cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NEGOTIN LOWLAND IRRIGATION SYSTEM UPGRADING

According to FAO concept of irrigation modernisation, to be effective, an irrigation system must be based on improved irrigation effciency, reduced operation and maintenance costs and improved cost recovery based on raised agricultural productivity, with due consideration to the institutional and legal-related issues and environment protection. To make the irrigation system successfully upgraded, the project needs to undergo a comprehensive analysis of the factors that lead to the modernization. Using the IPTRID/FAO-AGLW methodological approach of addressing causes for irrigation modernization, the authors in the paper review technical, socio-institutional, economic-fnancial and environmental causes for upgrading of the irrigation system in the Negotin lowland and give some recommendations for successful realization of this project, based on international and regional experiences and adjusted to specifcities of local agriculture and rural communities.
Factors Affecting Gender-based Experiences for Residents in Radiation Oncology

Purpose Although women constitute approximately half of medical school graduates, an uneven gender distribution exists among many specialties, including radiation oncology, where women fill only one third of residency positions. Although multiple social and societal factors have been theorized, a structured review of radiation oncology resident experiences has yet to be performed. Methods and Materials An anonymous and voluntary survey was sent to 611 radiation oncology residents practicing in the United States. Residents were asked about their gender-based experiences in terms of mentorship, their professional and learning environment, and their partnerships and personal life. Results A total of 203 participants submitted completed survey responses. Fifty-seven percent of respondents were men, and 43% were women, with a mean age of 31 years (standard deviation=3.7 years). Although residents in general value having a mentor, female residents prefer mentors of the same gender ( P P =.042). Women were more likely to say that they have observed preferential treatment based on gender ( P ≤.001), and they were more likely to perceive gender-specific biases or obstacles in their professional and learning environment ( P P P P Conclusions Differences in experiences for male and female radiation oncology residents exist with regard to mentorship and in their professional and learning environment.
Incorporation of Tritium from Succinate-2,3-H.3 into Long Chain Fatty Acids by Aortic Mitochondria.

SummaryThe mechanism of succinate stimulation of fatty acid synthesis by aortic mitochondria was studied. Tritium, but not carbon, from succinate labeled in positions 2- and 3- is incorporated into long-chain fatty acids in this system. The relative incorporation of tritium in various fatty acids is similar to that of C14 from acetate. Succinate can, therefore, provide protons for the reductive steps. We believe this is a demonstration of energy-requiring reversal of electron flow participating in a synthetic process and another way in which Krebs Cycle acids can influence fatty acid synthesis.
Environmental sensitivity of Ru(II) complexes: the role of the accessory ligands.

A suite of Ru(II) complexes in which one ligand is pH responsive and the other two are varied in an effort to achieve improved photophysics has been synthesized and their potential as pH reporters assessed. The more general purpose of the study was to examine the role of the accessory ligands in heteroleptic reporter complexes and the degree to which such ligands can affect the performance of luminescent reporters. For this suite of complexes, judicious choice of the accessory ligand can alter both the pKa* and the dynamic range of response. It was found that the emission color and brightness were influenced by pH, but the lifetimes were only weakly affected. Surprisingly, some accessory ligands which should have improved luminescent properties essentially turned off the pH response. Several possible reasons for this observation are explored. It is suggested, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations support, that the relative π* levels of the pH sensitive and the accessory ligands are critical.
Highly ordered dielectric mirrors via the self-assembly of dendronized block copolymers.

Dendronized block copolymers were synthesized by ruthenium-mediated ring-opening methathesis polymerization of exo-norbornene functionalized dendrimer monomers, and their self-assembly to dielectric mirrors was investigated. The rigid-rod main-chain conformation of these polymers drastically lowers the energetic barrier for reorganization, enabling their rapid self-assembly to long-range, highly ordered nanostructures. The high fidelity of these dielectric mirrors is attributed to the uniform polymer architecture achieved from the construction of discrete dendritic repeat units. These materials exhibit lightreflecting properties due to the multilayer architecture, presenting an attractive bottom-up approach to efficient dielectric mirrors with narrow band gaps. The wavelength of reflectance scales linearly with block-copolymer molecular weight, ranging from the ultraviolet, through the visible, to the near-infrared. This allows for the modulation of photonic properties through synthetic control of the polymer molecular weight. This work represents a significant advancement in closing the gap between the precision obtained from top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Fuelling the future: microbial engineering for the production of sustainable biofuels

Global climate change linked to the accumulation of greenhouse gases has caused concerns regarding the use of fossil fuels as the major energy source. To mitigate climate change while keeping energy supply sustainable, one solution is to rely on the ability of microorganisms to use renewable resources for biofuel synthesis. In this Review, we discuss how microorganisms can be explored for the production of next-generation biofuels, based on the ability of bacteria and fungi to use lignocellulose; through direct CO2 conversion by microalgae; using lithoautotrophs driven by solar electricity; or through the capacity of microorganisms to use methane generated from landfill. Furthermore, we discuss how to direct these substrates to the biosynthetic pathways of various fuel compounds and how to optimize biofuel production by engineering fuel pathways and central metabolism.
Endovascular treatment for stroke

