Carpooling Liability?: Applying Tort Law Principles to the Joint Emergence of Self-Driving Automobiles and Transportation Network Companies

Self-driving automobiles have emerged as the future of vehicular travel, but this innovation is not developing in isolation. Simultaneously, the popularity of transportation network companies functioning as ride-hailing and ride-sharing services have altered traditional conceptions of personal transportation. Technology companies, conventional automakers, and start-up businesses each play significant roles in fundamentally transforming transportation methods. These transformations raise numerous liability questions. Specifically, the emergence of self-driving vehicles and transportation network companies create uncertainty for the application of tort law’s negligence standard. This Note addresses technological innovations in vehicular transportation and their accompanying legislative and regulatory developments. Then, this Note discusses the implications for vicarious liability for vehicle owners, duties of care for vehicle operators, and corresponding insurance regimes. This Note also considers theoretical justifications for tort concepts including enterprise liability. Accounting for the inevitable uncertainty in applying tort law to new invention, this Note proposes a strict and vicarious liability regime with corresponding no-fault automobile insurance

A Systematic Review of Unexplained Early Regression in Adolescents and Adults with Down Syndrome.

A proportion of young people with Down syndrome (DS) experience unexplained regression that severely impacts on their daily lives. While this condition has been recognised by clinicians, there is a limited understanding of causation and an inconsistent approach to diagnosis and treatment. Varied symptomology and little knowledge of the cause of this regression have impacted on clinician's ability to prevent or manage this condition. The purpose of this review was to examine the current evidence surrounding unexplained regression in adolescents and young adults, and to establish patterns that may be of use to clinicians, as well as raising awareness of this condition. Four areas were specifically reviewed, (1) terminology used to refer to this condition, (2) the symptoms reported, (3) potential trigger events and, (4) treatments and prognosis. A variety of terminology is used for this condition, which has constrained past attempts to identify patterns. An extensive number of symptoms were reported, however sleep impairment, loss of language and distinct changes in personality and behaviour, such as disinterest and withdrawal, were among the most frequently seen. Life events that were tentatively associated with the onset of a regressive period included a significant change in environmental circumstances or a transition, such as moving home or leaving school. Prognosis for this condition is relatively positive with the majority of individuals making at least a partial recovery. However, few patients were found to make a full recovery to their previous level of functioning and serious adverse effects could persist in those who have made a partial recovery. This is an under-researched condition with significant impacts on people with DS and their families. There are no established treatments for this condition and there is relatively little recognition in the research community. Further studies that focus on the prevention and treatment of this condition with controlled treatment trials are needed

Image bandwidth compression by detection and coding of contours.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering. Thesis. 1970. Ph.D.MICROFICHE COPY ALSO AVAILABLE IN BARKER ENGINEERING LIBRARY.Vita.Bibliography: leaves 83-85.Ph.D

Retinal thickness in adults with Down's syndrome: Relationship with age, cognition and dementia

People with Down’s syndrome (DS) are known to experience premature ageing and have a high propensity for clinical diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In DS there is a unique and natural model of over-expression of amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein, the accumulation of which is proposed to be the central early event in the pathogenesis of AD. In DS, AD neuropathology is universally seen in the brain from the fourth decade. Identifying biomarkers are essential to the evaluation of future treatment trials. The retina has been shown to experience changes in patients with AD, such as retinal thinning, compared to age-matched controls. As an extension of the brain, the retina can be quickly and non-invasively imaged and may provide a proxy measure of brain changes in AD. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT), cross-sectional retinal examinations were completed in 50 people with DS aged 18 years and over. Comparisons between retinal thickness of the DS and control groups were examined, as well as the effect of age on thickness in both groups. For the DS group, further investigations were made into the relationships between retinal thickness and (i) cognitive performance, (ii) diagnosis of dementia, (iii) cortical thickness and, (iv) presence of Aβ binding in the brain. Contrary to expectations, people with DS had thicker retina compared to age-matched controls. In addition, normal age-related retinal thinning was not seen in the DS group. People with DS have a life-long overproduction of Aβ, deposits of which have been previously imaged in the retina. Aβ may be responsible both directly, through physical mass, and indirectly through inflammation as a response to Aβ, for increased retinal thickness in people with DS. Consequently, retinal thickness in DS may be a proxy measure of Aβ deposition in the retina. As part of a collaborative study, brain Aβ binding was measured using positron emission tomography neuroimaging in a subset of the DS group. Individuals with positive Pittsburgh compound [11C]-PIB (PIB) binding to Aβ displayed a trend towards having thinner retina than those with negative PIB binding. These results indicate that a shift towards thinning retina in people DS may reflect changes in brain pathology. Future studies are discussed which aim to investigate Aβ and Aβ driven pathology in the retina.Funding provided by Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and Alzheimer's Research U

