A Quantitative Assessment and Comparison of Conceptual Learning in Online and Classroom-Instructed Anatomy and Physiology

Online and virtual technologies have allowed higher education institutions to expand educational opportunities to a broader range of students. The number of students enrolling in online courses is rapidly accelerating, and therefore performance-based evidence of the effectiveness and equivalence of such courses to enhance student learning is necessary, especially in lab-based science courses – where research is currently lacking. This study compared conceptual learning of online and on-campus students in a two-semester anatomy and physiology course sequence. Two terms of students (N=397) completed standardized pre-test and post-test assessments designed to assess content knowledge and conceptual learning based on change scores before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics were calculated to provide information on the background and equivalency of the groups with respect to certain learner variables, and a multiple regression model was used to assess the influence of learner variables on the knowledge-based assessment outcomes. The analysis showed that GPA significantly predicted performance on the learning assessment for the online treatment group, and GPA and the number of employment hours significantly predicted performance on the learning assessment for the on-campus control group. An Analysis of Covariance was used to examine the effect of course modality on learning. Both online and on-campus participants significantly improved their performance on the post-test, and there were no significant differences in learning gains between the groups. The results of this study suggest, and support previous research regarding online learning, that both online and on-campus instructional modalities can achieve the same conceptual learning goals in anatomy and physiology. The results of this study can be used to inform the ways in which learning in online anatomy and physiology courses parallels that of its physical on-campus counterpart, and prompt further research in this area. One of the most salient consequences of the present findings is the potential implications for higher education institutions regarding research, support, and transfer of online courses in the natural sciences, and further exploration of the potentials of such courses to attract and retain students

Eating attitudes, personality, and career choice in medical students

Background: Past research looking at eating disorders and perfectionism has shown a strong relationship. Recent literature looking at the relationship between perfectionism and medical students has not been as evident. But studies looking at eating disorders and medical students have found that on average medical students exhibit more disordered eating attitudes. Aims: The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between perfectionism, eating disorders, and career choices in medical students. Methods: The EAT-26, Multidimensional Perfectionism scale, and specialty interest survey were given to 140 1st and 2nd year medical students (of whom 96 returned questionnaires, a 68% completion rate) at the University of New Mexico School of medicine. Results: Of the 96 we found 25% of medical students exhibited disordered eating attitudes and/or symptoms by endorsing one of the four critical behavioral questions (N=15) or having an elevated raw score (N=9). Only approximately 50% of students noted their gender on the questionnaires. Among these we found a non-significant trend for females to have higher EAT scores than men. When compared to a previously reported undergraduate population, medical students had elevated levels of perfectionism on two of the three perfectionism subscales, specifically; self oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Finally, in the population we did not find any associations between career choices (primary care vs. technical specialty) and perfectionism scores. Conclusions and significance: We can conclude that medical students on average exhibit higher disordered eating attitudes and/ or symptoms. This is consistent with other studies that have shown the same relationship. Additionally, medical students do exhibit higher levels of perfectionism than undergraduates. This is especially true for perfectionism that is related to demanding strict self-standards and expectations and/or pleasing others. But it does not appear that perfectionistic medical students are more likely to enter a technical specialty. Finally, medical students that exhibit disordered eating attitudes do not exhibit more perfectionistic traits

