bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rhythmic Contractions of Lymph Vessels and Lymph Flow Are Disrupted in Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Pal Soumiya , Bagchi Ashim K. , Henry David S. , Landes Reid D. , Mu Shengyu , Rhee Sung W. , Rusch Nancy J. , Stolarz Amanda J.
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:

Hypertension increases the risk of lymphedema in patients with comorbidities, but whether hypertension directly compromises lymph vessel (LV) function and lymph flow is unclear. We compared the contractions of mesenteric LVs ex vivo and lymph flow in vivo between normotensive and Ang II (angiotensin II)-induced hypertensive rats and explored the ionic basis of contractile patterns. Key studies were recapitulated in spontaneously hypertensive rats and control Wistar-Kyoto rats.

METHODS:

Video microscopy continuously recorded the diameters of cannulated rat mesenteric LVs, and high-speed optical imaging estimated mesenteric lymph flow in vivo. Jess capillary Western electrophoresis evaluated expression levels of ion channel proteins.

RESULTS:

Isolated LVs from Ang II-induced hypertensive rats exhibited dysrhythmic contractions, whereas LVs from both Ang II-induced hypertensive rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats exhibited reduced diastolic diameters and cross-sectional flow. Mesenteric lymph flow in vivo was 2.9-fold lower in Ang II-induced hypertensive rats compared with normotensive rats. Surprisingly, the LVs from Ang II-induced hypertensive rats expressed fewer intact L-type Ca
2+
channel pore proteins and more modulatory cleaved C-terminal fragments. However, pharmacological block of voltage-gated K
+
channels but not other K
+
channel types in control LVs established the pattern of contractile dysfunction observed in hypertension. Jess capillary Western electrophoresis analysis confirmed a loss of Shaker-type K
V
1.2 channels in LVs from hypertensive rats.

CONCLUSIONS:

We provide initial evidence of lymphatic contractile dysfunction and compromised lymph flow in hypertensive rats, which may be caused by a loss of K
V
1.2 channels in the lymphatic muscle cells.
Evolutionary Characteristics in Primary Aldosteronism Patients
Authors: Gao Yinjie , Wang Yu , Zhou Yue , Chang Xiaoyan , Zhang Yushi , Nie Min , Tong Anli
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:

Primary aldosteronism is predominantly caused by excessive aldosterone production from the adrenal cortex, and the aldosterone-producing structures could take many forms, like adenomas, nodules, micronodules, and so on. Most studies of primary aldosteronism were limited to the hotspot driver genes responsible for autonomous aldosterone production; however, the panoramic genetic architecture and genomic alterations of aldosterone-producing structures and their adjacent hyperplasia glands remain unknown.

METHODS:

In this study, whole-exome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses were performed using functional nodules and matched hyperplasia tissues, which were microdissected guided by aldosterone synthase immunohistochemistry. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the shared and unique mutations, gene mutation spectrums, and clonal characteristics.

RESULTS:

The rates of mutations represented higher means of functional nodules than hyperplasia samples, and the little mutational overlap was shown between the 2 groups on phylogenetic trees. The mutations of the aldosterone driver gene (
KCNJ5
or
CACNA1D
) were only observed in functional nodules and indicated almost the largest values of cancer cell fraction. Moreover, the functional nodules also harbored some potential variants related to cell proliferation, which were not detected in hyperplasia tissues. Transcriptome analysis suggested that only 25.5% upregulated and 23.3% downregulated genes overlapped between functional nodules and hyperplasia tissues.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrated a genetic and transcriptome landscape of aldosterone-producing structures and adjacent hyperplasia glands in primary aldosteronism. The results indicated independent clonal origins on functional nodules and hyperplasia tissues, and little mutual evolutionary relationship was found on their phylogenetic trees.
An Analysis of the Codicological Features of the Qumran Cave 11Q Manuscripts
Authors: Naidu Abigail
Published: November 2024

This article presents analysis and discussion of the codicological features of the scrolls from Cave 11Q. Through a focus on the dimensions and layout of the manuscripts, I ask whether there are noticeable patterns or recurring features which characterise them collectively. I observe that a majority of the preserved scrolls are taller than average and bear long compositions, indicating a well-funded group of scrolls and possibly reflecting an increase in the production of taller scrolls in the Herodian period. I also identify shared characteristics among discrete groups of scrolls from Cave 11Q, which may speak to the practices of schools of professional scribes. Despite these trends and shared characteristics, this study also demonstrates considerable diversity in the codicological features of the Cave 11Q scrolls.
The (Beard-) Veil Also Matters on Facebook
Authors: al Jaramani Araa , Sonneveld Nadia
Published: November 2024

