cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Canalization of the Vestibular Plate in the Absence of Urethral Fusion Characterizes Development of the Human Clitoris: The Single Zipper Hypothesis

Purpose: We characterized the early gestation development of the female external genitalia using optical projection tomography to visualize anatomical structures at high resolution.Materials and Methods: First and early second trimester human female fetal external genitalia were collected with consent after voluntary termination. Specimens labeled with anti-E-Cadherin antibody underwent analysis with optical projection tomography. Histological sections were immunostained for androgen receptor, 5α-reductase, Ki67 for proliferation and Caspase 3 for apoptosis.Results: Three-dimensional reconstructions demonstrated proximal to distal canalization of the epithelial vestibular plate and formation of a vestibular groove, which remained open. Ki67 was observed throughout with greatest density in the dorsal vestibular plate at the level of the opening groove. Staining for Caspase 3 was minimal in all sections. Androgen receptor staining was seen throughout the mesenchyme and in the apical epithelium of the dorsal...
Behavioral Styles of Path-Goal Theory: An Exercise for Developing Leadership Skills

Path-goal theory is firmly established as a robust, comprehensive leadership model. Its applicability makes it attractive to students and practitioners alike. We have designed an exercise with two main goals: first, to help students better understand the path-goal behaviors (directive, supportive, participative, achievement-oriented), particularly those in which they feel weakest; and second, to provide practice modeling each behavior through generating explicit sample statements for the various behaviors that can be used in various leadership situations. The exercise is ideal for use by instructors of upper level or graduate organizational behavior or leadership classes, or in leadership training contexts. We provide focused discussion activities centered on situational diagnosis (when to use which behavior) and guidelines for conducting a behavioral styles exercise. Using the suggested video examples aids in teaching the concepts and is very helpful in preparing students for the exercise.
Weight Loss Programs Fail in Obese Patients with Blount's Disease and Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and Blount’s disease in children are strongly associated with obesity. Prior studies have promoted the benefit of weight and BMI reduction to prevent further disease progression and have shown that surgical correction of the deformity alone does not lead to weight loss. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric weight management programs in achieving weight loss in overweight and obese children with SCFE and Blount’s disease. Retrospective review of overweight and obese children (BMI greater than the 85th percentile-for-age) …
Effect of streptomycin on susceptibility of intestinal tract to experimental Salmonella infection.

Summary1. Preliminary treatment by mouth with a large dose (50 mg) of streptomycin increased the susceptibility of mice to infection following oral inoculation with a streptomycin-resistant strain of Salmonella enteritidis. In mice treated with streptomycin 24 hours before inoculation, <3 Salmonella sufficed to initiate infection in 50% as compared with approximately 105 in untreated controls. 2. This effect of streptomycin decreased as the interval between treatment and inoculation was lengthened but was still detectable on the 5 th day. Smaller doses of streptomycin (5-10 mg) resulted in smaller increases in susceptibility. 1 mg was ineffective. 3. Representative numbers of mice killed for culture showed the spleen to be infected in 90% and heart's blood in 72% of those with positive fecal cultures at the time of autopsy. 4. It is believed that this increase in susceptibility following streptomycin treatment resulted from a disturbance of the normal intestinal microflora caused by the antibacterial acti...
Trans, trans-farnesol as a mevalonate-derived inducer of murine 3T3-F442A pre-adipocyte differentiation.

Based on our finding that depletion of mevalonate-derived metabolites inhibits adipocyte differentiation, we hypothesize that trans, trans-farnesol (farnesol), a mevalonate-derived sesquiterpene, induces adipocyte differentiation. Farnesol dose-dependently (25-75 μmol/L) increased intracellular triglyceride content of murine 3T3-F442A pre-adipocytes measured by AdipoRed™ Assay and Oil Red-O staining. Concomitantly, farnesol dose-dependently increased glucose uptake and glucose transport protein 4 (GLUT4) expression without affecting cell viability. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot showed that farnesol increased the mRNA and protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation, and the mRNA levels of PPARγ-regulated fatty acid-binding protein 4 and adiponectin; in contrast, farnesol downregulated Pref-1 gene, a marker of pre-adipocytes. GW9662 (10 µmol/L), an antagonist of PPARγ, reversed the effects of farnesol on cellular lipid content, suggesting that PPARγ signaling pathway may mediate the farnesol effect. Farnesol (25-75 μmol/L) did not affect the mRNA level of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. Farnesol may be the mevalonate-derived inducer of adipocyte differentiation and potentially an insulin sensitizer via activation of PPARγ and upregulation of glucose uptake.
Cultural Stewardship Accountability of Seed Bank Institutions for Indigenous Knowledge

