677 research outputs found
An Upper Bound for the Number of Rectangulations of a Planar Point Set
We prove that every set of n points in the plane has at most
rectangulations. This improves upon a long-standing bound of Ackerman. Our
proof is based on the cross-graph charging-scheme technique.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Labor Law - Presumption against Rules Prohibiting Solicitation during Nonworking Time - NLRB\u27s Application of Presumption in Hospital Patient Access Areas, Except for Immediate Patient Care Areas, Upheld as Valid
Labor Law - Presumption against Rules Prohibiting Solicitation during Nonworking Time - NLRB\u27s Application of Presumption in Hospital Patient Access Areas, Except for Immediate Patient Care Areas, Upheld as Valid
Hair testing of GHB: an everlasting issue in forensic toxicology
In this paper, the authors present a critical
review of different studies regarding hair testing of
endogenous Îł-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), concentrations in
chronic users, and values measured after a single GHB
exposure in drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases
together with the role of a recently identified GHB metabolite,
GHB-glucuronide.
Content: The following databases (up to March 2017)
PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were used, searching
the following key words: Îł-hydroxybutyrate, GHB,
GHB glucuronide, hair. The main key words âGHBâ and
âÎł-hydroxybutyrateâ were searched singularly and then
associated individually to each of the other keywords.
Summary: Of the 2304 sources found, only 20 were
considered appropriate for the purpose of this paper.
Summing up all the studies investigating endogenous
GHB concentration in hair, a very broad concentration
range from 0 to 12 ng/mg was found. In order to detect a
single GHB dose in hair it is necessary to commonly wait
1 month for collecting hair and a segmental analysis of 3
or 5 mm fragments and the calculation of a ratio between
the targeted segment and the others represent a reliable
method to detect a single GHB intake considering that the
ratios presently proposed vary from 3 and 10. The only two
studies so far performed, investigating GHB-Glucuronide
in hair, show that the latter does not seem to provide any
diagnostic information regarding GHB exposure
Unreliable estimation of prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome
Svetlana Popova and colleagues (March, 2017)1 sought to estimate the global, regional, and national prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The authors reviewed inter-national literature from 1984 for country-specific quantitative studies and for countries with one or no studies they predicted gestational alcohol use prevalence by fractional response regression modelling and prevalence of FAS by an estimated quotient for the average number of women consuming alcohol during pregnancy per one case of FAS. For estimation of FAS prevalence, Italy was reported to be among the five countries worldwide with the highest prevalence of FAS per 10000 peopl
Herbal highs: review on psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology
Background: A new trend among users of new psychoactive substancesâ the consumption of âherbal highsâ: plant parts containing psychoactive substances. Most of the substances extracted from herbs, in old centuries were at the centre of religious ceremonies of ancient civilizations. Currently, these herbal products are mainly sold by internet web sites and easily obtained since some of them have no legal restriction. Objective: We reviewed psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology of the most used âherbal highsâ with characterized active principles, with studies reporting mechanisms of action, pharmacological and subjective effects, eventual secondary effects including intoxications and/or fatalities Method: The PubMed database was searched using the following key.words: herbal highs, Argyreia nervosa, Ipomoea violacea and Rivea corymbosa; Catha edulis; Datura stramonium; Piper methysticum; Mitragyna speciosa. Results: Psychoactive plants here reviewed have been known and used from ancient times, even if for some of them limited information still exist regarding subjective and neuropharmacological effects and consequent eventual toxicity when plants are used alone or in combination with âclassicalâ drugs of abuse. Conclusion: Some âherbal highsâ should be classified as harmful drugs since chronic administration has been linked with addiction and cognitive impairment; for some others taking into consideration only the recent trends of abuse, studies investigating these aspects are lacking
Classical Limit of Higher-Spin String Amplitudes
It has been shown that a special set of three-point amplitudes between two
massive spinning states and a graviton reproduces the linearised stress-energy
tensor for a Kerr black hole in the classical limit. In this work we revisit
this result and compare it to the analysis of the amplitudes describing the
interaction of leading Regge states of the open and closed superstring. We find
an all-spin result for the classical limit of two massive spinning states
interacting with a photon or graviton. This result differs from Kerr and
instead matches the current four-vector and the stress-energy tensor generated
by a classical string coupled to electromagnetism and gravity respectively. For
the superstring amplitudes, contrary to the black-hole case, we find that the
spin to infinity limit is necessary to reproduce the classical spin multipoles.Comment: 23 pages plus ref
Synthetic cathinones related fatalities: an update
Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as "bath salts", are synthetic drugs chemically related to cathinone, a psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are the first most consumed products among new psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant and hallucinogenic effects determining a number of fatalities worldwide. In this paper, we have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed, which have occurred in the last few years.OBJECTIVE: Synthetic cathinones,
more commonly known as âbath saltsâ, are synthetic
drugs chemically related to cathinone, a
psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are
the first most consumed products among new
psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant
and hallucinogenic effects determining
a number of fatalities worldwide. In this paper, we
have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic
cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed,
which have occurred in the last few years.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant scientific
articles were identified in Medline, Cochrane
Central, Scopus, Web of Science and Institutional/
government websites up to November 2017
using the following keywords: synthetic cathinones,
mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone,
MDPV, methylone, ethylone, buthylone, fatal
intoxication, fatalities and death.
RESULTS: In total, 20 citations met the criteria
for inclusion, representing several fatal cases
with analytically confirmed synthetic cathinones
in biological sample/s of the deceased. The
death was attributed to hyperthermia, hypertension,
cardiac arrest and more in general to the
classic serotonin syndrome. Only rarely did the
concentration of the parent drug causing fatality
overcome the value of 1 mg/L in post-mortem
biological fluids.
CONCLUSIONS: Abuse of synthetic cathinones
still represents a serious public health issue.
Systematic clinical studies on both the animal
and human model are lacking; therefore, the
only available data are from the users who experience
the possible hazardous consequences.
Analytical methodologies for the identification
of parent compounds and eventual metabolites
both in ante-mortem and post-mortem cases
need to be developed and validated. Analytical
data should be shared through different communication
platforms with the aim of stopping this
serious health threat for drug users
- âŚ