Maryville University

Anurans use multiple cues to select microhabitats, such as those mimicked by PVC pipes, which are commonly used to research treefrog populations. However, there is limited information regarding how the choice to reside in a pipe may be affected by the presence of a conspecific already using the pipe. This study tested whether treefrogs of the Gray Treefrog and Cope's Gray Treefrog complex were more likely to be found singly in PVC pipes or in same-sex or opposite sex groups. A total of 316 treefrogs were marked and followed during summer over a 7-year period, resulting in 907 captures. A contingency table analysis was conducted to assess the independence of social condition (alone or in a group), sex, and year. A second contingency table analysis was conducted on those found in groups to determine the independence of group condition (same-sex or opposite sex), sex, and year. The first analysis indicated a significant association between year and social condition only, with treefrogs more likely to be residing in pipes singly (73% found alone). The second analysis indicated a significant association between year and group condition and year and sex, with same-sex groups (17%) being more common than opposite-sex groups (8%). Both male and female treefrogs appear less likely to occur in pipes with treefrogs already residing in them, but those that do seem more likely to reside with same-sex individuals. This association with unoccupied pipes implies that researchers should carefully assess the number of treefrogs needed to achieve the statistical power required for their study and provide enough PVC pipes to house that number.

Abstract Due to climate change, permafrost regions are undergoing rapid evolution, posing a serious threat to roads, pipelines, foundations and other geotechnical infrastructure. Conventional methods for monitoring and predicting permafrost degradation have limitations in spatial coverage, temporal resolution and environmental dynamic adaptability. In recent years, the development of machine learning (ML) has opened up a new way to simulate the complex interaction between thermal state, soil properties and atmospheric variables in cold regions. This paper reviews the emerging applications of ML technology, from supervised learning models such as Random Forests (RF) and Support Vector Machines (SVM), to deep learning frameworks such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), in predicting the thawing depth of permafrost, the evolution of ground temperature and the phenomenon of thermokarst. We systematically classify the application of ML according to the input data types (remote sensing, in-situ sensors, satellite climate data) and geotechnical output variables (thermal conductivity, soil strength, bearing capacity), and discuss the practice of combining ML with physical process model to enhance the interpretability and generalization ability. This review pays special attention to the risk of soil weakening, foundation instability and infrastructure failure caused by permafrost melting in the Arctic and subarctic regions. Moreover, this paper points out the key challenges such as data scarcity, lack of cross regional mobility and lack of uncertainty quantification. By systematically integrating the latest research results, data sources, model architecture and evaluation indicators, this review provides a basic reference for researchers and practitioners engaged in climate adaptive geotechnical engineering. The research results highlight the potential of ML as a transformative tool in permafrost geotechnical engineering, thereby facilitating environmental monitoring, risk assessment and infrastructure planning.

Patients with cancer experience increased falls risk secondary to oncological treatment and cancer-related sequelae. Identifying diagnostically and prognostically accurate screening tool(s) for falls risk in populations with cancer is an important issue. Screening tests were identified in PubMed and CINAHL. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion. Data extraction was performed by 1 reviewer and verified by a second. Tests were investigated for clinical utility, validity, diagnostic accuracy, and predictive capacity. Recommendations for screening measures were formulated using predetermined criteria. Falls risk screening tools were identified for populations with cancer. Of 532 articles screened, 24 articles were included. Fifty-five variations of screening measures were identified, of which 47 had sufficient clinical utility. Twenty measures contained data on diagnostic accuracy or predictive capacity. No screening measure metall criteria to be highly recommended for both ruling in and ruling out falls risk currently (diagnostic accuracy) or in the future (predictive capacity). History of falls demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for ruling in immediate falls risk (specificity 98.9%, positive predictive value 84.6%). A negative falls history was highly indicative of lower future falls risk status (negative predictive value 82.5% to 90.1%). Fear of falling demonstrated accuracy for ruling out immediate risk for falls (negative predictive value 87.0%, sensitivity 88.7%). Strong predictive capacity was demonstrated with the Timed "Up & Go" (TUG) Standard (sensitivity 93% at ≤7.8s, specificity 95% at ≥11.35s). Based on these results, a history of falls plus either the TUG Standard for those with a history of falls or subjective report of fear of falling for those without a history of falls is recommended for risk screening in populations with cancer. Different screening tools are required for immediate versus future falls risk and are setting dependent.

