Digital Commons Network^™

Severe Brain Injury, Disability, And The Law: Achieving Justice For A Marginalized Population, Megan S. Wright, Nina Varsava, Joel Ramirez, Kyle Edwards, Nathan Gueveremont, Tamar Ezer, Joseph J. Fins

Articles

Thousands of persons with severe brain injury who are minimally conscious or "locked in" are wrongly treated as if they are unconscious. Such individuals are unable to advocate for themselves and are typically segregated from society in hospitals or nursing homes. As a result, they constitute a class of persons who often lack access to adequate medical care, rehabilitation, and assistive devices that could aid them in communication and recovery. While this problem is often approached from a medical or scientific point of view, here we frame it as a legal issue amenable to legal remedies. This Article comprehensively explores …

Big Data: Destroyer Of Informed Consent, A. Michael Froomkin

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The 'Revised Common Rule' took effect on January 21, 2019, marking the first change since 2005 to the federal regulation that governs human subjects research conducted with federal support or in federally supported institutions. The Common Rule had required informed consent before researchers could collect and use identifiable personal health information. While informed consent is far from perfect, it is and was the gold standard for data collection and use policies; the standard in the old Common Rule served an important function as the exemplar for data collection in other contexts. Unfortunately, true informed consent seems incompatible with modern analytics …

On Unknown Opportunities And Perils: Reflections On Carrier And Minniti’S “Biologics: The New Antitrust Frontier.”, Tom Cotter

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No abstract provided.

Surrogacy Professionalism, June Carbone, Christina O. Miller

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No abstract provided.

Of Loaded Weapons And Legal Alchemy, Great Cases And Bad (?) Law: Korematsu And Strict Scrutiny, 1944-2017, Scott Dewey

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This article traces in detail how dicta in the wartime Japanese American internment cases of Korematsu v. United States and Hirabayashi v. United States was taken out of context and gradually transmuted, through a process of legal alchemy or "precedent laundering, " into holdings supporting the postwar strict scrutiny doctrine regarding equal protection under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The article addresses the complex, twisted prehistory ofKorematsu, which includes the troubled Japanese American immigrant experience leading up to the internment and the growing interwar geopolitical rivalry between Japan and the United States over domination of the Asia/Pacific region. This prehistory …

Commodified Promises And Contract Theory, Brian Bix

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No abstract provided.

Validating A Reduced-Order Model For Synthetic Jet Actuators Using Cfd And Experimental Data, Tim Persoons, Rick Cressall, Aliimohammadi Sajad

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Synthetic jet actuators (SJA) are emerging in various engineering applications, from flow separation and noise control in aviation to thermal management of electronics. A SJA oscillates a flexible membrane inside a cavity connected to a nozzle producing vortices. A complex interaction between the cavity pressure field and the driving electronics can make it difficult to predict performance. A reduced-order model (ROM) has been developed to predict the performance of SJAs. This paper applies this model to a canonical configuration with applications in flow control and electronics cooling, consisting of a single SJA with a rectangular orifice, emanating perpendicular to the …

Throwing The Baby Out With The Patriarchy, Scott Titshaw

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Throughout the history of Europe and its former new world colonies, families have been a central unit for defining legal rights and duties, including those related to citizenship and immigration. Less than a century ago, a woman and her children automatically gained or lost citizenship in the U.S. and many other countries upon her marriage to a citizen or noncitizen. The family was treated as one unit reflecting the legal identity of the father-husband as “head of family.”

Fortunately, the United States and other governments have increasingly recognized women – and, to a lesser extent, children – as independent persons …

A Logical Step Forward: Extending Voluntary Acknowledgments Of Parentage To Female Same-Sex Couples, Jessica Feinberg

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Under current law, stark differences exist between different- and same-sex couples who welcome children into the world with regard to the ease through which the member of the couple who did not give birth to the child is able to obtain legal parent status. While a number of simple, efficient procedures exist for establishing legal parentage for different-sex partners of women who give birth, same-sex partners of women who give birth often have to go through significantly more complex, time-consuming, and expensive procedures in order to establish legal parentage. The inequitable treatment of same-sex couples in establishing legal parentage has …

Fintech: Antidote To Rent-Seeking?, Jeremy Kidd

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Fintech is a reality of our modern society, and will likely become even more so in the future. Peer-to-peer lending, cybercurrencies, smart contracts, algorithmic lending, and more, have required adaptation by consumers and producers of financial services. Our modes of doing business will continue to be challenged and changed by these and other Fintech innovations, almost certainly expanding beyond merely “promot[ing] financial inclusion, expand[ing] access to capital for individuals and small businesses, and more broadly reshap[ing] how society interacts with financial services.” By reducing transaction costs, advancing technology opens the doors to innovations the likes of which we might not …

