Farming through the Auca Runa: Agricultural Strategies and Terraces during the Late Intermediate Period, Altiplano, Peru

This dissertation examines agricultural strategies farmers employed to cope with the consequences of war and drought in the southern Peruvian Andes during the Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1100-1450) using paleoethnobotanical data from the fortified hilltop site Ayawiri and findings from excavations of a terrace complex flanking the site. During the Late Intermediate Period, lifeways dissolved into a period of endemic warfare after the collapse of Tiwanaku. At the same time a well-documented, century-long drought surely threatened food security. Interested in how farmers responded to this political and climatic disjuncture, I analyzed 108 flotation samples collected from the residential area of one of the largest hillfort communities in the region. Macrobotanical samples were collected from hearths, houses, kitchens, patios, and middens at Ayawiri. These data indicate that as trade networks broke down and imported lower elevation crops such as maize were no longer options during the Late Intermediate Period, residents turned to locally-grown crops including quinoa, potatoes and other tubers. I conducted multi-variate analysis of Chenopodium spp. seeds and found both quinoa and kañawa in copious quantities. Weedy chenopod seeds were very rare in these samples. These data contribute a deeper understanding of pre-Colonial crop selection, phenotypes, and weed management in the Andes. Macrobotanical data also contribute to an understanding of camelid grazing strategies employed during the Late Intermediate Period. Herds were intensively grazed in fields and foddered on crops and rarely brought to wetland microenvironments. I carried out excavations and analysis of the form of the terrace complex that flanks the hillfort at Ayawiri to determine when the field complex was constructed and how farmers managed this landscape. Using a combination of ceramic sylistic seriation, AMS dating, and a novel application of optically stimulated luminescence dating I found that the terraces below the site were constructed during the Late Intermediate Period using household labor. Macrobotanical data and information from the terrace excavations contribute two important conclusions about the impact of drought and consequences of warfare on lifeways during the Late Intermediate Period. First, the adoption of an intensification strategy – terrace farming – and a dependence on only a limited array of cultivars indicate the consequences of warfare profoundly influenced Ayawiri farming strategies. The local community built their fields and grazed their herds near their homes rather than taking advantage of lacustrine or riverine microenvironments, which would have buffered against crop loss due to climate unpredictability. Additionally, I recovered sling stones in the terraces indicating this built landscape served a defensive function. The second conclusion I came to is the expansive terrace system around the site did not require centralized labor to create or farm, but rather was the product of households adapting to the challenges of their time. In sum, this study provides an important understanding of agriculture, land use strategies, and sociopolitical organization of farm labor during the Late Intermediate Period

A Paleoethnobotanical Analysis of Three Formative Period Wankarani Sites Located in the Department of Oruro, Bolivia

The Wankarani people are often cited as an example of early camelid pastoralism in South America. However, research on early camelid pastoralism has ignored the importance of plants, especially the cultivation of domesticated plants in this region. The Wankarani people lived in the central altiplano of the south-central Andes during the Formative period: 2000 B.C.-A.D. 400). Previous research has assumed that the Wankarani people were cultivating domestic plants. This research explores the evidence for both wild and domesticated plant use among the Wankarani while furthering the understanding of the development of subsistence strategies of pastoralists cultures. Using paleoethnobotanical methods of analysis of samples from three different sites, this research identifies wild plant use and domesticated plant use of the Wankarani. The samples analyzed were derived from excavations carried out in 2008 in the Department of Oruro, Bolivia by José Capriles, a doctoral candidate at Washington University in St. Louis. These data provide insight into the importance of the plant economy during the Formative period in the central altiplano. The identification of carbonized parenchyma: plant storage tissue) and seeds confirm that the Wankarani people cultivated tubers and Chenopodium plants. Furthermore, the high quantities of remains of these plants at all three sites are evidence that they were important components of the Wankarani economy. Preliminary analysis of chenopod seed demonstrates the cultivation of at least two domesticated Chenopodium species. In addition, a fungus that grew on tubers was identified. High quantities of carbonized tubers and fungus fragments indicate that the Wankarani struggled with a plant pathogen. These data confirm the importance of wild and domesticated plant use among the Wankarani peoples and the importance of plants to pastoral populations in the highlands of the Andes

Greetings from Governor Arthur B. Langlie

President Nichoson, Officers, and Members of the State Bar and Bench. I always enjoy fellowship with my fellow members of the Bar and am particularly happy to be here with you today I know that many of you are here to talk shop, and perhaps the things I would like to discuss with you today may seem to some of you a little off the beaten path for which you traveled over here, but I cannot overlook the opportunity, as Governor, to talk with men and women that I feel must exercise a tremendous influence upon the people of our state, and in these times that influence is particularly important

