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HandWiki is the world's largest wiki-style encyclopedia dedicated to science, technology and computing. It allows you to create and edit articles as long as you have external citations and login account. In addition, this is a content management environment that can be used for collaborative editing of original scholarly content, such as books, manuals, monographs and tutorials.

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Thalidomide Scandal
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the use of thalidomide in pregnant women in 46 countries resulted in the "biggest man‐made medical disaster ever," with over 10,000 children born with a range of severe deformities, such as phocomelia, and thousands of miscarriages. Thalidomide was introduced in 1956 and was aggressively marketed by the German pharmaceutical company Chemie Grünenthal as a medication for anxiety, trouble sleeping, "tension", and morning sickness. It was introduced as a sedative and medication for morning sickness without having been tested on pregnant women. While initially deemed to be safe in pregnancy, concerns regarding birth defects were noted in 1961, and the medication was removed from the market in Europe that year.
  • 5.3K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Forensic Toxicology
Forensic toxicology is the use of toxicology and disciplines such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology and clinical chemistry to aid medical or legal investigation of death, poisoning, and drug use. The primary concern for forensic toxicology is not the legal outcome of the toxicological investigation or the technology utilized, but rather the obtainment and interpretation of results. A toxicological analysis can be done to various kinds of samples. A forensic toxicologist must consider the context of an investigation, in particular any physical symptoms recorded, and any evidence collected at a crime scene that may narrow the search, such as pill bottles, powders, trace residue, and any available chemicals. Provided with this information and samples with which to work, the forensic toxicologist must determine which toxic substances are present, in what concentrations, and the probable effect of those chemicals on the person. In the United States, forensic toxicology can be separated into 3 disciplines: Postmortem toxicology, human performance toxicology, and forensic drug testing (FDT). Postmortem toxicology includes the analysis of biological specimens taken from an autopsy to identify the effect of drugs, alcohol, and poisons. A wide range of biological specimens may be analyzed including blood, urine, gastric contents, oral fluids, hair, tissues, and more. The forensic toxicologist works with pathologists, medical examiners, and coroners to help determine the cause and manner of death. In human performance toxicology, a dose-response relationship between a drug(s) present in the body and the effects on the body are examined. This field of forensic toxicology is responsible for building and implementing laws such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Lastly, forensic drug testing (FDT) is the detection of drug use among individuals in the workplace, sport doping, drug-related probation, and new job applicant screenings. Determining the substance ingested is often complicated by the body's natural processes (see ADME), as it is rare for a chemical to remain in its original form once in the body. For example: heroin is almost immediately metabolised into another substance and further to morphine, making detailed investigation into factors such as injection marks and chemical purity necessary to confirm diagnosis. The substance may also have been diluted by its dispersal through the body; while a pill or other regulated dose of a drug may have grams or milligrams of the active constituent, an individual sample under investigation may only contain micrograms or nanograms.
  • 3.0K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Hong Meng
Hong Meng, Hung Meng, or Hung Mung (simplified Chinese: 鸿蒙; traditional Chinese: 鴻蒙; pinyin: Hóngméng; Wade–Giles: Hung-meng), literally the Vast Mist, is a character in the Daoist text Zhuangzi and a metaphor for the "primordial world, primeval chaos" in Chinese creation myths. Like many Zhuangist names, Hong Meng is a word play, translated as "Mists-of-Chaos", "Vast Obscurity", "Big Concealment", "Vital Principle", "Natural Energy" and "Big Goose Dummy".
  • 989
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
SECU-3
SECU-3 is an internal combustion engine control unit. It is being developed as an open source project (drawings, schematic diagrams, source code etc. are open and freely available for all). Anyone can take part in the project, and can access all the information without any registrations. SECU-3 system controls the ignition, fuel injection and various other actuators of the internal combustion engine (ICE) and vehicle. In particular, it is capable of controlling the carburetor choke using a stepper motor (auto choke), thus controlling RPM when engine is warming up. SECU-3 manages AFR on the carburetor engines (similar to AXTEC AFR systems), idle cut-off valve and wide open throttle mode valve in carburetor systems, controls electric fuel pump and gas valves in closed loop mode according to the feedback from the oxygen sensor. The SECU-3 system provides unique opportunities for reassigning the I/O pins of the mainboard for custom uses in engine tuning. It also provides smooth speed control of the engine electric cooling fan. The system includes its own software which allows editing all major settings and fuel and ignition maps in real time (when the engine is running), and switching between 2 or 4 sets of maps. SECU-3 system has many other advanced features (listed below). Currently, there are five modifications of the unit: The device is developed using the 8-bit AVR microcontroller ATMega644, with 64kB memory (ROM), 4kB random access memory (RAM), and operates at a clock frequency of 20 MHz. It includes analog and digital inputs, separate chip for preprocessing signal from the knock sensor (KS) (except SECU-3 'Lite' and 'Micro' units), a signal conditioner for VR start-pulse sensor (except SECU-3 Micro unit), a signal conditioner for the VR crankshaft position sensor (CKP), the interface with a computer, and the outputs for actuators control. Structural diagram of the system with SECU-3T unit: Structural diagram of the system with SECU-3L unit is shown on the following picture: Structural diagram of the system with SECU-3 Micro unit: Example of wiring diagram of the SECU-3T unit for controlling of simultaneous or semi-sequential fuel injection on the 4-cylinder engine is shown on the picture below. Hi-z injectors and stepper IAC valve are used. On the right side of picture we can see external connector functions which should be remapped to specified values. It is done in the SECU-3 Manager software.