Management And Follow-Up Of Patients With A Bronchial Neuroendocrine Tumor In The Last Twenty Years In Ireland: Expected Inconsistencies And Unexpected Discoveries, Asta Agasarova, Clare Harnett, Niall Mulligan, Muhammad Shakeel Majeed, Alberto Caimo, Gianluca Tamagno

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Bronchial neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are classified into well-differentiated typical carcinoids (TC), atypical carcinoids (AC), large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC), and small cell lung carcinomas (SCLC). We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects, follow-up data, and outcomes of all patients diagnosed with a bronchial NET from 1995 to 2015 at our institution. Patients with LCNEC or SCLC were excluded due to the biological and clinical differences from the other bronchial NET. The clinical, laboratory, imaging, treatment, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed keeping in mind the recently published international recommendations. Forty-six patients were included in the study. …

Influenza Infection Directly Alters Innate Il-23 And Il-12p70 And Subsequent Il-17a And Ifn-Γ Responses To Pneumococcus In Vitro In Human Monocytes, Sinead T. Loughran, Patrick A. Power, Paula T. Maguire, Samantha L. Mcquaid, Paul J. Buchanan, Ingileif Jonsdottir, Robert W. Newman, Ruth Harvey, Patricia A. Johnson

Articles

It is well accepted that influenza A virus predisposes individuals to often more severe super-infections with Streptococcus pneumonia. However, the mechanisms that lead to this synergy are not clearly understood. Recent data suggests that competent Th17 immunity is crucial to clearance and protection from invasive pneumococcal disease of the lung. We demonstrate that early influenza infection significantly reduced levels of pneumococcus driven IL-12p70, IL-23 and IL-27 in human monocytes with significant impairment of IL-17A and IFN-γ in HKSP-treated allogeneic mixed lymphocyte cultures. We also provide evidence to suggest that the hemagglutinin component of the virus is at least partially responsible …

Development Of A Hierarchical Model For Predicting Microbiological Contamination Of Private Groundwater Supplies In A Geologically Heterogeneous Region, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds, Kenneth Byrne, Michael Ryan, Catherine Adley

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Private groundwater sources in the Republic of Ireland provide drinking water to an estimated 750,000 people or 16% of the national population. Consumers of untreated groundwater are at increased risk of infection from pathogenic microorganisms. However, given the volume of private wells in operation, remediation or even quantification of public risk is both costly and time consuming. In this study, a hierarchical logistic regression model was developed to ‘predict’ contamination with E. coli based on the results of groundwater quality analyses of private wells (n = 132) during the period of September 2011 to November 2012. Assessment of potential microbial …

High Sensitivity Optical Fiber Sensors For Simultaneous Measurement Of Methanol And Ethanol, Dejun Liu, Rahul Kumarb, Fangfang Wei, Wei Han, Arun Kumar Mallik, Jinhui Yuanc, Shengpeng Wan, Xingdao He, Zhe Kange, Feng Li, Chongxiu Yu, Gerald Farrell, Yuliya Semenova, Qiang Wu

Articles

High sensitivity volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensors based on a tapered small core single mode fiber (TSCSMF) and a microfiber coupler (MFC) are reported. The TSCSMF had a waist diameter of ~5.1 μm and the MFC had a waist diameter of ~1.9 μm each and both were fabricated using a customized microheater brushing technique. Silica based materials containing immobilized Nile red prepared by sol-gel method with two different recipes (recipe I and recipe II) are investigated. Initially recipe I based coating materials were applied to the surfaces of the TSCSMF and MFC. The experimental results show that the sensor based …

High-Sensitivity Salinity Sensor Based On Optical Microfiber Coil Resonator, Y. Yin, S. Li, J. Ren, Gerald Farrell, E. Lewis, Pengfei Wang

Articles

In recent years, salinity sensing has attracted much attention in potential areas ranging from marine monitoring, marine circulation, marine climate and environment protection in oceanography [1–4]. Generally, traditional methods of salinity measurement have been based on electronic methods (electrochemical) to detect the existence of chlorine ions of the seawater [5,6]. However, this method is affected greatly from the harsh environment, such as high corrosivity, extreme temperature and strong electromagnetic interference and is not used widely in micro scale due to its large size and complex structure. Electrochemical sensors are also prone to cross-sensitivity from and can even be damaged by …

