Exploring new frontiers to generate an integrated definition of workaholism

In general, contemporary data indicate that workaholism represents a value system about the importance of working and achieving that certainly does not meet the scientific criteria for addiction, as it is associated with a similar quality of health and relationships to that of the rest of the adult population, and generally does not worsen over time (McMilIan and O'Driscoll, 2004). Interestingly, while the majority of workaholics appear to derive high enjoyment from their work and their leisure, it is their reluctance to utilize psychological `off-buttons' that potentially makes them a challenging group for management professionals (Machlowitz, 1980)

Binary-Binary Interactions and the Formation of the PSR B1620-26 Triple System in M4

The hierarchical triple system containing the millisecond pulsar PSR B1620-26 in M4 is the first triple star system ever detected in a globular cluster. Such systems should form in globular clusters as a result of dynamical interactions between binaries. We propose that the triple system containing PSR B1620-26 formed through an exchange interaction between a wide primordial binary and a {\it pre-existing\/} binary millisecond pulsar. This scenario would have the advantage of reconciling the $\sim10^9\,$yr timing age of the pulsar with the much shorter lifetime of the triple system in the core of M4.Comment: 13 pages, uuencoded compressed postscript with figures, IASSNS-AST 94/4

Time-Symmetrized Kustaanheimo-Stiefel Regularization

In this paper we describe a new algorithm for the long-term numerical integration of the two-body problem, in which two particles interact under a Newtonian gravitational potential. Although analytical solutions exist in the unperturbed and weakly perturbed cases, numerical integration is necessary in situations where the perturbation is relatively strong. Kustaanheimo--Stiefel (KS) regularization is widely used to remove the singularity in the equations of motion, making it possible to integrate orbits having very high eccentricity. However, even with KS regularization, long-term integration is difficult, simply because the required accuracy is usually very high. We present a new time-integration algorithm which has no secular error in either the binding energy or the eccentricity, while allowing variable stepsize. The basic approach is to take a time-symmetric algorithm, then apply an implicit criterion for the stepsize to ensure strict time reversibility. We describe the algorithm in detail and present the results of numerical tests involving long-term integration of binaries and hierarchical triples. In all cases studied, we found no systematic error in either the energy or the angular momentum. We also found that its calculation cost does not become higher than those of existing algorithms. By contrast, the stabilization technique, which has been widely used in the field of collisional stellar dynamics, conserves energy very well but does not conserve angular momentum.Comment: figures are available at http://grape.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~funato/; To appear in Astronomical Journal (July, 1996

Structural changes in cartilage and collagen studied by high temperature Raman spectroscopy

Understanding the high temperature behavior of collagen and collagenous tissue is important for surgical procedures and biomaterials processing for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. One primary event for proteins is thermal denaturation that involves unfolding the polypeptide chains while maintaining the primary structure intact. Collagen in the extracellular matrix of cartilage and other connective tissue is a hierarchical material containing bundles of triple-helical fibers associated with water and proteoglycan components. Thermal analysis of dehydrated collagen indicates irreversible denaturation at high temperature between 135°C and 200°C, with another reversible event at ∼60-80°C for hydrated samples. We report high temperature Raman spectra for freeze-dried cartilage samples that show an increase in laser-excited fluorescence interpreted as conformational changes associated with denaturation above 140°C. Spectra for separated collagen and proteoglycan fractions extracted from cartilage indicate the changes are associated with collagen. The Raman data also show appearance of new features indicating peptide bond hydrolysis at high temperature implying that molecular H2O is retained within the freeze-dried tissue. This is confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis that show 5-7 wt% H2O remaining within freeze-dried cartilage that is released progressively upon heating up to 200°C. Spectra obtained after exposure to high temperature and re-hydration following recovery indicate that the capacity of the denatured collagen to re-absorb water is reduced. Our results are important for revealing the presence of bound H2O within the collagen component of connective tissue even after freeze-drying and its role in denaturation that is accompanied by or perhaps preceded by breakdown of the primary polypeptide structure

Interpolation Properties and SAT-based Model Checking

Craig interpolation is a widespread method in verification, with important applications such as Predicate Abstraction, CounterExample Guided Abstraction Refinement and Lazy Abstraction With Interpolants. Most state-of-the-art model checking techniques based on interpolation require collections of interpolants to satisfy particular properties, to which we refer as "collectives"; they do not hold in general for all interpolation systems and have to be established for each particular system and verification environment. Nevertheless, no systematic approach exists that correlates the individual interpolation systems and compares the necessary collectives. This paper proposes a uniform framework, which encompasses (and generalizes) the most common collectives exploited in verification. We use it for a systematic study of the collectives and of the constraints they pose on propositional interpolation systems used in SAT-based model checking

New nitrides: from high pressure-high temperature synthesis to layered nanomaterials and energy applications

