bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Personal and Farm Characteristics upon Grain Marketing Practices
Authors: Sartwelle James , O'Brien Daniel , Tierney William , Eggers Tim
Published: July 2016

A survey of Kansas, Texas, and Iowa agricultural producers was taken to examine the factors affecting their grain marketing practices. Sales indices models and models of qualitative choice are used to determine whether marketers' choices of cash market, forward contract, or futures and options oriented marketing practices are significantly affected by their personal and farm business characteristics. Results indicate that geographic location, farm size, grain enterprise specialization, farming experience, use of grain storage, and use of crop insurance have significant effects upon the respondents' choice of grain marketing practices.
An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Florida Cooperative's Seasonal Pricing Plan on Seasonal Production Variability
Authors: Washington Andrew A. , Lawson Robert W. , Kilmer Richard L.
Published: July 2016

From 1993–1995, Florida dairy cooperatives implemented a seasonal pricing plan in an attempt to decrease the variability in seasonal production. Farmers that participated in the seasonal pricing plan were able to reduce seasonality in each year when compared to 1992 by as much as 20 percent. For farmers that did not participate, seasonality increased in each year by as much as 32 percent. Overall, the seasonal pricing plan was effective in reducing seasonality for those farmers that chose to participate in the plan and that its limited short-run success was the result of seasonality increases by non-participating farms.
Determinants of Poverty among U.S. Farm Households
Authors: El-Osta Hisham S. , Morehart Mitchell J.
Published: July 2016

This research uses data from the 2004 Agricultural Resource Management
Survey and probit regression to examine the determinants of poverty among
U.S. farm households. The findings reveal, among others, the importance of a
livelihood strategy that combines participation in government programs and
off-farm work in lowering poverty rates. Findings also show the importance
of educational attainment of the farm operator in mitigating poverty, but
only when poverty is measured on a relative rather than an absolute basis.
Policy recommendations are provided in the context of these
findings.
Does the Food Stamp Program Affect Food Security Status and the
Composition of Food Expenditures?
Authors: Pan Suwen , Jensen Helen H.
Published: July 2016

This article considers interaction among participation in the Food Stamp
Program (FSP), food security status, and the composition of food
expenditures. A quadratic almost ideal demand system with a bootstrapping
two-step method of estimation is applied to data from the Current Population
Survey–Food Security Supplement data and used to estimate the model and
account for endogeneity between the FSP participation and food insecurity.
The results show that FSP participation is endogenously related with food
security status and significantly affects total food expenditure and
food-away-from-home expenditures.
Online Homework for Agricultural Economics Instruction: Frankenstein's
Monster or Robo TA?
Authors: Dahlgran Roger A.
Published: July 2016

This paper describes the programming required for online homework,
evaluates its use, and presents methods for student identification and for
processing student input. Online homework applications were evaluated in a
real class setting. Generally, online homework is cost effective for large
classes that have numerous assignments and repeated usage. Online homework
appears to increase learning through increased student study-time
allocations. Students felt that online homework made course website
interaction more productive. They also indicated that online homework
increased their perception of the value of lectures and that its use in
other courses would be welcome. All findings were highly statistically
significant.
Decomposition of Total Factor Productivity Change in the U.S. Hog
Industry
Authors: Key Nigel , McBride William , Mosheim Roberto
Published: July 2016

The U.S. hog industry has experienced dramatic structural changes and
rapid increases in farm productivity. A stochastic frontier analysis is used
to measure hog enterprise total factor productivity (TFP) growth between
1992 and 2004 and to decompose this growth into technical change and changes
in technical efficiency, scale efficiency, and allocative efficiency.
Productivity gains over the 12-year period are found to be explained almost
entirely by technical progress and by improvements in scale efficiency.
Differences in TFP growth rates in the Southeast and Heartland regions were
found to be explained primarily by differences in farm size growth
rates.
Alternative Crop Insurance Indexes
Authors: Deng Xiaohui , Barnett Barry J. , Hoogenboom Gerrit , Yu Yingzhuo , Garcia Axel Garcia y
Published: July 2016

Three index-based crop insurance contracts are evaluated for
representative south Georgia corn farms. The insurance contracts considered
are based on indexes of historical county yields, yields predicted from a
cooling degree-day production model, and yields predicted from a
crop-simulation model. For some of the representative farms, the predicted
yield index contracts provide yield risk protection comparable to the
contract based on historical county yields, especially at lower levels of
risk aversion. The impact of constraints on index insurance choice variables
is considered and important interactions among constrained, conditionally
optimized, choice variables are analyzed.
Modeling Texas Dryland Cotton Yields, With Application to Crop Insurance
Actuarial Rating
Authors: Chen Shu-Ling , Miranda Mario J.
Published: July 2016

