cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental analysis of Compressed Earth Block (CEB) with banana fibers resisting flexural and compression forces

Abstract The development of affordable housing is necessary due to the numerous homeless people living in developing countries; the present work is an attempt to alleviate the housing problem facing populations of these countries. Building with Compressed Earthen Blocks (CEBs) is becoming more popular due to their low cost and relative abundance of materials. The proposed innovative Banana-Compressed Earth Block (B-CEB) consists of ordinary CEB ingredients plus banana fibers, which will be the focus of this study. Banana fibers are widely available worldwide due to agricultural waste from banana cultivation. Additionally, banana fibers are environmentally friendly and present important attributes, such as low density, light weight, low cost, high tensile strength, as well as being water repellent and fire resistant. This kind of waste has a greater chance of being utilized for different applications in construction and building materials in order to enhance the mechanical properties of the CEBs. Such enhancements will raise the number of storeys of a building that can be built with CEBs. Experimental work studies on the classic CEB with no fibers and B-CEB were performed, including an axial compression test and flexural test (three-point bending test) by using testing methods according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards (ASTM C-67). Also, in order to obtain the load-deflection curve and bending modulus (E) from the flexural test, the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) sensor was placed under the mid-span of the block for vertical displacement measurements. The results of this study will highlight general trends in the strength properties of different design mixes by adding different lengths of banana fibers in the CEBs. These efforts are necessary to ensure that B-CEB technology becomes a more widely accepted building material that will verify the earth building technology for offering affordable houses.
Resting Heart Rate Trajectory Pattern Predicts Arterial Stiffness in a Community-Based Chinese Cohort.

Objective—To examine whether the long-term resting heart rate (RHR) pattern can predict the risk of having arterial stiffness in a large ongoing cohort. Approach and Results—This community-based co...
Long molecules improve organic diodes

In recent years the light-emitting properties of polymers and small organic molecules have been exploited in a range of optoelectronic devices and could soon challenge the dominance of inorganic materials in the billion-dollar market for electronic displays. During this time, however, molecular and polymer semiconductors have competed with one another for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Researchers from both camps have achieved remarkable success and have presented compelling arguments for the superiority of one class over the other. Molecular semiconductors have taken the early lead, having been used in the displays of car stereos and mobile phones.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENDOCYTOTIC ABILITY IN THE FOLLICLE-ASSOCIATED EPITHELIUM OF THE BURSA OF FABRICIUS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a study to examine the development of endocytotic ability in the follicle associated epithelium of the bursa of Fabricius. Both normal embryonic bursae and bursal anlage transplanted to the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and allowed to develop for up to nine days were studied. The inhibition of bursal development was accomplished by the dipping of the embryonated eggs in 1.5% testosterone proprionate (TP) at three days of development. Bursae from 10-day-old TP-treated embryos were grafted to the CAM of normal embryo hosts, and 10-day-old normal bursae were similarly grafted to TP-treated hosts. Grafts and normal embryonic bursae were incubated with the tracer horseradish peroxidase to access transport ability. Horseradish peroxidase reaction product was produced by incubation in 33 diaminobenzidine, and the tissues were examined by light and electron microscopy. In normal bursal development, follicle-associated epithelium could be recognized by the presence of empty vesicles and tubular infoldings on the fifteenth day of incubation. In normal bursae grafted to TP-treated hosts, the bursal epithelium became hypertrophied with little or no evidence of follicle formation.
Politics, Academics, and Africa

The roots of my fascination with politics and Africa run deep; so too does my need for clarity. The combination drove me into the professoriate. My research in Africa convinced me that modernization theory was wrong: The people I came to know in the field were sophisticated in their politics. Additional research convinced me that market-oriented approaches to political economy were wrong and that government intervention could lead to increases in productivity and welfare. Because neoclassical approaches are flexible, I continue to think in terms of strategy and choice and to apply them to the study of development.
“Linkedin Is My Office; Facebook My Living Room, Twitter the Neighborhood Bar”

This study grounds 45 interviews with media scholars in liminality theory and analyzes how scholars use social media as they transition to combined offline and online communication. Scholars employ highly personal strategies to decide if and how to integrate social media into their professional lives for peer and public communication. Scholars struggle with a double bind of needing to be social media savvy while worrying about career consequences of posting publicly. Few best practices exist.
A Link To The Future: A Pilot Study Look at How Historically Black Colleges and Universities With Journalism and Mass Communications Units Use The Internet in Recruiting

This is the published version, made available with the permission of the Clute Institute. Per their conditions of use, the publisher "provides immediate open access to their journals on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, remix, tweak, build upon, print, search, or link the full text of the articles in this journal provided that appropriate credit is given."
Time Synchronization in a Network of Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons

