Beware the ‘Monological Imperatives’: Scholarly Writing for the Reader

This article describes principles of effective academic writing - offered not as edicts, but as guidelines - for legal scholars in particular. The overall focus is style, but the discussion begins with observations of format. These are followed by a few stylistic principles that govern clear and effective writing. None of these principles is a revelation to the student of method or to the accomplished writer. But for the academic writer less focused on or less familiar with such principles, being aware of and practicing them can clear the fog from syntax, illuminate the writer\u27s thesis and its development, and help keep the reader\u27s eye on the text. This last objective should be the writer\u27s first: to anticipate the reader\u27s understanding and responses and to know what piques and what holds the reader\u27s interest

Hawking Hyphens in Compound Modifiers

The first principle of legal writing is surely its clarity — visible actors (unless the action matters more), uncluttered syntax, and, of course, logical structure. But the little things can matter to clarity, too — such as deliberate punctuation that signifies. In the language of law, in which compound nouns are rife, the reader can feel adrift as to where modifiers end and the noun begins. (Consider government-subsidized health flexible-spending arrangement without those hyphens.) Hyphens help. Whether an author cares to hyphenate the noun is his call; but hyphenating compound modifiers (also called phrasal adjectives, though they may include adverbs — more-abundant paperclips) follows a logic that is worth learning. This essay describes that logic. But its pitch is that legal writing, of all writing disciplines, should practice a deliberate, consistent use of such hyphens, rather than the more-relaxed practice readers see in less-formal writing (whose effects, of course, are usually also less consequential)

Administrative Process Reform in a Discretionary Age: The Role of Social Consequences

The basic rulemaking procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act have remained intact for thirty-eight years, but now Congress is seriously considering reform of those generic rules. To evaluate the merits of these reform proposals, we must develop criteria against which to judge them. Although procedural reforms are commonly judged against the goals of fairness, accuracy, and procedural efficiency, Professors Schroeder and Magat argue that these are insufficient criteria to apply to administrative process reforms at a time when agencies possess substantial discretion in the rulemaking process. In such a context, procedures have an impact on society in ways not adequately evaluated by the traditional criteria. Discretion means that agencies may choose from a set of possible rules, none of which has been foreclosed by the enabling legislation of the agency. Procedures influence which choices the agency makes and, because these choices alter the regulations and restrictions under which society operates, they affect the social consequences of regulation. This article describes a model of participant behavior necessary to trace the effects of procedures on the social consequences of regulation, articulates a set of criteria to evaluate these social consequences, and then analyzes two frequently proposed generic reforms to the APA: mandatory regulatory impact analysis and oversight by the Office of Management and Budget

La chloritisation supergène zincifère des phlogopites de Canoas (PR, Brésil)

Dans l'altération superficielle de la mine de Pb-Zn-Ba de Canoas, les chlorites apparaissent en pseudomorphose des phlogopites avec un faciès et une composition tout à fait particuliers et sont très fortement zincifères (de 15 à 20% ZnO). Cette chlorite se substitue aux phlogopites du gisement. La chloritisation supergène est transitoire, avec une altération de la chlorite en smithsonite. La chlorite zincifère, (Zn3,48Mg5,11Fe3,71Al0,48Ti0,08)(Si5,67Al2,33)O26(OH)16, est de genèse et de compostion différentes de celles de la baileychlore. (Résumé d'auteur

Consumer Product Safety Regulation in the United States and the United Kingdom: The Case of Bicycles

We study the effects of bicycle safety regulations in both the United States and the United Kingdom on bicycle accident rates for various population age groups. We find small, statistically significant decreases in the accident rates as the stock of bicycles increases its compliance with the regulations. This result is independent of country, season, and trend effects and holds across a range of age groups. The results run counter to those in similar studies. This appears to reflect our focus on a specific standard, rather than on broad enabling legislation, and the longer time series available.

Endogenous IL-33 and Its Autoamplification of IL-33/ST2 Pathway Play an Important Role in Asthma.

IL-33 and its receptor ST2 are contributing factors to airway inflammation and asthma exacerbation. The IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway is involved in both the onset and the acute exacerbations of asthma. In this study, we address the role of endogenous IL-33 and its autoamplification of the IL-33/ST2 pathway in Ag-dependent and Ag-independent asthma-like models. Wild-type, IL-33 knockout, ST2 knockout mice were either intratracheally administrated with 500 ng of rIL-33 per day for four consecutive days or were sensitized and challenged with OVA over 21 d. In wild-type mice, IL-33 or OVA induced similar airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic airway inflammation. IL-33 induced its own mRNA and ST2L mRNA expression in the lung. IL-33 autoamplified itself and ST2 protein expression in airway epithelial cells. OVA also induced IL-33 and ST2 protein expression. In IL-33 knockout mice, the IL-33- and OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic airway inflammation were both significantly attenuated, whereas IL-33-induced ST2L mRNA expression was preserved, although no autoamplification of IL-33/ST2 pathway was observed. In ST2 knockout mice, IL-33 and OVA induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic airway inflammation were both completely diminished, and no IL-33/ST2 autoamplification was observed. These results suggest that endogenous IL-33 and its autoamplification of IL-33/ST2 pathway play an important role in the induction of asthma-like phenotype. Thus an intact IL-33/ST2 pathway is necessary for both Ag-dependent and Ag-independent asthma-like mouse models

Jarosita e plumbojarosita nos gossans do distrito mineiro de Canoas (PR)

Jarosites and plumbojarosites in gossans related to Pb-Zn mineralization in the Canoas District are described. They are always associated with goethite and in minor extent with hematite. Some crystals show zoning with a core of jarosite and a rim of plumjarosite. Others are rather homogeneous with intermediate composition. In the general formula AB3(SO4)2(OH)6, A sites are occupied by K and Pb and B sites by Fe, Al and Zn. A and B sites are often incompletely filled. A sites generally show excess of charge. B sites show deficiency. Jarosites and plumbojarosites are secondary minerals formed by sulfur, iron and lead derived from the weathering of sulphides, and potassium from the gangue mineral orthoclase. The jarosite-goethite association in gossans percolated by meteoric waters is thermodynamically unstable. It persists due to the sluggishness of the transformation of the jarosite into goethite. Thus, the Canoas jarosites are transitory Pb bearing phases. In the mature gossans Pb is associated only with the oxyhydroxides. (Résumé d'auteur

Phosphates du Protérozoïque supérieur dans la chaîne des Dahomeyides (circa 600 Ma) de la région de Bassar (Nord-Togo, Afrique de l'Ouest)

Les phosphates de Bassar (nord du Togo) sont situés dans la partie tectonisée de la couverture du craton ouest-africain, et plus précisément dans les schistes de l'unité structurale de l'Atacora de la chaîne des Dahomeyides. Les roches phosphatées se présentent comme des intercalations d'épaisseur variables (< 30 m). Elles sont généralement constituées de pellets d'apatite plus ou moins pure et recristallisée enrobés dans une matrice essentiellement phosphatée. Ce gisement s'ajoute notamment aux indices d'Aloub Djouana et de Pagala et démontre ainsi une extension fort intéressante des phosphates précambriens dans les unités tectonisées au front des Dahomeyide