314 research outputs found
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Effects of the Two World Wars in Shaping African Colonial Soldiersā Perceptions of Colonialism
This study investigates the extent overseas military service of African colonial soldiers during the two World Wars altered their perceptions of Europeans, colonialism, and themselves. The subsequent impact of these changes is also explored. Soldiers of the French West African tirailleurs sļæ½nļæ½galais in World War I and the British East African Kingās African Rifles in World War II are both examined and compared over the course of their respective periods of service and return to civilian life. While the two World Wars provided significant opportunities for unprecedented numbers of African soldiers to formulate deeper assessments of their role and status in the colonial system than previously imaginable, using this newfound knowledge gained through military service overseas to undermine the European order was another matter. Ultimately, the experiences of colonial soldiers in World Wars I and II proved most notable for showcasing the hypocrisies that sustained colonialism
Electron drift-mobility measurements in polycrystalline CuIn1-xGaxSe2 solar cells
We report photocarrier time-of-flight measurements of electron drift mobilities for the p-type CuIn1-xGaxSe2 films incorporated in solar cells. The electron mobilities range from 0.02 to 0.05 cm^2/Vs and are weakly temperature-dependent from 100ā300 K. These values are lower than the range of electron Hall mobilities (2-1100 cm2/Vs) reported for n-type polycrystalline thin films and single crystals. We propose that the electron drift mobilities are properties of disorder-induced mobility edges and discuss how this disorder could increase cell efficiencies
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Indication Alerts Intercept Drug Name Confusion Errors during Computerized Entry of Medication Orders
Background: Confusion between similar drug names is a common cause of potentially harmful medication errors. Interventions to prevent these errors at the point of prescribing have had limited success. The purpose of this study is to measure whether indication alerts at the time of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) can intercept drug name confusion errors. Methods and Findings: A retrospective observational study of alerts provided to prescribers in a public, tertiary hospital and ambulatory practice with medication orders placed using CPOE. Consecutive patients seen from April 2006 through February 2012 were eligible if a clinician received an indication alert during ordering. A total of 54,499 unique patients were included. The computerized decision support system prompted prescribers to enter indications when certain medications were ordered without a coded indication in the electronic problem list. Alerts required prescribers either to ignore them by clicking OK, to place a problem in the problem list, or to cancel the order. Main outcome was the proportion of indication alerts resulting in the interception of drug name confusion errors. Error interception was determined using an algorithm to identify instances in which an alert triggered, the initial medication order was not completed, and the same prescriber ordered a similar-sounding medication on the same patient within 5 minutes. Similarity was defined using standard text similarity measures. Two clinicians performed chart review of all cases to determine whether the first, non-completed medication order had a documented or non-documented, plausible indication for use. If either reviewer found a plausible indication, the case was not considered an error. We analyzed 127,458 alerts and identified 176 intercepted drug name confusion errors, an interception rate of 0.14Ā±.01%. Conclusions: Indication alerts intercepted 1.4 drug name confusion errors per 1000 alerts. Institutions with CPOE should consider using indication prompts to intercept drug name confusion errors
A Prescription for Improving Drug Formulary Decision Making
Gordon Schiff and colleagues present a new tool and checklist to help formularies make decisions about drug inclusion and to guide rational drug use
Interferon Alfa-2b Alone or in Combination with Ribavirin as Initial Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C
BACKGROUND
Only 15 to 20 percent of patients with chronic hepatitis C have a sustained virologic response to interferon therapy. We compared the efficacy and safety of recombinant interferon alfa-2b alone with those of a combination of interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for the initial treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS
We randomly assigned 912 patients with chronic hepatitis C to receive standard-dose interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin (1000 or 1200 mg orally per day, depending on body weight) for 24 or 48 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by measurements of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and serum aminotransferases and by liver biopsy. RESULTS
The rate of sustained virologic response (defined as an undetectable serum HCV RNA level 24 weeks after treatment was completed) was higher among patients who received combination therapy for either 24 weeks (70 of 228 patients, 31 percent) or 48 weeks (87 of 228 patients, 38 percent) than among patients who received interferon alone for either 24 weeks (13 of 231 patients, 6 percent) or 48 weeks (29 of 225 patients, 13 percent) (P CONCLUSIONS
In patients with chronic hepatitis C, initial therapy with interferon and ribavirin was more effective than treatment with interferon alone
An Analysis of Private School Closings
We add to the small literature on private school supply by exploring exits of K-12 private schools. We find that the closure of private schools is not an infrequent event, and use national survey data from the National Center for Education Statistics to study closures of private schools. We assume that the probability of an exit is a function of excess supply of private schools over the demand, as well as the school's characteristics such as age, size, and religious affiliation. Our empirical results generally support the implications of the model. Working Paper 07-0
MMS Measurements of the Vlasov Equation: Probing the Electron Pressure Divergence Within Thin Current Sheets
We investigate the kinetic structure of electronāscale current sheets found in the vicinity of the magnetopause and embedded in the magnetosheath within the reconnection exhaust. A new technique for computing terms of the Vlasov equation using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) measurements is presented and applied to study phase space density gradients and the kinetic origins of the electron pressure divergence found within these current sheets. Crescentāshaped structures in āā„2fe give rise to bipolar and quadrupolar signatures in vĀ·āfe measured near the maximum āĀ·Pe inside the current layers. The current density perpendicular to the magnetic field is strong (Jā„ā¼2 Ī¼A/m2), and the thickness of the current layers ranges from 3 to 5 electron inertial lengths. The electron flows supporting the current layers mainly result from the combination of EĆB and diamagnetic drifts. We find nonzero JĀ·Eā² within the current sheets even though they are observed apart from typical diffusion region signatures.publishedVersio
Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin Prevent Recurrence of HCV Infection After Liver Transplantation: An Open-Label Study
Background & AimsPatients with detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA at the time of liver transplantation universally experience recurrent HCV infection. Antiviral treatment before transplantation can prevent HCV recurrence, but existing interferon-based regimens are poorly tolerated and are either ineffective or contraindicated in most patients. We performed a trial to determine whether sofosbuvir and ribavirin treatment before liver transplantation could prevent HCV recurrence afterward.MethodsIn a phase 2, open-label study, 61 patients with HCV of any genotype and cirrhosis (ChildāTurcotteāPugh score, ā¤7) who were on waitlists for liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma, received up to 48 weeks of sofosbuvir (400 mg) and ribavirin before liver transplantation. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with HCV-RNA levels less than 25 IU/mL at 12 weeks after transplantation among patients with this HCV-RNA level at their last measurement before transplantation.ResultsSixty-one patients received sofosbuvir and ribavirin, and 46 received transplanted livers. The per-protocol efficacy population consisted of 43 patients who had HCV-RNA level less than 25 IU/mL at the time of transplantation. Of these 43 patients, 30 (70%) had a post-transplantation virologic response at 12 weeks, 10 (23%) had recurrent infection, and 3 (7%) died (2 from nonfunction of the primary graft and 1 from complications of hepatic artery thrombosis). Of all 61 patients given sofosbuvir and ribavirin, 49% had a post-transplantation virologic response. Recurrence was related inversely to the number of consecutive days of undetectable HCV RNA before transplantation. The most frequently reported adverse events were fatigue (in 38% of patients), headache (23%), and anemia (21%).ConclusionsAdministration of sofosbuvir and ribavirin before liver transplantation can prevent post-transplant HCV recurrence. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01559844
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