Using Art to Study Science: Assessment of Creative Assignments in Student Success

A continuing project based on research in the summer of 2019, this SCARP project focused on two areas. The first was on updating the website created in the summer of 2019, including adding artwork, updating information, and including more resources for students. Due to college safety policies related to COVID-19, on-campus cataloging, digitizing, and uploading of new artwork was not feasible. However, that did not hinder editing the website in other ways. The website now includes more information on body systems, additional resources for college students, and other professional aesthetic updates. The second focus of the SCARP project was on the assessment of student learning and enjoyment based on the creative extra credit assignment offered in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (A&P). With IRB approval, researchers sent out a survey to the past six years (2014-2020) of A&P students. The survey was divided into two sections: the latter focusing on the extra credit project itself. The survey is comprised of multiple choice, leichert scale, and short answer questions, addressing different facets of the extra credit project and student experience. After gathering and consolidating the responses, researchers began analyzing data both in quantitative and qualitative formats. The results proved favorable to researchers’ hypothesis, showing that an interdisciplinary extra credit assignment improves student comprehension, boosts enjoyment, and enables mastery of A&P information and concepts

Benefits of contributing your scholarship to JMU Scholarly Commons

Poster presented at JMU Faculty Welcome

Digital Collections

Poster presented at JMU Libraries Showcase, Harrisonburg, VA

Re-envisioning the Virginia Journal of Public Health: Leveraging the Institutional Repository for Publishing Success

This case study presents what happened when new leadership for the Virginia Journal of Public Health brought new questions about journal quality, value, and impact. Conversations initially began with the liaison librarian about the nature of journal publishing and open access today. As the conversation evolved, the Digital Collections team joined the working group to think through journal publishing for this title. This session will describe this collaborative evolution and how we worked to re-envision and migrate the journal from its prior website to the university’s institutional repository. The session will feature considerations for publishing with the institutional repository, highlight the steps involved in migrating a journal from one platform to another, and offer lessons learned from the experience. This session would be appropriate for journal editors and managers, institutional repository managers, and those seeking to learn more about the behind the scenes work of academic publishing

Re-envisioning the Virginia Journal of Public Health: Leveraging the institutional repository for publishing success

Lightning talk presented at 2021 Medical Institutional Repositories in Libraries conference

A pattern of unspecific somatic symptoms as long-term premonitory signs of type 2 diabetes: findings from the population-based MONICA/KORA cohort study, 1984-2009

BACKGROUND: Unspecific symptoms often proceed a serious chronic disease condition long before the onset of the disease. The role of an unspecific premonitory symptom (UPMS) pattern as premonitory signs of subsequent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosis independent of established cardio-metabolic risk factors is unclear and therefore was examined in the present study. METHODS: The study population consisted of 10,566 participants aged 25-74 years at baseline drawn from the population-based MONICA/KORA Cohort Study conducted in 1984-2009 in the Augsburg region (Germany). Unspecific premonitory symptoms were assessed following the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8). The impact of the score on T2DM risk within a mean follow-up time of 16 years was estimated by Cox regression. RESULTS: Within follow-up, 974 newly diagnosed T2DM cases were observed. The risk for T2DM increased by a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.03 (95% CI 1.01-1.04, p value < 0.001) for a one unit increase of the UPMS score in a Cox model adjusted for age, sex and survey. Additional adjustment for cardio-metabolic risk factors attenuated this effect (HR = 1.02) but significance remained (p value = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Suffering from an elevated burden of unspecific somatic symptoms is associated with T2DM long before the onset and independent of established cardio-metabolic risk factors. Further research is needed to obtain insight in potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms

Development and evaluation of large-enrollment, active- learning physical science curriculum

Abstract. We report on the initial field tests of Learning Physical Science (LEPS), a new curriculum adapted from Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET). PSET is an inquiry-based, hands-on, physical science curriculum that includes an explicit focus on nature of science and nature of learning. PSET was developed for small enrollment discussion/lab settings. The Learning Physical Science (LEPS) curriculum maintains the same research-based learning principles as PSET but is suitable for classes taught in lecture format. LEPS has been field tested by eight instructors at different universities. In this paper, we describe the adaptation process, the resulting LEPS curriculum, and present student learning outcomes for LEPS and PSET

Pharmacokinetics of a long-acting subcutaneous eprinomectin injection in semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) - a pilot study

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are exposed to the pathogenic parasitic nematode Elaphostrongylus rangiferi during grazing. The severity of disease is dose-dependent. Prophylactic anthelmintic treatment is needed to improve animal health and reindeer herding sustainability. Herds are traditionally only gathered once during the summer, requiring a drug with a persistent effect. In this study we investigated the suitability of long-acting eprinomectin, given as a single subcutaneous injection at 1mg/kg bodyweight in adult reindeer and calves. Plasma and faeces concentrations were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Plasma concentrations remained above the presumed effect level of 2ng/mL for 80 days, demonstrating the drug's potential. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to other species using allometric scaling. Calves and adults had slightly different profiles. No viable faecal nematode eggs were detected during treatment. Eprinomectin was measurable in the reindeer faeces up to 100 days, which is of environmental concern