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As data-driven models gain importance in driving decisions and processes, recently, it has become increasingly important to visualize the data with both speed and accuracy. A massive volume of data is presently generated in the educational sphere from various learning platforms, tools, and institutions. The visual analytics of educational big data has the capability to improve student learning, develop strategies for personalized learning, and improve faculty productivity. However, there are limited advancements in the education domain for data-driven decision making leveraging the recent advancements in the field of machine learning. Some of the recent tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Microsoft Azure suite, Sisense, etc., leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to visualize data and generate insights from them; however, their applicability in educational advances is limited. This paper focuses on leveraging machine learning and visualization techniques to demonstrate their utility through a practical implementation using K-12 state assessment data compiled from the institutional websites of the States of Texas and Louisiana. Effective modeling and predictive analytics are the focus of the sample use case presented in this research. Our approach demonstrates the applicability of web technology in conjunction with machine learning to provide a cost-effective and timely solution to visualize and analyze big educational data. Additionally, ad hoc visualization provides contextual analysis in areas of concern for education agencies (EAs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Orleans is no stranger to trauma. The Crescent City has a vast history of environmental calamities and oppression. Yet, New Orleans is renowned for its "joie de vivre"—or "love of life." Specifically, this community is known for its unique practice of second-line parades. Researchers have noted the healing power of second-line processions, but none have analyzed the practice and psychology of this ritual through a trauma-informed lens. The aim of this conceptual paper is to begin the conversation, rather than deliver hard fast conclusions, on the potential therapeutic function of second-line parades in response to grief. Relevant literature is presented to illustrate second-line parades, trauma theory, and to provide evidence that the therapeutic effects of second-lining may, in part, be explained by trauma theory. This paper concludes with remarks on conceptualizing the second-line funeral as a sophisticated trauma-informed approach to grief and a note for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This technical paper investigates the influence of sample size and geologic characteristics on the geotechnical design of levee embankments. Sample quality plays a vital role in quantifying engineering properties for levee embankment projects, and numerous studies have highlighted the impact of sample disturbance on such engineering properties. Despite this evidence, conventional tube and piston samplers of different diameters continue to be widely used, potentially leading to underestimation of shear strength. The paper focuses on comparing 7.6 cm and 12.7 cm diameter undisturbed Shelby tube samples and CPT data collected from three levee sites in the Greater New Orleans Area, Louisiana, USA, which encompass diverse geologic histories. The study aims to assess the effect of industry used samples size and geology on levee construction costs. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing sample collection methods and improving geotechnical design for earthen embankments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of his Creole opus The Grandissimes, George Washington Cable refers to Louisiana as "A land hung in mourning, darkened by gigantic cypresses, submerged; a land of reptiles, silence, shadow, decay". This anti-pastoral view of Louisiana as an ecosystem of horrific nature and the very human melancholy it breeds is one that has persisted in popular American culture to the present day. However, the literature of Louisiana itself is marked by its creativity in blending elements of folktales, fairy tales, and local color. This paper proposes to examine the transhuman, or the transcendence of the natural by means of supernatural transformation, in folk horror tales of Louisiana. As the locus where the fairy tale meets the burgeoning Southern Gothic, these tales revolve around a reworking of what Vladimir Propp refers to as transfiguration, the physical and metaphysical alteration of the human into something beyond the human. The focus of this paper will be on three recurring figures in Louisiana folk horror: yellow fever, voodoo, and the Devil. Drawing upon works including Alcée Fortier's collection of Creole folktales Louisiana Folktales (1895), Dr. Alfred Mercier's "1878", and various newspaper tales of voodoo ceremonies from the ante- and post-bellum periods, this article brings together theorizations about the fairy tale from Vladimir Propp and Jack Zipes and historiological approaches to the Southern Gothic genre to demonstrate that Louisiana, in its multilingual literary traditions, serves as a nexus where both genres blend uncannily together to create tales that are both geographically specific and yet exist outside of the historical time of non-fantastic fiction. Each of these figures, yellow fever, voodoo, and the Devil, challenges the expectations of what limits the human. Thus, this paper seeks to examine what will be termed the "Louisiana gothic", a particular blend of fairy-tale timelessness, local color, and the transfiguration of the human. Ultimately, the Louisiana gothic, as expressed in French, English, and Creole, tends toward a view of society in decay, mobilizing these elements of horror and of fairy tales to comment on a society that, after the revolution in Saint-Domingue, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Civil War, was seen as falling into inevitable decline. This commentary on societal decay, expressed through elements of folk horror, sets apart Louisiana gothic as a distinct subgenre that challenges conventions about the structures and functions of the fairy tale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, Republican-controlled legislatures across the U.S. initiated draconian abortion restrictions. In order to appeal to anti-abortion policymakers, advocates across the country have strategically separated "maternal and child health" (MCH) issues, such as increased insurance coverage for midwifery