bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ovary-derived precursor gibberellin A9 is essential for female flower development in cucumber
Authors: Pimenta Lange Maria João , Lange Theo
Published: October 2016

Gibberellins (GAs) are hormones that control many aspects of plant development, including flowering. It is well known that stamen is the source of GAs that regulate male and bisexual flower development. However, little is known about the role of GAs in female flower development. In cucumber, high levels of GA precursors are present in ovaries and high levels of bioactive GA4 are identified in sepals/petals, reflecting the expression of GA 20-oxidase and 3-oxidase in these organs, respectively. Here, we show that the biologically inactive precursor GA9 moves from ovaries to sepal/petal tissues where it is converted to the bioactive GA4 necessary for female flower development. Transient expression of a catabolic GA 2-oxidase from pumpkin in cucumber ovaries decreases GA9 and GA4 levels and arrests the development of female flowers, and this can be restored by application of GA9 to petals thus confirming its function. Given that bioactive GAs can promote sex reversion of female flowers, movement of biologically inactive precursors, instead of the hormone itself, might help to maintain floral organ identity, ensuring fruit and seed production.
Gata2 and Gata3 regulate the differentiation of serotonergic and glutamatergic neuron subtypes of the dorsal raphe
Authors: Haugas Maarja , Tikker Laura , Achim Kaia , Salminen Marjo , Partanen Juha
Published: October 2016

Serotonergic and glutamatergic neurons of the dorsal raphe regulate many brain functions and are important for mental health. Their functional diversity is based on molecularly distinct subtypes; however, the development of this heterogeneity is poorly understood. We show that the ventral neuroepithelium of mouse anterior hindbrain is divided into specific subdomains giving rise to serotonergic neurons as well as other types of neurons and glia. The newly born serotonergic precursors are segregated into distinct subpopulations expressing vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (Vglut3) or serotonin transporter (Sert). These populations differ in their requirements for transcription factors Gata2 and Gata3, which are activated in the post-mitotic precursors. Gata2 operates upstream of Gata3 as a cell fate selector in both populations, whereas Gata3 is important for the differentiation of the Sert+ precursors and for the serotonergic identity of the Vglut3+ precursors. Similar to the serotonergic neurons, the Vglut3-expressing glutamatergic neurons, located in the central dorsal raphe, are derived from neural progenitors in the ventral hindbrain and express Pet1. Furthermore, both Gata2 and Gata3 are redundantly required for their differentiation. Our study demonstrates lineage relationships of the dorsal raphe neurons and suggests that functionally significant heterogeneity of these neurons is established early during their differentiation.
Ultrasound patterning technologies for studying vascular morphogenesis in 3D
Authors: Comeau Eric S. , Hocking Denise C. , Dalecki Diane
Published: October 2016

Investigations in this report demonstrate the versatility of ultrasound-based patterning and imaging technologies for studying determinants of vascular morphogenesis in 3D environments. Forces associated with ultrasound standing wave fields (USWFs) were employed to non-invasively pattern endothelial cells volumetrically within 3D collagen hydrogels. Patterned hydrogels were comprised of parallel bands of endothelial cells located at nodal regions of the USWF and spaced at intervals equal to one half wavelength of the incident sound field. Acoustic parameters were adjusted to vary the spatial dimensions of the endothelial bands, and effects on microvessel morphogenesis were analyzed. High-frequency ultrasound imaging techniques were used to image and quantify the spacing, width, and density of initial planar cell bands. Analysis of resultant microvessel networks showed that vessel width, orientation, density, and branching activity were strongly influenced by the initial 3D organization of planar bands and hence, could be controlled by acoustic parameters used for patterning. In summary, integration of USWF-patterning and high-frequency ultrasound imaging tools enabled fabrication of vascular constructs with defined microvessel size and orientation, providing insight into how spatial cues in 3D influence vascular morphogenesis.
Using Field-Derived Hyperspectral Reflectance Measurement to Identify the Essential Wavelengths for Predicting Nitrogen Uptake of Rice at Panicle Initiation
Authors: Dunn B.W. , Dehaan R. , Schmidtke L.M. , Dunn T.S. , Meder R.
Published: October 2016

