The Counterintuitive Court: How the Supreme Court’s Punitive Damages Jurisprudence Endangers Marginalized Communities

Punitive damages are awarded in civil suits to deter intentionally reckless and grossly negligent behavior. The goal of punitive damages is to punish the tortfeasor and protect the public from future misconduct. However, the Supreme Court’s recent jurisprudence on punitive damages reflects a shift towards protecting businesses from what the Court perceives as an arbitrary taking under the Due Process Clause. This Note argues that these decisions are dangerous, especially for marginalized communities. This Note begins by defining punitive damages and common criticisms of punitive damages awards. This Note then discusses the role of the Supreme Court in reviewing punitive damages awards, focusing specifically on the Supreme Court’s pro-corporate jurisprudence. This Note argues that these pro-corporate decisions reducing punitive damages awards has created a systemic imbalance in our torts system in which defendants are protected from having to fully internalize the costs of their conduct at the expense of injured plaintiffs. This Note will then highlight the danger of the Supreme Court’s punitive damages jurisprudence for marginalized communities through a discussion of Opioid Litigation, Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, and the Philip Morris Tobacco Cases. Finally, this Note discusses Johnson & Johnson v. Ingham, and suggests that only state appellate courts should be involved in reviewing punitive damages awards

Eliminating Health Disparities: Strengthening Data on Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language in the United States

Compelling evidence exists that differences in health status, access to care, and the provision of physical and mental health services are significantly related to race, ethnicity, primary language, geography, and various measures of socioeconomic position, such as educational status, income, wealth, and conditions in childhood. Efforts to improve health care and eliminate health disparities in the United States are an important element of the Secretary of Health and Human Services 500 Day Plan: Longer, Healthier, and Better Lives (www.os.dhhs.gov/500DayPlan/500DayPlan.pdf). These efforts can succeed only when researchers, policy-makers, health care professionals, and community groups are equipped with complete and accurate data on the differences in health status, access to care, and the provision of services experienced by specific population groups in the U.S. This essential prerequisite for progress has been the focus of hearings and a lengthy review of available information conducted by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) Subcommittee on Populations. The NCVHS is the statutory public advisory body that advises the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on information needs underlying national health policy. The Committee offers this summary of its findings and recommendations so that the strategies outlined can provide an effective and useful roadmap for future action by HHS and its partnering agencies and organizations within and outside of the Federal government. The recommendations serve as a starting point for productive consultation and discussion in which all stakeholders are engaged in determining the next best steps forward.http://ncvhs.hhs.gov/051107rpt.pd

Person-job fit and person-organization fit as components of job seeking

Job seekers have often made job choices based upon the degree to which they fit the tasks requirements of the job. This concept is referred to as person-job (P-J) fit. In addition, research has suggested that job seekers self-select organizations to work for based upon the perceived fit between themselves and the organization. This concept is referred to as person-organization (P-O) fit

Chlorhexidine-induced elastic and adhesive changes of Escherichia coli cells within a biofilm

Chlorhexidine is a widely used, commercially available cationic antiseptic. Although its mechanism of action on planktonic bacteria has been well explored, far fewer studies have examined its interaction with an established biofilm. The physical effects of chlorhexidine on a biofilm are particularly unknown. Here, the authors report the first observations of chlorhexidine-induced elastic and adhesive changes to single cells within a biofilm. The elastic changes are consistent with the proposed mechanism of action of chlorhexidine. Atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy techniques were used to determine spring constants and adhesion energy of the individual bacteria within an Escherichia coli biofilm. Medically relevant concentrations of chlorhexidine were tested, and cells exposed to 1% (w/v) and 0.1% more than doubled in stiffness, while those exposed to 0.01% showed no change in elasticity. Adhesion to the biofilm also increased with exposure to 1% chlorhexidine, but not for the lower concentrations tested. Given the prevalence of chlorhexidine in clinical and commercial applications, these results have important ramifications on biofilm removal technique

Being in the Room Where It Happens: Celebrating Virginia’s First Female Law Clerks

The first female law clerk was hired in 1944. However, the entry of women into the law clerk profession was met with sexism. The accomplishments of the first few female law clerks also received little attention. This article seeks to rectify this historical injustice by highlighting the accomplishments of Virginia’s first female law clerks: Doris Bray, Jane Caster Sweeney, and Penelope Dalton Coffman. Doris Bray clerked for Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge J. Spencer Bell in 1967. Jane Caster Sweeney clerked for Federal District Court Judge Oren Lewis from 1960 to 1962. Penelope Dalton Coffman clerked for Virginia Supreme Court Judge C. Vernon Spratley from 1966 to 1967. This article highlights their careers, accomplishments, and their impact on the legal profession

“Yes I Have Parkinson’s, But I Still Have Low Back Pain”

The purpose of this case report is to describe the efficacy of physical therapy manipulation to the lumbar spine of a Parkinson’s patient suffering from low back pain. Further, this case report seeks to demonstrate the importance of treating musculoskeletal injuries in a neurologically compromised population for the purposes of restoring them to their prior level of activity and participation.https://soar.usa.edu/flsafall2017/1001/thumbnail.jp

Prescribing an antibiotic? Pair it with probiotics

Recommend that patients taking antibiotics also take probiotics, which have been found to be effective both for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). Stength of recommendation: A: Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Changing Farming Systems – Financial Implications for Farming Businesses

Future prosperity of farming businesses depends not only on immediate prospects, but also on the capability to adapt to changing circumstances. In looking to the future, farm managers need to assess where the current farming system is taking them, and whether changing to an alternative farming system might be more profitable. There are various techniques for assessing the profitability of alternative farming systems, but frequently the cost of transition is overlooked. The financial consequences of transition to a new farming system are assessed for two case study farms using a spreadsheet tool (STEP), developed by the authors. The tool assists farm managers in assessing the risk of transition strategies as well as comparing rotations.Farm Management,