Signing on Very Low Volume Rurd Roads Iowa DOT Project HR-262, July, 1984

Research was undertaken to define an appropriate level of use of traffic control devices on rural secondary roads that carry very low traffic volumes. The goal of this research was to improve the safety and efficiency of travel on the rural secondary road system. This goal was to be accomplished by providing County Engineers with guidance concerning the cost-effective use of traffic control devices on very low volume rural roads. A further objective was to define the range of traffic volumes on the roads for which the recommendations would be appropriate. Little previous research has been directed toward roads that carry very low traffic volumes. Consequently, the factual input for this research was developed by conducting an inventory of the signs and markings actually in use on 2,069 miles of rural road in Iowa. Most of these roads carried 15 or fewer vehicles per day. Additional input was provided by a survey of the opinions of County Engineers and Supervisors in Iowa. Data from both the inventory and the opinion survey indicated a considerable lack of uniformity in the application of signs on very low volume rural roads. The number of warning signs installed varied from 0.24 per mile to 3.85 per mile in the 21 counties in which the inventory was carried out. The use of specific signs not only varied quite widely among counties but also indicated a lack of uniform application within counties. County officials generally favored varying the elaborateness of signing depending upon the type of surface and the volume of traffic on different roads. Less elaborate signing would be installed on an unpaved road than on a paved road. A concensus opinion was that roads carrying fewer than 25 vehicles per day should have fewer signs than roads carrying higher volumes. Although roads carrying 0 to 24 vehicles per day constituted over 24% of the total rural secondary system, they carried less than 3% of the total travel on that system. Virtually all of these roads are classified as area service roads and would thus be expected to carry only short trips primarily by local motorists. Consequently, it was concluded that the need for warning signs rarely can be demonstrated on unpaved rural roads with traffic volumes of fewer than 25 vehicles per day. It is recommended that each county designate a portion of its roads as an Area Service Level B system. All road segments with very low traffic volumes should be considered for inclusion in this system. Roads included in this system may receive a lesser level of maintenance and a reduced level of signing. The county is also afforded protection from liability arising from accidents occurring on roads designated as part of an Area Service Level B system. A uniform absence of warning signs on roads of this nature is not expected to have any discernible effect on the safety or quality of service on these very low volume roads. The resources conserved may be expended more effectively to upgrade maintenance and traffic control on roads carrying higher volumes where the beneficial effect on highway safety and service will be much more consequential.

Low Water Stream Crossing: Design and Construction Recommendations, Decemeber 2001

Most counties have bridges that are no longer adequate, and are faced with large capital expenditure for replacement structures of the same size. In this regard, low water stream crossings (LWSCs) can provide an acceptable, low cost alternative to bridges and culverts on low volume and reduced maintenance level roads. In addition to providing a low cost option for stream crossings, LWSCs have been designed to have the additional benefit of streambed stabilization. Considerable information on the current status of LWSCs in Iowa, along with insight of needs for design assistance, was gained from a survey of county engineers that was conducted as part of this research (Appendix A). Copies of responses and analysis are included in Appendix B. This document provides guidelines for the design of LWSCs. There are three common types of LWSCs: unvented ford, vented ford with pipes, and low water bridges. Selection among these depends on stream geometry, discharge, importance of road, and budget availability. To minimize exposure to tort liability, local agencies using low water stream crossings should consider adopting reasonable selection and design criteria and certainly provide adequate warning of these structures to road users. The design recommendations included in this report for LWSCs provide guidelines and suggestions for local agency reference. Several design examples of design calculations are included in Appendix E.

Roadway Design Standards for Rural and Suburban Subdivisions Final Report, June 2007

In Iowa, there are currently no uniform design standards for rural and suburban subdivision development roadways. Without uniform design standards, many counties are unable to provide adequate guidance for public facilities, particularly roadways, to be constructed as part of a rural subdivision development. If a developer is not required to install appropriate public improvements or does not do so properly, significant liability and maintenance expenses can be expected, along with the potential for major project costs to correct the situation. Not having uniform design standards for rural and suburban subdivision development improvements in Iowa creates situations where there is potential for inconsistency and confusion. Differences in the way development standards are applied also create incentives or disincentives for developers to initiate subdivision platting in a particular county. With the wide range of standards or lack of standards for local roads in development areas, it is critical that some level of uniformity is created to address equity in development across jurisdictional lines. The standards must be effective in addressing the problem, but they must not be so excessive as to curtail development activities within a local jurisdiction. In order to address the concerns, cities and counties have to work together to identify where growth is going to be focused. Within that long-term growth area, the roadways should be constructed to urban standards to provide an easier transition to traditional urban facilities as the area is developed. Developments outside of the designated growth area should utilize a rural cross section since it is less likely to have concentrated urban development. The developers should be required to develop roadways that are designed for a minimum life of 40 years, and the county should accept dedication of the roadway and be responsible for its maintenance.