Entwicklung und Evaluation von Lernarrangements zur Veränderung der Einstellung und Akzeptanz von Lehramtsstudierenden gegenüber der Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen

Die Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen kann nur integrativ in den Unterrichtsfächern erfolgen (KMK-Beschluss). Für eine gelungene Umsetzung ist es deshalb erforderlich, dass alle (angehenden) Physik-Lehrkräfte mit dem Einsatz digitaler Medien vertraut sind und ihnen das darin enthaltene Potenzial bewusst ist. Im Fokus des Forschungsvorhabens steht die Entwicklung und Evaluation von Lernarrangements, die das Ziel verfolgen, eine Veränderung der Einstellung und Akzeptanz angehender Lehrkräfte gegenüber der Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen (am Beispiel digitaler Messwerterfassung, digitaler Werkzeuge und Medien sowie kollaborativem Arbeiten) im Physikunterricht zu bewirken.Mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf eine Einstellungsänderung bei Lehramtsstudierenden sind (in Anlehnung an das TPACK-Modell) unter anderem die digitalen Kompetenzen der Studierenden, die wahrgenommene Relevanz digitaler Kompetenzen für den naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht, die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung und die Einschätzung zur Umsetzbarkeit im Regelunterricht. Im Beitrag wird ein Überblick über das Forschungsvorhaben gegeben. Insbesondere wird erläutert, wie die oben genannten Einflussfaktoren im didaktischen Experimentierpraktikum und in einem Lehr-Lernlabor-Setting adressiert werden sollen

Entwicklung und Evaluation von Lernarrangements zur Veränderung der Einstellung und Akzeptanz von Lehramtsstudierenden gegenüber der Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen

Die Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen kann nur integrativ in den Unterrichtsfächern erfolgen (KMK-Beschluss). Für eine gelungene Umsetzung ist es deshalb erforderlich, dass alle (angehenden) Physik-Lehrkräfte mit dem Einsatz digitaler Medien vertraut sind und ihnen das darin enthaltene Potenzial bewusst ist. Im Fokus des Forschungsvorhabens steht die Entwicklung und Evaluation von Lernarrangements, die das Ziel verfolgen, eine Veränderung der Einstellung und Akzeptanz angehender Lehrkräfte gegenüber der Vermittlung digitaler Kompetenzen (am Beispiel digitaler Messwerterfassung, digitaler Werkzeuge und Medien sowie kollaborativem Arbeiten) im Physikunterricht zu bewirken.Mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf eine Einstellungsänderung bei Lehramtsstudierenden sind (in Anlehnung an das TPACK-Modell) unter anderem die digitalen Kompetenzen der Studierenden, die wahrgenommene Relevanz digitaler Kompetenzen für den naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht, die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung und die Einschätzung zur Umsetzbarkeit im Regelunterricht. Im Beitrag wird ein Überblick über das Forschungsvorhaben gegeben. Insbesondere wird erläutert, wie die oben genannten Einflussfaktoren im didaktischen Experimentierpraktikum und in einem Lehr-Lernlabor-Setting adressiert werden sollen

