The epidemiology of chronic fatigue in San Francisco

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a recently defined condition characterized by severe disabling fatigue that persists for a minimum of six months, and a host of somatic and neurocognitive symptoms. Although conditions similar to CFS have been described in the medical literature for over 100 years, little is known about the epidemiology of CFS or of chronic fatigue generally. The San Francisco Fatigue Study was undertaken to describe the prevalence and characteristics of self-reported chronic fatigue and associated conditions in a diverse urban community. The study utilized a cross-sectional telephone survey of a random sample of households in San Francisco, followed by case/control interviews of fatigued and nonfatigued subjects. Respondents were classified as chronically fatigued (CF) if they reported severe fatigue lasting six months or longer, then further classified as having CFS-like illness if, based on self-reported information, their condition appeared to meet CFS case definition criteria. Subjects who reported idiopathic chronic fatigue that did not meet CFS criteria were classified as having ICF-like illness.^ 8004 households were screened, yielding fatigue and demographic information on 16970 residents. CF was reported by 635 persons, 3.7% of the study population. CFS-like illness was identified in 34 subjects (0.2%), and ICF-like illness in 259 subjects (1.6%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that prevalence odds ratios for CFS-like illness were significantly elevated for females compared to males (OR = 2.9), and in Blacks (OR = 2.9) and Native Americans (OR = 13.2) relative to Whites, but significantly lower in Asians (OR = 0.12). Above-average household income was protective for all categories of CF. CFS-like subjects reported more symptoms and were more severely disabled than ICF-like subjects, but the pattern of symptoms experienced by both groups was similar. In conclusion, unexplained chronic fatigue, including CFS-like illness, occurs in all sociodemographic groups, but may be most prevalent among persons with lower incomes and in some racial minorities. Future studies that include clinical evaluation of incident cases of CFS and ICF are required to further clarify the epidemiology of unexplained chronic fatigue in the population. ^

The Lord of Heaven in the Inner Chambers: Jesuits, Women, and Domestic Christianity (ca. 1580-1690)

The study focuses on gender norms and practices in Chinese Christian communities established by Jesuit missionary activity during the long seventeenth century. It analyzes how European and Chinese gender norms and practices affected each other in the context of the Sino-Western cultural contact initiated by the missionaries. The thesis consists of two parts. First, it analyzes the ways in which European Jesuits engaged with Chinese gender relations in the course of their mission in China. The study demonstrates that the Jesuits’ adoption of the Chinese scholar-gentry’s habitus entailed a partial adaptation to Confucian gender norms. The latter placed great emphasis on gender segregation and therefore discouraged direct communication between missionaries and Chinese women. This resulted in the emergence of organizational and devotional arrangements of Christian communities specific to China. Second, the study discusses Chinese Christian women's religious culture that emerged in the absence of a strong missionary presence among female devotees. It points out that Chinese Christian women created their own ritual culture and religious sociability in the domestic context, and that they actively took part in shaping Chinese Christianity as masters of domestic rituals.

Der Tempel Emanu-El in San Francisco [Illustration] : (Zeichnung)

Louis Lozowick

Die Memoiren der Glückel von Hameln : 1645 - 1719

hrsg. von David Kaufmann

Kurtze Beschreibung vnd eigendlicher Abriß, deß sonderbahren Zeichens in der Lufft : so den 14. Febr. deß 1645. Jahrs, nach Mittag, zwischen zwey vnd drey Vhren, zu Herspruck, im Nürnbergischen Gebiet, gesehen worden

Bibliogr. Nachweis: Strauss SLW 1600-1700, S. 726

[Ein Mondhof] : Anno 1645 an St. Thomae Tag den 21. Decembris, Nachts oder Umb 8 der kleinen Uhr nachmittag, hat der Monndt, so noch nicht gar vol, oberhalb gegen Nordwesten, ein Bogen gehabt .̤

Beschreibung des Mondhofes, gefolgt von Berichten über früher beobachtete Mondhoefe

Anno 1645, den 13 Octobris, ist ein solcher Vogel zu Engelthal uff einem Weyer geschossen, und abgemahlt worden

Bibliogr. Nachweis: Faust: Zoolog. Einblattdrucke .̤ II,191

Anno 1645, den 4. Ianu. ist ein solche Enden, so Indianisch sein soll, bey Weickershof uff der Bibert geschossen worden

Bibliogr. Nachweis: Faust: Zoolog. Einblattdrucke .̤ II,190. - Möglicherweise aus e. Tafelwerk

Ordnung der Kayßerlich- vnd Schwedischen Haupt-Armaden : wie solche in Böhmen bey Janckowitz vor dem Treffen gegen einander gestanden, den 24. Ferbruarii vnd 6. Martii Anno 1645

[gestochen von Caspar Merian]