cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Underrepresented groups in gender and STEM: the case of black males in CISE

The underrepresentation of Black males in the Information Technology and Computer, Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is a problem in academia and our society. Diversity and learning go hand in hand. People of different cultural, ethnic, religious, and societal backgrounds bring their various experiences with them when they come into a classroom. The more diverse the student, teacher and professor make-up, the more perspectives they can share about any given principle or concept. Therefore, heterogeneous classrooms contribute to diversity.Having a more ethnically diverse IT field can help with the recruitment and retention of minority undergraduate students through role modeling and mentoring. The findings from this research will add to the growing body of knowledge about interventions to address underrepresentation of certain populations in the IT field. But the particular contribution is that the focus is on minority males. Researching this topic at the undergraduate level would be a starting point, but future research would allow me to study graduate students and faculty in academia to further understand underrepresentation throughout the entire academic pipeline in IT.
Duncan v. the McCaffrey Group (2011) 200 CA4th 346 133 CR3d 280

A recent Ninth Circuit decisions holds that homebuyers may state a claim for developer misrepresentations about its future sales plans despite the parol evidence rule.
Light front quark model analysis of rare B ---> K l+ l- decays

Using the light-front quark model, we calculate the transition form factors, decay rates, and longitudinal lepton polarization asymmetries for the exclusive rare $B\to K\ell^+\ell^-(\ell=e,\mu,\tau$) decays within the standard model. Evaluating the timelike form factors, we use the analytic continuation method in $q^+=0$ frame to obtain the form factors $F_+$ and $F_T$, which are free from zero-mode. The form factor $F_-$ which is not free from zero-mode in $q^+ = 0$ frame and contaminated by the higher(or nonvalence) Fock states in $q^+ \neq 0$ frame is obtained from an effective treatment for handling the nonvalence contribution based on the Bethe-Salpeter formalism. The covariance(i.e. frame-independence) of our model calculation is discussed. We obtain the branching ratios for ${\rm BR}(B\to K\ell^+\ell^-)$ as $4.96\times10^{-7}|V_{ts}/V_{cb}|^2$ for $\ell=e,\mu$ and $1.27\times 10^{-7}|V_{ts}/V_{cb}|^2$ for $\ell=\tau$.
Complications in the Treatment of Adolescent Clavicle Fractures

The authors’ study evaluates the complications associated with the treatment of clavicle fractures in adolescents. During the study period, 153 clavicle fractures occurred in patients between the ages of 14 and 17 years who were treated at the authors’ center, of which 23 (15.0%) were treated surgically. Compared to the fractures treated nonoperatively, the surgical fractures had greater shortening (mean, 2.0 vs 0.9 cm; P<.001) and were more likely to be comminuted (65.2% vs 23.1%; P<.001). Complications occurred in 21.7% of fractures treated surgically. One delayed union occurred in the nonoperative cohort, but no other complications or patients who required clavicular osteotomy for malunion. Pediatric fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons treated 78 displaced fractures, resulting in 8 (10.3%) surgeries. Nonpediatric orthopedic specialists treated 46 displaced fractures, 15 (32.6%) of which were treated operatively (P=.0035). Figure A 15-year-old boy sustained a comminuted clavicle fracture from playing football. Preoperative radiograph showing significant clavicle shortening and a vertical fragment.
Editorial commentary: A pathoanatomic approach to the management of mitral regurgitation: Best diagnosis, best referral, and best practice

The article by Badhwar et al. [1], “A pathoanatomic approach to the management of mitral regurgitation” in this issue of Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, notes that mitral regurgitation represents the most common valvular disease in the United States. It is only through an understanding of the multiple pathoanatomic changes involved with mitral regurgitation that these patients will be best served. The recent 2014 ACC/AHA guidelines [2] have changed and aligned with this approach, using the underlying pathoanatomic considerations of mitral regurgitation. Primary mitral regurgitation, a disease of the valve, should be treated aggressively and early with surgical therapy. These patients, mostly with degenerative disease, can be treated and potentially “returned” to their natural history survival curves. Referring physicians should have a clear understanding of the pathoanatomy of degenerative mitral regurgitation and whether it is a “simple” or a “complex” valve to repair. This understanding has great implications for patients’ long-term outcomes both in terms of the timing of the operation and to whom a particular patient should be referred for repair. Mitral valve repair confers known advantages to degenerative MV disease patients including lower mortality, avoidance of anticoagulation, decreased need for reoperation, and preserved left ventricular function. In essence, MV repair is potentially “curative,” as it takes the risk of degenerative MV disease from patients, as their survival following repair mirrors that of an aged-matched general population [3]. Yet a sizeable proportion of patients with degenerative MV disease continue to have valve replacements. There are several reasons why this discrepancy may exist. It is possible that there still exists a lack of awareness among physicians and patients regarding the benefit of MV repair
The Inherent Flaws in the Inherent Authority Position: Why Inviting Local Enforcement of Immigration Laws Violates the Constitution