Texas dryland upland cotton yields have historically exhibited greater
variation and more distributional irregularities than the yields of other
crops, raising concerns that conventional parametric distribution models may
generate biased or otherwise inaccurate crop insurance premium rate
estimates. Here, we formulate and estimate regime-switching models for Texas
dryland cotton yields in which the distribution of yield is conditioned on
local drought conditions. Our results indicate that drought-conditioned
regime-switching models provide a better fit to Texas county-level dryland
cotton yields than conventional parametric distribution models. They do not,
however, generate significantly different Group Risk Plan crop insurance
premium rate estimates.
Modeling Willingness to Pay for Land Conservation Easements: Treatment of Zero and Protest Bids and Application and Policy Implications
Authors: Cho Seong-Hoon , Yen Steven T. , Bowker J.M. , Newman David H.
Published: July 2016

This study compares an ordered probit model and a Tobit model with selection to take into account both true zero and protest zero bids while estimating the willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation easements in Macon County, NC. By comparing the two models, the ordered/unordered selection issue of the protest responses is analyzed to demonstrate how the treatment of protest responses can significantly influence WTP models. Both models consistently show that income and knowledge are positive and significant factors, while distance to poorer quality streams and duration of residency are negative and significant factors on WTP.
Awareness of and Application to the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program By Cow—Calf Producers
Authors: Obubuafo Joyce , Gillespie Jeffrey , Paudel Krishna , Kim Seon-Ae
Published: July 2016

This study uses a bivariate probit model with partial observability to
examine Louisiana beef producers' awareness of the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP) and how awareness translates to application to the
program. Results indicate that awareness of and application to the EQIP
depend on portion of income derived from off-farm sources, extent of
previous best management practice adoption at one's own expense, household
income, farmed land that is highly erodible, contact with Natural Resource
Conservation Service and extension service personnel, and producer
age.
El Paso Housing Sector Econometric Forecast Accuracy
Authors: Fullerton Thomas M. , Kelley Brian W.
Published: July 2016

There is comparatively little empirical evidence regarding the accuracy of regional housing sector forecasts. Much of the recent analysis conducted for this topic is developed for housing starts and indicates a relatively poor track record. This study examines residential real estate forecasts previously published for El Paso, TX using a structural econometric model. Model coverage is much broader than just starts. Similar to earlier studies, the previously published econometric predictions frequently do not fare very well against the selected random walk benchmarks utilized for the various series under consideration.
Price Sensitivities for U.S. Frozen Dairy Products
Authors: Maynard Leigh J. , Veeramani Venkat N.
Published: July 2016

Price elasticities and flexibilities for frozen dessert products were estimated from weekly scanner data, with emphasis on functional form selection, system misspecification testing, and endogeneity testing. Reciprocals of elasticities and elasticity matrix inversion were invalid means of obtaining flexibility estimates, leaving direct estimation as the only viable, albeit resource-intensive, approach.
Estimation of Food Demand Patterns in South Africa Based on a Survey of Households
Authors: Agbola Frank W.
Published: July 2016

South Africa is emerging as a major player in the world agricultural products market. This study investigates aggregate food demand patterns in South Africa using a linear approximate almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS) modeling framework. Data from a 1993 integrated national household survey are employed in the analysis. Empirical results show that demand for meat and fish, grains, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and other foods are generally price elastic. The expenditure elasticities imply that meat and fish and grains are luxury products, whereas dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and other foods are necessities in the household diet. The results also indicate that if income of households increases food expenditure on meat and fish and grains would increase, whereas that on dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and other foods would decrease. Race, age, and gender of household head, urbanization, and family size affect food demand in South Africa.
Uncertain Yields in Sectoral Welfare Analysis: An Application to Global Warming
Authors: Lambert D.K. , McCarl B.A. , He Q. , Kaylen M.S. , Rosenthal W. , Chang C.C. , Nayda W.I.
Published: July 2016

Agriculture operates in an uncertain environment. Yields, prices, and resource usage can change dramatically from year to year. However, most analyses of the agricultural sector, at least those using mathematical programming methods, assume decision making is based on average yields, ignoring yield variability. This study examines how explicit consideration of stochastic yield outcomes influence a sector analysis. We develop a model that can be used for stochastic sector analysis. We extend the risk framework developed by Hazell and others to incorporate discrete yield outcomes as well as consumption activities dependent upon yield outcomes. An empirical application addresses a comparison between sector analysis with and without considerations of the economic effects of yield variability in a global warming context.
Rural-Urban Differences in Nursing Home Access, Quality and Cost
Authors: Yu Wei , Bradford Garnett
Published: July 2016

Rural-urban differences in the supply of nursing home services are hypothesized to be jointly affected by competitive and regulatory forces, government policies, and the cost structure. Study findings indicate that rural services are slightly less accessible and lower in quality. A translog cost share function reveals no difference in the operating cost structure of rural and urban homes. Cost shares for nursing care are directly related to the degree of skilled nursing provided by homes. Significant scale economies were not detected for any of the major operating costs.
Employment History and Off-Farm Employment of Farm Operators
Authors: Stallmann Judith I. , Nelson James H.
Published: July 2016

Employment history affects subsequent choices. Based on their original job choice, operators are divided into farmers and workers. Equations are estimated to determine their probabilities of working off-the-farm. Education increases the probability that workers work off-the-farm, whereas vocational training increases farmers' probability. The probability of working off-the-farm decreases as unearned income increases, and its impact on workers is larger than on farmers. An employed spouse increases the probability that farmers work off-the-farm, but has the opposite impact for workers. Employment density increases the probability that workers will work off-the-farm.
Do the Japanese Discriminate Against Australian Beef Imports?: Evidence From the Differential Approach
Authors: Weatherspoon Dave D. , Seale James L.
Published: July 2016

