Empirical legal analysis simplified: reducing complexity through automatic identification and evaluation of legally relevant factors.

This paper investigates the potential for reducing the complexity of AI and Law and empirical legal studies projects through a novel annotation methodology that relies on GPT Family Models to assist human annotators. Improving the speed, cost and quality of annotation could greatly benefit such projects. In modelling types of legal claims, researchers in the fields of empirical legal studies and AI and Law have long relied on manually annotating factors in case texts.

The unreasonable effectiveness of large language models in zero-shot semantic annotation of legal texts.

The emergence of ChatGPT has sensitized the general public, including the legal profession, to large language models' (LLMs) potential uses (e.g., document drafting, question answering, and summarization).

Factors related to retention in a longitudinal study of infants at familial risk for autism.

Background: Reporting retention data is critical to determining the soundness of a study's conclusions (internal validity) and broader generalizability (external validity). Although selective attrition can lead to overestimates of effects, biased conclusions, or overly expansive generalizations, retention rates are not reported in many longitudinal studies.

Methods: We examined multiple child- and family-level factors potentially associated with retention in a longitudinal study of younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD;  = 304) or typical development ( = 163).

FAIR4Health: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable data to foster Health Research.

Due to the nature of health data, its sharing and reuse for research are limited by ethical, legal and technical barriers. The FAIR4Health project facilitated and promoted the application of FAIR principles in health research data, derived from the publicly funded health research initiatives to make them Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). To confirm the feasibility of the FAIR4Health solution, we performed two pathfinder case studies to carry out federated machine learning algorithms on FAIRified datasets from five health research organizations.

Onset, Trajectory, and Pattern of Feeding Difficulties in Toddlers Later Diagnosed with Autism.

Objective: To examine the emergence and trajectory of feeding difficulties in young children who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: The Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS) was administered to a sample of 93 toddlers with an older sibling with ASD-the high-risk group-and 62 toddlers with no known familial ASD-the low-risk group-as part of a larger infant sibling study. The BPFAS was completed by parents at 15, 18, 24, and 36 months of age.

Comparison of Microwave-Assisted Digestion and Consensus Open-Vessel Digestion Procedures for Evaluation of Metalliferous Airborne Particulate Matter.

Metal occupational exposure limits mainly focus on total content of the respective metals of interest. The methods applied for trace metal analysis in occupational health and safety laboratories are usually standardized to pragmatic consensus digestion schemes, ensuring comparability of results. The objective of the present study entailed the evaluation of a recently developed HNO3-only microwave-assisted digestion procedure by comparison with the German consensus hot-block digestion and other national digestion schemes.

Evaluation of a 25-mm disposable sampler relative to the inhalable aerosol convention.

An ideal inhalable aerosol sampler for occupational exposure monitoring would have a sampling efficiency that perfectly matches the inhalable particulate matter (IPM) criterion. Two common aerosol samplers in use worldwide are the closed-face cassette (CFC) and the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler. However, the CFC is known to under-sample, with near zero sampling efficiency for particles >30 µm, whereas the IOM, considered by many to be the "gold standard" in inhalable samplers, has been shown to over-sample particles >60 µm.

Analysis of Crystalline Silica Aerosol Using Portable Raman Spectrometry: Feasibility of Near Real-Time Measurement.

A Raman spectroscopy based method has been developed for measurement of trace airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) using various aerosol sampling and analysis techniques. Three aerosol microconcentration techniques were investigated for effective coupling of collected particulate samples with micro-Raman spectroscopy: (i) direct analysis on a particulate filter after focused aerosol collection using a converging nozzle; (ii) analysis of dried particulate deposit on a filter obtained directly from the aerosol phase using the Spotsampler device; and (iii) analysis of a dried spot (∼1-3 mm diameter) obtained by redepositing the particulate sample, after low-temperature plasma ashing of the filter sample. The deposition characteristics (i.

Measurement of Crystalline Silica Aerosol Using Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Infrared Spectroscopy.

Inhalation exposure to airborne respirable crystalline silica (RCS) poses major health risks in many industrial environments. There is a need for new sensitive instruments and methods for in-field or near real-time measurement of crystalline silica aerosol. The objective of this study was to develop an approach, using quantum cascade laser (QCL)-based infrared spectroscopy (IR), to quantify airborne concentrations of RCS.

Optical molecular fluorescence determination of ultra-trace beryllium in occupational and environmental samples using highly alkaline conditions.

