cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unitarity and causality in generalized quantum mechanics for nonchronal spacetimes.

Spacetime must be foliable by spacelike surfaces for the quantum mechanics of matter fields to be formulated in terms of a unitarily evolving state vector defined on spacelike surfaces. When a spacetime cannot be foliated by spacelike surfaces, as in the case of spacetimes with closed timelike curves, a more general formulation of quantum mechanics is required. In such generalizations the transition matrix between alternatives in regions of spacetime where states can be defined may be non-unitary. This paper describes a generalized quantum mechanics whose probabilities consistently obey the rules of probability theory even in the presence of such non-unitarity. The usual notion of state on a spacelike surface is lost in this generalization and familiar notions of causality are modified. There is no signaling outside the light cone, no non-conservation of energy, no “Everett phones”, and probabilities of present events do not depend on particular alternatives of the future. However, the generalization is acausal in the sense that the existence of non-chronal regions of spacetime in the future can affect the probabilities of alternatives today. The detectability of non-unitary evolution and violations
Evolution of a universal infant hearing screening program in an inner city hospital.

Abstract This study reports the evolution of a newborn hearing screening program which began in 1988. Data are reported from the period of time that universal newborn hearing screening was initiated, i.e. April 1996 to December 2000 (total screened=7128 babies). From 1996 to the present, the program has developed to the current form. During 2000, 1713 infants in the well-baby nursery and neonatal intensive care unit were screened at a cost of $18.44 per child. Thirty (1.7%) infants failed the screen, of which 26 (86%) returned for follow-up testing. Fifteen infants were documented with hearing loss, 10 with conductive and five with sensorineural losses. The false positive rate was 0.96% and the overall sensorineural impairment rate was 1/343.
Identity Politics and Local Political Culture: Some Comparative Results from the Social Capital Benchmark Survey

Using the Social Capital Benchmark Survey (SCBS) data sets, the authors conducted a multilevel comparative study of identity politics and political culture in the United States and 30 urban communities. Analysis showed that gender, race, class, and religion predict political ideology, electoral behavior, and political protest in the national sample. Replications in the community samples, however, revealed significant differences in the patterns of relationships among those variables. Some patterns deviated markedly from the national norm, particularly with respect to race as a predictor of political protest. Using an index of new political culture, the authors show that “place matters” as a contextual influence on the strength and direction of relationships between social identity (particularly race and religion) and political outcomes.
Spectroscopic Imaging in the Mid-Infrared Applied to High-Throughput Studies of Supported Catalyst Libraries

The “combinatorial approach” has shown very promising results for pharmaceuticals and small organic molecules [1, 2, 3]. High-throughput (HT) screening of heterogeneous catalysts goes back at least IS years [4], but has recently been rediscovered as a method for rapidly and efficiently identifying catalyst formulations [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]. The approach consists of two key steps: the systematic synthesis of a large number of potentially useful formulations (collectively referred to herein as a “library,” although this term has recently been contested [15), and the subsequent rapid testing of this library to determine the usefulness of each formulation to the specific application. Several methodologies have been developed for the rapid and efficient generation of catalyst libraries, ranging from evaporation methods [16] and robotic dispensing of catalyst precursors [17–19] to parallel hydrothermal processing [20, 21, 22]. Once generated, the libraries must be characterized and tested. For heterogeneously catalyzed reactions, this step can range from simple qualitative activity screening to the quantitative measurement of selectivity or turnover rates. Currently available analytical techniques are often incapable of keeping pace with the large numbers of compounds created. This creates a bottleneck, slowing the entire discovery process, and has created a serious demand for the development of analytical techniques specifically designed for the HT analysis of combinatorial heterogeneous catalyst libraries.
EL NARCOTRÁFICO Y LO FEMENINO EN EL CINE COLOMBIANO INTERNACIONAL: ROSARIO TIJERAS Y MARIA LLENA ERES DE GRACIA

Analisis de las representaciones del narcotrafico y el sicariato en Colombia desde perspectivas extranjeras en la cinematografia actual: Maria llena eres de gracia (Joshua Marston, EE.UU./Colombia, 2004) y Rosario Tijeras (Emilio Maille, Mexico /Colombia, 2005). Ambas obran inscriben codigos socioculturales, economicos y sexuales en su tratamiento de la mujer en Colombia y su relacion con el narcotrafico. El articulo argumenta que los directores internacionales llevan sus producciones artisticas al mercado del consumo global con mensajes que reafirman las jerarquias nacionales e internacionales de reproduccion masculina.
Mechanical verification of automatic synthesis of fault-tolerant programs

Fault-tolerance is a crucial property in many systems. Thus, mechanical verification of algorithms associated with synthesis of faulttolerant programs is desirable to ensure their correctness. In this paper, we present the mechanized verification of algorithms that automate the addition of fault-tolerance to a given fault-intolerant program using the PVS theorem prover. By this verification, not only we prove the correctness of the synthesis algorithms, but also we guarantee that any program synthesized by these algorithms is correct by construction. Towards this end, we formally define a uniform framework for formal specification and verification of fault-tolerance that consists of abstract definitions for programs, specifications, faults, and levels of fault-tolerance, so that they are independent of platform and architecture. The essence of synthesis algorithms involves fixpoint calculations. Hence, we also develop a reusable library for fixpoint calculations on finite sets in PVS.
Polyphosphates as a source of enhanced P fluxes in marine sediments overlain by anoxic waters: Evidence from 31P NMR