This article discusses how the publishing of Syrian women’s photos on Facebook provokes controversy in Syrian Facebook communities, in the context of ongoing violent political upheaval. After the Arab uprising reached Syria in March 2011, Syrian men and women have been using Facebook extensively to fight for their rights. Yet, the photo of a young dead Syrian woman activist caused a heated debate on Facebook, because she was not wearing a veil. We argue that while gender inequalities, which are prevalent in Syrian society seemingly persist in cyberspace, we are in fact witnessing the emergence of what we call a “limping” mobile society. In this mobile society, authoritative notions of womanhood are challenged, whereas dominant understandings of manhood barely change. In explaining this, this article contributes to scholarly debates in the fields of gender and power in conflict and post-conflict societies as well as social media and gender equality studies.
Teaching the Historical Jesus in Continuing Education: Of Ghosts and Groundhogs
Authors: Meggitt Justin James
Published: November 2024

This article reflects upon the author’s twenty years of experience in teaching undergraduate-level courses in the study of the historical Jesus outside of a traditional university context as part of the programmes offered by the Institute of Continuing Education of the University of Cambridge. It identifies a number of distinctive pedagogical challenges faced in teaching adult learners, and strategies for addressing them, as well as the wider implications for the field that arise from such teaching activity.
The Sacred of Today?
Authors: Pessi Anne Birgitta , Grönlund Henrietta , Salonen Anna Sofia , Westinen Jussi , Pitkänen Ville
Published: November 2024

Even if the sacred is a classical concept in religious studies and sociology, relatively little is known of its current empirical subjective varieties. This article explores what people today consider sacred at the intersection of religion and nonreligion. Our data (N=6938) was collected with face-to-face interviews (N=1965) and from an internet panel (N=4313) in Finland. We present both an overall picture on what people consider sacred and the results of exploring the effect of religiousness, political stance, and social structural positions. Respondents of both moderately religious and nonreligious groups tend to hold health, love, and close ones sacred. Our findings challenge a linear, dualistic view of religious versus nonreligious and show that sacred exceeds religious boundaries and is experienced by religious and nonreligious people alike, but in various ways. The concept of sacred can be used to detect the inner diversity of both religious and nonreligious identities.
Introduction to the Symposium “The monusco Intervention Brigade at Ten” Ten Years of the monusco Intervention Brigade
Authors: Longobardo Marco
Published: November 2024

This is an introduction on a special issue on ‘The monusco Intervention Brigade at Ten’. The special issue includes three articles that discuss the impact of ten years of practice of the monusco Intervention Brigade on peacekeeping in general and the protection of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular.
New Trends and Perspectives on Case Management
Authors: Cabral Antonio
Published: November 2024

The present article explores the landscape of case management activities, and investigates how the contemporary changes in the goals, object and protagonists of case management show that we ought to develop new techniques and methods, in order for judicial procedures to become more adaptable, flexible and efficient.
Analyse Comparative / Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Adigun Muyiwa
Published: November 2024

The ECOWAS Court was established by the Revised ECOWAS Treaty. By virtue of that Treaty, the Court has assumed a position on the international plane and has delivered a number of judgments on human rights. However, most of these judgments have not been enforced by the Member States. This article therefore examines the enforceability of the judgments of the ECOWAS Court in Nigeria as a Member State. The article finds that, like other Member States, Nigeria has not enforced the judgments of the Court. The article therefore argues that the Nigerian Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 can successfully be used to enforce the judgments of the Court. It recommends that the Nigerian judiciary should take up the gauntlet of enforcing the judgments of the Court.
Analyse Comparative / Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Alvim Teresa Arruda , Dantas Bruno
Published: November 2024

Brazil and Argentina are both federal republics regulated by systems of checks and balances defined by their constitutions. Their supreme courts were inspired by the United States’ model and roles, functioning as courts of last resort and deciding on cases dealing with the interpretation of the constitution. Their justices are appointed by the President, with the agreement of the Senate, and serve for life. This article assesses the development of the supreme court appellate jurisdictions in Brazil and Argentina towards the creation of procedural devices designed for enabling the courts, after years of crisis, to efficiently accomplish their role of watching over the integrity of national law.
Le Nouveau Code De Procédure Civile Roumain
Authors: Cadiet Loïc
Published: November 2024

On the occasion of the publication in French of the new Romanian Code of Civil Procedure, this article provides a short overview of this new legislative tool, dealing with the approach followed by the Romanian legislator, the structure adopted for the organisation of the provisions of the Code and, finally, the most salient points of its substance.
La Vie Formulaire – Entre Procédure Judiciaire Et Dérive Administrative Du Droit D’Hier À Aujourd’Hui
Authors: Guillemard Sylvette , Kerneis Soazick , Ménetrey Séverine
Published: November 2024