After 9/11, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that state and local authorities have "inherent authority" as sovereigns to enforce federal immigration laws. This announcement, a reversal from previous legal positions taken by DOJ, sent shockwaves through the immigrant and law enforcement communities. Previously, immigration law had been treated, both by law and in practice, as the exclusive province of the federal government. This article considers the constitutional barriers to local enforcement. Although the fascinating interplay among immigration law, national security and anti-terrorism, and federalism has been highlighted in some of the debate up to now, the federalism-related issues go beyond mere preemption and require a fundamental examination of the proper scope of the federal immigration power. Specifically, this article argues that there is a constitutional mandate for uniform immigration laws, and DOJ's position will lead to uneven enforcement of immigration laws in violation of that mandate. As proposed by DOJ, local authorities decide for themselves whether to enforce immigration laws, and then, if they agree, they will be bound by different state laws affecting their arrest powers. This proposal will result in an unconstitutional "thousand borders," as the same immigration violation will be enforced in one jurisdiction but not in another, perhaps neighboring, jurisdiction.
The comparative genetics ofDrosophila pseudoobscura andD. melanogaster

1. Several new mutant types ofpseudoobscura are described. 2. New linkage maps of all the chromosomes are presented. 3. The known parallel mutations ofpseudoobscura andMelanogaster are discussed. 4. The following homologies are established, there being no clearly exceptional data: 5. Few or no translocations or inversions across spindle-attachments have become established since these species diverged from a common ancestor; but at least nineteen inversions within the separate arms have become established. 6. The right arm of theX inpseudoobscura has the same loci as the left limb of III inmelanogaster andsimulans. This same material lies inX inaffinis,obscura, andwillistoni. It constitutes chromosome III ofvirilis.
Ironic Devices in Manuel Rojas' Hijo De Ladron

(1965). Ironic Devices in Manuel Rojas' Hijo De Ladron. Symposium: A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 214-225.
Survey of the first case of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis in Jiangshan,Zhejiang

The first case of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis( VAPP) causing by oral live attenuated polio vaccine was reported in Jiangshan in April 2013. After epidemiological survey and analysis,it is suggested for medical staff conducting vaccination at all levels to fully recognize their responsibility and standardize the vaccination procedure to reduce the incidence of VAPP.
Changes of CD4~+CD_(25)~+ Regulatory T Cells in Children with Autoimmune Diseases

Objective Through detecting CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells(Treg)in the peripheral blood in children suffering autoimmune diseases and normal controls to learn about the changes of Tregs during the diseases and to acquire some references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods The data were reviewed for CD4+CD25+ Treg cells of the 93 children diagnosed as pediatric autoimmune disease in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from Nov.2007 to Jun.2008.Thirty-five normal children in the contempora-neous physical examination were selected as the control group.The percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and CD4+ T cells to the total T cells were determined by flow cytometric method.Data of the JRA group(22 cases),SLE group(12 cases) and HSP group(12 cases),which were the first three according to the number of cases,were respectively compared with the controls.Independent-samples t test was performed for a statistic analysis with SPSS 11.5 software.Results 1.The percentages of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells to the total T cells and CD4+ T cells in the autoimmune diseases children[(6.14±3.21)% and(21.85±11.68)%,respectively] were both higher than those in the control group[(3.68±1.02)% and(12.83±3.61)%,respectively Pa0.05].2.Children with JRA [(19.49±8.60)%,(6.22±3.11)%]or SLE[(31.04±17.38)%,(7.38±4.09)%] or HSP[(19.0±9.33)%,(5.80±2.44)%] also had higher Treg cells compared with the controls(Pa0.05).Conclusion The proportion of CD4+CD25+ Treg increased in autoimmune disease,which may contribute to the pathological process in such diseases.
cAMP-independent regulation of CFTR by the actin cytoskeleton

Pages C1552-C1561: A. G. Prat, Y.-F. Xiao, D. A. Ausiello, and H. F. Cantiello. “AMP-independent regulation of CFTR by the actin cytoskeleton.” Page C1558, Fig. 8A: units on the y-axis of the bar graph should have been 10 times larger. The corrected figure appears below. (See PDF)
Index of SuspicionCase 1: Recurrent Epistaxis in a 4-Year-Old BoyCase 2: Eosinophilia in a 5-Year-Old BoyCase 3: Feeding Intolerance in a 3-Month-Old Girl With Trisomy 21