and doula care, from issues often labeled as "reproductive rights," such as access to sex education, birth control, and abortion. Advocates point out this strategic separation has likely contributed overall to the downfall of abortion rights. In this paper, we analyze legislative discourse to understand the legislative challenges advocates face, the strategic separations and allyships they employ, and the implications for other states and reproductive health more broadly. We find that legislators legitimate the same scientific evidence in some contexts while not in others in order to hold onto rhetorical purity within the abortion debate. In their attempts to parse the ideal abortion seeker, conservative legislators create legal ambiguities with serious consequences for healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article exposes the environmental justice implications of industrialization-as-climate-mitigation strategies by focusing on their effects on minority communities in south Louisiana. Political and economic forces at the federal and state levels are advocating for increased development of carbon capture utilization and storage systems that will likely retrench Louisiana's toxic fossil fuel infrastructure. Though these projects increase pollution, they leverage industrial development subsidies or under the guise of environmental justice efforts. But, a greater harm is at play: history shows that the air and water pollution byproducts of these developments are distributed in Louisiana's minority communities, and there is intention to end these unfair and harmful government supported practice. This essay argues that even if new environmental technology works as intended, new carbon capture systems will in fact increase the burden of environmental harm borne by minority communities while corporations reap large tax benefits. This paper provides two solutions that policymakers should consider address the broader environmental justice implications of new industries and systems and to fulfill promises made by the Biden administration in its environmental justice commitments. First, legislatures must rethink the 45Q tax credit and related subsidies so that they cannot be manipulated to harm the environment or minority communities under the guise of environmental justice. Second, environmental justice policies must be implemented within permitting agencies such that consideration is given to the relative environmental justice burdens created by permit holders who produce hazardous waste and pollution and to deny permits on the basis that their actions will disproportionately burden racial minorities or low-income populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into integrating technological and social innovations in design through a community-oriented, resilient approach, emphasizing care and sustainability. It explores resource management's application to the local environment and education, focusing on adaptable spaces, active collaboration, and innovative solutions for environmental and social challenges. Developed within the EU Marie Curie-funded TREnD project, it combines 'transition' and 'resilience-building' processes, framing co-creation solutions and tailored innovation policies. The research group conducted theoretical and empirical research in the EU and USA, introducing a place-sensitive approach in managing transition through technological diversification. A case study in Ruston (LA, USA), Camp Alabama, exemplifies inclusive design through circular design and low-tech construction, creating adaptable pavilions for the community. Collaborating with MedCamps of Louisiana, the project designs a shared and inclusive space within budget constraints, emphasizing the pivotal role of architecture in advancing community well-being. Employing a bottom-up approach, the practice engages users, students, teachers, and local stakeholders in co-design, resulting in a people-based citadel of care. Outcomes feature high-design technological projects produced through a "low-tech" approach, allowing adaptability in urban regeneration. The 2023 project received awards, showcasing progress and the potential for replication through standardized methodology. Additional outcomes include educational benefits, training architects for societal needs, and regenerating urban areas by exploiting local resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mediation effect refers to the effect transmitted by a mediator intervening in the relationship between an exposure variable and a response variable. Mediation analysis is widely used to identify significant mediators and to make inferences on their effects. The Bayesian method allows researchers to incorporate prior information from previous knowledge into the analysis, deal with the hierarchical structure of variables, and estimate the quantities of interest from the posterior distributions. This paper proposes three Bayesian mediation analysis methods to make inferences on mediation effects. Our proposed methods are the following: (1) the function of coefficients method; (2) the product of partial difference method; and (3) the re-sampling method. We apply these three methods to explore racial disparities in the diagnostic age of breast cancer patients in Louisiana. We found that African American (AA) patients are diagnosed at an average of 4.37 years younger compared with Caucasian (CA) patients (57.40 versus 61.77, p < 0.0001). We also found that the racial disparity can be explained by patients' insurance (12.90%), marital status (17.17%), cancer stage (3.27%), and residential environmental factors, including the percent of the population under age 18 (3.07%) and the environmental factor of intersection density (9.02%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating tornado damage remains a critical challenge for communities throughout much of the United States. Enhanced construction techniques typically used in hurricane-prone regions are often recommended as at least part of the solution, but the effectiveness of these techniques lacks empirical evaluation. This study investigates the performance of modern wood-frame residential structures in Arabi, LA, constructed to hurricane-resistant standards, that were impacted by a strong tornado on March 22, 2022. Field teams deployed beginning March 25, 2022, just three days after the tornado touched down, capturing perishable data on the building performance using vehicle-mounted surface-level panoramic cameras, forensic engineering investigations, and unmanned aerial systems. This paper describes the field