Race at the Pivot Point: The Future of Race-Based Policies to Remedy De Jure Segregation After Parents Involved in Community Schools

This article examines the perhaps unintended consequences of changing legal doctrine. Most commentary on the U.S. Supreme Court Parents Involved in Community Schools (“PICS”) decision explores PICS’ impact upon voluntary race-based policies to remedy unintentional de facto racial segregation. In contrast, this analysis explores PICS’ impact upon mandatory race-based policies to remedy government-sponsored de jure racial segregation. After PICS, the Fourteenth Amendment’s essence and character can turn on a finding of unitary status, a purely factual and somewhat subjective determination reviewable only for clear error. Under the Equal Protection Clause, a school district found to operate a de jure segregated school system may be forced to use race-based policies to undo the effects of such segregation. The instant, however, that a district judge signs the court order granting that school district unitary status, the Equal Protection Clause then forbids the school district from using the identical race-based policies to address the effects of de facto segregation. PICS thus has injected into the Equal Protection Clause’s schizophrenic identity a never-before-seen wrinkle called a pivot point.The pivot point arises when school systems constitutionally required to use race-based policies to remedy de jure segregation become constitutionally prohibited from using the same race-based policies to address de facto segregation voluntarily. After exploring PICS’ effect on de jure school systems’ legal obligations, we explore the ramifications of a constitutional standard that abruptly transforms legal obligations on the basis of a subjective factual determination. This pivot point may induce bizarre effects in familiar legal processes, with unpredictable consequences. In its zeal to alter Brown v. Board of Education’s legacy, the PICS majority overlooked the structural impact of its decision on de jure systems governed by a very different vision of the Equal Protection Clause. The resulting pivot point is a testament to the dangers of parsing individual rights too finely at the expense of maintaining stability in legal structure and process

Empirical vulnerability curves for Italian mansory buildings: evolution of vulnerability model from the DPM to curves as a function of accelertion

In the framework of the emergency management in the case of seismic events, the evaluation of the expected damage represents a basic requirement for risk informed planning. Seismic risk is defined by the probability to reach a level of damage on given exposed elements caused by seismic events occurring in a fixed period and in a fixed area. To this purpose, the expected seismic input, the exposed elements and their vulnerability have to be correctly evaluated. The aim of the research is to define a correct model of vulnerability curves, in PGA, for masonry structures in Italy, by heuristic approach starting from damage probability matrices (DPMs). To this purpose, the PLINIVS database, containing data on major Italian seismic events, has been used and supported by “critical” assumption on missing data. To support the reliability of this assumption, two vulnerability models, considering or not the hypothesis on the missing data, have been estimated and used to calculate the seismic scenario of the L’Aquila 2009 earthquake through the IRMA (Italian Risk MAp) platform. Finally, a comparison between the outcomes elaborated by IRMA platform and the observed damage collected in the AEDES forms, has been done. © 2020, The Author(s)

A new distributed protocol for consensus of discrete-time systems

In this paper, a new distributed protocol is proposed to force consensus in a discrete-time network of scalar agents with an arbitrarily assignable convergence rate. Several simulations validate the performances and the improvements with respect to more standard protocols

LEVELS OF HEAVY METALS IN ITALIAN MARKETED CANNED TUNA

Fish products are essential and irreplaceable components of human diet; nevertheless, they could result in a risk to the health of consumers due to the potential content of some xenobiotics such as heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants (Debeka et al., 2004; Storelli et al., 2005). Constant control network and surveys are valuable tools in order to prevent such risk and to ensure product quality and consumers??? safety. The aim of the current study was to measure the levels of some heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd) in samples of marked canned tuna in olive oil. The results showed that levels of Cd and Hg were always within the law limits and, in many samples, below the detection limit. Pb was found in concentrations exceeding the law limits in 9.8% of the analyzed samples. In conclusion, the results of the current study, quite reassuring in terms of food safety, highlighted the need to constantly monitor the levels of some chemical contaminants in fish products such as heavy metals that might endanger the health of the consumers

Visual control through narrow passages for an omnidirectional wheeled robot

Robotic systems are gradually replacing human intervention in dangerous facilities to improve human safety and prevent risky situations. In this domain, our work addresses the problem of autonomous crossing narrow passages in a semi-structured (i.e., partially-known) environment. In particular, we focus on the CERN’s Super Proton Synchrotron particle accelerator, where a mobile robot platform is equipped with a lightweight arm to perform measurements, inspection, and maintenance operations. The proposed approach leverages an image-based visual servoing strategy that exploits computer vision to detect and track known geometries defining narrow passage gates. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated in a realistic mock-up

Heavy Metals in Canned Tuna from Italian Markets

Fish is a good source of nutrients for humans but can pose a risk to human health because of the possible presence of some xenobiotics such as heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants. Constant monitoring is needed to minimize health risks and ensure product quality and consumer safety. The aim of the present study was to use atomic absorption spectrometry to determine the concentrations of some heavy metals (Hg, Pb, and Cd) in tuna packaged in different kinds of packages (cans or glass) in various countries (Italy and elsewhere). Concentrations of Cd and Hg were within the limits set by European Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 and in many samples were below the detection limit. Pb concentrations exceeded European limits in 9.8% of the analyzed samples. These results are reassuring in terms of food safety but highlighted the need to constantly monitor the concentrations of heavy metals in fish products that could endanger consumer health

Heavy metals in canned tuna from Italian markets.