We invite readers to contribute case presentations and discussions. Please use the Submit and Track My Manuscript link on the Pediatrics in Review homepage: http://pedsinreview.aappublications.org. A previously healthy 4-year-old boy presents for evaluation of a unilateral nose bleed refractory to compression lasting for 1.5 hours. He has had episodes of epistaxis in the past secondary to nasal manipulation but none this severe. Three weeks ago he had a runny nose and congestion, which are now resolved. His family denies vision changes, headaches, nausea, hematuria, dysuria, any known ingestions, or any skin flushing. There is no history of bleeding disorders in his family. On physical examination he is afebrile, with a heart rate of 121 beats per minute, a respiratory rate of 24 breaths per minute, a right arm blood pressure of 200/130 mm Hg, and an oxygen saturation of 99% on room air. His weight is 17 kg (50th percentile) and height is 112 cm (95th percentile). He appears well and has normal physical examination findings, with the exception of an abdominal bruit and barely palpable femoral pulses. Initial laboratory results are as follows: white blood cell count, 21,900/μL (21.9 × 109/L); absolute neutrophil count, 18,400/μL (18.4 × 109/L); absolute lymphocyte count, 2100/μL (2.1 × 109/L); hemoglobin, 9.9 g/dL (99 g/L); platelet count, 324 × 103/μL (324 × 109/L); mean corpuscular volume, 85 fL; red blood cell distribution width, 13.5%; an unremarkable peripheral blood smear; urea nitrogen, 45 mg/dL (16.1 mmol/L); creatinine, 1.39 mg/dL (123 μmol/L); and normal serum electrolyte levels. The results of thyroid function studies, coagulation profile, and urinalysis are normal. Renal ultrasonography with Doppler and head computed tomography results are interpreted as normal. Electrocardiography suggests left ventricular hypertrophy, and echocardiography reveals left ventricular hypertrophy. An additional …
Harrington instrumentation without arthrodesis and consecutive distraction program for young children with severe spinal deformities : experience and technical details

SUMMARY Spine instrumentation without fusion and with periodic distractions as the patient grows has proved to be a suitable method for children with severe spinal deformities. This procedure arrests and even improves the natural history of these deformities. The following suggestions may help for a correct technique.
Detecting in vivo urokinase plasminogen activator activity with a catalyCEST MRI contrast agent.

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) promotes tumor invasion and metastasis. The monitoring of uPA activity using molecular imaging may have prognostic value and be predictive for response to anti-cancer therapies. However, the detection of in vivo enzyme activity with molecular imaging remains a challenge. To address this problem, we designed a nonmetallic contrast agent, GR-4Am-SA, that can be detected with chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI. This agent has a peptide that is cleaved by uPA, which causes a CEST signal at 5.0 ppm to decrease, and also has a salicylic acid moiety that can produce a CEST signal at 9.5 ppm, which is largely unresponsive to enzyme activity. The two CEST signals were used to determine a reaction coordinate, representing the extent of enzyme-catalyzed cleavage of the GR-4Am-SA agent during an experimental study. Initial biochemical studies showed that GR-4Am-SA could detect uPA activity in reducing conditions. Subsequently, we used our catalyCEST MRI protocol with the agent to detect the uPA catalysis of GR-4Am-SA in a flank xenograft model of Capan-2 pancreatic cancer. The results showed an average reaction coordinate of 80% ± 8%, which was strongly dependent on the CEST signal at 5.0 ppm. The relative independence of the reaction coordinate on the CEST signal at 9.5 ppm showed that the detection of enzyme activity was largely independent of the concentration of GR-4Am-SA within the tumor tissue. These results demonstrated the advantages of a single CEST agent with biomarker-responsive and unresponsive signals for reliably assessing enzyme activity during in vivo cancer studies.
Using metrics to improve population health.

The following guidelines can help ensure that metrics are applied in meaningful ways for rewarding improved population health: Determine the problem that needs to be solved. Create a visual model that explains the causes of the problem and potential solutions. Use an acceptable metric to measure the problem over time so that change can be objectively documented. Approach selection of the problem, the solutions to be attempted, and the methods associated with each keeping continuous quality improvement in mind. Use a metric that can quantify the problem in real time at the beginning and end of the incentive period. Choose a characteristic to measure that is amenable to change. Choose a reward or penalty associated with the metric that is of sufficient value to induce the intended change. Ensure that the entity being offered the incentive has sufficient control over itself and others to change in ways and magnitudes measureable by the metric. Ensure that the entity has sufficient resources (eg, staff, funding, influence, authority) to effect the change. Determine when the incentive will be awarded (eg, at the start of the effort to effect change, throughout the effort to produce change, or withheld pending final measurement). Assure that the incentive associated with the metric will be awarded. Plan to develop new metrics if present metrics prove inadequate. The challenges associated with choosing the right metrics are many and in some sense antithetical to the ways American political, social, and economic systems work. We often chafe under regulatory and financial frameworks and game such systems to our own advantage. We can be oriented to self rather than to the "public." Nevertheless, it is possible over time to build the broader consensus necessary to improve population health. After all, as a society, we have reduced exposure to tobacco, built sanitary sewer and water systems, achieved nearly universal childhood vaccination, and met other population health goals that were once considered unlikely. Metrics are the means through which we can continue to help communities see the value of working collaboratively for the health of their residents.
Identification of donor microbe species that colonize and persist long term in the recipient after fecal transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile.

