The Uncopyrightability of Jokes

A joke consists of a setup, a premise, and a punch line. It is likely that jokes can be copyrighted under existing laws. However, several facts leave comedians to protect themselves by private means. First, the registration fee for copyright precludes most comedians from registering their jokes. More importantly, this article suggests, the scenes a faire doctrine may prevent comedians from effectively protecting the most important part of jokes the punch line. To make the law more clear, the author recommends a simple addition of jokes to the enumerated list of protected material in the Copyright Acts. Although this change would not resolve all issues, including the relationship of jokes to the scenes a faire doctrine, it would provide a clearer framework for judges to settle such peripheral issues

Model based analysis of fMRI-data: Applying the sSoTS framework to the neural basic of preview search.

The current work aims to unveil the neural circuits under- lying visual search over time and space by using a model-based analysis of behavioural and fMRI data. It has been suggested by Watson and Humphreys [31] that the prioritization of new stimuli presented in our visual field can be helped by the active ignoring of old items, a process they termed visual marking. Studies using fMRI link the marking pro- cess with activation in superior parietal areas and the precuneus [4, 18, 27, 26]. Marking has been simulated previously using a neural-level ac- count of search, the spiking Search over Time and Space (sSoTS) model, which incorporates inhibitory as well as excitatory mechanisms to guide visual selection. Here we used sSoTS to help decompose the fMRI signals found in a preview search procedure, when participants search for a new target whilst ignoring old distractors. The time course of activity linked to inhibitory and excitatory processes in the model was used as a regres- sor for the fMRI data. The results showed that different neural networks were correlated with top-down excitation and top-down inhibition in the model, enabling us to fractionate brain regions previously linked to vi- sual marking. We discuss the contribution of model-based analysis for decomposing fMRI data

Ornamental plants: annual reports and research reviews

Ohio State University Extension Nursery, Landscape, and Turf Team Directory: 1998 / Jack Kerrigan -- Floriculture Industry Roundtable of Ohio: 1998 / Charles Behnke -- Ohio State University Extension Buckeye Yard and Garden Line / James A. Chatfield, Pamela J. Bennett, Joseph F. Boggs, Gary Y. Gao, Jane C. Martin, David J. Shetlar and Randall H. Zondag -- Environmental and cultural problems of ornamental plants in Ohio: 1997 / Pamela J. Bennett and Jane C. Martin -- Insect and mite activity noted in Ohio nurseries and landscapes: 1997 / Joseph F. Boggs, David J. Shetlar, Jane C. Martin, Pamela J. Bennett, James A. Chatfield, Gary Y. Gao and Chris Carlson -- Summary of ornamental diseases in Ohio: 1997 / James A. Chatfield, Nancy J. Taylor, Stephen N. Nameth, Chris Carlson, Joseph F. Boggs, Jane C. Martin, Dan Balser and David Madison -- Weed problems in Ohio landscapes and nurseries: 1997 / Gary Y. Gao, Joseph F. Boggs, Pamela J. Bennett, Jane C. Martin, Mary Ann Rose, Joseph W. Rimelspach, Randall H. Zondag and William E. Pound -- Wildlife problems in Ohio landscapes: 1997 / Gary Y. Gao, Joseph F. Boggs, Jane C. Martin, Charles T. Behnke and James A. Chatfield -- Summary of turf cultural and disease problems in 1997 / Gary Y. Gao, Joseph F. Boggs, Pamela J. Bennett, Jane C. Martin, Joseph W. Rimelspach and James A. Chatfield -- Master Gardeners serve Ohio / Marianne Riofrio -- The greening of Poland's nurseries / Kenneth D. Cochran and Wojtek Grabczewski -- The marketing potential of Ginkgo biloba in the United States / Kenneth D. Cochran -- Composts in the Landscape: Effects on Soil pH and plant growth / Mary Ann Rose and Hao Wang -- How to optimize disease control using composts / Harry A. J. Hoitink, Wei-Zheng Zhang, David Y. Han, Alexandra G. Stone, Matthew S. Krause and Warren A. Dick -- The flowering sequence of ornamental plants as a tool for predicting the phenology of insect pests / Daniel A. Herms -- Reducing maintenance costs may mean selecting plants with the fewest flaws / T. Davis Sydnor-- Comprehensive aesthetic evaluations of crabapples at Secrest Arboretum in Wooster: 1993-1997 / Erik A. Draper, James A. Chatfield, Kenneth D. Cochran, Peter W. Bristol and David E. Allen -- Precision control of microirrigation for container-grown mini-roses / Robert C. Hansen, Ted H. Short, C. C. Pasian and R. Peter Fynn -- Red thread (Laetisaria fuciformis) control study on perennial ryegrass / Joseph W. Rimelspach, Kerry Kline, Karl Danneberger and Michael Boehm-- Red thread (Laetisaria fuciformis) control study on Kentucky bluegrass / Joseph W. Rimelspach, Kerry Kline, Karl Danneberger and Michael Boehm -- Red thread - from novelty to nuisance / Joseph W. Rimelspach -- Chrysanthemum cultivars differ in response to photoperiod when grown under far-red absorbing filters / M. J. McMahon -- Improving fuchsia cutting performance by grafting / D. M. Napier and M. J. McMahon -- Paint/paclobutrazol mix on the inside surface of rooting wedge cells to control poinsettia cutting height / Claudio C. Pasian -- Response of poinsettias to paclobutrazol in paint applications / Claudio C. Pasian and Daniel K. Struve -- Dynamic transpiration of highly stressed container-grown Acer rubrum / Ted H. Short, Ahmet Irvem and Robert C. Hansen -- Effects of temperature on the development of Asiatic Lilies / J. Steininger and C. C. Pasian-- New publications for 1997-199