Who\u27s your expert? Use of an expert opinion survey to inform development of American Psychiatric Association practice guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: For many clinical questions in psychiatry, high-quality evidence is lacking. Credible practice guidelines for such questions depend on transparent, reproducible, and valid methods for assessing expert opinion. The objective of this study was to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a method for assessing expert opinion to aid in the development of practice guidelines by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). METHODS: A snowball process initially soliciting nominees from three sets of professional leaders was used to identify experts on a guideline topic (psychiatric evaluation). In a Web-based survey, the experts were asked to rate their level of agreement that specific assessments improve specific outcomes when they are included in an initial psychiatric evaluation. The experts were also asked about their own practice patterns with respect to the doing of the assessments. The main outcome measures are the following: number of nominated experts, number of experts who participated in the survey, and number and nature of quantitative and qualitative responses. RESULTS: The snowball process identified 1,738 experts, 784 (45 %) of whom participated in the opinion survey. Participants generally, but not always, agreed or strongly agreed that the assessments asked about would improve specified outcomes. Participants wrote 716 comments explaining why they might not typically include some assessments in an initial evaluation and 1,590 comments concerning other aspects of the topics under consideration. CONCLUSIONS: The snowball process based on initial solicitation of Psychiatry\u27s leaders produced a large expert panel. The Web-based survey systematically assessed the opinions of these experts on the utility of specific psychiatric assessments, providing useful information to substantiate opinion-based practice guidelines on how to conduct a psychiatric evaluation. The considerable engagement of respondents shows promise for using this methodology in developing future APA practice guidelines

2011 Bald Eagle (\u3ci\u3eHaliaeetus leucocephalus\u3c/i\u3e) Statewide Nesting Survey

The Bald Eagle (Halioeetus leucocephalus) was extirpated as a breeding species in Nebraska for most of the 20th Century. Nebraska\u27s first active, successful, modern Bald Eagle nest was near Valley, Douglas County, in 1991 (Farrar 1991). Jorgensen et al. (2010) summarized modern Bald Eagle nesting records in Nebraska from 1950 to 2009. Jorgensen et al. (2010) noted the highest annual count of active nests was 54 in 2007. In this note we summarize the 2011 Bald Eagle nesting records in Nebraska

Economic importance of farmed parkland products to livelihood sustenance in Lau Local Government Area Taraba State, Nigeria

This research was specifically designed to determinethe economic importance of farmed parkland products as it sustains the farmers livelihood in Lau Local  Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria.A total of 80 respondents were randomly selected from 45.5% of the ward, and were interviewed using a well pretested questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using simple descriptive statistic such as percentage. The results indicate that 37.5% respondents utilized  products such as fruits, leaves and nuts, 35% utilized seeds/seedling (murichi) in Hausa language. 27.5% obtained fibres, bark and roots for medicinal purpose. 37.5% respondents retained parkland trees as source of food for their families, while 35% retained parkland products as source of income. 42.5% opined that contribution of parkland products was high to their livelihood sustenance. The other 22.5% respondents believed that parkland products contributed low to their  livelihood. Recommendation such as government should enlighten farmers through electronic and mass media on the importance of parkland products was made.Key word: Economic, importance, parkland, livelihoods

Comparison of Driver Distraction Evaluations across Two Simulator Platforms and an Instrumented Vehicle

The purpose of this work was to assess the cross-platform validity of two driving simulators and an instrumented vehicle operated on a closed driving course. Characteristics of vehicle speed and performance to an Alert Response Task were evaluated using a MiniSim, manufactured by the National Advanced Driving Simulator group, a Realtime Technologies, Inc. desktop simulator, and an instrumented 2005 Toyota Highlander. Results indicate a high degree of relative validity between the three research platforms with mean and standard deviation of vehicle speeds showing near identical patterns under various secondary task demands. Performance on an auditory Alert Response Task also showed a high degree of consistency across the three research platforms. Performance on a visual Alert Response Task appeared to be highly reactive with the testing conditions present in the instrumented vehicle evaluations. These data have practical implications for the use of driving simulators in experimentally controlled research and also make suggestions about the use of visual warnings to elicit emergency response behaviors in drivers

Pro+: Automated protrusion and critical shear stress estimates from 3D point clouds of gravel beds

