States Of Maryland Research Articles

Semi-Automated Sample-Based Forest Degradation Monitoring with Photointerpretation of High-Resolution Imagery

Forest fragmentation and degradation are a problem in many areas of the world and are a cause for concern to land managers. Similarly, countries interested in curtailing climate change have a keen interest in monitoring forest degradation. Traditional methods for measuring forested landscape pattern dynamics with maps made from classified satellite imagery fall short with respect to the compatibility of their forest definitions with information needs. In addition, they are not easily amenable to interpretation using tools like confidence intervals derived from survey sampling theory. In this paper, we described a novel landscape monitoring approach that helps fill these gaps. In it, a grid of photo plots is efficiently created and overlaid on high-resolution imagery, points are labeled with respect to their land-use by a human interpreter, and mean values and their variance are calculated for a suite of point-based fragmentation metrics related to forest degradation. We presented three case studies employing this approach from the US states of Maryland and Pennsylvania, highlighted different survey sampling paradigms, and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the method relative to traditional, satellite imagery-based approaches. Results indicate that the scale of forest fragmentation in Maryland is between 250 and 1000 m, and this agrees with compatible estimates derived from raster analytical methods. There is a positive relationship between an index of housing construction and change in forest aggregation as measured by our metrics, and strong agreement between metric values collected by human interpretation of imagery and those obtained from a land cover map from the same period. We showed how the metrics respond to simulated degradation, and offered suggestions for practitioners interested in leveraging rapid photointerpretation for forest degradation monitoring.

Inpatient mortality and postpartum readmission rates in sickle cell disease pregnancies: a multistate analysis, 2007–2014

Objective We compared post-partum outcomes between sickle cell disease (SCD) and non-sickle cell populations. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of discharge data for 6,911,916 inpatient deliveries in the states of California, Florida, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky from 2007 to 2014 using data from the State Inpatient Databases, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. We compared unadjusted rates and adjusted odds of 30- and 90-d readmission rates, in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges in SCD, sickle cell trait, and non-sickle cell patients. Results Compared to non-sickle cell patients, SCD patients were more than two times as likely to die in-hospital (aOR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.15–4.04, p < .05), 27% as likely to be readmitted up to 30 d postdelivery (aOR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.13–1.43, p < .001), and 92% as likely to be readmitted up to 90 d postdelivery (aOR 1.92, 95% CI: 1.75–2.11, p < .001). The SCD group also had a longer median LOS, greater total hospital charges, were more likely to experience a postpartum complication, and receive a blood transfusion than the non-SCD group. Conclusions SCD in pregnancy is associated with increased inpatient mortality, readmissions, postpartum complications, LOS, and hospital charges.

Chalcodermus aeneus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Historical Pest Status, Potential for Spread, and Current Management

The cowpea curculio, Chalcodermus aeneus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was first described from samples collected by Chevrolat in Mexico in 1837. Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), has nothing to do with the original hosts of this curculio species, because cowpea is from the Old World, specifically Africa, and C. aeneus has never been reported in the Old World. Cowpea curculio has been reported as a major pest of cowpea in the southeastern USA for well over a century. The distribution of C. aeneus in the US in 1910 was reported to be in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Maryland, and Missouri. Outside of the US, C. aeneus is found in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru. This curculio causes tremendous damage to cowpea, so much so that it can render cowpea production unsustainable in a curculio-infested region. Recent deficiencies in viable commercial insecticide controls have led to repeated collapses of acreage in Georgia. In experiments reported here, as much as 60% yield loss occurred with only moderate C. aeneus infestations. Heavy curculio pressure shut down cowpea production in our test, even with fairly effective foliar insecticides. Fortunately, C. aeneus is not easily transported in cowpea shipments around the world because it reproduces only in green pods, from which it leaves to pupate in the soil before the grain dries. This curculio can be quarantined effectively from large scale movement via shipping due to its reproductive biology, but spreads easily via a land to cowpea crop “bridge.” In the southeastern US, research efforts are underway to identify means to reduce the overwintering populations, with the goal of regional eradication sometime in the future. K Resumen El curculio (picudo) de caupi, Chalcodermus aeneus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), se describio por primera vez a partir de muestras recolectadas por Chevrolat en Mexico en 1837. El caupi, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), no tiene nada que ver con los hospederos originales de esta especie de picudo, porque el caupi es del Viejo Mundo, especificamente Africa, y C. aeneus nunca se ha sido reportado en el Viejo Mundo. El curculio de caupi ha sido reportado como una plaga importante de caupi en el sureste de los Estados Unidos por mas de un siglo. Se informo que la distribucion de C. aeneus en los EE. UU. en 1910 se encontraba en los estados de Texas, Luisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Carolina del Sur, Carolina del Norte, Oklahoma, Maryland y Missouri. Fuera de los Estados Unidos, C. aeneus se encuentra en Mexico, Belice, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua y Peru. Este curculio causa un tremendo dano al caupi, tanto que puede hacer que la produccion de caupi sea insostenible en una region infestada por el mismo. Las recientes deficiencias en su control por medio del uso de insecticidas comerciales viables han llevado a colapsos repetidos de acres de caupi en Georgia. En los experimentos informados aqui, se produjo una perdida de rendimiento de hasta el 60% con solo infestaciones moderadas de C. aeneus. La fuerte presion del curculio detuvo la produccion de caupi en nuestra prueba, incluso con el uso de insecticidas foliares bastante efectivos. Afortunadamente, C. aeneus no se transporta facilmente en los envios de caupi en todo el mundo porque se reproduce solo en las vainas verdes, de las cuales sale para pupar en el suelo antes de que se seque el grano. Este curculio puede ser puesto en cuarentena de manera efectiva de un movimiento a gran escala a traves del envio debido a su biologia reproductiva, pero se propaga facilmente a traves de un “puente” de tierra al campo de caupi. En el sureste de los EE. UU., se estan realizando investigaciones para identificar los medios para reducir las poblaciones invernantes, con el objetivo de la erradicacion regional en algun momento en el futuro. Key Words: cowpea; southern pea; Vigna unguiculata; cowpea curculio; Chalcodermus aeneus View this article in BioOne

Fatalities by traffic in Maryland and Massachusetts evaluated in the context of a probabilistic random walk.

Introduction: The analysis of injuries caused by traffic from a physical and mathematical perspective can help improve road safety strategies. Objective: Predict the dynamics of traffic fatalities in the states of Maryland and Massachusetts for the years 2004 and 2014 in the context of probabilistic random walk. Methods: An analysis was made of the number of total fatalities caused by traffic per year, in the states of Maryland and Massachusetts between the years 1994-2003 and 1994-2013. The behavior of these values was analyzed as a probabilistic random walk; for this, the probabilistic lengths were found for each year, during the period studied and four probability spaces were analyzed, with which it was possible to analyze their behavior, to establish a prediction of the number of total fatalities caused by traffic for the years 2004 and 2014. Results: The predictions for the years 2014 and 2004 for Maryland and Massachusetts when compared with the real values, the percentage of success was 98%. Main conclusion: The predictions for the years 2014 and 2004 for Maryland and Massachusetts when compared with the real values, the percentage of success was 98%. Conclusions: the behavior of traffic fatalities in Maryland and Massachusetts presented a predictable self-organization from the context of probabilistic random walk, constituting a useful tool for analyzing the operation of road safety strategies.

Being Muslim in a Secular World: Indonesian Families in Washington DC Area

Indonesian Muslims in Washington DC and the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia are an important Indonesian community in the United States. They are one of a few Indonesian American communities with a Muslim majority. We survey its birth and assess the early Indonesian and Indonesian Muslim presence in America and their arrival routes. We then examine the lack of Indonesian interest to immigrate to this continent until very recently. Our study draws upon scholarly research on Indonesian-Dutch connections and the early Indonesian experience in the United States. Data about the Indonesian Muslim Association in America (IMAAM) mosque are derived from interviews with over two hundred leaders and members of the community (jamā‘ah). This includes in-depth interviews with forty-six selected individuals, and observation of the masjid activities over a year (April 2017 – June 2018) forms an integral part of this explorative research.

