无限慈悲的观音菩萨

菩萨是梵文音译“菩提萨”的简称,其菩提汉译为觉悟,萨汉译为众生,或有情(一切有感情之物),全译为觉有情、觉悟的众生之意。根据修行的层次,菩萨可分为胁侍菩萨和供养菩萨。胁侍菩萨是修行层次最高的菩萨,其修行觉悟仅次于佛或等同于佛。每尊佛都有两位或几位胁侍菩萨。在石窟壁画中经常画的“八大菩萨”,即是释迦牟尼佛左右的胁侍菩萨——文殊菩萨、普贤菩     

Pure feedback effects in absolute identification

To reveal the pure effects of trial-by-trial feedback on judgmental accuracy and sequential dependencies independent of global anchoring effects and other influences, we presented subjects with sequences consisting alternately (within an experimental session) of short runs of trials with feedback (feedback sequences) and without feedback (no-feedback sequences). In Experiments 1 and 2 (absolute identification of sound intensity and sound frequency, respectively), judgmental accuracy was the same in the feedback and the no-feedback sequences, contrary to previous results. Also, in the feedback sequences, the dependency of the current response on the immediately preceding stimulus was larger than that in the no-feedback sequences, while the dependency on the previous response was larger in the no-feedback sequences. In Experiment 3 (absolute identification of sound frequency), we attempted to separate the effects of the number of response categories on sequential dependencies from the effects of the number of stimuli. The results showed that the number of response categories had a larger effect than the number of stimuli on most aspects of performance, but that both affected sequential dependencies. These results are generally consistent with a theory of absolute identification in which feedback affects judgmental accuracy by improving long-term memory for judgmental anchors, while feedback affects sequential dependencies by altering response biases.     

Presence of ε-martensite as an intermediate phase during the strain-induced transformation of SUS304 stainless steel

We have investigated the formation process of α′-martensite from the γ-phase induced by external strain using in situ synchrotron diffraction experiments, combined with Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM observations. It is clearly demonstrated that ε-martensite with hexagonal symmetry appears as an intermediate structure during the plastic deformation of SUS304 stainless steel. In addition to stacking faults and dislocations, interfaces between the twin structures presumably play a key role in the formation of ε-martensite.     

Housing First and Photovoice: Transforming Lives,Communities, and Systems

This article presents findings from a community‐based participatory evaluation of a Housing First program on the Island of O'ahu. In this study, clients in a Housing First program used Photovoice to evaluate the program and to advocate for progressive housing policies. Written together by members of the Housing First Photovoice group, this collaborative article describes the outcomes from both the Housing First program and the Photovoice project and demonstrates the ways in which participatory program evaluations can interact with client‐driven programs like Housing First to produce a cumulative, transformative impact. Findings suggest that community psychologists hoping to re‐engage with community mental health systems through enacting transformative change should consider taking a community‐based participatory approach to program evaluation because increased client voice in community mental health programs and their evaluations can have far‐reaching, transformative impacts for research, practice, and policy.     

Biochemistry and neurotoxicology of guanidino compounds

Guanidino compounds are known to have important biological roles, such as the participation of arginine in ureagenesis, and of creatine in muscular contraction. On the other hand, the high toxicity of guanidino compounds, such as methylguanidine and guanidine, has been under study for quite a long time in the biochemical as well as clinical fields. In this review, the author summarizes the experimental results of neurophysiological and neurochemical studies on guanidino compound-induced seizures, conducted by his colleagues since 1966, and introduces several topics arising from their recent investigations on guanidino compounds and seizure mechanism,i.e., (1) α-guanidino-glutaric acid in the cobalt epileptic focus and its convulsive activity; (2) guanidino-ethanesulfonic acid and epilepsy; (3) δ-guanidinovaleric acid, and endogenous and specific GABA receptor antagonist; and (4) guanidino compounds as radical generators.     

Change of a frame of reference with velocity in visual motion perception

The present study examined how a frame of reference was affected by velocity. This question was examined with respect to a system consisting of two points: one moved rectilinearly with constant velocity, and the other moved on a track in the shape of a cycloid (defined as the movement of two points—one on the hub and the other on the rim of a rolling wheel). The results indicated that (1) a frame of reference in which the centroid of the total picture was stationary was chosen mainly in a low-velocity range (0.1–0.7 deg/sec), (2) a frame of reference in which a picture point moved rectilinearly was chosen mainly in a medium-velocity range (0.8–40.0 deg/sec), and (3) an absolute coordinate system was chosen mainly in a high-velocity range (>40.0 deg/sec). The current evidence and other findings seem to be consistent with the idea that groups of neurons related to the three frames of reference are independent of one another, that the velocity ranges of the groups of neurons roughly overlapped each other, and that the most salient frame of reference is chosen (i.e., exclusion principle in choice of a frame of reference).     

The nature of the task-stimulus interaction in the tachistoscopic recognition of kana and kanji words

To investigate the nature of the task-stimulus interaction in tachistoscopic recognition of kana and kanji, right-handed normal subjects performed two phonological tasks and two visual tasks. In the phonological tasks, the subjects compared the members of a pair of kana or kanji appearing in the right or left visual field on the basis of phonological identity; while in the visual tasks, they compared the members of a pair of kana or kanji on the basis of visual identity. The results showed a significant Visual Field × Task interaction as well as a significant Task × Stimulus interaction, indicating that both the type of stimuli and the nature of task demands contribute importantly to the determination of visual field asymmetry and hence the relative participation of each hemisphere.     

医疗纠纷处理中若干伦理问题的思考

医疗纠纷的增势和处理难已成为众所周知的事实。但是,在医疗纠纷处理中存在着医患关系的信任性、医疗事故鉴定的公正性和经济裣的合理笥是思考的伦理问题。只要医患双方、乃至社会对诸如医疗行为是否等同于一般的服务行为、病人权益是否等同于消费者权益、医疗事故鉴定是不是医医相护、经济裣能不能实行等价赔偿原则、医疗差错要不要给予经济补偿等有效为统一的认识,就会有利于医疗纠纷的处理,有利于维护医患双方的合法权益,有利     

Nitroglycerin relieves emotional stress-induced stomach ulcers in rats

It is known that nitroglycerin (GTN) can be converted to form a nitric oxide (NO) molecule which is a highly reactive and unstable free radical species. NO is known to have many beneficial effects such as relaxing blood vessels, promoting digestive activity, and regulating blood pressure. The first experiment established an additional effect of NO, that GTN can help prevent emotionally-induced stomach stress ulcers in rats. In Experiment 2, we sought to estimate the quantity of nitrogen oxides in serum produced by GTN that is administered subcutaneously to rats. The results indicated that rats administered GTN increased significantly the amount of serum NO₂ and NO₃, relative to values for a control group. Since amounts of NO₂ and NO₃ reflect amount of NO, the administration of GTN significantly increased amount of NO. An implication of this research is that chemicals such as GTN may be used in therapy with humans for the prevention of some kinds of ulcers. Furthermore, while NO is commonly recognized as a pollutant, it has a number of beneficial effects on the body, e. g., it may slow the aging process, contribute to therapy for improtency, and facilitate memory processes.