Measuring Manufacturing: How the Computer and Semiconductor Industries Affect the Numbers and Perceptions

Growth in U.S. manufacturing’s real value-added has exceeded that of aggregate GDP, except during recessions, leading many to conclude that the sector is healthy and that the 30 percent decline in manufacturing employment since 2000 is largely the consequence of automation. The robust growth in real manufacturing GDP, however, is driven by one industry segment: computers and electronic products. In most of manufacturing, real GDP growth has been weak or negative and productivity growth modest. The extraordinary real GDP growth in computer-related industries reflects prices for computers and semiconductors that, when adjusted for product quality improvements, are falling rapidly. Productivity growth in these industries, in turn, largely reflects product and process improvements from research and development, not automation. Although computer-related industries have driven growth in the manufacturing sector, production has shifted to Asia, and the U.S. trade deficit in these products has soared since the 1990s. The outsized effect computer-related industries have on manufacturing statistics also may distort economic relationships in the data and result in perverse research findings. Statistical agencies should take steps to assure that the influence that computer-related industries have on manufacturing-sector statistics is transparent to data users

The Impact of Social Isolation on Pain Interference: A Longitudinal Study

Background: Evidence suggests social interactions play an important role in pain perception. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether social isolation (SI) in people with persistent pain determines pain interference (PI) and physical function over time. Methods: Patients seeking care at a tertiary pain management referral center were administered the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) SI, PI, physical function, depression, and average pain intensity item banks at their initial consultation and subsequent visits as part of their routine clinical care. We used a post hoc simulation of an experiment using propensity score matching (n = 4,950) and carried out a cross-lagged longitudinal analysis (n = 312) of retrospective observational data. Results: Cross-lagged longitudinal analysis showed that SI predicted PI at the next time point, above and beyond the effects of pain intensity and covariates, but not vice versa. Conclusions: These data support the importance of SI as a factor in pain-related appraisal and coping and demonstrate that a comprehensive assessment of the individuals' social context can provide a better understanding of the differential trajectories for a person living with pain. Our study provides evidence that the impact of pain is reduced in individuals who perceive a greater sense of inclusion from and engagement with others. This study enhances the understanding of how social factors affect pain and have implications for how the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions may be improved. Therapeutic interventions aimed at increasing social connection hold merit in reducing the impact of pain on engagement with activities

Adjusting the melting point of a model system via Gibbs-Duhem integration: application to a model of Aluminum

Model interaction potentials for real materials are generally optimized with respect to only those experimental properties that are easily evaluated as mechanical averages (e.g., elastic constants (at T=0 K), static lattice energies and liquid structure). For such potentials, agreement with experiment for the non-mechanical properties, such as the melting point, is not guaranteed and such values can deviate significantly from experiment. We present a method for re-parameterizing any model interaction potential of a real material to adjust its melting temperature to a value that is closer to its experimental melting temperature. This is done without significantly affecting the mechanical properties for which the potential was modeled. This method is an application of Gibbs-Duhem integration [D. Kofke, Mol. Phys.78, 1331 (1993)]. As a test we apply the method to an embedded atom model of aluminum [J. Mei and J.W. Davenport, Phys. Rev. B 46, 21 (1992)] for which the melting temperature for the thermodynamic limit is 826.4 +/- 1.3K - somewhat below the experimental value of 933K. After re-parameterization, the melting temperature of the modified potential is found to be 931.5K +/- 1.5K.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 4 table

Exploring segregation and sharing in a divided city: A PGIS approach

This article presents a novel exploratory investigation into the location and characteristics of spaces that are segregated and shared between Protestant and Catholic communities in Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK). Focusing on a particularly segregated part of the city, this study uses state-of-the-art participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) and visualization techniques to create qualitative, bottom-up maps of segregation and sharing within the city, as experienced by the people who live there. In doing so, it identifies important and previously unreported patterns in segregation and sharing between sectarian communities, challenging normative approaches to PGIS, illustrating how alternative methods might provide deeper insights into complex social geographies such as those of segregation. Finally, the findings of this work are formulated into a set of hypotheses that can contribute to a future research agenda into segregation and sharing, both in Belfast and in other divided cities

Vascular Health in American Football Players: Cardiovascular Risk Increased in Division III Players

Studies report that football players have high blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular risk. There are over 70,000 NCAA football players and 450 Division III schools sponsor football programs, yet limited research exists on vascular health of athletes. This study aimed to compare vascular and cardiovascular health measures between football players and nonathlete controls. Twenty-three athletes and 19 nonathletes participated. Vascular health measures included flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Cardiovascular measures included clinic and 24 hr BP levels, body composition, VO2 max, and fasting glucose/cholesterol levels. Compared to controls, football players had a worse vascular and cardiovascular profile. Football players had thicker carotid artery IMT (0.49 ± 0.06 mm versus 0.46 ± 0.07 mm) and larger brachial artery diameter during FMD (4.3 ± 0.5 mm versus 3.7 ± 0.6 mm), but no difference in percent FMD. Systolic BP was significantly higher in football players at all measurements: resting (128.2 ± 6.4 mmHg versus 122.4 ± 6.8 mmHg), submaximal exercise (150.4 ± 18.8 mmHg versus 137.3 ± 9.5 mmHg), maximal exercise (211.3 ± 25.9 mmHg versus 191.4 ± 19.2 mmHg), and 24-hour BP (124.9 ± 6.3 mmHg versus 109.8 ± 3.7 mmHg). Football players also had higher fasting glucose (91.6 ± 6.5 mg/dL versus 86.6 ± 5.8 mg/dL), lower HDL (36.5±11.2 mg/dL versus 47.1±14.8 mg/dL), and higher body fat percentage (29.2±7.9% versus 23.2±7.0%). Division III collegiate football players remain an understudied population and may be at increased cardiovascular risk