This paper considers an application of the differential approach to Japanese demand for beef imports from 1970 to 1993. Results of homothetic demand and negative (significant) own-price elasticities indicate that the Japanese did not discriminate against Australian beef, but the decrease in Australia's trade shares was due to changes in relative prices.
Computer Adoption and Use of Information Services by North Carolina Commercial Farmers
Authors: Amponsah William A.
Published: July 2016

The extent of information use by farmers for farm management is tracked in terms of computer adoption and usefulness, and the use of professional providers of information services. The study is based on a survey conducted in 1991, on North Carolina, as part of a regional project involving about fourteen states. The results revealed a low rate of computer adoption by the farmers surveyed. However, computer adoption and usefulness were explained by farm size, educational attainment and farm income. Also farmers' use of professional services, such as that provided by tax preparers and extension agents were positively influenced by farm size, age and education level.
Technology Adoption Against Invasive Species
Authors: Ranjan Ram
Published: July 2016

This article looks at technology adoption in agriculture that is specifically targeted against invasive species. The analysis involves predicting the long-term distribution of technology choices when technology can be adopted and disadopted based on current and expected agricultural profits influenced by pest infestation. The theoretical analysis is based on an extension of two authors' findings in 1993 and incorporates the possibility that psychological factors, such as complacency, have a significant impact on technology adoption and hence disease establishment. An empirical application is performed for soybean rust.
Vertical and Horizontal Coordination in the Agro-biotechnology Industry: Evidence and Implications
Authors: Kalaitzandonakes Nicholas , Bjornson Bruce
Published: July 2016

Agro-biotechnology is evolving from a pre-commerical phase dominated by basic research science to a commercial phase oriented around marketing products. In pursuing innovation rents in the commercial phase, firms are reorienting their strategies around complementary marketing and distribution assets. This is impacting vertical and horizontal industry structure. Conversely, industry structure is also impacting firm strategies. Horizontal alliances and consolidation continue from the pre-commercial phase into the commercial phase, while vertical coordination and integration strategies are accelerating rapidly. Interplay between firm strategy and industry structure is too complex for firms to anticipate early in the pre-commercial phase for long-term strategy formulation.
Detection of the Fixation Coefficient F from MNS Blood Group Data
Authors: Rao D.C.
Published: July 2016

Since the MNS blood group system does not exhaust the total degrees of freedom under the Wright's equilibrium law, it was felt that the peculiar problems facing the detection of F (the fixation coefficient of Wright's model) from ABO blood group data may not be totally relevant to the MNS system. To verify this, a short discussion on the detection of F from MNS blood group data is given here.
Fertility as a Function of the Woman's Age and Year of Birth in Italy
Authors: Mascioli Flavia M. , Rossi Carla
Published: July 2016

A mathematical model is suggested to represent the trend of the fertility coefficient in the Italian woman as a function of her age and year of birth. The study has been based on data from the fertility tables by Livi Bacci-Santini interpreted by one single formula.
Dermatoglyphic and Skeletal Hand Abnormalities in Turner's Syndrome — A Tentative Scoring Method
Authors: Dallapiccola Bruno , Bagni Bruno , Pistocchi Giovanni
Published: July 2016

A scoring method for the diagnosis of Turner's syndrome (T.S.), based on five dermatoglyphic and four skeletal characteristics, showing significant frequency variations between patients and normal females, is presented. The dermatoglyphic characteristics include: total finger ridge count, ab ridge count, maximal atd angle, T line terminating in the second interdigital interval, and presence of hypothenar patterns. The skeletal characteristics include: carpal sign, metacarpal sign, phalangeal sign, and abnormally shaped distal phalanges. Arbitrary score numbers have been assigned to each characteristic, depending on the magnitude of the difference between patients and controls; the partial scores were added up to form the final T.S. score. The diagnostic value of T.S. score has been proved, since it is well separating the patients from normal females. The probability that an individual with a given T.S. score has the Turner's syndrome has been estimated.
Pseudo-Pseudo-Hypoparathyroidism and Basal-Cell Nevus Syndrome
Authors: Goeminne Luc
Published: July 2016

A case is described of pseudo-pseudo-hypoparathyroidism, with the following symptoms: round face, large forehead, relative backwardness, short stature, relative obesity, congenital muscular torticollis, cervical fused vertebrae, spina bifida occulta cervicalis, bifid rib, bilateral brachymetacarpy IV. Some of these also occur in the basal-cell nevus syndrome. The patient does not however show a basal-cell carcinoma, nor mandibula cysts.
Human Chromosome Mapping with an Ammoniacal Silver Staining Procedure — Preliminary Report
Authors: Bartalos Mihály , Rainer John D.
Published: July 2016

The application of an ammoniacal silver procedure to the staining of human metaphase chromosomes is described. A map based on the differential staining characteristics of chromosome segments is presented.
Dermatoglyphik und Gonosomen
Authors: Wittwer B.B.
Published: July 2016

On account of the dermatoglyphic findings in gonosomal aberrations, sex differences in dermatoglyphic structures, studied in the normal population, are interpreted on the basis of the respective gonosomal constitution.
Essential Isochronic Epilepsy in MZ Twin Pairs
Authors: Gedda L. , Tatarelli R.
Published: July 2016

A total of 45 twin pairs (19 MZ and 26 DZ), with one or both members affected by essential Generalized Epileptic Attacks, have been drawn out of the Mendel Institute's twin file. Concordance was observed in 18: 19 MZ, but only in 3: 26 DZ twin pairs.