Rice growers are reluctant to physically sample their crops, with many relying on visual estimates of crop nitrogen status to determine mid-season nitrogen topdressing requirements. There is increased interest in using remote sensing to determine how accurately mid-season rice crop nitrogen status (nitrogen concentration and content in shoots) can be predicted. Field-derived hyperspectral reflectance measurements were collected over three seasons to evaluate the optimal wavelengths for the prediction of in-crop nitrogen at panicle initiation. Rice plots were planted and differing nitrogen rates applied to establish a range of crop nitrogen uptake levels at the panicle initiation stage of crop development. Hyperspectral canopy reflectance (350–2500 nm) data were collected from each plot at the panicle initiation growth stage and plant samples were collected at each scanning location. Calibration models were developed for plant nitrogen concentration, dry matter and nitrogen uptake using partial least squares regression and the influential wavelengths used in the nitrogen uptake prediction model identified. When the nitrogen uptake model, which included samples collected in three crop seasons, was used to predict nitrogen uptake in an independent set of samples, r2 was 0.84 and the root-mean-square error of prediction ( RMSEP) was 16.5 kg N ha−1. The important wavelengths utilised for predicting nitrogen uptake were determined from the regression coefficients and a new calibration created by multiple linear regression (MLR) using only four wavelengths (738 nm, 1362 nm, 1835 nm and 1859 nm). The MLR calibration using the four wavelengths had a prediction accuracy of r2 = 0.82 and RMSEP = 18.4 kg N ha−1, which shows potential for commercial applications. These findings will encourage the development of a remote sensing method for predicting nitrogen uptake for rice crops using the identified wavelengths in an inexpensive multiband instrument.
Game Theory in Economics and Beyond
Authors: Samuelson Larry
Published: October 2016

Within economics, game theory occupied a rather isolated niche in the 1960s and 1970s. It was pursued by people who were known specifically as game theorists and who did almost nothing but game theory, while other economists had little idea what game theory was. Game theory is now a standard tool in economics. Contributions to game theory are made by economists across the spectrum of fields and interests, and economists regularly combine work in game theory with work in other areas. Students learn the basic techniques of game theory in the first-year graduate theory core. Excitement over game theory in economics has given way to an easy familiarity. This essay first examines this transition, arguing that the initial excitement surrounding game theory has dissipated not because game theory has retreated from its initial bridgehead, but because it has extended its reach throughout economics. Next, it discusses some key challenges for game theory, including the continuing problem of dealing with multiple equilibria, the need to make game theory useful in applications, and the need to better integrate noncooperative and cooperative game theory. Finally it considers the current status and future prospects of game theory.
The View from Above: Applications of Satellite Data in Economics
Authors: Donaldson Dave , Storeygard Adam
Published: October 2016

The past decade or so has seen a dramatic change in the way that economists can learn by watching our planet from above. A revolution has taken place in remote sensing and allied fields such as computer science, engineering, and geography. Petabytes of satellite imagery have become publicly accessible at increasing resolution, many algorithms for extracting meaningful social science information from these images are now routine, and modern cloud-based processing power allows these algorithms to be run at global scale. This paper seeks to introduce economists to the science of remotely sensed data, and to give a flavor of how this new source of data has been used by economists so far and what might be done in the future.
Village and Larger Economies: The Theory and Measurement of the Townsend Thai Project
Authors: Townsend Robert M.
Published: October 2016

I have spent close to 20 years cataloging transactions between households in Thai villages, along with a research team. Just this past summer, we documented a number of ways in which even relatively poor villages have money markets not dissimilar in some ways from New York financial markets, with borrowing and repayment passing along links in credit chains. In another project, we have been looking at month-by-month school attendance, grade level completion, and graduation for children in these villages, following them from birth to graduation. The Townsend Thai project is a theory-based data collection endeavor, measuring and mapping village and larger economies into general equilibrium frameworks. This paper reviews a number of findings, implications, applications, and lessons learned, and considers next steps.
Immigrants, Productivity, and Labor Markets
Authors: Peri Giovanni
Published: October 2016

Immigration has been a steady force acting on population and employment within countries throughout human history. Focusing on the last four decades, we show that the mix of immigrants to rich countries has been, overall, rather balanced between college and non-college educated. The growth of immigration has been driven by immigrants from nonrich countries. The economic impact of immigration on receiving economies needs to be understood by analyzing the specific skills brought by immigrants. The complementarity and substitutability between immigrants and natives in employment, and the response of receiving economies in terms of specialization and technological choices, are important when considering the general equilibrium effects of immigration. In the United States, a balanced composition of immigrants between college and noncollege educated, together with the adjustment of demand and technology, imply that general equilibrium effects on relative and absolute wages have been small.
The Impact of Immigration: Why Do Studies Reach Such Different Results?
Authors: Dustmann Christian , Schönberg Uta , Stuhler Jan
Published: October 2016

We classify the empirical literature on the wage impact of immigration into three groups, where studies in the first two groups estimate different relative effects, and studies in the third group estimate the total effect of immigration on wages. We interpret the estimates obtained from the different approaches through the lens of the canonical model to demonstrate that they are not comparable. We then relax two key assumptions in this literature, allowing for inelastic and heterogeneous labor supply elasticities of natives and the "downgrading" of immigrants. “Downgrading” occurs when the position of immigrants in the labor market is systematically lower than the position of natives with the same observed education and experience levels. Downgrading means that immigrants receive lower returns to the same measured skills than natives when these skills are acquired in their country of origin. We show that heterogeneous labor supply elasticities, if ignored, may complicate the interpretation of wage estimates, and particularly the interpretation of relative wage effects. Moreover, downgrading may lead to biased estimates in those approaches that estimate relative effects of immigration, but not in approaches that estimate total effects. We conclude that empirical models that estimate total effects not only answer important policy questions, but are also more robust to alternative assumptions than models that estimate relative effects.
Is the Mediterranean the New Rio Grande? US and EU Immigration Pressures in the Long Run
Authors: Hanson Gordon , McIntosh Craig
Published: October 2016