Shortly after a clot occludes a cerebral artery, cells in the infarct core—the most severely ischaemic area—start dying. The tissue surrounding the ischaemic core, the penumbra, is hypoperfused and at risk of progressing to infarction over minutes to hours, depending on the degree of ischaemia. The goal of treatment for acute stroke is to restore blood flow to these potentially salvageable areas as soon as possible. Thrombolysis is traditionally used, but in this issue Rodrigues and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.i1754) summarise the evidence supporting mechanical thrombectomy.1 For more than 20 years the only treatment proven effective for patients with acute stroke was intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA).2 3 When administered within 4.5 hours from symptom onset, rt-PA increases the odds of survival without clinically significant disability at three to six months.4 The treatment effect is time dependent: the odds ratio for a good outcome is 1.75 when rt-PA is given within three hours of the onset of symptoms, 1.26 when started between three and 4.5 hours, and a non-statistically significant 1.15 if administered beyond 4.5 hours.4 But this treatment has limitations. …
Where to Go: Breaking the Symmetry in Cell Motility.

Cell migration in the “correct” direction is pivotal for many biological processes. Although most work is devoted to its molecular mechanisms, the cell’s preference for one direction over others, thus overcoming intrinsic random motility, epitomizes a profound principle that underlies all complex systems: the choice of one axis, in structure or motion, from a uniform or symmetric set of options. Explaining directional motility by an external chemo-attractant gradient does not solve but only shifts the problem of causation: whence the gradient? A new study in PLOS Biology shows cell migration in a self-generated gradient, offering an opportunity to take a broader look at the old dualism of extrinsic instruction versus intrinsic symmetry-breaking in cell biology.
Surgical treatment for a case of postoperative Pseudallescheria boydii endophthalmitis

Pseudallescheria boydii (P. boydii) is an uncommon ocular pathogen which previously has been identified in only 10 of 905 fungal isolates identified by the Sid Richardson Microbiology Laboratory at the Cullen Eye Institute of Baylor College of Medicine. Furthermore, only one case of postoperative P. boydii endophthalmitis and four cases of endogenous P. boydii endophthalmitis have been reported. Three of the four patients with endogenous endophthalmitis died within 4 weeks of diagnosis. We describe a second case of postoperative endophthalmitis due to this fungus. The infection was successfully eradicated following vitrectomy, corneoscleral resection, and patch graft, in addition to intraocular, topical, and oral antifungal medication. Although in vitro sensitivities are variable, P. boydii is known to be relatively resistant to amphotericin B. This points to the importance of proper cultures and sensitivities when treating cases of suspected fungal endophthalmitis. Unfortunately, the patient's eye became phthisical 6 months following the initial intervention.
Feminizing Genitoplasty: A Synthesis

Abstract The female child with the adrenogenital syndrome is subject to a variable degree of masculinization. Surgery should be directed to 3 goals: 1) removing the corpora and preserving the glans with its innervation to create a clitoris with normal sensation, 2) creating a normal-appearing introitus by fashioning labia minora from phallic skin and foreskin, and 3) vaginoplasty to provide an adequate opening for the vagina onto the perineum. The entire repair may be completed before the age of 6 months unless the vagina enters the urogenital sinus at a high level, in which case vaginoplasty should be delayed until the child is older. The evolution of this operative approach is described and the details of the operative technique are presented.
English language education policy in Asia

In the Asian context where policy creation can sometimes seem complicating, complex and controversial, understanding a country’s history, the interplay of socio-political and economic issues, and t...
Anchoring and Adjustment With Spatial Uncertainty in Trajectory Prediction

Anchoring and adjustment is a prevalent heuristic, common in a range of settings and decisions. While it is well studied using values, there has been limited research on its function in visual-spat...
Estimators for QST and coalescence times.

Comparisons of QST to FST can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that lead to differentiation, or lack thereof, among the phenotypes of different groups (e.g., populations, species), and these comparisons have been performed on a variety of taxa, including humans. Here, I show that for neutrally evolving (i.e., by genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow alone) quantitative characters, the two commonly used QST estimators have somewhat different interpretations in terms of coalescence times, particularly when the number of groups that have been sampled is small. A similar situation occurs for FST estimators. Consequently, when observations come from only a small number of groups, which is not an unusual situation, it is important to match estimators appropriately when comparing QST to FST .
Ghosts and Theme Parks: The Supernatural and the Artificial in George Saunders’s Short Stories