A growing emphasis among seed banks in Australia and globally is the collection of seed and information associated with wild crop relatives of food and fodder crops. This is part of scientific efforts to store and document plant traits that may prove useful to deal with risks to food and bio security in the face of global climate changes. This has implications for indigenous communities because of the risk that indigenous knowledge may be collected and included as ‘data’ rather than as knowledge with significant cultural tethering. This articl provides a theoretical context for institutional seed banks to engage with indigenous people and specify indigenous knowledge stewardship accountability. This should help seed banks to operate with sensitivity to cultural wellbeing and minimise the risks from failure to satisfy accountability for indigenous knowledge stewardship. The article identifies four interrelated dimensions of indigenous knowledge stewardship, and identifies a tentative process for institutions to adapt this to indigenous knowledge stewardship strategy and practice. The process for realising indigenous knowledge stewardship accountability is the subject of further research.
A study on the problem of funding system for poor students and its countermeasures

In order to analyze the difficulties in funding the poor students and find out some countermeasures, documentary analysis method was cmployed and starting from the existing problems concerning funding system, some policies were studied. The conclusion is that a main channel must be set up, through which the government fund is invested and the political system for funding poor students will enable various financial organizations to take part in the poor students help and meet the demand for their educational tuition. This will no doubt promote educational equality in China.
Amino-terminal processing of the catalytic subunit from Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.

The first five amino acids of the catalytic alpha 1-subunit predicted from its cDNA are not found in purified mammalian Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, suggesting co- or posttranslational cleavage. To facilitate evaluation of amino-terminal structure and the cleavage process, we developed a site-directed antibody (anti-VGR) specific for the first nine residues of nascent alpha 1 from rat. In immunoblots of polypeptides generated by in vitro translation, anti-VGR detected a prominent band with a mobility appropriate for the alpha 1-subunit (100 kDa). Immunoblots of total protein from various rat organs, however, revealed no significant binding, implying that virtually all the alpha 1-subunit expressed in vivo was modified. We also assessed amino-terminal structure in various heterologous expression systems. Binding of anti-VGR was observed in Escherichia coli transformed with a vector containing an alpha 1/troponin fusion protein and in insect cells infected with baculovirus containing full-length alpha 1 or alpha 1T. This suggests that modification of the introduced alpha 1 in these expression systems was absent or different from that in mammals. In contrast, green monkey kidney cells (COS-1) transfected with alpha 1 did not reveal significant binding of the antibody, indicating that the introduced isoform was processed appropriately. These results demonstrate that the structure of the alpha 1-subunit9s amino terminus differs among various expression systems. The results further imply that efficient co- or posttranslational processing of nascent alpha 1 is conserved among various organs within the rat, yet the required modification enzymes are not present in distant phyla.
Polarization, piezoelectric properties, and elastic coefficients of In x Ga 1−x N solid solutions from first principles

III-nitrides GaN and InN, and In x Ga1−x N solid solutions are polarizable semiconductors that crystallize in the prototypical wurtzite (W) structure. We present here the results of a density functional theory study carried out to determine the spontaneous polarization, piezoelectric coefficients, and elastic coefficients of In x Ga1−x N alloys as a function of In the concentration x. To calculate these properties, we construct three distinct hexagonal/orthorhombic equivalent In x Ga1−x N supercells that are derived from the disordered W unit cell of GaN and InN. These include an ordered W lattice (P63 mc/Pmc21) and orthorhombic O-16 and O-32 lattices with Pmn21/Pna21 or P21 symmetry, respectively. Depending on the crystal structure, spontaneous polarization as a function of the In concentration x shows a downward bowing (W), a linear interpolation (O-16), and an upward bowing (O-32) between −0.033 C/m2 and −0.043 C/m2, the spontaneous polarizations of the end components GaN and InN, respectively. The composition dependence of the effective basal plane and out of plane (along the [0001] direction) piezoelectric coefficients (e // and e 33, respectively) in the W and O-16 structure is non-linear and varies between e // = −0.287 C/m2 and e 33 = 0.598 C/m2 for GaN, and e // = −0.455 C/m2 and e 33 = 1.044 C/m2 for InN. While the bulk modulus of In x Ga1−x N in the W and O-16 structures follows Vegard’s law from 170 GPa (x = 0) to 124 GPa (x = 1), in the O-32 structure it shows a strong downward bowing for compositions 0 < x < 0.5.
African Politics in Comparative Perspective: The Policy Deficit

When Americans and Europeans think of policy, they usually associate it with a measure to solve a particular problem within the limits of what public resources permit. Making policy involves a careful calculation of how means relate to desired ends. It is about such principles as feasibility, sustainability, and efficiency – all in one. Policy analysis, as conventional textbooks confirm, is the application of economic principles to the political process. But, as the African experience suggests, policy making does not have to be based on an economic rationale. As the previous five chapters have shown, where politics is supreme and power not effectively reined in, policy making is more typically made on purely political grounds. Policy objectives become ends in themselves as the calculation of costs to achieve them are ignored. There are three factors in the international environment that help explain why policy making in Africa has tended to be void of economic thinking. One is that African countries originally saw themselves as being caught in the process of catching up with the developed societies. In such circumstances, thinking economically meant going slower than was deemed desirable. The second reason is that African governments have often viewed the rest of the world, and especially the former colonial powers, as having a moral responsibility to pay for African development because of all the suffering that colonialism caused.
Particle-number projection in the finite-temperature mean-field approximation

