Climate Change and Dam Owner Liability in Rhode Island

Increasing precipitation associated with climate change is affecting dam operation and hazards in Rhode Island. Flooding caused by increased precipitation or extreme weather events can cause dam failure or upstream or downstream flooding, resulting in loss of life and property. These losses can result in liability, which may vary based on the dam owner and its purpose. This study assists dam owners and the public in understanding the potential liabilities that may arise as a result of flooding from extreme weather events. Section one provides a background of dam hazards in Rhode Island in the context of climate change. Section two introduces the statutory, common law, and constitutional claims that may be brought against a dam owner after a flood. Section three applies these potential liabilities to illustrate how they may apply to different types of dams and dam owners. Section four evaluates Rhode Island law in the context of state laws from the northeast region, focusing on the application of statutory liability, strict liability and negligence standards, and liability for drawdown

The Microbially Derived Metabolite Indole Attenuates Obesity Associated Inflammatory Processes in Adipocytes and Macrophages

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is colonized by ~10^14 bacteria belonging to ~1,000 species that are collectively termed the intestinal microbiota. Recent studies show that the intestinal microbiota impacts a wide range of functions in the GI tract including development of the immune system, defense against pathogens, and inflammation. Indole is derived from dietary tryptophan from microbial enzymatic activity. Previous work from our laboratory identified indole attenuates indicators of inflammation, increases tight junction resistance and increases colonization resistance in intestinal epithelial cells. This work identifies the effects of indole extend to both adipocytes and macrophages beyond intestinal epithelial cells. Indole attenuates LPS-mediated induction of TNF-α production in RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Additionally, indole also attenuates LPS-mediated MCP-1 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The inhibition of MCP-1 expression in adipocytes was mirrored by a significant attenuation of bone marrow derived macrophage migration toward MCP-1 and adipocyte conditioned media. Indole correspondingly inhibits macrophage stimulated media induction of MCP-1 in adipocytes. Therefore indole interferes with paracrine signaling between macrophages and adipocytes. Indole is also exhibits agonist and antagonist activity for the AhR. However, the indole-mediated decreases in macrophage chemotaxis towards MCP-1 and in LPS induction of TNF-α production in BMDMs are independent of the AhR. Further, utilizing a novel indole-protein conjugate, we show the effects of indole do not require uptake of indole into the cytoplasm. In addition, this work also demonstrates that indole may signal through the mTOR pathway in macrophages. These studies suggest indole exerts effects on inflammatory processes by altering the mTOR signaling pathway and suggest an alternative mechanism of action to the recently identified effects of indole on the AhR pathway

Increasing Superintendent Longevity in Kansas

This study aims to illuminate the factors that may impact a superintendent’s longevity in the same district. Specifically, this study is motivated by four research questions: (1) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute to remaining in the same position greater than six years? (2) What factors do superintendents in Kansas attribute as the causes for leaving a district? (3) What is the current level of satisfaction of Kansas school superintendents within their current roles? and (4) What are some changes in policy or practice that may increase superintendent longevity in Kansas? According to Dale Dennis, Kansas Deputy Commissioner of Education, the 2016-2017 school year had the greatest amount of superintendent turnover in Kansas history. The average tenure of a Kansas superintendent in recent years has hovered around the five to six-year mark. Frequent turnover of superintendents can negatively impact student achievement, staff morale, and long-term reform efforts. Selecting a new chief executive impacts the district’s resources, both time and money. This explanatory mixed methods study began with a Superintendent Turnover Survey Questionnaire. The electronic survey was distributed to 284 Kansas superintendents in the spring of 2016. The results from 129 superintendents that completed the questionnaire were thoroughly analyzed. Based on demographic and experiential differences, eight superintendents were then selected and interviewed to further explain the data found in the survey. The results from this study found that the majority of superintendents remain in the same district for several years due to the fact that they have positive connections to the board of education, staff, and community. Family connections to the school or region also have an enormous amount of influence as well. Most Kansas superintendents are satisfied with their job, with primary dissatisfaction coming in the areas of politics, outside influences, and a lack of human and fiscal resources. Based on the results of this study, policy and practice recommendations are made. Such recommendations include; professional development of superintendents and board members, changes in retirements laws, salary commensurate with responsibilities, and growing support structures for superintendents

Explorations in engagement for humans and robots

This paper explores the concept of engagement, the process by which individuals in an interaction start, maintain and end their perceived connection to one another. The paper reports on one aspect of engagement among human interactors--the effect of tracking faces during an interaction. It also describes the architecture of a robot that can participate in conversational, collaborative interactions with engagement gestures. Finally, the paper reports on findings of experiments with human participants who interacted with a robot when it either performed or did not perform engagement gestures. Results of the human-robot studies indicate that people become engaged with robots: they direct their attention to the robot more often in interactions where engagement gestures are present, and they find interactions more appropriate when engagement gestures are present than when they are not.Comment: 31 pages, 5 figures, 3 table

