Prevalence of Cefazolin Inoculum Effect in Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Healthcare Systems

Introduction: The principal treatment for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections comprises of first-generation cephalosporins, specifically Cefazolin (CFZ). Despite advantages such as better tolerability, convenient dosing, and reduced nephrotoxicity, treatment with cefazolin poses a significant concern due to the existence of the cefazolin inoculum effect (CzIE). CzIE is defined as reduced effectiveness of cefazolin against bacterial isolates when the bacterial inoculum is large, leading to a decrease in the antibiotic’s ability to inhibit bacterial growth. The general criteria for CzIE is defined as cefazolin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of ≥ 16 µg/mL at the high inoculum and ≤ 8µg/mL at the standard inoculum. The presence of the CzIE in MSSA isolates is linked to the beta-lactamase gene (BlaZ) expression and is associated with clinical treatment failure. Methods: In this investigation, we evaluated the CzIE on a cohort of S. aureus isolates derived from cystic fibrosis, pediatric, and bone and joint infections. MIC tests were performed using micro-broth dilution assays based on CLSI (Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute) guidelines. Briefly, antibiotic was serially diluted in a broth medium across a 96-well microtiter plate, and bacterial inoculum was added to each sample well. After incubating the plates at 37°C for 24 hours, the MIC was determined as the lowest concentration of antibiotic that completely inhibited visible bacterial growth. Results: A cohort of 97 isolates were tested with cefoxitin to identify potential MSSA isolates. Isolates exhibiting MIC values ≤ 4µg/mL were classified as MSSA and were taken further for CFZ antibiotic susceptibility testing at low (10^4) and high (10^8) inoculum concentrations. We identified 32 MSSA isolates, among which only 3 demonstrated the CzIE (high inoculum MIC ≥ 16 µg/mL; low inoculum MIC ≤ 8 µg/mL). The MSSA isolates that did not exhibit CzIE were characterized as CzIE-negative. The CzIE-positive isolates will undergo further testing for the β-lactamase enzyme (BlaZ) expression evaluation via the Nitrocefin chromogenic assay. Additionally, the BlaZ gene cascade will be identified through genome sequencing. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for a more extensive collection of MSSA isolates, given the considerable variation in CzIE frequency across different geographical regions.No embargoAcademic Major: Pharmaceutical Science

Molar Histology in Mangabeys and Guenons: Exploring the Relationship Between Enamel Prism Angle Variation and Diet

Understanding relationships between diet and tooth structure is of central concern in biological anthropology. Such relationships form the basis of dietary inference for fossil species. It has been suggested that the angle at which tooth enamel prisms approach tooth wear surfaces may be associated with different foods types. High angles have been hypothesized to confer greater enamel stiffness and are thought to be associated with hard-object feeding, or durophagy. Conversely, low angles are thought to confer abrasion resistance, which could indicate abrasive foods and/or grit adhering to foods. We investigated prism angles in molars of two extant mangabey species’ samples: Lophocebus albigena and Cercocebus atys, whose diets are documented by extensive field data. L. albigena prefer soft fruits, falling back on hard seeds during periods of scarcity. By contrast, C. atys feeds on hard seeds year-round. For comparison, we investigated prism angles in Cercopithecus cephus, C. diana and C. petaurista, none of which consume hard foods. Molars were sectioned using standard protocols and imaged with a Motic BA 310 Microscope with a Moticam camera. ImageJ FIJI was used to measure prism angles relative to wear surfaces on “functional” cusps (i.e., those involved in crushing and grinding). Our results show that upper functional cusp angles of C. atys (N = 13) averaged 55.3 degrees, those of L. albigena (N = 11) averaged 39.5 degrees, and those of the pooled Cercopithecus sample (N = 11) averaged 37.0 degrees. A repeated measures regression analysis of upper functional cusps was used to test for fixed effects of tooth, genus, and tooth-genus interaction on prism angle. Only genus was found to be statistically significant. Pairwise comparisons from this model revealed statistically significant differences in prism angles between C. atys and L. albigena as well as between C. atys and the pooled Cercopithecus sample. There was no statistically significant difference between L. albigena and Cercopithecus. These results suggest that the prism angles of a fallback hard-object feeder can be more similar to those of soft-object feeders than to those of an habitual hard-object feeder, indicating that the correspondence between durophagy and enamel microstructure is not straightforward.No embargoAcademic Major: Anthropolog

