Death Resurrected: The Reimplementation of the Federal Death Penalty

This Comment analyzes the federal death penalty. Part one discusses the history of the federal death penalty, from its roots in the superstitions and religious dogma of colonial America to the Drug Kingpin Act and the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994. Part two examines the Drug Kingpin Act, the first federal move into the death penalty arena since the landmark Supreme Court case of Furman v. Georgia. Next, the Comment explores Congress\u27 broad expansion of the federal death penalty in its most recent statute, the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994. Part four examines the practical application of the Drug Kingpin Act in the case of Juan Raul Garza, the man who likely will be the first federal execution of the twenty-first century. Part four also contemplates the constitutionality of the federal death penalty, focusing on the recent Supreme Court case of Jones v. United States, the first treatment of the new death penalty law by this nation\u27s highest court. Finally, part five considers the implications, pragmatic and political, of renewed federal executions

INSECTS, INSECTICIDES AND HORMESIS: EVIDENCE AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR STUDY

Insects are ubiquitous, crucial components of almost all terrestrial and fresh water ecosystems. In agricultural settings they are subjected to, intentionally or unintentionally, an array of synthetic pesticides and other chemical stressors. These ecological underpinnings, the amenability of insects to laboratory and field experiments, and our strong knowledgebase in insecticide toxicology, make the insect-insecticide model an excellent one to study many questions surrounding hormesis. Moreover, there is practical importance for agriculture with evidence of pest population growth being accelerated by insecticide hormesis. Nevertheless, insects have been underutilized in studies of hormesis. Where hormesis hypotheses have been tested, results clearly demonstrate stimulatory effects on multiple taxa as measured through several biological endpoints, both at individual and population levels. However, many basic questions are outstanding given the myriad of chemicals, responses, and ecological interactions that are likely to occur

Nothing Less than the Dignity of Man: Evolving Standards, Botched Executions and Utah\u27s Controversial Use of the Firing Squad

While outrage boils to the surface when Utah uses its firing squad option, there is little substantive legal development concerning the firing squad\u27s use. Few cases have challenged the firing squad\u27s constitutionality. This article discusses the legal and political implications of the firing squad. Using the Supreme Court\u27s everdeveloping Eighth Amendment jurisprudence as a guide, this article discusses whether the firing squad, both historically and in its present application, passes constitutional muster. Beyond those factors that trigger constitutional protection, this article discusses those elements of the firing squad\u27s use which define society\u27s humanity and demonstrate our dignity. In the end, those factors are framed and fashioned by each individual\u27s view of decency and dignity

Death Resurrected: The Reimplementation of the Federal Death Penalty

This Comment analyzes the federal death penalty. Part one discusses the history of the federal death penalty, from its roots in the superstitions and religious dogma of colonial America to the Drug Kingpin Act and the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994. Part two examines the Drug Kingpin Act, the first federal move into the death penalty arena since the landmark Supreme Court case of Furman v. Georgia. Next, the Comment explores Congress\u27 broad expansion of the federal death penalty in its most recent statute, the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994. Part four examines the practical application of the Drug Kingpin Act in the case of Juan Raul Garza, the man who likely will be the first federal execution of the twenty-first century. Part four also contemplates the constitutionality of the federal death penalty, focusing on the recent Supreme Court case of Jones v. United States, the first treatment of the new death penalty law by this nation\u27s highest court. Finally, part five considers the implications, pragmatic and political, of renewed federal executions

Why Is The Developed World Obese?

Obesity has risen dramatically in the past few decades. However, the relative contribution of energy intake and energy expenditure to rising obesity is not known. Moreover, the extent to which social and economic factors tip the energy balance is not well understood. In this longitudinal analysis of developed countries, we estimate the relative contribution of increased caloric intake and reduced physical activity to obesity using two methods of energy accounting. Results show that rising obesity is primarily the result of consuming more calories. We estimate multivariate regression models and use simulation analysis to explore technological and sociodemographic determinants of this dietary excess. Results indicate that the increase in caloric intake is associated with technological innovations such as reduced food prices as well as changing sociodemographic factors such as increased urbanization and increased female labor force participation. The study findings offer useful insights to future research concerned with the etiology of obesity and may help inform the development of obesity-related policy. In particular, our results suggest that policies to encourage less caloric intake may help reverse past trends in increased consumption.

