Source Of Meaning Research Articles

Distinguishing Characteristics of the Publishing Sector

The growth rate in the publishing sector has lagged behind general GDP growth, but predictions of its death are premature. The free cash flow dynamic of the publishing companies is a meaningful source of their investment appeal. The ability to leverage performance by reinvesting cash flow can be a significant driver of growth and a differentiating factor among the companies. In analyzing the dynamics of this sector, investors should focus on four broad issues: cyclical pressures, technology, competition, and consolidation. This presentation comes from The Media Industry conference held in New York, New York, on January 31 - February 1, 1996.

Inference about multiplicative heteroskedastic components of variance in a mixed linear Gaussian model with an application to beef cattle breeding

Summary - A statistical method for identifying meaningful sources of heterogeneity of residual and genetic variances in mixed linear Gaussian models is presented. The method is based on a structural linear model for log variances. Inference about dispersion parameters is based on the marginal likelihood after integrating out location parameters. A likelihood ratio test using the marginal likelihood is also proposed to test for hypotheses about sources of variation involved. A Bayesian extension of the estimation procedure of the dispersion parameters is presented which consists of determining the mode of their marginal posterior distribution using log inverted chi-square or Gaussian distributions as priors. Procedures presented in the paper are illustrated with the analysis of muscle development scores at weaning of 8575 progeny of 142 sires in the Maine-Anjou breed. In this analysis, heteroskedasticity is found, both for the sire and residual components of variance.

Differential effect of guanethidine on dopamine and norepinephrine in rat peripheral tissues.

The changes of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) were investigated in rat peripheral tissues after guanethidine treatment (50 mg/kg i.p. five days each week) during one week (group 1, n = 10, five injections) and during 2.5 weeks (group 2, n = 8, 13 injections). Guanethidine greatly reduced NE levels in all the analyzed tissues but only partially depleted DA in kidney, bladder, stomach, intestine, lung and liver and in sympathetic ganglia. The differential pattern of changes between DA and NE induced by guanethidine suggests that peripheral DA is distributed in several neuronal or non-neuronal pools, whose presence, nature and contribution varies in the different tissues. Both noradrenergic cell bodies and small intensely fluorescent cells (SIF cells) can contribute to the DA in the superior cervical ganglion. Noradrenergic neurons seem to be the main sources of DA in seminal vesicles, vas deferens, heart and spleen. In addition to noradrenergic nerves, extraneuronal sources could account for a meaningful portion of DA in kidney, gastrointestinal tract, lung and liver. The bladder is the peripheral tissue where DA exhibits the highest resistance to the neurotoxin. Accordingly, these tissues may provide meaningful sources of non-precursor DA pools.

Marginal likelihood and Bayesian approaches to the analysis of heterogeneous residual variances in mixed linear Gaussian models

A statistical procedure for assessing the extend and sources of heterogeneity of residual variances in Gaussian mixed linear models is presented. The method assumes a structural linear model for logvariances. Hypothesis testing about the effects of factors potentially involved in the variation of dispersion parameters is based on a likelihood ratio test using marginal likelihood functions where location parameters are integrated out. This method allows us to identify meaningful sources of variation in heterogeneous variances and to assess how these factors act (additivity, interactions). Dispersion parameters are estimated either by maximum marginal likelihood or by the mode of their posterior distribution using a log inverted gamma distribution as prior. Algorithms so obtained have remarkable similarities with the mixed model methodology of Henderson for location parameters. The analysis of a small example is used to illustrate the theory

“YET WOMAN WILL BE SAVED THROUGH BEARING CHILDREN” (1 TIM 2.16):

Summary Motherhood has been experienced by women both as a means of social control, as an experience of great suffering, as well as a meaningful source of self-identity. The article attempts a two-pronged approach: it investigates the links between motherhood, the motherhood of Mary and motherhood as permitted role for women in patriarchal monotheism through interpretations of 1 Tim. 2.16, as well as through the psychoanalytic theory of Julia Kristeva. Although Kristeva is criticised on theological grounds the article takes seriously her case that motherhood in monotheism involves a sacrifice of much that is authentically female. An attempt is made to construct a new Christian feminist discourse for motherhood—not confined to biological processes—but as a metaphor for the self-in-relation, for transformed human relations and a new God-language. Thus the beauty and power of what has been excluded from official ecclesial metaphor can be re-awakened and women can be acknowledged as active ‘bearers of tradition’.