Time synchronization is a vital feature in many wireless sensor networks with applications ranging from structural health monitoring systems to body area sensors used for rehabilitation and sport medicine. While different wireless protocols have been utilized in sensor networks, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has drawn a lot of attention in the past years due to its low-power architecture and availability in many consumer electronics. Moreover, the added non-connectable beacon mode has increased its functionality for Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor fusion. However, in this mode as devices are not paired with each other no synchronization service is available. In this paper, we present a synchronization protocol based on BLE beacons that can be used in conjunction with BLE software stacks provided with a commercial Bluetooth System-on-Chip (SoC). Offset and frequency-drift estimation techniques are discussed, and the effects of number of synchronization packets and their intervals on the overall synchronization accuracy are investigated. Experimental results show that without any re-synchronization in ten minutes, average synchronization errors of less than 350 ns per minute (single hop) can be achieved.
GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS ON THERMOCAPILLARY CONVECTION WITH SOLIDIFICATION

This study is concerned with the solidification of a sessile drop (i.e., a drop on a flat plate) induced by a point cooling at its base center (by means of a thin metal connected to a heat sink). A finite-volume numerical method is applied to determine the effects of high and reduced gravity on thermocapillary convection during the solidification process. The drop profile is assumed to be a spherical segment based on experimental observation. Liquid, drop height and gravitational acceleration are varied to determine their effects on the transport phenomena. The system simulates a solidification process inside a containerless liquid volume in space flight, which is surface-tension controlled.
The Relationship of Person‐Environment Fit to Perceptions of Autonomy, Competency and Satisfaction Among Older Adults with Developmental Disabilities

The overlay of age-related cognitive and physical impairments onto existing intellectual and physical disabilities, a paucity of informal social relationships, a limited education and low income levels place the current generation of aging adults with intellectual disabilities at risk of premature behavioral limitations and increased dependency. Person-environment fit and its relationship to perceptions of autonomy, competency, and satisfaction were explored through qualitative data collected from consumers. Face-to-face, in home interviews were conducted with 91 consumers who were asked to assess their own ability to carry out self-care and household tasks. Interviewers then observed consumers performing these tasks. A multi-stage data analysis process identified emergent themes that included issues related to autonomy versus dependence, belonging versus isolation, residential permanency versus transience, and social inclusion versus exclusion. The study also collected quantitative data, both from consumers and interviewers acting as observers. Consumer ratings of their own ability were consistently lower than observer ratings. Fostering home-based independence and autonomy among people aging with developmental disabilities are discussed in relation to perspectives on the home environment.
Redox Chemistry of Bis(pyrrolyl)pyridine Chromium and Molybdenum Complexes: An Experimental and Density Functional Theoretical Study.

The three- and four-membered redox series [Cr(MePDP)2]z (z = 1–, 2–, 3−) and [Mo(MePDP)2]z (z = 0, 1–, 2–, 3−) were synthesized to study the redox properties of the pincer ligand MePDP2– (H2MePDP = 2,6-bis(5-methyl-3-phenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)pyridine). The monoanionic complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV/vis/NIR spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Experimental and density functional theory (DFT) studies are consistent with closed-shell MePDP2– ligands and +III oxidation states (d3, S = 3/2) for the central metal ions. Cyclic voltammetry established multiple reversible redox processes for [M(MePDP)2]1– (M = Cr, Mo), which were further investigated via chemical oxidation and reduction. For molybdenum, one-electron oxidation yielded Mo(MePDP)2 which was characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV/vis/NIR, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The experimental and computational data indicate metal-centered oxidation to a MoIV complex (d2, S = 1) with two MePDP2– ligand...
Unfolding Research Data Services: An Information Architecture Perspective

With the exponential growth in digital research data, libraries are beginning to find opportunities to assist researchers with planning, maintaining, sharing, and accessing data through research data services. Using a content analysis with the lens of information architecture, this study sought to better understand how these services are organized in North American academic library websites and to what extent the research data lifecycle is supported within research data services. 50 academic library websites were studied and results yielded three provisions that make up research data services: Information Access, Technical Support, and Personalized Consultation. The data lifecycle was found to be strongly supported in research data services for planning, data curation, and data access stages.
Relative visual-inertial odometry for fixed-wing aircraft in GPS-denied environments

This paper introduces an odometry-like front-end estimator for GPS-denied fixed-wing flight using a monocular camera. This development is a critical component for enabling fixed-wing aircraft to use a novel methodology called relative navigation. Relative navigation allows a single vehicle to gracefully accommodate intermittent GPS or geo-registered image updates. It can also enable communication and a computationally feasible cooperative, batch-based navigation approach for numerous vehicles. This paper presents a visual-odometry estimator that is appropriate for fixed-wing flight characteristics and sensing requirements. We propose a modification to the multi-state-constraint Kalman filter which, instead of running the filter in a single inertial/global frame, regularly resets the navigation frame to a new local origin. The vehicle operates based on the most recent keyframe and produces a marginalized change in pose (odometry) and covariance output whenever the keyframe is updated. This allows the front end to operate at the IMU rate to accommodate guidance and control inputs while sharing marginalized keyframe-to-keyframe odometry estimates with a back-end, graph optimization at a much lower rate than traditional batch navigation schemes. Results from testing the proposed method in a high-fidelity simulation of the filter is also presented.
The Ideal Perpetrator: The French National Railways and the Social Construction of Accountability