This essay proposes that George Saunders’s ghost stories qualify as magical realism, as the mode is defined by critics including Luis Leal, Amaryll Chanady, and Fredric Jameson. Though Saunders does not have the double consciousness of many authors of magical realist fiction, his stories include both the supernatural marvels of traditional culture and the artificial marvels of contemporary culture, which provide the conflicting codes necessary to magical realism. Close readings of “The Wavemaker Falters,” “CommComm,” and “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline” show that Saunders has helped to set a new trend in magical realism by introducing “the marvelous artificial”—a corollary to Alejo Carpentier’s “the marvelous real.” Saunders’s ghost stories suggest that though the artificiality of postmodern culture exhausts the human soul, the soul can endure and finally escape the empty images and systems that surround it by recuperating some premodern ways of being human.
An Eco-Echo-Philopoetics of Dialog & Place: Why & When Should Language Alert & Alter Itself?

How does one re-late to the other when dialoging? This piece sets out to explore the resonant ecosystem of a dialogically relational, relatively elastic dialogical place that itself becomes mobile, one that traverses its own topological confines and configurations including pathosemiotic vibrations and proliferations: topos as a dynamic zone of interstitial logos that stays autogenerative, autopoetic. Reframing the classical “call & response” reciprocity of hermeneutical discoursing, away from its often monorailed, anthropo-logocentric sites/sights & sounds where scaffolded speaking or logos itself is literally normativized or else finds itself antagonized by its structurally invisible and inaudible other, I try to imagine a somewhat alternative, more alternatively alter-native, ecosystem of dialoging, inclusive of (digital) “logging” that auto-feeds the increasingly datafied world today, all of which forces us to rethink the very concept of “communication,” a discursive territory once kind of familiar to us homo lingua politus. With border wars and material exploitations unfolding everywhere on the planetary scale, from global terrorism to environmental crisis, I find myself turning, for an anchor, towards a matrixial eco-echography of interspecies interstitiality where one does not come to “have,” control or even “experience” dialogs but rather constantly, contextually passes through synaesthetic networks of communication as an inter-being, a cosmic switchboard operator, a multi-nodal mobile point of multi-mediation as well as meditation. How could “you,” an old-fashioned thou of Buber’s I-Thou, be really faced, not just placed?
Developmental Cascade and Transactional Associations Among Biological and Behavioral Indicators of Temperament and Maternal Behavior

An empirical model of temperament that assessed transactional and cascade associations between respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), negative affectivity, and the caregiving environment (i.e., maternal intrusiveness) across three time points during infancy (N = 388) was examined. Negative affectivity at 5 months was associated positively with maternal intrusiveness at 10 months, which in turn predicted increased negative affectivity at 24 months. RSA at 5 months was associated positively with negative affectivity at 10 months, which subsequently predicted greater RSA at 24 months. Finally, greater RSA at 5 months predicted greater negative affectivity at 10 months, which in turn predicted greater maternal intrusiveness at 24 months. Results are discussed from a biopsychosocial perspective of development.
Where You Live Matters: The Impact of Local Financial Market Competition in Managing Online Peer-To-Peer Loans

In the past decade, the proliferation of online marketplace lending has been disrupting the consumer credit market, especially personal loans used for debt consolidation. These lenders, for example, Lending Club, transcend the geographic boundaries within which local banks operate and offer homogeneous access and terms to borrowers. However, the ultimate benefits borrowers derive from marketplace lending can differ significantly because local alternatives may be used to replace marketplace loans when they are available and favorable. Correspondingly, if local bank competition drives the substitution of an existing marketplace loan with a traditional bank loan, the promise of equal benefits to all borrowers from marketplace lending is unlikely to fully materialize. This competitive dynamic also has implications for policy making, particularly in judging the ramifications of bank mergers and acquisitions (M&As). We utilize data from Lending Club, a major peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform, to study whether local market structure drives heterogeneous incentives of traditional banks to convert borrowers of marketplace lending to conventional bank loans. The results indicate that a borrower who resides in a more competitive market is more likely to pay off her P2P loan early by making a large, one-time payment compared with a borrower from a less competitive market. Thus, borrowers from different markets do not benefit equally from online marketplace lending disrupting the consumer credit market. Our study has implications for online marketplace lending, other FinTech based markets, and the consumer credit market in general.
Combined Elbow Release and Humeral Rotational Osteotomy in Arthrogryposis.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if a simultaneous posterior elbow release and humeral osteotomy to correct both the elbow extension contracture and the humeral internal rotation contracture in children with arthrogryposis can produce similar results as a posterior elbow release alone. Methods This study was a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients with arthrogryposis treated surgically for elbow extension contracture between 2007 and 2014. A total of 43 procedures in 36 patients had adequate available follow-up data and were included in the study. The postoperative range of motion reported was measured at the early follow-up (3–6 months), midterm follow-up (between 1 and 2 years), and the most recent long-term follow-up (after 2 years) from the date of surgery. Patients were grouped into 2 groups (simultaneous and release) based on the necessity of performing an ipsilateral humeral rotation osteotomy at the time of the release. Results At early follow-up, patients in both groups increased their total arc of motion. There was a significant difference in extension and arc of motion at midterm follow-up (between 1 and 2 years) between the simultaneous and the release groups with the simultaneous group significantly losing both terminal extension and total arc of motion. At more than 2 years follow-up, there remained a statistically significant difference in arc of motion, with the release group having a significantly larger arc of motion. Patients who underwent dual plating had a much larger arc of motion at early follow-up than the K-wire or single-plate fixation group, despite having similar preoperative extension, flexion, and arc of motion. This difference was also significant at late follow-up. Conclusions Patients with posterior release alone had significantly greater improvement in total arc of motion and significantly better elbow extension than patients who underwent a simultaneous humeral osteotomy. However, rigid fixation with early mobilization may yield results comparable with the release alone group. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
How do we manage blood donors and recipients after a positive Zika screening result