Effects of land use and forest management on soil carbon in the ecoregions of Maryland and adjacent eastern United States

The impacts of forest-related land use and management on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks have been investigated through years of primary research and review articles. This attention is justified given the importance of land use and management to greenhouse gas mitigation, soil and forest productivity, and other ecosystem services. However, there is a gap of scale and scope between site-level studies that control for sources of variation, producing high-confidence results for limited locations, and the broad reviews that offer more general conclusions. The present analysis is intended to fill that gap. Here, we focus on six ecoregions of the eastern United States, and integrate meta-analysis of published literature with synthesis of geo-referenced soil observations to: (1) test whether common land use and management practices quantitatively impact SOC; (2) identify key sources of variation in these effects; (3) assess how sources of variation translate to decisions about land use and management at ecoregional to landscape levels. Results corroborate general trends, such as O horizon SOC losses with harvesting and fire and SOC gains during reforestation, but provide greater detail about the influence of specific practices and site-level controls on SOC stocks and change in the study region. Results also show that: (1) harvest impacts depend upon landform and soil taxonomy; (2) harvesting forests that are recovering on previously cultivated lands decreases SOC; (3) tree biomass and SOC recovery increase concurrently during reforestation; (4) specific harvest, site preparation, and fire management practices affect the magnitude and variability of changes in SOC. Perhaps more importantly, ecoregional classification and soil taxonomy provide spatial frameworks for placing quantitative estimates of SOC stocks and changes in the geographic context of the study region, providing greater detail and specificity for individuals and institutions concerned with SOC management at more localized levels.

Acceptability of implementing community-based drug checking services for people who use drugs in three United States cities: Baltimore, Boston and Providence

BackgroundNorth America is experiencing a rising trend of opioid overdose exacerbated primarily in recent years through adulteration of the heroin supply with fentanyl and its analogues. The east coast of the United States has been particularly hard hit by the epidemic. In three east coast states of Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, fentanyl has been detected in over half of all overdoses with available toxicology screens. To determine the acceptability of drug checking involving fentanyl test strips (FTS) or other technologies among those at high risk for overdose, we assessed correlates of intention to utilize such services and logistical preferences among people who use drugs (PWUD). MethodsThrough FORECAST (the Fentanyl Overdose REduction Checking Analysis STudy), street-based PWUD (N = 334) were recruited in Baltimore, Maryland, Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. Questionnaires 7were administered from June to October 2017 and ascertained drug use, overdose history, fentanyl knowledge, and drug checking intent and logistical preferences. Pearson’s χ2 and logistic regression determined factors associated with drug checking intent. ResultsOverall, 84% were concerned about fentanyl, 63% had ever overdosed, and 42% had ever witnessed a fatal overdose. Ninety percent felt drug checking would help them prevent an overdose, the majority of those interested would utilize drug checking at least daily (54%). Factors independently associated with intent to use drug checking included: older age (aOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3–1.8); homelessness (aOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.5–0.7); being non-white (aOR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0–4.0); witnessing ≥1 fatal overdose (aOR: 1.6, 95% CI:1.1–2.3); and suspected recent fentanyl exposure (aOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–3.1). ConclusionsThe majority of PWUD endorsed drug checking for overdose prevention, with intent amplified by having witnessed a fatal overdose and recent fentanyl exposure. Drug checking should be part of a comprehensive approach to address the risks associated with the proliferation of fentanyl.

Salmonella enterica recovery from river waters of the Maryland Eastern Shore reveals high serotype diversity and some multidrug resistance

The Delmarva Peninsula, a major agricultural and recreational region for the U.S. states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, experiences recurrent salmonellosis disease. Previous studies point to water environments as a potential persistent environmental reservoir of Salmonella enterica. To evaluate this hypothesis, water from the four main rivers of the Maryland Eastern Shore on the Delmarva Peninsula was tested for the presence of S. enterica, and recovered isolates were characterized for antimicrobial resistance. Sampling was performed in autumn and spring to evaluate temporal persistence at twenty four sites along the Choptank, Nanticoke, Pocomoke and Wicomico Rivers. Water (10 L) was filtered through sterile modified Moore swabs in situ. Swabs were selectively enriched for S. enterica and presumptive salmonellae were confirmed by PCR amplification of the Salmonella-specific invA and hilA genes. The serogroup of 402 isolates was determined, followed by serotype characterization for 157 isolates selected to represent all the identified serogroups across all samples. S. enterica was isolated from all the rivers in both seasons and was detected in 35/46 (65%) of surface water samples, with equivalent recovery in spring (70%) and fall (61%). The likelihood of isolating S. enterica was higher for the Nanticoke and Pocomoke Rivers, χ2 (3, N = 46) = 12.75, p < 0.01. In total, 18 serotypes of S. enterica were identified, and serotype diversity differed between the fall and spring samplings. Newport was the most frequently isolated serotype, both overall and in the fall, identified in 8/46 samples (17%). Typhimurium was the predominant serotype in spring. Some temporal and biogeographic patterns were observed in S. enterica recovery, but 6/18 serotypes were identified in both seasons. The majority (84%) of isolates were pan-susceptible, including all those tested from the Wicomico River (N = 19). Twenty five isolates (16%) from 9 samples were resistant to at least one antimicrobial, including serotypes Typhimurium, Newport, Litchfield, III 17:z10: e,n,x,z15, III 60:I and IV_40:z4: z32: -. Of the isolates that were resistant to a single antimicrobial (N = 12), resistance was to streptomycin or sulfisoxazole. Thirteen isolates were multidrug resistant, nine exhibiting resistance to ampicillin, sulfisoxazole, tetracycline, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefoxitin and ceftriaxone, and four to sulfisoxazole and tetracycline. The widespread presence and diversity of S. enterica in Delmarva rivers are concerning given the frequent use of rivers and tributaries as a source of irrigation and for recreation. Future research should seek to determine specific point sources of S. enterica for surface river waters, and risks associated with acquisition of antimicrobial resistance traits.

