factors also play a role in influencing student achievement. Some of these factors include the type of school students are enrolled in, years of teaching experience of the school staff, and the education levels of teachers. Evidence was also found for some higher poverty schools that were defying the odds. Even with higher levels of poverty in their schools, these schools were successful in producing higher levels of student performance. Two additional characteristics were discovered for student performance in higher poverty schools. First, overall performance differs in K-8 and middle schools. The negative relationship between poverty levels and performance is weaker for K-8 schools. More of the higher poverty K-8 schools are performing better than higher poverty middle schools. Second, the levels of poverty found in schools not only affected children in poverty but also those not in poverty. Students in higher poverty schools who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches do not perform as well as their cohorts in lower poverty schools. What is unclear are the causes of this lower performance of non-poverty children in higher poverty schools. Without question, the evidence examined in this study indicates that levels of school poverty and average student achievement are related. The magnitude of the relationship varies, and other factors are related to poverty and achievement, but the single best predictor of performance is school poverty level. The bright news is that there are schools at all levels that defy the odds. Student achievement is better than predicted in spite of school poverty levels. These schools may provide good models for other schools to emulate. In addition, the evidence from this study indicates that there is more to learn about the performance of some types of school configurations (i.e., K-8 schools) and the performance of non-poverty children in higher poverty schools. Additional numerical data is included in the appendices. [This study was funded by the Maine State Legislature, and the University of Maine System.

Context matters: influence of organizational, environmental, and social factors on civic environmental stewardship group intensity

Civic environmental stewardship groups actively take care of their local environment and are known to work in urban contexts. Research on the geographies of this urban environmental stewardship is young. Understanding where stewardship groups work and the associated organizational and neighborhood contexts advances the understanding of the environmental outcomes of stewardship efforts. We examine the organizational, socioeconomic, and environmental contexts associated with the number of stewardship groups at the Census block group and neighborhood scales for four diverse U.S. cities (Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; and Seattle, WA). We found relatively consistent and strong relationships with both average professionalization (staff and budget index) and diversity of groups’ focus and the number of groups’ activity areas in a block group or neighborhood, suggesting a potential density dependence effect. Overall, the number of stewardship groups correlates with social and environmental aspects at both scales across all cities, but variation across cities for specific variables indicates the need for further analyses to unpack why we observe these different patterns across cities. Strong relationships with organizational factors suggest future directions for stewardship research and that the organizational landscape may affect how many groups work in a place more than socioeconomic or environmental conditions

Diverse Mentoring Connections Across Institutional Boundaries in the Biomedical Sciences: Innovative Graph Database Analysis

BACKGROUND: With an overarching goal of increasing diversity and inclusion in biomedical sciences, the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) developed a web-based national mentoring platform (MyNRMN) that seeks to connect mentors and mentees to support the persistence of underrepresented minorities in the biomedical sciences. As of May 15, 2024, the MyNRMN platform, which provides mentoring, networking, and professional development tools, has facilitated more than 12,100 unique mentoring connections between faculty, students, and researchers in the biomedical domain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the large-scale mentoring connections facilitated by our web-based platform between students (mentees) and faculty (mentors) across institutional and geographic boundaries. Using an innovative graph database, we analyzed diverse mentoring connections between mentors and mentees across demographic characteristics in the biomedical sciences. METHODS: Through the MyNRMN platform, we observed profile data and analyzed mentoring connections made between students and faculty across institutional boundaries by race, ethnicity, gender, institution type, and educational attainment between July 1, 2016, and May 31, 2021. RESULTS: In total, there were 15,024 connections with 2222 mentees and 1652 mentors across 1625 institutions contributing data. Female mentees participated in the highest number of connections (3996/6108, 65%), whereas female mentors participated in 58% (5206/8916) of the connections. Black mentees made up 38% (2297/6108) of the connections, whereas White mentors participated in 56% (5036/8916) of the connections. Mentees were predominately from institutions classified as Research 1 (R1; doctoral universities-very high research activity) and historically Black colleges and universities (556/2222, 25% and 307/2222, 14%, respectively), whereas 31% (504/1652) of mentors were from R1 institutions. CONCLUSIONS: To date, the utility of mentoring connections across institutions throughout the United States and how mentors and mentees are connected is unknown. This study examined these connections and the diversity of these connections using an extensive web-based mentoring network

A/B Testing of User Enrollment Forms to Enhance Diversity in the Biomedical Workforce via the National Research Mentoring Network: User-Centered Design Case Study

BACKGROUND: The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) is a National Institutes of Health-funded program for diversifying the science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine research workforce through the provision of mentoring, networking, and professional development resources. The NRMN provides mentoring resources to members through its online platform-MyNRMN. OBJECTIVE: MyNRMN helps members build a network of mentors. Our goal was to expand enrollment and mentoring connections, especially among those who have been historically underrepresented in biomedical training and the biomedical workforce. METHODS: To improve the ease of enrollment, we implemented the split testing of iterations of our user interface for platform registration. To increase mentoring connections, we developed multiple features that facilitate connecting via different pathways. RESULTS: Our improved user interface yielded significantly higher rates of completed registrations (P CONCLUSIONS: Our technical efforts expanded MyNRMN\u27s membership base and increased connections between members. Other platform development teams can learn from these efforts to increase enrollment among underrepresented groups and foster continuing, successful engagement