FAIR: A Causal Framework for Accurately Inferring Judgments Reversals

Artificial intelligence researchers have made significant advances in legal intelligence in recent years. However, the existing studies have not focused on the important value embedded in judgments reversals, which limits the improvement of the efficiency of legal intelligence. In this paper, we propose a causal Framework for Accurately Inferring case Reversals (FAIR), which models the problem of judgments reversals based on real Chinese judgments. We mine the causes of judgments reversals by causal inference methods and inject the obtained causal relationships into the neural network as a priori knowledge. And then, our framework is validated on a challenging dataset as a legal judgment prediction task. The experimental results show that our framework can tap the most critical factors in judgments reversal, and the obtained causal relationships can effectively improve the neural network's performance. In addition, we discuss the generalization ability of large language models for legal intelligence tasks using ChatGPT as an example. Our experiment has found that the generalization ability of large language models still has defects, and mining causal relationships can effectively improve the accuracy and explain ability of model predictions

The Importance of Bcl-x L in the Survival of Human RPE Cells

PURPOSE: In normal eyes and in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell survival is critically important. Bcl-x(L) has been shown to be among the most highly expressed survival factors in cultured human RPE cells. In the current study the effect of Bcl-x(L) blockade on human RPE cell survival was determined under normal conditions and after induced oxidative stress. METHODS: Cultured human RPE cells from three different donors were transfected with modified, 2'-O-methoxyethoxy Bcl-x(L)-mismatched control antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), Bcl-x(L)-specific ASOs, and Bcl-x(L) splice switching oligonucleotides (SSOs), which shift the splicing pattern of Bcl-x pre-mRNA from Bcl-x(L) into Bcl-x(S), a proapoptotic factor. RNA and protein were harvested at various time points after transfection. Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-x(S) mRNA transcript levels were analyzed using gene-specific primers with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Bcl-x(L) protein levels were analyzed using Western blot. Cell viability was measured by WST-1 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. The mode of cell death was determined with a cell death ELISA and an M30 assay. To study the effects of oxidative stress, the cells were stimulated after transfection with various concentrations of H(2)O(2.) Cell viability was analyzed by WST-1 (Roche, Indianapolis, IN) and LDH assays RESULTS: After Bcl-x(L)-specific ASO and SSO transfections, Bcl-x(L) mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced. Bcl-x(S) levels were increased after transfection with SSO. By day 8 after plating, the cells transfected with Bcl-x(L)-specific ASO had significantly decreased viability, which was further reduced by day 10. The SSO had an even more potent effect. Cell viability was reduced on day 4 after plating and by day 10, less than 10% of the cells were viable. Apoptotic cell death occurred as early as day 4 after plating. H(2)O(2), used as a model oxidant, further enhanced cell death induced by Bcl-x(L)-specific ASO and SSO. CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-x(L) plays an important role in human RPE cell survival under normal conditions and when cells are exposed to oxidative stress. Treatment strategies that enhance Bcl-x(L) expression and/or prevent conversion of Bcl-x(L) to Bcl-x(S) may be useful in preventing RPE cell death in AMD. Treatments that reduce Bcl-x(L) and enhance Bcl-x(S) may be useful in inhibiting unwanted RPE cell proliferation in PVR

