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Comparing Student Performance and Perceived Learning Between In-Person and Online Sections of an Undergraduate Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory Course
No full textOnline laboratory courses are increasingly common in undergraduate science education, but their effectiveness relative to in-person laboratories remains unclear. This study compared students’ academic performance and perceived learning outcomes between online and in-person anatomy and physiology laboratory sections at the University of South Dakota. Final course grade distribution between the two modalities across three semesters (n = 158 in-person and n = 312 online) was analyzed, and student perceptions of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning were assessed using the CAP Perceived Learning Scale instrument in post-course surveys (n = 81 in-person and n = 37 online). Grade distributions across instructors differed significantly between modalities, with online students attaining a higher median grade and a higher proportion of A letter grades. However, when analyses were restricted to sections taught by one instructor, grade differences between modalities were no longer statistically significant, which suggests that instructor variability may have contributed to the observed modality effects. No differences were observed in perceived learning outcome scores between modalities across domains, regardless of whether all course sections were compared or just those taught by the same instructor, suggesting there was comparable perceived learning across modalities
Mutual Sensitivity Between Caregivers Predicts Infant Affective State During Video Chat
No full textInfancy is an extraordinary period of human development, in which babies turn sensory and environmental information into meaning in the cradle of their caregivers\u27 affective and attentional cues. Babies express what they are thinking and feeling through smiles and gazes long before they develop expressive language. Most developmental research focuses on mother‐infant dyads within a controlled lab environment, despite the complexity of young children\u27s caregiving ecosystems, which range far beyond the mother‐child dyad and include caregivers at a distance via technology like video chat. This study uses a novel state space approach to examine relations between the sensitivity of two caregivers—what we call “mutual sensitivity”—and infants\u27 real‐time affective and attentional states during video chat sessions. In this analysis of recorded semi‐naturalistic video chat interactions from 47 triads (parent, infant, and on‐screen grandparent), we find that mutual sensitivity toward the infant is associated with concurrent infant positive, alert affective states (low‐medium arousal and positive valence). However, contrary to our second hypothesis, we did not find associations between mutual caregiver sensitivity and infants\u27 real‐time likelihood that they would concurrently engage in joint attention across the video chat screen. We discuss the implications of these discrepant findings across affective and attentional domains and the utility of this newly described mutual sensitivity variable to under-stand children\u27s caregiving ecosystems beyond the dyad
Bias Analysis and the Movement Toward A Bias-Free Curriculum
No full textImplicit biases within medical education can influence learners’ perceptions, clinical reasoning, and future patient interactions. This study analyzed implicit bias within the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine’s (USD SSOM) Pillar I pre‑clerkship curriculum using a two‑phase mixed‑methods approach. Phase I consisted of a subjective content analysis of randomly selected lectures across ten system blocks, examining both textual and visual materials for evidence of bias in eleven domains identified by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Phase II employed quantitative survey data from the MD Class of 2027, who rated perceived bias in lecture content, lecture images, exam content, and exam images across the same eleven categories. Subjective review revealed recurring patterns of racial and ethnic bias, particularly through overrepresentation of pathologies presented on Caucasian skin and limited diversity in clinical examples. Survey findings showed low mean bias ratings overall, though race, weight, and socioeconomic status emerged most consistently across content types. Chi‑square analysis identified race and ethnicity as the only bias domain demonstrating a statistically significant difference across content modalities (p = 0.0493). Students additionally noted that diversity dialogues were effective in raising awareness of bias within medical instruction. Recommendations include diversifying imagery, varying patient demographics in clinical vignettes, incorporating disability and weight diversity in physical examination examples, and developing a standardized bias‑avoidance checklist for faculty. This study highlights areas for improvement in the curriculum and provides actionable strategies to reduce implicit bias and promote equitable medical education.https://red.library.usd.edu/spp/1015/thumbnail.jp
In the living room and across the screen: Intergenerational play between infants and grandparents.