Since time immemorial, forms have framed the practice of law to such an extent that the major role they play today should not come as a surprise even to a lawyer who would otherwise be inclined to explain their prominence by the increasing use of electronic technologies. However, the influence of forms on the everyday routine of practitioners and parties is something new and goes beyond the simple constraints imposed by information technology, because their role in framing practice is on the way to imposing itself like a source of authority. This article explores the challenges surrounding forms, starting with Antiquity, in order to illustrate how formulas worked when forms were simply a flexible framework that anyone could adapt to their needs. It ends by looking at contemporary practice in Quebec – where the formularisation of civil procedure has been in evidence since the latest reform of the Code of Civil Procedure, which entered into force on 1 January 2016 – and in the European Union, where regulations on judicial cooperation provide forms for parties as well as judges.
Admisibilidad De Las Pruebas Obtenidas Por Particulares: Especial Referencia A Las Investigaciones Internas Empresariales
Authors: Pena Ana María Neira
Published: November 2024

In the modern state, the prosecution of crimes is the task of state authorities. Nevertheless, the collection of evidence by private persons in such cases is a reality one cannot deny and which makes it necessary to think about the proper requirements for the admissibility of such evidence. In the special case of internal corporate investigations, new norms of criminal liability of corporations have created an incentive to cooperate with state investigators. It turns out that the unlimited admission of evidence gathered by private persons carries risks, especially for the constitutional rights of the person investigated. This is made worse when the subject of the investigation is a subordinate of the person collecting the evidence. In such cases, the change of conditions for the collection of evidence – which is partly a result of employment law, not of criminal procedure – makes it necessary for the corporation to respect the constitutional rights of the employees which it investigates.
Tax Enforcement Through the Courts in Brazil: Ideas, Tendencies and Perspectives
Authors: Rodrigues Marco Antonio , Pepe Rafael Gaia Edais
Published: November 2024

Courts in Brazil play a significant role in tax enforcement through the so-called “fiscal enforcement lawsuits”. In spite of that, data has proved that this procedure not only fails in a cost-benefit analysis, but also mitigates other opportunities that should be available to government. The purpose of this article is to suggest the adoption of new strategies towards a more efficient tax collection procedure.
The New Litigation Landscape: International Commercial Courts and Procedural Innovations
Authors: Blair Sir William
Published: November 2024

The establishment of new “international commercial courts” over the past few years has been a major development, which brings a new perspective to the adjudication of international commercial disputes. This article analyses the meaning of these new courts and their implications, especially from the point of view of procedural innovations.
Le Droit D’être Traduit Dans Le Plus Court Délai Devant Le Juge Pénal En Droit Camerounais
Authors: Belbara Bernard
Published: November 2024

Criminal trials usually last a long time, especially in the pre-trial phase due to the fact that, on the one hand, undue haste should be avoided, while on the other, slow criminal proceedings are full of inconveniences. Aware of this, the Cameroonian legislator has, since the adoption of the Criminal procedure code, initiated reforms in the direction of speeding up the preparation of cases. However, various obstacles, ‘de facto’ and ‘de jure’, unfortunately still compromise the effectiveness of these measures.
Wikipédia et Informations en Ligne: Vers Une Nouvelle Forme de Notoriété Des Faits ?
Authors: Comoglio Paolo
Published: November 2024

This study, based on the belief that new technologies are challenging the traditional principles of the judicial process, tries to analyse, from a civil law perspective, the possible impact of the Internet on the notion of judicial notice. In fact, the great availability of online information is reshaping human epistemic strategies. The traditional knowledge selection mechanisms no longer work. At the same time, it seems possible to know everything quickly. Wikipedia is the symbol of these new strategies. Indeed, this new phenomenon raises the question whether the judge can take judicial notice of the online information. This study hypothesises an update of the traditional concept of “notorious fact”, typical of civil law systems, assuming the more extensive notion of “notorious evidence”. It suggests the possibility of using not just any online information but only that which is certain to exist and can be checked at any time, even after the trial has ended.
The CJEU and the Refinement of the Principle of Party Disposition
Authors: Nieva-Fenoll Jordi
Published: November 2024

The principle of party disposition has been since the Middle Ages the essential basis of the civil process in Europe. This principle leaves the process in the parties ’ hands, which may be incompatible with the protection of vulnerable subjects such as consumers. This article explains how the CJEU is refining this traditional principle in order to favour the right to an effective remedy of these vulnerable litigants, trying to establish a certain predictability in the areas in which case law could also intervene in the future.
Justicia Artificial: Oportunidades Y Desafíos
Authors: Ragone Álvaro-Javier Pérez
Published: November 2024