Effects of the International Roughness Index and Rut Depth on Crash Rates

Pavement distresses directly affect ride quality, and indirectly contribute to driver distraction, vehicle operation, and accidents. In this study, analysis was performed on highways in the states of Arizona, North Carolina, and Maryland to investigate the relationship between accident rate and pavement ride quality (roughness) and rut depth. Two main types of data were collected: crash data from the accident records and International Roughness Index (IRI) and rut depth data from the pavement management system database in each state. Crash rates were calculated using the U.S. Department of Transportation method, which is the number of accidents per 100 million vehicle-miles of travel. Sigmoidal function regression analysis was performed to study the relationship between crash rate and both IRI and rut depth. In all cases, the crash rate did not show substantial increases until an IRI value of 210 inches/mile or a critical rut depth of 0.4 inches. When the IRI or rut depth increased above these values the crash rate increased. This is a key conclusion that provides empirically derived thresholds for IRI and rut depth to reducing the accident rate.

Queue the Music: Cohan's Yellowface Substitution in Little Johnny Jones

It is 7 November 1904, 7:55 p.m. New York City theatregoers anxiously await the opening of George M. Cohan's newest production, Little Johnny Jones. The house is just about filled, but the well-dressed ushers hustle a few stragglers to their seats. Some of the theatre's usual patrons have been held up late at work, while others are too consumed by Clifford Berryman's political cartoons in the Washington Star to attend the performance. This particular Monday evening marks an important moment for America: polls for the thirtieth presidential election will be opening in fewer than twelve hours. Theodore Roosevelt represents the Republican Party, and Alton B. Parker heads the Democratic ticket. Although results will not be known for sure until the close of the 8 November election, Roosevelt's recent success in office upon the assassination of William McKinley gives him a political boost. New York City's predominantly Republican values leave little doubt about which name a majority of tonight's audience will be checking off on the ballot come morning; Roosevelt has carried every region but the South in his campaigning efforts thus far. Nonetheless, Broadway occasionally attracts a few guests from the slightly less liberal states of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and this evening's house is no different; the Liberty Theatre is filled with men of opposing political views. A nervous excitement fills the room; a combination of political gossip, predictions about how Cohan's first Broadway musical will compare to his earlier comedic works and vaudeville skits, and occasional gasps and awestruck sighs from spectators who are seeing the inside of the Liberty Theatre for the first time since its very recent grand opening at 234 West 42nd Street. The twenty-thousand-square-foot theatre, with its dramatic stage, extensive balconies, and striking cathedrallike ceilings is the perfect home for the unfolding of Broadway, a theatrical form and style that America will come to call its own. As the house lights dim and the violins hum a piercing A note, other members of the orchestra slowly begin tuning their individual instruments. As the oboists finish adjusting their pitch, the conductor taps his music stand: musicians tilt their gaze to the front of the pit, audience members sink into the velvet of their plush seats and begin to quiet their chatter. Blackout.