deployments and identifies common failure mechanisms observed by the field teams. Analytical fragility functions are developed based on the load path observations and compared to empirical fragility functions generated from linking the building performance observations with wind speed estimates at each building derived from a parametric wind field model conditioned to tree-fall patterns. The study finds that despite the frequent use of hurricane-resistant hardware, such as hurricane straps and anchor bolts, key weak links elsewhere in the load path compromised the resistance and led to premature failures. The agreement between the empirically- and analytically-derived fragility functions was lacking, demonstrating the challenges that remain in understanding near-surface tornado wind loading and structural response. Nonetheless, the study provides a consensus framework for future tornado assessments that can help improve our understanding of tornado loading through the utilization of reconnaissance data. Further, the study findings on deficiencies in the load paths of homes in hurricane-prone regions have practical value to risk assessments and future construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper situates a park commemorating Plaquemines Parish segregationist "Judge" Leander Perez, whose political career spanned from 1919 until his death in 1969, in the changing landscape of post-Civil Rights era white supremacist ambitions. Opened by the parish in 1979, officially closed in 1984, and re-established by residents of a nearby majority-white neighborhood under another name in 2020, the site's uses reflect shifting iterations of white spatial logics oriented toward maintaining power through racialized exclusion (Lipsitz 2007). As a ruin, Leander H. Perez Memorial Park's trajectory contrasts those of nearby plantation manors that were similarly dedicated as heritage sites in the late 1970s. Park brochures, archival newspaper articles, and ethnographic interviews illuminate the ways in which the park's representations of Perez made continuities of the Antebellum plantation racial order too legible for comfort for those who benefited from the political philosophy he represented. I elaborate "commemorative concealment" as a way of recognizing an assortment of practices through which dominant groups in a racial hegemony maintain power by hiding continuities of past exclusions in the heritage landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the various modes of racist, sexist, classist, ageist, and interspecific oppression as well as occasional transgressions in the city of Bogalusa, Louisiana, as they are dramatized in the poetry of Yusef Komunyakaa, particularly in his 1992 memoirist volume Magic City. More than anything else, Komunyakaa remembers from his childhood days the discourses and practices of violence and control aimed at maintaining a rigid hierarchical structure regulating order between all forms of life and preserving the sense of identity of many. It is a realm of unrelenting terror in which all creatures must succumb to a regime bringing to mind the medieval great chain of being. Komunyakaa investigates thoroughly Southern morals to determine the extent of psychological and epistemic damage they cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how and whether speakers of endangered languages employ variation as a stylistic resource to make social meaning and index their identities. The study is set in historically Creole-speaking communities in rural Louisiana, which have now shifted almost completely to English. The Americanization of Louisiana induced language shift, but also a shift to the Anglo-American racial binary which supplanted local constructs of ethnicity and race. The study crafts a historical-sociolinguistic account of this process of Americanization, examining how linguistic differentiation was enacted through the enregisterment of iconic 'Creole'/'French' variants as indexical links to the 'Black'/'White' racial binary. Today, to a very limited extent, some speakers of Louisiana Creole still consider some variants socially meaningful and employ them to stylistic ends. This depends especially on racial identity and the variant in question. Subject pronouns retain some indexical value, occasionally employed stylistically by speakers racialized as White. However, front vowel rounding has fossilized: highly meaningful in the early-20th century, its social meaning has been lost resulting in synchronic personal-pattern variation. The paper ends by trying to reconcile classic studies of Language Death with contemporary variationist critique, answering recent calls for more nuanced approaches to sociolinguistic variation in threatened languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal marsh survival relies on the ability to increase elevation and offset sea level rise. It is therefore important to realistically model sediment fluxes between marshes, tidal channels, and bays as sediment availability controls accretion. Traditionally, numerical models have been calibrated and validated using in situ measurements at a few locations within the domain of interest. These datasets typically provide temporal information but lack spatial variability. This paper explores the potential of coupling numerical models with high-resolution remote sensing imagery. Products from three sensors from the NASA Delta-X airborne mission are used. Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) provides vertical water level change on the marshland and was used to adjust the bathymetry and calibrate water fluxes over the marsh. AirSWOT yields water surface elevation within bays, lakes, and channels, and was used to calibrate the Chezy bottom friction coefficient. Finally, imagery from AVIRIS-NG provides maps of total suspended solids (TSS) concentration that were used to calibrate sediment parameters of settling velocity and critical shear stress for erosion. Three numerical models were developed at different locations along coastal Louisiana using Delft3D. The coupling enabled a spatial evaluation of model performance that was not possible using simple point measurements. Overall, the study shows that calibration of numerical models and their general performance will greatly benefit from remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article announces that Andrej M. Kiel Basa, professor of the Department of Operative Dentistry and Periondontology at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany, has been granted the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Scienctist Award.