Sedimentary phosphorus (P) composition was investigated in Effingham Inlet, a fjord located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Barkley Sound. Solid-state 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was applied to demineralized sediment samples from sites overlain by oxic and anoxic bottom waters. The two sites were similar in terms of key diagenetic parameters, including the mass accumulation rate, integrated sulfate reduction rate, and bulk sediment organic carbon content. In contrast, P benthic fluxes were much higher at the anoxic site. 31P NMR results show that P esters and phosphonates are the major organic P species present at the surface and at depth in sediments at both sites. Polyphosphates were only found in the surface sediment of the site overlain by oxic waters. The varying stability of polyphosphates in microorganisms under different redox conditions may, in part, explain their distribution as well as differences in P flux between the two sites.
Phytochromes influence stomatal conductance plasticity in Arabidopsis thaliana

The ability to sense and respond effectively to drought stress can be important for plant fitness. Here, phytochrome loss-of-function mutants were grown in dry and moist conditions to examine the role of three photoreceptors (phyA, phyB, and phyE) in stomatal conductance (g ST) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentration. Overall, drought treatment plants had lower g ST than moist treatment plants. However, the wild-type Landsberg erecta line had a less pronounced conductance response to drought treatment than the phytochrome mutants, suggesting a role for phytochrome in suppressing drought tolerance. Phytochrome gene effects were potentially additive for g ST; however, PHYB and PHYE effects were nonadditive for ABA concentration.
Professional School Counselors and the Practice of Group Work.

An online survey about the use of small groups by school counselors was completed by 802 members of the American School Counseling Association. The vast majority of respondents offered groups in their schools, but were most influenced in that decision by time constraints. Qualitative analysis of comment data provided more depth and insight about school counselors' practice of group work. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
Genetics of Increased HDL Cholesterol Levels Insights Into the Relationship Between HDL Metabolism and Atherosclerosis

Astrong inverse association exists between plasma HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and incidence of coronary artery disease.1 Although environmental factors play a role, variation in HDL-C levels are at least 50% genetically determined.2 The genetics of syndromes of very low HDL-C have been extensively studied. Mutations in apoA-I (the major HDL structural protein), ABCA1 (which promotes efflux of cellular lipids to apoA-I forming nascent HDL particles), and LCAT (which converts unesterified cholesterol to cholesteryl ester [CE] to form the lipid core of mature HDL particles) have all been demonstrated to cause very low levels of HDL-C and apoA-I due to rapid catabolism of apoA-I.3 However, their relationship to premature atherosclerosis is often uncertain, leading to the concept that the HDL-mediated “flux” of cholesterol from the periphery to the liver, where cholesterol is delivered for excretion into the bile (a process known as reverse cholesterol transport [RCT]), may be more important than the actual plasma concentrations of HDL-C in protecting against atherosclerosis. See page 1869 Syndromes of inherited high HDL-C also exist, but have been much less studied. The only known monogenic cause of inherited high HDL-C in humans is deficiency of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which transfers HDL CE out of HDL to apoB-containing lipoproteins. CETP deficiency results in markedly reduced rates of turnover of apoA-I.4 CETP deficiency occurs primarily in Japan, where its relationship to cardiovascular risk is still under debate: some investigators believe it is associated with protection from cardiovascular disease,5 whereas others contend that it increases cardiovascular risk.6,7 This topic is not merely academic, as inhibitors of CETP are under development as novel HDL-raising therapies.8 Studies with CETP inhibitors will definitively answer whether raising HDL-C through CETP inhibition in humans reduces atherosclerotic vascular disease. The evolution of the CETP …
Biological and Synthetic [Fe3S4] Clusters

Publisher Summary The discovery and characterization of [Fe3S4] clusters is one of the classic stories in bioinorganic chemistry and an excellent case study for students new to this area. Particularly, it serves to demonstrate the power of a multidisciplinary approach incorporating X-ray crystallography, the full armory of biophysical spectroscopic methods, molecular biology, and synthetic inorganic chemistry. The class of Fe–S proteins, containing 3Fe clusters, was reviewed soon after their discovery and before the structure and physiological relevance had been definitively established. This chapter summarizes the current understanding of the structural, electronic, and redox properties of biological and synthetic [Fe3S4] and heterometallic [MFe3S4] clusters. This chapter emphasizes the relevance to structure–function relations of iron–sulfur clusters, in general, and the major unresolved issues concerning [Fe3S4] clusters.
Prevention in Action