Gender and relationships: Beyond the peer group.

Shannon-Lee Meyer, Christopher M. Murphy, Michele Cascardi, and Beverly Birns State University of New York at Stony Brook Maccoby (April 1990) cogently described important social-interaction effects of gender in childhood, supplanting the tra- ditional approach to gender socialization grounded in the study of individual dif- ferences. Arguing that the peer group pro- vides the primary setting for differential socialization of boys and girls, Maccoby cited research that indicates that boys and girls behave differently depending on the gender composition of a dyad or group. Boys in all-boy groups increasingly display competitiveness, dominance, and asser- tiveness. Girls however, only display the passivity commonly attributed to them when they are in the presence of boys. In mixed-sex dyads, boys dominate and girls increasingly find these male strategies aversive. Maccoby asserted that reliable sex differences become entrenched in peer interactions and extend into adult rela- tionships. Although her description of the im- portance of social interaction in the de- velopmental process is compelling, we are troubled by Maccoby's denial of other meaningful sources of influence on the development of gender-distinct styles of interaction. Her developmental account implies that the peer group operates in a social vacuum and constitutes a sexist culture unto itself. However, available research indicates that virtually all of the major sources and agents of socialization promote significant differences in behavior beginning in in- fancy. Moreover, there are at least three major contributors to the gender-differ- entiated peer relations described by Mac- coby: (a) Mothers and fathers behave quite differently toward boys and girls, (b) chil- dren in two-parent families observe pa- rental interaction that reflects the way most men and women relate to each other in mixed-sex dyads or groups, and (c) the culture conveys distinct messages to chil- dren about the differential expectations for male and female behavior. Perhaps the most compelling evi- dence for differences in parents' behavior toward boys and girls' comes from Jean Block (1984). Her work reveals consistent sex-of-child differences in child rearing that begin in infancy and extend through- out childhood. These distinctions are found along a variety of dimensions and are plausibly related to differences in power and assertiveness observed in boys and girls. Parents respond more often to their infant sons' vocalizations, whereas they reinforce daughters for being quiet. Par- ents continue to reinforce sex-role-con- gruent behavior with toddlers in the form of play and toy selection. In general, boys' toys and play encourage activity and in- volvement with the world outside the home, providing objective, contingent feedback. In contrast, girls' toys and play foster engagement with the social world, providing subjective, noncontingent feed- back (Block, 1984). Boys, compared with girls, learn that the world responds to them more often and more contingently, that what they do invokes a response from those around them, and that their needs will be met. It is not surprising then, that a sense of entitlement (Birns & Leo, 1989) may lead to boys' increasing asser- tiveness when they don't get what they want. Girls are responded to less often and only when in close proximity to an adult, and thus it seems logical that they would have an aversive reaction to boys who are more assertive and dominating, and whom they cannot influence politely. Apart from boys' and girls' differ- ential treatment by parents, Maccoby (1990) also downplayed and idealized what they observe from parents. She presented a quixotic image of the American family that is both dismaying and naive; contrary to her rosy depictions, 50% of marriages end in divorce, and violence within

Coupled-cluster approaches with an approximate account of triexcitations and the optimized-inner-projection technique. III. Lower bounds to the ground-state correlation energy of cyclic-polyene model systems.

