A New Long-tailed Weasel County Record in Shenandoah National Park

Though abundant throughout much of its range, the ecology and local geographic distribution of Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel) is not well-known, especially in the central Appalachian Mountains. In 2015, we conducted a camera study in rock outcrop habitats within Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Our objective was to determine the presence of mammals considered uncommon in these habitats. After 2,016 trap nights, we report eleven photographic captures of Long-tailed Weasels at eight sites. Two of these sites represent the first record of this species in Rappahannock County, Virginia. These detections represent the first record of Long-tailed Weasels in Shenandoah National Park in 60 years and extend their known range within the Park

Biodegradable nano-films for capture and non-invasive release of circulating tumor cells

Selective isolation and purification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from whole blood is an important capability for both clinical medicine and biological research. Current techniques to perform this task place the isolated cells under excessive stresses that reduce cell viability, and potentially induce phenotype change, therefore losing valuable information about the isolated cells. We present a biodegradable nano-film coating on the surface of a microfluidic chip, which can be used to effectively capture as well as non-invasively release cancer cell lines such as PC-3, LNCaP, DU 145, H1650 and H1975. We have applied layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to create a library of ultrathin coatings using a broad range of materials through complementary interactions. By developing an LbL nano-film coating with an affinity-based cell-capture surface that is capable of selectively isolating cancer cells from whole blood, and that can be rapidly degraded on command, we are able to gently isolate cancer cells and recover them without compromising cell viability or proliferative potential. Our approach has the capability to overcome practical hurdles and provide viable cancer cells for downstream analyses, such as live cell imaging, single cell genomics, and invitro cell culture of recovered cells. Furthermore, CTCs from cancer patients were also captured, identified, and successfully released using the LbL-modified microchips

Baseline mitral regurgitation predicts outcome in patients referred for dobutamine stress echocardiography

Purpose: A number of parameters recorded during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) are associated with worse outcome. However, the relative importance of baseline mitral regurgitation (MR) is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated implications of functional MR with long-term mortality in a large cohort of patients referred for DSE. Methods: 6745 patients (mean age 64.9±12.2 years) were studied. Demographic, baseline and peak DSE data were collected. All-cause mortality was retrospectively analyzed. DSE was successfully completed in all patients with no adverse outcomes. Results: MR was present in 1019 (15.1%) patients. During a mean follow up of 5.1±1.8 years, 1642 (24.3%) patients died and MR was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (p<0.001). With Kaplan-Meier analysis, survival was significantly worse for patients with moderate and severe MR (p<0.001). With multivariate Cox regression analysis, moderate and severe MR (HR 2.78; 95% CI 2.17 - 3.57; and HR 3.62; 95% CI 2.89 - 4.53, respectively) were independently associated with all-cause mortality. The addition of MR to C statistic models significantly improved discrimination. Conclusions: MR is associated with all-cause mortality and adds incremental prognostic information among patients referred for DSE. The presence of MR should be taken into account when evaluating the prognostic significance of DSE results

Decreased aortic growth and middle aortic syndrome in patients with neuroblastoma after radiation therapy

Background: Long-term CT follow-up studies are required in pediatric patients who have received intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) to assess vascular toxicities and to determine the exact complication rate. Objective: To analyze with CT the effects of radiation therapy (RT) on the growth of the aorta in neuroblastoma patients.Materials and methods Abdominal CT scans of 31 patients with intraabdominal neuroblastoma (stage II–IV), treated with RT (20 IORT±EBRT, 11 EBRT alone), were analyzed retrospectively. The diameter of the abdominal aorta was measured before and after RT. These data were compared to normal and predicted normal aortic diameters of children, according to the model of Fitzgerald, Donaldson and Poznanski (aortic diameter in centimeters = 0.844 + 0.0599 × age in years), and to the diameters of a control group of children who had not undergone RT. Statistical analyses for the primary aims were performed using the chi-squared test, t-test, Mann-Whitney test, nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pairs test and analysis of variance for repeated measures. Clinical files and imaging studies were evaluated for signs of late vascular complications of neuroblastoma patients who had received RT. Results: The mean diameter before and after RT and the growth of the aorta were significantly lower than expected in patients with neuroblastoma (P<0.05 for each) and when compared to the growth in a control group with normal and nonirradiated aortas. Among the patients who had received RT, there was no difference due to the type of RT. Seven patients from the IORT±EBRT group developed vascular complications, which included hypertension (five), middle aortic syndrome (two), death due to mesenteric ischemia (one) and critical aortic stenosis, which required aortic bypass surgery (two).Conclusion Patients with neuroblastoma who had received RT showed impaired growth of the abdominal aorta. Significant long-term vascular complications occurred in seven patients who received IORT±EBRT. Thus, CT evaluation of patients with neuroblastoma who receive RT should include not only reports of changes in tumor extension, but also documentation of perfusion, and the size and growth of the aorta and its branches over time

Loneliness and social media: A qualitative investigation of young people's motivations for use and perceptions of social networking sites

The democratisation of Internet access has incrementally changed every domain of activity and has created new business and economic models. From answering work emails to learning a new language, shopping, booking medical appointments or managing one’s finances, almost everything is attainable at the click of a button. The added implications of the rapid rise of social networking websites (SNSs), such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, have further contributed to changing the way we communicate and build new friendships. Indeed most of our social relationships are now being ‘increasingly developed and maintained online’ (Nowland, Necka & Cacioppo, 2017: 1). Ostensibly, despite improved Internet access and enhanced social connectedness, modern societies are struggling to combat loneliness. It is reported to affect people of all ages, especially young adults (16-24 and 25-34 years old) who are avid Internet and social media users (see Office for National Statistics, 2018)

MARKET SEGMENTATION APPROACH TO MODE CHOICE AND FERRY RIDERSHIP FORECASTING

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority is evaluating expanded ferry service, as required by the California legislature. Predicting ferry ridership has historically been difficult because water-transit riders often choose their travel mode based on factors other than travel time and cost. Most forecast models place a premium on time and cost and ignore other traveler attitudes. Structural equation modeling was used to identify simultaneously travel behavior and the causal relationships between a traveler\u27s socioeconomic profile and travel attitudes. These market segments were used to estimate stated-preference (SP) mode choice models for 14 alternative modes, which separated the traveler\u27s reaction to time savings by market segment and recognized that modal choices were different for market segments that were sensitive to travel stress or a desire to help the environment. The focus was on the application of the model to evaluate three future-year alternatives and to test the sensitivity of pricing policies, service changes, and alternative transit modes. These sensitivity runs included increased tolls on bridges, parking charges for Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, reduced ferry headways, alternative transit investments (express buses) in ferry corridors, and combinations of these assumptions. The results from these model runs were used to support the environmental impact statement and implementation and operations plan and were used to prioritize routes for further consideration based on the ridership potential in the corridor. Preliminary work to competitively position a ferry system that maximizes ferry mode share based on the market segments in the corridor was undertaken for a few routes