Analytical investigations of laminar separations using the ''Crocco-Lees mixing parameter'' method

Analytical studies of laminar separations using Crocco-Lees mixing parameter metho

The Mirror Image Conflicts Case

Since the 1969 decision of the Missouri Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Dixon, adopting for Missouri the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws, approach to tort choice-of-law cases, only two Missouri cases have raised what can be characterized as difficult tort choice-of-law problems. One of these cases, Griggs v. Riley, presented the Missouri Court of Appeals for the St. Louis District with a factual situation that, when considered by courts of other jurisdictions, has evoked widespread commentary and produced divergent results. The situation arises when a guest and host from an immunity jurisdiction are involved in an accident in a no-immunity jurisdiction. At first glance, the case appears to present merely the “mirror image” of the now classic “false conflict” case, in which a guest and host from a no-immunity jurisdiction are involved in an accident in an immunity jurisdiction. This Article will examine in detail the competing policies at work in the “mirror image” case, using Griggs as the basic fact pattern and analyzing the method of resolution proposed by the Restatement (Second)

Screening and Summary Procedures in the United States Courts of Appeals

The federal intermediate appellate system is on the verge of ceasing to function as an effective administrator of justice. The courts of appeals have therefore taken upon themselves the task of devising methods to speed the flow of cases. These methods, commonly termed screening and summary procedures, involve eliminating or limiting oral argument in selected cases and deciding cases without publishing a written opinion if the court concludes that an opinion would be without precedential value. Although the use of these new procedures in all circuits is considered, emphasis will be on the Fifth Circuit, which has extensively used screening and summary procedures. That circuit instituted its screening procedures in late 1968 and has kept detailed records that facilitate analysis of its experience. The purpose of this Article is to show the need for and extensive use of these procedures and to explore several serious issues raised by their use. Those issues include possible limitations, both statutory and constitutional, on the right of the courts of appeals to eliminate oral argument by local rule, and a suggestion, based on the Fifth Circuit’s experience, that the elimination of oral argument and written opinions may produce an undesirable side effect on the outcome of cases decided in the courts of appeals

Case report: targeted whole exome sequencing enables the first prenatal diagnosis of the lethal skeletal dysplasia Osteocraniostenosis.

BACKGROUND: Osteocraniostenosis (OCS) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by premature closure of cranial sutures, gracile bones and perinatal lethality. Previously, diagnosis has only been possible postnatally on clinical and radiological features. This study describes the first prenatal diagnosis of OCS. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case prenatal ultrasound images were suggestive of a serious but non-lethal skeletal dysplasia. Due to the uncertain prognosis the parents were offered Whole Exome Sequencing (WES), which identified a specific gene mutation in the FAMIIIa gene. This mutation had previously been detected in two cases and was lethal in both perinatally. This established the diagnosis, a clear prognosis and allowed informed parental choice regarding ongoing pregnancy management. CONCLUSIONS: This case report supports the use of targeted WES prenatally to confirm the underlying cause and prognosis of sonographically suspected abnormalities

Common hazards and their mitigating measures in work zones: A qualitative study of worker perceptions

Road construction and maintenance activities present challenges for ensuring the safety of workers and the traveling public alike. Hazards in work zones are typically studied using historical crash records but the current study took a qualitative approach by interviewing 66 workers from various work zones in Queensland, Australia. This supplemented and enhanced the limited available data regarding the frequency and nature of work zone crashes in Australia, provided worker insights into contributing factors, and assessed their opinions on the likely effectiveness of current or future approaches to hazard mitigation. Workers may not be aware of objective data regarding effectiveness, but their attitudes and consequent levels of compliance can influence both the likelihood of implementation and the outcomes of safety measures. Despite the potential importance of worker perceptions, they have not been studied comprehensively to date, and thus this study fills a significant gap in the literature. Excessive vehicle speeds, driver distraction and aggression towards roadworkers, working in wet weather, at night and close to traffic stream were among the most common hazards noted by workers. The safety measures perceived to be most effective included police presence, active enforcement, and improving driver awareness and education about work zones. Worker perceptions differed according to their level of exposure to hazards

A comparison of self-nominated and actual speeds in work zones

Despite significant research on drivers’ speeding behavior in work zones, little is known about how well drivers’ judgments of appropriate speeds match their actual speeds and what factors influence their judgments. This study aims to fill these two important gaps in the literature by comparing observed speeds in two work zones with drivers’ self-nominated speeds for the same work zones. In an online survey, drivers nominated speeds for the two work zones based on photographs in which the actual posted speed limits were not revealed. A simultaneous equation modelling approach was employed to examine the effects of driver characteristics on their self-nominated speeds. The results showed that survey participants nominated lower speeds (corresponding to higher compliance rates) than those which were observed. Higher speeds were nominated by males than females, young and middle aged drivers than older drivers, and drivers with truck driving experience than those who drive only cars. Larger differences between nominated and observed speeds were found among car drivers than truck drivers. These differences suggest that self-nominated speeds might not be valid indicators of the observed work zone speeds and therefore should not be used as an alternative to observed speed data

On the speed reduction potential of pilot vehicle use in work zones

Despite significant research efforts to understand the speed reduction potentials of work zone interventions, little is known about the reductions achievable by the use of pilot vehicles. This paper innovatively examines the speed reduction potential of pilot vehicle in a Queensland rural highway work zone. Analysis of five days’ speed data showed that pilot vehicle reduced mean speeds at the treatment location, but not downstream. The proportion of speeding vehicles was also reduced, particularly those travelling at 10 km/h or more above the posted limit. Motorists were more likely to speed during the day, under a 40 km/h limit and when traffic volumes were higher. While it is commonly believed that pilot vehicle controls the speeds of all following vehicles, results of this study showed that pilot car had greater effects on reducing speeds of vehicles following it closely than those which are far behind in a traffic stream. To maximize these benefits, it is necessary to ensure that the pilot vehicle itself is not speeding

A Proposed New Federal Intermediate Appellate Court

This article begins with an analysis of the recent history of federal appellate court reform efforts. It then focuses on three areas of federal litigation - tax law, patent law, and environmental law - in which there are exceptional needs for uniformity in the law but in which uncertainty in legal doctrine is especially pronounced. To make the law more uniform and predictable in these areas, the article proposes the new intermediate appellate court and sets forth in detail the jurisdiction arid structure of this court. The article concludes by pointing out aspects of this proposal that should make it especially advantageous and also more acceptable than previous recommendations for appellate court reorganization