A theoretical and practical study on linear reforms of dual taxes

[cat] En aquest treball extenem les reformes lineals introduïdes per Pfähler (1984) al cas d’impostos duals. Estudiem l’efecte relatiu que els retalls lineals duals d’un impost dual tenen sobre la distribució de la desigualtat -es pot fer un estudi simètric per al cas d’augments d’impostos-. Tambe introduïm mesures del grau de progressivitat d’impostos duals i mostrem que estan connectades amb el criteri de dominació de Lorenz. Addicionalment, estudiem l’elasticitat de la càrrega fiscal de cadascuna de les reformes proposades. Finalment, gràcies a un model de microsimulació i una gran base de dades que conté informació sobre l’IRPF espanyol de l’any 2004, 1) comparem l’efecte que diferents reformes tindrien sobre l’impost dual espanyol i 2) estudiem quina redistribució de la riquesa va suposar la reforma dual de l’IRPF (Llei ’35/2006’) respecte l’anterior impost.

Scapulalgie et neuropathie sus-scapulaire en pathologie sportive [Scapular pain and supra-scapular neuropathy in sports medicine]

Eight patients with shoulder pain are reported with a history of athletic activities. On examination, performed with a delay of several months, all patients had painful paresis and atrophy of spinati fossa. Electroneuromyography was carried out in all cases and showed a suprascapular nerve axonal loss from the spinati muscles or infraspinatus muscle, signs of denervation-reinnervation in spinati or infraspinatus muscles, normal examination of other scapular girdle muscles, and a coordinate spinati contraction with shoulder displacement excluding rotator cuff tears. All patients had conservative treatment and only two improved. Six patients underwent surgical decompression of the suprascapular nerve; in three, motor function clearly improved, and in three others pain improved. The factors leading to entrapment include stretch mechanisms associated with shoulder movements, leading to suprascapular nerve liability to mechanical lesions. In patients with shoulder pain, the authors recommend an early electrophysiological work-up to recognize an isolated suprascapular neuropathy. The surgical decompression of the nerve should be based on persistent shoulder pain after conservative treatment.

Temperature-dependent turnovers in sex-determination mechanisms: a quantitative model.

Sex determination is often seen as a dichotomous process: individual sex is assumed to be determined either by genetic (genotypic sex determination, GSD) or by environmental factors (environmental sex determination, ESD), most often temperature (temperature sex determination, TSD). We endorse an alternative view, which sees GSD and TSD as the ends of a continuum. Both effects interact a priori, because temperature can affect gene expression at any step along the sex-determination cascade. We propose to define sex-determination systems at the population- (rather than individual) level, via the proportion of variance in phenotypic sex stemming from genetic versus environmental factors, and we formalize this concept in a quantitative-genetics framework. Sex is seen as a threshold trait underlain by a liability factor, and reaction norms allow modeling interactions between genotypic and temperature effects (seen as the necessary consequences of thermodynamic constraints on the underlying physiological processes). As this formalization shows, temperature changes (due to e.g., climatic changes or range expansions) are expected to provoke turnovers in sex-determination mechanisms, by inducing large-scale sex reversal and thereby sex-ratio selection for alternative sex-determining genes. The frequency of turnovers and prevalence of homomorphic sex chromosomes in cold-blooded vertebrates might thus directly relate to the temperature dependence in sex-determination mechanisms.

La jurisdicción competente en materia de responsabilidad patrimonial de la Administración: una polémica que no cesa. Comentario a los Autos de la Sala Especial de Conflictos de Competencia del Tribunal Supremo de 27 de diciembre de 2001 y 21 de octubre de 2002 y propuesta de reforma legislativa

En el presente trabajo se comenta la línea jurisprudencial iniciada por el Auto de la Sala Especial de Conflictos de Competencia del Tribunal Supremo de 27 de diciembre de 2001, por la que se atribuye al orden civil la competencia para enjuiciar las demandas dirigidas conjuntamente contra la Administraciónpública y su aseguradora de responsabilidad extracontractual, reabriendo la polémica que parecía zanjada tras la triple reforma legislativa de 1998 y 1999, que afirmó la competencia exclusiva de la jurisdicción contencioso-administrativa para conocer de los pleitos de responsabilidad patrimonial de la Administración.