Fecal microbiota transplantation has been shown to be an effective treatment for patients with recurrent C. difficile colitis. Although fecal microbiota transplantation helps to re-establish a normal gut function in patients, the extent of the repopulation of the recipient microbial community varies. To further understand this variation, it is important to determine the fate of donor microbes in the patients following fecal microbiota transplantation. We have developed a new method that utilizes the unique single nucleotide variants of gut microbes to accurately identify microbes in paired fecal samples from the same individual taken at different times. Using this method, we identified transplant donor microbes in seven recipients 3–6 months after fecal microbiota transplantation; in two of these fecal microbiota transplantation, we were able to identify donor microbes that persist in recipients up to 2 years post-fecal microbiota transplantation. Our study provides new insights into the dynamics of the reconstitution of the gastrointestinal microbe community structure following fecal microbiota transplantation.
Building Real-Time Embedded Applications on QduinoMC: A Web-Connected 3D Printer Case Study (Outstanding Paper)

Single Board Computers (SBCs) are now emerging with multiple cores, ADCs, GPIOs, PWM channels, integrated graphics, and several serial bus interfaces. The low power consumption, small form factor and I/O interface capabilities of SBCs with sensors and actuators makes them ideal in embedded and real-time applications. However, most SBCs run non-realtime operating systems based on Linux and Windows, and do not provide a user-friendly API for application development. This paper presents QduinoMC, a multicore extension to the popular Arduino programming environment, which runs on the Quest real-time operating system. QduinoMC is an extension of our earlier single-core, real-time, multithreaded Qduino API. We show the utility of QduinoMC by applying it to a specific application: a web-connected 3D printer. This differs from existing 3D printers, which run relatively simple firmware and lack operating system support to spool multiple jobs, or interoperate with other devices (e.g., in a print farm). We show how QduinoMC empowers devices with the capabilities to run new services without impacting their timing guarantees. While it is possible to modify existing operating systems to provide suitable timing guarantees, the effort to do so is cumbersome and does not provide the ease of programming afforded by QduinoMC.
A Modification of the Otis Urethrotome as an Aid to Fascial Dilation of Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tracts

AbstractAn Otis urethrotome has been modified by drilling a 3/64-inch hole through the tip to permit passage into the kidney over a 0.038-inch guide wire. This instrument has been used to aid in the performance of 12 nephrostomy tract dilations without significant complications. When compared to 10 Amplatz tract dilations, the modified Otis method required an average of 3.6 minutes versus 8.7 minutes to dilate the nephrostomy tract to 24F. Ease of tract dilation as well as decreased time to dilate make this technique a useful adjunct to standard nephrostomy tract dilation techniques.
Sonocrystallization of Interesterified Fats with 20 and 30% of Stearic Acid at the sn-2 Position and Their Physical Blends

Physical blends (PB) of high oleic sunflower oil and tristearin with 20 and 30% stearic acid and their interesterified (IE) products where 20 and 30% of the fatty acids are stearic acid at the sn-2 position crystallized without and with application of high intensity ultrasound (HIU). IE samples were crystallized at supercooling temperatures (ΔT) of 12, 9, 6, and 3 °C while PB were crystallized at ΔT = 12 °C. HIU induced crystallization in PB samples, but not in the IE ones. Induction in crystallization with HIU was also observed at ΔT = 6 and 3 °C for IE C18:0 20 and 30% and at ΔT = 9 °C only for the 30% samples. Smaller crystals were obtained in all sonicated samples. Melting profiles showed that HIU induced crystallization of low melting triacylglycerols (TAGs) and promoted co-crystallization of low and high melting TAGs. In general, HIU significantly changed the viscosity, G′, and G″ of the IE 20% samples except at ΔT = 12 °C. While G′ and G″ of IE 30% did not increase significantly, the viscosity increased significantly at ΔT = 9, 6, and 3 °C from 1526 ± 880 to 6818 ± 901 Pa.s at ΔT = 3 °C. The improved physical properties of the sonicated IE can make them good contenders for trans-fatty acids replacers.
Sublingual pythiosis in a cat.

Pythiosis is a potentially fatal but non-contagious disease affecting humans and animals living in tropical and subtropical climates, but is also reasonably widespread in temperate climates, throughout the world. The most commonly reported affected animal species with pythiosis are equine and canine, with fewer cases in bovine and feline. Extracutaneous infections caused by Pythium insidiosum have been rarely described in the cat. Sublingual pythiosis was diagnosed in a 2-year-old, male, Domestic Shorthair cat. The cat had a multilobulated, sublingual mass present for 3 months. Histopathological examination revealed severe multifocal coalescing eosinophilic granulomatous inflammation. Centers of the inflammation contained hyphae that were 3–7 μm-wide, non-parallel, uncommonly septate and rarely branching. The fungal-like organism was identified as P. insidiosum by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent amplicon sequencing. Only a few feline pythiosis cases have been reported and, when encountered, it usually causes granulomatous diseases of the skin or gastrointestinal tract. This case presents an unusual manifestation of feline pythiosis, representing the first involving the oral cavity in cats or dogs.
Trends in self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges among homeless smokers participating in a smoking cessation RCT.

