A Glacier Runs Through It: Effects of Late Wisconsinan Glaciation on Stream Drainage Near the Terminal Moraine Boundary in North Central Pennsylvania

Stream morphology in north central Pennsylvania has been influenced by the passage of multiple glaciers during the Quaternary period, and most recently by the Late Wisconsinan ice sheet which began to recede just 10,000 years ago. While glaciers can take a heavy erosive toll on the landscape, the Late Wisconsinan and previous glaciers stopped when they reached Pennsylvania, and as such were not as thick and did not cover the ground as long as in regions to the north. This paper examines current morphology in an area along the north central part of the state that contains both glaciated and non-glaciated regions. The research is intended to show the degree of impact from Wisconsinan glaciation on stream drainage, as well as the extent to which this impact can be spatially seen

The Effect of Body Position on Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions Testing in Neonates

The current study investigated the effects of body position on the measurement of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in newborns. DPOAE measurements are commonly used to screen for hearing loss in newborn hearing screening programs conducted in hospitals nationwide. To measure DPOAEs, a small probe is placed in the external ear canal and a series of tone pairs is presented to the ear. The ear's acoustic response to these tones is measured to determine if the infant is at risk for a hearing loss. Research in adults has indicated effects of body position on DPOAE levels and noise floor levels (Driscoll et al., 2004). However, no information is available on the effects of body position on DPOAE testing in infants, despite the fact that newborn screening is one of the primary clinical applications of DPOAEs. Participants were 47 full-term newborns recruited from the well-baby nursery. DPOAEs were measured from the right ear while the infants were in each of three body positions: lying on the left side, supine, and head raised 45 degrees from supine. DPOAE levels, noise floor levels, DPOAE/noise levels, test time, and pass/fail rate were compared across body positions to determine whether there is an optimal body position for newborn hearing screenings that would minimize test time and/or increase specificity. No statistically significant differences were found in the various DPOAE measures or screening results across body positions or between genders. Significant effects of frequency on DPOAE levels and noise floor levels were similar to those expected based on the literature (e.g., Gorga et al., 1993). The results suggest that newborn hearing screenings on infants in the well-baby nursery can be conducted in different body positions without significantly influencing the screening outcome or measurements obtained

Exposure to ambient particulate matter is associated with accelerated functional decline in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive disease with an unknown pathogenesis, may be due in part to an abnormal response to injurious stimuli by alveolar epithelial cells. Air pollution and particulate inhalation of matter evoke a wide variety of pulmonary and systemic inflammatory diseases. We therefore hypothesized that increased average ambient particulate matter (PM) concentrations would be associated with an accelerated rate of decline in FVC in IPF. METHODS: We identified a cohort of subjects seen at a single university referral center from 2007 to 2013. Average concentrations of particulate matter < 10 and < 2.5 μg/m3 (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) were assigned to each patient based on geocoded residential addresses. A linear multivariable mixed-effects model determined the association between the rate of decline in FVC and average PM concentration, controlling for baseline FVC at first measurement and other covariates. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-five subjects were included in the final analysis after exclusion of subjects missing repeated spirometry measurements and those for whom exposure data were not available. There was a significant association between PM10 levels and the rate of decline in FVC during the study period, with each μg/m3 increase in PM10 corresponding with an additional 46 cc/y decline in FVC (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Ambient air pollution, as measured by average PM10 concentration, is associated with an increase in the rate of decline of FVC in IPF, suggesting a potential mechanistic role for air pollution in the progression of disease