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is the focus of an ongoing pandemic. ZIKV is notable for its severe neurologic sequelae in babies born to infected mothers. High rates of subclinical infection, as evidenced by the finding of ZIKV RNA in asymptomatic donors, raise concerns of risk to the blood supply. To date, a total of four suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted ZIKV have been reported (all in Brazil), none of which were associated with clinical infection in the transfusion recipients. In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a guidance mandating national blood donor screening for ZIKV in the United States. Five days after implementation of donor screening at our facility, we encountered a ZIKV-positive donor. We provide a practical approach to donor, recipient, and blood product management in the setting of a positive donor ZIKV result. Such has been informed by the challenges we faced in the workup of a ZIKV-reactive donation and recipient lookback.
Low-Cost High-Speed In-Plane Stroboscopic Micro-Motion Analyzer

Instrumentation for high-speed imaging and laser vibrometry is essential for the understanding and analysis of microstructure dynamics, but commercial instruments are largely unaffordable for most microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) laboratories. We present the implementation of a very low cost in-plane micro motion stroboscopic analyzer that can be directly attached to a conventional probe station. The low-cost analyzer has been used to characterize the harmonic motion of 52.1 kHz resonating comb drive microactuators using ~50 ns pulsed light-emitting diode (LED) stroboscope exposure times, producing sharp and high resolution (~0.5 μm) device images at resonance, which rivals those of several orders of magnitude more expensive systems. This paper details the development of the high-speed stroboscopic imaging system and presents experimental results of motion analysis of example microstructures and a discussion of its operating limits. The system is shown to produce stable stroboscopic LED illumination to freeze device images up to 11 MHz.
Dorsal hippocampus is necessary for visual categorization in rats.

The hippocampus may play a role in categorization because of the need to differentiate stimulus categories (pattern separation) and to recognize category membership of stimuli from partial information (pattern completion). We hypothesized that the hippocampus would be more crucial for categorization of low-density (few relevant features) stimuli-due to the higher demand on pattern separation and pattern completion-than for categorization of high-density (many relevant features) stimuli. Using a touchscreen apparatus, rats were trained to categorize multiple abstract stimuli into two different categories. Each stimulus was a pentagonal configuration of five visual features; some of the visual features were relevant for defining the category whereas others were irrelevant. Two groups of rats were trained with either a high (dense, n = 8) or low (sparse, n = 8) number of category-relevant features. Upon reaching criterion discrimination (≥75% correct, on 2 consecutive days), bilateral cannulas were implanted in the dorsal hippocampus. The rats were then given either vehicle or muscimol infusions into the hippocampus just prior to various testing sessions. They were tested with: the previously trained stimuli (trained), novel stimuli involving new irrelevant features (novel), stimuli involving relocated features (relocation), and a single relevant feature (singleton). In training, the dense group reached criterion faster than the sparse group, indicating that the sparse task was more difficult than the dense task. In testing, accuracy of both groups was equally high for trained and novel stimuli. However, both groups showed impaired accuracy in the relocation and singleton conditions, with a greater deficit in the sparse group. The testing data indicate that rats encode both the relevant features and the spatial locations of the features. Hippocampal inactivation impaired visual categorization regardless of the density of the category-relevant features for the trained, novel, relocation, and singleton stimuli. Hippocampus-mediated pattern completion and pattern separation mechanisms may be necessary for visual categorization involving overlapping irrelevant features.
Sameness May Be a Natural Concept That Does Not Require Learning.