Finite-temperature mean-field theories, such as the Hartree--Fock (HF) and Hartree--Fock--Bogoliubov (HFB) theories, are formulated in the grand-canonical ensemble, and their applications to the calculation of statistical properties of nuclei such as level densities require a reduction to the canonical ensemble. In a previous publication [Y. Alhassid et al., Phys. Rev. C 93, 044320 (2016)], it was found that ensemble-reduction methods based on the saddle-point approximation are not reliable in cases in which rotational symmetry or particle-number conservation is broken. In particular, the calculated HFB canonical entropy can be unphysical as a result of the inherent violation of particle-number conservation. In this work, we derive a general formula for exact particle-number projection after variation in the HFB approximation, assuming that the HFB Hamiltonian preserves time-reversal symmetry. This formula reduces to simpler known expressions in the HF and Bardeen--Cooper--Schrieffer (BCS) limits of the HFB. We apply this formula to calculate the thermodynamic quantities needed for level densities in the heavy nuclei $^{162}\mathrm{Dy}, ^{148}\mathrm{Sm}$, and $^{150}\mathrm{Sm}$. We find that the exact particle-number projection gives better physical results and is significantly more computationally efficient than the saddle-point methods. However, the fundamental limitations caused by broken symmetries in the mean-field approximation are still present.
Constitutional Comparativism and the Eighth Amendment: How a Flawed Proportionality Requirement Can Benefit from Foreign Law

Within the context of the Eighth Amendment, “clear, predictable, and uniform constitutional standards are especially desirable.” However, the Eighth Amendment’s current proportionality requirement lacks the clarity or predictability needed for a principled jurisprudence. This Note considers the source of these problems, and posits that a limited comparativism can inform proportionality review and bring consistency to the application of the Eighth Amendment. In doing so, this Note answers critics of comparative theory, and creates a framework for the limited use of comparativism in Eighth Amendment cases.
How international scholarship recipients perceive their contributions to the development of their home countries: Findings from a comparative study of Georgia and Moldova

Abstract International scholarships support higher education abroad, often with the expectation that recipients will ultimately “give back” to their home countries. Little is known about how scholarship alumni from low- and middle-income countries view their contributions and whether activities differ between countries. By comparing Georgia and Moldova, this research indicates that employment is the central way that alumni perceive that they “give back,” with government positions deemed most influential. In Georgia, alumni assumed federal posts, whereas in Moldova, alumni sought positions in international organizations and businesses, resulting in differing contributions to national development. Findings aim to inform sponsored student mobility programs promoting socioeconomic development in participants’ countries.
Introduction: The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM) 2016: Special focus on medical informatics and big data

In this editorial, we first summarize the 2016 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2016) held on December 8–10, 2016 in Houston, Texas, USA, and then briefly introduce the ten research articles included in this supplement issue. At ICIBM 2016, a special theme, “Medical Informatics and Big Data,” was dedicated to the recent advances of data science in the medical domain. After peer review, ten articles were selected for this special issue, covering topics such as Knowledge and Data Personalization, Social Media Applications to Healthcare, Clinical Natural Language Processing, Patient Safety Analyses, and Data Mining Using Electronic Health Records.
Oral complications at 6 months after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

Objective Examine oral complications 6 months after modern radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods Prospective multi-center cohort study of HNC patients receiving Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) or more advanced RT. Stimulated whole salivary flow, maximal mouth opening, oral mucositis, oral pain, oral health-related quality of life (OH-QOL), and oral hygiene practices, were measured in 372 subjects pre-RT and 216 at 6 months from start of RT. Results Mean stimulated whole salivary flow declined from 1.09 ml/min to 0.47 ml/min at 6 months (p < 0.0001). Mean maximal mouth opening reduced from 45.58 mm to 42.53 mm at 6 months (p < 0.0001). 8.1% of subjects had some oral mucositis at 6 months, including 3.8% with oral ulceration. Mean overall pain score was unchanged. OH-QOL was reduced at 6 months, with changes related to dry mouth, sticky saliva, swallowing solid foods, and sense of taste (p ≤ 0.0001). At 6 months, there was greater frequency of using dental floss and greater proportion using supplemental fluoride (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Despite advances in RT techniques, HNC patients experience oral complications 6 months after RT, with resulting negative impacts on oral function and quality of life. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Development and Evaluation of a Manganese and Iron Food Frequency Questionnaire for Pediatrics.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient, but overexposure can lead to neurotoxicity. Given the essentiality of Mn in the diet, particularly during children’s growth and development, it is imperative to quantify dietary Mn intake in populations that may be exposed to industrial sources of Mn. Dietary absorption of Mn is inversely associated with iron (Fe) stores, yet there is currently no food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary Mn and Fe intake. The study objective was to develop and evaluate the validity of a FFQ to measure dietary Mn and Fe intake in pediatrics by comparing the estimated intakes of Mn and Fe with biomarkers: Mn in blood and hair and Fe in serum. This study utilized a subset of the Communities Actively Researching Exposure Study (CARES) population residing in Guernsey County, Ohio. Dietary Mn was not correlated with either blood or hair Mn; however, dietary Mn and serum ferritin were significantly correlated, with a correlation coefficient of 0.51, p < 0.01. Moreover, dietary Fe and serum ferritin were also significantly correlated, with a correlation coefficient of 0.51, p < 0.01. This FFQ is a valid measurement tool for Fe intake as measured by serum ferritin; however, Mn intake did not correlate with either blood or hair Mn.
Assessing the validity of pressure-measuring insoles in quantifying gait variables

