A hazard perception test for novice drivers

We developed a hazard perception test, modeled on that used currently in several Australian states, that presents short video scenes to observers and requires them to indicate the presence of a traffic conflict that would lead to a collision between the “camera” vehicle and another road user. After eliminating those scenes that were problematic (e.g., many observers did not recognize the hazard), we predicted driver group (novice vs. experienced drivers of similar age) on the basis of individual differences in reaction time, miss rate and false alarm rate. Novices were significantly slower in responding to hazards, even after controlling for age and simple reaction time. After selecting those scenes with the larger group differences, an 18-scene test that would be useful for mass testing exhibited even larger experience effects. There was good reliability in the resulting scale. Results suggest that this brief test of hazard perception can discriminate groups that differ in driving experience. Implications for driver licensing, evaluation and training are discussed.     

Bolometric Microwave Power Calibration Techniques at the National Bureau of Standards

A bolometric method of calibrating low-level microwave power measuring devices is currently employed at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colo. The technique is one of direct comparison between the standard and the unknown, and utilizes NBS working standard bolometer units and self-balancing dc bridges. In general, the unknown is calibrated to an accuracy of one per cent. The following quantities are defined and the associated errors are discussed: 1) Calibration factor of a bolometer unit in combination with a directional coupler, 2) Calibration factor of a bolometer unit, and 3) Effective efficiency of a bolometer unit.     

复杂RF环境下的RFID测试挑战

亚微米互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）的最新发展,可望进一步扩展RFID技术的应用。高精度供应链管理、无接触POS交易、防伪和资产追踪／监测技术所带来的各项优势,正推动着RFID技术的迅速普及。但是,这种新技术自身也面临着许多测试挑战。本文讨论复杂RFID工作环境中的测试挑战,包括多个阅读器、密集模式环境和预先存在的非RFID信号可能引起的吞吐量和通信问题。     

Ein einfacher Extraktionsapparat

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Affecting the salience of the social responsibility norm: effects of past help on the response to dependency relationships.

A series of experiments by the authors assumes that many people in our society are motivated to aid others who are dependent upon them because such help is prescribed by a "social responsibility norm." The present study also assumes that prior help can increase the salience of this norm. In a 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design using 80 Ss (college women), ? of the Ss were individually helped by a peer (E's confederate) on a preliminary task, while the others were not aided. After this, the Ss worked on another task under the supposed supervision of yet another peer, with ? of the Ss being told the supervisor was highly dependent upon their work and the others told she was less dependent upon them. The 1st peer would supposedly learn of their work in ? of the cases but not in the other ?. The previously helped Ss tended to exert the greatest effort in behalf of their dependent peer. A self-report scale assessing social responsibility tendencies was significantly correlated with the effort measure in the Prior Help-High Dependency condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Engineering Gold Nanotubes with Controlled Length and Near‐Infrared Absorption for Theranostic Applications

Important aspects in engineering gold nanoparticles for theranostic applications include the control of size, optical properties, cytotoxicity, biodistribution, and clearance. In this study, gold nanotubes with controlled length and tunable absorption in the near‐infrared (NIR) region have been exploited for applications as photothermal conversion agents and in vivo photoacoustic imaging contrast agents. A length‐controlled synthesis has been developed to fabricate gold nanotubes (NTs) with well‐defined shape (i.e., inner void and open ends), high crystallinity, and tunable NIR surface plasmon resonance. A coating of poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS) endows the nanotubes with colloidal stability and low cytotoxicity. The PSS‐coated Au NTs have the following characteristics: i) cellular uptake by colorectal cancer cells and macrophage cells, ii) photothermal ablation of cancer cells using single wavelength pulse laser irradiation, iii) excellent in vivo photoacoustic signal generation capability and accumulation at the tumor site, iv) hepatobiliary clearance within 72 h postintravenous injection. These results demonstrate that these PSS‐coated Au NTs have the ideal attributes to develop their potential as effective and safe in vivo imaging nanoprobes, photothermal conversion agents, and drug delivery vehicles. To the best of knowledge, this is the first in vitro and in vivo study of gold nanotubes.     

