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Rethinking Behavioral Reassignment in School Systems: A Restorative Model for Holistic Intervention
No full textGrowing evidence over the last few decades has highlighted that punitive approaches in schools perpetuate violence, furthering inequities, deepening issues of safety, and negatively impacting young people’s development. These impacts are particularly felt in under-resourced urban schools situated in contexts of community violence. Partially, in response, an increasing number of schools and school districts are engaging in restorative practices. This trauma-informed, strengths-based framework focuses on relationships, healing, and accountability. This article contributes to the growing literature on the potential of restorative justice to promote equity in urban schools and educational systems by outlining the development and model of a restorative alternative to the behavioral reassignment schools’ model that has been used in Milwaukee Public Schools. We describe how this initiative, the Milwaukee Public Schools Success Center (SC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, employs a restorative framework to intervene with highrisk students with holistic, supportive, and healing-centered strategies. The model focuses on addressing student needs to move beyond pathologizing “at-risk” youth in urban contexts and truly support their thriving. In the article, we detail the background and conceptualization of the SC, examine how the tenets of restorative philosophy are infused throughout the SC, and illustrate key elements with examples. We situate the SC within the broader literature on ecological systems, development, and peacebuilding. This foundation is operationalized concretely through three main goals across socioecological levels: student empowerment and psychosocial well-being (individual-level), relationship building (interpersonal- and communal-level), and addressing racial gaps and inequities in education (systemic-level). Each of these levels draws on research and theory about building cultures of peace through schools as part of an ecological systems approach. The goals are intentionally not centered on behavior change; instead, they situate behaviors and attitudes that are often seen as problematic within social–emotional dynamics across levels, applying an ecological perspective on risk and resilience for urban students. The article ends with lessons learned that may be applicable in other settings, as well as our next steps in the process of evaluating the efficacy of this initiative. We present this model not as one to be copied directly to other settings but rather to be reimagined within the particular social, cultural, and local ecological contexts to effectively address trauma, distrust, and broken relationships that sustain inequities and cultural and structural violence in urban educational systems. Furthermore, the SC integrates repair and restoration with trauma-informed work to address the psychosocial needs of the urban students and families served in Milwaukee. To this end, it offers an extension for thinking about the role of trauma-informed practices at the intersection of development, peacebuilding, schools, and community violence. The SC and its restorative approach can offer a general framework for policymakers and educators who are interested in a more holistic and therapeutic approach to addressing individuals who are often termed “troubled” or “high-risk” students
Axicons for Improved Resolution and Depth of Focus in Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscopy
No full textAdaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopes are instrumental for studying the eye, yet they use truncated Gaussian illumination and are limited by diffraction, restricting resolution and depth of focus (DOF). Non-diffractive Bessel beams have emerged as an alternative. Here, we use two axicons configured as: (1) an extended DOF beam for resolving multiple retinal layers; and (2) an annular beam for increasing lateral resolution. We compare both approaches to truncated Gaussian illumination using a variety of metrics. Using Configuration 1, we successfully observed multiple retinal layers simultaneously. Using Configuration 2, we observed enhanced lateral resolution but decreased signal-to-noise ratio
Mixing-Controlled Combustion of Ethanol Enabled by Prechamber Ignition (PC-MCC): A Preliminary Experimental Demonstration
No full textThis numerical study focuses on assessing the key design parameters of interest for use of an active prechamber igniter as an ignition assistance device to enable mixing-controlled combustion (MCC) of ethanol (E100) in a heavy-duty Caterpillar C9.3B engine. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of a baseline diesel and prechamber retrofitted C9.3B at a gross indicated mean effective pressure (IMEPg) of 5 bar and 1800 rpm are carried out using CONVERGE. In particular, the sizing of the prechamber volume, sizing of total orifice cross sectional area (orifice diameter), and location of the prechamber relative to a centrally mounted common rail direct injector are varied to discern the appropriate operational and design characteristics to achieve robust ignition assistance at the selected conditions. Simulation results indicate that use of an active prechamber igniter with E100 as a standalone fuel source can replicate ignition delays and thermal efficiencies similar to diesel combustion at the same engine boundary conditions, thus not requiring any changes to the engine’s air handling system. Igniter mounting location, orifice sizing, and jet targeting were found to have the strongest influence on ignition assistance with preference toward larger orifice diameters that appropriately located heating contributions in near vicinity to the direct injector