Fungicide Resistance in Botrytis fragariae and Species Prevalence in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

Botrytis fragariae was recently described causing gray mold of strawberry in Germany and the United States. The goal of the present study was to determine its prevalence, distribution, and sensitivity to fungicides in strawberry fields of five states. In total, 188 Botrytis isolates were obtained from flowers and fruit collected from the states of Maryland (n = 35), Virginia (n = 38), North Carolina (n = 46), South Carolina (n = 41), and Georgia (n = 28). Only 13 of these were fruit samples and came from South Carolina (n = 5) and Georgia (n = 8). B. fragariae made up 35.1% of the entire collection, and composed close to half of the Botrytis population in North Carolina (43.4%), South Carolina (61.0%), and Georgia (42.9%). One isolate of B. mali was also found, and the rest of the isolates were B. cinerea (sensu lato). B. fragariae and B. cinerea were found coexisting in 11 fields, while other field samples consisted of only B. fragariae (n = 3) or only B. cinerea (n = 10) isolates. B. fragariae isolates with resistance to one or more fungicides were found, and resistance profiles differed from those of B. cinerea, in that no resistance to cyprodinil (FRAC 8) or boscalid and other FRAC 7 botryticides was detected. We detected B. fragariae resistance to the active ingredients thiophanate-methyl, iprodione, fludioxonil, and fenhexamid. We also detected B. fragariae isolates with resistance to up to four chemical classes of fungicides, though most isolates were resistant to one or two chemical classes. In conclusion, isolates of the newly detected species B. fragariae were commonly found on strawberry flowers in the Mid-Atlantic United States, and have developed resistance to many of the most commonly used botryticides. Though the relevance of this species to pre- and postharvest fruit infections is unknown, fludioxonil applications may give this species a competitive advantage over B. cinerea. Controlling this fungus with FRAC 7 fungicides may be an effective way of limiting its spread in strawberry fields.

Experiences of three states implementing the Medicaid health home model to address opioid use disorder—Case studies in Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont

PurposeThe United States is facing an unprecedented opioid epidemic. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) included several provisions designed to increase care coordination in state Medicaid programs and improve outcomes for those with chronic conditions, including substance use disorders. Three states—Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont – adopted the ACA's optional Medicaid health home model for individuals with opioid use disorder. The model coordinates opioid use disorder treatment that features opioid agonist therapy provided at opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and Office-based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) with medical and behavioral health care and other services, including those addressing social determinants of health. This study examines state approaches to opioid health homes (OHH) and uses a retrospective analysis to identify facilitators and barriers to the program's implementation from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders. MethodsWe conducted 28 semi-structured discussions with 70 discussants across the three states, including representatives from state agencies, OHH providers (OTPs and OBOTs), Medicaid health plans, and provider associations. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo. In addition, we reviewed state health home applications, policies, regulatory guidance, reporting, and other available OHH materials. We adapted the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) model as a guiding framework to examine the collected data, helping us to identify key factors affecting each stage of the OHH implementation. ResultsOverall, discussants reported that the OHH model was implemented successfully and was responsible for substantial improvements in patient care. Contextual factors at both the state level (e.g., legislation, funding, state leadership, program design) and provider level (OHH provider characteristics, leadership, adaptability) affected each stage of implementation of the OHH model. States took a variety of approaches in designing and implementing the model, with facilitators related to gathering stakeholder input, receiving guidance and technical assistance, and tailoring program design to build on the state's existing care coordination initiatives and provider infrastructure. The OHH model constituted a substantial change for almost all OHH providers in the study, who reported that facilitators to implementation included having goals and workplace culture that were compatible with the OHH model, and having technical support from the state or non-governmental organizations. Some of the main barriers to implementation reported by OHH providers include shortages of primary care providers, dentists, and other providers willing to accept referrals of patients with opioid use disorder; limited community resources to address social determinants of health; challenges related to state-specific program design, such as staffing requirements and reimbursement methodology; care coordination limitations due to confidentiality restrictions and technological barriers; and internal capacity of providers to adopt the new model of care. ConclusionsThe OHH model appears to have the potential to effectively address the complex needs of individuals with opioid use disorder by providing whole-person care that integrates medical care, behavioral health, and social services and supports. The experiences of Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont can guide development and implementation of similar OHH initiatives in other states.