It has been assumed that when pigeons learn how to match to sample, they learn simple stimulus-response chains but not the concept of sameness. However, transfer to novel stimuli has been influenced by pigeons’ tendency to be neophobic. We trained pigeons on matching (n = 7) and mismatching (n = 8) with colors as samples and, with each sample, one color as the nonmatching comparison. We then replaced either the matching or the nonmatching stimulus with a familiar stimulus never presented with that sample. Results suggest that for both matching and mismatching, pigeons locate the stimulus that matches the sample: If the task involves matching, they chose it; if it involves mismatching, they avoid it. Thus, the concept of sameness is the basis for correct choice with both tasks. This finding suggests that sameness is a basic concept that does not have to be learned and may have evolved in many species, including humans.
When technology shapes community in the Cultural and Craft Industries: Understanding virtual entrepreneurship in online ecosystems

Abstract With the aim of providing greater insight into the nature and dynamics of the online entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Cultural and Craft Industries (CCIs), this study investigated the novel interactions taking place among virtual entrepreneurial firms operating in a relatively new technological context i.e. cybermediary platforms. It is argued that the technologically enabled connectivity offered by these platforms helps foster a distinctive sense of virtual community. Connectivity with users and peer-firms allows a greater sense of identity, shared values, and membership that may not exist routinely. This sense of virtual community may give rise to mutually beneficial firm behaviors whereby support of other businesses becomes the norm. The literatures on sense of virtual community, e-word of mouth, online social capital and e-community are integrated to examine the entrepreneurial dynamics in a context epitomizing collaboration, cooperation and creativity. Results from 732 virtual entrepreneurial firms support the hypotheses that (i) a sense of virtual community is positively related to supporting and promoting peers in the CCIs; (ii) promoting other entrepreneurial ventures increases online social capital and (iii) this in turn creates beneficial outcomes for virtual entrepreneurial firms in the CCIs. Future research may delve even deeper into how technologies may influence the community, collaborative or competitive nature of firm behavior.
Trends and Characteristics of Occupational Suicide and Homicide in Farmers and Agriculture Workers, 1992-2010.

Objective We examined work-related homicides and suicides among farm operators/workers in the United States from 1992 to 2010. Methods Work-related homicide and suicide cases from 1992 to 2010 were obtained from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. To calculate rates, denominator data on the US working population were also obtained from 2003 to 2010 Current Population Survey. Logistic regression was used to identify factors that were differentially associated with homicide and suicide. Results Over these 19 years, 171 farm operators/workers died from homicide and 230 died from suicide. When compared to rates of all workers, suicide rates were higher while homicide rates were lower among farm operators/workers. Males (OR = 6.1), whites (OR = 4.7), and 35- to 54-year-old (OR = 2.3) farm operators/workers had increased odds of suicide over homicide compared with their respective counterparts (ie, females, nonwhites, <35-year-olds). Those working in smaller farm operations with <11 employees had 1.7 times the odds of suicide over homicide. Conclusions Suicide and homicide are both present in the agricultural industry, with suicide being more common than homicide. Translation of suicide prevention programs should be explored for the agricultural industry.
Abstract 11066: Long Term Clinical Outcome and Response to Statin Therapy of Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background: We recently reported that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is independently associated with the presence and severity of subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) within the Veterans population. This study investigates the sex-specific long-term clinical outcome and response to statin therapy in Veterans with PTSD. Methods: Electronic medical records were used to assess diagnoses, survival and pharmacotherapy from Southern California and Nevada veterans. The sex-specific relative risk (RR) of mortality was calculated using generalized estimating equation analyses. Results: The study population consisted of 287,013 veterans [age 65+_14 years, 40,966(14.2%) women. During a median 130-month follow-up, PTSD was more prevalent in male (n=29505 (11.9%)) than female (n=995 (2.3%)) Veterans. The mortality risk of PTSD was significantly higher in women as compared to men, especially with the presence of coronary artery disease (p Conclusion: 1) PTSD is associated with CAD and mortality in both genders and 2) Statin therapy is associated with significantly improved survival rate in PTSD patients.
Operational Stability Limits in Rotating Detonation Engine Numerical Simulations

An instability is described which arises in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of semi-idealized rotating detonation engines (RDE) configured with a throat at the exit. Its existence is verified by examining output from two independently developed CFD codes simulating the same configuration and producing solutions that agree well. The instability is shown to be thermo-acoustic in that a spatial integral of the product of pressure and heat release fluctuations develops a regular oscillation which grows in time. The instability can become severe enough to cause detonation failure. Its onset is shown to be closely linked to the size of the exit throat and the size of the inlet restriction; both parameters that strongly influence RDE performance. It is shown that the instability places a cap on ideal RDEperformance, but that an optimized exhaust throat and inlet restriction combination still yields substantial pressure gain. Other parametric sensitivities are also examined in terms ofinstability growth. These include axial length, inlet manifold pressure, and air-fuel ratio.
RBC and Platelet Transfusion Requirements in the First 30 Days after Allogeneic Hemopoietic Cell Transplantation and Transfusion Independence: A Single Center Retrospective Study of 1803 Recipients