One of the most urgent issues for schools presently is preventing youth violence and aggression. In addition to the pain and disruption these behaviors create when an incident occurs, violence and aggression additionally predict later problem behaviors (Hahn et al., 2007). While the most serious forms of violent behaviors rarely take place in schools, less serious behaviors are not uncommon. Behaviors such as fighting, bullying, threatening others, and even bringing weapons to schools can make faculty and students alike feel as if it isn’t safe to be in school.
Advanced Concepts and Generative Simulation Formalisms for Creative Discovery Systems Engineering

While M&S has been widely used in engineering and computational sciences to facilitate empirical insight, optimization, prediction, and experimentation, the role of simulation in supporting early foresight phases of creative problem solving received less attention. We advocate models of creative cognition to rethink simulation modeling so that creativity is enhanced rather than stifled. Generative Parallax Simulation (GPS) is introduced as a strategy and a generic and abstract specification for its realization is presented. GPS is based on an evolving ecology of ensembles of models that aim to cope with ambiguity, which pervades in early phases of model-based science and engineering. Besides its contributions as a modeling and simulation methodology in support of creativity, GPS provides a fertile and useful domain as an application testbed for parallel simulation.
Conditional Deletion of Fgfr1 in the Proximal and Distal Tubule Identifies Distinct Roles in Phosphate and Calcium Transport

A postnatal role of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) in the kidney is suggested by its binding to α-Klotho to form an obligate receptor for the hormone fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23). FGFR1 is expressed in both the proximal and distal renal tubular segments, but its tubular specific functions are unclear. In this study, we crossed Fgfr1flox/flox mice with either gamma-glutamyltransferase-Cre (γGT-Cre) or kidney specific-Cre (Ksp-Cre) mice to selectively create proximal tubule (PT) and distal tubule (DT) Fgfr1 conditional knockout mice (designated Fgfr1PT-cKO and Fgfr1DT-cKO, respectively). Fgfr1PT-cKO mice exhibited an increase in sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporter expression, hyperphosphatemia, and refractoriness to the phosphaturic actions of FGF-23, consistent with a direct role of FGFR1 in mediating the proximal tubular phosphate responses to FGF-23. In contrast, Fgfr1DT-cKO mice unexpectedly developed hypercalciuria, secondary elevations of parathyroid hormone (PTH), hypophosphatemia and enhanced urinary phosphate excretion. Fgfr1PT-cKO mice also developed a curly tail/spina bifida-like skeletal phenotype, whereas Fgfr1DT-cKO mice developed renal tubular micro-calcifications and reductions in cortical bone thickness. Thus, FGFR1 has dual functions to directly regulate proximal and distal tubule phosphate and calcium reabsorption, indicating a physiological role of FGFR1 signaling in both phosphate and calcium homeostasis.
The effect of phenyl benzoate self-assembled monolayers on liquid crystal alignment

We have synthesized compounds of the form M-R-SiCl3 where M is a mesogen based on octyloxy phenyl benzoate, and R is an alkyl chain (tether) that connects M to the silane head group. Tethering lengths from the mesogenic unit to the silane moiety involved 3, 6, or 10 methylene units. These compounds were used to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on silicon wafers, fused silica, and SiO2 coated indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Characterization of these systems includes contact angle measurements, ellipsometry, and atomic force microscopy. Results suggest that the monolayer packing is governed by the lateral interactions between the mesogenic units and not by the tethering length to the solid surface. We have investigated the utility of these chemically-tuned surfaces for liquid crystal alignment. The octyloxy phenyl benzoate self-assembled monolayers induce homeotropic alignment of a nematic liquid crystal.
Experimental Verification of a MEMS Based Skin Friction Sensor for Quantitative Wall Shear Stress Measurement

This paper presents the preliminary wind tunnel characterization of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based capacitive floating element shear stress sensor. The floating element structure incorporates interdigitated comb fingers forming differential capacitors, which provide electrical output proportional to the floating element deflection. A compact sensor package combined with a synchronous modulation/demodulation system facilitates mounting in a flat plate model located in an open-loop low-speed wind tunnel. Particle image velocimetry is used to measure the boundary layer velocity profiles for laminar, transitional and turbulent flows. The mean wall shear stress estimated from profile curve fits is in agreement with MEMS sensor output.
Religious participation and family values among American Jewish youth

This paper explores the possibility of a link between religious involvement and family orientation among American Jewish teenagers. Using data from a national sample of high school students, the analyses show that students who are synagogue and youth group leaders tend to be more family-centered than non-participants. But this association cannot be attributed to the effects of participation per se, for it is found to exist before the reported involvement took place. Students who became youth group leaders were already more family- oriented by their sophomore year of high school. Consequently, the paper suggests that the relation between religiosity and family views results from acceptance of Jewish tradition in general, which places strong emphasis on the family.
Massive Intrascrotal Fibrolipoma

Abstract We report an unusual case of an intrascrotal fibrolipoma weighing more than 3 kg. The use of ultrasound in the characterization of intrascrotal masses, and the incidence and management of intrascrotal tumors are discussed briefly.
A Case Report of a Thymoma Associated with a Renal Adenocarcinoma

We report a case of renal adenocarcinoma and a solitary lung lesion thought to be metastatic disease. Further evaluation revealed the lung lesion to be a benign thymoma. This is the first case of such an association reported in the English literature.
The Theories of Status Characteristics and Expectation States