Marcellus Shale Fracking and Susquehanna River Stakeholder Attitudes: A Five-Year Update

The attitudes of Susquehanna River stakeholders regarding natural gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Marcellus Shale region reflect differing concerns on economic, social, and environmental issues based on gender, education level, and income. The focus on the U.S. State of Pennsylvania section of the Susquehanna River derives from the U.S. States of New York and Maryland, neighbors of Pennsylvania to the immediate north and south, respectively, enacting bans on fracking, while Pennsylvania has catapulted, through Marcellus fracking, to become the second largest natural gas producing state in the U.S. In this Pennsylvania survey, female and more highly educated stakeholders favor a moratorium on fracking, while males and lower income stakeholders support fracking. Of the four categories used to organize the survey, i.e. economic opportunity, health and safety, communities, and energy security, the category of health and safety ranked first in both the 2012 and 2017 survey.

Linking leader and gender identities to authentic leadership in small businesses

PurposeWomen are starting businesses at unprecedented rates, yet little is known about the leadership of small business owners. Establishing new ventures may allow women to use their full abilities and benefit from a more level playing field. Business owners have the unique opportunity to lead and define their businesses based on their authentic selves, values and goals; therefore, they are more likely to be authentic leaders. Women in nontraditional industries may be challenged because the owner’s characteristics do not match those of the industry. When the enactment of one identity interferes with another identity, identity interference (II) occurs. Relational authenticity and role incongruity suggests that women founders must uniquely resolve II and find synergy among their gender and leader identities if they are to extend the boundaries of what it means to be a woman and an industry’s business leader. This research aims to determine whether gender and leader II was an antecedent or link to authentic leadership (AL).Design/methodology/approachStudy participants were from 63 businesses in the USA states of California, Ohio and Maryland. Three leader models were established to determine whether owner gender functioned as a moderator: all genders (n = 155), women only (n = 75) and men only (n = 65). The individual owners and their employees were the units of analysis and structural equation modeling was used.FindingsThe findings revealed that II was an antecedent to AL, owners were AL and owner gender moderated AL and II.Research limitations/implicationsThis study supports (Kernis, 2003; Gardner et al., 2005) the proposition that identity congruence is necessary for AL; the less interference found between gender and leader identities, the more authentic the leader. II functioned as an antecedent to AL. Moreover when the AL self’s subscales were examined relative to II, the components that were active varied dramatically based on leader gender. This suggests that addressing II and resolving the incongruence between what it mean to be a woman (or a man) and a leader contributes to the development of AL. Additionally, the AL boundary condition of relational authenticity was supported by this study; leader gender was related to the different amounts of AL (Eagly, 2005; Kernis, 2003). Support was found that AL was a dynamic process between leaders and employees. When authentic leadership questionnaire (ALQ) self (leader) and rater (employee) were compared, there was a significant amount of consistency between these ratings. For the all genders leader model, when ALQ self’s subscale was analyzed relative to the employees’ ratings, the leaders’ relational transparency was found to be active. The women only leader model revealed that AL was activated through internalized moral perspective suggesting they were able to tap into the hearts and minds of their employees. For the men only leaders, no relationship was revealed between ALQ self’s subcomponents and employee AL ratings. Relational authenticity suggests that this may be due to employees rating men owners more based on the experience and perceptions of men leaders in general and not these business owners in particular.Practical implicationsLeadership development professionals should address how II may help women examine who they are, how they work with others, and their values; decrease leader II by providing insight on how to manage potentially conflicting roles through examples of synergistic behaviors and benefits; and, build upon women owners’ ability to connect with their followers by sharing their goals and aspirations. Men owners may benefit by ensuring their employees know their business’ unique value proposition.Originality/valueThis research sought to link the identities of leader and gender to AL in the context of small businesses. It builds upon the AL theory of Avolio et al., (2004) and Jensen and Luthans (2006) who advocated using AL to study small businesses. This study determined whether business owners experienced interference between their gender and leader identities; II hindered the formation of AL and was an antecedent to AL; and the owner’s gender led to more or less AL and thus determined if leader gender moderated AL. The support for studying leader gender comes from role incongruity (Eagly and Diekman, 2005) and relational authenticity (Eagly, 2005; Kernis, 2003) which suggests that differences in how employees perceive AL may be a function of the owner’s gender. Added support comes from Jensen and Luthans (2006); they asked future studies to examine AL to determine the mechanisms behind gender differences in small businesses. Such research provides insight on the development of AL in theory and practice.