Determinants of rifabutin-associated uveitis in patients treated with rifabutin, clarithromycin, and ethambutol for Mycobacterium avium complex bacteremia: a multivariate analysis. Canadian HIV Trials Network Protocol 010 Study Group

Two patients with the Kennedy's disease (KD) mutation have been identified in the Newcastle Brain Tissue Bank. One of these patients had presenile dementia as a prominent clinical feature, previously undescribed in KD. The pathologic substrate underlying the cognitive changes in this patient included neuronal depletion and gliosis in the hippocampus and subcortical gliosis in the prefrontal region. Immunostaining for macrophage markers showed evidence for subtle corticospinal tract pathology in both cases. In contrast to the molecular pathologic features found in ALS, surviving motor neurons in the two KD cases showed no evidence of ubiquitinated inclusions or alterations in neurofilament phosphorylation.     

Fibronectin of human liver sinusoids binds hepatitis B virus: identification by an anti-idiotypic antibody bearing the internal image of the pre-S2 domain

Anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Ids) have been successfully used to characterize and isolate receptors of several cell ligands. To prepare an immunological probe for identification of cellular components interacting with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), polyclonal antisera against a panel of five HBV-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced in syngeneic BALB/c mice. MAbs to HBV used for immunization (Ab1) recognized biologically important and potentially neutralizing epitopes, located in the pre-S1, pre-S2, or S region-encoded domains of HBV proteins. All the anti-Ids (Ab2) were specific to idiotopes of the homologous Ab1 and inhibited their interaction with the corresponding viral epitopes, suggesting that they recognized unique determinants on the paratope of each immunizing Ab1. Therefore, all five generated polyclonal anti-Ids were of the Ab2 beta type and could represent internal images of viral epitopes. Ab2 raised against the pre-S2 region-specific MAb F124 bound to the extracellular matrix fibronectin of human liver sinusoids. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated the attachment of viral and recombinant (S, M) hepatitis B surface antigen particles with the pre-S2 region-encoded epitopes to the fibronectin of human liver sinusoids. In contrast, recombinant (S, L*) hepatitis B surface antigen particles, in which the epitope recognized by F124 MAb was not expressed, did not show any binding capacity. These findings suggest that human liver fibronectin may bind HBV in vivo by the pre-S2 region-encoded epitopes in a species-restricted manner. Furthermore, binding of the circulating virus to liver sinusoids could facilitate its subsequent uptake by hepatocytes.     

Theoretical flow investigations of an all glass evacuated tubular collector

Heat transfer and flow structures inside all glass evacuated tubular collectors for different operating conditions are investigated by means of computational fluid dynamics. The investigations are based on a collector design with horizontal tubes connected to a vertical manifold channel.Three different tube lengths varying from 0.59 m to 1.47 m have been modelled with five different inlet mass flow rates varying from 0.05 kg/min to 10 kg/min with a constant inlet temperature of 333 K. Under these operating conditions the results showed that:

• the collector with the shortest tube length achieved the highest efficiency,

• the optimal inlet flow rate was around 0.4–1 kg/min,

• the flow structures in the glass tubes were relatively uninfluenced by the inlet flow rate,

Generally, the results showed only small variations in the efficiencies. This indicates that the collector design is well working for most operating conditions.     

Psychologists' Attitudes and Therapeutic Approaches Toward Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues Continue To Improve: An Update.

Psychologists' attitudes and approaches toward the gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) lifestyle continue to change, on the basis of results from 437 responding members of the American Psychological Association. Psychologists are more likely to view an active GLB lifestyle-identity as acceptable and non-pathological, more likely to support and provide gay-affirmative therapy, and much less likely to support changing sexual orientation through psychotherapy. Female psychologists are significantly more likely to view a GLB lifestyle as accepting and to provide gay-affirmative therapy to GLB clients compared with their male counterparts. Finally, training opportunities for psychologists involving GLB issues appear to be increasing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)