Theories of Status Characteristics and Expectation States use those concepts to understand the development and maintenance of power and prestige inequality structures in task groups. Expectations, roughly equivalent to ideas of task ability, emerge through interaction or from inferences based on status; once they exist they determine all features of inequality structures. These theories describe how and why that happens. They also identify ways to intervene, either to overcome inequalities or to intensify them. Applications to gender and race and to juries and sports teams illustrate the processes. This chapter presents and explains the theories and related issues in theory building, and identifies areas in which new research is extending this family of theories.
Impacts of climate variability on tree demography in second growth tropical forests: the importance of regional context for predicting successional trajectories

Naturally regenerating and restored second growth forests account for over 70% of tropical forest cover and provide key ecosystem services. Understanding climate change impacts on successional trajectories of these ecosystems is critical for developing effective large-scale forest landscape restoration (FLR) programs. Differences in environmental conditions, species composition, dynamics, and landscape context from old growth forests may exacerbate climate impacts on second growth stands. We compile data from 112 studies on the effects of natural climate variability, including warming, droughts, fires, and cyclonic storms, on demography and dynamics of second growth forest trees and identify variation in forest responses across biomes, regions, and landscapes. Across studies, drought decreases tree growth, survival, and recruitment, particularly during early succession, but the effects of temperature remain unexplored. Shifts in the frequency and severity of disturbance alter successional trajectories and increase the extent of second growth forests. Vulnerability to climate extremes is generally inversely related to long-term exposure, which varies with historical climate and biogeography. The majority of studies, however, have been conducted in the Neotropics hindering generalization. Effects of fire and cyclonic storms often lead to positive feedbacks, increasing vulnerability to climate extremes and subsequent disturbance. Fragmentation increases forests’ vulnerability to fires, wind, and drought, while land use and other human activities influence the frequency and intensity of fire, potentially retarding succession. Comparative studies of climate effects on tropical forest succession across biogeographic regions are required to forecast the response of tropical forest landscapes to future climates and to implement effective FLR policies and programs in these landscapes.
Introduction to Information Behaviour by Nigel Ford

Ford, an Information Science professor at Sheffield University, has put together “a primer for students and practitioners interested in information behaviour” (p. 2). Starting with the baseline def...
Biotinylated Chlorin and Its Zinc and Indium Complexes: Synthesis and In Vitro Biological Evaluation for Photodynamic Therapy.

The synthesis and characterization of biotinylated chlorin photosensitizer and the corresponding zinc and indium complexes are described for potential applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer. Phototoxicity of the biotin-chlorin conjugate and the metallated complexes was determined in colon carcinoma CT26 cell lines known to overexpress biotin (Vit B7) receptors. Cell survival assay indicated that the biotinylated chlorin and indium complex showed increased cell growth inhibition than the zinc complex and the starting chlorin (methyl pheophorbide). Fluorescence microcopy studies revealed the generation of apoptotic cells upon light irradiation of colon cells treated with the indium complex. Targeting biotin receptors in cancer cells can improve specificity of photosensitizers for PDT applications.
In vivo rat deep brain imaging using photoacoustic computed tomography (Conference Presentation)

The brain has been likened to a great stretch of unknown territory consisting of a number of unexplored continents. Small animal brain imaging plays an important role charting that territory. By using 1064 nm illumination from the side, we imaged the full coronal depth of rat brains in vivo. The experiment was performed using a real-time full-ring-array photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) imaging system, which achieved an imaging depth of 11 mm and a 100 μm radial resolution. Because of the fast imaging speed of the full-ring-array PACT system, no animal motion artifact was induced. The frame rate of the system was limited by the laser repetition rate (50 Hz). In addition to anatomical imaging of the blood vessels in the brain, we continuously monitored correlations between the two brain hemispheres in one of the coronal planes. The resting states in the coronal plane were measured before and after stroke ligation surgery at a neck artery.
A control architecture for low current distortion in bridgeless boost power factor correction rectifiers

This paper presents a control architecture that substantially reduces current distortion in bridgeless boost power factor correction (PFC) rectifiers. In the proposed control architecture, the ac line voltage is sensed and the current reference is generated without rectification. This relieves the controller from having to deal with discontinuities around zero-crossing transitions, which eases requirements for the controller bandwidth and reduces distortion. Furthermore, a proportional-integral-squared (PI2) compensator is proposed to mitigate line current phase shift due to an input voltage feed-forward effect, which is particularly pronounced when a small boost inductance is employed. Very low distortion, near-ideal rectifier performance is experimentally verified on a 5 kW bridgeless boost PFC rectifier prototype.
Free Products of C*-Probability Spaces from p-Adic Hecke Algebras