Mass atrocity requires the participation of numerous individuals and groups, yet only a few find themselves held accountable. How are these few selected? This article offers a framework that is use...
WHAT ROLE FOR THE EU IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION (SACU): ADVOCATE, CAJOLER, OR BULLY? 1

Kathleen J. Hancock, PhD Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO, USA ABSTRACT Marking its 100-year anniversary this year, the SACU is the oldest surviving customs union today. This paper lays out the history of the SACU and its governance structures, details of the new agreement, the EU’s economic activities in the southern African region, and current issues facing the SACU. Since no major articles have been written on the role of the EU in the renegotiation of the SACU and my own research is in the beginning stages, I cannot yet fully answer posed in the paper’s title. To answer the question, much more research needs to occur both with EU officials and with officials of the SACU member states and the SACU itself. However, my preliminary findings suggest that the EU, through its negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with southern African states has created fissures in the SACU that could eventually be a significant contributing factor to breaking apart the customs union. INTRODUCTION Marking its 100-year anniversary this year, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is the oldest surviving regional integration agreement of its kind. The SACU today includes South Africa and the so-called BLNS (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland). Behind the SACU are fascinating historical figures–like Cecil Rhodes, the controversial imperialist Joseph Chamberlain, and the craggy, resilient Boer nationalist Paul Kruger–failed coups, an ugly war, political intrigue in London, and gold and diamonds. The racist apartheid regime, struggling black African nations supported by Britain, and South Africa’s drive to development mark the next 50 years of the accord, bringing the states at last to an exceedingly equitable governance structure in 2002. INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS AS MODELS OF DELEGATION Customs unions are one of the deeper forms of regional economic integration, requiring members to create common external tariffs for non-members and to remove internal barriers to trade. Unlike preferential or even free trade agreements (PTA and FTA), they require significant on-going coordination and policymaking to be effective. Regional integration agreements can be usefully analyzed as models of delegation, in which member states delegate policy-making or administrative responsibilities to a newly
Detection of Software Usability Deficiencies

In previous research, we have developed an innovative usability evaluation methodology that is based on total effort metrics (TEM). In this paper we present a novel framework for using the TEM approach along with pattern recognition techniques for identifying user interface deficiencies. The methodology, referred to as pinpoint analysis, identifies time segments where the user expends excessive effort in a task-completion interaction-session. The pinpoint analysis methodology provides software engineers with information that can be used for addressing specific usability deficiencies such as poor arrangement of interface elements. The paper describes the new methodology and reports on pattern recognition and TEM based pinpoint analysis tool that is in advanced stages of development.
Early Clinical Experience of Hormonal Therapy in the Brain-Dead Potential Organ Donor

Two types of changes have been documented in the brain-dead potential organ donor. The first is due to diffuse vascular and interstitial injury and the second results from diffuse metabolic cellular disturbances. The former is secondary to the autonomic “storm” that takes place from excessive sympathetic activity during the development of brain death. The latter is due to endocrine abnormalities following loss of hypothalamic control, leading to a state of progressive inhibition of aerobic metabolism. Several clinical studies failed to document low levels of free T3, T4, cortisol, and/or insulin after brain death and/or failed to demonstrate any significant beneficial cardiac and circulatory effect of T3/T4 administration. However, the effects of hormonal therapy were tested by other groups in the management of the brain-dead potential organ donor and demonstrated a beneficial clinical effect in the hemodynamically unstable donor. Data compiled by the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) from a large number of transplant centers have provided supportive evidence for the beneficial effects of hormonal therapy on donor organ function both before and after the transplant procedure. In 2009, almost 50% of brain-dead potential donors in the USA received some form of hormonal replacement therapy.
Impact of a Transplantation Critical Care Model on Short-Term Outcomes Following Liver Transplantation in High Acuity Patients: A Single-Center Experience.