It is difficult to determine how developments in artificial intelligence (AI) can reformulate the judicial function. However, it can be argued that developments can change the interactive nature of the function, varying the adjudicative function with the potential to eliminate judges from that function. Although the evolution in judicial artificial intelligence is in its infancy, there are signs that it will be more relevant and there are developments, although somewhat unpopular, to introduce the “AI judge” in relation to certain categories of disputes. In terms of these developments and those related to AI, what will it mean to be a judge in the next 10, 20 or 30 years? Each of these issues can be informed to some extent by examining recent changes in the context of how lawyers, courts and others currently use technology. For example, the shift to a greater use of artificial intelligence in the form of predictive coding, predictive analytics and automatic learning suggests that the use of law by the law firm is already changing the way in which the material is presented to judges and the client’s risk is evaluated.
History of Judicial Precedent: The English Roots
Authors: Mitidiero Daniel
Published: November 2024

This article deals with the judicial precedent in England, and proposes the identification of three different functions of the precedent throughout history: illustrative, persuasive and binding The article intends to demonstrate that these functions reflect different perspectives on the relationship between law and judicial activity in order to attend the Rule of Law.
Justicia Y Pandemia
Authors: de la Oliva Santos Andrés
Published: November 2024

The pandemic has created new obstacles for justice systems all over the world which need to be addressed by adopting concrete, realistic and appropriate measures for each place and time. The measures must exclude generalised proposals on the digitalisation of justice. Such proposals, in addition to being imprecise, do not ensure the necessary quality of communications between the parties and the courts, which is key in any judicial process.
“Andrà Tutto Bene/ Ça Va Bien Aller”: Critical Impressions of the Collective Access to Justice Provided in the Model European Rules of Civil Procedure from a Quebec Perspective
Authors: Piché Catherine
Published: November 2024

Class actions have been on the rise around the world. They have elevated the global consciousness and crystallised the relevance and importance of collective procedures that can be brought in the name of a group of victims with similar or identical harms. In 2020, Europe has unambiguously directed that Member States must offer collective redress mechanisms in the European Rules of Civil Procedure 2020 (ERCP) and a Directive on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers. By these Rules, a model for national legislatures was provided, along with a set of converging tendencies in civil procedure across Europe. This article provides a critical commentary of the ERCP collective redress regime, from a Canadian class actions standpoint, and particularly, in light of Quebec’s mixed procedural law regime, its “collective action” mechanism, and empirical data collected by the University of Montreal Class Actions Lab over a 25-year period. Precisely, it addresses a few of the main characteristics of access to collective judicial redress and access to collective settlements, and provides in conclusion some comparative thoughts about future implementation and court interpretations of the Rules.
Los Recursos En Las Reglas Modelo Europeas De Proceso Civil (Eli/Unidroit)
Authors: Giannini Leandro J.
Published: November 2024

This article analyses the regulation of appellate proceedings, extraordinary appeals and extraordinary motions for res judicata review in the Model European Rules of Civil Procedure, drafted by the European Law Institute and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT). Comparative references are introduced regarding the main provisions on these issues.
Case Management and the European Rules of Civil Procedure: An Analysis in the Light of the Brazilian Experience of the 2015 Civil Procedure Code
Authors: Zaneti Hermes
Published: November 2024

Case management has been regarded as a central element in the European Rules of Civil Procedure (ERCP). The present work seeks to highlight this centrality by demonstrating how case management is linked to the fundamental norms of proportionality, cooperation, and the stimulus to resolution by settlements, serving as a fundamental duty of the court and the parties to deal in a cheap, quick, and fair way with individual and collective conflicts. The text compares rules of case management of the ERCP with some norms and doctrines emerging from the Brazilian Civil Procedure Code and decisions of the Supreme Courts in Brazil.
Reflections from an Outlier: An American Reaction to the Eu Rules on Evidence
Authors: Marcus Richard
Published: November 2024

The ELI/UNIDROIT proposal for EU Rules of Civil Procedure is an ambitious and remarkable accomplishment. Focusing on Part VII of that project – on “Access to Information and Evidence” – this article illustrates two key differences between American principles and the aspirations of the framers of the EU Rules proposal. These are (a) the very different role of the judge in resolving factual disputes, which must be left to the jury in the US, and (b) the handling of access to evidence, which Americans call discovery.
Oral Hearing Management Under The ESCP Regulation
Authors: Turroni Davide
Published: November 2024

The European Small Claims Procedure (ESCP) is designed as a written procedure, wherein the oral hearing is granted limited space. The reason for this stems from the fact that an oral hearing in cross-border litigation take significantly longer and its worth seems to be – notably in civil matters such as those that fall within the ESCP’s scope – related to the value of the case (the smaller the value, the lesser the worth). This regime gives rise to several significant issues, concerning its consistency with the fundamental procedural principle of the “right to be heard”, the correlative margin of discretion the court may rely on in deciding whether a hearing shall be scheduled or not, and not least the role played by modern communication technologies in this respect. The author deals with such issues in their multiple features and connections, trying to thus offer proper answers to them. The author’s overall view is that the ESCP Regulation’s restrictive approach to oral hearing is reconcilable with the right to be heard and that the broad discretion conferred on the court in this respect is justified as well.
The Impact of Technology on Italian Civil Proceedings: A Focus on Evidence
Authors: Pailli Giacomo
Published: November 2024