The Importance of Bcl-x L in the Survival of Human RPE Cells

PURPOSE. In normal eyes and in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell survival is critically important. Bcl-x L has been shown to be among the most highly expressed survival factors in cultured human RPE cells. In the current study the effect of Bcl-x L blockade on human RPE cell survival was determined under normal conditions and after induced oxidative stress. METHODS. Cultured human RPE cells from three different donors were transfected with modified, 2Ј-O-methoxyethoxy Bclx L -mismatched control antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), Bclx L -specific ASOs, and Bcl-x L splice switching oligonucleotides (SSOs), which shift the splicing pattern of Bcl-x pre-mRNA from Bcl-x L into Bcl-x S , a proapoptotic factor. RNA and protein were harvested at various time points after transfection. Bcl-x L and Bcl-x S mRNA transcript levels were analyzed using genespecific primers with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Bcl-x L protein levels were analyzed using Western blot. Cell viability was measured by WST-1 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. The mode of cell death was determined with a cell death ELISA and an M30 assay. To study the effects of oxidative stress, the cells were stimulated after transfection with various concentrations of H 2 O 2. Cell viability was analyzed by WST-1 (Roche, Indianapolis, IN) and LDH assays. RESULTS. After Bcl-x L -specific ASO and SSO transfections, Bcl-x L mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced. Bcl-x S levels were increased after transfection with SSO. By day 8 after plating, the cells transfected with Bcl-x L -specific ASO had significantly decreased viability, which was further reduced by day 10. The SSO had an even more potent effect. Cell viability was reduced on day 4 after plating and by day 10, less than 10% of the cells were viable. Apoptotic cell death occurred as early as day 4 after plating. H 2 O 2 , used as a model oxidant, further enhanced cell death induced by Bcl-x L -specific ASO and SSO. CONCLUSIONS. Bcl-x L plays an important role in human RPE cell survival under normal conditions and when cells are exposed to oxidative stress. Treatment strategies that enhance Bcl-x L expression and/or prevent conversion of Bcl-x L to Bcl-x S may be useful in preventing RPE cell death in AMD. Treatments that reduce Bcl-x L and enhance Bcl-x S may be useful in inhibiting unwanted RPE cell proliferation in PVR. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48:3846 -3853) DOI:10.1167/iovs.06-1145 A ge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in adults over the age of 65 in the United States and currently affects more than 1.75 million individuals. 1 The exact etiology of AMD is unknown and is probably multifactorial. However, it has been hypothesized that cumulative oxidative stress throughout life and associated RPE cell injury play an important role. In normal eyes, there is very little RPE cell turnover, and most RPE cells survive for an individual's lifetime. In geographic atrophy, an advanced form of AMD, RPE cells die by apoptotic and nonapoptotic mechanisms. 2,3 RPE cell death is accompanied by underlying choriocapillaris atrophy and overlying retinal thinning, ultimately resulting in decreased visual acuity. In our laboratory, we have examined the effect of nuclear transcription factor (NF)-B inhibition on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-␣-induced apoptosis in human RPE cells. 7 NF-B is a transcription factor that controls a wide range of genes, including genes that regulate apoptosis. 8 TNF-␣ is a cytokine that regulates a variety of RPE cell activities, including cell attachment, spreading, chemotaxis, migration, and proliferation

On four new species of the orb-weaver spider genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) from southern China

Four new species of Araneus Clerck, 1757 from southern China are described: A. mayanghe Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Guizhou, A. shiwandashan Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Guangxi, and A. zhoui Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Hainan are assigned to the A. sturmi group, and A. fenzhi Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Hunan, Guizhou and Jiangxi is not assigned to any species group. A new combination is also proposed: Aoaraneus octumaculalus (Han & Zhu, 2010) comb. nov

On four new species of the orb-weaver spider genus Araneus Clerck, 1757 (Araneae, Araneidae) from southern China

Four new species of Araneus Clerck, 1757 from southern China are described: A. mayanghe Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Guizhou, A. shiwandashan Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Guangxi, and A. zhoui Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Hainan are assigned to the A. sturmi group, and A. fenzhi Mi & Wang, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Hunan, Guizhou and Jiangxi is not assigned to any species group. A new combination is also proposed: Aoaraneus octumaculalus (Han & Zhu, 2010) comb. nov

Rotating Machinery Fault Diagnosis for Imbalanced Data Based on Fast Clustering Algorithm and Support Vector Machine

To diagnose rotating machinery fault for imbalanced data, a method based on fast clustering algorithm (FCA) and support vector machine (SVM) was proposed. Combined with variational mode decomposition (VMD) and principal component analysis (PCA), sensitive features of the rotating machinery fault were obtained and constituted the imbalanced fault sample set. Next, a fast clustering algorithm was adopted to reduce the number of the majority data from the imbalanced fault sample set. Consequently, the balanced fault sample set consisted of the clustered data and the minority data from the imbalanced fault sample set. After that, SVM was trained with the balanced fault sample set and tested with the imbalanced fault sample set so the fault diagnosis model of the rotating machinery could be obtained. Finally, the gearbox fault data set and the rolling bearing fault data set were adopted to test the fault diagnosis model. The experimental results showed that the fault diagnosis model could effectively diagnose the rotating machinery fault for imbalanced data

Emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter hormaechei ST93 plasmids co-harbouring blaNDM-1, blaKPC-2, and mcr-9 in bloodstream infection

ABSTRACT: Objectives: We isolated a strain of Enterobacter hormaechei, ECC2783, co-harbouring blaNDM-1, blaKPC-2 and mcr-9 plasmids from a bloodstream infection and investigated its biological features. Methods: The presence of carbapenemase genes and mcr-9 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction amplification. Whole genome sequencing and genomic analysis were performed on ECC2783. Experiments assessing the conjugation and stability of plasmids carrying the carbapenemase gene were performed. We also performed a colistin resistance induction experiment and studied the fitness cost of transconjugants. Results: ECC2783 has an extensive drug resistance phenotype. Multilocus sequence typing analysis results showed that ECC2783 belongs to sequence type 93. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that ECC2783 has four plasmids, of which pECC2783_a, carrying mcr-9, is the IncHI2 type, and pECC2783_c, carrying blaNDM-1, is the IncX3 type. pECC2783_d, carrying blaKPC-2, is an unclassified type. We successfully obtained two transconjugants (J53/ECC2783_1, carrying blaNDM-1, and J53/ECC2783_2, carrying blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1). There was no statistically significant difference in the relative growth rate between J53 and J53/ECC2783_2. Conclusion: For the first time, we isolated carbapenem-resistant E. hormaechei plasmids co-harbouring blaNDM-1, blaKPC-2, and mcr-9 from a patient with a blood stream infection. This isolate has a survival advantage in a hospital environment, and its clinical monitoring should be strengthened

In vivo acquisition of blaKPC-2 with low biological cost in blaAFM-1-harboring ST463 hypervirulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a patient with hematologic malignancy

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)–producing sequence type (ST) 463 Pseudomonas aeruginosa are increasingly prevalent in China. This study aims to investigate how blaKPC-2 is acquired in ST463 P. aeruginosa during antimicrobial therapy. Methods: Two extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains, B1122 and U1121, were respectively isolated from blood and urine of a patient during carbapenem therapy. Whole-genome sequences were obtained, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined. Plasmid transferability and stability were examined. Bacterial growth kinetics, biofilm formation, and virulence level was assessed. Results: U1121 and B1122 were only susceptible to amikacin and intermediately susceptible to colistin. They were isogenic ST463 P. aeruginosa strains and shared the same chromosome-encoded resistance genes, including blaAFM-1. This is the first report of chromosomal integration of blaAFM-1 in P. aeruginosa mediated by ISCR29. pU1121 and pB1122, which shared almost identical backbone, were the sole plasmids in U1121 and B1122, respectively, differing by an insertion region containing two copies of blaKPC-2 genes observed on pU1121. Sequence alignment revealed that pU1121 might evolve in vivo from pB1122 via IS26-mediated continuous genetic rearrangement in response to selective challenge from carbapenem. pU1121 was not self-transmissible and could be stably maintained in the host in the absence of antibiotic. Both U1121 and B1122 were hypervirulent, and no differences on virulence were recorded between them. However, U1121 exhibited significant impaired growth in comparison with B1122. Conclusion: ST463 P. aeruginosa can capture blaKPC-2 through horizontal transfer of insertion sequence under antibiotic selection pressure, which does decrease the fitness but does not impair the virulence of the ancestor

Pseudomonas aeruginosa High-Risk Sequence Type 463 Co-Producing KPC-2 and AFM-1 Carbapenemases, China, 2020–2022

We report the clonal spread and evolution of high-risk Pseudomonas aeruginosa sequence type 463 co-producing KPC-2 and AFM-1 carbapenemases isolated from hospital patients in China during 2020–2022. Those strains pose a substantial public health threat and surveillance and stricter infection-control measures are essential to prevent further infections