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients often require substantial but variable transfusion support. Few studies have quantified their transfusion burden, or identified prognostic factors for increased transfusions to guide patient counseling or inventory management. Data on haploidentical HCT (Haplo-HCT) patients are especially scarce. Objectives To identify factors associated with increased RBC and platelet (PLT) transfusions, and provide for the first time data on a large cohort of Haplo-HCT patients. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 1803 consecutive first time adult allo-HCT patients transplanted at our center in 2011-17. Multivariate linear regression and Fine-Gray subdistribution hazards models were used to examine the associations between baseline characteristics (age, sex, disease stage, graft type, donor type, ABO compatibility and conditioning regimen) and log-transformed transfusion units in the first 30 days after HCT and time to reach transfusion independence respectively. Results The median age of the cohort was 53(18-78); 56.2% were male. Most common diagnoses were AML (38.8%), ALL (19.6%), and lymphoma (14.8%); 50.2% had advanced disease. Patients received nonmyeloablative/reduced intensity (58.9%) or myeloablative conditioning regimens (MAC, 41.1%), followed by peripheral blood stem cell (88.4%), bone marrow (6.9%) or umbilical (UC, 4.7%) HCT. Most grafts were from matched related (MRD, 38.7%) or unrelated (MUD, 49.1%) donors, and 7.6% were haploidentical. ABO incompatibility (Major 15.8%, minor 18.6%, bi-directional 8.5%) was present in 42.9% of the cases (Table 1). Most of the 1764 patients who survived 30+ days received RBC (88.2%) or PLT (97.2%) transfusions during the first 30 days, with a median of 3 (0-37) RBC and 5(0-144) apheresis PLT units. RBC and PLT transfusion independence was reached in 28 (95%CI: 26-31) and 12 (95%CI: 12-13) days respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that Haplo-HCT and UC graft were independently associated with more RBC and PLT transfusions, as were advanced disease, ABO incompatibility, older age, and MAC (P Conclusions We identified patient and transplant factors strongly associated with increased transfusions in the first 30 days after allo-HCT, and quantified the transfusion burden of Haplo-HCT relative to other types of HCT.
Highly Efficient, Stable, and Ductile Ternary Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells from a Two-Donor Polymer Blend

Organic solar cells (OSCs) are one of the most promising cost-effective options for utilizing solar energy, and, while the field of OSCs has progressed rapidly in device performance in the past few years, the stability of nonfullerene OSCs has received less attention. Developing devices with both high performance and long-term stability remains challenging, particularly if the material choice is restricted by roll-to-roll and benign solvent processing requirements and desirable mechanical durability. Building upon the ink (toluene:FTAZ:IT-M) that broke the 10% benchmark when blade-coated in air, a second donor material (PBDB-T) is introduced to stabilize and enhance performance with power conversion efficiency over 13% while keeping toluene as the solvent. More importantly, the ternary OSCs exhibit excellent thermal stability and storage stability while retaining high ductility. The excellent performance and stability are mainly attributed to the inhibition of the crystallization of nonfullerene small-molecular acceptors (SMAs) by introducing a stiff donor that also shows low miscibility with the nonfullerene SMA and a slightly higher highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) than the host polymer. The study indicates that improved stability and performance can be achieved in a synergistic way without significant embrittlement, which will accelerate the future development and application of nonfullerene OSCs.
Videoconferencing Technology to Facilitate a Pilot Training Course in Advanced Psychopharmacology for Psychiatrists.

Psychopharmacology requires practitioners to continually upgrade knowledge and skills, but attendance at live continuing medical education events presents many barriers. In addition, technology has generated new learning approaches. In response, a videoconference-based course on psychopharmacology was developed and evaluated for feasibility and acceptability. Specific goals included whether learners would engage and whether the technology would work well for both learners and instructors. Additional aims included providing guideline-concordant psychopharmacology training, enhancing patient safety, and fostering case discussion. The course used BlueJeans® videoconferencing technology. Each of the six weekly sessions was taught by a facilitator and a speaker. Every class incorporated a 1-h interactive didactic presentation, followed by 1 h for case reviews. Topics included six major psychiatric disorders, managing key drug interactions, and pharmacogenomics. Three types of online self-report evaluations were conducted—individual session evaluation, overall evaluation, and faculty speaker evaluation. Nineteen participants enrolled, with 85% of respondents reporting course objectives were met as “very good” or “excellent.” Moreover, 92% of respondents rated the course as “very good” or “excellent.” Sixty percent of the faculty were “somewhat satisfied” and 40% were “extremely satisfied” with the videoconferencing tool. Qualitative responses from both participants and faculty were positive overall. This course provides preliminary evidence that an online, live longitudinal course in psychopharmacology is both acceptable and effective, both for CME learners and teachers. The authors plan to disseminate this model of CME to other institutions while extending the reach of the present course to more diverse practitioners.
Propensity-matched comparison of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement techniques: Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) versus fluoroscopic guidance.

