DNA-Based Genetic Markers for Rapid Cycling Brassica Rapa (Fast Plants Type) Designed for the Teaching Laboratory

We have developed DNA-based genetic markers for rapid cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr), also known as Fast Plants. Although markers for B. rapa already exist, ours were intentionally designed for use in a teaching laboratory environment. The qualities we selected for were robust amplification in PCR, polymorphism in RCBr strains, and alleles that can be easily resolved in simple agarose slab gels. We have developed two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based markers and 14 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR)-type markers spread over four chromosomes. The DNA sequences of these markers represent variation in a wide range of genomic features. Among the VNTR-type markers, there are examples of variation in a non-genic region, variation within an intron, and variation in the coding sequence of a gene. Among the SNP-based markers there are examples of polymorphism in intronic DNA and synonymous substitution in a coding sequence. Thus these markers can serve laboratory exercises in both transmission genetics and molecular biology

The Effects of Text Message Reminder on Blood Donor Show Rate

Introduction: Declining blood collection endangers the blood supply at a time when the health care system is requiring an increasingly greater amount of blood products. Blood donation centers are challenged to recruit and develop first-time donors into reliable repeat donors, thereby ensuring a sufficient blood supply. Communication strategies such as e-mail reminders have been shown to be an effective communications tool to promote blood collection. Alternatively, Text Messaging has been shown effective in primary care and preventative medicine. Text messaging improved patient compliance with a schedule of vaccine dosing, as well as improving patient attendance at outpatient clinics. Additionally, text messaging reminders have been shown to be as effective as phone reminders in increasing patient attendance at outpatient appointments. Finally, text messaging has been shown to be useful for managing self-care such as smoking cessation, monitoring asthmatic symptoms, and diabetes control. We investigated whether offering the use a text message reminder to donors would increase attendance at donation events, demonstrating that text messaging can be an effective tool in maintaining a pool of blood donors.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1008/thumbnail.jp

The First Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has validated and made publicly available its First Data Release. This consists of 2099 square degrees of five-band (u, g, r, i, z) imaging data, 186,240 spectra of galaxies, quasars, stars and calibrating blank sky patches selected over 1360 square degrees of this area, and tables of measured parameters from these data. The imaging data go to a depth of r ~ 22.6 and are photometrically and astrometrically calibrated to 2% rms and 100 milli-arcsec rms per coordinate, respectively. The spectra cover the range 3800--9200 A, with a resolution of 1800--2100. Further characteristics of the data are described, as are the data products themselves.Comment: Submitted to The Astronomical Journal. 16 pages. For associated documentation, see http://www.sdss.org/dr

Banking on sunshine: Examining the effects of weather on the Philippine Stock Exchange

This study aims to analyze the relationship of mood-inducing weather variables on investors\u27 behavior, in relation to the Philippine Stock Exchange index level. Prior literature in the past two decades proclaims that the weather-effect exists across different equity markets across the world. This study utilizes daily weather data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) testing it against daily closing index level from the Philippines Stock Exchange during the years 2006 to 2015 by employing a time series regression analysis. Proponents find the presence of the weather effect in the local setting, particularly rainfall and humidity, at the same time considering the effects of certain calendar anomalies and market factors. Thus concluding that the weather effect exists in the country, and investors\u27 decision-making processes are subconsciously affected by psychological biases and mood changes caused by the immediate environment. To be best of the proponent\u27s knowledge this research is the first to examine the prevalence of the weather effect in the Philippine setting