Fish is a good source of nutrients for humans but can pose a risk to human health because of the possible presence of some xenobiotics such as heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants. Constant monitoring is needed to minimize health risks and ensure product quality and consumer safety. The aim of the present study was to use atomic absorption spectrometry to determine the concentrations of some heavy metals (Hg, Pb, and Cd) in tuna packaged in different kinds of packages (cans or glass) in various countries (Italy and elsewhere). Concentrations of Cd and Hg were within the limits set by European Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 and in many samples were below the detection limit. Pb concentrations exceeded European limits in 9.8% of the analyzed samples. These results are reassuring in terms of food safety but highlighted the need to constantly monitor the concentrations of heavy metals in fish products that could endanger consumer health

Effects of Noise Exposure on the Vestibular System: A Systematic Review

Despite our understanding of the impact of noise-induced damage to the auditory system, much less is known about the impact of noise exposure on the vestibular system. In this article, we review the anatomical, physiological, and functional evidence for noise-induced damage to peripheral and central vestibular structures. Morphological studies in several animal models have demonstrated cellular damage throughout the peripheral vestibular system and particularly in the otolith organs; however, there is a paucity of data on the effect of noise exposure on human vestibular end organs. Physiological studies have corroborated morphological studies by demonstrating disruption across vestibular pathways with otolith-mediated pathways impacted more than semicircular canal-mediated pathways. Similar to the temporary threshold shifts observed in the auditory system, physiological studies in animals have suggested a capacity for recovery following noise-induced vestibular damage. Human studies have demonstrated that diminished sacculo-collic responses are related to the severity of noise-induced hearing loss, and dose-dependent vestibular deficits following noise exposure have been corroborated in animal models. Further work is needed to better understand the physiological and functional consequences of noise-induced vestibular impairment in animals and humans

The high frequency of manic symptoms in fibromyalgia does influence the choice of treatment?

BACKGROUND: Mood disorders were found associated with fibromyalgia (FM) and clinical studies have revealed the efficacy of antidepressant drugs in the treatment of FM. However no specific instruments to identify manic symptoms were used. OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency of anxiety and mood disorders (particularly bipolar disorders and manic symptoms) in a consecutive sample of women affected by FM using standardized diagnostic tools and to compare the prevalence of these disorders with that observed in a sample of healthy controls from the general population. METHODS: Cases: consecutive series of women (N = 37, mean age 50.1 ± 21.0) attending a Rheumatology outpatient Unit at the University of Cagliari. Controls: 148 women, drawn from the data bank of an epidemiological study matched for sex and age with controls according to a randomisation "after blocks" method. The Italian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Simplified were carried out by physicians. Psychiatric diagnosis was formulated according to DSM-IV criteria. The Italian version of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) was administered to identify manic symptoms and bipolar disorders. Diagnosis of FM were carried out by rheumatologist according to the criteria of American College of Rheumatology. RESULTS: Subjects with FM showed a higher comorbidity with Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder than controls. The study showed a high frequency of manic symptoms (MDQ positive) in the sample of fibromyalgic patients (59%), approximately double that found in the control sample (P < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of antidepressants, especially tricyclic antidepressants, in the treatment of FM. The clinical difficulty in identifying hypomanic episodes is well known particularly where previous and not present episodes are concerned as in depressive patients. These data would suggest further studies on the subject are needed and more caution also in prescribing antidepressants in a population apparently at high risk for bipolar disorders

Cancer risk in oil refinery workers : a pooled mortality study in Italy

Background: Oil refinery workers are exposed to several well-established carcinogens and working in this type of industry has been classified by IARC as probable carcinogen to humans (Group 2A). Objectives: To examine the mortality experience of workers employed in four Italian oil refineries. Methods: The cohort included 5112 male workers ever employed between 1949 and 2011. The average follow-up period was 49 years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using as reference age-gender-calendar specific regional rates. Analyses by duration of employment and latency were performed. Results: In the whole cohort, pleural cancer (6 deaths, SMR 1.59; 95% CI 0.71-3.53), brain cancer (14 deaths, SMR 1.47; 95% CI 0.87-2.49) and lymphatic leukemia (LL) (8 deaths, SMR 1.81; 95% CI 0.91-3.62) showed increased risks. All pleural cancers occurred after 10 years of latency and the highest risk was observed among workers with duration 6520 years; the brain cancer excess was confined in the shortest duration and latency. The LL (and chronic lymphatic leukemia in particular) excess regarded workers with latency and duration longer than 20 years. Four deaths from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were observed and all occurred after 20 years of latency (SMR 1.55, 95% CI 0.58-4.12); a two-fold-increased risk was observed in the longest duration. No increased risk for skin cancer has been observed in our study population. Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with recent evidence of an increased mortality from pleural and hematopoietic malignancies (AML and LL) among oil refinery workers. However, the lack of individual quantitative exposure data and the small number of observed events prevent the identification of the possible causal role of individual chemicals, including benzene, especially at the current very low exposure levels