Digital Commons Network^™

Unforeseen Land Uses: The Effect Of Marijuana Legalization On Land Conservation Programs, Jessica Owley

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This Article explores the tension between land conservation and marijuana cultivation in the context of legalization. The legalization of marijuana has the potential to shift the locations of marijuana cultivation. Where cultivation need no longer be surreptitious and clandestine, growers may begin to explore sanctioned growing sites and methods. Thus, the shift to legalization may be accompanied by environmental and landuse implications. Investigating commercial-scale marijuana cultivation, this Article details how, in some ways, legalization can reduce environmental impacts of marijuana cultivation while also examining tricky issues regarding tensions between protected lands and marijuana cultivation. If we treat cultivation of marijuana …

The Pragmatist Tradition: Lessons For Legal Theorists, Susan Haack

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No abstract provided.

Justice Beyond Dispute, Mary Anne Franks

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No abstract provided.

Whistleblowing Speech And The First Amendment, Ronald J. Krotoszynski Jr.

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Alexander Meiklejohn the iconic First Amendment scholar who expounded the democratic selfgovernment theory of the freedom of speech posited that for democratic selfgovernment to function the voters themselves must possess the information necessary to hold the government accountable Yet the information necessary for the citizenry to render wise electoral verdicts not uncommonly belongs to the government itself and government officials often prove highly reluctant to share information that reflects badly on them and their work The lack of critically important information about the government's performance makes it difficult if not impossible for voters to hold government accountable on Election Day …

The “New” District Court Activism In Criminal Justice Reform, Jessica A. Roth

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Historically, the debate over the judicial role has centered on the constitutional and administrative law decisions of the United States Supreme Court, with an occasional glance at the Federal Courts of Appeals. It has, moreover, been concerned solely with the “in-court” behavior of Article III appellate judges as they carry out their power and duty “to say what the law is” in the context of resolving “cases and controversies.” This Article seeks to deepen the discussion of the appropriate role of Article III judges by broadening it to trial, as well as appellate, judges; and by distinguishing between an Article …

Effect Of High- And Low-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic-Acid-Functionalized-Az31 Mg And Ti Alloys On Proliferation And Differentiation Of Osteoblast Cells, Sankalp Agarwal, Brendan Duffy, James Curtin, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

The quality of patient care has increased dramatically in recent years because of the development of lightweight orthopedic metal implants. The success of these orthopedic implants may be compromised by impaired cytocompatibility and osteointegration. Biomimetic surface engineering of metal implants using biomacromolecules including hyaluronic acid (HA) has been used an effective approach to provide conditions favorable for the growth of bone forming cells. To date, there have been limited studies on osteoblasts functions in response to metal substrates modified with the hyaluronic acid of different molecular weight for orthopedic applications. In this study, we evaluated the osteoblasts functions such as …

Fraudulent Conveyances Masquerading As Asset Protection Trusts, James J. White

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Viewed with a dispassionate but slightly skeptical eye, transfers to asset protection trusts are fraudulent conveyances pure and simple. I think so and the evidence points that way.

The asset protection trust is a simulacrum of the well-known and thoroughly conventional mode of holding assets for a “beneficiary” by a “trustee” under the terms of an elaborate document. Trusts, of course, are widely used in estate planning and elsewhere in circumstances where one person, the settlor, wishes to make assets available to another on the settlor’s terms; a parent might use a trust to put aside assets for a minor …

Supraclavicular Subclavian Access For Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Novel Approach, Thom G. Dahle, John Castro, Jacob R. Dutcher, John M. Teskey, Wade Schmidt, Daren Danielson, Daniel Tiede

Articles

BACKGROUND:

Within the trans-subclavian approach, procedural techniques can vary widely, and reported access generally refers to an infraclavicular axillary approach. We describe and report the use of a novel supraclavicular true subclavian approach for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) exclusively for implantation of Sapien 3 valves.

CASE PRESENTATION:

We report our first five consecutive patients undergoing TAVR with a Sapien 3 valve using a standardized subclavian approach at a single center. In-hospital and 30-day complications were reported. The use of this approach resulted in successful implantation in 100% of patients in a safe manner with 0% mortality, stroke, and vascular …

Jail As Injunction, Russell M. Gold

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No abstract provided.