IntroductionPressure-measuring insoles can provide a portable alternative to existing gait analysis tools. However, there is disagreement among researchers on their accuracy and the appropriate cal...
Applications of Edible Coatings Formulated with Antimicrobials Inhibit Listeria monocytogenes Growth on Queso Fresco

Despite efforts to control Listeria monocytogenes in dairy processing environments, contamination and subsequent outbreaks of listeriosis continue to occur. The ability of L. monocytogenes to grow during refrigerated storage necessitates strategies to prevent contamination, reduce pathogen numbers, and limit growth during storage. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of edible antimicrobial coatings to control L. monocytogenes on Queso Fresco (QF) when applied before (pre-coated; PC) or after (pre-inoculated; PI) surface contamination. Coating solutions were formulated to contain 2% chitosan and either 5% hydrogen peroxide (HP), 5% lauric arginate (LAE), 25% acidified calcium sulfate with lactic acid (ACSL), or combinations of 10% sodium caprylate (SC) with either LAE or ACSL. Fresh QF samples (25g) were inoculated with L. monocytogenes at ~4 log CFU/g prior to, or following, antimicrobial coating application. Cheeses were then vacuum packaged and stored at 7°C for 35 days with weekly enumeration of L. monocytogenes. Aside from ACSL and LAE+SC, there was no effect of coating application timing (PC vs. PI) on the change in L. monocytogenes counts over time. Chitosan coatings without additional antimicrobials were more effective than controls but did not inhibit L. monocytogenes growth beyond 7 days. Coatings containing HP at 5% were equally effective when applied before or after L. monocytogenes inoculation, significantly reducing L. monocytogenes counts by more than 3 log CFU/g and inhibiting growth through 35 days of storage. Coatings formulated with ACSL at 25% were more effective when applied to pre-inoculated cheeses but neither application produced significant reduction in L. monocytogenes counts or inhibited growth. Although LAE coatings were more effective than ACSL, neither were more effective than chitosan coatings alone. The addition of SC to ACSL and LAE coatings enhanced their antimicrobial activity as ACSL+SC and LAE+SC coatings reduced L. monocytogenes counts by >1 log CFU/g after 24 hours and were listeristatic through 28 and 35 days, respectively. The identification of listericidal and listeristatic edible antimicrobial coating applications that are effective when applied before or after contamination events identifies a new approach for the control of L. monocytogenes on fresh cheese.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

The classification of government publications has always presented problems to the librarian. It was not until the principle of provenance was adopted for the classification of documents that order was given to this material. The Superintendent of Documents classification system, begun soon after 1895, was used as a model by other governmental jurisdictions, both in the United States and abroad. The League of Nations and the United Nations developed classification systems based on the same principle. Providing these classification systems are coordinated with analytical indexes, such as the United Nations Documents Index and the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, they are easy to understand, economical, and serve as suitable shelf-location devices.
Thin Film Adsorption of 4He To C60

Low temperature adsorption isotherms of 4 He on C 60 films are presented. Data is obtained by monitoring the frequency of C 60 -coated quartz crystal microbalances versus pressure as 4 He gas is added to an experimental cell at constant temperature. Results which indicate excess low coverage 4 He adsorption to C 60 are presented for T=1.5 K and T=1.68 K.
Retaining a Mexican Labor Force

This paper sets forth the findings of a research study undertaken in Chihuahua, Mexico. The length of stay of 1 866 employees in six maquiladora plants is analyzed across a maximum of 24 months. By drawing on discrete time hazard modeling, the research analyzes the extent to which work and nonwork factors contributed to employee length of stay in the late 1980s. It examines, in particular, the influence of position, cohort grouping, plant type, and demographic characteristics on employee duration in the participating plants.
Error Factors In Recognition Memory