Abstract Background Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Patients with high acuity ESLD are frequently denied life-saving OLT by transplant centers due to reported inferior outcomes. We sought to analyze the impact of a specialized transplant critical care model (TCCM) on patient access to OLT and survival outcomes in high acuity patients. Methods From January 2009 to December 2016, 122 adults were wait-listed at our transplant center with laboratory Model for ESLD ≥35 or Status I. Outcomes in Era I (prior to TCCM) were compared to Era II (TCCM established October 1, 2012). Results Era II (TCCM) led to a significant increase in patients' access to OLT. Frequency and need to seek OLT at another center dropped 4-fold in Era II. Compared to Era I, the majority of patients in Era II required intensive care unit management (22% vs 83%, P Conclusion Implementation of a specialized TCCM expanded OLT access to high acuity patients, reduced the need to seek higher level of care elsewhere, and achieved excellent short-term post-transplant survival outcomes.
A randomized, single-blind, single-dose study to assess the pharmacokinetic equivalence of the biosimilar ABP 215 and bevacizumab in healthy Japanese male subjects

Analytic, pharmacokinetic (PK), and clinical similarity between the biosimilar ABP 215 and bevacizumab has previously been demonstrated in global studies. Here we present a phase 1 study in healthy adult Japanese men. This study was a randomized, single-blind, single-dose, parallel-group study comparing PK parameters of ABP 215 versus EU-authorized bevacizumab in healthy Japanese men. Primary endpoints were maximum observed serum concentration (Cmax) and area under the serum concentration—time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUCinf). Secondary endpoints included AUC from time 0 to time of last quantifiable concentration (AUClast), safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity. Baseline characteristics were similar among study subjects (n = 24/group). After a 3-mg/kg intravenous infusion, the geometric means (GMs) of Cmax, AUCinf, and AUClast were 71.2 µg/mL, 25,259 µg h/mL, and 22,499.3 µg h/mL, respectively, for ABP 215 and 70.16 µg/mL, 25,801 µg h/mL, and 22,604.6 µg h/mL, respectively, for bevacizumab. The GM ratios (90% confidence interval; CI) for Cmax, AUCinf, and AUClast were 1.015 (0.946–1.088), 0.979 (0.914–1.049), and 0.995 (0.941–1.053) for ABP 215 versus bevacizumab. All CIs fell within the prespecified bioequivalence margin (0.80–1.25). Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 2/24 subjects receiving ABP 215 and 1/24 receiving bevacizumab. There were no deaths or AEs leading to study discontinuation; no subject was positive for binding anti-drug antibodies (ADAs). ABP 215 and bevacizumab showed PK similarity in Japanese men. Safety profiles were comparable between the two groups. The pharmacokinetics in Japanese subjects were consistent with those in a previous global PK equivalence study.
Which probes can report intrinsic dynamic heterogeneity of a glass forming liquid

Using extrinsic probes to study a host system relies on the probes’ ability to accurately report the host properties under study. Probes have long been used to characterize dynamic heterogeneity, the phenomenon in which a liquid near its glass transition exhibits distinct dynamics as a function of time and position, with molecules within nanometers of each other exhibiting dynamics that may vary by orders of magnitude. The spatial and temporal characteristics of dynamic heterogeneity demand the selection of probes using stringent criteria on their size and dynamics. In this report, we study the dynamic heterogeneity of the prototypical molecular glass former o-terphenyl by investigating single molecule rotation of two perylene dicarboximide probe molecules that differ in size and comparing this to results obtained previously with the probe BODIPY268. It is found that a probe’s ability to accurately report dynamic heterogeneity in o-terphenyl depends on whether the reported distribution of dynamics overlaps with the intrinsic dynamics of the host, which is naturally related to the width of the intrinsic dynamics and the magnitude of dynamical shift in probe dynamics relative to the host. We show that a probe that rotates ≈15 times more slowly than the intrinsic dynamics of the host o-terphenyl senses the slowest ≈5% of the full dynamic heterogeneity whereas one that rotates ≈65 times more slowly than the host fails to report dynamic heterogeneity of the host.
Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for standard treatment-resistant psoriasis.

Introduction: Psoriasis management includes a variety of treatments including localized therapies and systemic treatments; however, many patients report inadequate clinical response and resistance ...
Reconstruction of Secondary Calvarial Defects with Ex Situ Split Calvarial Bone Grafts: Long-Term Evaluation of Outcomes.

Background Autologous bone continues to represent the first choice for reconstruction of calvarial defects. However, unanswered questions remain on the natural history of the graft and the influence of patient-related risk factors. This study investigated the outcomes of skull reconstruction with split calvarial bone graft, examining the natural history and stratifying the risk of unfavorable results. Methods Patients who underwent cranioplasty with split calvarial bone graft between 1982 and 2016 at the Cleveland Clinic were analyzed, recording demographics, comorbidities, indications, size and location of defect, and outcomes including complications and reoperations. Changes in graft thickness were analyzed using computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results Forty-one patients with an average age of 33.2 years, cranial defect size of 68 cm, and mean follow-up of 28 months were included. The majority of patients (85 percent) had significant risk factors, with 43 percent suffering prior infection. Seventy-three percent of patients experienced successful restoration. A major complication was recorded in 26.8 percent; resorption occurred in 19.5 percent of patients (in 75 percent only at the recipient site), with 9.8 percent requiring reoperation. Patients with one or more risk factors or a smoking history were more likely to experience a complication. The mean ratio of the graft to the bicortical donor bone thickness was 0.48 ± 0.17 for the recipient site and 0.57 ± 0.10 for the donor site at an average radiographic follow-up of 11.9 ± 10.9 years. Conclusions This study demonstrated a 73.2 percent first-attempt success rate in a high-risk population. The grafts maintain thickness over time, with no evidence of bone hypertrophy. Defect characteristics and patient systemic factors appear to be important variables influencing success. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, IV.
Detection of Airway Invasion During Flexible Endoscopic Evaluations of Swallowing: Comparing Barium, Blue Dye, and Green Dye.