This article aims at giving a lively picture of the current impact of technology on the field of evidence in Italian civil procedure. While judicial proceedings have gone through an extensive digitalisation, the rules on evidence in civil disputes are in large part still those enacted in the 1940s. The article thus examines how case law has adapted and stretched these old rules to cope with the digital revolution, in topics ranging from emojis to bitcoin, from chats to the value of the Internet Archive “Wayback Machine”. A structural inefficiency of human witness testimony as envisaged in the Code of Civil Procedure is stressed, with a recent trend of distrusted human narratives being replaced with the absolute truths of “technological witnesses” (as in the private insurance sector). Gaps and inconsistencies in the way digital evidence is filed in practice are also highlighted, leading to possible spoliation of valuable information (such as metadata) and unequal treatment of litigants depending on each judge’s own awareness. Finally, the article identifies the court-appointed expert as the safety valve that allows Italian civil proceedings to handle all kinds of digital disputes, at the expense of taking the core of the judicial decision away from its natural owner, the judge.
Oral Proceedings During the Preparatory Stage
Authors: Nylund Anna
Published: November 2024

This article argues that the preparatory stage in the main hearing model of civil proceedings still represents a significant knowledge gap. It endeavours to conceptualise the potential functions of the preparatory stage, and in particular preparatory hearings, and interlinkages between these functions and basic tenets of the main hearing model of civil proceedings, such as a concentrated main hearing, cooperation, proportionality and early resolution. It puts forth a user-centric view of justice, which emphasises informed decision-making that balances formal rules of justice with the needs and interests of the parties and the costs and risks of court proceedings. In this view, court proceedings should, in addition to serving substantive justice, also promote procedural justice, and particularly real participation of the parties themselves, not just their legal counsel. This article employs a European perspective using the ELI/UNIDROIT Model European Rules of Civil Procedure as a proxy of the state-of-the art of the main hearing model, as it is present in European legal systems.
Class Actions in Brazil
Authors: Alvim Teresa Arruda , dos Santos Welder Queiroz , Dantas Bruno
Published: November 2024

This article addresses Brazilian class actions. Obviously inspired by the American class action, they have recently been going through a critical phase in their development. The existing laws, and also a bill which is at the moment in Parliament, are analysed herein. Most of the problems that exist nowadays stem from the fact that class actions are governed by two main acts, and it is not always easy to harmonise their provisions.
Du Désir D’enfant à La Revendication Normative D’un Droit à L’enfant en France : Un Usage Agile Des Règles De Procédure Civile Par Les Opérateurs Économiques?
Authors: Deharo Gaëlle , Madanamoothoo Allane
Published: November 2024

While civil procedure seemed to escape the appetites of markets, observation of practice emphasises the agile behaviour of economic operators using procedural rules in their commercial strategies. More precisely, the article explores the way(s) in which the French rules of civil procedure are instrumentalised by economic operators to satisfy market objectives. In this perspective, we use the surrogate motherhood market as a field of investigation to analyse the impact of the “procedural agility” of economic operators on the distinction between what is in and out of commerce.
The Domestic Legislative Implementation of the Eapo Regulation: Integration and Frictions with National Civil Procedural Systems
Authors: Goris Carlos Santaló
Published: November 2024

This article concisely explores and comparatively analyses the different national legislation approved regarding Regulation No 655/2014, establishing a European Account Preservation Order (“EAPO Regulation”). More concretely, it aims to identify the commonalities among those EAPO national legislative acts and those cases in which national legislation might have distorted the original sense of the EAPO Regulation’s text. The article is structured as follows. After a brief explanation of the EAPO procedure, it examines the national implementing legislation. It first explores the rationale behind the implementing legislation of the EAPO and then the content of such legislation. Subsequently, it provides and analyses three examples in which domestic legislators might have misinterpreted the text of the EAPO Regulation.
Analyse Comparative / Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Anthimos Apostolos
Published: November 2024

The public policy defence in Greece is widely considered as the last resort for the judgment debtor. It is hardly ever the case that an appeal against the judgment granting recognition and/or exequatur omits a reference to the public policy defence. The prospects of success are nevertheless minimal. The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive view of the Greek case law in the field. This will be examined in two parts. Following a brief introduction (Section I), the first part of the article will elaborate on domestic law and bilateral conventions, featuring the general aspects of the public policy clause, and a case law classification (Section II). Following the same pattern, the second part of the article will explore the field of EU law, focusing on EU Regulations (Section III). Finally, the findings of the court practice in Greece and the future perspectives will be presented (Section IV).
The Greek Cadastral Law as a Cluster of Rules of Substantive and Procedural Law and its Incorporation into the European Framework
Authors: Papachristou-Dimitras Konstantinos
Published: November 2024

