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Open Repository @ Binghamton Monthly Additions and Top Downloads - January 2024
Get PDFNewly added work in the Open Repository @ Binghamton (ORB) from 1/1/2024-1/31/2024. Top downloads from same time frame
Unearthing the Ancient Metropolis: Perth Amboy\u27s Clark-Watson Site
Get PDFThis Clark-Watson Site in Perth Amboy, New Jersey is one of the richest early colonial sites in the state. It is named for two early property owners: Benjamin Clark a Scottish stationer and bookseller who moved to New Jersey in 1683 and John Watson (1685-1768), a noted 18th-century artist. Excavations at the site by William Pavlovsky unearthed an extraordinary collection of colonial artifacts. The archaeological assemblage provides an unparalleled glimpse into the material life of settlers in Perth Amboy during a period when the city aspired to be a center of international trade and was competing directly and ultimately unsuccessfully with the burgeoning city of New York, just twenty miles away. Trade networks linked Perth Amboy’s early settlers to the Netherlands, the Germans states, England, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America and reflect the growth of global trade networks in the 17th and 18th centuries. This article examines the collection in its cultural and historical contexts. It also argues for the reexamination of historic artifact collections, including those from amateur excavations for addressing important historical and archaeological questions
High and Dry - Contextualizing Domestic Root Cellar Drains in Southern Ontario
Get PDFThe subterranean root cellar is the quintessential feature of rural nineteenth-century archaeological sites in Ontario and much archaeological, historical, and architectural research on rural farmsteads has focused on defining and understanding these structures. However, this work has neglected an important component of this feature – the root cellar drain. This paper contextualizes these features within their broader nineteenth-century ideals of drainage and goes on to tackle the topic with the use of statistical analysis on the associated geographical, social, and economic attributes. The discussion presents opportunities that are present from the vast quantities of historical sites that have been excavated in the past several decades. Going beyond simple comparisons of small handfuls of sites, one future for historical archaeology lies in statistical approaches on vast quantities of data available in the grey literature. As a result, this study shows a slow but steady acceptance of scientific farming practices in rural Ontario but also resistance, variation, and contraction of the published agricultural literature at the time. This goes to show that even the humblest, most mundane archaeological features have interesting stories to tell
“The Scepter Shall Not Depart from Judah”: Jews and Imperial Power in Benjamin of Tudela’s Book of Travels
Get PDFThis paper, written as a final project for Professor Shay Rabineau\u27s class “Walking the Land,” examines the relationship of medieval Jews to the imperial powers to which they were subject, as expressed in Benjamin of Tudela\u27s Book of Travels. It focuses on the two imperial cores of Rome and Baghdad, and contextualizes the representation of these two cities within the world of imperial power in which the text was produced. As a work of medieval travel literature, I analyze the Book of Travels not as a factual account of history, but rather as a discursive and imaginative text which seeks to categorize and make comprehensible the world inhabited by medieval Jewry.
I argue that the representations of imperial power and Jewish status in Rome and Baghdad on their face reflect a desire on the part of medieval Jews for respect, honor, and dignity from the non-Jewish rulers to whom they were subject. However—as can be gleaned from Benjamin of Tudela’s reproachful account of messianic claimant David Alroy—the glowing accounts of these twin imperial cores is also a way of encouraging Jews not to disrupt the delicate balance of power in their world. Ultimately, the Book of Travels portrays a complex matrix of Jewish attitudes towards imperial power, including aspiration, fear, and strategically-suppressed antagonism
Establishing Methods for the Detection of Thiamine in Resource-Deficient Settings
No full textThiamine (vitamin B1) is vital for various metabolic functions within the human body, such as the TCA cycle and pentose-phosphate pathway. In vertebrates, it cannot be produced by the body itself, and therefore must be taken in through diet. Thiamine deficiency can lead to symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite, and certain neurological disorders. HPLC is a traditional method utilized for thiamine analysis, but the maintenance and expertise required to properly operate an HPLC instrument makes it unsuitable for resource-deficient settings. Therefore, two assay formats are considered for the detection of thiamine: an enzymatic plate digestion assay format and a lateral flow assay format.
