TESTING FOR DISEQUILIBRIUM IN THE DEMAND FOR AGRICULTURAL INPUTS

A dynamic system of cost-share equations for agricultural inputs is used to test for the presence of input disequilibrium. This dynamic system incorporates a disequilibrium adjustment process into input-share equations derived from a translog cost function. The disequilibrium process is represented as a generalized partial adjustment model where disequilibrium in one input may affect other inputs. Results from this analysis suggest applications of translog share systems to agriculture under static equilibrium assumptions are inappropriate.Demand and Price Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

TAL1 expression and protein targets in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

In order to better understand the progression of cancer, the changes in genes and their product proteins that lead to malignancy must be studied. This requires the characterization of molecular and genetic interactions that are fundamental to the progression of cancers, such as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). T ALL is an aggressive cancer that affects both children and adults, and patients typically respond poorly to chemotherapy. In the majority of affected individuals, a specific chromosomal translocation or deletion event leads to the misactivation of TAL1 gene, which produces an aberrantly expressed TAL 1 transcription factor protein. Normally, TALl controls hematopoiesis and blood vessel formation. As a basic helix-loop-helix­transcription factor, TAL 1 heterodimerizes with many other transcription factors and may alter gene activation, gene transcription, and gene product production. It is thought that changes in gene expression patterns, mediated by misexpression of this transcription factor, lead to an overabundance of immature T-cells by deregulating control of cell proliferation and cell death (apoptosis) pathways. Apoptosis pathways are critical to sustaining life, as these beneficial processes allow for the removal of unwanted or abnormal cells through a well-defined series of events. Misexpression of TAL1 in T-ALL may alter transcriptional control and protein expression of one or several genes or proteins that regulate apoptosis, leading to this malignant condition. In this study, Western blot and flow cytometry analyses were used to determine the potential protein targets of TAL 1. In particular, Bcl-xl, caspase-9, and Nur77 were the factors studied. If changes in the expression of these additional proteins, due to altered transcription regulation by TAL 1, can be detected using these methods, then better, more targeted therapies can potentially be developed to combat T-ALL at the molecular level.Honors CollegeThesis (B.?

From Micro- to Macro-processes of Religious Change

The article discusses the Europe-wide late medieval phenomenon of the cult of the Holy Name, using it as a case study to discuss the relationship of micro-and macro-historical transformations by scrutinizing the enormous success of a religious innovation which managed to spread to many different local contexts and social groups. After pointing out contradictions in earlier explanations of this success, the article gives a detailed reading of several different realizations of this form of devotion, discussing authors like Richard Rolle, but also religious compilations and documentary evidence. This evidence suggests that the meaning and significance of devotion to the Holy Name remained open, malleable and unstable. It therefore appears necessary to engage with the whole range of its representations, and their transmission at different social levels, in order to understand its larger significance in the religious transformations of the long fifteenth century

The neurochemical basis of photic entrainment of the circadian pacemaker

Circadian rhythmicity in mammals is controlled by the action of a light-entrainable hypothalamus, in association with two cell clusters known as the supra chiasmatic nuclei (SCN). In the absence of temporal environmental clues, this pacemaker continues to measure time by an endogenous mechanism (clock), driving biochemical, physiological, and behavioral rhythms that reflect the natural period of the pacemaker oscillation. This endogenous period usually differs slightly from 24 hours (i.e., circadian). When mammals are maintained under a 24 hour light-dark (LD) cycle, the pacemaker becomes entrained such that the period of the pacemaker oscillation matches that of the LD cycle. Potentially entraining photic information is conveyed to the SCN via a direct retinal projection, the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT). RHT neurotransmission is thought to be mediated by the release of excitatory amino acids (EAA) in the SCN. In support of this hypothesis, recent experiments using nocturnal rodents have shown that EAA antagonists block the effects of light on pacemaker-driven behavioral rhythms, and attenuate light induced gene expression in SCN cells. An understanding of the neurochemical basis of the photic entrainment process would facilitate the development of pharmacological strategies for maintaining synchrony among shift workers in environments, such as the Space Station, which provide unreliable or conflicting temporal photic clues

Hoph Bifurcation in Viscous, Low Speed Flows About an Airfoil with Structural Coupling

The locations of Hopf bifurcation points associated with the viscous, incompressible flow about a NACA 0012 airfoil with structural coupling are computed for very low Reynolds numbers (\u3c2000). A semi-implicit, first-order-accurate time integration algorithm is employed to solve the stream function-vorticity form of the Navier-Stokes equations. The formulation models the inclusion of simple structural elements affixed to the airfoil and captures the resulting airfoil motion. The equations describing the airfoil motion are integrated in time using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta algorithm. The dissertation is divided into two parts. In part one, numerical experiments are performed in the laminar regime to determine if the structural model of the airfoil has an effect upon the location of the Hopf bifurcation point when compared with the fixed airfoil. Results are reported for a variety of structural characteristics, including variations of torsional and linear spring constants, inertial properties, structural coupling, and structural damping. The structure of the solution space is explored by means of phase plots. In part two, the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model is implemented to model turbulent flow. A numerical effort is made to predict the onset of unsteady flow

Does stimulant therapy help adult ADHD?

Central nervous system stimulants improve symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults (strength of recommendation: B, based on an older, inconclusive systematic review, a lesser-quality systematic review, and several newer small randomized controlled trials). Although not the focus of this question, nonstimulant medications (including buproprion, modafinil, and guanfacine) have also been studied in the treatment of ADHD in adults. Recently, atomoxetine became the only nonstimulant medication to receive approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ADHD