Well-organised property registers play a key role in further promoting cross-border transactions and ensuring their security, so that their proper function is not only a European but also an international requirement. The object of this article is to present the Greek cadastral legal order, in the light of the idea of European harmonisation. In general, cadastral law is made up of legal rules establishing the publicity of the rights in rem over real property, as well as the manner, procedure and beneficiaries involved in the correction of inaccurate cadastral entries. The Greek system, upon completion, will be in the form of an integrated cadastre, where technical and legal information will be kept in a single cadastral base of the institution. There is no doubt that the Greek cadastral system meets the European standards so that, in cooperation with the other countries, the effort of harmonisation and creation of a single property register could bear fruit.
Analyse Comparative / Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Xia Zhiyi
Published: November 2024

The legislation of civil procedure in China has been deeply influenced by the civil law system represented by Germany. However, China has quite a different attitude towards the application of information technology in civil justice, which is typically reflected in the adoption of remote civil courts. Research from perspectives of history, theory and comparative law can shed light on why China has chosen to proactively embrace judicial technology. Chinese civil justice is still at a very preliminary stage, and it is only able to provide basic-quality judicial justice due to various reasons including: (1) principles of orality and immediacy are not stipulated by legislation; (2) the principle of publicity is characterised with “broadness and arbitrariness”; (3) judicial rituality or formality is not fully valued; (4) courts are facing constant political pressure to provide high-quality judicial services; and (5) courts are facing an overload of cases, a shortage of qualified judges and insufficient public trust. With the adoption of appropriate reforms by drawing on experience of German law and local practice in China, it is expected that Chinese courts will be able to improve the quality of judicial services from a basic to a medium level.
The Flexibility of Procedural Rules as a Way of Ensuring Access to Civil Justice in Latin America
Authors: Priori Posada Giovanni F.
Published: November 2024

This article takes a critical approach to examining the trends accompanying the movement to promote access to justice; it reviews the situation of inequality regarding access to civil justice that exists in Latin America, with an emphasis on its causes and how Latin American countries have tackled such problems. The conclusion is that efforts have hitherto been insufficient, and that one way of preventing a situation of inequality from being transferred to the proceedings themselves is to allow the judge to adapt procedural rules regarding the fundamental rights of the parties.
Lights and Shadows of the New Italian Reform of Interim Measures in Arbitration
Authors: Abbamonte Mirko
Published: November 2024

The recent reform enacted by the Italian government by Legislative Decree No. 149/2022 recognised, after many years of debate, the powers of arbitrators to issue interim measures. The reform should be met very positively because it places Italy closer to the common international practice and to the most arbitration-friendly legislations. Analysing the new law, however, it is possible to highlight not only strengths but also some relevant critical issues. The goal of this study is, on the one hand, to verify how the above-mentioned novelties introduced in the Italian Code of Civil Procedure fit into the current international context, and, on the other hand, to highlight the main issues that practitioners will have to deal with.
The Place of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the New Cypriot Civil Justice System
Authors: Ahmed Masood , Kyriakides Nicolas , Zentani Yomna
Published: November 2024

This article analyses the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) within the new Cypriot civil procedure rules. We argue that formal recognition of ADR is not enough by itself to effect significant change within the reformed civil justice system in Cyprus. There is a need for a fundamental culture shift from an entrenched adversarial approach to the active promotion of ADR as a necessary means of improving access to justice, and we offer proposals to achieve this legal culture shift.
Treatment Outcomes in Awake Endoscopy With Advanced Programming in Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation
Authors: Wesson Troy , Saltagi Mohamad Z. , Manchanda Shalini , Stahl Stephanie , Chernyak Yelena , Parker Noah
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) is a treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. In the post-implant period, awake endoscopy with advanced programming (AEAP) can be employed to improve apnea hypopnea index (AHI) reduction and/or patient comfort. This study describes response patterns to HNS after AEAP as well as patient-specific patterns in our patient population.

