Creating the Back Ward: The Triumph of Custodialism and the Uses of Therapeutic Failure in Nineteenth Century Idiot Asylums

My focus in this chapter is on the origin of the back ward rather than its demise. Where did the “back wards” that [Burton] Blatt and [Senator Robert] Kennedy witnessed come from in the first place? What 3 exactly were those “antecedents of the problems observed” that Blatt cited? This chapter reviews that history and argues that, in fact, there is a specific narrative to the evolution of the institutional “back ward” as an identifiable place where people with the most significant intellectual disabilities were to be incarcerated and largely forgotten.https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/education_books/1006/thumbnail.jp

Methane storms as a driver of Titan's dune orientation

Titan's equatorial regions are covered by eastward propagating linear dunes. This direction is opposite to mean surface winds simulated by Global Climate Models (GCMs), which are oriented westward at these latitudes, similar to trade winds on Earth. Different hypotheses have been proposed to address this apparent contradiction, involving Saturn's gravitational tides, large scale topography or wind statistics, but none of them can explain a global eastward dune propagation in the equatorial band. Here we analyse the impact of equinoctial tropical methane storms developing in the superrotating atmosphere (i.e. the eastward winds at high altitude) on Titan's dune orientation. Using mesoscale simulations of convective methane clouds with a GCM wind profile featuring superrotation, we show that Titan's storms should produce fast eastward gust fronts above the surface. Such gusts dominate the aeolian transport, allowing dunes to extend eastward. This analysis therefore suggests a coupling between superrotation, tropical methane storms and dune formation on Titan. Furthermore, together with GCM predictions and analogies to some terrestrial dune fields, this work provides a general framework explaining several major features of Titan's dunes: linear shape, eastward propagation and poleward divergence, and implies an equatorial origin of Titan's dune sand.Comment: Published online on Nature Geoscience on 13 April 201

Treatment of hallux valgus by modified McBride procedure: a 6-year follow-up

PubMed ID: 20505975Background Surgical decision-making was reevaluated by comparison with an algorithm designed to analyze treatment of hallux valgus deformities. Materials and methods A modified McBride procedure was performed on 52 feet of 35 patients with hallux valgusdeformity. From this series, 36 feet of 21 patients were evaluated preoperatively, early postoperatively, and late postoperatively by means of subjective evaluation and clinical and radiological findings. Results The hallux valgus angle preoperatively, early postoperatively, and late postoperatively was 32.7 ± 8.5°, 10.1 ± 6.9°, and 20.6 ± 9.5°, respectively. Hallux valgus recurrence of 72.2% was observed. Subjective results were better and the patients rated their satisfaction with the procedure as excellent or high in 23 cases (63.9%) and moderate, low, or unsatisfactory in 13 cases (36.1%). Conclusions This level of patient satisfaction demonstrates that the McBride procedure is an efficient approach for eliminating pain due to hallux valgus deformity. © The Author(s) 2010

Treatment of hallux valgus by modified McBride procedure: a 6-year follow-up

PubMed ID: 20505975Background Surgical decision-making was reevaluated by comparison with an algorithm designed to analyze treatment of hallux valgus deformities. Materials and methods A modified McBride procedure was performed on 52 feet of 35 patients with hallux valgusdeformity. From this series, 36 feet of 21 patients were evaluated preoperatively, early postoperatively, and late postoperatively by means of subjective evaluation and clinical and radiological findings. Results The hallux valgus angle preoperatively, early postoperatively, and late postoperatively was 32.7 ± 8.5°, 10.1 ± 6.9°, and 20.6 ± 9.5°, respectively. Hallux valgus recurrence of 72.2% was observed. Subjective results were better and the patients rated their satisfaction with the procedure as excellent or high in 23 cases (63.9%) and moderate, low, or unsatisfactory in 13 cases (36.1%). Conclusions This level of patient satisfaction demonstrates that the McBride procedure is an efficient approach for eliminating pain due to hallux valgus deformity. © The Author(s) 2010

Genome-wide signatures of convergent evolution in echolocating mammals

Evolution is typically thought to proceed through divergence of genes, proteins, and ultimately phenotypes(1-3). However, similar traits might also evolve convergently in unrelated taxa due to similar selection pressures(4,5). Adaptive phenotypic convergence is widespread in nature, and recent results from a handful of genes have suggested that this phenomenon is powerful enough to also drive recurrent evolution at the sequence level(6-9). Where homoplasious substitutions do occur these have long been considered the result of neutral processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that adaptive convergent sequence evolution can be detected in vertebrates using statistical methods that model parallel evolution(9,10) although the extent to which sequence convergence between genera occurs across genomes is unknown. Here we analyse genomic sequence data in mammals that have independently evolved echolocation and show for the first time that convergence is not a rare process restricted to a handful of loci but is instead widespread, continuously distributed and commonly driven by natural selection acting on a small number of sites per locus. Systematic analyses of convergent sequence evolution in 805,053 amino acids within 2,326 orthologous coding gene sequences compared across 22 mammals (including four new bat genomes) revealed signatures consistent with convergence in nearly 200 loci. Strong and significant support for convergence among bats and the dolphin was seen in numerous genes linked to hearing or deafness, consistent with an involvement in echolocation. Surprisingly we also found convergence in many genes linked to vision: the convergent signal of many sensory genes was robustly correlated with the strength of natural selection. This first attempt to detect genome-wide convergent sequence evolution across divergent taxa reveals the phenomenon to be much more pervasive than previously recognised

Spin Seebeck insulator

Thermoelectric generation is an essential function of future energy-saving technologies. However, this generation has been an exclusive feature of electric conductors, a situation which inflicts a heavy toll on its application; a conduction electron often becomes a nuisance in thermal design of devices. Here we report electric-voltage generation from heat flowing in an insulator. We reveal that, despite the absence of conduction electrons, a magnetic insulator LaY2Fe5O12 converts a heat flow into spin voltage. Attached Pt films transform this spin voltage into electric voltage by the inverse spin Hall effect. The experimental results require us to introduce thermally activated interface spin exchange between LaY2Fe5O12 and Pt. Our findings extend the range of potential materials for thermoelectric applications and provide a crucial piece of information for understanding the physics of the spin Seebeck effect.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures (including supplementary information

Hallux valgus angle as main predictor for correction of hallux valgus

Contains fulltext : 70112.pdf ( ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: It is recognized that different types of hallux valgus exist. Classification occurs with radiographic and clinical parameters. Severity of different parameters is used in algorithms to choose between different surgical procedures. Because there is no consensus about each parameter nor their cut-off point we conducted this study to analyze the influence of these variables on the postoperative hallux valgus angle. METHODS: After informed consent 115 patients (136 feet) were included. Bunionectomy, osteotomy, lateralization of the distal fragment, lateral release and medial capsulorrhaphy were performed in all patients. Data were collected on preoperative and postoperative HVA, IMA and DMAA measurements. Forty cases were included since our findings in a previous article 1, therefore, current data concern an expanded study group with longer follow-up and were not published before. At least two-year follow-up data were evaluated with logistic regression and independent t-tests. RESULTS: Preoperative HVA was significant for prediction of postoperative HVA in logistic regression. IMA and DMAA were not significant for prediction of postoperative HVA in logistic regression, although they were significantly increased in larger deformities. In patients with preoperative HVA of 37 degrees or more, satisfactory correction could be obtained in 65 percent. The other nine of these 26 patients developed subluxation. CONCLUSION: The preoperative HVA was the main radiological predictor for correction of hallux valgus, correction rate declined from preoperative HVA of 37. IMA and DMAA did have a minor role in patients with preoperative HVA lower than 37 degrees, however, likely contributed to preoperative HVA of 37 degrees or more

Selection of Reserves for Woodland Caribou Using an Optimization Approach

Habitat protection has been identified as an important strategy for the conservation of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus). However, because of the economic opportunity costs associated with protection it is unlikely that all caribou ranges can be protected in their entirety. We used an optimization approach to identify reserve designs for caribou in Alberta, Canada, across a range of potential protection targets. Our designs minimized costs as well as three demographic risk factors: current industrial footprint, presence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and climate change. We found that, using optimization, 60% of current caribou range can be protected (including 17% in existing parks) while maintaining access to over 98% of the value of resources on public lands. The trade-off between minimizing cost and minimizing demographic risk factors was minimal because the spatial distributions of cost and risk were similar. The prospects for protection are much reduced if protection is directed towards the herds that are most at risk of near-term extirpation

Survival Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Treatment for Localized Hepatocellular Carcinoma Within the United States

Racial differences among hepatocellular carcinoma survival have been reported, but the etiology behind these disparities remains unclear. Using multi-variable logistic regression analysis, our restrospective cohort study investigated the demographic disparities in survival among localized hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States. From 1998 to 2001, 2,776 cases of localized hepatocellular carcinoma were identified. Significant racial/ethnic disparities in overall survival and utilization of therapies were identified. Compared with non-Hispanic white males, black females were 56% less likely to survive 3 years (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.21–0.93). Treatment-specific models also demonstrated disparities, e.g., compared with non-Hispanic whites, Asians receiving transplantation were 77% more likely to survive 3 years (OR, 1.77; 95% CI 1.28–2.44). There are significant racial/ethnic disparities in 3-year survival among patients with localized hepatocellular carcinoma. These differences are partially explained by demographic differences in utilization of therapy and in stage-specific survival for each therapy

Deficiency and Also Transgenic Overexpression of Timp-3 Both Lead to Compromised Bone Mass and Architecture In Vivo

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP-3) regulates extracellular matrix via its inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases and membrane-bound sheddases. Timp-3 is expressed at multiple sites of extensive tissue remodelling. This extends to bone where its role, however, remains largely unresolved. In this study, we have used Micro-CT to assess bone mass and architecture, histological and histochemical evaluation to characterise the skeletal phenotype of Timp-3 KO mice and have complemented this by also examining similar indices in mice harbouring a Timp-3 transgene driven via a Col-2a-driven promoter to specifically target overexpression to chondrocytes. Our data show that Timp-3 deficiency compromises tibial bone mass and structure in both cortical and trabecular compartments, with corresponding increases in osteoclasts. Transgenic overexpression also generates defects in tibial structure predominantly in the cortical bone along the entire shaft without significant increases in osteoclasts. These alterations in cortical mass significantly compromise predicted tibial load-bearing resistance to torsion in both genotypes. Neither Timp-3 KO nor transgenic mouse growth plates are significantly affected. The impact of Timp-3 deficiency and of transgenic overexpression extends to produce modification in craniofacial bones of both endochondral and intramembranous origins. These data indicate that the levels of Timp-3 are crucial in the attainment of functionally-appropriate bone mass and architecture and that this arises from chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages