Mental Illness and the Law of Contracts

The traditional and most important problem relative to mental illness and the contract is the situation created when mental illness exists at the time of agreement (the problem of contractual capacity). One principal result of mental illness at this time may be the avoidance of the contract by the mentally ill person. Since case law in this area is extensive, the major portion of the study is concerned with this problem (parts II, III and IV) and the effects of such incapacity throughout the remaining course of the contract. Mental illness occurring after agreement and at the time of performance of a party to a contract can also have important effects on the remainder of the contract, and these effects are discussed in part V. Finally, there can be a number of other effects caused by mental illness which occur after agreement but do not directly affect performance. These are discussed in part VI

Transitional Justice in National Justice Systems as part of an International Justice System

Moderator: Raquel Aldana, Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship, Professor of Law, McGeorge School of La

Transitional Justice in National Justice Systems as part of an International Justice System

Moderator: Raquel Aldana, Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship, Professor of Law, McGeorge School of La

Long-term survivorship and crown area dynamics of tropical rainforest canopy trees

Lateral shading of direct-beam irradiation among neighboring canopy tree crowns in a nonequatorial tropical rain forest canopy was modeled as a function of solar position using a photogrammetric database derived from large-scale color aerial stereopairs (1:1500–1:3000 scale) acquired in 1976. The interception of direct-beam irradiation by the orthogonally projected crown area of each tree was computed at hourly intervals over a full calendar year using a Parameterization model of cloud-attenuated direct-beam availability. The annual totals of intercepted direct-beam irradiation (Ib) ranged from 1.81 to 4.13 GJ·m−2·yr−1. Expressed as a percentage of the available incident direct-beam irradiation, these values ranged from 44% to 100%. Approximately 20% of the sample population intercepted <70% of the available annual direct-beam irradiation. The long-term effects of lateral shading and the intertree differences in Ib were assessed using repeat aerial stereophotography of the same section of forest 18 yr later in 1994 for the determination of the mortality, survivorship, and crown growth of the canopy trees delimited in the 1976 stereopairs. Mortality over the 18-yr period amounted to 27.2%. Based on the lateral shading simulations, the mean annual Ib totals of the survivors and those that died were significantly different (P < 0.001). Approximately 40% of the survivors experienced crown area reductions. Although there was no significant difference in the Ib of survivors with crown growth and those with crown reductions, a relationship was established between Ib and the extent of crown area change. Canopy trees that intercept the most direct-beam irradiation and experience the least lateral shading have higher probabilities of survivorship and significant crown area changes that may be in the form of crown growth or crown reduction. Their laterally shaded neighbors have a lower survivorship probability, and those that survive persist in an inhibited state with limited crown area change. We conclude that the effects of lateral shading are not limited to the margins of treefall gaps and that lateral shading determined by crown position in the uneven upper canopies of nonequatorial tropical rain forests has a detectable effect on the long-term fates of neighboring canopy trees.\u

Various methods for assessing static lower extremity alignment: Implications for prospective risk-factor screenings

Context: Accurate, efficient, and reliable measurement methods are essential to prospectively identify risk factors for knee injuries in large cohorts. Objective: To determine tester reliability using digital photographs for the measurement of static lower extremity alignment (LEA) and whether values quantified with an electromagnetic motion-tracking system are in agreement with those quantified with clinical methods and digital photographs. Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Thirty-three individuals participated and included 17 (10 women, 7 men; age = 21.7 ± 2.7 years, height= 163.4 ± 6.4 cm, mass= 59.7 ± 7.8 kg, body mass index = 23.7 ± 2.6 kg/m2) in study 1, in which we examined the reliability between clinical measures and digital photographs in 1 trained and 1 novice investigator, and 16 (11 women, 5 men; age = 22.3 ± 1.6 years, height = 170.3 ± 6.9 cm, mass = 72.9 ± 16.4 kg, body mass index = 25.2 ± 5.4 kg/m2) in study 2, in which we examined the agreement among clinical measures, digital photographs, and an electromagnetic tracking system. Intervention(s): We evaluated measures of pelvic angle, quadriceps angle, tibiofemoral angle, genu recurvatum, femur length, and tibia length. Clinical measures were assessed using clinically accepted methods. Frontal- and sagittal-plane digital images were captured and imported into a computer software program. Anatomic landmarks were digitized using an electromagnetic tracking system to calculate static LEA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Intraclass correlation coefficients and standard errors of measurement were calculated to examine tester reliability. We calculated 95% limits of agreement and used Bland-Altman plots to examine agreement among clinical measures, digital photographs, and an electromagnetic tracking system. Results: Using digital photographs, fair to excellent intratester (intraclass correlation coefficient range = 0.70-0.99) and intertester (intraclass correlation coefficient range = 0.75-0.97) reliability were observed for static knee alignment and limblength measures. An acceptable level of agreement was observed between clinical measures and digital pictures for limb-length measures. When comparing clinical measures and digital photographs with the electromagnetic tracking system, an acceptable level of agreement was observed in measures of static knee angles and limb-length measures. Conclusions: The use of digital photographs and an electromagnetic tracking system appears to be an efficient and reliable method to assess static knee alignment and limb-length measurements. © by the National Athletic Trainers\u27 Association, Inc

Various methods for assessing static lower extremity alignment: implications for prospective risk-factor screenings.