In this paper, by establishing suitable free-probabilistic models on the Hecke algebras \(\mathcal{H}(G_p)\), we study (i) free probability on \(\mathcal{H}(G_p)\), (ii) Hilbert-space representations of \(\mathcal{H}(G_p)\), (iii) the C*-algebras \(\mathbb{H}(G_p)\) induced by \(\mathcal{H}(G_p)\), and (iv) free probability on the free product C*-probability space \(\mathbb{H}_p\;\mathrm{of}\;\mathbb{H}(G_p)\)’s over primes p, where G p are the general linear groups \(GL_2(\mathbb{Q}_p)\) over the p-adic number fields \(\mathbb{Q}_p\), for primes p. In particular, we are mainly interested in the operator-algebraic properties the free product C* -probability space \(\mathbb{H}_p\), and operator-theoretic informations of the elements of \(\mathbb{H}_p\) in terms of their free-distributional data. As an application of the main results, an embedded free-probabilistic sub-structure generated by projections of \(\mathbb{H}_p\)is considered in detail.
Introduction to Solid Waste Management

Much of our knowledge of ancient civilizations, as well as more contemporary times, has been derived from the solid waste discarded by the people of those times. In ancient cities, waste was seldom a problem—it simply accumulated until the city was leveled in a war and a new community was built on top of the rubble [1]. The debris of war, as well as the discards of bygone eras and civilizations, provide a rich history of lifestyle and cultural development [2]. For example, archaeologists are currently digging in the town dump of Williamsburg, Virginia, in order to obtain a more complete picture of life in colonial times.
Isolated Transverse Process Spinal Fractures Increase the Likelihood of Incurring Visceral and Pelvic Injuries: A Retrospective Review at a Level-1 Trauma Center.

Background Although isolated transverse process fractures (ITPF) do not confer any inherent risk of compromised spinal stability, there is increasing interest in their overall prognostic significance. As a proxy for localized or directional forces in high-energy traumatic mechanisms, ITPF may serve as an indicator for the presence of other coexisting traumatic injuries. Specific injuries may be predicted by the presence of ITPF at specific spinal levels, but few studies have examined this in depth and may not account for confounding variables. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 306 patients presenting with acute traumatic ITPF. ITPF number and location by spinal segment were determined from initial computed tomography. Mechanism of trauma, Injury Severity Score, and extent of non–spinal-associated injuries were recorded. Correlation analysis compared ITPF location with injury severity, non–spinal-associated injury location, type, and patterns. Significant injury associations were further explored with logistic regression analysis controlling for age, mechanism of injury, and Injury Severity Score. Results The adjusted odds of pulmonary visceral injury was 4.69 (95% confidence interval, 2.33–9.44) times higher among patients with thoracic-level ITPF compared with other ITPF levels. Lumbar ITPFs had increased odds of abdominal visceral injury (odds ratio, 4.85; P = 0.0002), pelvic fractures (odds ratio, 4.2; P Conclusions Spinal level of ITPF is associated with increased likelihood of specific patterns of injury, and additional investigation is warranted.
Green Logistics Competency: A Resource Hierarchy View of Supply Chain Sustainability

Environmental supply chain sustainability has become a critical focus for firms, yet both scholars and practitioners seem to struggle with alignment between logistics service requirements and environmental concerns. This conceptual research examines the problem as an issue in properly leveraging the cultural antecedents of both supply chain and sustainability capabilities. A synthesis of the known literature proposes that a market orientation-driven resource hierarchy view model of relationships between supply chain and environmental orientations may provide a means by which firms can increase both environmental sustainability and performance outcomes.
Supreme Court (US) Cases on Corrections

There have been various Supreme Court cases that have influenced the United States corrections system particularly with regard to constitutional issues associated with pretrial detention, incarceration, community corrections (probation and parole) as well as the death penalty. Similarly, several Supreme Court cases have also impacted constitutional rights and liberties afforded to individuals not yet charged but detained (detainees), charged and incarcerated (inmates), sentenced to probation in lieu of prison/jail (probationers), placed on parole post-incarceration (parolees), as well as those on death row. Keywords: corrections; criminal justice; law; prison
The dimensions of shape and form

Shape is used in computer vision to describe and identify objects. This paper is simply a collection of borrowed observations on the nature of shape. Many different points of view are discussed, but no definitive conclusions are reached. We request the reader’s indulgence and begin with some definitions.
Squamous cell cancer, basal cell cancer and melanoma in a single liver transplant recipient

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer is the most common malignant disorder following solid organ transplantation. METHODS: We followed a liver recipient, who had multiple risk factors with regard to the development of skin cancer such as fair skin and sun exposure. RESULTS: The patient developed all three common entities of skin cancer including squamous cell cancer, basal cell cancer and melanoma during a five year follow up. All lesions were successfully treated by surgical excision. A total of 132 actinic keratosis lesions were treated during this time period. The immunosuppression was minimized and the patient is currently alive with a well functioning graft and no evidence for recurrence of hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS: The development of such an abundance of skin malignancies is extremely rare following liver transplantation. However, the case outlines the importance of continuous dermatologic surveillance in this patient population.
Gating of Batrachotoxin-Activated Sodium Channels in Lipid Bilayers