Analysis of the 18 MZ concordant twin pairs has shown (1) concordance of clinical form in 17 pairs, (2) concordance in the age of onset in 15 pairs, and (3) concordance of expression (frequency of generalized attacks) in 13 pairs.
Menarche and Menstruation in Various Ethnic Groups in Israel
Authors: Halbrecht I. , Sklorowski E. , Tsafrir J.
Published: July 2016

Sexual development may be influenced by geographic factors (temperature, humidity, altitude, light), socioeconomic factors (nutrition, public health, family size), and genetic factors (population, familial heredity). Most of them are largely interrelated and difficult to define.

An anamnestic study has been carried out in Israel on Ashkenazi, non-Ashkenazi, and Arab women aged 19 to 60. The age of menarche appeared to be significantly different for Ashkenazi vs. non-Ashkenazi, while no significant difference was found between Arabs and either of the two Jewish groups. Highly significant differences were found for the length of the menstrual cycle, although this finding should be considered with caution. No significant relationship was found between age of menarche and length of the menstrual cycle.
A Note on the Attempt to Ascertain Inbreeding through Dermatoglyphics
Authors: Arias Sergio
Published: July 2016

A study of the anatomical correlation for the fifth-finger ridge count and its ratio to the correspondent correlation of a first degree relative (i.e., between sons and fathers and daughters and fathers) has been carried out in an inbred population of German ancestry living in Northern Venezuela for the last 127 years. This study revealed a remarkable straight relationship of the logarithm of the above ratio to the probability of having both genes at the locus (or loci) identical by descent, for the trait fifth-finger ridge count, i.e., the coefficient of inbreeding. The practical consequences of this finding for the estimation of inbreeding, if confirmed for other populations, are emphasized.
Demographic Characteristics of Multiple Births in Hungary
Authors: Czeizel Andrew , Acsádi George
Published: July 2016

In Hungary the frequency of multiple births has been decreasing. In 1920 the rate of multiple births was 23-5‰; by 1968 this rate decreased to 18.2‰, i.e., only 77% of the 1920 data. The male preponderance in twin births is lower than in single births, and in triplets actually a female excess can be observed. Furthermore, it can be observed that there are more boys than girls among the first-born of multiple births. The average birth weight of liveborn and stillborn twins, and of liveborn triplets is 2101 g, 1458 g, and 1723 g respectively. The ratio of MZ to DZ twins is about 30:70 in 1968. The frequency of DZ twin births increases with maternal age (the peak is now over 40 years) and birth order. According to the 1959, i960, and 1968 figures, both DZ and MZ twin births were significantly more frequent in mothers aged 16 or less than in mothers aged 17-19 years.

This demographic survey belonged to preparatory works connected with the setting up of the Budapest Twin Register which came into force on January 1st, 1970.
Chromosomal Survey in 298 Normal Subjects and 1,253 Cases of Congenital Disorders during 1966-1970
Authors: Battaglia E. , Guanti G. , Barsanti P. , Petrinelli P.
Published: July 2016

A survey of chromosomal abnormalities has been carried out in Italy since 1966. Among the 1,551 subjects examined, the following abnormalities were found: 2 cases of C/C translocation, 1 of D/C, 5 of D/D, and 9 of D/G; 2 cases of Patau's syndrome with D trisomy; 4 cases of Edwards' syndrome; 176 cases of Down's syndrome, of which 163 with regular trisomy, 4 with mosaicism, 7 with D/G translocation, 1 with G/G translocation, and 1 with C/G translocation; 10 cases with 47,XXY complement; 1 case with 46,XY/47,XXY/48,XXXY mosaicism; 4 cases with 45,XO karyotype; 3 with 45,XO/46,XX, 1 with 45,XO/46,XY, 2 with 45,XO/46,XXr and 1 with 45,XO/46,XXi mosaicism; 2 cases with 47,XYY complement; 2 phenotypic females with 46, XY karyotype; and 5 leukaemic patients with Ph chromosome.