The optimized-inner-projection (OIP) method is implemented and applied to determine the lower bounds to the ground-state correlation energy for the Pariser-Parr-Pople and Hubbard models of cyclic polyenes ${\mathrm{C}}_{\mathit{N}}$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathit{N}}$, N=4\ensuremath{\nu}+2, \ensuremath{\nu}=3--5, in the whole range of the coupling constant. In actual calculations, the orthogonally spin-adapted form of the OIP equations is used, and full advantage is taken of the high symmetry of the cyclic polyene model, so that systems with N\ensuremath{\ge}14 can be explored. Comparison is made with the results of both full and limited configuration-interaction calculations and with the correlation energies obtained with certain approximate coupled-cluster schemes. Contrary to the six- and ten-membered rings, the OIP lower bounds to the ground-state correlation energy of cyclic polyenes with larger number of sites are very poor and cannot serve as a meaningful source of information. Since the eigenvalues of the intermediate Hamiltonian, in terms of which the OIP technique is defined, are highly degenerate even in the weakly correlated region, and in view of the random behavior of the OIP bracketing function, the OIP method becomes computationally very demanding for N\ensuremath{\ge}14 rings. Moreover, simple iterative schemes usually diverge and sophisticated root searching procedures have to be applied. The usefulness of the OIP technique for the determination of lower bounds to energy eigenvalues in larger systems is thus questioned.

Thermal Maturity and Kerogen Type of Miocene Sands, Offshore Vermilion Parish, Louisiana: ABSTRACT

Representative lithofacies of the Miocene (Burdigalian) Robulus L zone from the Texaco 6 well, Vermilion Block 31, offshore Louisiana, were sampled and subjected to mean vitrinite reflectance measurements and programmed pyrolysis. Vitrinite reflectance and pyrolysis T/sub max/ results are consistent; they indicate organic matter in the Robulus L sands is thermally immature to marginally mature with respect to oil generation. Based on low hydrogen indices (HI) and high oxygen indices (OI) measured during pyrolysis, kerogen in the Robulus L interval is type III with no meaningful oil source potential. Maceral analysis supports this assertion. Crude oil in these reservoirs has migrated from deeper and more mature source rocks. Total organic carbon in the interval ranges from 0.26% in the sand lithofacies to 0.99% in the interbedded sand and shale lithofacies. Because of the predominance of recycled organic matter in the coarse size fractions, finer size fractions ( 10 ..mu..m) and whole-rock samples. The presence of type III kerogen at a pregenerative stage of maturity suggests this reservoir interval is a possible source of carboxylic acids. The carbonate dissolution observed in the robulus L sands may have beenmore » caused by this organic acid production. Hence, organic matter deposited in association with reservoir facies may be important in porosity modification and should be considered in studies concerned with geochemical mass balances.« less

Conjugated HVA increase in rat urine after insulin-induced hypoglycemia: involvement of central dopaminergic structures but not of adrenal medulla.

To examine the possible contribution of Rat adrenal medulla to urinary DOPAC and HVA, we have studied these compounds in adrenals and urine under insulin-induced (5 IU/kg) hypoglycemic stimulation. In the urine samples collected over 16-hour-period following the intravenous insulin injection, there was a great increase in E, NE and their methoxylated derivatives MN and NMN, without change in DA, DOPAC, MHPG and free HVA excretion. In addition, there was a pronounced increase in urinary HVA conjugates (glucuronide and sulfate). Only very low amounts of DOPAC (10 +/- 2 ng/gland; 0.05% of catechols) and no detectable amounts of HVA (less than 3 ng/gland) were found in adrenal glands, without no significant change two hours after insulin, thus suggesting that Rat adrenal glands are not meaningful sources for urinary HVA and DOPAC. Since free HVA and total MHPG excretion remained unchanged, HVA contribution from sympathetic neurons seems unlikely in our study. In contrast, highly increased levels of conjugated HVA--and at a lesser extent of conjugated DOPAC--have been found in the striatum, which appears to be the most likely source of urinary HVA increment. The dopaminergic activation following insulin affected too the hypothalamus but not the nucleus accumbens. The role of such central dopaminergic activation has been discussed in terms of feeding behavior.

The Sign-Language of Hungarian Graveyards

G RAVEPOSTS and crosses in rural graveyards can be analysed from various aspects. They constitute meaningful sources for researches either in folk art or in social and historical changes in rural life. I shall be concerned here with one particular aspect which may enable us to cast a glance at an early period of history, and which, at the same time, allows us to come to a most comprehensive understanding of these objects and of the world they manifest. I shall be trying to give an account of the emblematic characteristics of traditional rural graveyards in Hungary, and of the system of symbols used in them.