Quality of Life Outcomes Following Total Temporomandibular Joint Replacement: A Systematic Review of Long-Term Efficacy, Functional Improvements, and Complication Rates Across Prosthesis Types
No full textIntroduction:
Total temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJR) is a well-established surgical solution for patients with severe TMJ disorders. It aims to relieve chronic pain, restore jaw mobility, and significantly enhance quality of life. This systematic review evaluates QoL outcomes following TMJR, analyzes complication profiles, compares custom versus stock prostheses, explores pediatric applications, and highlights technological innovations shaping the future of TMJ reconstruction.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted throughout April 2025 in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Sixty-four studies were included, comprising 2387 patients. Results: Primary outcomes assessed were QoL improvement, pain reduction, and functional gains such as maximum interincisal opening (MIO). Secondary outcomes included complication rates and technological integration. TMJR consistently led to significant pain reduction (75–87%), average MIO increases of 26–36 mm, and measurable QoL improvements across physical, social, and psychological domains. Custom prostheses were particularly beneficial in anatomically complex or revision cases, while stock devices generally performed well for standard anatomical conditions. Pediatric TMJR demonstrated functional and airway benefits with no clear evidence of growth inhibition over short- to medium-term follow-up. Complications such as heterotopic ossification (~20%, reduced to \u3c 5% with fat grafting), infection (3–4.9%), and chronic postoperative pain (~20–30%) were reported but were largely preventable or manageable. Recent advancements, including CAD/CAM planning, 3D-printed prostheses, augmented-reality-assisted surgery, and biofilm-resistant materials, are enhancing personalization, precision, and implant longevity. Conclusions: TMJR is a safe and transformative treatment that consistently improves QoL in patients with end-stage TMJ disease. Future directions include long-term registry tracking, growth-accommodating prosthesis design, and biologically integrated smart implants
Data-Driven Approach to Dynamic Resting State Functional Connectivity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An ENIGMA-PGC PTSD Study
No full textUsing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with aberrations in brain networks in the absence of a given cognitive demand or task, called resting-state networks. Prior work has focused on disruption in the static functional connectivity (FC) among specific regions constrained by a priori hypotheses. However, dynamic FC, an approach that examines brain network characteristics over time, may provide a more sensitive measure to understand the network properties underlying dysfunction in PTSD. Further, using a data-driven analytic approach may reveal the contribution of other larger network disturbances beyond those revealed by hypothesis-driven examinations of ROIs or canonical networks. Therefore, the current study used group independent components analysis (ICA) and graph theory principles to identify, characterize, and subsequently compare brain network dynamics and recurrent connectivity states in a large sample of trauma exposed individuals (N = 1035) with and without PTSD from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD workgroup. Neither static FC nor dynamic FC results showed robust differences between groups. There were also no group differences in dwell time or number of transitions of recurrent connectivity states. This multi-cohort sample with heterogenous trauma types and demographic features offers a significantly larger scale approach than prior literature with smaller homogenous trauma cohorts. Heterogeneity of PTSD, especially within diffuse brain networks, may not be captured by evaluating only diagnostic groups, further work should be done to evaluate brain network dynamics with respect to specific symptom profiles and trauma types
Eighteenth-Century British Law and Literature: A Survey of the Field
No full textThis essay offers a survey of scholarship on eighteenth-century British law and literature, highlighting developments and debates in the field over the past 50 years. The essay begins with a discussion of work on the interplay between the legal and the literary professions, including literary representations of lawyers and legal processes, the uses of narrative and rhetoric in law, and the legal regulation of authorship. The essay then turns to work on literary engagements with legal developments in four areas: property and contract; marriage, family, and sexuality; crime and punishment; and slavery, empire, and human rights. The essay concludes with reflections and suggestions for new work in the field. The essay ultimately seeks to demonstrate the mutual entanglements of law and literature in the long eighteenth century as well as the contributions of eighteenth-century studies to the law-and-literature enterprise
Physics Informed Neural Networks for Electrical Impedance Tomography
