'To live and die [for] Dixie': Irish civilians and the Confederate States of America

Around 20,000 Irishmen served in the Confederate army in the Civil War. As a result, they left behind, in various Southern towns and cities, large numbers of friends, family, and community leaders. As with native-born Confederates, Irish civilian support was crucial to Irish participation in the Confederate military effort. Also, Irish civilians served in various supporting roles: in factories and hospitals, on railroads and diplomatic missions, and as boosters for the cause. They also, however, suffered in bombardments, sieges, and the blockade. Usually poorer than their native neighbours, they could not afford to become 'refugees' and move away from the centres of conflict. This essay, based on research from manuscript collections, contemporary newspapers, British Consular records, and Federal military records, will examine the role of Irish civilians in the Confederacy, and assess the role this activity had on their integration into Southern communities. It will also look at Irish civilians in the defeat of the Confederacy, particularly when they came under Union occupation. Initial research shows that Irish civilians were not as upset as other whites in the South about Union victory. They welcomed a return to normalcy, and often 'collaborated' with Union authorities. Also, Irish desertion rates in the Confederate army were particularly high, and I will attempt to gauge whether Irish civilians played a role in this. All of the research in this paper will thus be put in the context of the Drew Gilpin Faust/Gary Gallagher debate on the influence of the Confederate homefront on military performance. By studying the Irish civilian experience one can assess how strong the Confederate national experiment was. Was it a nation without a nationalism

Individual Differences in Virtual Environments

This paper summarises the results of several studies of individual differences among users navigating in virtual environments.These differences relate to performance of navigational tasks, and the degree of sense of presence experienced by the users. The individual differences addressed in this paper refer primarily to personality and demographic factors. The possibility of improving the design of virtual environments for a better accommodation of these differences is discussed

Delivering Beauveria bassiana with electrostatic powder for the control of stored-product beetles

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of a Beauveria bassiana-based formulation (Bb38) with Entostat, an electrostatically charged powder, was investigated as a surface treatment against Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Sitophilus granarius adults. In lab bioassays, the efficacy of Bb38 against the aforementioned species was examined on concrete, plywood, steel and ceramic, whereas its residual efficacy against the same species was assessed on concrete and steel in the presence or absence of illumination. Finally, the efficacy of Bb38 against O. surinamensis and S. granarius adults was assessed in a commercial grain storage facility under realistic field conditions. RESULTS: In the lab trials, O. surinamensis and C. ferrugineus were much more susceptible to Bb38 than S. granarius on all types of surfaces. Moreover, Bb38 was, at least for O. surinamensis and C. ferrugineus, as effective as the chemical standard (deltamethrin) for at least 2 months after the application, regardless of the presence or absence of illumination. Finally, in the field trial Bb38 provided a satisfactory level of control against O. surinamensis. CONCLUSION: Bb38 is an effective surface treatment, but its efficacy varies according to the target species, the type of surface and the time post-application. This is the first published report that examines the efficacy of Bb38 as a surface treatment for wider uses in empty warehouses and related storage facilities. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industr

Subalpine forest development following a blowdown in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado

We documented the occurrence of a 1934 blowdown in a subalpine forest in northwestern Colorado, USA. Prior to the blowdown, the stand was dominated by old-growth Picea engelmannii - Abies lasiocarpa forests. Although blowdowns are believed to trigger outbreaks of Dendroctonus rufipennis (spruce beetle), we found no detectable increase in beetle caused mortality. Forest recovery was by both release of the previously suppressed regeneration and by new seedling establishment. Both recovery pathways were dominated by Abies. The blowdown thus caused a shift in species dominance from Picea to Abies; 65 yr after the blowdown, the fallen logs and tip up mounds continue to provide favourable habitat for seedling establishment of both species. The present study shows that the legacy of blowdowns can influence forest dynamics for decades following the disturbance event