Abstract Introduction In the U.S., approximately 73% of homeless adults smoke cigarettes and they experience difficulty quitting. Homeless smokers report low self-efficacy to quit and that smoking urges are a barrier to quitting. Self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges are dynamic and change throughout smoking cessation treatment. This study examines changes in self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges throughout a smoking cessation intervention among the homeless and identifies predictors of change in these characteristics. Methods Homeless smokers (n = 430) participating in a smoking cessation randomized controlled trial in the U.S. completed surveys at baseline, and weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 26 on demographic and smoking characteristics (i.e., confidence to quit, self-efficacy to refrain from smoking, and smoking urges). A growth curve analysis was conducted by modeling change in the smoking characteristics over time and examining the variability in the change in smoking characteristics by demographic characteristics and treatment group. Results Among the full sample, self-efficacy to refrain from smoking increased linearly over time, confidence to quit increased until the midpoint of treatment but subsequently decreased, and smoking urges decreased until the midpoint of treatment but subsequently increased. There were race differences in these trajectories. Racial minorities experienced significantly greater increases in self-efficacy to refrain from smoking than Whites and Blacks had higher confidence to quit than Whites. Conclusions White participants experienced less increase in self-efficacy to refrain from smoking and lower confidence to quit and therefore may be a good target for efforts to increase self-efficacy to quit as part of homeless-targeted smoking cessation interventions. Sustaining high confidence to quit and low smoking urges throughout treatment could be key to promoting higher cessation rates among the homeless.
Using Leadership Competencies to Develop Talents into Strengths

This chapter describes how to use a leadership competency approach to help students develop their five signature themes from the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment into strengths.
A pilot systematic genomic comparison of recurrence risks of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma with low- and high-degree liver fibrosis

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leads to liver fibrosis, which is a major risk factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and an independent risk factor of recurrence after HCC tumor resection. The HBV genome can be inserted into the human genome, and chronic inflammation may trigger somatic mutations. However, how HBV integration and other genomic changes contribute to the risk of tumor recurrence with regards to the different degree of liver fibrosis is not clearly understood. We sequenced mRNAs of 21 pairs of tumor and distant non-neoplastic liver tissues of HBV-HCC patients and performed comprehensive genomic analyses of our RNAseq data and public available HBV-HCC sequencing data. We developed a robust pipeline for sensitively identifying HBV integration sites based on sequencing data. Simulations showed that our method outperformed existing methods. Applying it to our data, 374 and 106 HBV host genes were identified in non-neoplastic liver and tumor tissues, respectively. When applying it to other RNA sequencing datasets, consistently more HBV integrations were identified in non-neoplastic liver than in tumor tissues. HBV host genes identified in non-neoplastic liver samples significantly overlapped with known tumor suppressor genes. More significant enrichment of tumor suppressor genes was observed among HBV host genes identified from patients with tumor recurrence, indicating the potential risk of tumor recurrence driven by HBV integration in non-neoplastic liver tissues. We also compared SNPs of each sample with SNPs in a cancer census database and inferred samples’ pathogenic SNP loads. Pathogenic SNP loads in non-neoplastic liver tissues were consistently higher than those in normal liver tissues. Additionally, HBV host genes identified in non-neoplastic liver tissues significantly overlapped with pathogenic somatic mutations, suggesting that HBV integration and somatic mutations targeting the same set of genes are important to tumorigenesis. HBV integrations and pathogenic mutations showed distinct patterns between low and high liver fibrosis patients with regards to tumor recurrence. The results suggest that HBV integrations and pathogenic SNPs in non-neoplastic tissues are important for tumorigenesis and different recurrence risk models are needed for patients with low and high degrees of liver fibrosis.
The cytochrome c binding site on cytochrome c oxidase.

Abstract Cytochrome c was chemically coupled to cytochrome c oxidase using the reagent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) which couples amine groups to carboxyl residues. The products of this reaction were analyzed on 2.5–27% polyacrylamide gradient gels electrophoretically. Since cytochrome c binds to cytochrome oxidase electrostatically in an attraction between certain of its lysine residues and carboxyl residues on the oxidase surface, EDC is an especially appropriate reagent probe for binding-subunit studies. Coupling of polylysine to cytochrome oxidase using EDC was also performed, and the products of this reaction indicate that polylysine, an inhibitor of the cytochrome c reaction with oxidase, binds to the same oxidase subunit as does cytochrome c , subunit IV in the gel system used.
Integrated systems biology and imaging of the smallest free-living eukaryote Ostreococcus tauri