Teacher Performance Assessments: Exploring Student Perspectives Of The Edtpa

At least 34 states require teacher candidates to complete a comprehensive teacher performance assessment (edTPA) during their student teaching experience. Teacher candidates are assigned the edTPA during this critical time in their preparation. One state--Minnesota--uses the edTPA portfolio exclusively for teacher preparation program approval. Teacher candidates in Minnesota thus devote considerable effort, during a critical time in their teacher preparation program, in the completion of an assessment where the results do not affect their ability to obtain a teaching license. This study explored the impact of the edTPA\u27s timing and perception of personal benefit on the level of effort teacher candidates were willing to invest. Twenty-two teacher candidates, from three Midwestern colleges and universities participated in semi-structured interviews and focus group meetings. A grounded theory, qualitative study revealed teacher candidates\u27 perspectives and the meanings they ascribe to the process of completing an edTPA. Findings indicate that many teacher candidates were willing to devote time to the assessment despite the challenges they faced during the process; however, they did not perceive the edTPA to be an accurate reflection of their readiness for teaching. Most participants were also able to recognize personal benefits gained from completion of the edTPA. An additional finding revealed that most teacher candidates believed that if the due date were later in the student teaching semester, their readiness for teaching would be more accurately reflected. As a result of this study, teacher education programs, particularly in Minnesota, may wish to consider implementation decisions that are responsive to teacher candidates\u27 perspectives

Address by Arthur B. Langlie, Governor of the State of Washington

Today I hope to take a little of your time, rather than try to extend some complimentary greeting of some kind or another, I would like to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about our government, our state government, some of its problems, primarily its tax problems, because some of you may have noted already that while the law has not become effective as yet, that there is going to be a slight tap on your personal income in the way of an increase in the business and occupational tax, and I want to talk to you about it because, in these days of increasing costs in all areas of activity, I think it is necessary to understand that government has some of the same problems during the period of inflation that the private citizen has. While we strive in government to reduce costs where we can, there are some limitations upon our ability to do so, and I think it is necessary for the people generally to have an appreciation of what the government is up against

An Educational Resource Forum for Family Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer\u27s Disease

There are currently 10 million Americans who care for a loved one with Alzheimer\u27s disease or another form of dementia (Alzheimer\u27s Association, 2008). Monitoring and maintaining the health of the caregiver is important because it allows the individual with Alzheimer\u27s disease to remain in their familiar home environment for as long as possible. It has been proven that both physical and emotional health of a caregiver decline with the demands associated with caregiving (O\u27Rourke, Cappeliez, & Neufeld, 2007). Healthcare professionals are responsible for assisting caregivers with maintaining their own health while caring for their loved one. Therefore, it is important to develop and implement health education directed toward a caregiver to promote their overall health and well-being. A review of the literature revealed that emotional and physical health of a caregiver is negatively impacted with the increased demands associated with caregiving (O\u27Rourke et al., 2007). Demographic differences including gender, age, race, premorbid relationship satisfaction, education, and income all are found to affect the experience felt by the caregiver. A variety of interventions including education, psychoeducation, supportive therapy, respite care, psychotherapy, and multicomponent approaches have been shown to be beneficial to the caregiver population and have been useful in decreasing burden and in improving overall health and well-being. This educational resource forum was designed to maintain or improve a caregiver\u27s physical and emotional health enabling them to adequately care for their loved one for as long as possible. The forum used an interdisciplinary, multicomponent approach and incorporated education, psycho education, supportive therapy, and community resources into the interactive six-session course. Future plans consist of pilot testing and implementation of this educational series into community settings within the region