How will worldwide changes in population affect pressures for international migration in the future? We examine the past three decades, during which population pressures contributed to substantial labor flows from neighboring countries into the United States and Europe, and contrast them with the coming three decades, which will see sharp reductions in labor-supply growth in Latin America but not in Africa or much of the Middle East. Using a gravity-style empirical model, we examine the contribution of changes in relative labor-supply to bilateral migration in the 2000s and then apply this model to project future bilateral flows based on long-run UN forecasts of working-age populations in sending and receiving countries. Because the Americas are entering an era of uniformly low population growth, labor flows across the Rio Grande are projected to slow markedly. Europe, in contrast, will face substantial demographically driven migration pressures from across the Mediterranean for decades to come. Although these projected inflows would triple the first-generation immigrant stocks of larger European countries between 2010 and 2040, they would still absorb only a small fraction of the 800-million-person increase in the working-age population of Sub-Saharan Africa that is projected to occur over this period.
Global Talent Flows
Authors: Kerr Sari Pekkala , Kerr William , Özden Çağlar , Parsons Christopher
Published: October 2016

Highly skilled workers play a central and starring role in today's knowledge economy. Talented individuals make exceptional direct contributions—including breakthrough innovations and scientific discoveries—and coordinate and guide the actions of many others, propelling the knowledge frontier and spurring economic growth. In this process, the mobility of skilled workers becomes critical to enhancing productivity. Substantial attention has been paid to understanding the worldwide distribution of talent and how global migration flows further tilt the deck. Using newly available data, we first review the landscape of global talent mobility. We next consider the determinants of global talent flows at the individual and firm levels and sketch some important implications. Third, we review the national gatekeepers for skilled migration and broad differences in approaches used to select migrants for admission. Looking forward, the capacity of people, firms, and countries to successfully navigate this tangled web of global talent will be critical to their success.
Recent advances in prenatal genetic screening and testing
Authors: Van den Veyver Ignatia B.
Published: October 2016

The introduction of new technologies has dramatically changed the current practice of prenatal screening and testing for genetic abnormalities in the fetus. Expanded carrier screening panels and non-invasive cell-free fetal DNA-based screening for aneuploidy and single-gene disorders, and more recently for subchromosomal abnormalities, have been introduced into prenatal care. More recently introduced technologies such as chromosomal microarray analysis and whole-exome sequencing can diagnose more genetic conditions on samples obtained through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, including many disorders that cannot be screened for non-invasively. All of these options have benefits and limitations, and genetic counseling has become increasingly complex for providers who are responsible for guiding patients in their decisions about screening and testing before and during pregnancy.
A hidden Markov model analysis of subject-specific seizure time-series data as a potential aid to clinical decision making
Authors: King Martin D. , Pujar Suresh , Scott Rod C.
Published: October 2016

Background

The seizure-count time series data acquired from three children with refractory epilepsy were used in a statistical modelling analysis designed to provide an explanation for the marked variation in seizure frequency that often occurs over time (over-dispersed Poisson behaviour). This was motivated by an expectation that a better understanding of the spontaneous shifts in seizure-activity that are observed in some cases should reduce the risk of over-treatment caused by inappropriate changes in medication.

Methods

The analyses were performed using Poisson hidden Markov models (HMMs), both Bayesian and non-Bayesian, implemented using Markov chain Monte Carlo and the expectation-maximisation algorithm, respectively. A defining feature of the models, as applied to epilepsy, is the assumed existence of two or more pathological states, with state-specific Poisson rates, and random transitions between the states. Posterior predictive simulation was used to assess the validity of the Bayesian HMMs.

Results

The results are presented in the form of state transition probability and Poisson rate estimates (i.e., the primary HMM parameters), together with information derived from these primary parameters. State-specific mean-duration (sojourn time) estimates and sojourn-time complementary cumulative probability distributions are the main focus. HMM analyses are presented for three children that differed markedly in their seizure behaviour. The first is characterised by an extreme seizure count on one occasion; the second underwent a spontaneous decrease in seizure activity during the observation period; the third seizure-count time trajectory is characterised by a gradual change in mean seizure activity. We show that, despite their considerable differences, each of the observed seizure-count trajectories can be treated adequately using an HMM.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that clinically relevant information can be obtained using HM modelling in three cases with markedly different seizure behaviour. The resulting subject-specific statistics provide useful clinical insights which should aid those engaged in clinical decision making.
Latitudinal amplitude-phase structure of MHD waves: STARE radar and image magnetometer observations and modeling
Authors: Пилипенко Вячеслав , Pilipenko Vyacheslav , Козырева Ольга , Kozyreva Olga , Федоров Евгений , Fedorov Eugeny , Успенский Михаил , Uspensky Mikhail , Кауристи Кирсти , Kauristie Kirsti
Published: October 2016