Furthermore, several kinds of normal variants were observed, such as no. 9 prominent secondary constriction, chromosome-D or -G enlarged short arm, 16-pair heteromorphism, Y-chromosome polymorphism, and satellited E chromosome.
Y/E Index in a Swedish Population
Authors: Lins Lars-Eric , Sundequist Ulf
Published: July 2016

The Y/E index (Y/16-18 chromosomes) has been studied in a Swedish population of 74 men. The following results have been obtained: M = 0.734 ± 0.0238 with a range from 0.57 to 0.90. The values agree well with those of a Finnish population previously described. The use of the Y/E index in 15 paternity cases is exemplified.
Chlormadinone-Induced Changes in the Proliferative Activity of Ehrlich Ascites Tumour
Authors: Gedda Luigi , Cardinali Giuliana , Cardinali Giuseppe
Published: July 2016

The effect of Chlormadinone on the proliferation of Ehrlich ascites tumour was studied by employing the stathmokinetic method. In a high percentage of female mice carrying the tumour and treated by Chlormadinone an increase in tumour cell proliferation was observed, while in a few animals the proliferative activity was decreased.

No significant changes were observed in tumour cell proliferation in the male mice.
Epidemiologic Study of Leukemia in Twins (1928-1969)
Authors: Keith Louis , Brown Eric
Published: July 2016

A review of 62 cases of leukemia in twins reveals most cases occurred in MZ twins, although diagnosis of zygosity was at times admittedly questionable. Concordance was clearly highest in MZ twins of the perinatal-congenital period. This tendency was not maintained at later stages of life.

The older concept of a human placental barrier has been greatly modified. Tracer substances have demonstrated that leukemic cells pass the placental barrier. Materno-fetal transmission of leukemia is well known; all forms of murine leukemia can be transmitted similarly from generation to generation. Certain requisites effect the transmission of neoplastic-hematopoietic disease during pregnancy. Rare cases are reported of pregnant women with leukemia who bear children in whom clinical leukemia subsequently develops. The maternal diagnosis was made at the time of, or shortly after, delivery, suggesting an evolution of the maternal disease late in pregnancy.

That both partners of a pair of twins, either MZ or DZ, can become ill with leukemia within days or months of each other, appears more than coincidental. Chromosomal defects, common environmental factors, and conjoined intrauterine circulations may be important in the transmission of leukemia from one twin to another, a theory supported by the frequent concordance during the first year of life.
Werdnig-Hoffmann-Wohlfart-Kugelberg-Welander Disease: Nosological Unity and Clinical Variability in Intrafamilial Cases
Authors: Ghetti B. , Amati A. , Turra M.V. , Pacini A. , Vecchio M. Del , Guazzi G.C.
Published: July 2016

Two members of an Italian family are affected with progressive spinal muscular atrophy. One, a male, has had the disease since his early infancy and, though severely disabled, is still living at the age of 13. In his sister, the first symptoms appeared at the age of 15, and the disease seems to be rapidly advancing. Their parents were consanguineous. Their mother, however, married twice, her second marriage being nonconsan-guineous and producing no affected children.

The study of this family and an analysis of the literature led to the following conclusions: (a) early onset of the disease does not necessarily mean that the course will be malignant; (b) the disease usually has a similar onset and course in subjects belonging to the same family.

In many families, however (and these have been examined in the present paper) malignant Werdnig-Hoffmann disease is found to coexist with the Werdnig-Hoffmann disease with a prolonged course, the Wohlfart-Kugelberg-Welander disease with infantile onset, and the Wohlfart-Kugelberg-Welander disease with juvenile onset. We feel, therefore, that from a genetic point of view all these forms should be included into one and the same group.
Taste Sensitivity to Phenylthiocarbamide in a Group of 50 Families from Latium
Authors: Alciati Giancarlo
Published: July 2016

On the basis of the distribution of taste sensitivity to PTC in 50 parents-child(children) family groups, two different hypotheses are suggested for the mode of inheritance of this trait.
An Analysis of Several Slide Preparation Techniques for Human Peripheral Blood Cultures
Authors: Jenkins Edmund C. , Weed Richard G.
Published: July 2016

Several slide preparation procedures were studied in order to render a semiquantitative indication of an optimum technique or techniques, concerning the over-all cytological quality of the chromosome spreads effected by each technique. A method of scoring for karyotypically analyzable spreads is given. It is concluded that one of the techniques (technique D) be utilized for routine karyotypic studies while a combination of two of the techniques (techniques D and E) should be employed for more extensive studies.
Marriages of Twins to Twins
Authors: Taylor Charlotte C.
Published: July 2016

Fifty marriages of twins to twins have been studied. Most of them have the characteristics of MZ twins. All have an identical outcome of their marriages within each set. This finding and others from the literature are consistent with the idea that marital stability depends in part upon one's original “blueprint” for physical and emotional health.

Two findings in this study, and others from the literature, are consistent with the idea that similarities at the chemical level may in general tend to promote a better understanding of each other and hence more congenial relationships: (a) all but one of the twin foursomes have lived closeby; three-quarters of them share the same house, even after they have had children; and (b) there is some degree of similarity in the ABO and Rh blood groups between husbands and wives in this sample.