The enzymatic plate digestion assay format relies on the relationship between thiamine and the enzyme that inhibits its activity: thiaminase. By subjecting biological sample solutions in parallel to incubation in the presence and absence of thiaminase I (an enzyme that degrades thiamine) we can compare the signal from the background matrix relative to that including thiamine. Thiamine (non-fluorescent) is then oxidized to thiochrome (fluorescent), and the fluorescence of solutions can be determined relative to an external standard curve. The thiaminase enzyme is utilized to create control matrices depleted of thiamine. Developing a diluent for thiamine standards that is similar to the matrix of the biological samples in the assay is key for achieving accurate results.
The lateral flow assay format is directly suited for an at-home user to detect thiamine at the point-of-care. A thiamine derivative is immobilized on the membrane strip, and dye-encapsulating liposomes that are functionalized with a periplasmic thiamine-binding protein are pre-mixed with samples to provide a visible signal indicative of thiamine content when added to the strip. The utilization of this format is intended for future applications in human biological samples
The oblique effect as a measure of digital media overuse
No full textThe oblique effect noted by an evolutionary bias toward 0° and 90° contours over oblique reflects the statistical distribution of contours in the visual environment such that there is more neural representation in the visual cortex (area V1) for horizontal and vertical (anisotropic) contours than otherwise ((Hubel & Wisel, 1962). The oblique effect has developed in mammalian and non-mammalian species because of exposure to the visual environment (Annis & Frost, 1973; Hipp et al., 2020; Henrich et al., 2010). Preliminary data demonstrates that digital media use may exacerbate the oblique effect, but further investigation is needed to understand the perceptual, physiological, and ontological parameters of this effect (Hipp et al, 2020). The purpose of this study is to develop a toolbox that can use orientation discrimination as an indicator of environmental exposure to canonical content: A steady state visual oddball paradigm task (SSVOP) and a psychophysical staircase that will enable reliable assessment of the oblique effect. Results of experiment 1 showed significant amplitude changes as a function of tilt from base orientation and results of experiment 2 successfully showed the oblique effect reflected by higher overall contour discrimination at vertical and horizontal and oblique contours respectively (
Examining the urban heat island effect in Albany, NY using remote sensing and GIS techniques
Get PDFThis research delves into the complex dynamics of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect within the urban landscape of Albany, New York, employing advanced remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methodologies. With a primary focus on two interconnected objectives, this study attempts to unravel the spatial patterns of temperature extremes and assess associated vulnerabilities within communities, while also exploring the influence of green space distribution on the intensity of urban heat islands. The first objective examines temperature extremes\u27 spatial distribution and vulnerability among demographic groups such as race/ethnicity, age, and income. It examines whether marginalized communities bear a disproportionate burden of temperature changes and evaluates adaptation strategies across diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Additionally, this project will assess the vulnerability of older individuals and low-income neighborhoods to temperature variations and explore if historically undesirable areas experience heightened temperatures. The second objective analyzes the role of green spaces in modulating UHI intensity. It aims to clarify whether vegetated areas act as cooling microclimates, mitigating the UHI effect. Through spatial analysis, this research explores the correlation between green space coverage and temperature fluctuations, providing insights into urban greening initiatives\u27 potential to alleviate heat-related vulnerabilities. By integrating remote sensing, GIS analysis, and socio-demographic factors, this study seeks to enhance understanding of the UHI effect in Albany. Ultimately, this project seeks to examine evidence-based urban planning strategies aimed at fostering equitable and sustainable urban environments resilient to the challenges posed by rising temperatures and climate change
Return of participant-level clinical trial results to participants: pilot of a simplified centralised approach