We have developed a numerical model that yields a steady-state distribution of field components of MHD wave in an inhomogeneous plasma box simulating the realistic magnetosphere. The problem of adequate boundary condition at the ionosphere–magnetosphere interface for coupled MHD mode is considered. To justify the model’s assumptions, we have derived the explicit inequality showing when the ionospheric inductive Hall effect can be neglected upon the consideration of Alfven wave reflection from the ionospheric boundaries. The model predicts a feature of the ULF spatial amplitude/phase distribution that has not been noticed by the field line resonance theory: the existence of a region with opposite phase delays on the source side of the resonance. This theoretical prediction is supported by the amplitude-phase latitudinal structures of Pc5 waves observed by STARE radar and IMAGE magnetometers. A gradual decrease in azimuthal wave number m at smaller L-shells was observed at longitudinally separated radar beams.
Call Center Staffing: Service-Level Constraints and Index Priorities
Authors: Soh Seung Bum , Gurvich Itai
Published: October 2016

Call centers attribute different values to different customer segments. These values are reflected in quality-of-service targets. The prevalent target service factor (TSF) formulation requires, for example, that 80% of VIP customers wait less than 20 seconds while setting the target to 30 seconds for non-VIP customers. The call center must determine the staffing level together with a prioritization rule that meets these targets at minimal cost. In practice, because of the underlying complexity of these systems, the prioritization rule is often selected in a heuristic manner rather than being systematically optimized. When considering the universe of prioritization policies, index rules provide a customizable and easy to define heuristic and for this reason are implemented in various call center software packages.

We use the TSF formulation as a stepping stone toward a better understanding of index rules. We first construct an asymptotically optimal solution for the TSF problem. The prioritization component of our solution is a tracking policy rather than an index rule. We prove that despite index rules’ significant flexibility, no instance of these prioritization rules is optimal for the TSF problem. The suboptimality of index rules follows from an essential characteristic of these: restricting attention to index rules (as is heuristically done in practice) is asymptotically equivalent to requiring that a VIP customer always waits less than a regular (non-VIP) customer who arrives at the same time. This, in particular, implies that the use of index rules in practice can be rationalized if (and only if) the manager requires such strong differentiation.
Course Match: A Large-Scale Implementation of Approximate Competitive Equilibrium from Equal Incomes for Combinatorial Allocation
Authors: Budish Eric , Cachon Gérard P. , Kessler Judd B. , Othman Abraham
Published: October 2016

Combinatorial allocation involves assigning bundles of items to agents when the use of money is not allowed. Course allocation is one common application of combinatorial allocation, in which the bundles are schedules of courses and the assignees are students. Existing mechanisms used in practice have been shown to have serious flaws, which lead to allocations that are inefficient, unfair, or both. A recently developed mechanism is attractive in theory but has several features that limit its feasibility for practice. This paper reports on the design and implementation of a new course allocation mechanism, Course Match, that is suitable in practice. To find allocations, Course Match performs a massive parallel heuristic search that solves billions of mixed-integer programs to output an approximate competitive equilibrium in a fake-money economy for courses. Quantitative summary statistics for two semesters of full-scale use at a large business school (the Wharton School of Business, which has about 1,700 students and up to 350 courses in each semester) demonstrate that Course Match is both fair and efficient, a finding reinforced by student surveys showing large gains in satisfaction and perceived fairness.
Prostate cancer among Jamaican men: exploring the evidence for higher risk
Authors: Anderson Beverley , Marshall-Lucette Sylvie
Published: October 2016

Background:

Historically, black men of African descent have been disproportionately affected by prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men. African-Caribbean men are generally at higher risk of prostate cancer, with Jamaican men noted to have the highest incidence in the world. No robust evidence exists for the increased incidence among Jamaican men, or indeed, a clear explanation for the reasons these men are at a greater risk of developing the disease in comparison with other African-Caribbean men.

Methods and findings:

A literature review was undertaken. The findings indicated that black men of African descent, specifically Jamaican men, are at greater risk of prostate cancer and this finding applies to Africa, the Caribbean, the UK and USA.

Conclusions:

Current evidence for the higher incidence of prostate cancer among Jamaican men remains inconclusive and does not provide a clear explanation for its prevalence. More comparative studies are required to identify any predisposing factors responsible for this anomaly, worldwide. The involvement of health professionals in these research undertakings is important to obtaining insight into prostate cancer and in devising strategies to improve management and health outcomes.
Is there an optimal way of securing peripheral IV catheters in children?
Authors: Hugill Kevin
Published: October 2016

Kevin Hugill, Director of Nursing Education, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, explains why the answer to this question might not be as simple as people think—and urges more reflection among practitioners
In-line pressure monitoring in IV infusions: benefits for patients and nurses
Authors: Gouveia Scott M
Published: October 2016

