Simón Bolívar University

About: Simón Bolívar University is a education organization based out in Caracas, Venezuela. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Crystallization. The organization has 5912 authors who have published 8294 publications receiving 126152 citations.

Transcendence and Sublime Experience in Nature: Awe and Inspiring Energy.

Abstract: The wilderness is one of the most widely recognized sources of transcendent emotion. Various recent studies have demonstrated nature's power to induce intense emotions. The study at hand will generate conceptual and operational definitions of sublime emotion toward nature. Taking into consideration the recent research on feelings of awe, an instrument is devised to measure sublime emotion toward nature. The proposed scale's reliability and validity is tested in a sample of 280 participants from the general population of Madrid. Results show that sublime emotion was defined by two conceptual components: awe, and inspiring energy, both obtained using the computer program FACTOR. After reliability and validity analysis, the Sublime Emotion toward Nature (SEN) scale included 18 items, distributed into awe (6 items, α = 0.881) and inspiring energy (12 items, α = 0.933). Awe was defined by feelings of fear, threat, vulnerability, fragility, and respect for nature, which is perceived as vast, powerful, and mysterious. Inspiring energy was defined by feelings of vitality, joy, energy, oneness, freedom, eternity, and harmony with the universe. The SEN is an adequate instrument to measure transcendent emotions provoked by direct wilderness exposure or memory thereof.

Search for Point Sources of High-Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

Abstract: This paper describes the search for astronomical sources of high-energy neutrinos using the AMANDA-B10 detector, an array of 302 photomultiplier tubes used for the detection of Cerenkov light from ...

Cytogenetics of south American akodont rodents (Cricetidae): new karyotypes and chromosomal banding patterns of Argentinian and Uruguayan forms

Abstract: Cytogenetic analysis was performed in Akodon (Akodon) puer (= Akodon coenosus ) , Akodon azarae bibianae, Akodon ( Hypsimys ) budini, Bolomys temchuki elioi, Bolomys temchuki liciae, Oxymycterus rufus rufus, Oxymycterus ruf us platensis , and Oxymycterus paramensis . Diploid numbers, chromosomal morphology, and lengths and banding patterns (G and C) were determined for each taxon. Chromosomal number and gross morphology are also described in topotypical specimens of Akodon ( Akodon ) arenicola (= Akodon ( Akodon ) azarae azarae ) and Oxymycterus nasutus . A 2n = 34 karyotype, similar to one previously reported as Akodon coenosus , was confirmed in Akodon puer. A. budini showed a 2n = 38 karyotype peculiar within the genus as regards chromosomal morphology and C bands. A. a. bibianae has a 2n = 38 karyotype closely related with that of A. a. azarae . The two subspecies of B. temchuki , which differ strikingly in fur color, showed an identical 2n = 34 karyotype, which was quite similar in diploid number, chromosomal morphology, and banding patterns to that reported for B. lasiurus , but was different in the morphology of the Y and in G and C bands when compared with B. obscurus from the south of Buenos Aires Province. The three species of Oxymycterus , which markedly differ in morphometric character states, showed an identical 2n = 54 karyotype, and no banding differences were observed between O. rufus and O. paramensis .

Assortative mating: sex differences in mate selection for married and unmarried couples.

Abstract: We studied assortative mating for age, nationality, educational level, and occupational level in married and unmarried parents to test evolutionary models explaining mate selection among humans. We used the marriage and birth registers of the Venezuelan population to compare recently married, fertile married, and fertile unmarried couples. The results show significant assortative mating for all variables, but the results are strongest for age and education. These data suggest that (1) selection criteria based on age vary along the life cycle and differ between married and unmarried couples; (2) male's socioeconomic status is more related to the availability of younger females among unmarried couples compared with married couples, except for young couples; and (3) female selection for better (more educated and/or better employed) mates is stronger among married couples, whereas male selection for younger females or those showing actual reproductive potential is stronger among unmarried couples.