Abstract Purpose To compare procedure characteristics and outcomes when TIPS is performed under intracardiac echocardiography guidance (iTIPS) compared to conventional fluoroscopic guidance (cTIPS). Materials and methods A retrospective propensity-matched study of 30 iTIPS and 30 cTIPS procedures from January 2014 to March 2017 at a single US high volume academic medical center was performed. iTIPS and cTIPS cases were propensity score matched using predictive variables: age, race, gender, etiology of liver disease, indication for TIPS, MELD score, and portal vein patency. Procedure characteristics and post- procedure outcomes were compared between propensity-matched groups including: total procedure time, technical success, radiation dose, contrast volume, complication rate, 30- day mortality, and revision rate within 3 months. Results Radiation dose (875.3 vs 457.4 mGY, p = 0.039) and contrast volume (141 vs 103 mL, p = 0.005) were significantly decreased in the iTIPS versus the cTIPS group. There was no significant difference in procedure time (81.5 cTIPS vs 84 min iTIPS) or rate of TIPS revisions within 3 months. Average operator experience in the iTIPs group was 4.2 years and cTIPS group 11.0 years (p = 0.0004). All procedures were technically successful with no mortalities within 30 days. Conclusion iTIPS resulted in significantly reduced radiation dose and contrast volume. However, there was no difference in total procedure time or overall outcomes despite greater operator experience in the cTIPS group.
Babesiosis: A Retrospective Review of 38 Cases in the Upper Midwest

Babesiosis is an emerging health risk, and clinicians need to be aware of its different clinical manifestations. In our cohort of 38 patients, almost half did not recall a tick bite, and diagnosis was delayed due to the nonspecific nature of symptoms. Sixty-eight percent of patients required hospitalization, with 21% requiring intensive care unit stay. Coinfection with Lyme, anaplasma, or both Lyme and anaplasma was seen in 24%, 5%, and 8% of the patients, respectively. None of the patients in our cohort died from their disease.
LED-Based Functional Photoacoustics—Portable and Affordable Solution for Preclinical Cancer Imaging

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an imaging modality with promising results in cancer theranostics, both in preclinical and clinical applications. Its applicability in image-guided drug delivery and monitoring therapeutic response holds great promise for clinical translation. Current PAI techniques rely on using bulky lasers to provide the nanosecond pulsed light for photoacoustic signal generation. Tremendous growth in semiconductor industry within the last decade has led to creation of low-cost powerful LEDs that can be used as an alternate light source in lieu of laser to generate photoacoustic signal. In this chapter, we provide an overview of PAI usage in preclinical cancer research and provide examples of the LED based PAI performance in similar settings. LEDs will play a major role in catapulting PAI into clinics at an earlier pace and low cost than expected.
Racial/ethnic differences in consumer financial capability: The role of financial education

This study examined the racial/ethnic differences in financial capability controlling for various factors focusing on the role of financial education. Furthermore, we investigated the contributing factors to clarify where such gap stems. Regression results using data from the 2018 U.S. National Financial Capability Study indicated that Whites had a higher level of financial capability across all indicators than other racial/ethnic minority groups. Respondents who participated in the financial education had a higher level of financial capability than those without financial education. Multiple sources, hours and quality of financial education were positively associated with the level of financial capability. Decomposition analyses showed that age, income, negative income shock and banking status contributed to explain the gaps of financial capability between Black and White respondents as well as between Hispanic and White respondents. Financial education was a contributing factor only to explain the Black–White difference and it may narrow the gap. However, we found substantial unexplained gaps between Black and Hispanic respondents attributed by unobservable characteristics. Results of this study provide important insights into the racial/ethnic disparities in financial capability that have implications for consumer policymakers, educators and researchers.
Magnet-Less Circulators Based on Spatiotemporal Modulation of Bandstop Filters in a Delta Topology

In this paper, we discuss the design rationale and guidelines to build magnet-less circulators based on spatiotemporal modulation of resonant junctions consisting of first-order bandstop filters connected in a delta topology. Without modulation, the junction does not allow transmission between its ports; however, when the natural oscillation frequencies of the constituent $LC$ filters are modulated in time with a suitable phase pattern, a synthetic angular-momentum bias can be effectively imparted to the junction and a transmission window opens at one of the output ports, thus realizing a circulator. We develop a rigorous small-signal linear model and find analytical expressions for the harmonic $S$ -parameters of the proposed circuit, which significantly facilitate the design process. We validate the theory with simulations and further discuss the large-signal response, including power handling, nonlinearity, and noise performance. Finally, we present measured results with unprecedented performance in all metrics for a printed circuit board prototype using off-the-shelf discrete components.
Enteral Feed Is A Poor Source of Substrates For Endogenous Nitric Oxide Production In Preterm Infants – A Pilot Study

