Music and Aggression: The Impact of Sexual-Aggressive Song Lyrics on Aggression-Related Thoughts, Emotions, and Behavior Toward the Same and the Opposite Sex

Three studies examined the impact of sexual-aggressive song lyrics on aggressive thoughts, emotions, and behavior toward the same and the opposite sex. In Study 1, the authors directly manipulated whether male or female participants listened to misogynous or neutral song lyrics and measured actual aggressive behavior. Male participants who were exposed to misogynous song lyrics administered more hot chili sauce to a female than to a male confederate. Study 2 shed some light on the underlying psychological processes: Male participants who heard misogynous song lyrics recalled more negative attributes of women and reported more feelings of vengeance than when they heard neutral song lyrics. In addition, men-hating song lyrics had a similar effect on aggression-related responses of female participants toward men. Finally, Study 3 replicated the findings of the previous two studies with an alternative measure of aggressive behavior as well as a more subtle measure of aggressive cognitions. The results are discussed in the framework of the General Aggression Model

Fixed points of quantum gravity in higher dimensions

We study quantum gravity in more than four dimensions by means of an exact functional flow. A non-trivial ultraviolet fixed point is found in the Einstein-Hilbert theory. It is shown that our results for the fixed point and universal scaling exponents are stable. If the fixed point persists in extended truncations, quantum gravity in the metric field is asymptotically safe. We indicate physical consequences of this scenario in phenomenological models with low-scale quantum gravity and large extra dimensions.Comment: Talk presented at Einstein Century Meeting, Paris, 15-22 July 200

A two state model for noise-induced resonance in bistable systems with delay

The subject of the present paper is a simplified model for a symmetric bistable system with memory or delay, the reference model, which in the presence of noise exhibits a phenomenon similar to what is known as stochastic resonance. The reference model is given by a one dimensional parametrized stochastic differential equation with point delay, basic properties whereof we check. With a view to capturing the effective dynamics and, in particular, the resonance-like behaviour of the reference model we construct a simplified or reduced model, the two state model, first in discrete time, then in the limit of discrete time tending to continuous time. The main advantage of the reduced model is that it enables us to explicitly calculate the distribution of residence times which in turn can be used to characterize the phenomenon of noise-induced resonance. Drawing on what has been proposed in the physics literature, we outline a heuristic method for establishing the link between the two state model and the reference model. The resonance characteristics developed for the reduced model can thus be applied to the original model.logit model, utility maximization nested logit, non-normalized nested logit, simulation study

Financial markets and monetary control under high inflation: The case of Argentina

Argentina's economic development over the last thirty years has been dominated by very high and variable inflation rates. There is widespread agreement that the financial sector is most seriously affected by persistent inflation. This was also true for Argentina. Due to interest rate ceilings and other regulations relative yields on particular financial assets have been affected differently by inflation. While the holdings of non-interest bearing assets (currency in circulation and demand deposits) were fully exposed to the inflation tax , time deposits at a controlled rate or indexed deposits were partially protected from inflation losses, however, at varying degrees. As a consequence there was a tendency to substitute money in circulation and demand deposits for interest-bearing, short-term assets.

Ultrastructure and localization of Neorickettsia in adult digenean trematodes provides novel insights into helminth-endobacteria interaction

Abstract Background Neorickettsia are a group of intracellular α proteobacteria transmitted by digeneans (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda). These endobacteria can also infect vertebrate hosts of the helminths and cause serious diseases in animals and humans. Neorickettsia have been isolated from infected animals and maintained in cell cultures, and their morphology in mammalian cells has been described. However, limited information is available on the morphology and localization of Neorickettsia in the trematode host. Methods We used a Neorickettsia-infected strain of the model trematode Plagiorchis elegans to infect Syrian Golden hamsters to produce adult worms. Ultrastructure of Neorickettsia was assessed by transmission electron microscopy of high pressure freezing/freeze substitution fixed specimens. A Neorickettsia surface protein from P. elegans (PeNsp-3) was cloned and antibodies against the recombinant protein were used to localize Neorickettsia by immunohistochemistry. Results Ultrastructural analysis revealed moderate numbers of pleomorphic endobacteria with a median size of 600 × 400 nm and characteristic double membranes in various tissue types. Endobacteria showed tubular membrane invaginations and secretion of polymorphic vesicles. Endobacteria were unevenly localized as single cells, or less frequently as small morula-like clusters in the ovary, Mehlis’ gland, vitelline follicles, uterus, intrauterine eggs, testis, cirrus-sac, tegument, intestine and the oral and ventral sucker. Examination of hamster small intestine infected with P. elegans showed many endobacteria at the host-parasite interface such as the oral and ventral sucker, the tegument and the excretory pore. Conclusions We conclude that adult P. elegans trematodes carry Neorickettsia endobacteria in varying numbers in many tissue types that support vertical transmission, trematode to trematode transmission via seminal fluid, and possibly horizontal transmission from trematodes to vertebrate hosts. These means appear to be novel mechanisms of pathogen transmission by endoparasitic worms

The Argentine financial sector: Performance, problems, and policy issues

This paper focusses on the development of the financial sector under conditions of high inflation. It begins with a description of the Argentine financial sector (Section II) and then reviews three distinct periods of financial policies since the early 1970s (Section III) . In the following chapter the main effects of financial repression are discussed and finally some policy suggestions for a restoration of the financial sector are presented.

Economic costs of large public sector deficits and high inflation: The Argentine lesson

The objective of this paper is to analyse the Argentine experience of large public sector deficits and high inflation, to elaborate the collection and dynamics of the inflation tax used to public financing and to identify the economic costs of this policy. Strong references are made to the experiences of other countries during periods of high inflation. Finally, some policy options are dealt with.

Simulating atmospheric d13CO2 during the last 740,000 years: Model-based estimates in the context of ice core measurements

The ratio of the stable carbon isotopes of atmospheric CO2 (δ 13 CO2 ) contains valuable information on the processes which are operating on the global carbon cycle. However current δ 13 CO2 ice core records are still limited in both resolution, temporal coverage as well as precision. To make optimal use of the existing and future δ 13 CO2 ice core records an estimate of the expected temporal variability would help to constrain for the acceptable measurement uncertainty and resolution to successfully retrieve the characteristic variability in δ 13 CO2 . In this study we performed simulations with the carbon cycle box model BICYCLE with special emphasis on atmospheric δ 13 CO2, proposing how changes in δ 13 CO2 might have evolved over the last 740,000 years. The overall model dynamic is validated with reconstructions of δ 13 C in benthic foraminifera in thedeep Pacific and with atmospheric CO2 ice core data. On glacial/interglacial timescales lower surface ocean temperature is most important for lower glacial δ 13 CO2 , followed by the release of isotopically lighter terrestrial carbon. In addition, changes in the terrestrial biosphere also dominate deep ocean δ 13 CO2 but have only a limited effect on atmospheric pCO2 . All other oceanic processes lead to higher than present glacial δ 13 CO2 . Taken all processes together the effects nearly cancel each other and there are nearly no glacial/interglacial amplitudes in δ 13 CO2 in line with ice core data. However faster variations of up to 0.3 occur throughout the whole simulation period. Due to our model configuration, terrestrial carbon storage is very sensitive to temperature changes over northern hemispheric lands, which accompany the reorganization of the Atlantic meridional ocean circulation during fast climate fluctuations (Dansgaard/Oeschger events). These fast events intensify the frequency and amplitude in δ 13 CO2 . However, due to ocean uptake of additional carbon as well as the signal attenuation in ice cores, the amplitudes of such events are strongly time scale dependent