Selection into Mixed Marriages: Evidence from North Carolina, 1894-1906

Using a novel dataset from agricultural censuses and geological sources, I examine the selec- tion into mixed marriages between whites and Cherokee Indians in North Carolina during the late nineteenth century. I find that the well-documented wealth advantage of Cherokee Indian households containing white husbands is driven mostly by positive selection. Thus, once family fixed effects are controlled for, the observed intermarriage premium is completely eliminated. (JEL D03, N31, O12.

Cultural persistence as behavior towards risk: evidence from the North Carolina Cherokees, 1850-1880

Can economic theory help explain the persistence of a cultural enclave among the Cherokee Indians living in North Carolina during the nineteenth century? To date, Fogelson and Kutsche (1961) and Finger (1984) identify the continuation of a communal, labor-sharing agricultural institution called the gadugi as simply an example of Cherokee agency during a period of substantial upheaval. I contribute to the historiography on ancestral labor traditions by adopting Kimball's (1988) framework on the function of farming cooperatives to test whether this arrangement sprung up as a form of insurance against the idiosyncratic risk inherent in southern agriculture. Data collected from the 1850-1880 manuscript census returns on North Carolina Cherokee farms are used to compute the variance of household self-sufficiency, which appears substantial enough to warrant a non-market mechanism to pool risk.Risk-Sharing; Cooperatives; Cherokee Indians

The geochemistry of stream sediments, Panama: weathering in a tropical watershed

Chemical weathering of Earth's surface is the primary process controlling landscape and soil development, as well as the geochemistry of natural waters. In addition, chemical weathering of silicate minerals, which consumes atmospheric C02, is a major control of long-term climate variation. Although much has been published related to the rates and intensities of chemical weathering for temperate and high-latitude settings, few data exist on chemical weathering in mountainous tropical regions. This study focuses on the Rio Chagres watershed. The Rio Chagres is one of Panama's most important rivers. This 414 krn2 watershed produces a total runoff of 4.4xl 05 m3 per year during years of higher flow, supplying almost half the water required to operate the Panama Canal. The highest areas of the watershed rise to elevations of 1000m. The high rainfall (c.2000mm/yr), warm temperatures (mean annual T° ~ 19°C), and steep forested topography all increase rates of chemical weathering in the watersheds relative to more temperate geographic settings. Samples have been analyzed for the purpose of establishing the intensity of chemical weathering in this environment using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopic (XRF) techniques for both major and trace element composition. Stream sediment geochemistry has been compared to the geochemistry of local bedrock lithologies and normalized to upper continental crust values. XRF analyses of sediments from the Rio Chagres headwaters demonstrate depletion in Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, K+ and Rb+ relative to average upper continental crust, suggesting rapid loss of these elements. Grain-size analyses of the stream sediments suggest there is a positive relationship between sediment size, the rate of chemical weathering and the watershed geology. Watersheds draining mostly altered volcanic lithologies have mainly sand-size sediments by comparison to watersheds draining mainly intrusive mafic lithologies which tend to have coarser sediments. These data, combined with previously reported water geochemical data, suggest intensive weathering of the altered volcanic lithologies and that the intrusive mafic lithologies are not being weathered at the same rate or intensity as the volcanic lithologies.No embarg

The association of neonatal dacryocystoceles and infantile dacryocystitis with nasolacrimal duct cysts (an American Ophthalmogical Society Thesis)

PURPOSE: To investigate whether neonatal dacryocystoceles and dacryocystitis are associated with nasolacrimal duct cysts, and to report the outcomes of treatment of these disorders. METHODS: This was a retrospective medical record review of two groups of infants with nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction. The first group had dacryocystoceles with or without dacryocystitis. The second group had NLD obstruction with symptoms severe enough to require early NLD probing. All of the patients underwent NLD probing and nasal endoscopy. When present, NLD cysts were removed. RESULTS: In the first group, 33 infants had dacryocystoceles. Acute dacryocystitis was present in 16 patients, 12 had noninfected dacryocystoceles that did not resolve, and 5 had dacryocystoceles that resolved but severe symptoms persisted. All of the patients had NLD cysts that were surgically removed. The symptoms resolved after surgery in 31 patients (94%). In the second group, 27 infants less than 6 months old without dacryocystoceles underwent early NLD probing and endoscopy due to severity of symptoms. Twelve (44%) of these patients had NLD cysts. The symptoms resolved in 11 (92%) of 12 patients following NLD probing and cyst removal. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal dacryocystoceles are almost always associated with NLD cysts. The success rate of NLD probing and endoscopic cyst removal in these patients is excellent. Nasolacrimal duct cysts also are present in many young infants with severe symptoms of NLD obstruction. Nasal endoscopy is an important adjunct to the management of these infants

