Make America Discriminate Again? Why Hobby Lobby\u27s Expansion of RFRA is Bad Medicine for Transgender Health Care

The article highlights the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court\u27s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. which held for-profit corporations could be exempt from the Affordable Care Act\u27s (ACA)contraceptive mandate because of their sincerely held religious beliefs. Topics discussed include ACA Nondiscrimination or Civil Rights provision provides valuable protections to transgender individuals; and Department of Health and Human Services\u27 further guidance on the ACA\u27s provision

Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity in Polish patients with Parkinson’s disease

Background: Hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN) measured by transcranial sonography (TCS) is a characteristic feature observed in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). To our knowledge, no SN hyperechogenicity data are available for Polish population. Moreover most of studies come from few centres, which used the one type of ultrasound device. The main aim of the study was to investigate the association between PD and SN hyperechogenicity measured by sonographic machine, not assessed so far.Materials and methods: In this study cross-sectional study SN hyperechogenicity was evaluated in 102 PD patients and 95 control subjects. Midbrain was visualised by Aloka Prosound 7 ultrasound device. SN area measurement, the relation to the clinical features of PD, inter- and intra-observer reliability were evaluated.Results: We confirmed that SN echogenicity is significantly increased in PD patients compared to control subjects (p < 0.001). The area under curve for PD patients vs. controls was 0.93. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated a cut-offs for SN echogenicity at 0.19 cm2 with accuracy equal to 90%, specificity — 86% and sensitivity — 93.7%. The SN hyperechogenicity was not related to PD clinical findings. Reliability was good if an experienced sonographer performed the SN measurements.Conclusions: This study shows that the SN abnormality observed by TCS isa specific feature, which can be helpful in the process of PD diagnosing

Developments in Labour Law from a Comparative Perspective

The “Labour Law Education Society”, established in 2012, is one of the academic networks which were brought to life to study labour law from a comparative perspective. This monograph is a result of research made by LLES Members. In its contents latest issues of labour law are being presented. Hence, the essence of the presented studies would be interesting for those who analyze labour law from a comparative perspective. A dynamic development of labour law, connected with its social, political and economic conditions is a reason to study it from many different views. This monograph attempts to accomplish this objective

Color Confirmation of Asteroid Families

We discuss optical colors of 10,592 asteroids with known orbits selected from a sample of 58,000 moving objects observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This is more than ten times larger sample that includes both orbital parameters and multi-band photometric measurements than previously available. We confirm that asteroid dynamical families, defined as clusters in orbital parameter space, also strongly segregate in color space. In particular, we demonstrate that the three major asteroid families (Eos, Koronis, and Themis), together with the Vesta family, represent four main asteroid color types. Their distinctive optical colors indicate that the variations in chemical composition within a family are much smaller than the compositional differences between families, and strongly support earlier suggestions that asteroids belonging to a particular family have a common origin. We estimate that over 90% of asteroids belong to families.Comment: 18 pages, color figures, accepted by A

Magnetization reversal processes in epitaxial Fe/GaAs(001) films

Copyright © 1994 American Institute of PhysicsIn this article we present the results of a detailed study of the switching behavior observed in epitaxial single Fe films of thickness between 30 and 450 Å, and a wedge shaped Fe film with a thickness range of 10–60 Å grown on GaAs (001). These films have cubic and uniaxial anisotropies which change with film thickness. For the fixed thickness films the values of the anisotropy constants were accurately determined by Brillouin light scattering (BLS) measurements together with polar magneto‐optic Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements that gave the value of the magnetization. The switching behavior of these samples was observed with in‐plane MOKE magnetometry as a function of the angle between the applied field and the in‐plane crystallographic axes. Measurements of the component of magnetization perpendicular to the applied field allow a precise determination of the relative orientation of the hard and easy in‐plane anisotropy axes. This can be used to accurately determine the ratio of uniaxial to cubic anisotropy constants, when this ratio is less than one. The ratios obtained from MOKE agree well with those obtained from BLS. Minimum energy calculations predict that the reversal process should proceed by a continuous rotation of the magnetization vector with either one or two irreversible jumps, depending on the applied field orientation and the nature of the anisotropy of the film. The calculations provide a good qualitative description of the observed reversal process, although the magnetic microstructure influences the exact values of the switching fields