The stably-married twins knew each other for an average of four years before marriage, whereas the divorced and annulled ones met only a few weeks or months before marriage.
Familial Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy (Unverricht-Lundborg syndrome in five families from the Valais canton)
Authors: Rallo Eduardo
Published: July 2016

After a historical review of the problem of progressive myoclonic epilepsy, the author makes a detailed clinical and genetic description of 5 families from the Valais canton, affected with the disease. The metabolic disturbances observed in these cases (urinary elimination of mucopolysaccharides) are given particular attention. The author further discusses the various classifications of myoclonic epilepsy which were established on the basis of clinical symptomatology, electroencephalographic tracings, pathological anatomy and biochemical findings.
Genetic Studies on Congenital Aural Fistula
Authors: Gualandri V.
Published: July 2016

A research has been carried out on a sample of 29.309 Milan school children. Among them, 321 carriers of congenital aural fistula (FAC) have been found. Pedigrees could be drawn in 93 cases, covering three generations and including as collateral branches families of uncles and aunts. According to Smith's test (modified) the trait appears to be inherited as an autosomal dominant, with a penetrance of 85%. The phenotypical frequency (genetically controlled, i.e. excluding phenocopies) is of 1%, while the gene frequency may be estimated around 0.5%.
Some Remarks on the Genetics of Leprosy Resistance
Authors: Beiguelman B.
Published: July 2016

The mechanism and the familial pattern of the late lepromin reaction (Mitsuda reaction) have been discussed. The interpretation of the familial correlation as mainly depending on a pair of allelic genes has been analysed thoroughly. A new technique has been described for identifying constitutional resistance or susceptibility to leprosy at anin vitrotissular level. The possibilities of this technique have been stressed.
Karl Landsteiner: Father of Blood Grouping and Immunochemistry
Authors: Wiener A. S.
Published: July 2016

It was on June 25, 1943 that the world lost a great mind and a great medical scientist, when Dr. Karl Landsteiner succumbed to the effects of a heart attack that had overtaken him two days before while he was actively at work in his laboratory. He had just passed his seventy-fifth birthday of a lifetime devoted to fundamental research. Shortly before his death he had completed the second edition of his classic book, “The Specificity of Serological Reactions”, and he had also published almost 350 scientific papers describing the results of his pioneering investigations. This year is the centenary of the birth of Karl Landsteiner, and it seems fitting at this time to pay tribute to this genius and benefactor of mankind by reviewing some of his great discoveries.

Of Dr. Landsteiner's discoveries, the one that has captivated the popular imagination the most is his discovery of the A-B-O blood groups, frequently called the Landsteiner blood groups in his honor. At the beginning of the present century, it was recognized that bloods from animals of different species could be distinguished from one another by their serological reactions. For this reason, the use of animal blood for transfusions to human beings was abandoned, but the frequent serious reactions that followed transfusions of blood from one human being to another still remained unexplained. Landsteiner then tested the blood of workers in his laboratory by mixing serum taken from one individual with the red cells of others. He found that instead of the weak or negative reactions that might have been expected, in some combinations strong agglutination of the red cells occurred, while in other combinations no effect was apparent.
Fingerprints and the Diagnosis of Zygosity in Twins
Authors: Parisi P. , Bacco M. Di
Published: July 2016

A twin study was undertaken with the twofold aim (a) of studying the hereditary behaviour of digital dermatoglyphic traits both at the qualitative and quantitative level, and (b) of working out a method for discriminating MZ and DZ twins by means of fingerprints.

Fingerprints of 50 MZ (25 ♂ and 25 ♀) and 50 DZ (25 ♂ and 25 ♀) twin pairs were thus examined and analyzed by means of a special methodology and of a 7044/K32 IBM computer.

The qualitative analysis has shown a significantly higher concordance in MZ than in DZ twin pairs, with a certain variability of single finger concordance values. The quantitative analysis has shown significantly higher correlation values in MZ than in DZ twin pairs, with very limited confidence intervals in the former. Single ridge counts apparently behave as cumulative counts on the five or ten fingers, although with an obviously higher random variability.

Digital dermatoglyphics thus appear to show practically complete genetic conditioning, which, rather than at a cumulative level for the ten fingers, as is largely believed, appears to act on single finger quali-quantitative traits. The total finger ridge count, rather than a trait, only appears to be a useful, but artificial cumulative value. Actually, applied to the diagnosis of zygosity, it provides, by itself, a fairly high, general probability (0.86) of a correct diagnosis.
Twins and Klinefelter's Syndrome
Authors: Nielsen Johannes
Published: July 2016

A multiple birth frequency of 5.59% has been found in 25 Klinefelter sibships, which is statistically significantly higher than expected (P < 0.001).

A family investigation of a patient with Klinefelter's syndrome, who is a triplet himself, revealed 5 twin births and 2 triplet births in three generations.

The mortality of the 19 children from the 9 multiple births born in the 25 Klinefelter sibships was 53% up to the age of 3. Such a high mortality indicates that some of the twins and triplet births might have suffered from chromosome disorders contributing to the high mortality.

If the comparatively high frequency of twins in the sibships with Klinefelter's syndrome as well as Turner's syndrome is confirmed by further studies, this will indicate a relation between the cause of sex chromosome non-disjunction and multiple births or between the predisposition to non-disjunction and multiple births.
Palm Prints The Patterns in the Interdigital Spaces
Authors: Brismar B.
Published: July 2016

1. The author has worked out a new systematics for the interdigital patterns of the palm based on the building up of digital triradius 3 and the extension of main line C with the following types of pattern as result: U (ulnar loops), R (radial loops), O (open-field pattern) and V (vestiges — incomplete patterns or “special” patterns).