Intravenous (IV) infusions are an essential part of hospital patient care, but occlusions in peripheral cannulae are common. One of the most dangerous consequences of occlusion (blockage) is extravasation—the non-intentional leakage of infused vesicant fluid into the tissue surrounding the vein—as it can lead to long-term, or even permanent, tissue damage. Adults and children are affected, with preterm neonates being particularly vulnerable. In-line pressure monitoring (ILPM) can help identify occlusions early and help prevent complications such as extravasation and infiltration. Occlusions cause a rise in pressure in the IV line, so IV pumps fitted with ILPM are able to detect this rise in pressure early and sound an alarm, allowing the user to take corrective measures before the patient suffers any serious chemical damage. ILPM also helps prevent or minimise other consequences of in-line occlusions such as suboptimal medicine dosing, patient distress, and economic costs to NHS trusts.
ECG-based PICC tip verification system: an evaluation 5 years on
Authors: Oliver Gemma , Jones Matt
Published: October 2016

In 2011, the vascular access team at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust safely and successfully incorporated the use of electrocardiogram (ECG) guidance technology for verification of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) tip placement into their practice. This study, 5 years on, compared the strengths and limitations of using this ECG method with the previous gold-standard of post-procedural chest X-ray. The study was undertaken using an embedded case study approach, and the cost, accuracy and efficiency of both systems were evaluated and compared. Using ECG to confirm PICC tip position was found to be cheaper, quicker and more accurate than post-procedural chest X-ray.
Elevated plasma pancreatic enzyme concentrations after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass may indicate closed loop obstruction
Authors: Arapis K , Tammaro P , Goujon G , Becheur H , Augustin P , Marmuse JP
Published: October 2016

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is one of the most commonly performed bariatric procedures and most patients are women of reproductive age. Consequently, general surgeons and obstetricians need to be aware that these patients are at risk of bariatric specific surgical complications during their pregnancy. We report a case involving a 32-year-old woman who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery 2 years previously. She presented at 25 weeks of gestation with a closed loop obstruction due to a retrograde jejunojejunal intussusception that was initially misdiagnosed as acute pancreatitis.
Factors contributing to course changes among students at welwitchia university in Namibia: a student nurse perspective
Authors: Kamenye Esther , Iipinge Scholastika , Du Plessis Denise
Published: October 2016

The overarching purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors contributing to the changing of study courses among student nurses at Welwitchia University in Namibia. A qualitative explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was conducted, using individual in-depth interviews to gather information from 55 students, registered at Welwitchia University from 2013 to 2015, who had changed their course of study before joining the university. A purposeful sampling (convenience) technique was used. Interviews were conducted from October to November 2015 until the data were saturated.The results of this study established that after completing Grade 12, students enrol for any courses with no clear sense of understanding of the choice they have made just to keep themselves busy. This is mostly done when they have been rejected for their initial choice of course (nursing course) at the universities to which they have applied. The study also revealed that some students enrol for courses that are chosen for them by their families, which results in students later changing courses to one of their preference that is nursing. Others changed courses to nursing because they found the first course too difficult.The recommendations based on the findings of this study include the consideration of a gap year to take up voluntary jobs at places like old age homes, orphanage homes to practice caring activities while waiting to be admitted for the nursing course, and introducing or strengthening of career guidance at all secondary schools and institutions of higher learning.
Preservation of Essential Odor-Guided Behaviors and Odor-Based Reversal Learning after Targeting Adult Brain Serotonin Synthesis
Authors: Carlson Kaitlin S. , Whitney Meredith S. , Gadziola Marie A. , Deneris Evan S. , Wesson Daniel W.
Published: October 2016

The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) is considered a powerful modulator of sensory system organization and function in a wide range of animals. The olfactory system is innervated by midbrain 5-HT neurons into both its primary and secondary odor-processing stages. Facilitated by this circuitry, 5-HT and its receptors modulate olfactory system function, including odor information input to the olfactory bulb. It is unknown, however, whether the olfactory system requires 5-HT for even its most basic behavioral functions. To address this question, we established a conditional genetic approach to specifically target adult braintryptophan hydroxylase 2(Tph2), encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in brain 5-HT synthesis, and nearly eliminate 5-HT from the mouse forebrain. Using this novel model, we investigated the behavior of 5-HT–depleted mice during performance in an olfactory go/no-go task. Surprisingly, the near elimination of 5-HT from the forebrain, including the olfactory bulbs, had no detectable effect on the ability of mice to perform the odor-based task.Tph2-targeted mice not only were able to learn the task, but also had levels of odor acuity similar to those of control mice when performing coarse odor discrimination. Both groups of mice spent similar amounts of time sampling odors during decision-making. Furthermore, odor reversal learning was identical between 5-HT–depleted and control mice. These results suggest that 5-HT neurotransmission is not necessary for the most essential aspects of olfaction, including odor learning, discrimination, and certain forms of cognitive flexibility.
Developmental Ethanol Exposure Leads to Long-Term Deficits in Attention and Its Underlying Prefrontal Circuitry
Authors: Louth Emma L. , Bignell Warren , Taylor Christine L. , Bailey Craig D.C.
Published: October 2016