Get PDFObjectives Public access databases such as clinicaltrials.gov achieve dissemination of clinical trial design and aggregated study results. However, return of participant-level data is rarely done. A key barrier includes the proprietary ownership of data by the sponsor. Additionally, investigators may not have access to centralised data, and per International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Good Clinical Practice, must maintain the confidentiality of participants. This study piloted an approach to return both individual and aggregate clinical trial data to parents of children participating in a series of open-label clinical trials. Setting and design A small biotech company obtained central ethics approval (centralised institutional review board [IRB], non-exempt). The study was advertised via parent advocacy groups. Parents of trial participants were offered the option to contact an employee (coordinator) within the company, requesting return of their child’s study results. Ethics approval covered participation in six countries. The study focused on the sequential clinical trials of vamorolone VBP15-002 (NCT02760264) and VBP15-003 (NCT02760277) (post-results). Interventions Contact initiated by the parent enabled the coordinator to obtain informed consent (and separate General Data Protection Regulations consent), with phone translation when needed. Using date of birth and study site location provided by the parent, the data manager reported the participant number to the coordinator. The coordinator retrieved and compiled data, along with an aggregate summary, which was mailed via a password protected and encrypted memory device to the parent. Prereturn and postreturn surveys were sent to consented parents (n=19; 40% of 48 total trial participants) and investigators. Results Prereturn surveys indicated a request for as much data as offered, in all formats offered. Postreturn survey showed high satisfaction with the process and data returned. Survey of the physician site investigators (n=10; 100% participation of investigators) voiced general satisfaction with the process, with some reservations. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrates an innovative, cost-effective, centralised and labour conservative approach to return of participant-level and aggregate data to participants in studies
Dalbavancin Sequential Therapy for Gram-Positive Bloodstream Infection: A Multicenter Observational Study
Get PDFIntroduction Long-acting lipoglycopeptides such as dalbavancin may have utility in patients with Gram-positive bloodstream infections (BSI), particularly in those with barriers to discharge or who require prolonged parenteral antibiotic courses. A retrospective cohort study was performed to provide further multicenter real-world evidence on dalbavancin use as a sequential therapy for Gram-positive BSI. Methods One hundred fifteen patients received dalbavancin with Gram-positive BSI, defined as any positive blood culture or diagnosed with infective endocarditis, from 13 centers geographically spread across the United States between July 2015 and July 2021. Results Patients had a mean (SD) age of 48.5 (17.5) years, the majority were male (54%), with many who injected drugs (40%). The most common infection sources (non-exclusive) were primary BSI (89%), skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) (25%), infective endocarditis (19%), and bone and joint infection (17%). Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 72% of index cultures, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus accounted for 18%, and Streptococcus species in 16%. Dalbavancin started a median (Q1–Q3) of 10 (6–19) days after index culture collection. The most common regimen administered was dalbavancin 1500 mg as one dose for 50% of cases. The primary outcome of composite clinical failure occurred at 12.2%, with 90-day mortality at 7.0% and 90-day BSI recurrence at 3.5%. Conclusions Dalbavancin may serve as a useful tool in facilitating hospital discharge in patients with Gram-positive BSI. Randomized controlled trials are anticipated to validate dalbavancin as a surrogate to current treatment standards
Retrospective study investigating naloxone prescribing and cost in US Medicaid and Medicare patients
Get PDFBackground Opioid overdoses in the USA have increased to unprecedented levels. Administration of the opioid antagonist naloxone can prevent overdoses. Objective This study was conducted to reveal the pharmacoepidemiologic patterns in naloxone prescribing to Medicaid patients from 2018 to 2021 as well as Medicare in 2019. Design Observational pharmacoepidemiologic study Setting US Medicare and Medicaid naloxone claims Intervention The Medicaid State Drug Utilisation Data File was utilised to extract information on the number of prescriptions and the amount prescribed of naloxone at a national and state level. The Medicare Provider Utilisation and Payment was also utilised to analyse prescription data from 2019. Outcome measures States with naloxone prescription rates that were outliers of quartile analysis were noted. Results The number of generic naloxone prescriptions per 100 000 Medicaid enrollees decreased by 5.3%, whereas brand naloxone prescriptions increased by 245.1% from 2018 to 2021. There was a 33.1-fold difference in prescriptions between the highest (New Mexico=1809.5) and lowest (South Dakota=54.6) states in 2019. Medicare saw a 30.4-fold difference in prescriptions between the highest (New Mexico) and lowest states (also South Dakota) after correcting per 100 000 enrollees. Conclusions This pronounced increase in the number of naloxone prescriptions to Medicaid patients from 2018 to 2021 indicates a national response to this widespread public health emergency. Further research into the origins of the pronounced state-level disparities is warranted