We describe work carried out within our group to explore new transition metal and main group nitride phases synthesised using high pressure-high temperature techniques using X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy at synchrotron sources in the US, UK and France to establish their structures and physical properties. Along with previously published data we also highlight additional results that have not been presented elsewhere and that represent new areas for further exploration. We also describe new work being carried out to explore the properties of carbon nitride materials being developed for energy applications and the nature of fewlayered carbon nitride nanomaterials with atomically ordered structures that form solutions in polar liquids via thermodynamically driven exfoliation

Preoperative systemic inflammation predicts postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing curative resection for colorectal cancer

The presence of systemic inflammation before surgery, as evidenced by the glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), predicts poor long-term survival in colorectal cancer. The aim was to examine the relationship between the preoperative mGPS and the development of postoperative complications in patients undergoing potentially curative resection for colorectal cancer. Patients (n=455) who underwent potentially curative resections between 2003 and 2007 were assessed consecutively, and details were recorded in a database. The majority of patients presented for elective surgery (85%) were over the age of 65 years (70%), were male (58%), were deprived (53%), and had TNM stage I/II disease (61%), had preoperative haemoglobin (56%), white cell count (87%) and mGPS 0 (58%) in the normal range. After surgery, 86 (19%) patients developed a postoperative complication; 70 (81%) of which were infectious complications. On multivariate analysis, peritoneal soiling (P<0.01), elevated preoperative white cell count (P<0.05) and mGPS (P<0.01) were independently associated with increased risk of developing a postoperative infection. In elective patients, only the mGPS (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.17-2.63, P=0.007) was significantly associated with increased risk of developing a postoperative infection. Preoperative elevated mGPS predicts increased postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing potentially curative resection for colorectal cancer

Science of accounts: Bookkeeping rooted in the ideal of science

This paper presents the discourse of the science of accounts as it developed in 19th century U.S. accounting literature. The paper initially emphasizes the meaning which the term science of accounts had during this period. In addition, it presents the contemporary belief that this science helped reveal the essential economic ontology, which bookkeeping makes visible. Second, the paper analyzes how this rational institutional myth became institutionalized within the emerging profession\u27s technical journals and its professional organization, the Institute of Accounts. Through reliance on this scientific foundation, the newly emerging profession could gain greater social legitimacy, leading to the first CPA law in 1896

A DESCRIPTION OF THE THEATRE CURRICULUM AT HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL

The theatre curriculum at Hopewell High School began eleven years ago with one course; it now has expanded to three courses. Because the last course in the sequence may be repeated for credit, a student in this curriculum may earn four credits in theatre study. The first course is English 124, entitled Drama I, and it may be taken by students in grades 9 through 12. This course introduces the student to performing in pantomime, improvisation, and in scripted scenes. The second course is English 125, entitled Drama II, which is open to students in grades 10 through 12 who have completed Drama I; college bound juniors and seniors without any theatre credits may also take Drama II. The emphasis in Drama II is theatre history and literature. The third course is English 147, entitled Theatre Ensemble, which is a play production course with work on the production process leading toward a finished performance. Students in Theatre Ensemble must have successfully completed at least one other theatre course, and they must submit an audition and/or interview for admission to the course. Theatre Ensemble may be repeated once for credit. The overall objectives of the theatre program at Hopewell High School are: to provide the student with a creative vehicle to learn about himself and about himself with others to provide the school with a viable and visible performing arts group to provide the community with its only regular theatre group to use school and community resources in theatrical production and study to provide training in acting, production, theatre history, dramatic literature, and management skills to encourage independent study and artistic endeavor to follow current mandates and guidelines of the Virginia State Department of Education to provide training on the high school level for the gifted theatre student who has professional goals to cooperate with, and often incorporate, all other arts programs within the school system to assist in the development of a total appreciation of all of the arts to develop a program on the secondary level in dance and movement to develop a community theatre group It is important that any curriculum have objectives, but it is even more important that a theatre program have strong objectives which will win the support of the school board, the school administration, the faculty, and the study body. The theatre curriculum at Hopewell High School has been fortunate in this regard

Albumin concentrations are primarily determined by the body cell mass and the systemic inflammatory response in cancer patients with weight loss

The association between hypoalbuminemia and poor prognosis in patients with cancer is well recognized. However, the factors that contribute to the fall in albumin concentrations are not well understood. In the present study, we examined the relationship between circulating albumin concentrations, weight loss, the body cell mass (measured using total body potassium), and the presence of an inflammatory response (measured using C- reactive protein) in male patients (n=40) with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Albumin concentrations were significantly correlated with the percent ideal body weight (r=0.390, p lt 0.05), extent of reported weight loss (r=-0.492, p lt 0.01), percent predicted total body potassium (adjusted for age, height, and weight, r=0.686, p lt 0.001), and logo C-reactive protein concentrations (r=-0.545, p lt 0.001). On multiple regression analysis, the percent predicted total body potassium and log(10) C-reactive protein concentrations accounted for 63% of the variation in albumin concentrations (r(2) = 0.626, p lt 0.001). The interrelationship between albumin, body cell mass, and the inflammatory response is consistent with the concept that the presence of an ongoing inflammatory response contributes to the progressive loss of these vital protein components of the body and the subsequent death of patients with advanced cancer