Letter from Jacob Hoffman

1946. Letter from Jacob Hoffman in Nairobi confirming receival of books from the Polish YMCA attached to the Polish Armed Forces. Dated October 4, 1946.https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/ymcadocs/1046/thumbnail.jp

Ego strength in relation to perception of visual illusions

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityThe relationship between the global health level of the personality and perceptual behavior was explored in a fundamental manner independent of specific needs, drives, or psychopathology. Current psychoanalytic theory regarding the nature and functions of the ego served as the basis for the personality construct selected, ego strength. The ability to test reality served to establish the connection between level of ego strength and adequacy of the perceptual system. The selection of the operational definition of ego strength involved the consideration of a number of factors including the population to be studied, the independence of the operation from the behavior under study, the relationship to other research, and the congruence between the measure and the construct's description. An extensive review of the Barron Ego-Strength Scale, a sub-scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), indicted that it was the most reliable and valid measure of ego strength currently available [TRUNCATED

Photonic Hyper-Crystals

We introduce a new "universality class" of artificial optical media - photonic hyper-crystals. These hyperbolic metamaterials with periodic spatial variation of dielectric permittivity on subwavelength scale, combine the features of optical metamaterials and photonic crystals. In particular, surface waves supported by a hyper-crystal, possess the properties of both the optical Tamm states in photonic crystals and surface plasmon polaritons at the metal-dielectric interface

Topological Transitions in Metamaterials

The ideas of mathematical topology play an important role in many aspects of modern physics - from phase transitions to field theory to nonlinear dynamics (Nakahara M (2003) in Geometry, Topology and Physics, ed Brewer DF (IOP Publishing Ltd, Bristol and Philadelphia), Monastryskiy M (1987) in Riemann Topology and Physics, (Birkhauser Verlag AG)). An important example of this is the Lifshitz transition (Lifshitz IM (1960) Anomalies of electron characteristics of a metal in the high-pressure region, Sov Phys JETP 11: 1130-1135), where the transformation of the Fermi surface of a metal from a closed to an open geometry (due to e.g. external pressure) leads to a dramatic effect on the electron magneto-transport (Kosevich AM (2004) Topology and solid-state physics. Low Temp Phys 30: 97-118). Here, we present the optical equivalent of the Lifshitz transition in strongly anisotropic metamaterials. When one of the components of the dielectric permittivity tensor of such a composite changes sign, the corresponding iso-frequency surface transforms from an ellipsoid to a hyperboloid. Since the photonic density of states can be related to the volume enclosed by the iso-frequency surface, such a topological transition in a metamaterial leads to a dramatic change in the photonic density of states, with a resulting effect on every single physical parameter related to the metamaterial - from thermodynamic quantities such as its equilibrium electromagnetic energy to the nonlinear optical response to quantum-electrodynamic effects such as spontaneous emission. In the present paper, we demonstrate the modification of spontaneous light emission from quantum dots placed near the surface of the metamaterial undergoing the topological Lifshitz transition, and present the theoretical description of the effect

Assessing the threat of incel violence

In recent years, increasingly serious incidents of violence have been committed by young men predominantly in the United States and Canada who self-identify as incels (involuntary celibates). Although these attacks often specifically target women, the principal source of their animus, men as well as children have been among the casualties in the series of shootings and vehicular homicides that have occurred at universities, high schools, and on city streets. Although, the incel worldview is not obviously political, its core ethos entails the subjugation and repression of a group and its violence is designed to have far-reaching societal effects. Accordingly, incel violence arguably conforms to an emergent trend in terrorism with a more salient hate crime dimension that necessitates greater scrutiny and analysis—especially as it spreads to Europe and shows similarities to and has nascent connections with other terrorist movements.PostprintPeer reviewe

Effects of Desensitization on Pain Distribution and Normalization of Somatosensation in a Patient with Quadrilateral Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Background and Purpose: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic condition affecting at least one extremity that can develop after injury, involving allodynia, constant limb pain, and hyperpathic autonomic and somatic symptoms.1 One essential CRPS treatment is somatosensory desensitization (SD), yet efficacy evidence remains limited.2 This study aimed to assess changes in pain distribution and intensity in treated and untreated limbs, as well as possible somatosensory normalization of proximal non-painful limb regions, after 10 weeks of SD. Case Description: The 54 y.o. male patient had an incomplete C5 SCI. Prior to SD, the patient experienced constant searing pain and tactile allodynia in all limbs for 5 years following Type II CRPS diagnosis, despite 18 months of early physical therapy that restored nearly full functional mobility. Quadrilateral involvement permitted researchers to desensitize one upper and one lower limb. The 10-week SD treatment involved progressing coarse materials weekly, applied via self-massage BID. The patient completed pain body diagrams (PBD) with pain distribution score (PDS) calculations applied to PBDs3 to quantify changes in extent of limb pain. Weekly outcome measures included visual analog pain scale (VAS) and allodynia measurements via algometry. Somatosensory changes to all limb areas were measured using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments and 2-point discrimination. Outcomes: Overall PDS decreased by 23.5% (9.5% for treated limbs, 14.0% for untreated limbs). VAS scores for treated limbs decreased by 5.5cm UE and 2.4cm LE, with untreated limb reductions of 0.3cm UE and 1.2cm LE. Monofilament and 2-point discrimination testing revealed subnormal pretreatment somatosensory thresholds and acuity of non-painful proximal limb areas, that subsequently normalized with corresponding decreases in distal pain. Other posttreatment changes included improved UE grip/pinch strength, axial loading tolerance in all limbs, and allodynia. Discussion: Prior literature suggests SD can result in decreased pain in treated limbs, but does not discuss changes in untreated painful areas.4 After 10-weeks of SD, this spinal cord injured patient experienced notable reductions in pain intensity, distribution, and allodynia in all treated and untreated limbs. As pain decreased in more distal areas, somatosenation in proximal, non-painful areas normalized. Findings suggest central neuroplastic changes may occur from SD treatment, possibly involving normalized representation of affected and unaffected areas in the neuromatrix. References: 1. Harden R, Bruehl S, Perez R, et al. Validation of proposed diagnostic criteria (the “Budapest Criteria”) for complex regional pain syndrome. Pain 2010;150(2):268-274. 2. Freedman M, Greis A, Marino L, Sinha A, Henstenburg J. Complex regional pain syndrome: diagnosis and treatment. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2014;25(2):291-303. 3. Allen RJ, Soterakopoulos C, Fugere KJ, Sorbie WK, Oksendahl AL, Looper J. Pain distribution quantification using enhanced \u27rule-of-nines\u27: reliability and correlations with intensity, sensory, affective, and functional pain measures. Physiotherapy 2011;97(S1):309. 4. Allen R, Wilson A. Chapter 91: Physical therapy agents. In: Fishman S, Ballantyne J, Rathmell J, Fishman S, eds. Bonica’s Management of Pain. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2010:1345-1356