Errors of recognition memory, such as when an air traffic controller fails to identify a dangerous air traffic pattern, can have dangerous and costly consequences in many real-life situations. The present paper describes a paradigm well suited to examine variables that may contribute to such errors. In this method, a memory stimulus is briefly presented. Subsequently, a test stimulus either identical to the target stimulus or different from it with respect to a particular feature, or group of features, is also briefly presented. The respondent is to identify the pair either as “same” or “different.” The method is applicable to a variety of sensory modalities and types of material and answers a number of questions concerning the causes of recognition memory failure.
Allied Health Professionals and Intellectual Disability: Moving Toward Independence

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) usually have to cope with an array of functional, mental, and physical challenges in addition to the primary diagnosis of ID. Despite the fact that this group of people represents about 2.5% of the world’s population, they are still treated as a minority group. The vast versatility of syndromes, developmental challenges, and medical complexity results in infinite expressions of the ID diagnosis, although they are gathered under the same umbrella term. The management of individuals with ID necessitates treatment in a multitude of areas such as behavioral symptoms, early intervention, education, community-based support, medical challenges, activities of daily living, motor function, and old age, and the intervention approach recommended for this population would therefore be a teamwork model that integrates the knowledge of all allied health professionals into a holistic care management. The versatility of challenges of these clients makes working with them a complex and difficult task. They are one of the most multifaceted and demanding clients for the allied health professional, necessitating the initiation of a specific evaluation and the implementation of unique and creative therapeutic approach for each individual client. Alas, in most countries today there are no structured educational programs that prepare the allied health worker for such a challenge. This chapter will try and set some basic stepping stone into working with these individuals.
Implantation of Model AMS 700 Penile Prosthesis: Long-Term Results

The American Medical Systems inflatable penile prosthesis has undergone periodic design changes to improve device reliability and longevity while maintaining a high degree of patient and partner satisfaction. Previous data reported from this institution did not consider these frequent design changes and the assessment of device reliability incorporated consecutive cases involving several different designs. This study was designed to evaluate followup data on 120 patients who received the model 700 inflatable penile prosthesis, permitting assessment of device reliability of a single design. Two groups were evaluated: a pre-fix group of 57 patients and a post-fix group of 63 patients. Over-all, 11.7 per cent of the total group required revision (21 per cent of the pre-fix and 3.2 per cent of the post-fix groups). Careful life-table analysis of the results with the current model 700 device (post-fix) reveals that this model has a 97 per cent chance of maintaining normal mechanical function for 3 years. Further assessment of these patients in the future will provide additional data on long-term reliability of this design.
Evaluating relocation extent versus covariate resolution in habitat selection models across spatiotemporal scales

Abstract Many habitat selection studies have focused on the importance of spatiotemporal scales and sample size, yet often hidden within is a trade-off between using more animal locations versus more predictive covariates. Few have evaluated the outcome of choosing between these two different paths even though the trade-off can have significant impacts on the conclusions drawn from habitat modeling. We evaluated the covariate resolution versus relocation trade-off across multiple spatiotemporal scales by building habitat selection models using a data-mining approach with 22 years of VHF collar data from the Denali Caribou Herd. We asked whether caribou selected winter habitat based on forage resources after accounting for snow depth. Habitat selection models at three temporal scales (decadal, inter-annual and intra-annual) provide correlative evidence of active selection for winter forage. Based on model performance and predicted occupancy, we found that acquiring appropriate covariate layers is critical and likely even more important than using more animal locations. Based on analyses that utilized more covariates, caribou predominantly selected high graminoid cover, their second most important winter food, over areas with high lichen cover, their primary winter food, at all spatial scales implying a need to balance food quality and accessibility. However, habitat selection differed between temporal scales. Two years in a row, caribou switched to flatter areas with higher lichen cover and low shrub cover while intra-annual variation in habitat selection showed caribou congregated in areas of higher lichen cover and lower snow depths as winter progressed. We conclude that large patches of tussock tundra are high-use areas for wintering caribou in Denali at decadal scales while lichen-rich areas were used at inter-annual and intra-annual temporal scales. Lower snow levels in the future may allow heavier use of lichen woodlands but increased wildfire activity and shrub encroachment may counteract increased lichen availability in woodlands.
Systematic Symptom Reporting by Pediatric Palliative Care Patients with Cancer: A Preliminary Report.