La jurisdicció competent en matèria de responsabilitat patrimonial de l'Administració: una polèmica que no acaba. Comentari a les Interlocutòries de la Sala Especial de Conflictes de Competència del Tribunal Suprem de 27 de desembre de 2001 i 21 de octubre de 2002 i proposta de reforma legislativa

En aquest treball es comenta la línia jurisprudencial iniciada per la Interlocutòria de la Sala Especial de Conflictes de Competència del Tribunal Suprem de 27 de desembre de 2001, per la qual s¿atribueix a l'orde civil la competència per jutjar les demandes dirigides conjuntament contra l'Administració pública i la seva asseguradora de responsabilitat extracontractual, reobrint la polèmica que semblava tancada després de la triple reforma legislativa de 1998 i 1999, que afirmà la competència exclusiva de la jurisdicció contenciosa administrativa per conèixer dels plets de responsabilitat patrimonial de l'Administració.

Sin opción. Comentario a la STS, 1ª, 17.2.2006, por la que se niega el derecho de opción de las víctimas de exigir responsabilidad civil a los funcionarios públicos ante los órganos de la jurisdicción ordinaria

Actualmente, tras la reforma del art. 146.1 de la Ley 30/1992, de 26 de noviembre, de régimen jurídico de las Administraciones públicas y del procedimiento administrativo común (LRJPAC) llevada a cabo por la Ley 4/1999, de 13 de enero, nadie duda ya que las víctimas de daños causados por los funcionarios y demás agentes públicos en el ejercicio de sus funciones están obligadas a dirigir su reclamación indemnizatoria a la Administración a la que aquellos pertenezcan, sin poder demandarles ante los órganos de la jurisdicción civil en exigencia de su responsabilidad extracontractual. Según el art. 145 LRJPAC, la víctima deberá reclamar directamente a la Administración ­iniciando la tramitación del procedimiento administrativo específico previsto en los arts. 142 y 143 LRJPAC e interponiendo, eventualmente, recurso contencioso-administrativo contra la resolución desestimatoria que le ponga fin­, y ésta, una vez haya satisfecho la indemnización, ejercerá acción de repetición contra el funcionario o agente responsable cuando el mismo haya ocasionado el daño con dolo o culpa grave. Ya no existe, por tanto, el genérico derecho de opción anteriormente reconocido por el art. 43 de la Ley de régimen jurídico de la administración del Estado de 1957.

An Investigation of Signing Needs at Uncontrolled Local Road Intersections, HR-230, 1982

Iowa Counties have been experiencing significant tort claim liability due to the signing of local roads. One such problem is relative to the real or alleged need for signing at uncontrolled intersections of local roads. It has been assumed that the standard CROSS ROAD sign, which calls for a yellow diamond with a black cross, was sufficient to provide the necessary warning that a driver may be approaching an intersection which requires special precautionary driving attention. However, it is possible that this sign on a through highway might conflict with the legal status of the local county road. In light of this situation, it seemed worthwhile to know the extent to which uncontrolled local road intersections were perceived as a potential liability problem; the degree to which the standard CROSS ROAD sign communicated to the driver the message a county engineer wanted at these local road intersections; and whether there were any better signing alternatives available to communicate this hazard to the driver in this situation.

Alternatives for Rural Roads, HR-242, 1989

Much of the nation's rural road system is deteriorating. Many of the roads were built in the 1880s and 1890s with the most recent upgrading done in the 1940s and 1950s. Consequently, many roads and bridges do not have the capacity for the increased loads, speed, and frequent use of today's vehicles. Because of the growing demands and a dense county road system (inherited from the land settlement policies two centuries ago), revenue available to counties is inadequate to upgrade andmaintain the present system. Either revenue must be increased - an unpopular option - or costs must be reduced. To examine cost-saving options, Iowa State University conducted a study of roads and bridges in three 100 square mile areas in Iowa: • A suburban area • A rural area with a large number of paved roads, few bridges, and a high agricultural tax base and •A more rural area in a hilly terrain with many bridges and gravel roads, and a low agricultural tax base. A cost-benefit analysis was made on the present road system in these areas on such options as abandoning roads with limited use, converting some to private drives, and reducing maintenance on these types of roads. In only a few instances does abandonment of low traffic volume roads produce cost savings for counties and abutting land owners that exceed the additional travel costs to the public. In this study, the types of roads that produced net savings when abandoned were: • A small percentage (less than 5 percent) of the nonpaved county roads in the suburban area. However, net savings were very small. Cost savings from reducing the county road system in urbanized areas are very limited. • Slightly more than 5 percent of the nonpaved county roads in the most rural area that had a small number of paved county roads. • More than 12 percent of the nonpaved roads in the rural area that had a relatively large number of paved county and state roads. Converting low-volume roads to low-maintenance or Service B roads produces the largest savings of all solutions considered. However, future bridge deterioration and county liability on Service B roads are potential problems. Converting low-volume roads to private drives also produces large net savings. Abandonment of deadend roads results in greater net savings than continuous roads. However, this strategy shifts part of the public maintenance burden to land owners. Land owners also then become responsible for accident liability. Reconstruction to bring selected bridges with weight restrictions up to legal load limits reduces large truck and tractor-wagon mileage and costs. However, the reconstruction costs exceeded the reduction in travel costs. Major sources of vehicle miles on county roads are automobiles used for household purposes and pickup truck travel for farm purposes. Farm-related travel represents a relatively small percent of total travel miles, but a relatively high percentage of total travel costs.