A Multi-Country Analysis On Potential Adaptive Mechanisms To Cold And Heat In A Changing Climate, Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, Francesco Sera, Yuming Guob, Yeonseung Chung, Katherine Arbuthnotta, Shilu Tong Tong, Aurelio Tobias, Micheline De Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho, Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldivai, Patrick J. Goodman, Ariana Zekak, Masahiro Hashizumel, Yasushi Honda, Ho Kim, Martina Ragettlio, Martin Rooslio, Antonella Zanobetti Zanobetti, Joel Schwartz, Ben Armstrong, Antonio Gasparrini

Articles

Background: Temporal variation of temperature-health associations depends on the combination of two pathways: pure adaptation to increasingly warmer temperatures due to climate change, and other attenuation mechanisms due to non-climate factors such as infrastructural changes and improved health care. Disentangling these pathways is critical for assessing climate change impacts and for planning public health and climate policies. We present evidence on this topic by assessing temporal trends in cold- and heat-attributable mortality risks in a multi-country investigation. Methods: Trends in country-specific attributable mortality fractions (AFs) for cold and heat (defined as below/ above minimum mortality temperature, respectively) in 305 locations …

First Trimester Serum Biomarkers To Predict Gestational Diabetes In A High-Risk Cohort: Striving For Clinically Useful Thresholds, Siobhan M. Corcoran, Natalie Achamallah, John O'Loughlan, Philip Stafford, Pat Dicker, Fergal D. Malone, Fionnuala Breathnach

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Objectives: Screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM) has been a source of controversy. The prevalence has increased in line with an obesity epidemic and a trend towards delayed child-bearing. Treatment of even modest glycaemic impairment in pregnancy has been shown to be beneficial in preventing its clinical sequalae. However the cumbersome nature and timing of the oral glucose tolerance test coupled with debate around universal versus risk factor based screening have been problematic. This group aimed to investigate a panel of biomarkers which have shown promise in the literature to predict GDM from the first trimester in a group …

Detection Of “Xisco” Gene For Identification Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Isolates, Francisco Salvà-Serra, Gwendolyn Connolly, Edward Moore, Lucia Gonzales-Siles

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We describe a PCR-assay differentiating Streptococcus pneumoniae from closely-related species of the Mitis group of the genus Streptococcus and identification of pneumococcus clinical isolates, based on the “Xisco” gene discriminatory marker. The complete “Xisco” gene sequence was observed in all S. pneumoniae genomes analyzed and absent in all non-pneumococcus genomes.

Predictors Of Vitamin D Supplementation Amongst Infants In Ireland Throughout The First Year Of Life, Annemarie Bennett, John M. Kearney

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A prospective observational study was conducted. Self-complete questionnaires recorded socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviours and supplementation practices for 158 mother-infant dyads at 4, 9 and 12 months post-partum. A 2-day food diary was also obtained on 12-month-old infants to examine the contribution of diet to vitamin D intakes.

Factors Associated With Maternal Wellbeing At Four Months Post-Partum In Ireland, Annemarie E. Bennett, John Kearney

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This study aimed to examine factors associated with maternal wellbeing at four months post-partum in the Irish context. Socio-demographic, health behaviour and infant feeding data were collected in pregnancy, at birth and at 17 weeks post-partum. Maternal distress, body image and resilience were measured at 17 weeks post-partum. Binary logistic regression predicted maternal distress and statistical significance was taken at p < 0.05. One hundred and seventy-two women were followed-up in pregnancy, at birth and at 17 weeks post-partum. Three in five (61.6%, n106) initiated breastfeeding. At 17 weeks post-partum, 23.8% (n41) were exclusively or partially breastfeeding and over a third (36.0%, n62) of all mothers were at risk of distress. In multivariate analyses, independent predictors of distress included: low maternal resilience (p < 0.01, odds ratio (OR): 7.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49–20.95)); unsatisfactory partner support (p = 0.02, OR: 3.89 (95% CI: 1.20–12.65)); older age (p = 0.02, OR: 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02–1.21)); and breastfeeding (p = 0.01, OR: 2.89 (95% CI: 1.29–6.47)). Routine assessment of emotional wellbeing and targeted interventions are needed to promote a more healthful transition to motherhood among women in Ireland.

Improving Microbiological Safety And Quality Characteristics Of Wheat And Barley By High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma Closed Processing, Agatha Los, Dana Ziuzina, Simen Akkermans, Daniela Boehm, Patrick J. Cullen, Jan Van Impe

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Contamination of cereal grains as a key global food resource with insects or microorganisms is a persistent concern for the grain industry due to irreversible damage to quality and safety characteristics and economic losses. Atmospheric cold plasma presents an alternative to conventional grain decontamination methods owing to the high antimicrobial potential of reactive species generated during the treatment, but effects against product specific microflora are required to understand how to optimally develop this approach for grains. This work investigated the influence of ACP processing parameters for both cereal grain decontamination and grain quality as important criteria for grain or seed …

Translation Of Plasma Technology From The Lab To The Food Industry, Patrick J. Cullen, James Lalor, Laurence Scally, Daniela Boehm, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Paula Bourke, Kevin Keener

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The potential of cold plasma as a food processing aid has been demonstrated for a range of processes and products. The potential applications of plasma technology are extensive and include microbial decontamination, pest control, toxin elimination, food and package functionalisation and many others. However, studies reported to date have principally been at laboratory scale. This paper discusses the status and challenges of transferring the technology to the industry. The major challenges discussed for adoption of atmospheric plasma as a food processing tool by industry are (1) demonstration of product/process specific efficacies; (2) development of process compatible technology designs and scale‐up; …

The Constitutional Law Of Incarceration, Reconfigured, Margo Schlanger

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On any given day, about 2.2 million people are confined in U.S. jails and prisons—nearly 0.9% of American men are in prison, and another 0.4% are in jail. This year, 9 or 10 million people will spend time in our prisons and jails; about 5000 of them will die there. A decade into a frustratingly gradual decline in incarceration numbers, the statistics have grown familiar: We have 4.4% of the world’s population but over 20% of its prisoners. Our incarceration rate is 57% higher than Russia’s (our closest major country rival in imprisonment), nearly four times the rate in England, …

Using Moocs To Promote Digital Accessibility And Universal Design, The Moocap Experience, John Gilligan, W. Chen, J. Darzentas

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The recently completed Massive Open Online Course for Accessibility Partnership project (MOOCAP), had the twin aims of establishing a strategic partnership around the promotion of Universal Design and Accessibility for ICT professionals and of developing a suite of Open Educational resources (OERs) in this domain. MOOCAP's eight university partners from Germany, Norway, Greece, Ireland, the UK and Austria have a significant history in developing and providing courses in the domains of Universal Design and Accessibility, as well as leading research and advocacy roles within Europe. The MOOCAP project consisted of two phases: the development of an introductory MOOC on Digital …

Developing A Theoretical Framework For Policy Development, Implementation And Evaluation, Marie Brennan

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Three institutes ITT, ITB and DIT explored the benefits of collaborating and seeking designation as a technological university for Dublin following the publication of the Hunt Report in 2011. A high-level steering group was formed that would guide the alliance partners towards the goal of Technological University for Dublin. Support teams and working groups were set up to draw on the expertise of staff from across the 3 institutes. One workshop was set up to discuss the development of a teaching, learning and assessment strategy for a technological university. Further research carried out into the creation of a teaching, learning …

Hydrogen Peroxide And Beyond - The Potential Of High-Voltage Plasma Activated Liquids Against Cancerous Cells, Daniela Boehm, James Curtin, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

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Abstract: The use of plasma-activated liquids such as PBS, medium or simply plasma-activated water (PAW) has been receiving increasing attention for applications in cancer treatments. Amongst the reactive species contained in these solutions, hydrogen peroxide appears to play a pivotal role in causing cytotoxic effects. While H2O2 concentrations can be correlated with reduced cell viability and growth and used as an indicator of the potential efficacy of a plasma-activated water, comparisons to standard H2O2 kill curves demonstrate a potency in PAW which exceeds H2O2 associated toxicity, indicating that other plasma-generated species play an important role. Using a high-voltage dielectric barrier …

Visual-Vestibular Integration During Self-Motion Perception In Younger And Older Adults, Robert Ramkhalawansingh, John Butler, Jennifer Campos

Articles

Younger adults integrate visual and vestibular cues to self-motion in a manner consistent with optimal integration; however, little is currently known about whether this process changes with older age. Our objective was to determine whether older adults, like younger adults, display evidence of optimal visual-vestibular integration, including reductions in bimodal variance (visual-vestibular) compared with unimodal variance (visual or vestibular alone), and reliability-based cue weighting. We used a motion simulator and a head-mounted display to introduce a 2-interval forced-choice heading estimation task. Older (65+ years) and younger adults (18–35 years) judged which of two movements was more rightward. Movements consisted of …

A Land Use Regression Model For Explaining Spatial Variation In Air Pollution Levels Using A Wind Sector Based Approach, Owen Naughton, Aoife Donnelly, Paul Nolan, Francesco Pilla, Bruce Misstear, Brian Broderick

Articles

Estimating pollutant concentrations at a local and regional scale is essential for good ambient air quality information in environmental and health policy decision making. Here we present a land use regression (LUR) modelling methodology that exploits the high temporal resolution of fixed-site monitoring (FSM) to produce viable air quality maps. The methodology partitions concentration time series from a national FSM network into wind-dependent sectors or “wedges”. A LUR model is derived using predictor variables calculated within the directional wind sectors, and compared against the long-term average concentrations within each sector. This study demonstrates the value of incorporating the relative position …