No full textElectrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is an imaging modality used to reconstruct the internal conductivity distribution of a domain via boundary voltage measurements. In this paper, we present a novel EIT approach for integrated sensing of composite structures utilizing Physics Informed Neural Networks (PINNs). Unlike traditional data-driven only models, PINNs incorporate underlying physical principles governing EIT directly into the learning process, enabling precise and rapid reconstructions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of PINNs with a variety of physical constraints for integrated sensing. The proposed approach has potential to enhance material characterization and condition monitoring, offering a robust alternative to classical EIT approaches
An Injectable, Dual-Curing Hydrogel for Controlled Bioactive Release in Regenerative Endodontics
No full textRegenerative endodontics seeks to restore the vascularized pulp–dentin complex following conventional root canal therapy, yet reliable neovascularization within the constrained root canal remains a key challenge. This study investigates the development of an injectable, dual-curing hydrogel based on methacrylated decellularized amniotic membrane (dAM-MA) and compares its performance to a conventional gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). The dAM-MA platform was designed for biphasic release, incorporating both free vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for an initial burst and matrix-metalloproteinase-cleavable VEGF conjugates for sustained delivery. The dAM-MA hydrogel achieved shape-fidelity via thermal gelation at 37 °C and possessed tunable stiffness (0.5–7.8 kPa) after visible-light irradiation. While showing high cytocompatibility comparable to GelMA (\u3e125% hDPSC viability), the dAM-MA platform markedly outperformed the control in promoting endothelial tube formation (up to 800 µm total length; 42 branch points at 96 h). The biphasic VEGF release from dAM-MA matched physiological injury kinetics, driving both early chemotaxis and late vessel maturation. These results demonstrate that dAM-MA hydrogels combine native extracellular matrix complexity with practical, dual-curing injectability and programmable VEGF kinetics, offering a promising scaffold for minimally invasive pulp–dentin regeneration
Changing Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Intervention: Focus Group Perspectives
No full textBackground: Many survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) remain unconnected to professional help. Screenings in health settings may improve connections to support services.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gather data to help inform an IPV screening intervention in an obstetrics/gynecology health clinic.
Methods: A qualitative analysis was employed using a summative content analysis approach of the transcripts of 2 focus groups consisting of health care providers, advocates, and survivors of IPV.
Results: Four thematic categories and additional subcategories emerged from the analysis, including (1) current process (what is done); (2) need (what is not done); (3) concerns (roadblocks); and (4) suggestions (next steps).
Conclusions: Information obtained from this analysis was used to inform our intervention. Specifically, all clinic providers and staff received training on IPV, screening for IPV was done on all patients using an IPV screening tool, and patients were privately screened.
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Towards Relationship: A Trinitarian Model in Defense of Human Embryo Adoption
No full textIn the 1987 document, Donum vitae, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) addressed bioethical questions on new reproductive technologies, including fate of “spare” embryos from in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The CDF concluded that these embryos were subject to an “absurd fate” with “no licit means” of resolution. In a follow-up document in 2008, Dignitas personae, the CDF addressed the question of “spare” embryos again, with the possibility of “prenatal adoption”, whereby genetically unrelated parents adopt embryos to gestate, birth, and raise them as their own. While deemed praiseworthy, the CDF determined that embryo adoption suffers from problems relating to the rights and goods of marriage. This juxtaposition, of right to life versus rights of spouses, set the stage for the present debate on embryo adoption. No solution has been reached with these opposing sets of rights. This project charts a new course in discussing embryo adoption. Rather than relying on the rights-based arguments that have dominated Catholic debates, this work recenters the argument on theological anthropology, thereby introducing a relationship-based argument in favor of embryo adoption. This work takes as its central argument that because human persons are made in the image and likeness of a triune God—a God who is relationship—we are called to imitate this relational God in our relationships, including embryos. This relational model considers love as the missing component in the debates on embryo adoption. The trinitarian argument proposed in this work is based on the theology of Bernard Lonergan, as furthered by Robert M. Doran. The work concludes that trinitarian love, as expressed in graced human love, is the necessary addition to the debate on embryo adoption. The four-point hypothesis of the Trinity is the foundational trinitarian theology. Touching on a theological theory of history, a study of theological anthropology, and a theology of grace, this trinitarian theology provides a framework for healing in history. This healing includes addressing all situations of injustice, including “spare” embryos. This work therefore applies Lonergan’s theology, furthering Lonergan studies, but also moves the conversation forward on embryo adoption