Sodium channels incorporated into planar lipid bilayers share many fundamental properties with sodium channels in general and thus provide a useful system for the study of various aspects of channel behavior. Use of the steroidal alkaloid toxin batrachotoxin (BTX) was a crucial aid in making the first electrical recordings from voltage-dependent sodium channels incorporated into artificial lipid membranes from native membrane vesicles from rat brain (Krueger et al., 1983). Batrachotoxin has now been used to enable studies of sodium channels from other tissues (sarcolemma: Moczydlowski et al., 1984a, b; canine brain: Green et al., 1984) and of reconstituted, purified sodium channels from rat brain (Hartshorne et al., 1985). Rosenberg et al. (1984) have recently reported patch-clamp recordings from sodium channels, purified from eel electric organ and reconstituted into liposomes, using depolarizing voltage steps to transiently open the channels in the absence of BTX. However, the use of relatively large (100–200 μm) planar bilayers formed from decane-lipid solutions is at present the easiest and most reliable approach to making electrical recordings from sodium channels in a “reconstituted” system.
Aluminum Oxide: Biomedical Applications

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structure, composition, mechanical properties, fatigue properties, service life, and applications of alumina. Most of the alumina used for implant fabrications is either polycrystalline solids of high density and purity or artificially grown single-crystal sapphires. Bauxite and native corundum are the main sources of high-purity alumina. As with any other brittle material, the mechanical properties of the polycrystalline alumina depend largely on the grain size and distribution and the porosity. It has been shown that above the critical stress, the fatigue strength of alumina can be decreased by the presence of water, owing to delayed subcritical crack growth. In biomedical applications, alumina has considerable advantages over other materials because of its inertness, which results in excellent biocompatibility and the nonsensitization of tissues. Its higher compressive strength than tensile strength makes it better suited for compressive loading, as in artificial joints and teeth. Some attempts have been made to coat alumina onto metal substrates to take advantage of its excellent biocompatibility and to prevent the corrosion of the metals.
NUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHATES AS PROBES OF THE MECHANISM OF PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS

Abstract Two types of nucleoside phosphates have been prepared for studies of the mechanism of protein biosynthesis. (1) A variety of aminoacylated P 1 , P 2 -di(adenosine 5′-)diphosphates were synthesized and shown to be substrates for T4 RNA ligase. When abbreviated tRNA (tRNA-CC OH ) was utilized as the acceptor species in the reaction, “chemically” aminoacylated (or misacylated) tRNA's could be prepared from fractionated or unfractionated tRNA-CC OH 's. The potential utility of misacylated tRNA's in the study of peptide bond formation and the elaboration of proteins containing unusual amino acids has been studied quantitatively in a purified, cell-free system. (2) In an effort to facilitate the isolation of proteins involved in the synthesis and recognition of mRNA “caps”, an affinity column has been prepared. This column, containing 7-methylguanosine 5′-diphosphate moieties immobilized on AH-Sepharose 4B via a levulinic acid O 2′,3′ -acetal, was employed for the purification to homogeneity of a 24,000-dalton polypeptide that stimulated the translation of capped mRNA's.
Developmental changes in rhesus monkey placental villi and cell columns. Scanning electron microscopy.

Developing rhesus monkey placentas were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with special attention directed toward defining stages in the development of the villus branches. The initial phase in formation of villi was the conversion of reticulated trabeculae of syncytial trophoblast into chorionic villi by growth and proliferation of cell columns of cytotrophoblast. These villi were stout and unbranched. The second phase of development appeared to be the longitudinal splitting of the villi and cell columns to form groups of parallel branches but there was a common insertion of these into the basal plate. The third phase in formation of villi, which appeared to begin at about the same time as the longitudinal splitting occurred, was the outgrowth of largediameter side branches in a zone nearer the chorionic plate. At about 38–40 days of gestation the next stage in villus formation occurred, characterized by the emergence of numerous, small syncytial sprouts. Continued proliferation of villi at later stages of gestation resulted in a decreased diameter of the terminal villi and an increasing complexity in the course of fetal capillaries.
Non‐pruritic bullous scabies in an immunosuppressed pediatric patient

Bullous scabies is an uncommon subtype of scabies that frequently mimics other blistering skin diseases. Nocturnal pruritus is a hallmark symptom of bullous scabies. We report an unusual case of bullous scabies presenting in the absence of pruritus in an immunosuppressed pediatric patient. It is critical that clinicians consider the diagnosis of bullous scabies in any patient with bullae, irrespective of pruritus symptoms.
Radiosynthesis and in vitro evaluation of [11C]Shield-1, a PET probe for imaging CAR T cells that express the iCasp9 suicide gene