Exchange Anisotropy in Epitaxial and Polycrystalline NiO/NiFe Bilayers

(001) oriented NiO/NiFe bilayers were grown on single crystal MgO (001) substrates by ion beam sputtering in order to determine the effect that the crystalline orientation of the NiO antiferromagnetic layer has on the magnetization curve of the NiFe ferromagnetic layer. Simple models predict no exchange anisotropy for the (001)-oriented surface, which in its bulk termination is magnetically compensated. Nonetheless exchange anisotropy is present in the epitaxial films, although it is approximately half as large as in polycrystalline films that were grown simultaneously. Experiments show that differences in exchange field and coercivity between polycrystalline and epitaxial NiFe/NiO bilayers couples arise due to variations in induced surface anisotropy and not from differences in the degree of compensation of the terminating NiO plane. Implications of these observations for models of induced exchange anisotropy in NiO/NiFe bilayer couples will be discussed.Comment: 23 pages in RevTex format, submitted to Phys Rev B

The Main Belt Comets and ice in the Solar System

We review the evidence for buried ice in the asteroid belt; specifically the questions around the so-called Main Belt Comets (MBCs). We summarise the evidence for water throughout the Solar System, and describe the various methods for detecting it, including remote sensing from ultraviolet to radio wavelengths. We review progress in the first decade of study of MBCs, including observations, modelling of ice survival, and discussion on their origins. We then look at which methods will likely be most effective for further progress, including the key challenge of direct detection of (escaping) water in these bodies

Readiness for implementing innovations in banking in advanced and emerging economies

The development of innovation requires special knowledge from various management areas, as well as technological and intellectual support from the state. The study aims to assess the country’s readiness to introduce innovative banking technologies. The methodological tools used for the study include bibliographic analysis, fuzzy logic, factor analysis, and the Brown-Mayer model. The period under consideration is 2004-2018. The paper focuses on two groups of countries: advanced economies (Germany, France, Czech Republic, and Spain), emerging markets and developing economies (Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Croatia, Romania). The results of bibliometric analysis obtained with VOSViewerv.1.6.10 toolkit prove that the most significant factors affecting the country’s readiness to implement banking innovations are intensive economic growth, development of information and communication technologies in society, and financial strength of the banking system. The assessment results show a gradual improvement of technological and economic conditions that are necessary for the intensification of innovation processes in banking in the countries. France, Germany, Turkey, and Poland are among the leading countries with the best conditions for the development of banking innovations, while Ukraine, Croatia, and Romania have the least favorable conditions among analyzed countries. The results of this empirical study can be used to formulate a strategic plan for the development of a country’s banking system

Applications to augment patient care for Internal Medicine specialists: a position paper from the EFIM working group on telemedicine, innovative technologies & digital health

Telemedicine applications present virtually limitless prospects for innovating and enhancing established and new models of patient care in the field of Internal Medicine. Although there is a wide range of innovative technological solutions in Europe, there are overarching elements associated with such technologies when applied to the practices of Internal Medicine specialists. The European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) strongly advocates for active leadership and influence from the Internal Medicine societies and specialist physicians across Europe in the development and application of telemedicine and digital technologies in healthcare. This position paper’s conclusions were drawn via Delphi method, which was developed collaboratively from July 2021 to December 2023. The panel, consisting of experts in clinical medicine, public health, health economics and statistics, assessed various aspects related to telemedicine. Participants assigned scores on a Likert scale reflecting perceived value and potential risks. The findings were consolidated in a comprehensive checklist aligning with relevant literature and a SWOT analysis. Specifically, key issues that need to be addressed include promoting the professional development of e-health competencies in the healthcare and medical workforce, using educational campaigns to promote digital literacy among patients and caregivers, designing and implementing telemedicine applications tailored to local conditions and needs and considering the ethical and legal contexts under which these applications are employed. Importantly, there is currently no consensus on care models or standardized protocols among European Internal Medicine specialists regarding the utilization of telemedicine. This position paper aims to outline the opportunities and challenges associated with the application of telemedicine in Internal Medical practice in Europe