A Comparison of Methods for Determining Significant Wave Heights-Applied to a 3-m Discus Buoy during Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005, the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed 90 km to the west of a 3-m discus buoy deployed in the Mississippi Sound and operated by the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System (CenGOOS). The buoy motions were measured with a strapped-down, 6 degrees of freedom accelerometer, a three-axis magnetometer, and from the displacement of a GPS antenna measured by postprocessed-kinematic GPS. Recognizing that an accelerometer experiences a large offset due to gravity, the authors investigated four different means of computing wave heights. In the most widely used method for a buoy with a strapped-down, 1D accelerometer, wave heights are overestimated by 26% on average and up to 56% during the peak of the hurricane. In the second method, the component of gravity is removed from the deck relative z-axis accelerations, requiring pitch and roll information. This is most similar to the motion of the GPS antenna and reduces the overestimation to only 5% on average. In the third method, the orientation data are used to obtain a very accurate estimate of the vertical acceleration, reducing the overestimation of wave heights to 1%. The fourth method computes an estimate of the true earth-referenced vertical accelerations using the accelerations from all three axes but not the pitch and roll information. It underestimates the wave heights by 2.5%. The fifth method uses the acceleration from all three axes and the pitch and roll information to obtain the earth-referenced vertical acceleration of the buoy, the most accurate measure of the true wave vertical acceleration. The primary conclusion of this work is that the measured deck relative accelerations from a strapped- down, 1D accelerometer must be tilt corrected in environments of high wave heights

Hurricane Katrina Winds Measured By a Buoy-Mounted Sonic Anemometer

The eye of Hurricane Katrina passed within 49 n mi of an oceanographic observing system buoy in the Mississippi Bight that is part of the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System. Although a mechanical anemometer failed on the buoy during the hurricane, a two-axis sonic anemometer survived and provided a complete record of the hurricane\u27s passage. This is the first reported case of a sonic anemometer surviving a hurricane and reporting validated data, and it demonstrates that this type of anemometer is a viable alternative to the mechanical anemometers traditionally used in marine applications. The buoy pitch and roll record during the storm show the importance of compensating the anemometer records for winds oblique to the horizontal plane of the anemometers. This is made apparent in the comparison between the two wind records from the anemometers during the hurricane

Increased choroidal thickness in adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: People with Down syndrome (DS) are particularly susceptible to Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to the triplication of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene. In this cross-sectional study, we hypothesized that choroidal thinning reported in sporadic AD (sAD) is mirrored in adults with DS. Methods: The posterior pole of the eye for 24 adults with DS and 16 age-matched controls (Ctrl) were imaged with optical coherence tomography. Choroidal thickness (ChT) was measured and analyzed in relation to cognitive status and cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ) load. Results: ChT was increased in people with DS (pwDS) compared to Ctrl. This increase was associated with gender differences and positively correlated with cerebral Aβ load in a small subset. There was no significant correlation detected between ChT and age or cognitive status. Discussion: In contrast to sAD this study found a significantly thicker choroid in pwDS. Whether these changes are related to Aβ pathology in DS needs further investigation

Age-related retinal thickness in Down's syndrome: A high-risk population for dementia.

Introduction:People with Down's syndrome (DS) have a high prevalence of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Early markers of Alzheimer's disease pathology identifiable before clinical change are needed for the evaluation of preventative treatments. The retina, an extension of the brain, may provide a noninvasive imaging site. Methods:Forty-nine adults with DS and 36 age-matched controls completed retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) assessments using optical coherence tomography. RNFL thickness was analyzed in relation to cognitive status and age and previously acquired cortical thickness and cerebral amyloid β binding data in a subgroup. Results:RNFL thickness was greater in the DS group and did not show age-related thinning. RNFL correlated positively with cognitive scores and cortical thickness and was reduced in participants with positive cerebral amyloid β binding. Discussion:Increased RNFL in adults with DS may represent early Alzheimer's disease-related changes. Thinning was present in those with cerebral amyloid β binding, independent of age