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Study abroad by U.S. students, despite recent growth into non-western and rural destinations, often remains focused on cities, often very large and highly urbanized ones. While the destination cities for study abroad are located across the globe, European cities remain predominant, and thus, this article focuses on study abroad in one city. The very purpose of study abroad is greatly magnified in the city precisely because the city provides so many of those challenges and opportunities required of effective pedagogical strategies in cultural awareness. This article looks at how experiential learning activities can be employed to support greater tolerance for diversity in an era of globalization by using a case study from a study abroad course on the urban landscapes of LGBT communities in Paris. Drawing on National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) guidelines for experiential learning, this article (1) proposes a theoretical approach to using the city as a laboratory for facilitating intercultural learning, understanding identity formation, and building tolerance of diversity; and (2) shows how mapping can be used to better understand the complexity and specificity of urban landscapes and the identities they generate. (Contains 1 endnote.)

To better understand the ecology of coldwater fishes in urban‐dominated landscapes, factors influencing seasonal brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) habitat use were assessed using backpack electrofishing surveys in three urban groundwater‐fed streams in central Ontario. Generalised additive models revealed that yearling brook trout (<100 mm TL) were primarily influenced by water quality (stream temperature, conductivity), while older brook trout (≥100 mm TL) were primarily influenced by stream morphology (water depth, undercut bank volume). Colder stream temperatures were preferred by yearlings in summer, whereas they occupied the warmest temperatures available in winter and spring. Yearlings were never found in sites with high stream conductivity (≥ 900 µs/cm), regardless of season, which may be attributed to poor water quality in stream sections with stormwater influence. Older brook trout were found mainly at intermediate pool depths in spring and summer, while there was a greater range of depths used during the spawning season. Undercut banks were important for older brook trout occupancy at all times of year. The protection of groundwater aquifers in urban watersheds is recommended to maintain optimal temperature regimes for the persistence and successful recruitment of native brook trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) from Lake Ontario were establishing a year‐round population in a tributary stream or migrating to the lake, we assessed population and individual movement patterns using mark–recapture assessment generated from weekly backpack electrofishing from May until November 2016. Round goby abundance was low in spring, peaked in summer and decreased again in autumn, suggesting seasonal inward stream migration and outward migration back to the lake. Adult round goby movement patterns were positively associated with changes in water temperature, but this was not the case for juveniles. Juveniles displayed a preference for shallow, upstream habitats. Observations of reproductive individuals coupled with a peak in juvenile abundance following the peak in adult abundance indicate that the tributary was used for reproduction and recruitment. The individual movement was primarily upstream in spring, and there was little net movement in summer, likely during reproduction. Downstream movement occurred in autumn over a short time period, suggesting rapid outmigration to the lake. The combined observations of seasonal population structure and individual movement suggest that tributary streams connected to large, infested waterbodies can be used for round goby reproduction and recruitment, rather than year‐round residence. This study provides evidence of round goby seasonal migration and their individual movement patterns within tributary streams, which complements an earlier study in Lake Erie tributaries and may be a common occurrence in other Great Lakes tributaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to determine whether uninsured breast cancer patients are more likely to present with advanced disease relative to insured patients. We retrospectively reviewed newly diagnosed breast cancer patients over a 27-month period. Patients were sorted based on insurance status at diagnosis. Demographic and tumor-specific data were collected and analyzed using nonparametric testing. We identified 276 breast tumors in 260 patients. Out of the 260 patients, 71 patients (27.3%) were uninsured and were more likely to be black (P < 0.05), present with a breast-specific complaint rather than an abnormal mammogram (P < 0.05), and present with more advanced disease (52% stage II or worse vs 26.6% in the insured population; P < 0.01). Percentage of invasive carcinoma and tumor biology were independent of insurance status. Insured patients were more likely to receive surgery as first therapy (76.5 vs 46.0%, P < 0.01), whereas uninsured patients were more likely to receive chemotherapy suggesting multimodality treatment. Uninsured patients had a longer time to therapy initiation (56.0 days vs 44.5 days, P < 0.05). Our study confirms that uninsured patients present with higher stage disease are more likely to have breast-specific complaints and are more likely to require chemotherapy as first-line treatment confirming the under-utility of screening mammography within our uninsured patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field research campaign, the Hail Spatial and Temporal Observing Network Effort (HailSTONE), was designed to obtain physical high-resolution hail measurements at the ground associated with convective storms to help address several operational challenges that remain unsatisfied through public storm reports. Field phases occurred over a 5-yr period, yielding hail measurements from 73 severe thunderstorms [hail diameter ≥ 1.00 in. (2.54 cm)]. These data provide unprecedented insight into the hailfall character of each storm and afford a baseline to explore the representativeness of the climatological hail database and hail forecasts in NWS warning products. Based upon the full analysis of HailSTONE observations, hail sizes recorded in Storm Data as well as hail size forecasts in NWS warnings frequently underestimated the maximum diameter hailfall occurring at the surface. NWS hail forecasts were generally conservative in size and at least partially calibrated to incoming hail reports. Storm mode played a notable role in determining the potential range of maximum hail size during the life span of each storm. Supercells overwhelmingly produced the largest hail diameters, with smaller maximum hail sizes observed as convection became progressively less organized. Warning forecasters may employ a storm-mode hail size forecast philosophy, in conjunction with other radar-based hail detection techniques, to better anticipate and forecast hail sizes during convective warning episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of obese patients who were treated for popliteral artery injury as a result of injuries sustained during their daily activities. It describes the conditions of the five patients and their respective daily activities that resulted to their posterior knee dislocations with significant popliteal artery injuries. It also suggests tips on how to avoid such injuries.

