Darwin-Lagrangian Analysis for the Interaction of a Point Charge and a Magnet: Considerations Related to the Controversy Regarding the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher Phase Shifts

The classical electromagnetic interaction of a point charge and a magnet is discussed by first calculating the interaction of point charge with a simple model magnetic moment and then suggesting a multiparticle limit. The Darwin Lagrangian is used to analyze the electromagnetic behavior of the model magnetic moment (composed of two oppositely charged particles of different mass in an initially circular orbit) interacting with a passing point charge. The changing mangetic moment is found to put a force back on a passing charge; this force is of order 1/c^2 and depends upon the magnitude of the magnetic moment. It is suggested that in the limit of a multiparticle magnetic toroid, the electric fields of the passing charge are screened out of the body of the magnet while the magnetic fields penetrate into the magnet. This is consistent with our understanding of the penetration of electromagnetic velocity fields into ohmic conductors. Conservation laws are discussed. The work corresponds to a classical electromagnetic analysis of the interaction which is basic to understanding the controversy over the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher phase shifts and represents a refutation of the suggestions of Aharonov, Pearle, and Vaidman.Comment: 33 page

Situational Domains of Social Phobia

Although social phobia is defined as severe anxiety in social situations, little is known about the range or prevalence of social situations that elicit anxiety in social phobic individuals. The present study developed the concept of situational domains, groups of similar situations that may provoke anxiety in subsets of social anxious persons. Four conceptually derived situational domains were examined: formal speaking/interaction, informal speaking/interaction, observation by others, and assertion. Ninety-one social phobic patients were classified as anxiety-positive or anxiety-negative within each situational domain, varying inclusion criteria of anxiety experienced in each situation and the number of anxiety-producing situations within a domain. Patients were highly likely to be classified to the formal speaking/interaction domain, regardless of inclusion criteria employed or presence of anxiety within other domains. Support was also found for previous findings that most social phobics experience anxiety in more than one social situation, even under conservative classification criteria. Implications for the current diagnostic nosology and directions for future research are discussed

Situational Domains of Social Phobia

Although social phobia is defined as severe anxiety in social situations, little is known about the range or prevalence of social situations that elicit anxiety in social phobic individuals. The present study developed the concept of situational domains, groups of similar situations that may provoke anxiety in subsets of social anxious persons. Four conceptually derived situational domains were examined: formal speaking/interaction, informal speaking/interaction, observation by others, and assertion. Ninety-one social phobic patients were classified as anxiety-positive or anxiety-negative within each situational domain, varying inclusion criteria of anxiety experienced in each situation and the number of anxiety-producing situations within a domain. Patients were highly likely to be classified to the formal speaking/interaction domain, regardless of inclusion criteria employed or presence of anxiety within other domains. Support was also found for previous findings that most social phobics experience anxiety in more than one social situation, even under conservative classification criteria. Implications for the current diagnostic nosology and directions for future research are discussed

Weighted-density approximation for general nonuniform fluid mixtures

In order to construct a general density-functional theory for nonuniform fluid mixtures, we propose an extension to multicomponent systems of the weighted-density approximation (WDA) of Curtin and Ashcroft [Phys. Rev. A 32, 2909 (1985)]. This extension corrects a deficiency in a similar extension proposed earlier by Denton and Ashcroft [Phys. Rev. A 42, 7312 (1990)], in that that functional cannot be applied to the multi-component nonuniform fluid systems with spatially varying composition, such as solid-fluid interfaces. As a test of the accuracy of our new functional, we apply it to the calculation of the freezing phase diagram of a binary hard-sphere fluid, and compare the results to simulation and the Denton-Ashcroft extension.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. E as Brief Repor

Prospectus, February 17, 1993

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1993/1002/thumbnail.jp

Psychiatric Aspects of Lyme Disease in Children and Adolescents: A Community Epidemiologic Study in Westchester, New York

To date, no community study has examined the psychiatric aspects and or sequelae of Lyme disease (LO) among children. As part of a community epidemiologic study of psychiatric disorders among children ages 9 through 17 in a Lyme endemic county, parents were asked whether their child had ever been diagnosed as having LD, and 10.1% (36/357) responded yes to the LO question. Of the 36, 29 also agreed to take part in a follow-up interview. Sixteen of the 29 children had had physician-diagnosed LO as well as either an erythema migrans rash or a positive serology. Fifteen of these 16 received treatment within I month of symptom onset; none of these 15 children were symptomatic longer than 4 months. Only one child had physical symptoms at the time of the interview; she was not treated until 4 month~ after symptom onset. This child experienced 5 years of mtermittent arthritis, cognitive deficits, emotional problems, severe fatigue, and a deterioration in school performance. Courses of oral antibiotics were at first associated with a good response, followed by a resurgence of symptoms month<; later. The lifetime prevalence of LD by history among children ages 9 through 17 in an endemic area may be at least 44.8/1000. In general, when LD is diagnosed early, it responds well to treatment. Delayed diagnosis and treatment may lead to a chronic course

Prospectus, October 26, 1989

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1989/1025/thumbnail.jp

A Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Study of Fluoxetine for Hypochondriasis

This study assessed the efficacy, durability, and tolerability of fluoxetine for hypochondriasis, a disorder for which controlled pharmacological trials are scarce. Fifty-seven patients with hypochondriasis were enrolled: 12 discontinued during the placebo run-in, and 45 were randomized to either fluoxetine or placebo for 12 weeks (acute treatment). Responder status was defined as a Clinical Global Impression rating for hypochondriasis of much or very much improved. Secondary outcome measures included severity of hypochondriasis, somatization, anxiety, and depression. Responders to acute treatment entered a 12-week maintenance phase to week 24. Sustained responders at week 24 entered a 12-week double-masked discontinuation phase. Primary analysis used the intent-to-treat sample. More patients responded with improvement in hypochondriasis when given fluoxetine compared with placebo, starting at week 8 (50.0% vs 19.0%, P = 0.03) and continuing to week 12 (62.5% vs 33.3%, P = 0.05). Mean dose at week 12 dose was 51.4 mg (SD, T23 mg). The acute treatment response was maintained to week 24 with more responders in the fluoxetine compared with the placebo group (54.2% vs 23.8%, P = 0.04). Significant improvement was not noted on the continuous secondary outcomes measures of hypochondriasis, with the exception of the Clinical Global Impression hypochondriasis severity scale at week 24. Likelihood of response was not associated with severity of psychiatric comorbidity. Durability of response after controlled drug discontinuation could not be reasonably assessed, given the small sample size of patients who entered the discontinuation phase (n = 10). Fluoxetine was well tolerated, with no significant differences in discontinuation due to side effects between treatment groups. Fluoxetine is a moderately effective and well-tolerated treatment for hypochondriasis

Prospectus, May 10, 1990

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1990/1014/thumbnail.jp