Determining bruise etiology in muscle tissue using finite element analysis.

Bruising, the result of capillary failure, is a common physical exam finding due to blunt trauma and, depending on location and severity, a potential indicator of abuse. Despite its clinical relevance, few studies have investigated the etiology of capillary failure. The goal of this study was to determine whether capillaries primarily fail under shear stress or hydraulic-induced tensile stress.

Water quality and management of private drinking water wells in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has over three million rural residents using private water wells for drinking water supplies but is one of the few states that lack statewide water well construction or management standards. The study described in this article aimed to determine the prevalence and causes of common health-based pollutants in water wells and evaluate the need for regulatory management along with voluntary educational programs. Water samples were collected throughout Pennsylvania by Master Well Owner Network volunteers trained by Penn State Extension.

INCREASING SAVING BEHAVIOR THROUGH AGE-PROGRESSED RENDERINGS OF THE FUTURE SELF.

Many people fail to save what they need to for retirement (Munnell, Webb, and Golub-Sass 2009). Research on excessive discounting of the future suggests that removing the lure of immediate rewards by pre-committing to decisions, or elaborating the value of future rewards can both make decisions more future-oriented. In this article, we explore a third and complementary route, one that deals not with present and future rewards, but with present and future selves.

Soil acidity and manganese in declining and nondeclining sugar maple stands in Pennsylvania.

For decades, the hardwood forests of northern Pennsylvania have been subjected to chronic atmospheric loading of acidifying agents. On marginal, high-elevation, unglaciated sites, sugar maples (Acer saccharum Marsh.) have experienced severe decline symptoms and mortality.

The influence of well construction on bacterial contamination of private water wells in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has a large population that relies on private water wells, but no statewide regulations govern the location or construction of the wells. Bacterial contamination occurs in nearly half of these water supplies, representing a health risk to rural residents. The role of large-scale aquifer contamination versus wellhead contamination from poor construction is poorly understood.