Estimated Benefits of IBWC Rio Grande Flood-Control Projects in the United States

The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) is responsible for maintaining a series of flood-control projects beginning in New Mexico and extending along the Rio Grande’s international border dividing the United States and Mexico. A review by the USIBWC indicate that, over time, the flood-control capability of the levees has been compromised, possibly to the point where the level of protection is below original-design capacities. Prior to investing federal monies in the rehabilitation of major flood-system infrastructure, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget requires an economic analysis of expected benefits, or losses avoided with implemented protection measures. Recent flood events along the international border, resulting in significant economic damages and loss of human life, emphasized the need for a timely assessment of impacts of potential flood-control failure. Given a short project time line mandated by IBWC and the large geographic extent of the river- and floodway-levee system, innovative methods were developed to conduct a rapid and preliminary economic assessment of the flood-control infrastructure. Estimates for four major project areas relating only to the U.S.-side of the border only (stretching from Caballo Reservoir in New Mexico to the Rio Grande’s mouth, near Brownsville, TX.) comprise the study’s focus. Millions populate the cities and towns along these economic reaches of the Rio Grande where extensive housing, commerce, industry, tourism, and irrigated agricultural production exist. Areas susceptible to flooding, along with land-use, were identified and quantified through high-resolution map imagery. Estimates of representative residential, commercial, and industrial property values and agricultural production values were developed from property assessment records, economic development councils, crop enterprise budgets and cropping patterns, census data, previous U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ flooding studies, etc. Gross economic values of flood-control benefits for a sample of each of the land-use types were determined and extrapolated to similar land-use areas in the flood zone. This analytical method provides a rapidassessment of potential flood-control benefits for a single event for each of the four IBWCdesignated flood-control project areas. An aggregate estimate arrived at by summing the potential benefits across all four project areas assumes avoidance of, or protection against, a simultaneous breach in all areas. Baseline economic benefits for agriculture and developed property along the Rio Grande Canalization project are estimated at $13.7 million (basis FY 2004). Comparable estimates for the Rio Grande Rectification project are$139.1 million, while those for the Presidio Valley Flood Control project amount to $2.9 million. The Lower Rio Grande Flood Control project is estimated to provide$167.2 million in flood-control benefits. Combined, the four project areas provide $322.9 million in flood-control protection benefits in the baseline analysis. When preliminary estimates of$183.0 million in other costs (i.e., emergency, roads, utilities, and vehicles) are added to the baseline estimate, the total floodcontrol protection benefits provided by the four project areas increases to $506.0 million