CONTEXT: Accurate, efficient, and reliable measurement methods are essential to prospectively identify risk factors for knee injuries in large cohorts. OBJECTIVE: To determine tester reliability using digital photographs for the measurement of static lower extremity alignment (LEA) and whether values quantified with an electromagnetic motion-tracking system are in agreement with those quantified with clinical methods and digital photographs. DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. SETTING: Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three individuals participated and included 17 (10 women, 7 men; age = 21.7 ± 2.7 years, height = 163.4 ± 6.4 cm, mass = 59.7 ± 7.8 kg, body mass index = 23.7 ± 2.6 kg/m(2)) in study 1, in which we examined the reliability between clinical measures and digital photographs in 1 trained and 1 novice investigator, and 16 (11 women, 5 men; age = 22.3 ± 1.6 years, height = 170.3 ± 6.9 cm, mass = 72.9 ± 16.4 kg, body mass index = 25.2 ± 5.4 kg/m(2)) in study 2, in which we examined the agreement among clinical measures, digital photographs, and an electromagnetic tracking system. INTERVENTION(S): We evaluated measures of pelvic angle, quadriceps angle, tibiofemoral angle, genu recurvatum, femur length, and tibia length. Clinical measures were assessed using clinically accepted methods. Frontal- and sagittal-plane digital images were captured and imported into a computer software program. Anatomic landmarks were digitized using an electromagnetic tracking system to calculate static LEA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Intraclass correlation coefficients and standard errors of measurement were calculated to examine tester reliability. We calculated 95% limits of agreement and used Bland-Altman plots to examine agreement among clinical measures, digital photographs, and an electromagnetic tracking system. RESULTS: Using digital photographs, fair to excellent intratester (intraclass correlation coefficient range = 0.70–0.99) and intertester (intraclass correlation coefficient range = 0.75–0.97) reliability were observed for static knee alignment and limb-length measures. An acceptable level of agreement was observed between clinical measures and digital pictures for limb-length measures. When comparing clinical measures and digital photographs with the electromagnetic tracking system, an acceptable level of agreement was observed in measures of static knee angles and limb-length measures. CONCLUSIONS: The use of digital photographs and an electromagnetic tracking system appears to be an efficient and reliable method to assess static knee alignment and limb-length measurements

Barriers and facilitators to HIV testing in primary care among health care providers

Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a preventable disease that can have improved outcomes with early diagnosis and treatment. The CDC recommends that HIV testing be incorporated into clinical settings as part of routine medical care. Methods: Individual, open-ended interviews were conducted with primary care providers and administrators to obtain their views regarding the meaning of routine HIV testing and the barriers and facilitators to implementing routine HIV testing in their respective practices. Results: Most respondents supported routine HIV testing, although their definitions of routine varied. Barriers for providers included time and financial constraints to appropriately conduct HIV counseling and testing and inadequate HIV education and training. Facilitators for implementing routine HIV testing included patients’ feelings of empowerment and reduced HIV stigma. Conclusions: The implementation of routine HIV testing in primary care practices appears to be an acceptable public health intervention. Next steps should include efforts to standardize the definition of routine HIV testing and working with primary care settings to better understand and reduce barriers to routine testing

Transitional Justice and Violent Extremism

This publication is part of a project that aims to fill a major gap in policy making: the failure to integrate lessons learnt and best practices from the field of transitional justice in relation to conflict resolution strategies with two kinds of unconventional armed actors: 1) “violent extremist” groups, such as jihadists; and 2) organised crime groups, such as mafia, gang networks and drug cartels. IFIT’s work on the former began in 2017 with the UN University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR). The project was concerned with the fact that, to date, what has reigned is an overwhelmingly punitive and dragnet approach which, rather than helping address root causes and break cycles of resentment and violence, instead risks renewing or reinforcing them. This resulted in three jointly-published case studies (ISIS in Iraq, Al-Shabaab in Somalia, and Boko Haram in Nigeria) and an initial policy framework. Building on this initial work, IFIT launched a second phase of research in 2019 on the same broad topic, drawing on lessons from a wider range of country situations where comparable challenges have been grappled with, in order to provide expanded guidance for policymakers. This involved fieldwork-based reports covering Libya (focused on the LIFG), Uganda (focused on the LRA), and Afghanistan (focused on the Taliban), all of which examine the intersection of negotiation and transitional justice goals. IFIT commissioned additional taxonomy research to plot identifiable similarities and differences of motivation, structure, and context along a wide spectrum of different archetypes of non-state or unconventional armed groups. All of this informed a final framework that aims to help policymakers tailor more effective negotiation and transitional justice strategies to address root causes, break cycles of violence, and strengthen the rule of law in settings affected by violent extremism