No full textIn‐person co‐play between infants and adults develops rapidly during infancy, but little research has examined how families play together over video chat. Research demonstrates that video chat may support family connections, especially with grand-parents and other family members separated by physical location. However, video chat interactions also place significant socio‐cognitive demands on infants that may impact the frequency and variety of family play. The present study examines predictors of intergenerational virtual play compared to in‐person play. We conducted an OSF pre‐registered secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal study of 47 infant‐parent‐grandparent triads who recorded up to three naturalistic Zoom video chats and a session when they met in person. All instances of attempted infant‐grandparent play were coded for playful activity type(e.g., dancing, hide & seek), duration, and whether the infant was successfully engaged in play (e.g., responded by smiling, vocalizing or imitating). Descriptive analyses revealed variability in play between families and across sessions. To capture the variety of ways in which grandparents, parents and infants played together, we fit growth models to predict the frequency of play bouts, the number of different types of playful activities observed (play repertoire), the proportion of time engaged in play, the proportion of play bouts for which infants were positively engaged, and the proportion of play bouts initiated by infants during video chat sessions. Across analyses, age was the strongest predictor of infant play on video chat. We then compared video chat play to play during the in‐person session and found that play repertoire was significantly greater on video chat than in person. This study highlights the potential of digital tools to enhance intergenerational family relationships and social interactions through play. Video chat may serve as a high‐quality supplemental activity for separated families
Educational Intervention to Improve Awareness of the Female Athlete Triad Among Division I Athletes
No full textIntroduction: The Female Athlete Triad poses short- and long-term health risks for female athletes through the interrelated components of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and impaired bone health. Despite its prevalence, awareness and education surrounding the Triad remain limited, contributing to delayed recognition and care. The objective of this project was to assess baseline knowledge and comfort discussing Female Athlete Triad–related topics among Division I female athletes and to evaluate the impact of a brief educational intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions.
Methods: A community-based educational initiative was conducted in November 2025 among Division I female athletes at a single university. Participants completed anonymous electronic pre- and post-presentation surveys surrounding a 30-minute in-person educational session on the Female Athlete Triad. Surveys assessed prior exposure to education, understanding of the Triad, nutrition, bone health, likelihood of seeking medical care for menstrual irregularities, and comfort discussing related concerns. Paired samples t-tests were used to analyze changes in Likert-scale items, and a Chi-square test evaluated changes in comfort discussing health concerns.
Results: Seventy-nine female athletes completed both surveys. While most participants reported prior nutrition education, fewer had received education on bone health or menstrual health. Following the intervention, mean knowledge scores significantly improved for understanding of the Female Athlete Triad (2.16 to 4.27), the role of nutrition in athletic performance (3.95 to 4.35), and factors contributing to bone health (2.46 to 4.22) (all p \u3c 0.001). Participants also reported a significantly increased likelihood of seeking medical evaluation for irregular menstrual periods (3.19 to 4.10, p \u3c 0.001). Comfort discussing concerns with coaches, trainers, or healthcare providers improved, with more participants selecting “yes” and fewer selecting “unsure” (p = 0.002).
Conclusions: A brief, targeted educational session significantly improved Division I female athletes’ knowledge of the Female Athlete Triad and increased comfort with help-seeking behaviors. These findings support the feasibility and impact of structured Triad education as a preventive strategy and highlight opportunities to integrate concise education into athletic programs and pre-participation sports physicals
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES IN A SCHOOL-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: INSIGHTS FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING
No full text(School-based mentoring programs) SBMPs have demonstrated beneficial outcomes for mentees, mentors, and overall school culture; however, their effectiveness was highly dependent on intentional implementation and the educators who facilitated them. Limited research exists on how SBMPs were practically introduced, structured, and sustained; thus underscoring the need for deeper examination of successful implementation practices. Therefore, this case study explored the implementation of SBMPs within a specific elementary school, focusing on mentors’ perceptions and experiences. The researcher sought to understand mentors’ roles within the program, including their successes and challenges, the training and support they received, and how implementation conditions influenced their ability to fulfill their mentorship responsibilities effectively. Participants included 12 certified educators serving as mentors in an elementary school. Data were triangulated through observations, interviews, and focus groups to capture the complexity of the mentorship experience. Rich, detailed descriptions were used to support transferability to other educational settings. Analysis revealed four central themes related to SBMP implementation: (a) forming the foundation; (b) building mentoring relationships; (c) perceptions of mentee, mentor, and school outcomes; and (d) improving school-wide mentoring. Findings indicated that successful SBMPs relied on a structured framework that included clear objectives, intentional planning, comprehensive organizational training, and ongoing support. Additionally, building mentor-mentee relationships was essential for fostering trust, belonging, growth, and positive outcomes, ultimately contributing to an enhanced school culture. These findings offered practical insights and recommendations for school leaders, educators, families, and policymakers
Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy in Association with Statin Exposure
No full textStatins are first-line therapy for hyperlipidemia and are widely prescribed in primary care. Although generally safe, they carry rare but serious risks that must be considered on an individual basis. One such complication is immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), an autoimmune condition characterized by persistent muscle weakness and elevated creatine kinase (CK) despite discontinuation of the statin. We describe an 87-year-old man with a history of atorvastatin intolerance who was reinitiated on the medication five years later. Shortly thereafter, he developed progressive weakness, recurrent hospitalizations, and ultimately was diagnosed with IMNM confirmed by biopsy and HMG-CoA reductase antibodies. Despite treatment with immunosuppressive therapy, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away. This case highlights IMNM as a critical diagnostic consideration in patients presenting with persistent myalgias and CK elevation following statin withdrawal, underscoring the importance of early recognition and intervention in improving outcomes
Accession Numbers for N1 Publication
No full textThis is the supplemental information for a manuscript on sars-cov-2.https://red.library.usd.edu/data/1004/thumbnail.jp
Spatiotemporal mapping of invasive yellow sweetclover blooms using Sentinel-2 and high-resolution drone imagery
No full textYellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.; MEOF) is an invasive forb pervasive across the Northern Great Plains in the United States, often linked to traits such as wide adaptability, strong stress tolerance, and high productivity. Despite MEOF\u27s prevalent ecological-economic impacts and importance, knowledge of its spatial distribution and temporal evolution is extremely limited. Here, we aim to develop a spatial database of annual MEOF abundance (2016–2023) across western South Dakota (SD) at 10 m spatial resolution by applying a generalized prediction model on Sentinel-2 imagery. We collected in situ quadrat-based total vegetation cover with MEOF percent cover estimates across western SD from 2021 through 2023 and synthesized with other available percent cover estimates (2016–2022) of several federal, state, and non-governmental sources. We conducted drone overflights at 14 sites across Butte County, SD in 2023 to develop very high spatial resolution (4–6 cm) and accurate MEOF cover maps by applying a random forest (RF) classification model. The field-measured and uncrewed aerial system (UAS) derived MEOF percent cover estimates were used to train, test, and validate a RF regression model. The predicted MEOF percent cover dataset was validated with UAS-derived percent cover in 2023 across four sites (out of 14 sites). We found that the variation in the Normalized Difference Moisture Index and Distance to roads were among the top predicting variables in predicting MEOF abundance. Our predictive model yielded greater accuracies with an R2 of 0.76, RMSE of 15.11 %, MAE of 10.95 %, and MAPE of 1.06 %. We further validated our 2023 predicted maps using the 3 m resolution PlanetScope imagery for regions where field samples could not be collected in 2023. The database of MEOF abundance showed consecutive years of average or above-average precipitation yielded a higher MEOF abundance across the study region. The database could assist local land managers and government officials pinpoint locations requiring timely land management to control the rapid spread of MEOF in the Northern Great Plains. The developed invasive MEOF percent cover datasets are freely available at the figshare repository (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.29270759.v1, Saraf et al., 2025)
INVESTIGATION OF HETEROSYNAPTIC LONG-TERM POTENTIATION OF NON-NOCICEPTIVE SYNAPSES, SYNAPTICALLY RELEVANT KINASE DISCOVERY, AND VIRTUAL SCREENING FOR A PKMZ INHIBITOR IN HIRUDO VERBANA
Full text linkThere is a considerable lack in efficacy for current chronic pain treatments. One therapy that has gained attention are cannabinoid-based medications. However, preclinical and clinical trials do not produce anti-nociceptive results consistently and occasionally produce pro-nociceptive results. Understanding this ambiguity between anti-nociceptive and pro-nociceptive effects is vital to cannabinoids’ future utilization. One symptom of chronic pain conditions is allodynia in which pain is perceived following non-painful stimuli. This may be due to non-nociceptive afferents activating nociceptive circuitry in an abnormal manner. Using the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, we have begun to elucidate mechanisms by which endocannabinoids strengthen non-nociceptive afferent synapses. Previous work has shown that high-frequency stimulation of a nociceptor causes potentiation not only homosynaptically in the nociceptive synapse, but also heterosynaptically in the non-nociceptive synapses. This heterosynaptic potentiation occurs via endocannabinoid-mediated depression of a GABAergic interneuron that normally inhibits the non-nociceptive synapse. When the inhibitory interneuron is depressed, this disinhibits the non-nociceptive synapse which then potentiates for at least an hour. Paired-pulse facilitation studies indicated that this potentiation was due to postsynaptic mechanisms instead of the presynaptic mechanism that would be expected with just disinhibition. This suggests that there is more than just disinhibition mediating potentiation of the non-nociceptive synapses. Electrophysiological experiments indicated that postsynaptic NMDA receptors and the kinases CamKII, and PKCZ were involved (Chapter 2). To identify and characterize kinases potentially contributing to synaptic plasticity, we searched a Hirudo transcriptome to identify CamKII, PKCZ, PKA, and PKCA and then expressed these kinases and confirmed their ATP-binding ability (Chapter 3). PKCZ and more specifically, its truncated form, PKMZ are exciting targets because PKMZ lacks a regulatory pseudosubstrate. This constitutive function has been thought to contribute to memory formation and may also contribute to chronic pain. However, a barrier to studying PKMZ function for memory or pain is that the current inhibitor of PKMZ lacks specificity and may also inhibit CamKII at higher concentrations. To address this, we performed a high-throughput virtual screen using DOCK6 with molecules from ZINC20. The best binders were then cross-screened against CamKII, PKA, and PKCA to attempt to obtain a specific PKCZ inhibitor