Libertad condicional : propuestas para aumentar su concesión

La libertad condicional es una institución cuya aplicación no se da con la frecuencia que debería para lograr una resocialización y reinserción adecuada. Para reducir las tasas de encarcelamiento y los costes que se derivan, así como para igualar las tasas de liberados condicionales en Cataluña con las del resto del Estado, se proponen posibles mejoras para la concesión del último grado penitenciario. Las propuestas se desarrollan a partir de una investigación empírica basada en una revisión exhaustiva de los informes de pronóstico de reinserción de la Junta de Tratamiento y las resoluciones del Fiscal de Vigilancia Penitenciaria.Se formularán propuestas generales y específicas. Las primeras estarán encabezadas a modificar el punitivismo de la sociedad y la implementación de la libertad condicional. Las segundas estarán orientadas a focalizar el último grado penitenciario también a internos con alto riesgo de reincidencia, siempre y cuando se les proporcione una intervención intensiva; a mejorar y tratar tanto los factores estáticos como los dinámicos –hábitos laborales, toxicomanías, apoyo familiar– para facilitar el acceso a la libertad condicional según los actuales requisitos; a concienciar sobre la importancia de satisfacer la responsabilidad civil y a seguir la línea del modelo de riesgo, necesidad y responsividad.ABSTRACTParole is an institution whose application does not occur as often as it should to achieve resocialization and reintegration adequately. To reduce incarceration rates and its costs, as well as to equalize Catalonia’s parole rates with the rest of the state, it is suggested possible improvements for the last grade prison’s granting. The proposals were developed from an empirical research based on the analysis of the Treatment Assembly’s forecast reports reintegration and the Fiscal’s resolutions.It will be formulated general and specific proposals. The first one will be led to modify society’s punitivity and parole’s implementation. The second one will be directed on focusing parole in high risk prison inmates, as long as they have an intensive intervention; on improving and treat both static and dynamic factors –work habits, addictions, family support– to facilitate the access on parole under the current requirements; on raising the importance of paying the civil liability and follow the principles of the model of risk, needs and responsivity.

Developing psychosis and its risk States through the lens of schizotypy.

Starting from the early descriptions of Kraepelin and Bleuler, the construct of schizotypy was developed from observations of aberrations in nonpsychotic family members of schizophrenia patients. In contemporary diagnostic manuals, the positive symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder were included in the ultra high-risk (UHR) criteria 20 years ago, and nowadays are broadly employed in clinical early detection of psychosis. The schizotypy construct, now dissociated from strict familial risk, also informed research on the liability to develop any psychotic disorder, and in particular schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, even outside clinical settings. Against the historical background of schizotypy it is surprising that evidence from longitudinal studies linking schizotypy, UHR, and conversion to psychosis has only recently emerged; and it still remains unclear how schizotypy may be positioned in high-risk research. Following a comprehensive literature search, we review 18 prospective studies on 15 samples examining the evidence for a link between trait schizotypy and conversion to psychosis in 4 different types of samples: general population, clinical risk samples according to UHR and/or basic symptom criteria, genetic (familial) risk, and clinical samples at-risk for a nonpsychotic schizophrenia-spectrum diagnosis. These prospective studies underline the value of schizotypy in high-risk research, but also point to the lack of evidence needed to better define the position of the construct of schizotypy within a developmental psychopathology perspective of emerging psychosis and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Work accident indemnity in Iowa, 1912

This paper on Work Accident Indemnity in Iowa, as well as the volume on the History of Work Accident Indemnity in Iowa, is the outgrowth of the author's, E. H. Downey, study of the History of Labor Legislation in Iowa, which was published by The State Historical Society of Iowa in the Iowa Economic History Series. Dealing with the vital subject of employers' liability and workmen's compensation, Professor Downey's paper will, it is thought, be found especially helpful to those interested in present day legislation. This paper was edited by Benjamen F. Shambaugh.