Evaluating Mouthguard Performance: A Novel Test and Maxilla Strain Analysis

Oral and dental injuries are common in high-contact sports, yet many players forgo mouthguards due to discomfort and poor fit. Methods for mouthguard testing exist; however, developing a testing environment that accurately reproduces real-world impact scenarios is inherently difficult due to the limitations of replicating such scenarios in a laboratory setting. Prior studies have laid the groundwork for mouthguard testing; however, they also reveal notable limitations in their testing methodology. With a lack of a universally standardized testing method and the gaps observed in previous research, there is a clear need for a novel testing design. This forms the basis for the objectives of this study, which includes developing a realistic and consistent testing methodology that directly addresses the current challenges in mouthguard evaluation and using the proposed methodology to evaluate the mechanical performance and protective effectiveness of leading commercial mouthguards. The testing method of this study is a drop-tower apparatus that features a vertically positioned, 3D-printed stainless steel of the student’s maxilla to ensure consistent mouthguard fitting and results. A modified rubber puck, positioned above the central incisors, served as the impactor. Impact stress on the jaw was quantified with a 5,000 pound-force load cell and analyzed via oscilloscope. Digital Image Correlation, a technique for tracking deformation on a targeted surface, was utilized to measure strain. The flat surface of the horseshoe-shaped jaw was marked with a speckle pattern, with high-speed camera footage of each test processed in VIC-2D. MATLAB was used to analyze average strain and strain under impact energies of 21, 48, and 84-joules. The testing apparatus was successful in determining the performance of a range of commercial mouthguards. Overall, the results indicate that the methodology developed in this study offers strong potential as a standardized framework for future mouthguard evaluation.No embargoAcademic Major: Mechanical Engineerin

Prohexadione-calcium Foliar Sprays for Growth Regulation in Herbaceous Perennial Ornamental Grass Taxa

Excessive vegetative growth of ornamental grasses presents several production challenges for commercial greenhouse and nursery growers. Prohexadione-calcium, a plant growth regulator (PGR), has been used to reduce growth in a variety of fruit and grain crops. The foliar influence of prohexadione-calcium on five popular and commercially available ornamental grasses was evaluated in this study. Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Huron Sunrise’, Panicum virgatum ‘Red Flame’, Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’, and Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Twilight Zone’ were sprayed with 0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, or 5000 mg·L–1 prohexadione-calcium in a completely randomized block design. Each species received one spray application and were evaluated 2, 4, and 6 weeks after application to determine plant height and diameter. After 6 weeks, the experiment was terminated, and plants were excised at the substrate level to determine shoot dry weight. Prohexadione-calcium significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced plant height, plant diameter, and shoot dry weight of Miscanthus ‘Huron Sunrise’, compared to the control. Plant height and plant diameter of Schizachyrium ‘Twilight Zone’ was only affected 6 weeks after application and reduced shoot dry weight. While prohexadione-calcium applications on Miscanthus ‘Huron Sunrise’, Panicum ‘Red Flame’ and Pennisetum ‘Hameln’ had minimal to no effect on plant height or plant diameter but varying significance on shoot dry weight. Data from this study suggests that foliar application of prohexadione-calcium on ornamental grasses shows promise but is species- and concentration specific.The Ohio State Floriculture and Landscape Horticulture Alumni Association Fellowship Endowment FundFine Americas, IncSun Gro HorticultureJ.R. Peters, Inc.Walters Gardens, Inc.No embargoAcademic Major: Sustainable Plant System

The Ninth Annual Humanism in Medicine Last Lecture

2025 Humanism in Medicine Last Lecture, "The Heart of the Pediatrician: Helping Children Feel Lovable, Capable and Valuable", featuring Mary McIlroy, MD, Emerita Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, August 28, 2025, The Ohio State University Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital Auditorium, Columbus, Ohio.Dr. Mary McIlroy is the ninth Last Lecture speaker. She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Nationwide Children's Hospital, including an additional year as Chief Resident. She then devoted 36 years to the students, residents, and faculty at the Ohio State College of Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics and Nationwide Children's Hospital. Dr. McIlroy's passion for education led to her leadership and teaching of multiple aspects of the college curriculum, including teaching pediatric topics and mentoring students, developing and managing the clinical curriculum, and assessing and evaluating student progress. She directed the Med 3-4 Academic Program and the Pediatric Clerkship for decades, served as co-chair of the college General Objectives Task Force, and chaired the Executive Curriculum Committee, along with multiple other positions. At Nationwide Children's she was also Assistant Medical Director of Education and chair of the Graduate Medical Education Committee. Dr. McIlroy counseled and guided many medical students, particularly those interested in pursuing pediatric careers, through a period of years when the college numbers far exceeded the national average of the percentage of students from medical schools entering pediatric residencies. She treasures the letters of gratitude and updates she received from students over many years and the continuing personal connections with them. Dr. McIlroy has been honored with the College of Medicine Distinguished Educator Award, the Faculty Teaching Award and Master Teacher designation, the Gold Humanism Honor Society Mentoring Award, the College of Medicine Alumni Achievement Award, the College of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Nationwide Children's Hospital Career Contribution Award.Courage to Teach BoardJames V. Warren, MD, Medical Humanities FundThe Linda C. Stone, MD, Program for Humanism and the Arts in MedicineThe Ohio State University College of Medicin

Publications and Services of Library Publishing Programs in the United States and Canada Dataset

This dataset is the transformed data of a subset of the public dataset issued by the Library Publishing Coalition that can be found here: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1Z1lvz3BaXUi1Lc_QYbXRKTLIsyTCKOcM . It contains information about the publications and services of library publishing programs gathered by the Library Publishing Coalition's annual Directory Survey, and also adds enrollment information for the institutions included.Publisher allows immediate open acces