In the southeastern United States, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) have historically experienced interspecific brood parasitism (IBP) primarily from hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), but the recent northward expansion of black-bellied whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) has added a new complexity to these interactions. We monitored nest boxes in Louisiana to evaluate the influence IBP had on wood duck daily nest survival rate (after, DSR) and duckling recruitment. We monitored 1,295 wood duck nests from 2020−2023 and found 112 (8.7%) were parasitized by hooded mergansers and 148 (11.5%) by whistling-ducks. Parasitic egg-laying by hooded mergansers lowered wood duck DSR, while DSR for nests parasitized by whistling-ducks was comparable to clutches containing only wood duck eggs. We considered the wood duck capture histories of 2,465 marked female ducklings and 540 banded adult females to estimate a duckling recruitment probability for the entire study period. We recaptured 50 ducklings as adults; 6 (12.0%) hatched from clutches parasitized by hooded mergansers, 1 (2.0%) from a clutch parasitized by a whistling-duck, and 43 (86.0%) from clutches containing only wood duck eggs. The duckling recruitment probability was 0.039 (95% credible interval = 0.028, 0.051). Nest initiation date had a negative effect on recruitment, wherein most recruits hatched from nests initiated earlier in the season. Given only ~9% of wood duck nests contained hooded merganser eggs, we conclude IBP writ large had no detrimental effect on DSR at a population level. The lower DSR of clutches parasitized by hooded mergansers is potentially linked to a high abundance of early-season parasites that produce "dump nests" and these clutches are often abandoned without being incubated. Despite ongoing parasitism by hooded mergansers and the range expansion of whistling-ducks, wood duck productivity in Louisiana appears to be minimally affected by interspecific brood parasitism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the boundary-layer height and its dynamics is crucial for a wide array of applications spanning various fields. Accurate identification of the boundary-layer top contributes to improved air quality predictions, pollutant transport assessments, and enhanced numerical weather prediction through parameterization and assimilation techniques. Despite its significance, defining and observing the boundary-layer top remain challenging. Existing methods of estimating the boundary-layer height encompass radiosonde-based methods, radar-based retrievals, and more. As emerging boundary-layer observation platforms emerge, it is useful to reevaluate the efficacy of existing boundary-layer-top detection methods and explore new ones. This study introduces a fuzzy logic algorithm that leverages the synergy of multiple remote sensing boundary-layer profiling instruments: a Doppler lidar, infrared spectrometer, and microwave radiometer. By harnessing the distinct advantages of each sensing platform, the proposed method enables accurate boundary-layer height estimation both during daytime and nocturnal conditions. The algorithm is benchmarked against radiosonde-derived boundary-layer-top estimates obtained from balloon launches across diverse locations in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Louisiana during summer and fall. The findings reveal notable similarities between the results produced by the proposed fuzzy logic algorithm and traditional radiosonde-based approaches. However, this study delves into the nuanced differences in their behavior, providing insightful analyses about the underlying causes of the observed discrepancies. While developed with the three instruments mentioned above, the fuzzy logic boundary-layer-top detection algorithm, called BLISS-FL, could be adapted for other wind and thermodynamic profilers. BLISS-FL is released publicly, fostering collaboration and advancement within the research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To assess heterogeneity in pandemic-period excess fatal overdoses in the United States, by location (state, county) and substance type. Methods. We used seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models to estimate counterfactual death counts in the scenario that no pandemic had occurred. Such estimates were subtracted from actual death counts to assess the magnitude of pandemic-period excess mortality between March 2020 and August 2021. Results. Nationwide, we estimated 25 668 (95% prediction interval [PI] = 2811, 48 524) excess overdose deaths. Specifically, 17 of 47 states and 197 of 592 counties analyzed had statistically significant excess overdose-related mortality. West Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and New Mexico had the highest rates (20–37 per 100 000). Nationally, there were 5.7 (95% PI = 1.0, 10.4), 3.1 (95% PI = 2.1, 4.2), and 1.4 (95% PI = 0.5, 2.4) excess deaths per 100 000 involving synthetic opioids, psychostimulants, and alcohol, respectively. Conclusions. The steep increase in overdose-related mortality affected primarily the southern and western United States. We identified synthetic opioids and psychostimulants as the main contributors. Public Health Implications. Characterizing overdose-related excess mortality across locations and substance types is critical for optimal allocation of public health resources. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):599–609. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307618) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of surface wave assimilation on hurricane track and intensity forecasts has been investigated using a fully coupled air-ocean-wave tropical cyclone data assimilation and forecast modeling system. A new 3DVAR wave assimilation method in the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation system (NCODA) maps the 1D wave energy spectra from buoys to 2D directional wave energy spectra using the maximum likelihood method (MLM) and corrects the wave model forecast component directional wave energy spectra. The Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System for Tropical Cyclone Prediction (COAMPS-TC) is used to conduct three Hurricane Harvey (2017) airocean-wave coupled data assimilation and forecasting experiments with and without the wave data assimilation. Hurricane Harvey traversed through the Western Gulf of Mexico from 24 August to 1 September, 2017 and made landfall in the Texas and Louisiana coast. Validation of track, maximum wind speed, significant wave height, and mean absolute wave periods show wave assimilation of the 1D wave energy spectra from 13 National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys reduced the forecast errors of these parameters compared to experiments without the wave assimilation. In spite of this positive outcome, the wave assimilation is unable to reduce Harvey's 0-120 h forecast mean wave direction errors and correlation compared to the NDBC buoy time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical model with multiple nutrient and plankton functional groups was developed and adapted to the Gulf of Mexico to investigate the role of nutrients and the complexity of plankton community in dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics. A 15-year hindcast was achieved covering the period of 2006–2020. Extensive model validation against in situ data demonstrates that the model was capable of reproducing vertical distributions of DO and spatial distributions of bottom DO concentration, as well as their interannual variations. The study demonstrates that bottom DO dynamics and hypoxia evolution are significantly influenced by both physical processes and local biochemistry, with sedimentary oxygen consumption and vertical diffusion identified as key contributors. Summer hydrodynamics play a critical role in nutrient distribution and limitation: a notable expansion of Si limitation was simulated when coastal currents shifted eastward or northward. This effect, especially pronounced on the western part of the Louisiana–Texas shelf, underscores the importance of nutrient limitation in shaping DO dynamics. The model identifies a bi-peak primary production pattern in spring and early summer, aligned with satellite chlorophyll a variations, attributed to the complexity of the plankton community and interactions among different plankton groups. Our findings emphasize the necessity of integrating sophisticated plankton community dynamics into biogeochemical models to understand primary production variability and its impact on bottom hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are different types of equitable estoppel under English law including promissory estoppel, estoppel by convention and proprietary estoppel. In this article the various types of estoppel under English law are considered and the doctrine of proprietary estoppel in the context of the creation of a trust is discussed. The English doctrine of equitable estoppel is compared to the principle of promissory estoppel in United States law, including the superimposition of the Statute of Frauds. Its protection of the principle of equitable estoppel has extended to the mixed jurisdiction of Louisiana which has adopted the civil law remedies which are equivalent and lead to similar outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines how COVID-19 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision which held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, have impacted abortion services in Louisiana. Cited are studies showing that the state's pandemic abortion ban has disrupted people's ability to obtain abortions, how the Dobbs decision has allowed states not just to restrict abortion but also to ban abortion outright, and the political shift on abortion that is needed at the state or the federal level.

Background: Police violence is increasingly recognized as an urgent public health problem. Basic questions about police violence, however, remain unanswered, including which types of law enforcement agency are responsible for fatal police violence deaths. Methods: We estimated the proportion of police violence deaths in the U.S. (2013–2022) that were attributable to local, county, state, federal, or tribal police agencies, using mapping police violence data. We examined proportions overall, by decedent race/ethnicity, and by state. Results: Nationally, 60% of decedents were killed by municipal, 29% by county, 8% by state, and 3% by federal, police, with < 1% killed by tribal or other officers. These proportions varied by race/ethnicity, with 56% of Native American decedents killed by municipal police compared to 70–75% among other racially minoritized people. While municipal police were responsible for most deaths in most states, in the Southeast, county police predominated. In some Northeastern states (and Alaska), state police were responsible for > 40% of deaths. Conclusions: We identify wide geographic & racial/ethnic variation in the agencies responsible for fatal police violence. Findings suggest that the budgetary and infrastructural shifts required to prevent fatal police violence need to occur at multiple levels of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variety development of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) is necessary to continue improving sugar yields and selecting photosynthetic traits can improve sugar production through increased carbon inputs. In this study, gas exchange and whole-plant measurements were made on 55 sugarcane genotypes in Louisiana. Variation in the relationship between photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance suggests that sugarcane exhibits variation in both photosynthetic capacity and CO2 substrate availability. Genotypes that reached maximum photosynthetic rate (TRMPR) in the gas-exchange cuvette more quickly had greater CO2 assimilation during transitory periods. Temporary shading and fluctuating light are common transitory conditions in the field, so increasing TRMPR can improve photosynthesis in water-abundant regions. Canopy leaf area was positively correlated with stalk mass, but gas-exchange traits were not correlated with whole-plant traits. A better understanding of the relationship between leaf and whole-plant traits is necessary to identify physiological traits that lead to increased genetic gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon sequestration in the forests of the eastern United States is an important offset to the country's CO2 emissions. Much of the eastern forestland is the product of reforestation of abandoned agricultural land or recovery following clear‐cutting over a century ago. This has led to concerns that eastern forests are even‐aged and that rates of carbon sequestration will decline as forests increase in carbon. Our objective was to examine the successional dynamics of forest carbon sequestration—using live tree carbon stocks as a proxy for successional status—for the six broadly defined forest types present in the region. We used datasets from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) for the 31 US states from Minnesota south to Louisiana and eastward and analyzed live tree net carbon increment for 2007–2021, the period for which NFI plot remeasurement data were available for all 31 states. Spruce–fir and southern pines were the only forest types for which carbon increment declined even modestly over a significant fraction of the range of live tree carbon observed in the region, and southern pine–hardwood forests were the only forests in which predicted sequestration in live tree carbon declined to zero within the range of carbon stocks observed in the region. Northern hardwood–conifer forests, oak–hickory forests, and lowland forests experienced either no decline or a slight increase in sequestration in live tree carbon across the range of successional status observed in the region. Thus, the average stocks of live tree carbon per unit area increased steadily over the study period. At some point in succession, rates of mortality are expected to increase and balance gross growth, leading to zero net sequestration in live tree carbon. Mature and old‐growth stands, however, are rare in all six forest types, and mortality as a fraction of live tree carbon for all six forest types declined across the range of successional status present in the region. Our results thus provide no support for the hypothesis that the successional dynamics of forests in this region can be expected to lead to near‐term declines in net carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, are eponymous larval mosquito predators. Their ability to colonize and survive in habitats that are uninhabitable by other potential predators allows them to naturally manage larval mosquito populations in most ground pools they are present in. However, effluent from residential onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) appears to limit the presence of fish predators. This is especially problematic in Louisiana, where regulations allow the discharge of OWTS effluent into open drainage conveyances. To determine the effect of effluent on the capacity of mosquitofish for biocontrol in contaminated areas, we assessed the body condition metrics of populations from two effluent-exposed sites and two sites not exposed to effluent, determined the lethal effect of effluent-contaminated drainage water on fish, and measured the prey consumption rates in the presence of effluent. Female fish collected from effluent-impacted sites had a reduced somatic body condition and most females examined displayed masculinized anal fins resembling the male gonopodium structure. This trait was not seen in fish collected from the control sites and has not yet been documented in association with OWTSs or in the state of Louisiana. Fish from the control sites survived at effluent-contaminated water levels < 70%, and the prey clearance rates increased with dilution. Onsite wastewater treatment system effluent has significant effects on both the short- and long-term persistence of mosquitofish, their body composition, reproductive health, and larval mosquito consumption. These effects likely release mosquito larvae from suppression and may increase the threat of mosquito-transmitted pathogens in effluent-contaminated locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of regional storm surge reduction strategies and tank-level structural mitigation measures in reducing the failure probability of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) were studied. Given past failures during flood and hurricane events, several studies have developed fragility models for ASTs. However, the suitability of these fragility models for different hurricane hazard scenarios is unknown. Furthermore, to combat climate change and sea level rise, several regional storm surge reduction strategies are being proposed. However, the effectiveness of these strategies in improving the safety of ASTs is also unknown. So, herein, a framework was proposed that facilitates assessing the suitability of fragility models and the quantification of AST failures and their consequences while propagating uncertainties using Monte Carlo simulations. The application of the proposed framework to Cameron, Louisiana, provided several key insights: (1) fragility models that do not model wave loads and dislocation failure are not suitable for the region; (2) a regional risk mitigation strategy was insufficient for lowering future spill volume, repair, and cleanup costs; and (3) considering bottom-plate failure of anchored tanks—a structural risk mitigation measure—would lead to a 47–72% reduction in the consequences of tank failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case builds students' critical thinking skills and knowledge of how Big Data analytics are used in an audit. Using real local government data, students will utilize Tableau to create and analyze visualizations to answer questions regarding governmental entities' fiscal health, search for anomalies, and make recommendations to management. These skills are increasingly necessary in today's workplace and will also be more heavily tested on the CPA Exam beginning in 2024. Additionally, this case addresses AACSB Business Accreditation Standard 4, which calls for critical thinking and current, forward-looking curriculum, and AACSB Accounting Accreditation Standard 5, which calls for the integration of information technology into the curriculum and preparing students to adapt to emerging technologies. Evidence suggests this case improves students' confidence with Big Data analytics and is a useful learning tool. The case is appropriate for use in data analytics, accounting information systems, governmental accounting, and auditing classes. Data Availability: Efficacy data are available from the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the science and legislation surrounding biometrics, examining the integration of biometric technologies into modern life and the associated risks. It analyzes existing state regulations on biometric data, including laws in Illinois, California, Washington, Texas, and proposed legislation in Louisiana, U.S. while exploring potential improvements in privacy protections and regulatory measures.

Governments use metrics made possible by new data technologies to allocate budgets, manage pandemics, valorize ecosystems, and demonstrate how these actions are legitimate. Big data is pointed to as providing objective answers that emerge untampered from observations of the world as it is – a view from nowhere. While data is more valued than ever in environmental governance, so too are arrangements that seek stakeholders' input and otherwise address their subjective interests – a view from everywhere. Different kinds of metrics perform state actors as accountable in both registers: metrics that are responsive to dynamic conditions; that account for specific stakeholders; that can be prioritized against one another in interactive data visualization tools. Louisiana, USA's Coastal Master Plan is an attempt to stem wetlands loss through fine-scale modeling of large volumes of data and calculation of these kinds of social and environmental metrics. State actors there make accountability claims that appear contradictory: their decisions are legitimate because they are driven by the best available coastal science and technology, while their data tools 'didn't make decisions for us.' As state actors deploy environmental big data and metrics to make sense of it, we should be able to explain these apparently contradictory stances and the controversies that result. STS theory on metrics in environmental governance benefits from characterizing how 'modes of authorized seeing' are given expression by different metrical forms and what brings modes into contact and conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting climate impacts is challenging and has to date relied on indirect methods, notably modeling. Here we examine coastal ecosystem change during 13 years of unusually rapid, albeit likely temporary, sea-level rise (> 10 mm yr−1) in the Gulf of Mexico. Such rates, which may become a persistent feature in the future due to anthropogenic climate change, drove rising water levels of similar magnitude in Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Measurements of surface-elevation change at 253 monitoring sites show that 87% of these sites are unable to keep up with rising water levels. We find no evidence for enhanced wetland elevation gain through ecogeomorphic feedbacks, where more frequent inundation would lead to enhanced biomass accumulation that could counterbalance rising water levels. We attribute this to the exceptionally rapid sea-level rise during this time period. Under the current climate trajectory (SSP2-4.5), drowning of ~75% of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is a plausible outcome by 2070. Over 13 years, coastal Louisiana's wetlands have been endangered by a sea-level rise rate comparable to what is expected later this century. While the rate may not persist over the next few decades, this natural experiment indicates a 75% drowning of these wetlands by 2070 under current carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies the determinants of furrow irrigation technology adoption in soybean production. Further, it estimates and evaluates the determinants of acreage allocation under different irrigation technologies in Louisiana crop production. Through a comprehensive mail survey, we acquired the necessary data, employing them to conduct IV-probit estimations specifically focused on irrigation technology adoption. Simultaneously, we utilized the same dataset to deploy multivariate fractional regression models, facilitating a robust exploration and evaluation of the acreage allocation of crop production in the state. The estimated results indicate that education has a significant negative effect on furrow irrigation adoption, while laser leveling has a significant positive effect on it. In particular, the expected probability of furrow irrigation adoption by farmers with a college degree or higher is 45% lower than farmers with education below the college degree. Education, risk attitude, and landholding have a negative effect, and rent status and have a positive effect on acreage allocation under the furrow irrigation system. Our study implies that appropriate policy tools may motivate farmers to adopt cost-effective as well as water-conserving irrigation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current land use and extensive modifications of natural ecosystems across the state of Louisiana are generally similar to those across the southeastern USA where rainfall supports forest ecosystems. Both intentional and unintentional consequences of ecosystem modifications from the scales of water and sediment movement across a field edge to state-wide loss of functional grasslands are legacies from previous development across the state. While major investments and large-scale, long-term plans are aspects of some continuing ecological issues across the state, small-scale, volunteer-led restoration of native grassland plant communities in the Louisiana Coastal Prairie illustrates the value associated with the restoration of natural ecosystem function in drastically disturbed environments. As is now becoming increasingly recognized, Louisiana grasslands represent less obvious components of forest, woodland, and wetland landscapes across the state, where they have contributed essential wildlife habitat, and ecosystem functions. These are now largely missing from many landscapes across the state and region. The strategic restoration of grassland functions combining novel native grass pastures and fully functional native grassland plant communities as landscape components could provide both economic and ecosystem benefits. Specific native grassland seed resources are needed for various restoration activities to enhance ecosystem function at a range of scales across the state and region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van Heerden, V.N., and Snyder, B., 2024. Meta-analysis and spatial distribution of ecosystem services in Louisiana's coastal zone: Implications for coastal restoration. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(1), 17–30. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Coastal Louisiana is shaped by dynamic and complex nature–society relationships. In environmental policymaking, the ecosystem services framework is a common approach to conceptualizing this relationship. A meta-analysis of 46 studies from 1974 to 2019 was conducted, which contained 168 primary ecosystem services valuations for wetlands in coastal Louisiana. Ecosystem services values for freshwater, brackish, and saltwater wetlands are presented. Services include disturbance regulation, fisheries, gas regulation, primary production, nutrient regulation, recreation, and waste regulation. With these values, total ecosystem services values for all wetlands in the coastal zone were calculated. The results showed that freshwater wetlands provide ecosystem services values similar to those of saltwater wetlands and that the annual ecosystem services provisioning for the coastal zone totals more than $36.3 billion (2022 U.S. dollars). This study presents environmental policymakers and planners with an updated ecosystem services value database for effectively communicating the dynamic relationship between people and nature in Louisiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from a survey of parents of school age children in Louisiana to understand their knowledge of and attitudes toward sex education. Louisiana adolescents rank amongst the highest in the nation for teen births and sexually transmitted infections. Louisiana does not require instruction in sex education at any grade level. Survey results provide clear evidence that the majority of Louisiana parents support sex education in school curricula that emphasizes abstinence but also provides broad information on sexual health. With continued efforts to engage local communities statewide, these data stand to redirect state and local level policy making.

The article discusses a study that assessed the extent of soil contamination from submarine and aerial lead sheathed communications cables (LSCC) as well as potential risks to children's health. The researchers measured the amount of soil lead levels at submarine sites in Louisiana and aerial sites in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania using a Niton XL3t X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer. The results indicate that LSCC can be transported from the cables and contaminate surrounding soil and dust.