Structure-Property Relationships For A Series Of Ruthenium(Ii) Polypyridyl Complexes Elucidated Through Raman Spectroscopy, Luke O'Neill, Laura Perdisatt, Christine O'Connor

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A series of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes were studied using Raman spectroscopy supported by UV/Vis absorption, luminescence spectroscopy, and luminescence lifetime determination by time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC). -e complexes were characterised to determine the influence of the variation of the conjugation across the main polypyridyl ligand. -e systematic and sequential variation of the main polypyridyl ligand, 2-(4-formylphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (FPIP), 2-(4-cyanophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (CPIP), 2-(4-bromophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (BPIP), and 2-(4-nitrophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (NPIP) ligands, allowed the monitoring of very small changes in the ligands electronic nature. Complexes containing a systematic variation of the position (para, meta, and ortho) of the nitrile terminal group on the ligand (the para …

Whispering Gallery Mode Micro Resonators For Multi-Parameter Applications, Arun Mallik, Gerald Farrell, Manjusha Ramakrishnan, Vishnu Kavungal, Dejun Liu, Qiang Wu Prof.

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A novel fiber optic sensing configuration for simultaneously measuring ammonia vapor (NH3) concentration and relative humidity (RH) in air is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The system comprised two silica whispering gallery mode (WGM) microsphere resonators coated with different polymer layers. One of the microspheres was dip-coated with sol gel silica polymer and another with a 0.5 % wt./vol. agarose hydrogel. WGMs in both microspheres were excited simultaneously by evanescent coupling using a single adiabatic fiber taper. The optical properties of both coating layers change due to their exposure to ammonia and water molecules in the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in the …

Direct Immunoassays And Their Performance: Theoretical Modelling Of The Effects Of Antibody Orientation And Associated Kinetics, Dana Mackey, Eilis Kelly, Robert Nooney, Richard O'Kennedy

Articles

The orientation and activity of antibodies immobilized on solid surfaces are of direct relevance to many immunosensing applications. We therefore investigate a mathematical model which estimates the fraction of antibodies which are available for reaction in a randomly adsorbed sample. Numerical simulations are presented which highlight the separate effects of antibody orientation, accessibility and loss of binding ability on the amount of captured antigen. The assay response can then be expressed as a function of total antibody density and used for optimizing the surface coverage strategy under various conditions.

Review: The Use Of Real-Time Fluorescence Instrumentation To Monitor Ambient Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (Pbap), Gavin Sewell, David O'Connor, Michael J. Fennelly, Michael B. Prentice, John R. Sodeau

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Primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) encompass many particle types that are derived from several biological kingdoms. These aerosol particles can be composed of both whole living units such as pollen, bacteria, and fungi, as well as from mechanically formed particles, such as plant debris. They constitute a significant proportion of the overall atmospheric particle load and have been linked with adverse health issues and climatic effects on the environment. Traditional methods for their analysis have focused on the direct capture of PBAP before subsequent laboratory analysis. These analysis types have generally relied on direct optical microscopy or incubation on agar …

So Ordered The Techniques Of Great Judicial Stylists, Jill Barton

Articles

Judges are writers first. And many write exceptionally well, lacing their prose with artful passages, vivid descriptions, stinging rebukes, and clever turns of phrase. What's even more remarkable is that they do all this while crafting the law.

The goal of great legal writing has always been plain language. James Madison called for concise, straightforward language when defending the U.S. Constitution, writing that it "will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot …

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 …

Evolution Of Eukaryal And Archaeal Pseudouridine Synthase Pus10., Elisabeth Fitzek, Archi Joardar, Ramesh Gupta, Matt Geisler

Articles

In archaea, pseudouridine (Ψ) synthase Pus10 modifies uridine (U) to Ψ at positions 54 and 55 of tRNA. In contrast, Pus10 is not found in bacteria, where modifications at those two positions are carried out by TrmA (U54 to m5U54) and TruB (U55 to Ψ55). Many eukaryotes have an apparent redundancy; their genomes contain orthologs of archaeal Pus10 and bacterial TrmA and TruB. Although eukaryal Pus10 genes share a conserved catalytic domain with archaeal Pus10 genes, their biological roles are not clear for the two reasons. First, experimental evidence suggests that human Pus10 participates in apoptosis induced by the tumor …

The Myth Of Free, John M. Newman

Articles

Myths matter. This Article is the first to confront a powerful myth that pervades modern economic, technological, and legal discourse: the Myth of Free. The prevailing view is that consumers capture massive welfare surplus from a flood of innovative new products that are offered free of charge. Economists, legal scholars, and industry stakeholders created an origin story-a myth-to explain how these products became "Free."