Ostreococcus tauri is an ancient phototrophic microalgae that possesses favorable genetic and cellular characteristics for reductionist studies probing biosystem design and dynamics. Here multimodal bioimaging and multi-omics techniques were combined to interrogate O. tauri cellular changes in response to variations in bioavailable nitrogen and carbon ratios. Confocal microscopy, stimulated Raman scattering, and cryo-soft x-ray tomography revealed whole cell ultrastructural dynamics and composition while proteomic and lipidomic profiling captured changes at the molecular and macromolecular scale. Despite several energy dense long-chain triacylglycerol lipids showing more than 40-fold higher abundance under N deprivation, only a few proteins directly associated with lipid biogenesis showed significant expression changes. However, the entire pathway for starch granule biosynthesis was highly upregulated suggesting much of the cellular energy is preferentially directed towards starch over lipid accumulation. Additionally, three of the five most downregulated and five of the ten most upregulated proteins during severe nitrogen depletion were unnamed protein products that warrant additional biochemical analysis and functional annotation to control carbon transformation dynamics in this smallest eukaryote.
The Influence of Transformational Leadership and Job Burnout on Child Protective Services Case Managers' Commitment and Intent to Quit

ABSTRACTJob burnout is prevalent in child welfare with turnover rates estimated between 20% and 40% nationwide. Although effective leadership has been shown to facilitate positive job attitudes and low job burnout in many industries, including healthcare organizations, limited research exists examining whether transformational leadership affects job burnout and job attitudes among child protective services (CPS) case managers. Moreover, no research exists examining whether job burnout mediates the relationships between transformational leadership and job attitudes. This study was designed to examine the relationships between transformational leadership, job burnout, and job attitudes among CPS case managers and whether job burnout mediates those relationships. Bass's theory of transformational leadership and Maslach's theory of job burnout provided the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this nonexperimental study, 197 CPS case managers (83% women) participated by completing an online survey. Result...
Continuous Improvement: A Path Towards Excellence

In what way can a focus on continuous improvements (CI) affect the transformation of a culture? The Pfizer facility in Strangnas, Sweden, has been producing large molecule biotech products since the mid 1980s. Today, the plant is a flexible multi-product facility with state-of-the-art platform technology.
Obstructive uropathy secondary to massive inguinoscrotal bladder herniation.

AbstractThe bladder is partially involved in 1 to 4% of all inguinal hernias. However, few cases of massive inguinoscrotal herniation of the bladder have been described, all of which have involved unilateral hydronephrosis. We report on a 45-year-old man with incomplete voiding and massively enlarged right scrotum along with elevated creatinine who was found to have massive inguinoscrotal herniation. Preoperative computerized tomography showed bilateral hydronephrosis. Herniorrhaphy was successfully done through an inguinal incision. The left kidney regained normal function with a decrease in creatinine levels. This case is atypical because of the presence of massive inguinoscrotal herniation with bilateral hydronephrosis. Computerized tomography has proved to be a valuable tool in diagnosing such cases. Surgical repair and reduction of hernia can be accomplished through an inguinal incision.
Image-Guided Resection of Glioblastoma and Intracranial Implantation of Therapeutic Stem Cell-seeded Scaffolds

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer, carries a life expectancy of 12-15 months. The short life expectancy is due in part to the inability of the current treatment, consisting of surgical resection followed by radiation and chemotherapy, to eliminate invasive tumor foci. Treatment of these foci may be improved with tumoricidal human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs exhibit potent tumor tropism and can be engineered to express therapeutic proteins that kill tumor cells. Advancements in preclinical models indicate that surgical resection induces premature MSC loss and reduces therapeutic efficacy. Efficacy of MSC treatment can be improved by seeding MSCs on a biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) scaffold. MSC delivery into the surgical resection cavity on a PLA scaffold restores cell retention, persistence, and tumor killing. To study the effects of MSC-seeded PLA implantation on GBM, an accurate preclinical model is needed. Here we provide a preclinical surgical protocol for image-guided tumor resection of GBM in immune-deficient mice followed by MSC-seeded scaffold implantation. MSCs are engineered with lentiviral constructs to constitutively express and secrete therapeutic TNFα-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) as well as green fluorescent protein (GFP) to allow fluorescent tracking. Similarly, the U87 tumor cells are engineered to express mCherry and firefly luciferase, providing dual fluorescent/luminescent tracking. While currently used for investigating stem cell mediated delivery of therapeutics, this protocol could be modified to investigate the impact of surgical resection on other GBM interventions.
Who sees an hourglass? Assessing citizens’ perception of local economic inequality:

The scholarly literature is observing a slow but steady growth in research exploring the effects of subnational economic inequality on political attitudes and behavior. Germane to this work is the ...
An Industrious Knave Becomes Respectable

On Adam Smith’s account in the Theory of Moral Sentiments, humanity is a soft, feminine virtue that flourishes at times of peace. It is a natural extension of the sentiment of sympathy and the actions it inspires require little self-command. Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair feels little sympathy even for the people she, as a woman, should care about most: her child and her husband. She is an unnatural woman not only because she lacks the appropriate tender sentiments but also because she excels in the typically masculine virtue of self-command. Becky uses her self-command to act in accordance with the decrees of Smith’s impartial spectator but only if and when actual spectators are present; she feels no remorse about her lack of sympathy for her child, her husband, or anyone else. Her successes rouse the envy of other women who, like Becky, desire status and superiority over others. Lady Jane, Becky’s sister-in-law, is one of the few people in VF who experiences sympathy and acts on it, befriending Becky’s husband and son. It is no coincidence that Lady Jane, a true, sympathetic woman, is the ultimate cause of Becky’s downfall. According to Smith, industrious knaves like Becky are “naturally” rewarded with success in business even if they are morally condemned by their peers. How, then, are we to evaluate Becky if we regard her in what Smith would call an “impartial light”?
Conference Summary Understanding Small Enterprises Conference, 25-27 October 2017.