The dimensionless critical shear stress (τ*c) needed for the onset of sediment motion is important for a range of studies from river restoration projects to landscape evolution calculations. Many studies simply assume a τ*c value within the large range of scatter observed in gravel-bedded rivers because direct field estimates are difficult to obtain. Informed choices of reach-scale τ*c values could instead be obtained from force balance calculations that include particle-scale bed structure and flow conditions. Particle-scale bed structure is also difficult to measure, precluding wide adoption of such force-balance τ*c values. Recent studies have demonstrated that bed grain size distributions (GSD) can be determined from detailed point clouds (e.g. using G3Point open-source software). We build on these point cloud methods to introduce Pro+, software that estimates particle-scale protrusion distributions and τ*c for each grain size and for the entire bed using a force-balance model. We validated G3Point and Pro+ using two laboratory flume experiments with different grain size distributions and bed topographies. Commonly used definitions of protrusion may not produce representative τ*c distributions, and Pro+ includes new protrusion definitions to better include flow and bed structure influences on particle mobility. The combined G3Point/Pro+ provided accurate grain size, protrusion and τ*c distributions with simple GSD calibration. The largest source of error in protrusion and τ*c distributions were from incorrect grain boundaries and grain locations in G3Point, and calibration of grain software beyond comparing GSD is likely needed. Pro+ can be coupled with grain identifying software and relatively easily obtainable data to provide informed estimates of τ*c. These could replace arbitrary choices of τ*c and potentially improve channel stability and sediment transport estimates

Improving predictions of critical shear stress in gravel bed rivers: Identifying the onset of sediment transport and quantifying sediment structure

Understanding when gravel moves in river beds is essential for a range of different applications but is still surprisingly hard to predict. Here we consider how our ability to predict critical shear stress (τ c ) is being improved by recent advances in two areas: (1) identifying the onset of bedload transport; and (2) quantifying grain‐scale gravel bed structure. This paper addresses these areas through both an in‐depth review and a comparison of new datasets of gravel structure collected using three different methods. We focus on advances in these two areas because of the need to understand how the conditions for sediment entrainment vary spatially and temporally, and because spatial and temporal changes in grain‐scale structure are likely to be a major driver of changes in τ c . We use data collected from a small gravel‐bed stream using direct field‐based measurements, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and computed tomography (CT) scanning, which is the first time that these methods have been directly compared. Using each method, we measure structure‐relevant metrics including grain size distribution, grain protrusion and fine matrix content. We find that all three methods produce consistent measures of grain size, but that there is less agreement between measurements of grain protrusion and fine matrix content

Association between Self-Reported Prior Nights’ Sleep and Single-Task Gait in Healthy Young Adults: An Exploratory Study Using Machine Learning

Failure to obtain 7-9 hours of sleep has been associated with decreased gait speed in young adults. While Machine Learning (ML) has been used to identify sleep quality in young adults, there are no current studies that have used ML to identify prior night’s sleep in a sample of young adults. PURPOSE: To use ML to identify prior night’s sleep in healthy young adults using single-task walking gait. METHODS: Participants (n=126, age 24.3±4.0yrs; 65% female) completed a survey on their prior night’s sleep and performed a 2-minute walk around a 6m track. Gait data were collected using inertial sensors. Participants were split into 2 groups (\u3c7hs or \u3e9hs: poor sleepers; 7-9hs: good sleepers) and gait characteristics were used to classify participants into each group using ML models via a 10-fold cross validation. A post-hoc ANCOVA was used to assess gait differences. RESULTS: Using Random Forest Classifiers (RFC), top 9 features were extracted. Classification results suggest a 0.79 correlation between gait parameters and prior night’s sleep. The RFC models had a 65.03% mean classification accuracy rate. Top 0.3% of the models had 100% classification accuracy rate. The top 9 features were primarily characteristics that measured variance between lower limb movements. Post-hoc analyses suggest significantly greater variances between lower limb characteristics. CONCLUSION: Good sleepers had more asymmetrical gait patterns (faster gait speed, less trunk motion). Poor sleepers had trouble maintaining gait speed (increased variance in cadence, larger stride lengths, and less time spent in single leg support time). Although the mechanisms of these gait changes are unknown, these findings provide evidence that gait is different for individuals who not receive 7-9 hours of sleep the night before. As evidenced by the high correlation co-efficient of our classification models, gait may be a good way of identifying prior night’s sleep