From Shelf to Sick Note: Alcohol Dynamics and Sickness Absence in Norway

Denne oppgaven undersøker sammenhengen mellom økt alkoholtilgjengelighet og sykefravær i alle norske kommuner. Med kvartalsvis paneldata fra 2008-2023 kobler vi åpning av nye Vinmonopol-butikker og salg av ren liter av alkohol per innbygger med legemeldt sykefraværsprosent fra Statistisk Sentralbyrå. Vi benytter en to-veis faste effekter modell som kontrollerer for både tid- og kommunespesifikke faktorer og inkluderer alkoholsalg og antall Vinmonopol butikker fra de fire foregående kvartalene. Resultatene etterprøves gjennom et bredt spekter av robusthetstester, herunder event-studiedesign, alternative utvalg og heterogenitetstester blant ulike demografiske grupper. Vi finner ingen signifikant endring i sykefraværet etter at en ny Vinmonopol butikk åpner. En dobling i alkoholsalg per innbygger er knyttet til en kortvarig reduksjon i sykefraværet på 0,45 prosentpoeng, men effekten forsvinner i løpet av et år. Når pandemiårene 2020-2023 utelates blir den umiddelbare salgseffekten positiv, mens det fortsatt ikke er noen signifikant virkning i de påfølgende kvartalene. Nettoeffekten forblir ikke-signifikant. Resultatene skyldes kanskje omdirigert konsum. Nye butikker fører til et skifte i kjøp fra nabokommuner eller hjemmebrent uten å øke totalt konsum. Resultatene kan være en indikasjon på at utvidelse av Vinmonopol butikker ser ut til å fremme bruk av regulerte kilder uten å nødvendigvis øke konsumet.This thesis investigates the relationship between alcohol availability and sickness absence across every Norwegian municipality, using quarterly panel data from 2008 to 2023. We match Vinmonopolet’s store openings and per-capita pure alcohol sales to sickness absence rates from Statistics Norway, estimating a two-way fixed-effects model with lags up to four quarters. We confirm our findings using alternative samples, event study analysis and subgroup tests. Our results show no statistically significant change in sickness absence associated with either the first or second store opening. Moreover, we do not find any statistically significant long-term effects. A doubling of per capita alcohol sales is associated with an average short-term reduction in sickness absence of 0.45 percentage points, but this effect dissipates within a year. When the pandemic period (2020-2023) is excluded, the short-term association reverses in sign, and the overall relationship becomes statistically insignificant. We suspect these findings indicate redirected consumption. Opening a new Vinmonopolet store appears to shift alcohol purchases away from neighboring municipalities, cross-border sources in Sweden, or informal channels like home distilling, rather than increasing total consumption. The findings suggest that opening more Vinmonopolet stores may improve convenience and reduce unregulated supply without necessarily increasing sickness absence. Still, further research is needed to confirm these patterns more conclusively

From Shelf to Sick Note: Alcohol Dynamics and Sickness Absence in Norway

Denne oppgaven undersøker sammenhengen mellom økt alkoholtilgjengelighet og sykefravær i alle norske kommuner. Med kvartalsvis paneldata fra 2008-2023 kobler vi åpning av nye Vinmonopolbutikker og salg av ren liter av alkohol per innbygger med legemeldt sykefraværsprosent fra Statistisk Sentralbyrå. Vi benytter en to-veis faste effekter modell som kontrollerer for både tid- og kommunespesifikke faktorer og inkluderer alkoholsalg og antall Vinmonopol butikker fra de fire foregående kvartalene. Resultatene etterprøves gjennom et bredt spekter av robusthetstester, herunder event-studiedesign, alternative utvalg og heterogenitetstester blant ulike demografiske grupper. Vi finner ingen signifikant endring i sykefraværet etter at en ny Vinmonopol butikk åpner. En dobling i alkoholsalg per innbygger er knyttet til en kortvarig reduksjon i sykefraværet på 0,45 prosentpoeng, men effekten forsvinner i løpet av et år. Når pandemiårene 2020-2023 utelates blir den umiddelbare salgseffekten positiv, mens det fortsatt ikke er noen signifikant virkning i de påfølgende kvartalene. Nettoeffekten forblir ikke-signifikant. Resultatene skyldes kanskje omdirigert konsum. Nye butikker fører til et skifte i kjøp fra nabokommuner eller hjemmebrent uten å øke totalt konsum. Resultatene kan være en indikasjon på at utvidelse av Vinmonopol butikker ser ut til å fremme bruk av regulerte kilder uten å nødvendigvis øke konsumet.This thesis investigates the relationship between alcohol availability and sickness absence across every Norwegian municipality, using quarterly panel data from 2008 to 2023. We match Vinmonopolet’s store openings and per-capita pure alcohol sales to sickness absence rates from Statistics Norway, estimating a two-way fixed-effects model with lags up to four quarters. We confirm our findings using alternative samples, event study analysis and subgroup tests. Our results show no statistically significant change in sickness absence associated with either the first or second store opening. Moreover, we do not find any statistically significant long-term effects. A doubling of per capita alcohol sales is associated with an average short-term reduction in sickness absence of 0.45 percentage points, but this effect dissipates within a year. When the pandemic period (2020-2023) is excluded, the short-term association reverses in sign, and the overall relationship becomes statistically insignificant. We suspect these findings indicate redirected consumption. Opening a new Vinmonopolet store appears to shift alcohol purchases away from neighboring municipalities, cross-border sources in Sweden, or informal channels like home distilling, rather than increasing total consumption. The findings suggest that opening more Vinmonopolet stores may improve convenience and reduce unregulated supply without necessarily increasing sickness absence. Still, further research is needed to confirm these patterns more conclusively