Characterization of Aquaporin 4 Protein Expression and Localization in Tissues of the Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

The role of aquaporin water channels such as aquaporin 4 (Aqp4) in elasmobranchs such as the dogfish Squalus acanthias is completely unknown. This investigation set out to determine the expression and cellular and sub-cellular localization of Aqp4 protein in dogfish tissues. Two polyclonal antibodies were generated (AQP4/1 and AQP4/2) and these showed somewhat different characteristics in Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Western blots using the AQP4/1 antibody showed two bands (35.5 and 49.5 kDa) in most tissues in a similar fashion to mammals. Liver had an additional band of 57 kDa and rectal gland two further faint bands of 37.5 and 38.5 kDa. However, unlike in mammals, Aqp4 protein was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues including gill and liver. The AQP4/2 antibody appeared much less specific in Western blots. Both antibodies were used in immunohistochemistry and showed similar cellular localizations, although the AQP4/2 antibody had a more restricted sub-cellular distribution compared to AQP4/1 and therefore appeared to be more specific for Aqp4. In kidney a sub-set of tubules were stained which may represent intermediate tubule segments (In-III–In-VI). AQP4/1 and AQP4/2 antibodies localized to the same tubules segments in serial sections although the intensity and sub-cellular distribution were different. AQP4/2 showed a basal or basolateral membrane distribution whereas AQP4/1 was often distributed throughout the whole cell including the nuclear region. In rectal gland and cardiac stomach Aqp4 was localized to secretory tubules but again AQP/1 and AQP/2 exhibited different sub-cellular distributions. In gill, both antibodies stained large cells in the primary filament and secondary lamellae. Again AQP4/1 antibody stained most or all the cell including the nucleus, whereas AQP4/2 had a plasma membrane or plasma membrane and cytoplasmic distribution. Two types of large mitochondrial rich transport cells are known to exist in elasmobranchs, that express either Na, K-ATPase, or V-type ATPase ion transporters. Using Na, K-ATPase, and V-type ATPase antibodies, Aqp4 was colocalized with these proteins using the AQP4/1 antibody. Results show Aqp4 is expressed in both (and all) branchial Na, K-ATPase, and V-type ATPase expressing cells

Identifying Inexpensive Off-the-Shelf Laser Pointers for Multi-User Interaction on Large Scale Displays

We present a method for identifying inexpensive, off-the-shelf laser pointers in a multiuser interaction environment on large-scale displays. We identify a laser pointer\u27s personality, a measure of its output in a particular context. Our method requires a set of inexpensive and unmodified green lasers, a large screen, a projector, and a camera with an infrared (IR) filter. The camera detects the IR spillover from the green laser beam, while ignoring color information projected onto the screen. During a calibration phase, a radial histogram of each laser\u27s IR spillover are used to represent the laser\u27s personality. Our system is able to identify the spots of a specific laser, allowing multiple users to simultaneously interact in the environment. In addition, we present a series of applications that take advantage of tracked and identified laser pointers to demonstrate large-scale, multiuser interactions

Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Circadian Dysfunction as well as Motor Symptoms in the Q175 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) patients suffer from a progressive neurodegeneration that results in cognitive, psychiatric, cardiovascular, and motor dysfunction. Disturbances in sleep/wake cycles are common among HD patients with reports of delayed sleep onset, frequent bedtime awakenings, and fatigue during the day. The heterozygous Q175 mouse model of HD has been shown to phenocopy many HD core symptoms including circadian dysfunctions. Because circadian dysfunction manifests early in the disease in both patients and mouse models, we sought to determine if early intervention that improve circadian rhythmicity can benefit HD and delay disease progression. We determined the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF) on the Q175 mouse model. At six months of age, the animals were divided into two groups: ad libitum (ad lib) and TRF. The TRF-treated Q175 mice were exposed to a 6-h feeding/18-h fasting regimen that was designed to be aligned with the middle of the time when mice are normally active. After three months of treatment (when mice reached the early disease stage), the TRF-treated Q175 mice showed improvements in their locomotor activity rhythm and sleep awakening time. Furthermore, we found improved heart rate variability (HRV), suggesting that their autonomic nervous system dysfunction was improved. Importantly, treated Q175 mice exhibited improved motor performance compared to untreated Q175 controls, and the motor improvements were correlated with improved circadian output. Finally, we found that the expression of several HD-relevant markers was restored to WT levels in the striatum of the treated mice using NanoString gene expression assays