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) prevalence has increased with an increase in the survival of premature infants (PI). BPD associated PH (BP-PH) occurs in 1/4th of the infants with BPD due to high pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). The endogenous NO production helps with decreasing the PVR. L-arginine (Arg) and L-citrulline (Cit) helps with the production of endogenous nitric oxide (NO). We speculate PI with BPD needs more NO to reduce PVR compared to infants without BPD which makes Arg/Cit as a semi-essential amino acid in infants with BPD-PH. TPN contains …
Monetary Policy, Inflation, and Distributional Impact: South Africa’s Case

The South African Reserve Bank has continued to fulfill its constitutional mandate to protect the value of the local currency by keeping inflation low and steady. This paper provides evidence that monetary policy tightening aimed at maintaining low and stable inflation could at the same time reduce consumption inequality over a 12–18 month horizon, commonly understood as the transmission lag of monetary policy action to the real economy, and similar to the distance between survey waves used in the analysis. In response to “exogenous” monetary policy tightening, the real consumption of individuals at lower ends of the consumption distribution declines relatively modestly, or even increases. With greater reliance on government transfers, thus smaller reliance on labor income, and relatively larger food consumption, these individuals appear to benefit mainly from lower inflation. By contrast, the real consumption of individuals at higher ends of the consumption distribution is more likely to decline due to lower labor income, weaker asset price performance, and higher debt service cost.
The Role of Professional Bodies To Improve the Education and Services

The role of Professional bodies is very important regarding the services and education, because they serve the nation on every phase of development.
Effect of Cations on the Oxidation and Atmospheric Corrosion of Iron Interfaces to Minerals.

Surface corrosion involves a series of redox reactions that are catalyzed by the presence of ions. On infrastructure surfaces and in complex and natural environments, iron surfaces readily undergo redox reactions, impacting chemical processes. In this study, the effect of how cations influence the formation of the mineral scale on iron surfaces and its connection to surface corrosion was investigated in CaCl2(aq) and NaCl(aq) electrolytes. Polarized modulated-infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) measurements were used to measure the oxidation and formation of carbonates at the air/electrolyte/iron interface, which confirmed that the iron surface oxidized faster in CaCl2(aq) than in NaCl(aq). PM-IRRAS, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that after the adsorption of atmospheric O2 and CO2, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of calcite and aragonite was produced on iron in the presence of CaCl2(aq), whereas siderite (FeCO3) was produced on the surface of iron in the presence of NaCl(aq). However, in either solution without gradual O2 and CO2 exposure, a heterogeneous mixture of lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and an iron hydroxy carbonate (Fex(OH)yCO3) was grown on the iron surface. In situ liquid AFM was used to measure the surface roughness in CaCl2(aq) and NaCl(aq), as an estimation of the corrosion rate. In CaCl2(aq), Fe was found to corrode faster than Fe in NaCl(aq) due to more ions at equimolar concentrations. Surface physical changes, as measured by ex situ AFM, confirmed the presence of a heterogeneous mixture of γ-FeOOH and an Fex(OH)yCO3 in the submerged region. This indicates that the cation does not affect the type of mineral grown on the Fe surface in the region completely submerged in the electrolyte. These results suggest that the cations play a unique role in the initial stages of corrosion at the interface region, influencing the uptake of atmospheric CO2 and mineral nucleation. The knowledge gained from these interfacial reactions are important for understanding the connection between surface corrosion, mineral grown, and CO2 capture for sequestration.
Tranexamic acid administration and pulmonary embolism in combat casualties with orthopaedic injuries.

In combat casualty care, tranexamic acid (TXA) is administered as part of initial resuscitation effort; however, conflicting data exist as to whether TXA contributes to increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The purpose of this study is to determine what factors increase risk of pulmonary embolism after combat-related orthopaedic trauma and whether administration of TXA is an independent risk factor for major thromboembolic events. Setting United States Military Trauma Centers. Patients Combat casualties with orthopaedic injuries treated at any US military trauma center for traumatic injuries sustained from January 2011 through December 2015. In total, 493 patients were identified. Intervention None. Main outcome measures Occurrence of major thromboembolic events, defined as segmental or greater pulmonary embolism or thromboembolism-associated pulseless electrical activity. Results Regression analysis revealed TXA administration, traumatic amputation, acute kidney failure, and hypertension to be associated with the development of a major thromboembolic event for all models. Injury characteristics independently associated with risk of major VTE were Injury Severity Score 23 or greater, traumatic amputation, and vertebral fracture. The best performing model utilized had an area under curve = 0.84, a sensitivity=0.72, and a specificity=0.84. Conclusions TXA is an independent risk factor for major VTE after combat-related Orthopaedic injury. Injury factors including severe trauma, major extremity amputation, and vertebral fracture should prompt suspicion for increased risk of major thromboembolic events and increased threshold for TXA use if no major hemorrhage is present. Level of evidence III, Prognostic Study.