Circular saws and angle grinders are two of the most dangerous pieces of electrical equipment on a worksite. Besides the danger that any high-powered, sharp piece of equipment possesses, these pieces use circular saw blades that can splinter into projectile fragments. A 60-year-old male was cutting a steel pipe with a circular saw when a fragment of the 12-inch blade flew off, impaling him in the upper face just to the right of the midline. He was wearing eyeglasses, the bridge of which was driven into his skull on impact of the fragment. He was brought to the trauma center where he underwent imaging of his face and head. This revealed that the blade and his glasses had penetrated 1.2 cm into the right frontal lobe of the brain, resulting in facial fractures and intraparenchymal hemorrhage. He underwent bifrontal craniotomy, removal of the blade and his glasses, evacuation of hematoma, and dural reconstruction. Postoperatively, he was awake with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15 and no neurologic deficits. The complex nature of craniofacial injuries makes a multidisciplinary approach to these patients essential. Prompt diagnosis and treatment by the appropriate specialists are vital to optimize patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time confirmation of a tornado specified in National Weather Service (NWS) warnings and statements is believed to increase the credibility and urgency of these critical warning messages for the end user, because it represents the greatest degree of certainty that the hazard exists. This timely tornado information disseminated in official NWS products and relayed through multiple sources by private and public partners may help the public believe, personalize, confirm, and respond to the warning message. This is the first study to explicitly assess the frequency of real-time confirmation of ongoing tornadoes within NWS products and explore what unique conditions may facilitate or hinder this process. Tornado reports and their respective NWS warnings and statements during a 5-yr period from 2007 to 2011 across the central contiguous United States were compiled and examined. Overall, 40% of tornadoes were confirmed in NWS products in real time. Increasing tornado pathlength, duration, and intensity subsequently resulted in an increasing likelihood of real-time confirmation prior to the tornado dissipating. The time of day was a factor; nighttime tornadoes were 20% less likely to receive real-time confirmation than daytime events. Additionally, increasing tornado forecast risk in products issued by the Storm Prediction Center corresponded to an increasing likelihood of real-time confirmation. Analysis of these data reveals specific scenarios when tornadoes are more or less likely to be reported in real time, providing some guidance for when timely ground-truth information may or may not be available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of giant hail, defined as hail ≥102 mm (4.00 in) in diameter, is a relatively rare phenomenon, accounting for <1% of all hail reports in the United States. Despite the infrequent nature of these events, hail of this magnitude has the potential to cause extreme damage to property and a substantial threat to exposed life. The short-term prediction of these events has been challenging. For giant hail since 2005, only 7% of convective warnings and severe-weather statements issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) accurately predicted a maximum hail size ≥102 mm prior to the report, with an average underestimated size error of 55.6 mm (2.19 in). The objectives of this study are to determine the detectability of giant hail in convective storms and to improve advanced recognition of these events during NWS warning operations. A total of 568 giant-hail reports, gathered over a 15-y period from 1 January 1995 through 31 December 2009 throughout the contiguous United States, served as the primary database for the research. Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) data and North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) environmental data were collected for each case. Several radar signatures were examined to assess their utility in discriminating storms most favorable for giant hail. It was found that 99% of the storms were supercells with well-organized structure. Giant-hail producing storms were characterized by median values of rotational velocities of 24 m s-1 (47 kt), storm-top divergence magnitudes of 72 m s-1 (140 kt), and 50-dBZ and 60-dBZ echo heights of 13 100 m (43 000 ft) and 10 600 m (34 800 ft) respectively. Vertically integrated liquid water (VIL)-based products, maximum reflectivity within the storm, and reflectivity within the preferred hail-growth zone showed little to no skill in discriminating between giant hail and smaller hail sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent settlement of environmental cleanup claims against Asarco, the highest such settlement in history, highlights the incongruity between the tools at the Agency's disposal to recover cleanup costs and its actual behavior in pursuing such claims. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1990 (CERCLA) provides statutory authority that should allow EPA to force polluters to fully bear the burden of cleaning up pollution. However, despite EPA 's relative success against solvent responsible parties, EPA appears to be less aggressive in pursuing CERCLA claims against insolvent polluters, even though the Bankruptcy Code provides additional tools to give EPA an advantage relative to creditors. This Note explains the statutory advantages that EPA has under CERCLA and the Bankruptcy Code, and then explores how EPA fails to behave like a rational economic actor in pursuing its CERCLA claims. I conclude by positing political factors and budget shortfalls as two potential explanations of EPA 's behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of experiential learning activities in support of increased tolerance for diversity in an era of globalization, based on a case study from a study abroad course on the urban landscapes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Paris, France. The author proposes a theoretical approach in the use of the city as a laboratory for facilitating intercultural learning and shows the use of mapping in understanding urban landscapes and their identities.