Methods:

Retrospective evaluation of 17 consecutive patients who underwent AEAP between June 2019 and December 2022. Post-AEAP AHIs were used to create 2 response groups, which facilitated analysis of patient-based characteristics. AHI reporting, deemed non-titration AHI (NT-AHI), is the whole-night AHI resulting from non-titration studies. Chi-squared, Pearson correlation coefficient, and independent samples t-test were used to determine significance deemed as P < .05

Results:

Fifteen of 17 patients (88.2%) presented for failed NT-AHI reduction, and 2/17 (11.8%) presented for comfort measures. Eleven patients (65%) showed an improvement in post-AEAP NT-AHI; 6 (35%) patients failed to improve. Four patients with either lateral wall collapse or concentric wall collapse at the tongue base failed to improve NT-AHI compared to a single patient who showed an improved NT-AHI ( P = .017). Of the 2 patients who presented with discomfort, patient 1/2 demonstrated improvement in device usage, and patient 2/2 reported improved comfort while maintaining average device usage.

Conclusion:

AEAP is a powerful tool that offers the ability to identify settings conducive to increased therapy efficacy and improved treatment tolerability. Airway phenotypes are closely correlated with treatment efficacy, and as such, careful anatomical consideration of the upper airway must be performed when titrating therapy.

Lay Summary:

Amongst the different treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea, hypoglossal nerve stimulation has been shown to be effective in positive-airway-pressure intolerant patients. This article explores response patterns to AEAP and highlights the importance of careful anatomical considerations of the upper airway.

Level of Evidence:

Level 3.
The Influence of Group Identification and Morality in Support for Defunding the Police
Authors: Sanil Mannumood Merin
Published: November 2024

There is very little research regarding what factors drive support for defunding the police. Using the theoretical framework of the Group Engagement Model and the Moral Foundations Theory, this study explores if and how race, group identification, and morality shape support for defunding the police. Results indicated that increased superordinate identification and binding moral foundations reduced support for defunding the police among White respondents. For Black respondents, increased subordinate identification explains their increased support for defunding the police. Attachment to one’s racial group and concerns for its welfare coupled with moral intuitions driven by care and fairness toward victims of police brutality who are disproportionately Black explains why Blacks Americans began and support calls to defund the police.
Bonding With Non-Parental Others During Juvenile Incarceration: Communication Skills, Bonding Capability, and Recidivism
Authors: Liu Lin
Published: November 2024

This study went beyond the parent-child relationship and estimated justice-involved youths’ social bonds with mentors, teachers, facility staff, and peers during incarceration. Furthermore, rather than testing the widely found link between social bonds and recidivism, the study examined the factors that enabled youths to develop bonds during incarceration. Based on four waves of data of confined youth, the author used structural equation modeling and bootstrapping to examine how communication skills enabled the cultivation of social bonds and thus indirectly inhibited recidivism. Findings revealed that better communication skills were associated with a lower likelihood of recidivism. This crime-inhibitory effect was completely mediated by the prosocial bonds youths developed during incarceration. This study added to the literature by identifying the factors that explained one’s capacity to build social bonds. Implications for intervention programming were also discussed.
Numerical model of curved composite tiles under low-velocity impact loading
Authors: Akbarieh Shiva Rezaei , Ma Dayou , Sbarufatti Claudio , Manes Andrea
Published: November 2024

In recent years, composite structures have seen widespread application across diverse industries, including automotive and aerospace, owing to their favourable strength-to-weight ratio. However, these structures, particularly high-pressure vessels, are susceptible to extreme loadings such as impact forces, resulting in visible and latent damage, ultimately leading to catastrophic failures. Hence, it is imperative to assess such damages diligently. Given the cost implications associated with experimental investigations, numerical methodologies emerge as a potent means for conducting relevant analyses. This paper will introduce a numerical model approach to conducting virtual tests to assess curved carbon fibre composite tiles subjected to low-velocity impact. The primary focus of this study is to consider the impact-induced delamination on composite tiles through a numerical model. The composite tiles are conducted to 90J impact loading. Specifically, the study evaluates filament winding structures’ interface properties (shear resistance) variability during manufacturing. Notably, the parameter of shear resistance significantly impacts the anticipation of intralaminar damage (delamination) after impact loading. Three-point bending tests were performed to calibrate the composite material’s shear interface properties, followed by low-velocity impact tests on the curved composite tiles. The findings indicate that the shear resistance values, which ranged from 14.25 MPa to 60 MPa, play a critical role in predicting delamination, with lower shear resistance leading to increased damage areas. The results underscore the importance of accurately calibrating interface properties to enhance the predictive accuracy of numerical models for curved composite structures under impact loading.
Applying the Risk–Need–Responsivity (RNR) Model to Transgender Women in the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Yerke Adam F. , Rilen Sebastian
Published: November 2024

Transgender women are at least twice as likely as cisgender people to be incarcerated in their lifetimes, and, in custody, they experience harassment, abuse, and denial of affirming healthcare. Despite several legal and policy changes intended to improve these conditions, there has been little discussion about the need for evidence-based rehabilitation with the population. This article examines the use of the risk–need–responsivity (RNR) model with transgender women in the criminal justice system and discusses how it can be beneficial for tailoring rehabilitation services to address the unique needs of the population, thereby improving opportunities for successful community reintegration.
Black Girls Seeing Urban Schools: Visual, Affective, and Discursive (Re)Conceptualizations of Safety
Authors: Porterfield Laura Krystal
Published: November 2024