Objectives The specific objectives of the 2017 Understanding Small Enterprises Conference were to: (i) identify successful strategies for overcoming occupational safety and health (OSH (ii) disseminate best practices to research and business communities; (iii) build collaborations between different stakeholders including researchers, insurers, small enterprises, government agencies; and (iv) better inform OSH 2) what occupational health and safety looks like across different industries; 3) intervention programs (tools and resources); 4) precarious and vulnerable work and the informal sector; and 5) Total Worker Health® in SMEs. Conclusion A number of innovative initiatives were shared at the conference. Researchers must build collaborations involving a variety of stakeholder groups to ensure that OS&H solutions are successful in SMEs. Future OS&H research should continue to build upon the successful work of the 2017 Understanding Small Enterprises Conference.
Professional Development for a Middle School Mathematics-Infused Science Curriculum

Contemporary research has suggested that for students to compete globally, pedagogy must shift to emphasize the infusion of mathematics into science instruction to strengthen understanding. Innovat...
Growth of Salmonella on Inoculated Inhull Pistachios during Postharvest Handling

Salmonella has been isolated from dried pistachios in both postharvest and retail surveys. The source of Salmonella in pistachios is unknown, but introduction is possible at points during production, harvest, and postharvest activities. To examine the behavior of Salmonella on pistachios during simulated postharvest conditions, early-, mid-, and late-season inhull pistachios were collected from two commercial processors over five different harvests. Pistachios were inoculated with cocktails of nalidixic acid- or rifampin-resistant Salmonella at 0.64 to 1.59 log CFU/g (low) or 2.73 to 3.27 or 4.29 to 4.31 log CFU/g (high) and were incubated for up to 30 h under commercially relevant conditions (23, 35, or 37°C and 50 or 90% relative humidity [RH]). Populations of Salmonella were measured by plating onto tryptic soy agar and CHROMagar Salmonella with added nalidixic acid or rifampin. Individual growth curves at the same temperature and RH differed significantly among different lots of pistachios. Except for a single late-season lot in which no significant growth was observed, Salmonella multiplied under all storage conditions. In the first 3 h after inoculation, insignificant (most cases) to small (0.41 to 0.67 log CFU/g) but significant ( P < 0.05) mean increases in Salmonella populations were measured; the mean predicted time to achieve maximum populations (5 to 8 log CFU/g) was 16 ± 4 h. In paired samples, longer lag phases, lower growth rates, and lower maximum increases were observed with inoculated inhull pistachios incubated at 23°C and 50% RH compared with 35 or 37°C and 90% RH. Similar growth curves were observed at the low and high inoculum levels; throughout the 30 h of incubation, Salmonella populations were consistently ∼1 to 2 log CFU/g lower on pistachios inoculated at the low inoculum level. Managing the time between harvesting and hulling will reduce the potential for growth of Salmonella on pistachios during postharvest handling.
Anxiety-associated and separation distress-associated behaviours in Angelman syndrome.

Background Anxiety is considered a 'frequent' feature in the clinical criteria for Angelman syndrome; however, the nature and severity of anxiety symptoms have not been well characterised in this population. Anxiety behaviours, especially in response to separation from a preferred caregiver, have been described clinically but have not yet been explored empirically. Method This study used a combination of standardised and clinician-derived survey items to assess the frequency, nature and severity of behaviours associated with anxiety and separation distress in 100 individuals with Angelman syndrome. Family (e.g. income and maternal education) and individual (e.g. age, sex, genetic subtype, sleep difficulties and aggressive behaviours) variables were also gathered to assess possible predictors of higher anxiety levels. Approximately half of the sample was seen in clinic and assessed with standardised measures of development and daily functioning, allowing for an additional exploration of the association between anxiety symptoms and extent of cognitive impairment. Results Anxiety concerns were reported in 40% of the sample, almost 70% were reported to have a preferred caregiver and over half displayed distress when separated from that caregiver. Individuals with the deletion subtype and individuals who are younger were less likely to have anxiety behaviours. Sleep difficulties and aggressive behaviour consistently significantly predicted total anxiety, the latter suggesting a need for future studies to tease apart differences between anxiety and aggression or anger in this population. Conclusions Anxiety concerns, especially separation distress, are common in individuals with Angelman syndrome and represent an area of unmet need for this population.
Excavating the Explosion and Progenitor Properties of Type IIP Supernovae via Modeling of their Optical Light Curves.

