Travel diaries as a source for creative constructions of thepast and the present: The Edward Bliss EmersonCaribbean diary (1831-1832)

The panelists will describe their particular encounters with Edward B. Emerson‟s travel diary, emphasizing their approaches to analyzing its content. They will describe the resources and techniques they employed to expand and contextualize Edward‟s account. They will offer the audience a truly interdisciplinary and creative interpretation of Edward‟s diary that could serve as an example of how to approach other travel diaries. Its diversity of subject and tone will be addressed by a group of scholars from different backgrounds. Collectively, the panelists represent 15 disciplines that provide different viewpoints in the analysis

Dengue: a continuing global threat.

Dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever are important arthropod-borne viral diseases. Each year, there are ∼50 million dengue infections and ∼500,000 individuals are hospitalized with dengue haemorrhagic fever, mainly in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and the Americas. Illness is produced by any of the four dengue virus serotypes. A global strategy aimed at increasing the capacity for surveillance and outbreak response, changing behaviours and reducing the disease burden using integrated vector management in conjunction with early and accurate diagnosis has been advocated. Antiviral drugs and vaccines that are currently under development could also make an important contribution to dengue control in the future

Prophylactic Intravenous Immunoglobulin in HIV-Infected Children With CD4+ Counts of 0.20×109/L or More: Effect on Viral, Opportunistic, and Bacterial Infections

Objective.—To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for prevention of viral, opportunistic, and minor bacterial infections in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Design.—Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, outpatient clinical trial comparing subjects treated with 400 mg of IVIG per kilogram of body weight every 28 days with those given albumin placebo.Setting.—Twenty-eight clinical centers in mainland United States and Puerto Rico.Patients.—Three hundred seventy-six children infected with human immunodeficiency virus with clinical or immunologic evidence of HIV disease, 313 of whom had entry CD4+ counts of at least 0.20×109/L (≥200/mm3).Main Outcome Measures.—The incidence of laboratory-proven and clinically diagnosed viral, opportunistic, and bacterial infections.Main Results.—Viral infections and minor bacterial infections contributed more frequently to morbidity in children with entry CD4+ counts of at least 0.20×109/L (together over five times as frequent) than did serious bacterial infection, the primary outcome measure of the trial. Opportunistic infections occurred at a similar rate as laboratory-proven serious bacterial infections. In this group of children, IVIG was significantly associated with a decrease in the rate of viral infections and minor bacterial infections per 100 patient-years (36.0 vs 54.0 episodes of viral infection per 100 patient-years, IVIG vs placebo,P=.01; and 115.1 vs 159.7 episodes of minor bacterial infection per 100 patient-years, IVIG vs placebo,P-.02), as well as a decrease in the rate of serious bacterial infections per 100 patient-years (26.4 vs 48.2 episodes per 100 patient-years;P=.002). There was no apparent difference in the rate of opportunistic infections between treatment arms.Conclusions.—Beneficial effect of IVIG was seen across multiple infectious outcome measures, with reductions in serious and minor viral and bacterial infections observed in children with entry CD4+ counts of at least 0.20×109/L.(JAMA. 1992;268:483-488