Joining the chorus of Black/Critical Race Feminist scholarship in education, this article explores how both affect and visuality inform understandings of safety for Black girls in schools. Using participatory visual ethnography, I explore how five young Black women at a Philadelphia magnet school conceptualize safety as an affective achievement of visionary school design. I argue that any attempt to address safety for Black girls in urban schools must include attention to the visual school culture and the affective dimensions of the school environment to fully account for the ways these dimensions counter or enable further physical, emotional, or spiritual harm.
A decolonial approach to ecological distribution conflicts and the Maya Train in Mexico
Authors: López-Barreto Mauricio Feliciano , Reyes-García Casandra , Espadas-Manrique Celene , Cach-Pérez Manuel Jesús , Caballero-Vázquez José Adán , Hernández-Zepeda Cecilia , Juárez Lilian , Esparza-Olguín Ligia Guadalupe
Published: November 2024

A neoliberal development model, frequently at odds with the values of the local Mayan biocultural heritage, has historically prompted the conversion of forests and small-scale agricultural land, mainly in the Yucatan Peninsula. This study analyzes ethnographic data collected in two localities in the peninsula that will be impacted by the Maya Train. Preliminary results based mainly on conducted interviews revealed perceptions regarding daily interactions with the local habitat, the effects of public policy initiatives in the communities, and resistance strategies in response to perceived threats surrounding the project. Through a decolonial lens, the study contributes to understanding how social movements impact policies in the face of the environmental and social pacts of neoliberal development projects, while advancing towards a more ontologically diverse political representation.
Alluring or Alarming? The Polarizing Effect of Forbidden Knowledge in Political Discourse
Authors: Parker V.A. , Kehoe E. , Lees J. , Facciani M. , Wilson A.E.
Published: November 2024

“Forbidden knowledge” claims are central to conspiracy theories, yet they have received little systematic study. Forbidden knowledge claims imply that information is censored or suppressed. Theoretically, forbidden knowledge could be alluring or alarming, depending on alignment with recipients’ political worldviews. In three studies ( N = 2363, two preregistered), we examined censorship claims about (conservative-aligned) controversial COVID-19 topics. In Studies 1a and 2 participants read COVID-19 claims framed as censored or not. Conservatives reported more attraction to and belief in the claims, regardless of censorship condition, while liberals showed decreased interest and belief when information was presented as censored. Study 1b revealed divergent interpretations of suppression motives: liberals assumed censored information was harmful or false, whereas conservatives deemed it valuable and true. In Study 2, conservatives made more critical thinking errors in a vaccine risk reasoning task when information was framed as censored. Findings reveal the polarizing effects of forbidden knowledge frames.
Preservice music educators’ perceived self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities following special education coursework: A comparative mixed-methods study
Authors: Grimsby Rachel
Published: November 2024

Preservice music educators’ (PMEs) experiences teaching students with disabilities (SwD) often occurs through general education coursework. Researchers have examined the effect of content-specific course work on PMEs preparation to teach music to SwD but have not examined if differences in course and clinical settings impact their self-reported feelings of self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine whether differences in the delivery (online or in-person) of music-specific coursework and clinicals affected PMEs confidence to teach music to SwD. Students who participated in an online course reported a significant decrease in their self-efficacy ( t (17) = 3.57, p = .002, d = 0.89), while those who participated in an in-person course reported a significant increase ( t (10) = 7.116, p = .001, d = 2.15). Although no statistical significance was found between groups ( t (28) = 0.976, p = .33, d = 0.36), a comparative analysis of interview data provided nuanced differences. Applications for preservice music educator needs and instruction are discussed.
What Supports and Barriers Influence Early Intervention Providers’ Practices? A Qualitative Study
Authors: Williams Crystal S. , Hardy Jessica K. , Sawyer Grace E. , Light-Shriner Cheryl
Published: November 2024

Early intervention providers (EI) have a responsibility to enact recommended practices to best support young children with disabilities and their families. However, pre-service and in-service preparation of early intervention providers is complex and often lacking, leading to gaps in practice. In this qualitative study, we aimed to understand what supports and barriers EI providers experience that they believe influence their practices. Overall, we developed four themes that represent the data: (1) systemic barriers, (2) collaboration as a support and barrier, (3) key experiences as supports, and (4) the need for meaningful professional development. Implications include the need for policies that address financial concerns and collaborative teaming, as well as personnel development focused on effective teaming and responding to diverse family needs.