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (Libs) For Rapid Analysis Of Ash, Potassium And Magnesium In Gluten Free Flours, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Yash Dixit, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Gluten free (GF) diets are prone to mineral deficiency, thus effective monitoring of the elemental composition of GF products is important to ensure a balanced micronutrient diet. The objective of this study was to test the potential of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis combined with chemometrics for at-line monitoring of ash, potassium and magnesium content of GF flours: tapioca, potato, maize, buckwheat, brown rice and a GF flour mixture. Concentrations of ash, potassium and magnesium were determined with reference methods and LIBS. PCA analysis was performed and presented the potential for discrimination of the six GF flours. For the quantification …

Climate Change Challenges For Land Conservation: Rethinking Conservation Easements, Strategies, And Tools, Jessica Owley, Federico Cheever, Adena R. Rissman, M. Rebecca Shaw, Barton H. Thompson Jr., W. William Weeks

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No abstract provided.

Enhanced Corrosion Resistance And Cytocompatibility Of Biomimetic Hyaluronic Acid Functionalised Silane Coating On Az31 Mg Alloy For Orthopaedic Applications, Sankalp Agarwal, Marie Noëlle Labour, David A. Hoey, Brendan Duffy, James Curtin, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

This paper reports the corrosion resistant and cytocompatible properties of the hyaluronic acid-silane coating on AZ31 Mg alloy. In this study, the osteoinductive properties of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA, 1–4 MDa) and the corrosion protection of silane coatings were incorporated as a composite coating on biodegradable AZ31 Mg alloy for orthopaedic applications. The multi-step fabrication of coatings first involved dip coating of a passivated AZ31 Mg alloy with a methyltriethoxysilane-tetraethoxysilane sol-gel to deposit a dense, cross-linked and corrosion resistant silane coating (AZ31-MT). The second step was to create an amine-functionalised surface by treating coated alloy with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy silane …

Environmental Impact Assessment Of Pinaceae Airborne Pollen And Green Infrastructure Using Bim, Santiago Fernández-Rodríguez, Juan Pedro Cortés-Pérez, Paloma Prieto Muriel, Rafael Tormo-Molina, J. M. Maya-Manzano

Articles

Urban air quality is a parameter that plays a major role in human health at the local scale. Consequently, in urban planning, the behavior and potential risk of allergenicity for some pollen grains coming from ornamental trees and green spaces surrounding newly built buildings, should be considered. This paper aims to study how pollen exposure, influenced by weather parameters, can be assessed and integrated in the designing and building of constructions as other component of air quality assessment beforehand, by using BIM. Based on a comparative aerobiological study at the height over a building (sampled by two traps at ground …

Strategic Litigation To Advance Public Health, Tamar Ezer, Priti Patil

Articles

The HIV movement has relied on strategic litigation as an important tool to develop and enforce legal protections critical to health. This experience contains lessons on the potential of strategic litigation to advance public health more generally. Beyond impacting laws and policies, strategic litigation can change practice, breathing life into existing legal rules never implemented. While cases may target a particular law, policy, or practice, indirect impacts beyond a particular court decision on future cases, other branches of government, and the public record may be just as important. Each case is only one step towards change, and a judgment can …

Collaborative Enforcement, Andrew Elmore

Articles

Labor standards enforcement in the low-wage workplace has long suffered from a lack of capacity, expertise and remedies that blunt the impact of public and private enforcers alike. The question of how to address these pathologies in state and local workplace regulation has gained new urgency with the virtual explosion of regional labor lawmaking and the deregulatory impulses of the new federal administration.

This Article identifies collaboration between state and local agencies and private, public interest organizations ("PIOs") as one pathway to address these enforcement gaps, by amplifying the deterrent effect of public and private enforcement and by improving legal …

Foreword: Some Puzzles Of State Standing Federal Courts, Practice & Procedure: State Standing: Symposium, Tara Leigh Grove

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No abstract provided.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Review Of Front-Line Treatment Options, With A Focus On Elderly Cll Patients, Alma O'Reilly, James Murphy, Sarah Rawe, Mary Garvey

Articles

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains the most prevalent form of leukemia in the Western world, with no cure to date. Ongoing and essential research into this heterogeneous disease has led to a number of new treatment options becoming available to CLL patients in the past decade. The present review presents the recent developments in the field of CLL treatment, with the main focus on elderly patients and CLL patients with coexisting comorbidities. The review discusses the current treatment regimens that provide the most promising outcomes for patients in this subgroup, with a number of important clinical trials summarized. These clinical …