Orbital causes of incomitant strabismus

Strabismus may result from abnormal innervation, structure, or function of the extraocular muscles. Abnormalities of the orbital bones or masses within the orbit may also cause strabismus due to indirect effects on the extraocular muscles. This paper reviews some disorders of the orbit that are associated with strabismus, including craniofacial malformations, orbital masses, trauma, and anomalous orbital structures

AN EXPLORATION OF TRANSITION EXPERIENCES SHAPING STUDENT VETERAN LIFE FLOW

Educational institutions offer transformative opportunities for veterans transitioning from military service. Veteran-specific cultural supports in educational environments offer participation in occupations and development of skills needed to complete educational goals. However, veterans experience complex life circumstances atypical from traditional student culture which influences use of available environmental supports. Currently, the student veteran population is growing following fifteen years of combat and with systematic downsizing of the military. Therefore, rehabilitation professionals and educators must understand the unique experiences which shape veteran life flow during the transition process. This dissertation contains three studies investigating veteran experiences transitioning to postsecondary education. The first study surveyed the attitudes and beliefs of veterans coping with the transition to postsecondary education. Results identified veterans’ preference to using skills learned in the military for solving problems in the transition and reported limited use of university supports made available. A second study examined lived experiences of veterans transitioning and their interactions with traditional students and university supports. Results identified veterans emerge in college culture following a transactive process of sorting through military experiences, building on military skills, and developing new relationships for civilian identity. The final constructivist grounded theory study investigated the individual and collective constructions of veteran transitioning experiences in relation to culture and context. Twelve veterans were theoretically sampled and developed Kawa (River) metaphorical diagrams of their transition experiences. Intensive interviews discussed the meaning ascribed to veterans’ diagrams. Interview data was analyzed with the constant comparison technique until theoretical saturation was achieved. The emergent theory explained student veteran life flow by two major theoretical concepts: seeking understanding and gaining stability to shape life flow in transition from military to student culture. Veterans shared understanding in each cultural environment by socially interacting with others perceived to be reaching out and connecting with veterans. Veterans also performed autonomous actions of gaining stability by using their skills, pinpointing useful resources, and cultivating the growth and expression of personal skills. Both theoretical processes simultaneously, enhanced veteran’s transition to postsecondary education and promoted harmony within veteran life flow over time

The Effects of Agricultural Waste-Based Compost Amendments in Organic Pest Management

Soil-borne pests and pathogens, such as Verticillium dahliae, can devastate a wide range of annual and perennial crops. Current management options for organic production are limited and sustainable management of pathogens, weeds, and arthropods is important for staying profitable and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. Organic soil amendments play an important role in supplying some of the nutritional needs of vegetable crops and improving soil structure, while also contributing to pest control. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of grape and olive-based composts on soil pathogen load, arthropod communities, and weed biomass and diversity. Field experiments were conducted in both organic and conventionally grown bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) systems during the summer growing season of 2018 on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, California. Four different organic amendment treatments were tested including: olive based compost, grape based compost, dairy manure compost, and plant waste compost. Abundance of the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae was assessed from composite soil samples collected at several time points throughout the growing season. Olive, grape, and plant waste composts all displayed significant reduction of V. dahliae abundance between two to eight weeks post application of treatment when compared to the control. Insufficient evidence was found correlating farm management type with V. dahliae abundance after adjusting for treatment and time. Total dry weed biomass was assessed after one month of unhindered growth. The organic amendments tested appeared to alter weed species composition but not overall biomass though no significant differences were found. The soil arthropods symphylans and collembolans were sampled throughout the growing season, significant trends in population were found over time but not across treatments. This research demonstrates how agricultural waste-based compost amendments have potential as tools in pest management

The jamming transition and new percolation universality classes in particulate systems with attraction

We numerically study the jamming transition in particulate systems with attraction by investigating their mechanical response at zero temperature. We find three regimes of mechanical behavior separated by two critical transitions--connectivity and rigidity percolation. The transitions belong to different universality classes than their lattice counterparts, due to force balance constraints. We also find that these transitions are unchanged at low temperatures and resemble gelation transitions in experiments on colloidal and silica gels.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 2 table