Race, immigration and the agrarian question: farmworkers becoming farmers in the United States

As White farmers in the United States retire en masse, the racial and ethnic demographics of US farming are shifting to now include a significant number of Latino farm owner-operators. Yet this population of new farmers, contributing specific technical expertise and knowledge, is not represented in current discussions concerning agrarian transitions. This paper draws on interview-based research conducted in the states of California, Maryland, New York, Minnesota and Washington, with first-generation Latino immigrant farmworkers who have transitioned to farm ownership. The majority are practicing small-scale and diverse crop production, with limited synthetic inputs and mostly family labor, as this form of farming allows them to reclaim control over their own labor and livelihoods, while also earning a cash income. The farmers included in this study, and their rationale for farming despite race- and citizenship-based challenges, cannot be understood simply through a lens of class transition. This contribution provides evidence that Latino immigrants’ ascendancy to farm ownership is instead a result of their struggle to redefine their relationship to land and labor in a country where their race and citizenship status have relegated them to the working poor.

Brief for Amici Curiae John M. Connor, Martin Gaynor, Daniel Mcfadden, Roger Noll, Jeffrey M. Perloff, Joseph A. Stiglitz, Lawrence J. White, and Ralph A. Winter in Support of Petitioners; In the Supreme Court of the United States; States of Ohio, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont, Petitioners v. American Express Company, and American

The court erred by: (1) assuming that that the characterization of the Amex service as a two-sided platform should fundamentally change the antitrust principles that govern the Amex restraints, (2) misunderstanding the nature of competition in two-sided markets, (3) placing the burden on plaintiffs to disprove that the harm from supracompetitive merchant fees are not outweighed by benefits to third parties (cardholders in this case), and most importantly (4) disregarding the critical antitrust issue – the impacts of the Amex merchant anti-steering and pricing restraints on competition among credit card platforms.

Natality of Yearling Coyotes in West Virginia

Abstract Minimal information is available regarding the reproduction of coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Since reproductive information is useful to assess populations and determine management strategies and because this information is unavailable for the Mid-Atlantic, we examined uterine tracts of 66 female coyotes collected from February to May 2010 for fetuses. We measured fetuses using a digital caliper and approximated dates of conception and parturition. Nine (13.6%) female coyotes were pregnant with visible fetuses; seven of these females were yearlings (1.5–2.5 y old). Average litter size of yearling coyotes was 5.4 (SE = 0.48). We estimated an average conception date of 2 February and an average parturition date of 6 April. Conception and parturition dates were within the reported range for coyotes, though one female successfully bred in early January, which is earlier than reported in the literature. The relatively high proportion (30.4%) of yearling females breeding in West Virginia may reflect abundant food resources, low density of coyotes, increasing human-caused mortality, or a combination of these factors. Reproductive information reported here will be helpful in monitoring coyote population trends and in the assessment of management strategies.

The Civil War in the Border South by Christopher Phillips (review)