Exposures to beryllium (Be), even at extremely low levels, can cause severe health effects in a percentage of those exposed; consequently, occupational exposure limits (OELs) promulgated for this element are the lowest established for any element. This work describes the advantages of using highly alkaline dye solutions for determination of Be in occupational hygiene and environmental samples by means of an optical molecular fluorescence technique after sample extraction in 1-3% (w˖w) aqueous ammonium bifluoride (NHHF). Improved attributes include the ability to further enhance the detection limits of Be in extraction solutions of high acidity with minimal dilution, which is particularly beneficial when NHHF solutions of higher concentration are used for extraction of Be from soil samples.

Exploring Manganese Fractionation Using a Sequential Extraction Method to Evaluate Welders' Gas Metal Arc Welding Exposures during Heavy Equipment Manufacturing.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted an occupational exposure assessment study of manganese (Mn) in welding fume at three factories where heavy equipment was manufactured. The objective of this study was to evaluate exposures to different Mn fractions using a sequential extraction procedure. One hundred nine worker-days were monitored for either total or respirable Mn during gas metal arc welding.

Gravimetric Analysis of Particulate Matter using Air Samplers Housing Internal Filtration Capsules.

An evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal capsules, housed within air sampling devices, for gravimetric analysis of airborne particles collected in workplaces. Experiments were carried out using blank PVC capsules and PVC capsules spiked with 0,1 - 4 mg of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material (NIST SRM) 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) and Arizona Road Dust (Air Cleaner Test Dust). The capsules were housed within plastic closed-face cassette samplers (CFCs).

Manganese speciation of laboratory-generated welding fumes.

The objective of this laboratory study was to identify and measure manganese (Mn) fractions in chamber-generated welding fumes (WF) and to evaluate and compare the results from a sequential extraction procedure for Mn fractions with that of an acid digestion procedure for measurement of total, elemental Mn. To prepare Mn-containing particulate matter from representative welding processes, a welding system was operated in short circuit gas metal arc welding (GMAW) mode using both stainless steel (SS) and mild carbon steel (MCS) and also with flux cored arc welding (FCAW) and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) using MCS. Generated WF samples were collected onto polycarbonate filters before homogenization, weighing and storage in scintillation vials.

5 Edition and Harmonization of Occupational Exposure Monitoring.

The (NMAM: www.cdc.gov/niosh/nmam) is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air (or surfaces) and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed.

Interlaboratory evaluation of cellulosic acid-soluble internal air sampling capsules for multi-element analysis.

An interlaboratory study was carried out to evaluate the use of acid-soluble cellulosic air sampling capsules for their suitability in the measurement of trace elements in workplace atmospheric samples. These capsules are used as inserts to perform closed-face cassette sample collection for occupational exposure monitoring. The interlaboratory study was performed in accordance with NIOSH guidelines that describe statistical procedures for evaluating measurement accuracy of air monitoring methods.

Manganese Fractionation Using a Sequential Extraction Method to Evaluate Welders' Shielded Metal Arc Welding Exposures During Construction Projects in Oil Refineries.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has conducted an occupational exposure assessment study of manganese (Mn) in welding fume of construction workers rebuilding tanks, piping, and process equipment at two oil refineries. The objective of this study was to evaluate exposures to different Mn fractions using a sequential extraction procedure. Seventy-two worker-days were monitored for either total or respirable Mn during stick welding and associated activities both within and outside of confined spaces.

Validity and reliability of an instrument for assessing case analyses in bioengineering ethics education.

Assessment in ethics education faces a challenge. From the perspectives of teachers, students, and third-party evaluators like the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the National Institutes of Health, assessment of student performance is essential. Because of the complexity of ethical case analysis, however, it is difficult to formulate assessment criteria, and to recognize when students fulfill them.

Acid-soluble internal capsules for closed-face cassette elemental sampling and analysis of workplace air.

Airborne particles that are collected using closed-face filter cassettes (CFCs), which are used widely in the sampling of workplace aerosols, can deposit in places other than on the filter and thereby may not be included in the ensuing analysis. A technique for ensuring that internal non-filter deposits are included in the analysis is to collect airborne particles within an acid-soluble internal capsule that, following sampling, can be dissolved along with the filter for subsequent elemental analysis. An interlaboratory study (ILS) was carried out to evaluate the use of cellulosic CFC capsule inserts for their suitability in the determination of trace elements in airborne samples.