Abstract Background: Systematic symptom assessment is not a standard of care in children with cancer. Many well-known symptom assessment tools are lengthy or difficult to integrate into a daily ped...
Manganese Detoxification by MntE Is Critical for Resistance to Oxidative Stress and Virulence of Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient critical for the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus, a significant cause of human morbidity and mortality. Paradoxically, excess Mn is toxic; therefore, maintenance of intracellular Mn homeostasis is required for survival. Here we describe a Mn exporter in S. aureus, MntE, which is a member of the cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) protein family and conserved among Gram-positive pathogens. Upregulation of mntE transcription in response to excess Mn is dependent on the presence of MntR, a transcriptional repressor of the mntABC Mn uptake system. Inactivation of mntE or mntR leads to reduced growth in media supplemented with Mn, demonstrating MntE is required for detoxification of excess Mn. Inactivation of mntE results in elevated levels of intracellular Mn, but reduced intracellular iron (Fe) levels, supporting the hypothesis that MntE functions as a Mn efflux pump and Mn efflux influences Fe homeostasis. Strains inactivated for mntE are more sensitive to the oxidants NaOCl and paraquat, indicating Mn homeostasis is critical for resisting oxidative stress. Furthermore, mntE and mntR are required for full virulence of S. aureus during infection, suggesting S. aureus experiences Mn toxicity in vivo. Combined, these data support a model in which MntR controls Mn homeostasis by balancing transcriptional repression of mntABC and induction of mntE, both of which are critical for S. aureus pathogenesis. Thus, Mn efflux contributes to bacterial survival and virulence during infection, establishing MntE as a potential antimicrobial target and expanding our understanding of Mn homeostasis. IMPORTANCE Manganese (Mn) is generally viewed as a critical nutrient that is beneficial to pathogenic bacteria due to its function as an enzymatic cofactor and its capability of acting as an antioxidant; yet paradoxically, high concentrations of this transition metal can be toxic. In this work, we demonstrate Staphylococcus aureus utilizes the cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) family protein MntE to alleviate Mn toxicity through efflux of excess Mn. Inactivation of mntE leads to a significant reduction in S. aureus resistance to oxidative stress and S. aureus-mediated mortality within a mouse model of systemic infection. These results highlight the importance of MntE-mediated Mn detoxification in intracellular Mn homeostasis, resistance to oxidative stress, and S. aureus virulence. Therefore, this establishes MntE as a potential target for development of anti-S. aureus therapeutics.
Mechanisms of sex differences in exercise capacity.

Sex differences are an important component of National Institutes of Health rigor. The goal of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that female mice have greater exercise capacity than mal...
Weighing the impact (factor) of publishing in veterinary journals

The journal in which you publish your research can have a major influence on the perceived value of your work and on your ability to reach certain audiences. The impact factor, a widely used metric of journal quality and prestige, has evolved into a benchmark of quality for institutions and graduate programs and, inappropriately, as a proxy for the quality of individual authors and articles, affecting tenure, promotion, and funding decisions. As a result, despite its many limitations, publishing decisions by authors often are based solely on a journal's impact factor. This can disadvantage journals in small disciplines, such as veterinary medicine, and limit the ability of authors to reach key audiences. In this article, factors that can influence the impact factor of a journal and its applicability, including precision, citation practices, article type, editorial policies, and size of the research community will be reviewed. The value and importance of veterinary journals such as the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology for reaching relevant audiences and for helping shape disciplinary specialties and influence clinical practice will also be discussed. Lastly, the efforts underway to develop alternative measures to assess the scientific quality of individual authors and articles, such as article-level metrics, as well as institutional measures of the economic and social impact of biomedical research will be considered. Judicious use of the impact factor and the implementation of new metrics for assessing the quality and societal relevance of veterinary research articles will benefit both authors and journals.
Role of Radiation for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Given the propensity for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) to metastasize, the role of radiation in treatment of this challenging disease is questioned. Given the location of the pancreas in the upper abdomen, the use of radiation in this location is technically challenging. Identification of the patients who will benefit from this treatment is pivotal, as is the expertise to execute radiation to defined targets at the required high doses in the upper abdomen. This chapter will explore these challenges.
Stellate Ganglion Nerve Block by Point-of-Care Ultrasonography for Treatment of Refractory Infarction-Induced Ventricular Fibrillation

Stellate ganglion blockade has been previously suggested as a treatment option for intractable ventricular arrhythmia; however, its use in emergency department management of pulseless arrest with shockable rhythm has not been described. We report the case of a 65-year-old man brought in by ambulance who complained of chest pain and received an out-of-hospital ECG suggestive of anterior-wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Shortly after arrival, the patient became unresponsive, with no palpable pulse, and was found to be in ventricular fibrillation. The patient's ventricular fibrillation persisted despite repeated attempts at standard and double sequential defibrillation, multiple rounds of epinephrine, and amiodarone, magnesium, and bicarbonate. After these interventions were exhausted, a stellate ganglion blockade was conducted after an ultrasonographically guided paratracheal approach. Return of spontaneous circulation was noted after the next defibrillation and pulse check, achieved after a total of 42 minutes of active cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The patient ultimately had both sufficient neurologic activity and hemodynamic recovery for emergency percutaneous coronary intervention of the culprit left anterior descending artery. This positive outcome is multifactorial but suggests sympathetic blockade as a possible adjunctive therapy in the setting of sustained pulseless ventricular storm.
A Frequency Diversity Algorithm for Extending the Radar Doppler Velocity Nyquist Interval