The progenitors of Type IIP supernovae (SNe) are known to be red supergiants, but their properties are not well determined. We employ hydrodynamical modeling to investigate the explosion characteristics of eight Type IIP SNe and the properties of their progenitor stars. We create evolutionary models using the mesa stellar evolution code, explode these models, and simulate the optical light curves using the stella code. We fit the optical light curves, Fe ii 5169 A velocity, and photospheric velocity to the observational data. Recent research has suggested that the progenitors of Type IIP SNe have a zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) mass not exceeding ~18 M ⊙. Our fits give a progenitor ZAMS mass of ⩽18 M ⊙ for seven of the SNe. Where previous progenitor mass estimates exist from various sources, such as hydrodynamical modeling, multiwavelength observations, or semi-analytic calculations, our modeling generally tends toward the lower-mass values. This result is in contrast to results from previous hydrodynamical modeling but consistent with those obtained using general-relativistic radiation-hydrodynamical codes. We do find that one event, SN 2015ba, has a progenitor whose mass is closer to 24 M ⊙, although we are unable to fit it well. We also derive the amount of 56Ni required to reproduce the tail of the light curve and find values generally larger than previous estimates. Overall, we find that it is difficult to characterize the explosion by a single parameter, and that a range of parameters is needed.
What Drives Take-up in Land Regularization: Ecuador’s Rural Land Regularization and Administration Program, Sigtierras

During the past decades, land regularization and administration programs have become part of the development tool box to improve the welfare of rural farmers. However, these programs cannot produce the intended economic benefits if people choose not to enroll in them. In this context, this paper investigates how household, plot, and community characteristics, as sources of informal property rights, explain the low take-up (less than 15%) of land regularization under the National Rural Land Information and Management System Program (Sigtierras Program) in Ecuador. Using newly collected survey data combined with census tract-level data and administrative project data, we assess how different household-, plot-, and community-level characteristics affect the likelihood of take-up of legal support to regularize tenancy offered by Sigtierras. Our results suggest that some household-specific and community-level characteristics that enhance a household’s ownership claim are important determinants of take-up. Our empirical results provide insights to inform targeting strategies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of future land regularization efforts in Ecuador.
Development of the Vascular System

Abstract This section begins with a description of the initial embryonic development of blood vessels from common mesenchymally derived endothelial tubes to the acquisition of characteristics specific for arteries, veins, and lymphatics. Anatomical patterns of blood vessel development are then outlined. Much of the arterial pattern stems from the early arrangement of the six aortic arches and their derivatives. A series of paired cardinal veins serve as the basis for the development of the major veins in the body. Malformations of the blood vessels often reflect abnormalities of the transition from the early embryonic pattern to that of the adult.
Presence of diverse Rickettsia spp. and absence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks in an East Texas forest with reduced tick density associated with controlled burns

As tick-borne diseases continue to emerge across the United States, there is need for a better understanding of the tick and pathogen communities in the southern states and of habitat features that influence transmission risk. We surveyed questing and on-host ticks in pine-dominated forests with various fire management regimes in the Sam Houston National Forest, a popular recreation area near Houston, Texas. Four linear transects were established- two with a history of controlled burns, and two unburned. Systematic drag sampling yielded 112 ticks from two species, Ixodes scapularis (n=73) and Amblyomma americanum (n=39), with an additional 106 questing ticks collected opportunistically from drag cloth operators. There was a significant difference in systematically-collected questing tick density between unburned (15 and 18 ticks/1000 m2) and burned (2 and 4 ticks/1000 m2) transects. We captured 106 rodents and found 74 ticks on the rodents, predominantly Dermacentor variabilis. One unburned transect had significantly more ticks per mammal than any of the other three transects. DNA of Rickettsia species was detected in 146/292 on and off-host ticks, including the 'Rickettsial endosymbiont of I. scapularis' and Rickettsia amblyommatis, which are of uncertain pathogenicity to humans. Borrelia lonestari was detected in one A. americanum, while Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the agent of Lyme disease, was not detected in any tick samples. Neither Borrelia nor Rickettsia spp. were detected in any of the mammal ear biopsies (n=64) or blood samples (n=100) tested via PCR. This study documents a high prevalence in ticks of Rickettsia spp. thought to be endosymbionts, a low prevalence of relapsing fever group Borrelia in ticks, and a lack of detection of Lyme disease-group Borrelia in both ticks and mammals in an east Texas forested recreation area. Additionally, we observed low questing tick density in areas with a history of controlled burns. These results expand knowledge of tick-borne disease ecology in east Texas which can aid in directing future investigative, modeling, and management efforts.
Books: How Not to be a Doctor and Other Essays: Good Doctoring

John Launer Duckworth Overlook, 2019, PB, 256pp, £9.99, 978-0715653364 > ‘Listen to the patient. He is telling you the diagnosis.’ > > (19th-century physician William Osler) Only around 1-in-10 of the million people who visit NHS GPs every weekday have their symptoms further investigated in secondary care. So what of the 90% who are not referred? Do they feel less worried, cared for, and more able to …