Comparison of the Efficacy of Graft Types Used in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery

Approximately 200,000 Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries occur per year in the United States with 100,000 to 150,000 of these undergoing reconstruction surgery. More than three-quarters of these injuries occur in non-contact situations (i.e., when no direct contact is made with the knee at the time of injury), typically involving sudden deceleration, abrupt changes in direction, or jump landings. Due to its limited blood supply, the ACL cannot heal on its own when torn, and surgical reconstruction is the standard treatment for this injury. Graft selection is critical for optimal outcomes in ACL reconstruction. This literature review provides an up-to-date comparison of the efficacy of available tissue types—autografts (i.e., tissue taken from the patient), allografts (i.e., cadaver tissue), and synthetic materials—for ACL reconstruction. The efficacy of each graft is based on comparisons of knee stability, functional test scores, patient reported pain, and rerupture rates post-surgery. Autografts, such as the patellar tendon and hamstring tendon graft remain the most common options, with the patellar tendon autograft continuing to be considered the gold standard. The quadriceps tendon autograft shows promising preliminary results but requires further long-term research. Allografts have improved in efficacy with the removal of sterilization techniques like irradiation and may be more suitable for older, less active patients, though they carry higher rerupture risks for younger, active individuals. Synthetic grafts do not replicate human tissue accurately and are not recommended, though advances in bioengineering may offer future improvements. My review concludes that more research is needed on the long-term efficacy of the quadriceps tendon autograft, the sex disparity in ACL injuries, and the importance of individualized patient care when choosing a graft type for ACL reconstruction surgery. Additionally, greater emphasis should be placed on evidence-based decision-making in healthcare along with increased patient education about all available options to ensure they receive the best care possible

Spotting Solutions: Public Awareness Strategies for the Spotted Lanternfly

After its discovery in Berks County, PA (USA) in 2014, federal and state agricultural departments have been conducting outreach campaigns to inform the public about the spotted lanternfly (SLF), lycorma delicatula, an invasive planthopper which has spread across 17 states and poses a significant threat to several agricultural industries, particularly viticulture. Researchers have emphasized the importance of public awareness of invasive species, but most of the research and campaigns for SLF public awareness has been conducted in areas where the infestation is already well established. This research explores whether the recommendations of invasive species practitioners match the messaging preferences of college students. This includes the role of the public in invasive species management, what motivates people to care about SLF, and what visual-emotional outreach messages are most compelling. Additionally, this study critically assesses whether social media could be a successful platform for SLF awareness campaigns. The research was conducted via interviews with invasive species and SLF experts, including university professors, state university extension researchers, and USDA-APHIS employees, followed by a survey disseminated on the College of Wooster campus to undergraduate students. Results have shown that militaristic messaging commonly found in SLF outreach campaigns is largely uncompelling to college students. Furthermore, though the interviewees stated their role should be in early detection/spread prevention, college students are more likely to kill the insect as a form of management, lacking knowledge of other actions they could take. Though most respondents used social media, most were unlikely to share information about SLF on their own platforms. The results from this research could inform future invasive species outreach campaigns to more effectively raise early awareness and encourage behaviors from the public that will help prevent its spread

Ethnographic Perspective on Loans

The results of the research show that loans have a deep impact in not only the lives of borrowers but also the lives of loan officers. For borrowers, loans are tools that can generate vast economic mobility but can also generate negative emotions and financial burdens. For loan officers, it is unveiled that social and cultural capital both play an impactful role in the lending process, and the relationship between a borrower and a loan officer has a deep impact on financial outcomes. A focused understanding of the relationship between institutional banks and smaller community focused banks further reveals the trade-off between a focus on profits and personalized relationships in the industry. A deeper understanding of loans as being both economic, social and cultural tools is achieved through a combination of ethnographic interviews along with literature reviews

