Harnessing Higher-Order (Meta-)Logic to Represent and Reason with Complex Ethical Theories

The computer-mechanization of an ambitious explicit ethical theory, Gewirth's Principle of Generic Consistency, is used to showcase an approach for representing and reasoning with ethical theories exhibiting complex logical features like alethic and deontic modalities, indexicals, higher-order quantification, among others. Harnessing the high expressive power of Church's type theory as a meta-logic to semantically embed a combination of quantified non-classical logics, our work pushes existing boundaries in knowledge representation and reasoning. We demonstrate that intuitive encodings of complex ethical theories and their automation on the computer are no longer antipodes.Comment: 14 page

A Deontic Logic Reasoning Infrastructure

A flexible infrastructure for the automation of deontic and normative reasoning is presented. Our motivation is the development, study and provision of legal and moral reasoning competencies in future intelligent machines. Since there is no consensus on the “best” deontic logic formalisms and since the answer may be application specific, a flexible infrastructure is proposed in which candidate logic formalisms can be varied, assessed and compared in experimental ethics application studies. Our work thus links the historically rich research areas of classical higher-order logic, deontic logics, normative reasoning and formal ethics

Men's Experiences of the UK Criminal Justice System Following Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York The current study aimed to explore men’s experience of the UK Criminal Justice System (CJS) following female-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV). Unstructured face-to-face and Skype interviews were conducted with six men aged between 40–65 years. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Due to the method of analysis and the sensitive nature of the research, the researcher engaged in a process of reflexivity. Four main themes were identified, including ‘Guilty until Proven Innocent: Victim Cast as Perpetrator;’ ‘Masculine Identity;’ ‘Psychological Impact’ and ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel.’ Themes were discussed and illustrated with direct quotes drawn from the transcripts. Directions for future research, criminal justice interventions, and therapeutic interventions were discussed

T cell gene therapy for perforin deficiency corrects cytotoxicity defects and prevents Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis manifestations

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the PRF1 gene account for up to 58% of familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) syndromes. The resulting defects in effector cell cytotoxicity lead to hypercytokinaemia and hyperactivation with inflammation in various organs. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether autologous gene corrected T cells can restore cytotoxic function, reduce disease activity and prevent haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) symptoms in in vivo models. METHODS: We developed a gammaretroviral vector to transduce murine CD8-T cells in the prf-/- mouse model. To verify functional correction of prf-/- CD8-T cells in vivo, we used a lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) epitope transfected murine lung carcinoma cell tumour model. Further, we challenged gene corrected and uncorrected mice with LCMV. One patient sample was transduced with a PRF1 encoding lentiviral vector to study restoration of cytotoxicity in human cells. RESULTS: We demonstrated efficient engraftment and functional reconstitution of cytotoxicity after intravenous administration of gene corrected prf-/- CD8-T cells into prf-/- mice. In the tumour model, infusion of prf-/- gene corrected CD8-T cells eliminated the tumour as efficiently as the transplant of wild type CD8-T cells. Similarly, mice reconstituted with gene corrected prf-/- CD8-T cells, displayed complete protection from the HLH phenotype after infection with LCMV. Patient cells showed correction of cytotoxicity in human CD8-T cells after transduction. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate the potential application of T cell gene therapy in reconstituting cytotoxic function and protection against HLH in perforin deficiency

Expression of IMP1 Enhances Production of Murine Leukemia Virus Vector by Facilitating Viral Genomic RNA Packaging

Murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based retroviral vector is widely used for gene transfer. Efficient packaging of the genomic RNA is critical for production of high-titer virus. Here, we report that expression of the insulin-like growth factor II mRNA binding protein 1 (IMP1) enhanced the production of infectious MLV vector. Overexpression of IMP1 increased the stability of viral genomic RNA in virus producer cells and packaging of the RNA into progeny virus in a dose-dependent manner. Downregulation of IMP1 in virus producer cells resulted in reduced production of the retroviral vector. These results indicate that IMP1 plays a role in regulating the packaging of MLV genomic RNA and can be used for improving production of retroviral vectors

Digital subtraction radiographic analysis of the combination of bioabsorbable membrane and bovine morphogenetic protein pool in human periodontal infrabony defects

Objectives: This study assessed the bone density gain and its relationship with the periodontal clinical parameters in a case series of a regenerative therapy procedure. Material and Methods: Using a split-mouth study design, 10 pairs of infrabony defects from 15 patients were treated with a pool of bovine bone morphogenetic proteins associated with collagen membrane (test sites) or collagen membrane only (control sites). The periodontal healing was clinically and radiographically monitored for six months. Standardized presurgical and 6-month postoperative radiographs were digitized for digital subtraction analysis, which showed relative bone density gain in both groups of 0.034 ± 0.423 and 0.105 ± 0.423 in the test and control group, respectively (p>0.05). Results: As regards the area size of bone density change, the influence of the therapy was detected in 2.5 mm2 in the test group and 2 mm2 in the control group (p>0.05). Additionally, no correlation was observed between the favorable clinical results and the bone density gain measured by digital subtraction radiography (p>0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the clinical benefit of the regenerative therapy observed did not come with significant bone density gains. Long-term evaluation may lead to a different conclusions

The fourth wave of Portuguese emigration: Austerity policies, European peripheries and postcolonial continuities

Little is known about emigration in European countries. Migratory pressure and the recent refugee crisis have helped keep academic attention over the last few decades focused on immigration, asylum and integration in Europe. However, these dynamics promoting entries into European countries coexist with other fair-ly significant dynamics promoting departures from these countries. The sovereign debt crisis coupled with austerity policies that asymmetrically affected Europe’s peripheral countries have increased emigration in various European countries. Our book aims to counter the invisibility of emigration from European countries in the literature by examining the particularities of the Portuguese case. In methodological terms, the book compiles the work of authors from different academic backgrounds who have conducted empirical research using a wide vari-ety of extensive and intensive methods. It is argued that when analysing recent Portuguese emigration it is important to examine in further detail: i) the impact of the 2008 economic and financial crisis and the austerity policies that followed in its wake; ii) south-north emigration in Europe; iii) north-south emigration outside Europe and post-colonial continuities; iv) the importance of reassessing the exist-ing model of Southern European migration; v) highly skilled and less skilled mi-gration; and finally, vi) emigrants’ and their descendants’ identities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio