The globalization of economies and trade have facilitated the spread of exotic species including the five most important freshwater suspension feeding invaders Dreissena polymorpha, D. bugensis, Corbicula fluminea, C. fluminalis, and Limnoperna fortunei. We suggest that the spread of these exotic species has not been a continuous process, but rather punctuated by periods of rapid long distance spread (jump), during which species greatly expanded their geographic ranges. Each jump has been associated with changes in the tempo of some human activity, such as the construction of shipping canals for trade, building of reservoirs for water storage and power production, political boundary changes or changes in political systems, which affected the position or permeability of national borders, human migration, changes in the mode and volume of international trade, or recent industrial practices and environmental laws. We hypothesize that the rate of spread of exotic species depends on the spatial scale of spread and may be accelerated or slowed by various human activities. In general, aquatic exotic species may quickly spread along connected waterways in a new continent they invade and soon reach their maximum range (continental scale). However, it will take much longer to colonize all isolated regions (regional scale) and longer still to spread to all isolated lakes and river systems (local scale). The difference in the rate of colonization across scales may be several orders of magnitude.

/pdf/changes-in-global-economies-and-trade-the-potential-spread-2w8iis0az7.pdf

Changes in Global Economies and Trade: the Potential Spread of Exotic Freshwater Bivalves

The Armington trade model distinguishes commodities by country of origin, and import demand is determined in a separable two-step procedure. This framework has been applied to numerous international agricultural markets with the objective of modeling import demand. In addition, computable general equilibrium (CGE) models commonly employ the Armington formulation in the trade linkage equations. The purpose of this paper is to test the Armington assumptions of homotheticity and separability with data from the international cotton and wheat markets. Both parametric and nonparametric tests were performed, and the empirical results reject the Armington assumptions. This has important implications for international trade modeling and CGE modeling.

/pdf/whither-armington-trade-models-3ktb8u4l3z.pdf

Whither Armington Trade Models

In the decades following World War II, a significant expansion of community colleges occurred throughout the United States. As the baby boom generation came of age, demand for higher education spiked, and policy makers allocated the requisite funding to expand institutions of higher education. This expansion, including vigorous funding from federal, state, and local units of government, was politically popular. This openhanded support ended in the latter decades of the twentieth century as hostility to paying taxes and to public spending mounted. In recent decades, community colleges have competed with other social expenditures, such as prisons and health care demands, for scarce public resources. And, in a number of states, community colleges have fared poorly in this competition. Using multivariate analyses and data gathered from several sources, including the American Association of Community Colleges, the authors examine the impacts of community colleges on local employment trends. Their research focuses on rural counties over four time periods between 1976 and 2004. This focus is important, as rural areas have faced severe and chronic economic decline over the study period. Their research (specifically for the 1976-1983 and 1991-1997 panels) provides evidence that established community colleges made a significant contribution to employment growth. However, for the most recent panel (i.e., 1998-2004), the coefficient for community colleges is negative. An examination of the interaction between community colleges and states’ fiscal contexts provides evidence that this decline may be the result of states cutting back their funding levels for community colleges.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0038040712441376

Community Colleges, Budget Cuts, and Jobs: The Impact of Community Colleges on Employment Growth in Rural U.S. Counties, 1976-2004.

A printed list of 50 various food items was evaluated to determine foods most favored by 236 enlisted Army personnel. Three groups, based on intergroup comparability, were formed to test several measurement procedures to determine which technique best evaluated overall food acceptance. Two variations of magnitude estimation procedures were compared to the standard nine-point category ratings. The category ratings and variations of magnitude estimation results were highly related. Benefits concerning the choice of method depend on the extent or magnitude of sensory information required.

Magnitude Estimation of Food Acceptance

Community colleges play a fundamental role in higher education. They are openaccess institutions, providing higher education services to individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Community colleges also provide important workforce development and training opportunities to help develop the local economy. Today, states and the federal government are increasing efforts to increase accountability in higher education. As community colleges face the challenge of responding to accountability measures, it is important for institutions to begin reexamining their role within the community. This dissertation research explored the phenomenon of quality of life and the role of a small, rural community college in contributing to quality of life using the Community Capitals Framework and Sense of Community Theory as a theoretical framework. Qualitative data collection occurred using focus group interviews at multiple sites. This study contributes to the literature on higher education and community development by further developing an understanding of rural communities and community colleges by exploring the impact of the small, rural community college in contributing to quality of life in a rural community.

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8091&context=etd

Quality of life in a rural community: Perceptions of the role and contributions of the small, rural community college

Impact of the soviet grain embargo; a comparison of methods

The Impacts of Structural Change and Public Policy on the Rural Disadvantaged

Hearts of palm were evaluated for their sensory properties using descriptive analysis and consumer appeal using consumer acceptance tests. Four varieties of canned product, two from wild species and 2 from cultivated species and 1 fresh cultivated variety were evaluated. Important sensory terms for texture, aroma and flavor were determined. Differences were observed between fresh and canned samples, with fresh samples firmer, sweeter, and less briny tasting. In spite of this difference, consumer reaction to the fresh samples was mixed, with a marked bimodal trend for acceptability of the firmer texture. Acceptability of the product in general (probed after the sensory test) was related to consumers previous exposure. A majority of those previously familiar with the vegetable expressed liking, while about half those who never tried the product before expressed liking.

Enrique E. Figueroa

Papers

Impact of the soviet grain embargo; a comparison of methods

The Impacts of Structural Change and Public Policy on the Rural Disadvantaged

Sensory Evaluation of Hearts of Palm