Improving Breeding Selection Efficiency: Advanced Population Designs and In Vitro Technology

Cultivar progression requires years of development prior to performance trials; reducing development time requirements as well as introgression of favorable alleles is crucial to the rapid improvement of cultivars. Multi-parental advance generation intercrossing (MAGIC) can provide improved genetic mapping resolution through increased allelic diversity and higher effective recombination frequencies. The Four Parent Maize (FPM; Zea mays L.) population implements a series of the strategies used in MAGIC and bi-parental populations, creating a mapping population comprised of 1,149 individuals with 118,509 markers for comparison of effects on genetic mapping resolution and accuracy of quantitative trait locus (QTL) allelic estimates. Measurements were recorded for plant height (PH), ear height (EH), days to anthesis (DTA) and silking (DTS) in seven environments spanning three years. While increasing the generations of intermating prior to selection does not increase the phenotypic distribution among the dihybrid subpopulations, it does increase the mapping resolution of QTL for EH, DTA and DTS. Using association mapping software we have identified an allele from Tx903 on chromosome 3 which decreased plant and ear height, by 4.2 and 3.7 cm, respectively. Additionally, an allele that decreases flowering time by one day was donated by Tx903 and Tx772. The detection of these QTL have previously been reported in the same region, but the allelic effect has yet to be validated. Although a single QTL was found for each quantitative trait, it is expected that many additional QTL are present; but were undiscovered due to the conservative nature of the Bonferroni multiple test correction criteria. Linkage map construction will improve estimates of the effects of multiple founders and advance generation intermating on increased effective recombination and resulting accuracy in QTL estimation and mapping resolution. Cycling of plant cells in vitro could reduce generation times required for new cultivar development. Carrot (Daucus carota) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) species were selected for their extensive tissue culture history and high tolerance toward in vitro manipulation. Isolation of parental protoplasts from cell suspensions was followed by sorting of individual cells through fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACs); expectantly allowing for production of totipotent single cell derived colonies. Supposed colonies could be designated, with marker assisted selection for further in vitro cycling or regeneration and advancement to performance trials. Demonstrating that single cells can be isolated, can divide to form cell colonies, and can be genotyped and regenerated is central to testing the proposed hypothesis of Cycling of Gametes in Vitro (CoGiV) as conceivable. This will warrant further testing towards development of procedures intended for in vitro gametogenesis induction

Travelling Wave Analysis of Nonlinear Maxwell Models with Applications to Nonlinear Optics

In 1877 John Kerr described an experiment that demonstrated a quadratic change in refractive index in a plate glass placed in a strong external electric field. This results in a nonlinear relationship between the average electric polarization within the materials and the intensity of the applied electric field. This opened the door for a new area of electromagnetic material science by incorporating nonlinearity into the basic Maxwell system, which in general describes a linear relationship between the electric and magnetic fields. Since then multiple other nonlinear effects have been found in materials that need to be incorporated into Maxwell's equations to accurately model the dynamical evolution of the polarization driven by the electric field. In this thesis, we explore a model of one linear and two nonlinear effects that are incorporated into the Maxwell's Equations via the macroscopic polarization. This will include a single linear Lorentz dispersion, the nonlinear instantaneous electronic Kerr response as well as the non-instantaneous Raman vibrational response. We will consider one spatial dimension and investigate electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation in these nonlinear materials. To do so, we will include these effects in our constitutive equations for the relationship between the electric field and displacement and reduce our system of partial differential equations (PDEs) into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by assuming traveling wave solutions. Using linear stability analysis from dynamical systems theory allows us to predict behavioral changes in the electric and magnetic fields for an EM traveling wave passing through a material. We will consider the stability of steady states through an eigenvalue analysis of the linearized ODE system and consider the character of arising bifurcations. We have proved that varying the response time parameter of the Lorentz and Raman effects produces a degenerate Hopf bifurcation, and the varying the velocity of our traveling wave solution results in a pitchfork bifurcation. We will also look for changes in behavior arising from a Leapfrog time discretization of the ODE system of the Maxwell Lorentz-Kerr model relative to those in the continuum case, with the predicted stability being preserved in the discrete case under certain conditions