Neural Circuits Underlying Rodent Sociality: A Comparative Approach

All mammals begin life in social groups, but for some species, social relationships persist and develop throughout the course of an individual’s life. Research in multiple rodent species provides evidence of relatively conserved circuitry underlying social behaviors and processes such as social recognition and memory, social reward, and social approach/avoidance. Species exhibiting different complex social behaviors and social systems (such as social monogamy or familiarity preferences) can be characterized in part by when and how they display specific social behaviors. Prairie and meadow voles are closely related species that exhibit similarly selective peer preferences but different mating systems, aiding direct comparison of the mechanisms underlying affiliative behavior. This chapter draws on research in voles as well as other rodents to explore the mechanisms involved in individual social behavior processes, as well as specific complex social patterns. Contrasts between vole species exemplify how the laboratory study of diverse species improves our understanding of the mechanisms underlying social behavior. We identify several additional rodent species whose interesting social structures and available ecological and behavioral field data make them good candidates for study. New techniques and integration across laboratory and field settings will provide exciting opportunities for future mechanistic work in non-model species

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

The Tension Between Textualism and Substance-Over-Form Doctrines in Tax Law

This article discusses the tension that exists between the recent textualist approach taken in the U.S. Supreme Court and the judicially developed substance-over-form doctrines that pervade tax law. It sets forth Justice Antonin Scalia’s textualist approach, provides an overview of the substance-over-form doctrines, and then analyzes whether the current Supreme Court would uphold a case that overrode the literal text of the Internal Revenue Code on the basis of one of the doctrines. The article concludes that the current Supreme Court would reject any of these doctrines if faced with the issue

An updated analysis of safety climate and downstream outcomes in two convenience samples of U.S. fire departments (FOCUS 1.0 and 2.0 survey waves)

Abstract Background The Fire service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey is an assessment tool comprised of psychometrically validated metrics of safety climate, safety behavior, and downstream outcomes (organizational and injury) that are specific to the U.S. fire and rescue service. Methods This analysis consists of a descriptive summary of two independent survey waves (FOCUS 1.0 and 2.0). The fire departments included in these survey waves were from convenience sampling (n 1.0 = 275; n 2.0 = 170). In addition to department level characteristics, we examined individual level characteristics for firefighters and EMS providers in participating departments (n 1.0 = 22,719; n 2.0 = 16,882). We conducted regression analyses to examine the associations between safety climate and safety behaviors, organizational outcomes, and safety outcomes. All analyses were stratified by organization type (career, volunteer). Results Our analysis indicated that a majority of respondents were males (90.7%FOCUS 1.0; 90.4%FOCUS 2.0), non-officers (68.4%FOCUS 1.0; 66.4%FOCUS 2.0), and non-Hispanic Whites (70.8%FOCUS 1.0; 69.5%FOCUS 2.0). For both samples there was a higher prevalence of injuries among individuals in career departments (n FOCUS 1.0 = 3778 [17.5%]; n FOCUS 2.0 = 3072 [18.7%]) than volunteer departments (n FOCUS 1.0 = 103 [8.8%]; n FOCUS 2.0 = 34 [7.4%]). We observed an approximate 10-point difference between the mean scores of Management Commitment to Safety for career and volunteer departments in both samples. We observed associations for two organizational outcomes, Safety Behavior and Job Satisfaction, with Management Commitment to Safety and Supervisor Support for Safety overall and when stratified by organization type. We observed a decrease in the odds of injuries associated with a one-unit increase in Management Commitment to Safety (OR1.0 overall: 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99; OR2.0 volunteer: 0.90, 95% CI 0.85–0.95) and Supervisor Support for Safety (OR1.0 overall: 0.95, 95% CI 0.93–0.97; OR1.0 career: 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.98). Conclusions From our current study, and a prior analysis of a geographically stratified random sample of U.S. fire departments, we identified that from all the organizational outcomes, job satisfaction was most consistently associated with FOCUS safety climate. Further, firefighters in our samples consistently rated Supervisor Support for Safety higher than Management Commitment to Safety. Future interventions should support fire departments in improving their departmental Management Commitment to Safety and maintaining their Supervisor for Safety