Flattering and unflattering personality portraits of integratively simple and complex managers.

Research has revealed a good deal about both the situational determinants and judgmental and behavioral consequences of integrative complexity. Little is known, however, about people who are prone to think in integratively simple or complex ways. The present study fills this gap by drawing on data collected during in-depth assessments of MBA candidates. Integrative complexity was correlated with a broad range of self-report, observer-rating, semiprojective, and managerial-simulation measures. Results revealed a more complex pattern of correlates than one would expect from the flattering theoretical portrayals of integrative complexity. On self-report measures, complex persons scored higher on openness and creativity and lower on social compliance and conscientiousness. On personality-observer ratings, they emerged as narcissistic and somewhat antagonistic. On managerial-observer ratings, complex persons emerged as higher on initiative and self-objectivity. On semiprojective measures, complex persons scored higher on power motivation. The integratively complex manager is reminiscent of creative architects, scientists, and writers who participated in previous assessments over the past 3 decades. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Five studies testing two new egoistic alternatives to the empathy-altruism hypothesis.

The empathy-altruism hypothesis claims that prosocial motivation associated with feeling empathy for a person in need is directed toward the ultimate goal of benefiting that person, not toward some subtle form of self-benefit. We explored two new egoistic alternatives to this hypothesis. The empathy-specific reward hypothesis proposes that the prosocial motivation associated with empathy is directed toward the goal of obtaining social or self-rewards (i.e., praise, honor, and pride). The empathy-specific punishment hypothesis proposes that this motivation is directed toward the goal of avoiding social or self-punishment (i.e., censure, guilt, and shame). Study 1 provided an initial test of the empathy-specific reward hypothesis. Studies 2 through 4 used three procedures to test the empathy-specific punishment hypothesis. In Study 5, a Stroop procedure was used to assess the role of reward-relevant, punishment-relevant, and victim-relevant cognitions in mediating the empathy-helping relationship. Results of these five studies did not support either the empathy-specific reward or the empathy-specific punishment hypothesis. Instead, results of each supported the empathy-altruism hypothesis. Evidence that empathic emotion evokes altruistic motivation continues to mount. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An improved two layer model for horizontal slurry pipeline flow

A model for predicting head losses for coarse-particle or settling slurries has been obtained. Experimental data for isothermal flows of sand, gravel and coarse coal slurries in pipes of industrial scale have been used to obtain the correlations in the model. The model differs from previous versions in the way it deals with the concentration of the lower layer and in the role ascribed to the finest (–74 μm) particles. The fraction of contact load, which contributes sliding friction at the pipe wall, is found to be primarily a function of the ratio of the mean flow velocity to the settling velocity of the mass median particle size in the (+74 μm) fraction. The correlations are restricted to mixtures containing less than 35% (+ 74 μm) particles by volume.     

Trapped organic compounds and aromatic units in coals

Some insight into the chemical nature of coals and the coalification process was obtained by detailed analyses of the organic constituents of three coals — a lignite, a bituminous, and an anthracite coal. Organic compounds trapped in the coal matrix, residuals and products of the original coalification process, were isolated by vacuum distillation and solvent extraction. The macromolecular material which constitutes the bulk of coals was degraded by a series of selective oxidations to smaller units which could be identified and measured. The essential aromatic character of coals was demonstrated, with condensation of aromatic rings increasing with increasing rank.     

Ferroelectric domain configurations in a modified-PZT ceramic

Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction have been used to study ferroelectric domain configurations in a modified-PZT ferroelectric ceramic which has rhombohedral symmetry. Wedge-shaped domains with head-to-tail dipole arrangements and fine lamellar domains are most commonly observed. Switching between these domain types and various other domain configurations is interpreted, and the role of crystal imperfections in pinning the domain boundaries is discussed.     

In Vitro Release of Disopyramide from Cellulose Acetate Butyrate Microspheres

Disopyramide was microencapsulated with cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) using an emulsion-solvent evaporation process. Drug dissolution from microcapsules was studied in both simulated gastric (SGF) and intestinal fluids (SIF) under sink conditions using the USP paddle method. There was no significant difference between drug release into SIF and SGF. As the CAB to drug ratio decreased from 3:1 to 2:1 at constant polymer mass, the drug release rate increased and the T50Y0 decreased from 2.3 hr to 0.3 hr for 303 pm particles. Dissolution T50% increased from 0.4 hr to 2 hr when the mean microcapsule size was increased from 153 to 428 μm (26% drug loading). The addition of acetone to the external phase during preparation shifted the size distribution toward larger particles, but resulted in a higher drug dissolution rate for a given particle size range. A shift to smaller particles was obtained upon increasing the concentration of surfactant. The dissolution profiles were described by the Higuchi and Baker-Lonsdale equations for drug release from spherical matrices up to 90% of the drug release.     

Lipids of cultured hepatoma cells: II. Effect of media lipids on cellular phospholipids

Minimal deviation hepatoma cells were cultured in a modified Swim's 77 medium supplemented with decreasing amounts of serum, lipid-free serum, and lipid-free serum containing added palmitic or linoleic acids. Cellular phospholipids were extracted and the class distribution determined quantitatively. The fatty acid composition of each phospholipid class was determined, and the percentages from cells grown on each of the various media were compared. Cellular phospholipid class and fatty acid compositions differed from media compositions, indicating that intact serum phospholipids are not incorporated into cellular structures. Phosphatidylcholine percentages decreased as the media serum and lipid levels decreased, while phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine percentages increased. Sphingomyelin of cells grown in medium containing added linoleic acids contained a high level of a 24∶2 acid. All classes, except sphingomyelin, contained elevated levels of 18∶1 acid and decreased levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, relative to normal rat liver. Cells cultured on lipid-free medium did not contain increased concentrations of 20∶3 acid, suggesting that this hepatoma cell cannot desaturate monoenoic acids. Phosphoglycerides of cells, grown on lipid-free medium, had the highest monoene fatty acid concentration, whereas those cells grown on media containing added linoleic acid had the lowest concentrations, suggesting that linoleate may inhibit or regulate monoenoic acid biosynthesis in this cell. These mass data also demonstrate that monoenoic fatty acid biosynthesis in this cultured hepatoma cell responds to dietary changes.