Chronic prenatal exposure to ethanol can lead to a spectrum of teratogenic outcomes that are classified in humans as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). One of the most prevalent and persistent neurocognitive components of FASD is attention deficits, and it is now thought that these attention deficits differ from traditional attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their quality and response to medication. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying attention deficits in FASD are not well understood. We show here that after developmental binge-pattern ethanol exposure, adult mice exhibit impaired performance on the five-choice serial reaction time test for visual attention, with lower accuracy during initial training and a higher rate of omissions under challenging conditions of high attention demand. Whole-cell electrophysiology experiments in these same mice find dysregulated pyramidal neurons in layer VI of the medial prefrontal cortex, which are critical for normal attention performance. Layer VI neurons show decreased intrinsic excitability and increased responses to stimulation of both nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptors. Moreover, although nicotinic acetylcholine responses correlate with performance on the five-choice task in control mice, these relationships are completely disrupted in mice exposed to ethanol during development. These findings demonstrate a novel outcome of developmental binge-pattern ethanol exposure and suggest that persistent alterations to the function of prefrontal layer VI neurons play an important mechanistic role in attention deficits associated with FASD.
Secret Cousins
Authors: Bigliardi Stefano
Published: October 2016

In this paper I discuss the work of two French authors who advocate a “scientific” exegesis of sacred scriptures: physician Maurice Bucaille (1922–1998) and religious leader Claude Vorilhon (alias Raël, b. 1946). Bucaille argues that the Qur’an’s divine origin is demonstrated by its accuracy about natural phenomena and “scientific facts,” whereas the Bible does not stand up to “scientific” examination. Vorilhon supposedly received a revelation regarding the creation of humanity by an alien race, the Elohim. Part and parcel of such revelation is a biblical exegesis that identifies, in numerous passages of the Old and New Testaments, allusions to the Elohim’s technological interventions in the history of humanity. I argue here that despite apparent differences, these textual strategies—blending “science” and scriptures—display substantial similarities, and that they are influenced by narrative and philosophical patterns deeply rooted in French culture.
Scientology and Sex
Authors: Cusack Carole M.
Published: October 2016

While the control and discipline of the body and human behavior is a perennial concern in all social orders, it is particularly acute within religions, both old and new. Religions typically regulate dress, social interaction, diet, and especially norms concerning sex, reproduction, and the family. To date, research on the Church of Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1954, has neglected the topic of sex. In this article, I remedy this lacuna by examining three areas linked by the theme of “attempted abortion.” First, I explore Hubbard’s biography in terms of sexual and familial experiences; second, I expound on his writings about sex and the doctrinal position of the Church of Scientology; and third, I examine recent allegations affecting the Sea Org due to defectors’ claims that pregnant women were forced to have abortions. Additionally, I adduce some comparative material from the biography of Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, who manifested a similar disconnect between his personal life and his conservative teachings on sex. In the Church of Scientology, sexual orientation and activity are prime sites of control experienced by all its members, but in particular among the elite corps of the Sea Org.
Rethinking New Religious Movements beyond a Social Problems Paradigm
Authors: Feltmate David
Published: October 2016

This article argues that the field of new religions studies is driven in large part by a paradigm based in the assumption that new religious movements are comparable because they are social problems. It outlines a social problems paradigm drawing upon the work of Joel Best, illustrates how the paradigm is taught in textbooks on new religious movements, shows its value through the recent work of Stuart A. Wright and Susan J. Palmer, and offers a criticism of the paradigm through Benjamin E. Zeller’s study of Heaven’s Gate. The question of what makes each movement and its study significant is raised and challenged. The article concludes with reasons for moving new religions scholarship beyond the social problems paradigm in favor of a paradigm of social possibilities.
Transport of Atrazine and Dicamba through Silt and Loam Soils
Authors: James Tindall  , Michael Friedel
Published: October 2016

The objectives of this research were to determine the role of preferential flow paths in the transport of atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine) and dicamba (3-6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) through silt and loam soils overlying the High Plains aquifer in Nebraska. In a previous study, 3 of 6 study areas demonstrated high percentages of macropores; those three areas were used in this study for analysis of chemical transport. As a subsequent part of the study, 12 intact soil cores (30-cm diameter by 40-cm height), were excavated sequentially, two from each of the following depths: 0-40cm and 40-80cm. These cores were used to study preferential flow characteristics using dye staining and to determine hydraulic properties. Two undisturbed experimental field plots, each with a 3-m2 surface area, were installed in three study areas in Nebraska. Each was instrumented with suction lysimeters and tensiometers at depths of 10cm to 80cm in 10-cm increments. Additionally, each plot was planted with corn (Zea mays). A neutron probe access tube was installed in each plot to determine soil water content at 15-cm intervals. All plots were enclosed with a raised frame (of 8-cm height) to prevent surface runoff. All suction lysimeters were purged monthly for three months and were sampled immediately prior to pre-plant herbicide application to obtain background chemical concentrations. Atrazine and dicamba moved rapidly through the soil, but only after a heavy rainfall event, probably owing to the presence of preferential flow paths and lack of microbial degradation in these soil areas. Staining of laboratory cores showed a positive correlation between the percent area stained by depth and the subsequent breakthrough of Br- in the laboratory and leaching of field-applied herbicides owing to large rainfall events. Suction lysimeter samples in the field showed increases in concentrations of herbicides at depths where laboratory data indicated greater percentages of what appeared to be preferential flow paths. Concentrations of atrazine and dicamba exceeding 0.30 and 0.05µg m1-1 were observed at depths of 10-30cm and 50-70cm after two months following heavy rainfall events. It appears from the laboratory experiment that preferential flow paths were a significant factor in transport of atrazine and dicamba. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or GNS.
Selected Phenomena of Spontaneous Electric Noise
Authors: Hayk Asatryan  , Eugen Grycko  , Werner Kirsch
Published: October 2016