Motorists traveling on Interstate highways are likely to have an increased vulnerability to weather hazards due to their unfamiliarity with nearby towns, limited methods to receive short-term weather information, and a general deficiency of a suitable shelter. To assess the threat, a database of 678 tornadoes, crossing primary and auxiliary Interstates across portions of the central and southeastern contiguous United States, was compiled for the period of 1990 to 2008. Approximately 17% of Interstate-crossing tornadoes impacted vehicles. Factors such as time of the day, EF-Scale rating, and travel density were examined to assess potential association with the probability of a tornado impact. This paper discusses current warning and preparedness activities in the operational meteorological community and state transportation departments, and recommends future actions and new technology to mitigate the loss of life and property from tornadoes that cross Interstate highways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to develop minimally invasive biomarker platforms to help in the identification and monitoring of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Assisting in the understanding of biochemical mechanisms as well as identifying potential novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets would be an added benefit of such platforms. This study utilizes a simplified and novel serum profiling platform, using mass spectrometry (MS), to help distinguish AD patient groups (mild and moderate) and controls, as well as to aid in understanding of biochemical phenotypes and possible disease development. A comparison of discriminating sera mass peaks between AD patients and control individuals was performed using leave one [serum sample] out cross validation (LOOCV) combined with a novel peak classification valuation (PCV) procedure. LOOCV/PCV was able to distinguish significant sera mass peak differences between a group of mild AD patients and control individuals with a p value of 10−13. This value became non-significant (p = 0.09) when the same sera samples were randomly allocated between the two groups and reanalyzed by LOOCV/PCV. This is indicative of physiological group differences in the original true-pathology binary group comparison. Similarities and differences between AD patients and traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients were also discernable using this novel LOOCV/PCV platform. MS/MS peptide analysis was performed on serum mass peaks comparing mild AD patients with control individuals. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that cell pathways/biochemical phenotypes affected in AD include those involving neuronal cell death, vasculature, neurogenesis, and AD/dementia/amyloidosis. Inflammation, autoimmunity, autophagy, and blood–brain barrier pathways also appear to be relevant to AD. An impaired VWF/ADAMTS13 vasculature axis with connections to F8 (factor VIII) and LRP1 and NOTCH1 was indicated and is proposed to be important in AD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the case studies of female patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma that metastasized to the breast. The 71-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma of the right lung received chemotherapy and radiation and underwent mastectomy after the treatment for palliative purposes. The 29-year-old woman underwent palliative chemotherapy and radiation. It also stresses the importance of distinguishing primary breast cancer and breast metastasis.

The article presents a case study of a 44-year-old man who was diagnosed with central anticholinergic syndrome (CAS), as complications after undergoing an uneventful partial right hepatectomy for a liver mass. The patient underwent a postoperative care and was given range of anesthetic agents including benzodiazepines, propofol, etomidate and opiates. The article also discusses the dosage of physostigmine as an acting cholinesterase inhibitor.

The article presents a case study of a 71-year-old woman with altered mental status after a fall and was diagnosed with subdural hematoma. The patient then underwent echocardiography method which revealed a misplaced central venous catheter and a subclavian central venous catheter in its chest X-ray imaging. The article also discusses the importance of early diagnosis of the disease.

Presents a discussion on two-dimensional flow of a non-Newtonian lubricant. Predictions of two methods of flow approximation; Comparison of Simple and Eyring models with measurements on real fluids.

The article focuses on the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following a near-drowning incident combined with low-voltage electrocution. Topics include the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) as a rescue therapy for severe ARDS, the challenges in diagnosing drowning-associated pneumonia, and the successful outcomes of ECMO treatment for drowning victims.