2. A significant difference in frequency for the pattern distribution between the two hands has been found for U, R as well as for O-patterns (U-patterns and O-patterns appear with 6.5 respectively 14.3% higher frequency on the left hand, while R-patterns appear with 20.2% higher frequency on the right hand.).

3. The pattern distribution does not show any difference between the two sexes.

4. Calculations of correlations in tetrachoric tables have shown a strong mother-child correlation on the 99.9% level for U-pattern set against R-pattern for both the right and the left hand (r = 0.39-0.43).
Genetic predisposition to tuberculosis (A study of 447 pairs of affected brothers)
Authors: Gedda L. , Volta S. , Bresadola R. , Brenci G.
Published: July 2016

The study of the clinical material concerning the patients hospitalized at the Rome Forlanini Sanatorium during 25 years has indicated 894 patients of postprimary pulmonary tuberculosis, constituting 447 pairs of single-born brothers (♂♂ or ♂♀ or ♀♀).

The above pairs have been studied from the standpoint of their concordance with respect to the following three clinical parameters: (i) age of onset of postprimary tuberculosis; (ii) clinical form of the reinfection; (iii) pulmonary localization of the tubercular process. Such parameters were studied in the case of the brothers living together, as well as in the opposite case.

On the basis of the statistical analysis of the results, the AA. conclude for the existence of a tubercular predisposition in terms of a hereditary trait significantly influencing the course of postprimary tuberculosis with respect to both onset and localization, and especially to the clinical form. The clinical parameters appear to be more concordant, though in a statistically nonsignificant way, when the two affected brothers lived together.

The family and individual variability of the predisposition to pulmonary tuberculosis appears to be demonstrated. According to the AA., such predisposition would be inherited through a multifactorial mechanism.
«Gc» system in the Italian population
Authors: Spedini Gabriella
Published: July 2016

Phenotypic and gene frequencies determination of the Gc-system in 103 Italian subjects (Rome). Phenotypes: Gc 1-1, 56.31%; Gc 2-2, 5.82%; Gc 2-1, 37.87%. Genes: Gc1, 0.7525; Gc2, 0.2475. Comparison with the data for Europe and other continents. The phenotypic frequencies have been projected on a system of triangular coordinates.
From Gregor Mendel to Medical Genetics
Authors: Gedda L.
Published: July 2016

While I receive, with great joy and pride, the honorary degree of this University, commemorative celebrations to honor the Bohemian scientist Gregor Mendel are being held in the Czechoslovakian town of Brno.

One hundred years ago, Gregor Mendel announced his discoveries concerning the hybridization of “pisum sativum”, and opened to science the way to understand the principles underlying modern Genetics. I feel it my duty to recall with admiring devotion this great man, whose name is just as much connected with Biology, as Galileo Galilei's name is linked to Physics. All the more so, because the honorary degree conferred on me by the President and the Professors of Villanova University is a doctorate in Natural Sciences.

Two other reasons prompt me to recall the work of Mendel. One is that Gregor Mendel was an Augustinian monk, and such an exemplary one indeed, that he directed the Brno Monastery as Abbot from the forty-sixth year of his life to his death. In a personal letter addressed to the Augustinian General, Father Luciano Rubio, on the twentieth February of this year, Pope Paul the Sixth stressed the significance of the fact that the Augustinian Order had given to the Church and to Science such an eminent man. Now, there is no better place to recall the religious gifts and the scientific genius of Gregor Mendel than your University, founded and directed by Augustinian Fathers.
Immunogenetical Considerations on Corneal Transplantation
Authors: Gedda L. , Milani-Comparetti M.
Published: July 2016

A case of bilateral clouding of corneal homografts in a 24-year-old woman 8 and 9 years after the respective operations, coincidentally with the second month of pregnancy, leads the Authors to a series of considerations and hypotheses on the immunological aspects of keratoplasties.

Differential diffusion of antigens to reach the antibody-forming sites, and of antibodies to reach the antigenic loci on the graft, through the endothelial barriers and the stromal layers, is held responsible for the peculiarities of corneal graft survival, especially in view of the different molecular sizes of antibodies and in connection with primary and secondary immunization. A series of experiments is currently being carried out to test the various hypotheses.
The Heredity of Biological Time and Population Genetics Diabetes, Lupus Erythematosus, and Peptic Ulcer
Authors: Gedda L. , Brenci G.
Published: July 2016

The phenomenon of life, in its individual and collective expressions, develops through a sequence of times resulting from the interference of biological with physical time. While physical time is uniform, the biological one differs from one individual to the other, except for MZ twins.

The problem of biological time has been studied in physiology and informational genetics from the viewpoint of its succession of single times, although irrespective of the individual variability in their duration. This variability has already been shown by the authors to be hereditary, its inheritance being directly connected with the hereditary unit.

Biological time corresponds to the duration of degradation (“chronon”) of the energy of stability (“ergon”) possessed by the gene and, by extension, to the total chronon of the genotypes underlying a given structure or function. Ergon and chronon are correlated index values, thereby constituting a system (“E/C system”).