Recently a modified Drude model of the valence electron gas in metals was investigated mathematically. The implications of this model suggest that the thermal noise voltage increases for example with the length of the metallic conductor. This observation prompted us to carry out some innovative experiments whose outcomes confirmed qualitatively the Drude model. We discuss some implications of this model in the light of the performed measurements.
Introduction
Authors: Jerryson Michael
Published: October 2016

This special issue is devoted to the work and legacy of René Girard. One of the most prodigious scholars to work on religion and violence, Girard produced scholarship that has stimulated thousands of scholars for over forty years. On November 4, 2015, René Girard died at his residence in Stanford, California. He had served as the Andrew B. Hammond Professor of French Language, Literature, and Civilization, from 1985-1994 and had continued as Professor Emeritus of French Language, Literature, and Civilization. While there are scholars who support Girard’s work and see much of his work as a launching point for further work—and carry the reference as “Girardians” – there are notable critics who disagree with Girard, even his most foundational concepts. Regardless of their positions, the advocates and dissenters of Girardian theory evince René Girard’s widespread impact. This commemorative issue hosts a compilation of essays by some of the most influential scholars to write on religion and violence. Some authors advance Girard’s work, some authors critique it; collectively, their work pays tribute.
Criticism, Critique, and Crisis in Assessing the Work of René Girard
Authors: Goodhart Sandor
Published: October 2016

Perhaps it is time to begin the second stage of René Girard’s passing: the labor of a full critical assessment of his life’s work. In preparation, I thought I might consider some of the misunderstandings to which his work has been subject. After briefly recalling Girard’s three big ideas (mimetic desire, sacrificial violence and the scapegoat mechanism, scriptural revelation of the founding murder), I will suggest the most common misapprehensions: (1) the idea of the innocent victim; (2) the idea that there is a good and a bad mimesis; and (3) the relation between Girardianism and the ethical. Other issues remain to be clarified. Among them are the following ideas: (1) that Girardian thinking is scientific; (2) that it is not an advocacy of any kind but a way of producing knowledge; (3) that the center of gravity remains the process of sacrificial genesis and the scapegoat mechanism, mimetic desire, and their scriptural revelation serve that end; (4) that violence is not a thing or essence but difference gone wrong; and finally (5) that Girardian thinking is not an essentialism; it is not about what is “really” good, true, beautiful, or present but strategies of doing and acting. We best honor the work of our teachers and foremost thinkers by endeavoring to get it right for future generations for whom we, who have known the individual personally, remain a conduit.
TÜRKİYE EKONOMİSİ ÖZELİNDE PHILLIPS EĞRİSİ ANALİZİ
Authors: TABAR Çağlayan , KIRIŞKAN ÇETİN Işın
Published: October 2016

Çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de Phillips eğrisinin, kısa ve uzun vadede geçerliliğinin analiz edilmesidir. Teoriden de bilindiği gibi, işsizlik ve enflasyon oranı arasındaki ilişkiyi temel alan Phillips eğrisine yönelik teorik literatürde farklı yaklaşımlara rastlamak mümkündür. Çalışmanın amacı, teoriden de hareketle, işsizlik ve enflasyon oranı arasındaki ilişkiyi ekonometrik olarak ele almak ve Türkiye özelinde değerlendirmektir. Ampirik literatürde, bu ilişkiyi analiz etmek için, sıklıkla uzun ve kısa dönem denge ilişkilerinin tahmin edildiği görülmektedir. Bu çalışmanın uygulaması da, ampirik literatürü destekler niteliktedir. Bu çalışmada, işsizlik ve enflasyon oranı değişkenleri için, 2003-2016 dönemi aylık verileri kullanılmıştır. Veriler, Dünya Bankası, OECD ve TUİK resmi sitelerinden elde edilmiştir. Serilere öncelikle yapısal kırılmalı birim kök testleri uygulanmış, elde edilen sonuçlara göre işsizlik ve enflasyon oranının yapısal kırılmalı birim kök içerdiği, bununla birlikte kısa ve uzun dönemde bu değişkenler arasında bir koentegrasyon ilişkisinin olmadığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Dolayısıyla Phillips eğrisinin, hem kısa hem de uzun vadede Türkiye özelinde geçerli olmadığı görüşüne varılmıştır.
CUMHURİYET İDARESİNİN MALİ KONULARDAKİ HASSASİYETİNE İLİŞKİN ZİRAAT BANKASI ÖRNEĞİ
Authors: TUNCEL Ahmet Kamil
Published: October 2016