But that orthodox origin story is fatally flawed. This Article formalizes, then debunks, the Myth of Free and its underlying assumptions. The Myth is riddled with internal inconsistencies, logical errors, and factual. inaccuracies. In their place, …

Investigating The Role Of Gold Nanoparticle Shape And Size In Their Toxicities To Fungi, Kangze Liu, Zhonglei He, Hugh Byrne, James Curtin, Furong Tian

Articles

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are increasingly being used in a wide range of applications, and such they are being released in greater quantities into the environment. Consequently, the environmental effects of GNPs, especially toxicities to living organisms, have drawn great attention. However, their toxicological characteristics still remain unclear. Fungi, as the decomposers of the ecosystem, interact directly with the environment and critically control the overall health of the biosphere. Thus, their sensitivity to GNP toxicity is particularly important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of GNP shape and size in their toxicities to fungi, which could help …

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 …

Nutritional Supplementation In The Treatment Of Glaucoma: A Systematic Review, Ekaterina Loskutova, Colm O’Brien, Igor Loskutov, James Loughman

Articles

Current treatment strategies for glaucoma are limited to halting disease progression and do not restore lost visual function. Intraocular pressure is the main risk factor for glaucoma, and intraocular pressure–lowering treatment remains the mainstay of glaucoma treatment, but even successful intraocular pressure reduction does not stop the progression of glaucoma in all patients. We review the literature to determine whether nutritional interventions intended to prevent or delay the progression of glaucoma could prove to be a valuable addition to the mainstay of glaucoma therapy. A total of 33 intervention trials were included in this review, including 21 randomized controlled …

Understanding The Differences Between Antimicrobial And Cytotoxic Properties Of Plasma Activated Liquids, Eva Tsoukou, Paula Bourke, Daniela Boehm

Articles

The aqueous environment plays an important role in the transmission of cold plasma effects to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The exposure of liquids to cold atmospheric plasma discharges results in the generation of secondary reactive species; specifically, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) seems to be one of the most important amongst the reactive species contained in plasma activated liquids (PALs) in causing cytotoxicity. Detailed understanding of the effects of PALs on cells is essential to harness this new technology. Liquids acting as models for non-complex solutions were generated using a dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) system. The chemical characterization …

Maternal Anaemia And Folate Intake In Early Pregnancy, E.G. O'Malley, Shona Cawley, R.A.K. Kennedy, C.M.E. Reynolds, A. Molloy, M.J. Turner

Articles

The World Health Organization recommends that women take 400 µg of folate supplementation daily throughout pregnancy. We examined the relationship between total folate intake from the diet and supplements at the first prenatal visit and haematological indices at this visit and subsequently.

Infant Feeding Practices In China And Ireland - Ireland Chinese Mother, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

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Introduction: Migration to another country may induce changes in infant feeding practices especially where such practices differ considerably between the two countries. This study was undertaken to compare the infant feeding practices between Chinese mothers who gave birth in Ireland (CMI) with immigrant Chinese mothers who gave birth in China (CMC), and to examine the factors that influence these practices. Methods: A cross-sectional self-administrated survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 322 Chinese mothers living in Ireland. Data were obtained from mailed questionnaires. Infant feeding practices between CMC and CMI were compared by Chi-square or independent sample t-test. Binary …

Haemagglutinin-Neuraminidase From Hpiv3 Mediates Human Nk Regulation Of T Cell Proliferation Via Nkp44 And Nkp46, Samantha Mcquaid, Sinead Loughran, Patrick Power, Paula Maguire, Dermot Walls, Maria Grazia Cusi, Claes Orvell, Patricia Johnson

Articles

HPIV3 is a respiratory virus causing airway diseases, including pneumonia, croup, and bronchiolitis, during infancy and childhood. Currently there is no effective vaccine or anti-viral therapy for this virus. Studies have suggested that poor T cell proliferation following HPIV3 infection is responsible for impaired immunological memory associated with this virus. We have previously demonstrated that NK cells mediate regulation of T cell proliferation during HPIV3 infection. Here we add to these studies by demonstrating that the regulation of T cell proliferation during HPIV3 infection is mediated via NK receptors NKp44 and NKp46 and involves the surface glycoprotein haemagglutinin-neuraminidase but not …