PurposeThis study aims to develop analytical models that consider product quality and production volume as essential drivers for profitability in the marketplace. It also considers product demand and price dynamics to understand related nuances backed by empirical validation.Design/methodology/approachThe pricing mechanism is influenced by production quality, while product demand is influenced by both price and quality. The study considers cost elements, including production cost and quality loss cost which in turn are influenced by production volume and product quality. It establishes analytical conditions for optimal product quality and applies them to numerical analyses considering four distinct industry settings.FindingsThe study reveals that unique solutions exist for optimal product quality at each production level in four industry scenarios. The optimal production volume depends on product quality, and empirical research validates these findings from analytical models and numerical analysis.Originality/valueThis study represents a pioneering effort to investigate operational strategies in both analytical and empirical contexts, thus contributing to the existing body of knowledge in this area.

Clinical exercise physiologists (CEPs) are allied health care professionals who apply evidence based strategies to design, implement and supervise exercise programming for those with chronic diseases, conditions and/or physical limitations. They also are qualified to assess, prescribe, and monitor therapeutic exercise and implement lifestyle behavior techniques. The CEP is employed in a variety of settings and populations such as cardiac rehabilitation (CR), pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiology exercise testing laboratories, oncology, metabolic disorders, obesity/bariatric surgery and other settings; however, there is uncertainty of job tasks required within the workforce. PURPOSE: Describe the prevalence of CEPs working in CR in the United States and their job tasks. METHODS: CR program managers in the United States were sent an email invitation to participate in an electronic survey from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Depending on the participant’s responses, the final survey could be as few as 11 and up to 44 required multiple choice questions RESULTS: Among 297 CR programs, 86% (n = 256) stated they staff a clinical exercise professional. The minimum level of degree for clinical exercise staff was n = 236 (92%) bachelor’s and n = 20 (8%) master’s. A clinical internship was required before hire in n = 104 (41%) programs. The mean number of internship hours required was 600 + 492 (range = 50-2080). The ACSM clinical exercise physiology credential was preferred or required within 1 year 70% (n = 178) programs. Job tasks performed by clinical exercise staff in these CR programs were provided patient education (99%), measured blood pressure via auscultation (98%), monitored ECG during exercise (96%), assessed patient symptoms (94%), measured blood glucose (89%), and screened patients entering CR (84%). CONCLUSIONS: Findings revealed important commonalities among CEP skills and responsibilities. The level of autonomy in CR demonstrates the importance of fusing clinical education within exercise science curricula using experiential learning in clinical internships for adequate workforce preparation.

This article shares an updated structure for school nurse evaluation using the School Nursing Practice Framework and the fourth edition of the School Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. This evaluation structure is modeled on work originally published in the January 2020 issue of NASN School Nurse. The original linking of the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice and the 3rd edition of the School Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice allowed the school nurse and their evaluators to understand the complex roles and responsibilities of the school nurse. This updated version incorporates the growing understanding of social issues and complex health concerns impacting school nursing practice. The School Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (4th ed.) competencies recognize issues including emerging technologies, structural barriers to health, and the complex health needs of students in an environment of inequities, violence, and underfunding, as well as the impact of natural disasters, public health crises, human migration, and social media on students. The updated School Nursing Practice Framework (Framework) likewise incorporates an understanding of the foundational aspect of the standards and the interconnectedness of the key principles. Our revised evaluation tool accomplishes the integration of the revised Framework with the updated standards of school nursing practice.

A variety of submaximal exercise tests are commonly used in clinical practice to determine an individual’s exercise capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness. This study explored differences in cardiorespiratory and perceived exertion responses following the completion of three set-paced exercise tests. A prospective, observational, cross-sectional design assessed 30 healthy communityd-welling older adults, who participated in three submaximal exercise tests, including seated marching (SM), standing marching (STM), and standing stepping (STS). Each test was three minutes in length and required the participant to step at a set pace. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and submaximal oxygen uptake (VO2) were measured before and after each test. Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction tested for differences. Statistically significant differences between pre and post exercise values were noted for HR, SBP, RPE and VO2 (p < 0.01) between the three activities. Additionally, 3-minutes of standing stepping triggered the highest cardiorespiratory responses with a mean metabolic equivalent (MET) of 6.18 compared to seated stepping that triggered the lowest responses with a mean MET value of 1.98. The results of this study provide meaningful data on significant differences noted in cardiorespiratory and perceived exertion elicited following the completion of three set-paced stepping exercises. Based on the results, STM and STS can be categorized as moderate intensity activities, while three minutes of set paced SM is light intensity activity. Further research is warranted to validate these findings in older adults with multiple comorbidities and in those consuming cardiac medications that alter hemodynamic responses.