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the effects of barium, blue dye, and green dye on the frequency and reliability of detecting airway invasion (penetration and aspiration) seen during fle...
A Family of Three-Port Three-Level Converter Based on Asymmetrical Bidirectional Half-Bridge Topology for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Applications

In this paper, a family of three-port three-level converters (TPTLC) composed of asymmetrical bidirectional half-bridge modules is proposed, which offers the benefits in terms of a simple control scheme, extended soft switching over a wide range of operating conditions, and reduced voltage stress across switches. The proposed converters take advantage of a pulsewidth modulation plus phase shift control technique to regulate the output voltage as well as to control the power flow between different ports independently. A stacked TPTLC is taken as an example to be introduced in detail to gain a thorough insight into the proposed family of converters. The stacked TPTLC can provide a high voltage gain along with a wide voltage gain range without using any transformer, resulting in the improvement in the power density. In order to minimize the conduction loss and reduce the current stress of switches, the root-mean-square current of the inductor and the boundary condition of the phase-shift controller in different operation scenarios are studied. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed concept and effectiveness of the design approach are validated based on the experimental results of a 1-kW, 100-kHz prototype of the stacked TPTLC using gallium nitride switches.
Bartonella-associated infections in HIV-infected patients

Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are very small, gram-negative bacilli that were classified as Rochalimaea until being moved recently to Bartonella
Impact of Inoculum Concentration on Goss’s Wilt Development in Corn and Alternative Hosts

Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight of corn (Zea mays L.) is caused by Clavibacter nebraskensis (Cn). Research on Cn has confirmed alternative hosts for the disease, yet little is known about disease development in these alternative hosts. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the inoculum concentration at which disease occurred for annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), giant foxtail (Setaria faberi Herrm.), and johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L.), compared with Goss’s wilt susceptible and moderately resistant corn hybrids. Inoculum concentrations from 1 × 10⁰ to 1 × 10⁷ CFU/ml were compared for each individual species. Time for initial lesion development to occur was measured and compared among the hosts and inoculum concentrations. At 21 days after inoculation, both corn hybrids had higher disease severity than the alternative hosts, and disease severity increased for both corn hybrids when inoculum concentrations increased. Alternative hosts had no differences in disease severity as inoculum concentrations increased. Days required for initial lesion development to occur were similar for all hosts, and lesion development occurred sooner when inoculum concentration increased. Results demonstrate corn contributes more to the inoculum potential of Cn, but alternative hosts can still be a refuge for Cn.
Competing signals in the judicial hierarchy

Political principals often face information deficits. This is especially true of the US judicial hierarchy; extant theories of ideological monitoring in this setting have therefore explored informa...
Comprehensive Ultra High Resolution Analysis of Copy Number and Allele Status Including Novel Microdeletions Spanning NF1 in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Abstract Karyotypic abnormalities are of dominant importance in AML risk prognostication and therapy selection. A comprehensive description of subchromosomal genomic copy number changes and allele status together with gene mutation analysis and identification of chromosomal translocations is needed to fully harvest the prognostic and biological power of genomic changes in AML. We have analyzed DNA from 96 AML-derived pure blast populations (purified using column-based multi parameter negative selection followed by multi-gated FACS sorting) compared with paired buccal DNA using the Affymetrix 6.0 SNP platform. To support data analysis and display, we have developed the software tools PLUT and LOH tool version 2 and have refined dChipSNP. Data were supplemented with blast karyotypes and mutation status of Flt3, NPM1, p53, N-ras and K-ras. Results : AML cases carried between zero and thirty-four subchromosomal losses and gains. Approximately 23% of all cases had ≥3 subchromosomal lesions and approximately 50% of all cases had no such lesions. Of the 22 cases with complex and hypercomplex genomic changes by SNP profiling, ~50% had mutations in p53 exons 5–9 and ~50% were p53 wild-type by sequence analysis. Monoallelic deletion of p53 as part of various deletions at 17p was found in 7 of 96 (7%) cases. Importantly, 7/96=7% additional cases demonstrated UPD at 17p which spanned the p53 locus. Of all 14/96=15% of cases with LOH at 17p (with and without copy loss) 9/14=64% carried p53 mutations and 11/14=79% had complex karyotypes. Of the AML cases with NPM1 mutations (19 of 96 cases or 20%), 75% carried no detectable subchromosomal lesions, while 25% carried between 1 and 4 such lesions. Previously unidentified microdeletions resulting in monoallelic NF1 loss were identified on 17p in a total of 10 of 96 (10%) cases, thus suggesting activation of the Ras pathway independent of Ras mutations (all affected cases had wild-type N-ras and K-ras) in a substantial subset of AML cases. Mutational analysis of all coding exons of NF1 on the retained allele in the affected cases is ongoing. Additional recurrent microdeletions were identified on chromosomes 3p and 3q as well as 12p, the latter encompassing the genes ETV6 and p27, as previously reported. Finally, analysis of the prognostically and therapeutically important deletions 5q and 7q identified large deletions without recurrent microdeletions. Regions of minimal loss on 5q have been delineated.
Small molecule targeting of SHIP1 and SHIP2