Using Google Analytics, Voyant and Other Tools to Better Understand Use of Manuscript Collections at L. Tom Perry Special Collections

[Excerpt] Developing strategies for making data-driven, objective decisions for digitization and value-added processing. based on patron usage has been an important effort in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections (hereafter Perry Special Collections). In a previous study, the authors looked at how creating a matrix using both Web analytics and in-house use statistics could provide a solid basis for making decisions about which collections to digitize as well as which collections merited deeper description. Along with providing this basis for decision making, the study also revealed some intriguing insights into how our collections were being used and raised some important questions about the impact of description on both digital and physical usage. We have continued analyzing the data from our first study and that data forms the basis of the current study. It is helpful to review the major outcomes of our previous study before looking at what we have learned in this deeper analysis. In the first study, we utilized three sources of statistical data to compare two distinct data points (in-house use and online finding aid use) and determine if there were any patterns or other information that would help curators in the department make better decisions about the items or collections selected for digitization or value-added processing. To obtain our data points, we combined two data sources related to the in-person use of manuscript collections in the Perry Special Collections reading room and one related to the use of finding aids for manuscript collections made available online through the department’s Finding Aid database ( http://findingaid.lib.byu.edu/). We mapped the resulting data points into a four quadrant graph (see figure 1)

Legal Issues Affecting Blue Carbon Projects on Publicly-Owned Coastal Wetlands

Coastal wetlands play an important role in sequestering atmospheric carbon, but these ecosystems are under threat from sea level rise, land use conversion, and other causes. Restoration projects in coastal wetlands can provide a range of benefits for habitat and ecosystems, including by increasing sequestration of “blue carbon.” Coastal wetland restoration projects that effectively sequester carbon and meet the requirements of the voluntary carbon market can generate tradeable carbon offsets, which have a monetary value and can be used to finance all or part of the restoration needed to generate them. Blue carbon offsets thus represent a promising tool to promote effective restoration and maintenance projects on threatened and degraded coastal wetlands. Agencies must be confident that they will not violate the law before they commit to deployment of blue carbon offset projects on public coastal wetlands. Federal, state, and tribal agencies are critical partners in wetlands restoration projects because they control a substantial portion of the nation’s coastal wetlands. However, land management agencies may justifiably worry about violating their legal mandates if they participate in wetland restoration projects funded through blue carbon offsets. In the absence of past models of successful blue carbon offset projects on public lands, and without explicit authorization for this activity, agency staff can benefit from an analytical framework to understand what legal issues may occur in a blue carbon offset project and how to design projects to avoid legal problems to the extent possible. This study begins to provide that framework by identifying legal considerations for blue carbon offset projects on public coastal wetlands. Agencies are faced with the difficult challenge of both complying with all relevant laws and satisfying the conditions necessary to qualify projects for offsets under voluntary standards. Key conditions for offset markets with legal implications include: (i) additionality – the project must actually sequester carbon; (ii) permanence – the project must provide the promised sequestration benefit over a long time period; and (iii) unambiguous ownership – the entity registering the carbon offset must be the only one able to reasonably claim it. Each of these three core conditions may result in potential legal issues when applied to blue carbon-financed restoration projects on public coastal wetlands. Based on an evaluation of representative federal, state, and tribal law, this study divides these legal issues into two broad categories: (i) title and property rights; and (ii) legal authority

Connectivity of the Superficial Muscles of the Human Perineum: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Global Tractography Study.

Despite the importance of pelvic floor muscles, significant controversy still exists about the true structural details of these muscles. We provide an objective analysis of the architecture and orientation of the superficial muscles of the perineum using a novel approach. Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Images (MR-DTI) were acquired in 10 healthy asymptomatic nulliparous women, and 4 healthy males. Global tractography was then used to generate the architecture of the muscles. Micro-CT imaging of a male cadaver was performed for validation of the fiber tracking results. Results show that muscles fibers of the external anal sphincter, from the right and left side, cross midline in the region of the perineal body to continue as transverse perinea and bulbospongiosus muscles of the opposite side. The morphology of the external anal sphincter resembles that of the number '8' or a "purse string". The crossing of muscle fascicles in the perineal body was supported by micro-CT imaging in the male subject. The superficial muscles of the perineum, and external anal sphincter are frequently damaged during child birth related injuries to the pelvic floor; we propose the use of MR-DTI based global tractography as a non-invasive imaging technique to assess damage to these muscles

Experimental Implementation of Projective Measurement in Bell Basis

A scheme for direct projection of a quantum state on Bell states is described. The method is based on constructing an average Hamiltonian with Bell eigenstates and then, projecting the state on these eigenstates. The projection is performed by adding the results of a direct and time-reversed evolution. Experimental demonstration is shown for pairs of dipolar-coupled nuclear spins.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitte

Compactor for Space Toilet

A toilet for use on a space vehicle has a toilet bowl having a storage canister at a remote end for receiving human waste. The compactor includes a cable connected to a lever which pulls the cable in a direction forcing the compactor into the storage canister to compact the captured waste when the lever is actuated