Compact millimeter wavelength radars have been widely used for applications such as remote sensing of clouds, guidance avionics, and recently, automotive navigation. However, the short wavelength of these radars limits their maximum unambiguous Doppler velocity. A common solution to this problem is to subsequently unfold the Doppler velocity estimate with the staggered pulse repetition time (PRT) algorithm, which requires two different PRTs to be employed in sequence. This article investigates a potentially more rapid method to extend the Doppler velocity Nyquist interval. We estimate Doppler velocity using a pair of frequency diverse pulses separated by a time lag that is significantly shorter than the PRT. During the first PRT, two pulses with center frequencies $f_1$, followed by $f_2$, separated by a lag $\tau$ are transmitted. During the next PRT, the pulses transmitted are in the order $f_2$ followed by $f_1$. Doppler velocity is then estimated using the sum of the Doppler phases derived from $f_1$/$f_2$ and $f_2$/$f_1$ sequences. The focus of this article is the demonstration of this algorithm in a beam-filled scenario and the error canceling algorithm design. Based on Monte-Carlo simulations and data collected with the NASA Goddard Space Flight center's Cloud Radar System, the algorithm is demonstrated on nearly static surface echoes. Projected aircraft speeds and traditional pulse-pair estimates are employed as references. The algorithm was found to perform adequately on surface echoes for a low spectrum width of the order of 0.5 m/s and SNR comparable to 20 dB. Doppler velocity retrievals in a cirrus cloud layer with low velocity turbulence retained some qualitative structure, albeit with significantly degraded precision due to the lost coherence.
Hepatoblastoma in Infants Born to Parents with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is associated with a variety of extraintestinal benign and malignant lesions, including an increased risk of hepatoblastoma (HB), a malignant tumor of the liver in children. HB in FAP patients represents a unique challenge, because it presents almost exclusively in patients younger than 5 years, well before intestinal manifestations of FAP occur. This chapter describes the history, genetic basis, and treatment of HB in general and in patients with FAP and discusses the potential benefits of early genetic testing for FAP and image-based screening for HB in infants born to parents with APC gene mutations.
Sexual Violence Experience Among Nigerian Girls and Young Women: What Are the Roles of Early Sexual Debut, Multiple Sex Partnerships, and Traditional Gender Role Beliefs?:

In Nigeria, one in four females has experienced some form of sexual abuse. Therefore, it is imperative to examine risk factors associated with sexual violence victimization of Nigerian girls and young women to identify targets for prevention and help stakeholders prioritize response efforts. The present article focuses on secondary data analyses of 1,766 females, aged 13 to 24, interviewed in the population-based 2014 Nigeria Violence Against Children Survey. The outcome of interest is lifetime sexual violence (LSV). Several potential predictors were explored: beliefs about gender roles related to sex, early sexual debut (aged <16 years), and multiple sex partners in the past 12 months. Other risk factors assessed were age, ethnicity, religion, education, marital status, and employment. Logistic regression analyses estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results revealed that females who endorsed beliefs about patriarchal sexual decision-making (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI = [1.28, 3.32]) or ever attended school (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = [1.35, 4.34]) were more likely to report experiencing LSV. Prevention programs that target traditional norm beliefs about gender and sexuality have the potential to influence sexual violence in Nigeria. In addition, school attendance may expose females to potential perpetrators. Thus, to prevent sexual violence of girls who attend school, implementing safety measures may be beneficial for protecting them while in and traveling to/from school.
A Biphasic Liquid System for Low-Power Optothermal Bubble Generation and Enhanced Surface Binding of Proteins

A perfluoropentane-in-water biphasic system, capable of optothermally generating microbubbles at low power, enhanced surface binding of protein by the bulk-to-surface concentration with minimal loss in its activity.
Feasibility and safety of endoscopic microwave ablation for malignant central airway obstruction; a case series

Background: Malignant central airway obstruction is a debilitating complication of primary lung cancer and pulmonary metastases occurring in approximately 30% of patients. The goal of therapeutic bronchoscopy is to recanalize an airway to palliate the symptoms and/or to bridge to further cancer therapy. Microwave ablation (MWA) is a field-based technology that heats a tissue by creating an electromagnetic field around an ablation device. We present a case series utilizing MWA via flexible bronchoscopy as a novel, not previously described modality for the management of malignant central airway obstruction. Methods: Therapeutic bronchoscopy with a flexible small MWA antenna (MedWaves Inc.) was performed in five cases. We recorded tumor size, number of microwave energy applications, ablation time, amount of energy delivered, rate of successful ablation, use of other ablative techniques, complications, and 30-day follow up. Results: Successful airway recanalization was achieved in all cases. No immediate complications were noted. In one case, tumor in-growth within a silicone stent was ablated with no damage to the stent. Method: MWA is a novel technique for a tumor destruction while maintaining an airway axis. The oven effect and air gap around a tumor allow to achieve safe and effective tissue devitalization and hemostasis without a thermal effect on surrounding structures of an airway lumen.
Adoption Challenges of Code Randomization