A Treatise on the Theory of Mersenne Numbers and Primality Testing

This thesis explores Mersenne numbers, numbers of the form $2^p-1$ where $p$ is prime. We are particularly concerned with when such numbers are themselves prime. We proceed rigorously and along a relatively consistent historical timeline, beginning with theory developed by Euclid in around 300 BCE and continuing through recent conjectures made in the late 20th century, as well as some elliptic curve theory. We start with some basic number theory and introduce the theory of quadratic residues to show that the prime factors of Mersenne numbers may only take certain forms. After that, we assume an algebraic approach to prove and discuss several primality tests, including the Lucas-Lehmer test, and Lenstra\u27s elliptic curve test, before moving on to look at the Lenstra-Pomerance-Wagstaff conjecture, concerning the distribution of Mersenne numbers

Transparency in Action: Evaluating the Influence of Taxpayer Receipt Initiatives on Public Trust in Government

This paper examines whether providing citizens with tax receipts—documents detailing how their taxes are spent—can improve trust in government. Drawing on public choice theory, rational ignorance, and principal-agent models, the study explores how information influences public perception. A difference-in-differences analysis across five countries that introduced tax receipt initiatives reveals that trust in government actually declined following their implementation. This decline intensified over time, suggesting that transparency may expose gaps between government actions and citizen expectations. While tax receipts may increase awareness, they do not inherently foster trust. The findings highlight that transparency tools like tax receipts must be paired with substantive reforms to build accountability and public confidence. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on transparency by emphasizing the context-dependent nature of information-based governance strategies

Analyzing The Impact Of Varying Levels Of Family Involvement On Firm Performance

This study explores the impact of family governance on firm performance, focusing on three key governance indicators: family board representation, family CEO presence, and full family shareholding. The theoretical foundation of the study analyzes the production function of a family firm incorporating the assumption that family members may have higher productivity in management roles for many reasons. While prior literature presents mixed findings, this study finds a weak statistically significant negative relationship between family board representation and firm performance. However, there was no statistically significant relationship between the other two governance variables and firm performance. Instead we find that firm size, industry and region play a significant role in determining the performance of firms. To ensure robust analysis, log transformations and a trimmed sample approach were applied to address non-normality and outliers. Additionally, three separate OLS regressions were conducted for each governance indicator, incorporating industry and region fixed effects to control for unobserved heterogeneity. The findings challenge the assumption that family governance inherently improves efficiency, instead highlighting its context-dependent effects. While the study provides valuable insights, limitations such as potential endogeneity remain. Future research should use panel data methods or instrumental variables to strengthen the validity of these findings. Lastly, this research underscores the need for balanced governance structures, where family influence is complemented by professional management. Family firms should be versatile and must be open to adopting new efficient strategies as they grow in size

Build, Bust and Rebuild: Micropolitan Transportation in Wooster, Ohio

The preceding research pertains to transportation as experienced in micropolitan areas. Micropolitan areas are a designation that is under researched. This is done by way of triangulation of qualitative data surrounding the provision of transportation in the city of Wooster, Ohio. Special attention is given to the role of nonprofits, with Wooster’s case including the nonprofit Community Action of Wayne/Medina. Data is collected via online archives, current webpages, and data provided in the Wooster public library. It was found that the city of Wooster experiences a “build, bust, and rebuild” style of transportation provision, swinging from private contracting to public acquisition. This characterizes micropolitan areas as lacking a formal agency to aid in coordinating service

Reverse Engineering a Bluetooth Application: Discovering the Secrets of a Makeup Printing Device

The abundance and ubiquity of small, bespoke, Internet of Things (IoT) devices has widened a growing knowledge gap between what is understood about them and their actual capabilities. Thousands of new devices are released each year, where each variety can see millions of units produced and sold. Closing or narrowing this gap requires a coordinated analysis effort, necessitating bolstered numbers of individuals with the knowledge to address this issue. However, without access to source code, build system, and detailed software/hardware documentation, this cannot be done in the traditional analysis or forward engineering paradigm. In contrast, reverse engineering is the iterative process and methodology by which hardware and software can be understood with little or no access to the information and resources the developers used to make a given device. This paper serves as a guide on how to approach and successfully reverse engineer a device to the point of being able to augment its’ functionality