The Obituary Index Project: A Collaborative Gateway to Local History

Genealogists and local historians are converging on libraries and information repositories in record numbers, armed with questions and determined to locate answers buried in the documentary annals of the past. This crusade is sometimes met with the same confounding and perplexing problems that challenge library genealogy and local history professionals - a proliferation of information resources, the questionable accuracy and validity of certain sources and the daunting and repetitive task of instructing end users in meaningful inquiry and research. In response to these changes, the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) and The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) are collaborating on an effort to computerize and then upload to their institutional web sites NOPL’s Louisiana Biography & Obituary Index, the primary local history reference tool card file index of biographical information found in New Orleans newspaper obituaries from approximately 1804 to 1972. Currently, fourteen aging metal file cabinets on the third floor of the Louisiana Division of the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) contain over 650,000 index cards of information, some with multiple citations that have been described by researchers as a treasure trove and remarkable historical chronicle of local characters and color

Adaptation in a heterogeneous environment II: To be three or not to be

We propose a model to describe the adaptation of a phenotypically structured population in a $H$-patch environment connected by migration, with each patch associated with a different phenotypic optimum, and we perform a rigorous mathematical analysis of this model. We show that the large-time behaviour of the solution (persistence or extinction) depends on the sign of a principal eigenvalue, $\lambda_H$, and we study the dependency of $\lambda_H$ with respect to $H$. This analysis sheds new light on the effect of increasing the number of patches on the persistence of a population, which has implications in agroecology and for understanding zoonoses; in such cases we consider a pathogenic population and the patches correspond to different host species. The occurrence of a springboard effect, where the addition of a patch contributes to persistence, or on the contrary the emergence of a detrimental effect by increasing the number of patches on the persistence, depends in a rather complex way on the respective positions in the phenotypic space of the optimal phenotypes associated with each patch. From a mathematical point of view, an important part of the difficulty in dealing with $H\ge 3$, compared to $H=1$ or $H=2$, comes from the lack of symmetry. Our results, which are based on a fixed point theorem, comparison principles, integral estimates, variational arguments, rearrangement techniques, and numerical simulations, provide a better understanding of these dependencies. In particular, we propose a precise characterisation of the situations where the addition of a third patch increases or decreases the chances of persistence, compared to a situation with only two patches

Sharing Resources in the World of Downsizing: A Dialog

During this age of shrinking resources and escalating demands, downsizing can affect cultural agencies as well as businesses. In the process, seemingly disparate organizations sometimes form an alliance that creates the elusive quality called synergy, which the dictionary defines as a mutually advantageous conjunction of distinct participants or elements. The Ursuline Sisters of New Orleans Louisiana and The Historic New Orleans Collection, very different institutions that nonetheless share a commitment to documenting New Orleans and Louisiana history, established just such a conjunction when the Ursuline Sisters began refocusing their resources on their core mission in the 1990s

Nasal versus oronasal masks for home non-invasive ventilation in patients with chronic hypercapnia:a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The optimal interface for the delivery of home non-invasive ventilation (NIV) to treat chronic respiratory failure has not yet been determined. The aim of this individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis was to compare the effect of nasal and oronasal masks on treatment efficacy and adherence in patients with COPD and obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). METHODS: We searched Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of at least 1 month's duration, published between January 1994 and April 2019, that assessed NIV efficacy in patients with OHS and COPD. The main outcomes were diurnal PaCO2, PaO2 and NIV adherence (PROSPERO CRD42019132398). FINDINGS: Of 1576 articles identified, 34 RCTs met the inclusion criteria and IPD were obtained for 18. Ten RCTs were excluded because only one type of mask was used, or mask data were missing. Data from 8 RCTs, including 290 IPD, underwent meta-analysis. Oronasal masks were used in 86% of cases. There were no differences between oronasal and nasal masks for PaCO2 (0.61 mm Hg (95% CI -2.15 to 3.38); p=0.68), PaO2 (-0.00 mm Hg (95% CI -4.59 to 4.58); p=1) or NIV adherence (0·29 hour/day (95% CI -0.74 to 1.32); p=0.58). There was no interaction between the underlying pathology and the effect of mask type on any outcome. INTERPRETATION: Oronasal masks are the most used interface for the delivery of home NIV in patients with OHS and COPD; however, there is no difference in the efficacy or tolerance of oronasal or nasal masks

Polymorphism and intergrowth structures in the nanostructured Pr-Co system: Pr2Co7 and Pr5Co19

International audienc

Structural, microstructural and vibrational analyses of the monoclinic tungstate BiLuWO6

International audienc

ERS International Congress 2021: highlights from the Respiratory Intensive Care Assembly

Early Career Members of Assembly 2 (Respiratory Intensive Care) attended the European Respiratory Society International Congress through a virtual platform in 2021. Sessions of interest to our assembly members included symposia on the implications of acute respiratory distress syndrome phenotyping on diagnosis and treatment, safe applications of noninvasive ventilation in hypoxaemic respiratory failure, and new developments in mechanical ventilation and weaning, and a guidelines session on applying high-flow therapy in acute respiratory failure. These sessions are summarised in this article

Electron microscopy analyses and electrical properties of the layered Bi2WO6 phase

International audienc

Proposals from a French expert panel for respiratory care in ALS patients

International audienceBackground: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive diaphragm weakness and deteriorating lung function. Bulbar involvement and cough weakness contribute to respiratory morbidity and mortality. ALS-related respiratory failure significantly affects quality of life and is the leading cause of death. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which is the main recognized treatment for alleviating the symptoms of respiratory failure, prolongs survival and improves quality of life. However, the optimal timing for the initiation of NIV is still a matter of debate. NIV is a complex intervention. Multiple factors influence the efficacy of NIV and patient adherence. The aim of this work was to develop practical evidence-based advices to standardize the respiratory care of ALS patients in French tertiary care centres. Methods: For each proposal, a French expert panel systematically searched an indexed bibliography and prepared a written literature review that was then shared and discussed. A combined draft was prepared by the chairman for further discussion. All of the proposals were unanimously approved by the expert panel. Results: The French expert panel updated the criteria for initiating NIV in ALS patients. The most recent criteria were established in 2005. Practical advice for NIV initiation were included and the value of each tool available for NIV monitoring was reviewed. A strategy to optimize NIV parameters was suggested. Revisions were also suggested for the use of mechanically assisted cough devices in ALS patients. Conclusion: Our French expert panel proposes an evidence-based review to update the respiratory care recommendations for ALS patients in daily practice