Languages in the C family are distinguished by their efficiency, maturity, and their lack of guardrails compared to other mainstream language in use today. Their efficiency properties kept these languages relevant as new ones appeared. Their lack of memory safety and the resulting vulnerabilities is an ongoing challenge.Code randomization, a moving target defense technique, is one among many competing answers to this challenge. Many techniques have been proposed and evaluated extensively in academic conferences but adoption in the field is lagging. The goal of this paper is to highlight why adoption is so hard and what can be done about it. Code randomization techniques offer much flexibility in their design and implementation. We encourage research that investigates the complex trade-offs between security and many equally important concerns that must be made for enhanced code randomization defenses to make their way into production.
Readability analysis of pediatric otolaryngology patient-reported outcome measures.

Abstract Objective (s): Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are tools that allow patients to directly share information about their health with their healthcare provider. Health literacy experts recommend that health information, such as PROMs, be written at a 6th grade level to ensure patients can read and comprehend it. As the readability of PROMs used in pediatric otolaryngology has yet to be studied, our goal was to analyze the readability of these PROMs and assess their compliance with readability recommendations. Methods The Gunning Fog, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and the FORCAST readability formulas were used to determine the readability of disease-specific PROMs for pediatric otolaryngology. Results Fourteen PROMs were reviewed in the study. Most were intended for caregiver completion (n = 13, 92.9%). Ten PROMs when measured by Gunning Fog (71.4%), 2 PROMs when measured by SMOG (14.3%), and 0 PROMs when measured by FORCAST (0.0%) were at or below the 6th grade reading level. Conclusion Most PROMs available for use in pediatric otolaryngology are above the recommended 6th grade reading level when measured by FORCAST, the most appropriate metric for assessing questionnaires. The high reading grade level needed to complete these PROMs can contribute to health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations, such as children. Pediatric otolaryngology PROMs developed in the future should take readability into account in order to ensure equity in the delivery of care.
Biomarkers for liver disease in urea cycle disorders.

Abstract Background Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are among the most common inborn errors of liver metabolism. As therapies for hyperammonemia associated with urea cycle dysfunction have improved, chronic complications, such as liver disease, have become increasingly apparent in individuals with UCDs. Liver disease in UCDs may be associated with hepatic inflammation, hepatic fibrosis, portal hypertension, liver cancer and even liver failure. However, except for monitoring serum aminotransferases, there are no clear guidelines for screening and/or monitoring individuals with UCDs for liver disease. Thus, we systematically evaluated the potential utility of several non-invasive biomarkers for liver fibrosis in UCDs. Methods We evaluated grey-scale ultrasonography, liver stiffness obtained from shear wave elastography (SWE), and various serum biomarkers for hepatic fibrosis and necroinflammation, in a cohort of 28 children and adults with various UCDs. Results Overall, we demonstrate a high burden of liver disease in our participants with 46% of participants having abnormal grey-scale ultrasound pattern of the liver parenchyma, and 52% of individuals having increased liver stiffness. The analysis of serum biomarkers revealed that 32% of participants had elevated FibroTest™ score, a marker for hepatic fibrosis, and 25% of participants had increased ActiTest™ score, a marker for necroinflammation. Interestingly, liver stiffness did not correlate with ultrasound appearance or FibroTest™. Conclusion Overall, our results demonstrate the high overall burden of liver disease in UCDs and highlights the need for further studies exploring new tools for identifying and monitoring individuals with UCDs who are at risk for this complication. Trial registration This study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03721367 ).
Digital Monopoly without Regret

Attacks on Amazon, Google, and Facebook have tended to ignore a key lesson of the theory of monopolistic competition: that big is not always bad. A monopolist grows large because consumers prefer the firm’s products. The only question for the antitrust laws is whether consumers prefer the monopolist’s products because the monopolist has improved its products relative to those of competitors, or because the monopolist has degraded the products of competitors without improving its own. Only product-degrading conduct is socially harmful and violative of the antitrust laws. Although a complete accounting of conduct by Amazon, Google or Facebook is not yet available, examples of conduct highlighted by the press of late build a case against Facebook alone. Amazon’s biased promotion of its own products over those of third-party sellers makes Amazon better, by helping consumers avoid fakes sold by third parties on Amazon’s website. Google’s use of information gleaned from its publishing platform to offer the best prices for ad placement via the company’s advertising exchange improves Google’s advertising exchange. But Facebook’s termination of competing apps’ access to friend lists does appear to have degraded the quality of competing apps without improving Facebook’s own social media products, suggesting both harm to society and the possibility of antitrust liability.