Modulating the activity of the Src Homology 2 (SH2) - containing Inositol 5'-Phosphatase (SHIP) enzyme family with small molecule inhibitors provides a useful and unconventional method of influencing cell signaling in the PI3K pathway. The development of small molecules that selectively target one of the SHIP paralogs (SHIP1 or SHIP2) as well as inhibitors that simultaneously target both enzymes have provided promising data linking the phosphatase activity of the SHIP enzymes to disorders and disease states that are in dire need of new therapeutic targets. These include cancer, immunotherapy, diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. In this mini-review, we will provide a brief overview of research in these areas that support targeting SHIP1, SHIP2 or both enzymes for therapeutic purposes.
Procalcitonin in special patient populations: Guidance for antimicrobial therapy

Purpose Procalcitonin (PCT) is an endogenous hormone that increases reliably in response to bacterial infection, and measurement of serum PCT levels is recommended to help guide antimicrobial therapy. The utility of PCT assessment in special patient populations (eg, patients with renal dysfunction, cardiac compromise, or immunocompromised states and those undergoing acute care surgery) is less clear. The evidence for PCT-guided antimicrobial therapy in special populations is reviewed. Summary In the presence of bacterial infection, nonneuroendocrine PCT is produced in response to bacterial toxins and inflammatory cytokines, resulting in markedly elevated levels of serum PCT. Cytokine induction in nonbacterial inflammatory processes activated by acute care surgery may alter the interpretation of PCT levels. The reliability of PCT assessment has also been questioned in patients with renal dysfunction, cardiac compromise, or immunosuppression. In many special populations, serum PCT may be elevated at baseline and increase further in the presence of infection; thus, higher thresholds for diagnosing infection or de-escalating therapy should be considered, although the optimal threshold to use in a specific population is unclear. Procalcitonin-guided antimicrobial therapy may be recommended in certain clinical situations. Conclusion Procalcitonin may be a reliable marker of infection even in special populations with baseline elevations in serum PCT. However, due to unclear threshold values and the limited inclusion of special populations in relevant clinical trials, PCT levels should be considered along with clinical criteria, and antibiotics should never be initiated or withheld based on PCT values alone. Procalcitonin measurement may have a role in guiding de-escalation of antibiotic therapy in special populations; however, the clinician should be aware of disease states and concomitant therapies that may affect interpretation of results.
P329 Stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sexual and reproductive health in a nationally-representative sample of US women

Background Examination of stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is limited. Stress, potentially by impairing immune response and increasing risk-taking behavior, may influence risk of poor SRH. ‘Weathering’ effects from chronic stress exposure that accumulate over time may further heighten risk. Methods Using Wave IV data on 7870 women (ages 24–34) in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we defined high stress as scores ≥6 (75th percentile) on the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale and PTSD as self-reported diagnosis by a healthcare provider; we categorized years since diagnosis as never, ≤2, 3–5, ≥6. Women reported lifetime and past year sexually transmitted infection (STI) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) diagnoses, adverse pregnancy outcomes (miscarriage, ectopic/tubal pregnancy, stillbirth), and impaired fecundity (difficultly becoming/staying pregnant). We used modified Poisson regression to estimate sociodemographic-adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Approximately 43% reported high stress and 4% PTSD (1% ≤2 years since diagnosis, 1% 3–5 years, 2% ≥6 years). High stress was associated with past year bacterial STIs (APR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.13, 2.09), unassociated with viral STIs, and weakly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.50) and impaired fecundity (APR=1.13, 95%CI: 0.98, 1.30). PTSD was also associated with lifetime viral STIs (APR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.83) and PID (APR=3.12, 95%CI: 1.59, 6.12). Compared to women never diagnosed with PTSD, APRs for past year bacterial STIs were 2.66 (95%CI: 1.28, 5.55) and 3.12 (95%CI: 1.49, 6.55) for women diagnosed ≤2 years and ≥6 years ago respectively, but not associated for women diagnosed 3–5 years ago. Conclusion High ‘global’ perceived stress is associated with increased prevalence of poor SRH among women. Stronger associations were demonstrated in women with PTSD, particularly those with shorter and longer time since diagnosis, potentially suggesting both adverse acute and chronic stress responses. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Placenta Creta: A Spectrum of Lesions Associated with Shallow Placental Implantation.