Reviewed by: The Civil War in the Border South by Christopher Phillips Aaron Astor (bio) The Civil War in the Border South. By Christopher Phillips. (Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger, 2013. Pp. ix, 171. $37.00 cloth) Over the last two decades Christopher Phillips has emerged as the dean of the border states Civil War historians. His work on African American life in Baltimore, the antislavery general Nathaniel Lyon, Missouri governor Claiborne Fox Jackson, and his forthcoming magnum opus on the Ohio River Valley makes Phillips the preeminent scholar of the region. It was only natural that John David Smith, editor of Praeger’s Reflections on the Civil War Era series, would commission Phillips to write a “concise, informed and readable synthesis” (p. x) of the Civil War in the border states. As the first synthesis on the region since Edward Conrad Smith’s 1927 book, The Borderland in the Civil War, Phillips’s The Civil War in the Border South incorporates the scholarship of dozens of historians (including his own) who have reassessed the conflict in [End Page 723] the slaveholding Union states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. With chapters arranged both chronologically and thematically, Phillips examines the politics of secession and loyalty, the arrival of large-scale military conflict, the emergence of internal resistance and guerrilla conflict, the civilian experience of war, and the destruction of slavery. With a fine bibliographic essay following the text, the book offers a sophisticated, readable, and usable account for scholars and lay readers alike. Phillips makes a few arguments that guide the synthesis throughout. First is the contingent interplay between national and local forces in shaping the course of war in the border states. Nowhere was this truer than in Kentucky, where the state’s unique decision for “neutrality” helped forestall war for several months and gave time for the state’s conservative Unionist majority to consolidate its hold over the state in 1861. While other border states quickly devolved into guerrilla war (Missouri) or military occupation (Maryland), Kentucky’s pragmatic tradition of compromise kept the war out of the Bluegrass State until September of that year. A second major theme of the book is the centrality of slavery and emancipation during the course of war in the border states. Phillips highlights the attempt by border slaveholders and politicians to maintain both slavery and Union in the face of internal slave resistance and increasingly emancipationist federal military policy. Much of this is familiar territory for readers of the Register, but the comparisons to other border state experiences underscore how much Kentucky’s struggle was part of a broader regional balancing act. A third theme, picking up on the late historian Michael Fellman’s work, is the experience of guerrilla war. As Phillips shows, timing is key to understanding guerrilla warfare in the region. Guerrilla activity began early in Missouri and expanded in scope and destruction as pro-Confederate civilians found themselves permanently “trapped” behind Union military lines. Always aided by conventional military activity, including what Phillips calls the “Confederacy’s Tet Offensive” in 1862 (the invasions of Kentucky and Maryland), guerrilla war carried [End Page 724] the war’s carnage to civilian homes. As the war reached the hearths, barns, and homes of the border states, women became increasingly active in defending the homestead, both economically and militarily. A fourth theme is that of shifting regional identities, a subject that has most clearly defined Phillips’s scholarship over the years. The complex interplay of sectional politics, war, emancipation, Reconstruction, and broader memorial traditions has placed the border states more solidly in the South after the war than before it. One wonders about the broad region between Phillips’s Maryland and Kentucky, however. Here stands the Appalachian South, which exhibited many of the same characteristics of the rest of the border South but also some peculiarities that further add nuance to the border story. How, for example, did the emergence of West Virginia play into the Civil War experience of the border states? And how do we incorporate the pro-Union upland strongholds of East Tennessee and northwestern Arkansas into the explanation? For that matter, what role did communities on the northern side...

Are preserved farms actively engaged in agriculture and conservation?

This study addresses the question of whether farms enrolled in land preservation programs are actively engaged in agricultural or conservation activities. Data are drawn from an original survey administered to preserved farm owners in the states of New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware in 2011. “Actively engaged” is defined as investment in conservation projects, buildings, equipment, or irrigation since the land was preserved. Affirmative answers to the survey's investment questions range from a low of 19% for irrigation to a high of 69% for equipment. Special attention was paid to differences between lifestyle farmers and small and large commercial farmers, which are classified using the USDA typology developed in 2000. Regression analysis estimates differences in investment behavior across these groups as well as farm tenure categories, controlling for farm size, program/state location, and demographic variables. Only owners who employ tenants or managers exclusively on their land were found to invest significantly less than the largest professional farmers, and they did so across all four types of investment.This study's findings support preservation goals articulated by legislators and program administrators, because (1) agricultural and land stewardship investments appear to be widespread on preserved farms, partly due to administrators’ preference for larger parcels, (2) there is no evidence that “hobby farmers” are disproportionately attracted to farmland preservation programs – in fact the opposite seems to be true – while those that exist in our sample behave similarly to the largest commercial farmers, (3) although tenant farming is associated in the sample with lower rates of investment, it is less common on preserved farms than on all farms in the three study states. The matter of land tenure, highlighted in this as in other studies, has not yet become a primary focus of either farm-behavioral research or state agricultural policy.

Denitrification in soils of hydrologically restored wetlands relative to natural and converted wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain of the USA

In the last several decades, there has been considerable effort to protect and restore wetlands throughout the USA. These efforts have required significant investment of both private and public funds. Accordingly, it has become important to document the effectiveness of this protection and restoration. This study for the Mid-Atlantic Region (MIAR) Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) was part of the US Department of Agriculture CEAP. This study compared natural, converted, and hydrologically restored wetlands in the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. There were forty-eight total sites, and each site was sampled at 4 landscape elevations (wettest to driest) during a three year period. Here we report an assessment of soil denitrification conducted as one component of the MIAR Wetland-CEAP using denitrification enzyme activity (DEA). DEA values varied significantly with relative elevation and management DEA response to nitrate addition varied significantly with relative elevation and management. In stepwise regression, total C and moisture were the most influential physiochemical conditions for the converted and natural wetlands, respectively. Total C and Ca were the most important for the restored wetlands. Moreover, the percentage of denitrification as nitrous oxide and nosZ gene abundances, differed by relative elevation and management. In all aspects of DEA, the restored wetlands were more similar to the natural wetlands than to the converted wetland.