Osmanlı Devletinden yetersiz bir tarım ekonomisi devralan Türkiye Cumhuriyeti,ekonomik kalkınmasını süratle sağlayabilmek için Lozan konferansının kesintiye uğradığı dönemde, 17 Şubat-4 Mart 1923 tarihleri arasında İzmir İktisat Kongresini toplamıştır. Bu kongrede yeni devletin ekonomik kalkınmasının esaslarını belirlenmiştir. İmalat sanayinin olmadığı bir ortamda, zirai faaliyetlere önem verilmesi kaçınılmazdır. Bu nedenle Türkiye'de sanayinin kurulması için gerekli tedbirler alınırken var olan tarım ekonomisini de güçlendirmek için Ziraat Bankasının idari yapısının çağdaş bankacılık koşullarına göre yeniden yapılandırılması gerekmiştir. Bankanın yapılandırılmasının yanı sıra Kurtuluş Savaşı yıllarında bankanın ibra edilemeyen 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922 ve 1923 yılı hesapları 1926 yılında ibra edilebilmiştir
PİYASA DEĞERİ OLMAYAN VARLIKLARIN EKONOMİK DEĞERİNİN BELİRLENMESİ
Authors: GÜNDOĞMUŞ Mehmet Erdemir , KALFA Veli Rıza
Published: October 2016

Çevresel varlıkların belirli bir pazarının (piyasasının) olmaması, dolayısıyla da fiyatlarının (ekonomik değerinin) bulunmaması, piyasa değeri olmayan bu tür varlıkların kullanımı nedeniyle ortaya çıkacak olan faydanın tam olarak tespit edilememesine neden olmaktadır. Tüketicilerin piyasa değeri olmayan varlıkları kullanmaları nedeniyle elde edecekleri faydanın farkında olmamaları, bu tür varlıkları bilinçsizce kullanmalarına yol açmaktadır. Bu durum ormanlık alan, nehir gibi çevresel varlıkların miktarının azalmasına hatta yok olmasına sebep olacaktır. Piyasa değeri olmayan varlıkların korunmasını sağlamak için ekonomik değerlerinin belirlenmesi gerekmektedir. Piyasa değeri olmayan varlıkların ekonomik değerlerinin tespit edilmesi durumunda kullanıcılar, doğal kaynakları eskiye nazaran daha bilinçli kullanacak, gelecek nesillerin de çevresel varlıklardan daha fazla yararlanmalarını sağlayacaktır. Bu çalışmanın amacı piyasa değeri olmayan varlıkların ekonomik değerinin belirlenmesine neden olan etmenleri belirlemek, ekonomik değer belirlemede kullanılan yöntemler arasından araştırmacılar tarafından en fazla kullanılan seyahat maliyet yöntemi, koşullu değerleme yöntemi ve hedonik fiyat yöntemiyle ilgili açıklamalarda bulunmaktır.
FINANCIAL LIBERALIZATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM TUNISIA
Authors: BOUZID Amaira
Published: October 2016

The objective of this paper is to build an index of financial liberalization in Tunisia using the Principal Component Analysis method over a period of 36 years from 1980 to 2015. In addition, this paper also includes econometric estimates terms of cointegration and causality between financial liberalization policy and economic growth in Tunisia. To do this, we adopt a methodology which is based on an analysis in terms of causality. This approach requires passing through three stages. The first step is to check the properties of time series (stationary and integration order) of the financial liberalization index and economic growth through the use of unit root Dickey-Fuller tests. The second step seeks to examine the long-term relationship between the two variables by using a multivariate analysis Johansen. Finally, the third step seeks to determine the direction of causality between the financial liberalization index and economic growth by applying a vector error correction model. The results show that the two series are integrated of order one (I (1)), the existence of a long-term relationship between the financial liberalization index and economic growth and the presence of causality Granger unidirectional of financial liberalization index to economic growth.
GOVERNMENT DEBT AS A CONTRADICTORY FACTOR OF ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: TELNOVA Anna
Published: October 2016

Article seeks to substantiate the hypothesis of contradictory impact of government debt on economic growth. The objectives and related research methods are: empirical analysis and abstract logical analysis of the impact of the level of government debt on economic growth; cluster analysis of European countries in terms of their economic growth, government debt and government expenditure on economic affairs. Substantiated positive impact on economic growth in the following cases: constant or increasing in proportion to the GDP growth of government debt volume subject to gain or maintain the level of government expenditure on economic affairs; government debt level of stability at constant GDP increase and advance the government expenditure on economic affairs.