Bicyclists’ behavioral and physiological responses to varying roadway conditions and bicycle infrastructure

Population growth increase of vehicle ownership, and development patterns have resulted in greater levels of congestion, pollution, and crash frequency. A proposed solution to lessen current transportation system demands is to increase the share of bicycle trips. Furthermore, as cycling is perceived by some as both a dangerous and stressful mode of transportation, understanding the factors that lead to less comfortable and stressful riding, can help drive bicycle infrastructure development. To establish a more robust understanding of the behaviors of bicyclists and how infrastructure design and operations influence them, a bicycle simulator was used to evaluate bicyclist performance measures of velocity, horizontal displacement, and physiological responses (i.e., galvanic skin response) while riding in varying roadway conditions. Results showed that bicyclists in the bike lane condition, had a GSR reading 1.77 peaks per min less than when cycling in the no bike lane condition. When bicyclists were in no bike lane condition, the GSR reading was not affected by vehicle speed but it was affected by the vehicular volume. Additionally, females felt less comfortable when riding in either bike condition, even though they reported that they were “Strong and Fearless” riders. The methodology used for this study sets forth the foundation for future research that could evaluate varying facility designs and a wider range of individuals.     

PEACOCKE PRIZE ESSAY—TOWARDS AN EASTERN ORTHODOX CONTEMPLATION OF EVOLUTION: MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR'S VISION OF THE PHYLOGENETIC LOGOI

In recent years, several scholars have hinted at a resemblance between Maximus the Confessor's logoi cosmology and evolutionary biology. In this article, I develop these suggestions further and claim that the logoi (divine ideas or wills) do indeed behave in an evolutionary fashion, diverging hierarchically and interactively from the Logos. However, there the similarity ends, for the logoi are also purposeful, inviolable, and good, unlike evolution which is said to be random, ever-changing, and cruel. But rather than abandon the logoi–evolution congruity, I argue that, by harnessing theological resources from across the Eastern tradition, one can integrate Maximus’ logoi vision more fully, resulting in an “incarnationally panentheistic” model of God's action and presence in evolution. More speculatively, within canonical Darwinism, the underlying (good) evolutionary motion of the logoi might be discernible in variation and adaptation, with the “evil” of competition and natural selection being “garments of skin” conceded by God as part of a simultaneous creation and cosmic fall.     

The psychometric properties of the penile tumescence assessment of child molesters

The presence of sexual arousal to children or a sexual preference for children are commonly hypothesized as being related to child molesting. Sexual arousal and sexual preference do not appear to be accurately assessed by traditional assessment methods such as the clinical interview and traditional personality testing or by projective testing (Earls, 1992). Penile tumescence measurement is an increasingly utilized method for assessing sexual arousal and preference in child molesters. The published literature concerning the psychometric properties of this technology as used with child molesters is critically reviewed. Basic questions concerning the sexual preference hypothesis, the criterion problem, the lack of procedural standardization, the kind of test penile tumescence measures exemplifies, and potentially problematic inferences involved in penile tumescence assessment are examined. There is evidence of test-retest and internal consistency reliabilities for certain penile tumescence measurement procedures. While there are a significant number of studies providing evidence that these techniques can accurately distinguish child abusers from nonoffenders, many are plagued by methodological problems. Suggestions for future research are given.The authors would like to thank Henry Adams, Christopher Earls, Steven R. Gold, D. Richard Laws, Barry M. Maletzky, and several anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this paper.     

BEHAVIORAL COMMUNITY INTERVENTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SKIN CANCER

Peer leader modeling, posted feedback, posted goals, and a commitment raffle were used at two swimming pools to increase behaviors associated with skin cancer prevention. During the intervention condition, pool lifeguards modeled the protective behaviors by wearing sunglasses, t-shirts, and hats, using zinc oxide and sunscreen, and staying in the shade. Children and adolescents (1 to 16 years old) increased their use of two or more protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 6.5% to 26.9% during the intervention. Adults (older than 16 years) increased their protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 22% to 37.95% during the intervention. The lifeguards increased their use of all the protective behaviors from a baseline mean of 16.7% to 63.5% during intervention. Ways to improve and expand this intervention are discussed.     

SATIATION THERAPY: A PROCEDURE FOR REDUCING DEVIANT SEXUAL AROUSAL

Two single-case experiments demonstrated the efficacy of satiation therapy with adult males who had long-standing deviant sexual interests. The procedure involves the pairing of prolonged masturbation (1 hour) with the verbalization by the patient of his deviant sexual fantasies and in both cases the designs permitted the attribution of control over aberrant responding to the satiation therapy. The results are discussed in terms of the possible active ingredients of the procedure.     

糖尿病周围神经病变的临床特征及诊断

对称性多发性神经病是糖尿病周围神经病变最常见的类型,根据受损神经纤维的不同,其临床特征亦有差别。目前已有多种方法用于糖尿病周围神经病变的诊断,包括简单的筛查方法,神经电生理检查,定量感觉检查及形态学检查等,但其标准的诊断定义还未达成一致。