  • 866
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Home Economics
Home economics, or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as textiles and apparel. Home economics courses are offered around the world and across multiple educational levels. Internationally, it is coordinated by the International Federation for Home Economics. Historically, the purpose of these courses was to professionalize housework, to provide intellectual fulfillment for women, and to emphasize the value of "women's work" in society and to prepare them for the traditional roles of sexes. However, it has since evolved into family and consumer sciences to cover additional subject matter outside of just home life and wellness. Family and consumer sciences are taught as an elective or required course in secondary education, as a continuing education course in institutions, and at the primary level.   Beginning as home economics in the United States, the course was a key part of the education system for teaching one the art of taking care of a household. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was a woman-dominated course, teaching women to be homemakers and efficient household managers. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences was created as an answer to more Americans desiring youth to learn vocational skills. Politics played a role in home economics education, and it wasn’t until later in the century that the course shifted from being woman-dominated to now required for both sexes.   Now family and consumer science have been included in the broader subject of Career Technical Education, a program that teaches skilled trades, applied sciences, modern technologies, and career preparation. Despite the subjects over the past century, there has been a major decline in home economics courses offered by educational institutions.  
  • 8.6K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Post-WWII Anti-fascism
Antifa movements (/ænˈtiːfə, ˈæntiˌfɑː/) and Anti-Fascist Action networks are left wing, often anarchist, extra-parliamentary and often violent political movements that describe themselves as anti-fascist. Such movements have been active in several countries in the second half of the 20th and early 21st century.
  • 7.0K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Supportive Psychotherapy
Supportive psychotherapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that integrates various therapeutic schools such as psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral, as well as interpersonal conceptual models and techniques. The aim of supportive psychotherapy is to reduce or to relieve the intensity of manifested or presenting symptoms, distress or disability. It also reduces the extent of behavioral disruptions caused by the patient's psychic conflicts or disturbances. Unlike in psychoanalysis, in which the analyst works to maintain a neutral demeanor as a "blank canvas" for transference, in supportive therapy the therapist engages in a fully emotional, encouraging, and supportive relationship with the patient as a method of furthering healthy defense mechanisms, especially in the context of interpersonal relationships. Supportive psychotherapy can be used as treatment for a variety of physical, mental, and emotional ailments, and consists of a variety of strategies and techniques in which therapists or other licensed professionals can treat their patients. The objective of the therapist is to reinforce the patient's healthy and adaptive patterns of thought behaviors in order to reduce the intrapsychic conflicts that produce symptoms of mental disorders.
  • 1.0K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Human Givens
Human Givens is the name of a theory in psychotherapy formulated in the United Kingdom , first outlined by Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell in the late 1990s. and amplified in the 2003 book Human Givens: A new approach to emotional health and clear thinking. The human givens organising ideas proffer a description of the nature of human beings, the 'givens' of human genetic heritage and what humans need in order to be happy and healthy. Human Givens therapy seeks to use a "client's strengths to enable them to get emotional needs met". It is advertised as "drawing from the best of person-centred counselling, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoeducational approaches, interpersonal therapy, imaginal exposure and hypnotherapy". The Human Givens Institute has been accredited in the UK by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA).
  • 2.1K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Bitcoin Core
Bitcoin Core is free and open-source software that serves as a bitcoin node (the set of which form the bitcoin network) and provides a bitcoin wallet which fully verifies payments. It is considered to be bitcoin's reference implementation. Initially, the software was published by Satoshi Nakamoto under the name "Bitcoin", and later renamed to "Bitcoin Core" to distinguish it from the network. For this reason, it is also known as the Satoshi client. The MIT Digital Currency Initiative funds some of the development of Bitcoin Core. The project also maintains the cryptography library libsecp256k1.
  • 5.7K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Exoplanetology
Exoplanetology, or exoplanetary science, is an integrated field of astronomical science dedicated to the search for and study of exoplanets (extrasolar planets). It employs an interdisciplinary approach which includes astrobiology, astrophysics, astronomy, astrochemistry, astrogeology, geochemistry, and planetary science.
  • 3.9K
  • 09 Nov 2022
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