61 Objectives: Recently, T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that target tumor-associated antigens have shown striking activity in a variety of malignancies. However, assessment of treatment efficacy in solid tumors has proved to be challenging, since the fate and localization of the administered cells cannot be assessed directly. We developed [11C]Shield-1, a novel PET probe that binds to F36V-FKBP (a mutant human FK506 binding protein) with high affinity and specificity, to noninvasively track CAR T cells that have been transduced with the iCasp9 suicide gene, in which the recruitment domain of caspase 9 has been replaced by F36V-FKBP. Since iCasp9 is only activated by dimeric ligands such as rimiducid, monomeric ligands such as Shield-1 do not activate the suicide gene. We plan to utilize the iCasp9 system, which is currently in clinical use, as both a safety switch and a PET imaging reporter gene. Methods The radiosynthesis of [11C]Shield-1 was carried out by methylating the synthesized phenol precursor with [11C]methyl iodide in the presence of base (12N NaOH) at 80 °C for 5 min followed by HPLC purification. In vitro cell-uptake studies with [11C]Shield-1 were performed using two cell lines (HEK293 and HCT116) transduced with F36V-FKBP, with untransduced cells as a control. Blocking studies were performed using 10 μM FK506 (Tacrolimus), an immunosuppressive drug that binds to both FKBP and F36V-FKBP. To assess clearance from blood and major organs, biodistribution studies were carried out at 2 min, 25 min, and 45 min following intravenous administration of [11C]Shield-1 in BALB/c mice. Results [11C]Shield-1 was produced with high radiochemical purity (>99%) and specific activity (>1,800 mCi/μmol). [11C]Shield-1 uptake in F36V-FKBP transduced cells was 3 - 4 fold higher at 40 min compared to untransduced cells and cells blocked with FK506. Biodistribution studies revealed rapid clearance of [11C]Shield-1 from the blood, with low uptake in muscle, spleen, and bone, and increasing uptake in the small bowel over time due to hepatic clearance. Conclusion [11C]Shield-1 was successfully synthesized and its in vitro evaluation showed high and specific uptake in cells expressing the F36V-FKBP reporter gene. Future studies will explore the ability of iCasp9 to serve as a dual function suicide-reporter gene for CAR T cells in a mouse tumor model. We expect that clinical translation of [11C]Shield-1 will be relatively straightforward given that iCasp9 is already in clinical use as a suicide gene in CAR T cells. Research Support: Stand Up To Cancer Innovative Research Grant (SU2C-AACR-IRG-15-17) and RSNA Research Scholar Grant (RSCH1510).
Radical prostatectomy after radiation therapy for cancer of the prostate: feasibility and prognosis.

AbstractA total of 30 patients underwent an operation (radical prostatectomy in 27 and cystoprostatectomy in 3) for prostate cancer. In 17 patients radiotherapy with curative intent (range 5,700 to 7,500cGy., mean 6,130cGy.) had failed locally at 7 to 150 months (mean 48.8 months) later; 13 underwent the operation 2 months or less after planned radiotherapy (4,000 to 7,000cGy., mean 5,431cGy.). Followup was 1 to 16 years (mean 6.7 years). There was no perioperative death. The most significant complications were vesical neck contracture (17 per cent), lymphedema (10 per cent) and incontinence (10 per cent). Pathological staging revealed 8 patients with stage D1 disease. Of tumor grade, stage, adjuvant hormonal treatment and ploidy pattern only the last was associated with progression and survival.An increasing number of patients with local, albeit often symptomatic, radiation failure may present during the next years and they must be treated. Salvage prostatectomy is feasible and its associated morbidity s...
Fluid assessment in dialysis patients by point-of-care magnetic relaxometry.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful diagnostic tool, but its use is restricted to the scanner suite. Here, we demonstrate that a bedside nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor can assess fluid status changes in individuals at a fraction of the time and cost compared to MRI. Our study recruited patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who were regularly receiving hemodialysis treatments with intradialytic fluid removal as a model of volume overload and healthy controls as a model of euvolemia. Quantitative T2 measurements of the lower leg of patients with ESRD immediately before and after dialysis were compared to those of euvolemic healthy controls using both a 0.28-T bedside single-voxel NMR sensor and a 1.5-T clinical MRI scanner. In the MRI data, we found that the first sign of fluid overload was an expanded muscle extracellular fluid (ECF) space, a finding undetectable at this stage using physical exam. A decrease in muscle ECF upon fluid removal was similarly detectable with both the bedside sensor and MRI. Bioimpedance measurements performed comparably to the bedside NMR sensor but were generally worse than MRI. These findings suggest that bedside NMR may be a useful method to identify fluid overload early in patients with ESRD and potentially other hypervolemic patient populations.
Abstract 276: Maternal High Fat, High Sucrose Diet-induced Cardiac Mitochondrial Abnormalities in the Offspring are Transmitted via the Oocyte Nucleus

Introduction: Maternal obesity correlates with higher cardiovascular disease risk in human offspring. We found high fat, high sucrose (HF/HS) diet results in accretion of abnormal mitochondria in m...
Large and small extracellular vesicles released by glioma cells in vitro and in vivo

