Reconciling Professional Legal Education with the Evolving (Trial-less) Reality of Legal Practice

Our focus in this paper is the impact of these trends on legal education, especially professional legal education. What is undeniable is that lawyers (and judges) are more and more involved in legal tasks which are not related to trials. This does not necessarily mean that the practice of law is focused exclusively on settlement activities, although such activities are increasingly important. Pre-trial processes and procedures including motions, discovery and mandatory settlement conferences take up more time than ever before. Lawyers are playing a different role, offering different kinds of service to their clients, and performing different task

Hydraulic Lift and Soil Nutrient Heterogeneity

Water released at night from roots into upper portions of the soil profile in the process of hydraulic lift may contribute to reducing spatial soil nutrient heterogeneity. A manipulative field experiment was conducted in a semiarid shrub stand to determine if circumvention of hydraulic lift, by nighttime illumination of the shrub canopy, would result in greater soil nutrient heterogeneity than if the hydraulic lift process was allowed to operate. Nutrient-enriched patches were superimposed on the existing soil heterogeneity and after 40 days, the patches and interspaces were sampled for ions of different mobility and for root mass. There was no indication under these conditions that hydraulic lift was contributing to smoothing spatial nutrient heterogeneity

Suitability of the in vitro Caco-2 assay to predict the oral absorption of aromatic amine hair dyes

ABSTRACTOral absorption is a key element for safety assessments of cosmetic ingredients, including hair dye molecules. Reliable in vitro methods are needed since the European Union has banned the use of animals for the testing of cosmetic ingredients. Caco-2 cells were used to measure the intestinal permeability characteristics (Papp) of 14 aromatic amine hair dye molecules with varying chemical structures, and the data were compared with historical in vivo oral absorption rat data. The majority of the hair dyes exhibited Papp values that indicated good in vivo absorption. The moderate to high oral absorption findings, i.e. ≥60%, were confirmed in in vivo rat studies. Moreover, the compound with a very low Papp value (APB: 3-((9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-4-(methylamino)-1-anthracenyl)amino)-N,N-dimethyl-N-propyl-1-propanaminium) was poorly absorbed in vivo as well (5% of the dose). This data set suggests that the Caco-2 cell model is a reliable in vitro tool for the determination of the intestinal absorption of aromatic amines with diverse chemical structures. When used in combination with other in vitro assays for metabolism and skin penetration, the Caco-2 model can contribute to the prediction and mechanistic interpretation of the absorption, metabolism and elimination properties of cosmetic ingredients without the use of animals

Nanomaterials for Neural Interfaces

This review focuses on the application of nanomaterials for neural interfacing. The junction between nanotechnology and neural tissues can be particularly worthy of scientific attention for several reasons: (i) Neural cells are electroactive, and the electronic properties of nanostructures can be tailored to match the charge transport requirements of electrical cellular interfacing. (ii) The unique mechanical and chemical properties of nanomaterials are critical for integration with neural tissue as long-term implants. (iii) Solutions to many critical problems in neural biology/medicine are limited by the availability of specialized materials. (iv) Neuronal stimulation is needed for a variety of common and severe health problems. This confluence of need, accumulated expertise, and potential impact on the well-being of people suggests the potential of nanomaterials to revolutionize the field of neural interfacing. In this review, we begin with foundational topics, such as the current status of neural electrode (NE) technology, the key challenges facing the practical utilization of NEs, and the potential advantages of nanostructures as components of chronic implants. After that the detailed account of toxicology and biocompatibility of nanomaterials in respect to neural tissues is given. Next, we cover a variety of specific applications of nanoengineered devices, including drug delivery, imaging, topographic patterning, electrode design, nanoscale transistors for high-resolution neural interfacing, and photoactivated interfaces. We also critically evaluate the specific properties of particular nanomaterials—including nanoparticles, nanowires, and carbon nanotubes—that can be taken advantage of in neuroprosthetic devices. The most promising future areas of research and practical device engineering are discussed as a conclusion to the review.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64336/1/3970_ftp.pd

Histone H3.3 beyond cancer: Germline mutations in Histone 3 Family 3A and 3B cause a previously unidentified neurodegenerative disorder in 46 patients

Although somatic mutations in Histone 3.3 (H3.3) are well-studied drivers of oncogenesis, the role of germline mutations remains unreported. We analyze 46 patients bearing de novo germline mutations in histone 3 family 3A (H3F3A) or H3F3B with progressive neurologic dysfunction and congenital anomalies without malignancies. Molecular modeling of all 37 variants demonstrated clear disruptions in interactions with DNA, other histones, and histone chaperone proteins. Patient histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) analysis revealed notably aberrant local PTM patterns distinct from the somatic lysine mutations that cause global PTM dysregulation. RNA sequencing on patient cells demonstrated up-regulated gene expression related to mitosis and cell division, and cellular assays confirmed an increased proliferative capacity. A zebrafish model showed craniofacial anomalies and a defect in Foxd3-derived glia. These data suggest that the mechanism of germline mutations are distinct from cancer-associated somatic histone mutations but may converge on control of cell proliferation

Skin Cancer Warnings and the Need for New Preventive Campaigns: A Pilot Study

Although skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, it is the most common cancer in the world and its incidence is increasing. Nearly 5 million people in the U.S. are treated each year for skin cancer at an estimated annual cost of $8.1 billion. Melanoma is the most deadly skin cancer, responsible for more than 9,000 deaths each year. Given the treatment costs, potential deadly consequences, and well-known causal relationship between ultraviolet light and skin cancer, it is unclear why many people ignore warnings and do not protect themselves from the sun