Rethinking globalised resistance : feminist activism and critical theorising in international relations

This article argues that a feminist approach to the 'politics of resistance' offers a number of important empirical insights which, in turn, open up lines of theoretical inquiry which critical theorists in IR would do well to explore. Concretely, we draw on our ongoing research into feminist 'anti-globalisation' activism to rethink the nature of the subject of the politics of resistance, the conditions under which resistance emerges and how resistance is enacted and expressed. We begin by discussing the relationship of feminism to critical IR theory as a way of situating and explaining the focus and approach of our research project. We then summarise our key empirical arguments regarding the emergence, structure, beliefs, identities and practices of feminist 'anti-globalisation' activism before exploring the implications of these for a renewed critical theoretical agenda in IR

Large duodenal GIST with massive liver secondaries melting under Imatinib: a case report

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GIST) have become a well established entity and its taxonomy is no more ambiguous. Better understanding of the cell of origin and immunohistochmical markers have made this possible. Their treatment has been revolutionized with the advent of targeted molecular therapy, namely Imatinib mesylate. Herein we report a rare and interesting case of a thirty year old South Indian Lady with an extremely large Duodenal GIST with massive Liver secondaries. The phenomenon of metastatic GIST responding to Imatinib mesylate is not new. What is interesting in this case is the enormous tumor load at the time of presentation as exemplified by the cross sectional images. This kind of tumor response and patient survival deserves documentatio

Arterial Stiffness in a Cohort of Young People Living With Perinatal HIV and HIV Negative Young People in England

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased life expectancy and consequently the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults living with HIV. We investigated the levels and predictors of arterial stiffness in young people (YP) living with perinatal HIV (PHIV) and HIV negative YP in the Adolescents and Adults Living with Perinatal HIV (AALPHI) study. Methods: AALPHI was a prospective study evaluating the impact of HIV infection and exposure to ART on YP living with PHIV (aged 13-21 years) who had known their HIV status for at least 6 months, and HIV negative YP (aged 13-23 years) who either had a sibling, friend or parent living with HIV. Participants were enrolled from HIV clinics and community services in England. Two hundred and thirteen PHIV and 65 HIV negative YP (42% siblings of PHIV) had pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements taken (Vicorder software) from the supra-sternal notch to the middle of the thigh cuff, at their second interview in the study between 2015 and 2017. Average PWV was calculated from the three closest readings (≥3 and ≤ 12 m/s) within 0.6 m/s of each other. Linear regression examined predictors of higher (worse) PWV, including age, sex, HIV status and height as a priori, ethnicity, born outside UK/Ireland, alcohol/nicotine/drug use, weight, waist-to-hip-ratio, mean arterial pressure (MAP), caffeine 2 h before PWV and nicotine on day of PWV. A separate PHIV model included CD4, viral load, years taking ART and ART regimen. Findings: One hundred and twenty eight (60%) PHIV and 45 (69%) HIV negative YP were female (p = 0.18), with median (IQR) age 18 (16, 20) and 18 (16, 21) years (p = 0.48) respectively. Most PHIV were taking a combination of three ART drugs from two classes. There was a trend toward higher (worse) mean PWV in the PHIV group than the HIV negative group [unvariable analysis 6.15 (SD 0.83) m/s vs. 5.93 (0.70) m/s, respectively, unadjusted p = 0.058], which was statistically significant in the multivariable analysis [adjusted p (ap) = 0.020]. In multivariable analysis being male (ap = 0.002), older age (ap < 0.001), higher MAP (ap < 0.001) and nicotine use on day of measurement (ap = 0.001) were also predictors of higher PWV. The predictors were the same in the PHIV model. Interpretation: By late adolescence PHIV had worse PWV in comparison to HIV negative peers, and traditional risk factors for CVD (higher arterial pressure, being male and older age) were associated with higher PWV values. Regular detailed monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors should become standard of care for every young person with PHIV worldwide

Clinical Activity and Quality of Life Indices Are Valid Across Ulcerative Colitis But Not Crohn’s Disease Phenotypes

Background Clinical activity and quality of life (QOL) indices assess disease activity in Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). However, a paucity of data exists on the validity of these indices according to disease characteristics. Aims To examine the correlation between QOL and clinical activity indices and endoscopic disease activity according to disease characteristics. Methods We used a prospective registry to identify CD and UC patients ≥18 years old with available information on Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire scores (SIBDQ), Harvey–Bradshaw Index (HBI) and simple endoscopic scores for CD (SES-CD), and Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) and Mayo endoscopic score for UC. We used Spearman rank correlations to calculate correlations between indices and Fisher transformation to compare correlations across disease characteristics. Results Among 282 CD patients, we observed poor correlation between clinical activity and QOL indices to SES-CD with no differences in correlation according to disease characteristics. Conversely, among 226 UC patients, clinical activity and QOL had good correlation to Mayo endoscopic score (r = 0.55 and −0.56, respectively) with better correlations observed with left-sided versus extensive colitis (r = 0.73 vs. 0.45, p = 0.005) and shorter duration of disease (r = 0.61 vs. 0.37, p = 0.04). Conclusions Our data suggest good correlation between SCCAI and endoscopic disease activity in UC, particularly in left-sided disease. Poor correlations between HBI or SIBDQ and SES-CD appear to be consistent across different disease phenotypes.American Gastroenterological Associatio