Background. On placental histology, placenta creta (PC) ranges from clinical placenta percreta through placenta increta and accreta (clinical and occult) to myometrial fibers with intervening decidua. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic correlations of these lesions. Methods. A total of 169 recent consecutive cases with PC (group 1) were compared with 1661 cases without PC examined during the same period (group 2). The frequencies of 25 independent clinical and 40 placental phenotypes were statistically compared between the groups using chi-square test or analysis of variance where appropriate. Results. Group 1 placentas, as compared with group 2 placentas, were statistically significantly ( ) associated with caesarean sections (11.2% vs. 7.5%), antepartum hemorrhage (17.7% vs 11.6.%), gestational hypertension (11.2% vs 4.3%), preeclampsia (11.8% vs 2.6%), complicated third stage of labor (18.9% vs 6.4%), villous infarction (14.2% vs 8.9%), chronic hypoxic patterns of placental injury, particularly the uterine pattern (14.8%, vs 9.6%), massive perivillous fibrin deposition (9.5% vs 5.3%), chorionic disc chorionic microcysts (21.9% vs 15.9%), clusters of maternal floor multinucleate trophoblasts (27.8% vs 21.2%), excessive trophoblasts of chorionic disc (24.3% vs 17.3%), segmental fetal vascular malperfusion (27.8% vs 19.9%), and fetal vascular ectasia (26.2% vs 15.2%). Conclusion. Because of the association of PC with gestational hypertensive diseases, acute and chronic placental hypoxic lesions, increased extravillous trophoblasts in the chorionic disc, chorionic microcysts, and maternal floor trophoblastic giant cells, PC should be regarded as a lesion of abnormal placental implantation and abnormal trophoblast invasion rather than decidual deficiency only.
Psychiatric Presentations and Medication Use in Older Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Abstract Objective Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are living longer, yet research about the medical and psychiatric needs of older adults still lags behind that of younger individuals with IDD. The aim of this study was to assess age-related differences in the mental health presentations of adults with IDD. Methods Fully deidentified data for adults 30 years and older were extracted from the START (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) Information Reporting System, a deidentified database housed at the Center for START Services. Caregivers and START team documents reported psychiatric diagnoses, service use, recent stressors, and challenging behaviors. t Tests, Mann Whitney U tests, χ2 tests, and multinominal logistic regression models were used to compare the two age groups, 30–49 years (n = 1,188) versus 50 years and older (n = 464). Results Older adults had more medical conditions, fewer reported psychiatric conditions, and were more likely to be taking more psychiatric medications compared to younger adults, after adjusting for demographic variables, disability level, and number of recent stressors. Conclusion Although older individuals reported fewer psychiatric diagnoses, they were more likely to take higher numbers of psychiatric medications and have more medical conditions. Clinicians and researchers ought to devote more attention to the healthcare needs of older adults with IDD, a vulnerable group exposed to polypharmacy and at risk of adverse events.
Experiences of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Patients in the Emergency Department and Recommendations for Health Care Policy, Education, and Practice.

Abstract Background Transgender and gender nonbinary (trans/NB) individuals face many barriers to accessing health care in the United States due to systemic and clinician discrimination. Such experiences can lead to avoidance or delays in seeking care. These issues are relevant for emergency department (ED) clinicians and staff because trans/NB patients may use the ED in times of crisis. Objectives The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore experiences of trans/NB individuals accessing health care in the ED and provide recommendations for improvements. Methods This study involved semi-structured qualitative interviews with nine trans/NB individuals living in Arkansas about their experiences when visiting local EDs. Results Interviews revealed four main themes: 1) system and structural issues; 2) interactions with clinicians/staff influence care received; 3) perceptions of clinician knowledge and education about trans/NB health; and 4) impact on future health and health care access. Participants recommended education for current and future ED clinicians and staff to improve knowledge of best practices for trans/NB health care. Recommendations were also made to improve ED policy for inclusive and affirming intake processes, intake forms, and electronic health record (EHR) documentation, including documentation and use of patients’ chosen name and pronouns. Conclusion The negative experiences and discrimination reported by trans/NB patients in ED visits underscores the importance of improving ED clinician knowledge of gender-affirming care practices, ED intake policies and practices, and EHR documentation in EDs.
Simon Kuznets and Russia: An Uneasy Relation

Simon Kuznets was born and educated in Russia and the Soviet Ukraine. He completed his economic education and adopted his research methodology in the United States where Wesley Mitchell was a major influence during his early career. Though scarred by the trauma of displacement, eviction, and discrimination before emigration, he regarded the early Soviet regime with an unbiased and mildly sympathetic scholar’s eye. This changed drastically by 1930, apparently as a result of the Stalinist dictatorial regime and the hounding of kindred spirit economists. He fell silent on all things Russian for three decades. The debates on Soviet industrialization in the early 1920s influenced his major study on the economic growth of nations, and when the study was well underway he reengaged with Soviet economics with a devastating appraisal of its performance. Some of his work was influenced by his heritage, particularly his Jewish roots. Overall, his relation with Russia and the Soviet Union was truly an uneasy one.
Safety, Feasibility, and Impact of Enalapril on Cardiorespiratory Physiology and Health in Preterm Infants with Systemic Hypertension and Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

Neonatal hypertension has been increasingly recognized in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); of note, a sub-population of these infants may have impaired left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, warranting timely treatment to minimize long term repercussions. In this case series, enalapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, was started in neonates with systemic hypertension and echocardiography signs of LV diastolic dysfunction. A total of 11 patients were included with birth weight of 785 ± 239 grams and gestational age of 25.3 (24, 26.1) weeks. Blood pressure improvement was noticed within 2 weeks of treatment. Improvement in LV diastolic function indices were observed with a reduction in Isovolumic Relaxation Time (IVRT) from 63.1 ± 7.2 to 50.9 ± 7.4 msec and improvement in the left atrium size indexed to aorta (LA:Ao) from1.73 (1.43, 1.88) to 1.23 (1.07, 1.29). Neonatal systemic hypertension is often underappreciated in ex-preterm infants and may be associated with important maladaptive cardiac changes with long term implications. It is biologically plausible that identifying and treating LV diastolic dysfunction in neonates with systemic hypertension may have a positive modulator effect on cardiovascular health in childhood and beyond.
Past year use or misuse of an opioid is associated with use of a sedative-hypnotic medication: a NSDUH study

STUDY OBJECTIVES Prescription use and misuse of opioids are linked to greater sleep disturbance. However, there are limited data on the prevalence of sedative-hypnotic medication use among persons who use opioids. Therefore, this study examined whether past year sedative-hypnotic use among persons who used/misused opioids was higher than among individuals who did not use opioids. METHODS Data were acquired from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2015-2018. Use of a sedative benzodiazepine (temazepam, flurazepam, triazolam) or a Z-drug (eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem) were examined in relation to use/misuse of an opioid within the past year. Logistic regression models estimated the associations between opioids and sedative-hypnotics using inverse probability of treatment weighting. A secondary machine learning analysis tested six binary classifiers to predict sedative-hypnotic use based on opioid use/misuse and other covariates. RESULTS Of 171,766 respondents, 24% used a prescription opioid while 3.6% misused an opioid in the past year. Among those who used a prescription opioid, 1.9% received a sedative benzodiazepine and 9% received a Z-drug during the same timeframe. Use of an opioid was associated with greater odds of sedative benzodiazepine use (OR: 4.4 [3.61, 5.4]) and Z-drug use (OR 3.8 [3.51, 4.09]), and stronger associations were noted for misuse of an opioid. Machine learning models accurately classified sedative-hypnotic medication use for over 70% of respondents based on opioid use/misuse. CONCLUSIONS Sedative-hypnotic use is common among persons who use opioids, which is concerning given the elevated mortality risk with concurrent use of these substances.
Cuff-less Blood Pressure Estimation from Photoplethysmography via Visibility Graph and Transfer Learning.

This paper presents a new solution that enables the use of transfer learning for cuff-less blood pressure (BP) monitoring via short duration of photoplethysmogram (PPG). The proposed method estimates BP with low computational budget by 1) creating images from segments of PPG via visibility graph (VG) that preserves the temporal information of the PPG waveform, 2) using pre-trained deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract feature vectors from VG images, and 3) solving for the weights and bias between the feature vectors and the reference BPs with ridge regression. Using the University of California Irvine (UCI) database consisting of 348 records, the proposed method achieves a best error performance of 0.008.46 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP), and -0.045.36 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP), respectively, in terms of the mean error (ME) and the standard deviation (SD) of error, ranking grade B for SBP and grade A for DBP under the British Hypertension Society (BHS) protocol. Our novel data-driven method offers a computationally-efficient end-to-end solution for rapid and user-friendly cuff-less PPG-based BP estimation.
Learning semantics in content based image retrieval

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is an attempt to remove the bottleneck of visual semantic understanding needed in automated indexing in visual information retrieval. However, the myth about the power of visual-feature-based indexing was quickly diminished as such features are far from representing semantic visual contents and producing meaningful indexes. One solution is to apply relevance feedback to refine queries or similarity measures in the search process and apply machine learning techniques to learn semantic annotations. In this paper, we address the key issues involved in relevance feedback of CBIR systems and review solutions to these issues. Based on these discussions, we present a relevance feedback and semantic learning framework for CBIR. We hope the ideas presented in this paper serve as a catalyst to more research efforts in this direction.