Tumour cells release diverse populations of extracellular vesicles (EVs) ranging in size, molecular cargo, and function. We sought to characterize mRNA and protein content of EV subpopulations released by human glioblastoma (GBM) cells expressing a mutant form of epidermal growth factor receptor (U87EGFRvIII) in vitro and in vivo with respect to size, morphology and the presence of tumour cargo. The two EV subpopulations purified from GBM U87EGFRvIII cancer cells, non-cancer human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC; control) and serum of U87EGFRvIII glioma-bearing mice using differential centrifugation (EVs that sediment at 10,000 × g or 100,000 × g are termed large EVs and small EVs, respectively) were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), flow cytometry, immunofluorescence (IF), quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and micro-nuclear magnetic resonance (μNMR). We report that both U87EGFRvIII and HUVEC release a similar number of small EVs, but U87EGFRvIII glioma cells alone release a higher number of large EVs compared to non-cancer HUVEC. The EGFRvIII mRNA from the two EV subpopulations from U87EGFRvIII glioma cells was comparable, while the EGFR protein (wild type + vIII) levels are significantly higher in large EVs. Similarly, EGFRvIII mRNA in large and small EVs isolated from the serum of U87EGFRvIII glioma-bearing mice is comparable, while the EGFR protein (wild type + vIII) levels are significantly higher in large EVs. Here we report for the first time a direct comparison of large and small EVs released by glioma U87EGFRvIII cells and from serum of U87EGFRvIII glioma-bearing mice. Both large and small EVs contain tumour-specific EGFRvIII mRNA and proteins and combining these platforms may be beneficial in detecting rare mutant events in circulating biofluids.
A Cross-Task Transfer Learning Approach to Adapting Deep Speech Enhancement Models to Unseen Background Noise Using Paired Senone Classifiers

We propose an environment adaptation approach that improves deep speech enhancement models via minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence between posterior probabilities produced by a multi-condition senone classifier (teacher) fed with noisy speech features and a clean-condition senone classifier (student) fed with enhanced speech features to transfer an existing deep neural network (DNN) speech enhancer to specific noisy environments without using noisy/clean paired target waveforms needed in conventional DNN-based spectral regression. Our solution not only improves listening quality in the enhanced speech but also boosts noise robustness of existing automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems trained on clean data if employed as a pre-processing step before speech feature extraction. Experimental results show steady gains in objective quality measurements as a result of a teacher network producing adaptation targets for a student enhancement model to adjust its parameters in unseen noise conditions. The proposed technique is particularly advantageous in environments that are not handled effectively by the unadapted DNN-based enhancer, as we find that only very little data from a specific operating condition is required to yield good improvements. Finally, higher gains in speech quality directly translate to larger improvements in ASR.
“I Kinda Like It When a Lotta People Die”: George Carlin’s Comedic Catharsis

The night before September 11, 2001, comedian George Carlin performed material to be recorded for his eleventh HBO comedy special. His denouement was a bit he had been working on for months, titled “I Kinda Like It When A Lotta People Die.” For obvious reasons, the material was shelved. In 2016, the material resurfaced on a posthumously released album bearing the same title. This essay provides a careful reading of “I Kinda Like It” and explores Carlin’s ethos as a subversive, countercultural rhetorician. It contends that Carlin’s comedy ultimately proves Kenneth Burke’s concept of the comic corrective and argues that the rhetorical act of stand-up comedy serves as a community experience of identification, one that ultimately finds catharsis in disaster.
Learning for Life: An Imaginative Approach to Worldview Education in the Context of Diversity: By Andre Mulder and Bas Van Den Berg. Eugene, or: Wipf and Stock, 2019. 148 pp., $21.00 (Softcover)

This book is a response to the impact of secularization and pluralization on religious education in the Netherlands. Mulder and Van den Berg promote worldview education through advocating a hermene...
Assessment of Raman Spectroscopy for Reducing Unnecessary Biopsies for Melanoma Screening

A key challenge in melanoma diagnosis is the large number of unnecessary biopsies on benign nevi, which requires significant amounts of time and money. To reduce unnecessary biopsies while still accurately detecting melanoma lesions, we propose using Raman spectroscopy as a non-invasive, fast, and inexpensive method for generating a "second opinion" for lesions being considered for biopsy. We collected in vivo Raman spectral data in the clinical skin screening setting from 52 patients, including 53 pigmented lesions and 7 melanomas. All lesions underwent biopsies based on clinical evaluation. Principal component analysis and logistic regression models with leave one lesion out cross validation were applied to classify melanoma and pigmented lesions for biopsy recommendations. Our model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUROC) of 0.903 and a specificity of 58.5% at perfect sensitivity. The number needed to treat for melanoma could have been decreased from 8.6 (60/7) to 4.1 (29/7). This study in a clinical skin screening setting shows the potential of Raman spectroscopy for reducing unnecessary skin biopsies with in vivo Raman data and is a significant step toward the application of Raman spectroscopy for melanoma screening in the clinic.
cDNA Cloning, Sequencing and Expressing the cDNA for Glycera dibranchiata Monomer Hemoglobin Component IV

Glycera dibranchiata is a polychaetous marine annelid commonly referred to as the “blood worm.” This descriptive name reflects the fact that it contains Hb in nucleated erythrocytes. Vinogradov et al. (1) first demonstrated that the Hb content of these cells was separable by Sephadex chromatography into polymeric and monomeric fractions. We subsequently demonstrated that the application of high-resolution bioanalytical techniques permitted further resolution of the monomer Hb fraction into three major monomer Hbs (2-4)