The individual variability of biological time depends on the A-T/G-G ratio in the DNA molecule, on the different amount of genie redundancy and on the different possibilities of repair of corresponding genes. The variability of these or possibly other causal factors determines the stability with respect to the environment in which the information operates, and especially to mutagenic agents.

The authors apply the E/C model to epidemiologic data concerning diabetes, lupus erythematosus, and peptic ulcer, and verify the consistency of the experimental data with the theoretical model.
Congenital Coxa Vara, Patella Aplasia and Tarsal Synostosis: A New Inherited Syndrome
Authors: Goeminne L. , Dujardin L.
Published: July 2016

A kindred is described with a probably new inherited syndrome, involving bilateral congenital hip dysplasia with coxa vara, patella aplasia and tarsal synostosis. This association is probably inherited as an incomplete dominant trait, apparently as a result of a new mutation.

In this case a single pleiotropic gene might be held responsible for the multiple skeletal defects.

From a bibliographical review, it may be concluded that the nosological association of these multiple defects has never been published so far.
Twins in Sibships with Klinefelter's Syndrome and the XYY Syndrome
Authors: Nielsen J.
Published: July 2016

The frequency of twins and triplets was significantly higher than expected among 56 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome (7.1%), compared with 1.58% in the population (P<0.001), and the frequency of multiple births in the 56 sibships (4.08%) was also significantly higher than expected (P<0.01).

One of 15 patients with the XYY syndrome was a twin, and there were 2 twin births among the 53 births in the 15 sibships.
Cromosoma 18 ad Anello
Authors: Ricci N. , Dallapiccola B. , Ventimiglia B. , Preto G.
Published: July 2016

In a girl affected by mental deficiency and slight malformations, a 46,XX, 18r chromosome set was found. Metaphases with irregularly sized or absent rings amounted to 14% in peripheral blood cultures. Tritiated thymidine incorporation pattern in the ring chromosome was similar to that of the normal 18 chromosome.
Sex Differences in Skin Colour in Man
Authors: Kalla A. K. , Tiwari S. C.
Published: July 2016

Skin reflectances were obtained at 685 mμ wave length from the medial upper arm and the forehead regions among 105 Tibetan males and 105 Tibetan females, in order to study sex differences in human skin pigmentation. The forehead pigmentation of males was always found to be darker than that of females, and the difference to be significant during middle and late adolescence The medial upper arm pigmentation of girls was found to be darker than that of boys, during early adolescence; but during middle adolescence the two sexes exhibited just similar pigmentation and during late adolescence females emerged to be significantly lighter than males. The present study, thus, suggests that one of the factors causing sex differences in human skin pigmentation may be the physiological changes occurring during adolescence, which may be genetically determined.
On the Genetic Etiology of Scurvy
Authors: Stone Irwin
Published: July 2016

Scurvy, now regarded as a nutritional disorder due to the lack of the trace food constituent, vitamin C, is shown to be the end result of a typical genetic disease. This genetic disease syndrome has been namedHypoascorbemia. Its primary cause is the hereditary lack of — or defect in — the gene controlling the synthesis of the enzyme, L-gulonolactone oxidase. This is a mammalian liver enzyme, the last one in the series for converting glucose into ascorbic acid. Man is one of the few mammals that lacks this enzyme and hence is unable to sythesize his own ascorbic acid. The gene defect occurred during the course of evolution by a conditional lethal mutation. The replacement of the present vitamin C theory regarding the etiology of scurvy by this genetic concept gives important new viewpoints to the quantitative aspects of ascorbic acid in human physiology and also provides new rationales for the use of high levels of ascorbic acid in normal physiology and in the therapy of clinical entities other than scurvy.
Sui Rapporti fra Vizi Cardiaci acquisiti e Gruppi Sanguigni del Sistema ABO
Authors: Gualandri V. , Ballabio A.
Published: July 2016

A study on the relationships between rheumatic valvular heart diseases and the ABO blood groups has been carried-out on a sample of 1,047 patients distributed, according to their origin, in 10 different areas. A first analysis, accomplished on the basis of this distribution, indicates a highly significant negative association of rheumatic valvular affections with group O, in comparison with all other blood group phenotypes, both singularly or totally considered. It is also shown that no significant heterogeneity exists among the areas. Subsequently, a similar procedure is applied by distributing all the patients according to sex, received therapy (medical or sugical) and previous anamnesis (acute rheumatic fever, repeated acute tonsillitis, no signs). This second part confirms the association of the condition with A, B and AB blood groups, but no heterogeneity is demonstrated among the different classes of the second distribution.
Palmar Dermatoglyphics in Maharashtrians of India
Authors: Bansal I. J. S.
Published: July 2016

Both palm prints of 75 ♂ and 73 ♀ unrelated Maharashtrian students aged 8-18 have been collected and analysed according to Cummins & Midlo's methodology. The results are tabulated and discussed.

They concern the principal main line formulae and their terminations at Lines D, C, B, A; the distribution of the axial triradius, as well as the frequencies of whorls, loops, arches, vestiges and open-fields in the hypothenar, thenar and in the interdigital areas.