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The Effect of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic on U.S. Life Insurance Holdings
Get PDFThis paper examines the effect of a sharp rise in mortality, the 1918 influenza epidemic, on life insurance holdings in the U.S. The BLS Cost of Living Surveys of 1918-1919 provide a unique opportunity to examine the effect of the pandemic—some households were surveyed before, and others during or shortly after the worst of the influenza outbreak. In addition, I use state-level insurance sales data to compare the increase in spending on insurance in states particularly hard hit by the epidemic, relative to those that were not. I find some evidence that, in the immediate aftermath of the epidemic, those in severely affected areas spent more on industrial insurance. They were less likely, though, to hold ordinary or fraternal policies and the effects appear to be short-lived. I consider a few explanations for the smaller-than-expected results
Understanding Microplastics in Freshwater: From Little Stream to Big River
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to better understand how microplastics move through rivers. Microplastics can come from various sources, but the main characteristic of them is their size. These plastics have diameters between 10 nanometers and 5mm. Because these particles are easily confused with food sources, ingestion and bioaccumulation of microplastics in many aquatic organisms has been a hot topic for concern (Besseling et al, 2017; Liedermann et. al, 2018; Nel et. al, 2018; Siegfried et. al, 2017; Windsor et. al, 2019). Ingestion of these microplastics can be detrimental to both human and ecological health due to pathogen accumulation on plastic surfaces. Consumption of these plastics can lead to sickness, harm to bodily functions, and even death. Plastic debris has been documented in the intestines of many marine animals such as fish, turtles, shrimp, and shore birds. In addition to the marine environment, plastics have been documented in freshwater fish, insects, and invertebrates. (Bordós et. al, 2018; Nel et. al, 2018; Peng et. al, 2017; Rodrigues et. al, 2018; Windsor et. al, 2019). As evidence of these contaminants becomes more persistent in our environment, it is important to document and understand the way these microplastics are transported in waterways. This research explores the questions, “How do microplastic distributions differ upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plants?” and, “How do microplastic concentrations vary among different sized streams?” In order to answer these questions, a research team collected one sample upstream and one sample downstream of seven different wastewater treatment discharge sites. These seven sites were on six different streams including Hickory Creek, Orion Creek, Crow Creek, Geneseo Creek, the Rock River and the Mississippi River
College Bulletin
No full textFrom King’s 1976 visit. From I/O:12 American-Scandinavian Foundation (Midwest Office) recordshttps://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonexhibits_royalvisits/1006/thumbnail.jp
Letter
No full textFrom Carl Holtman to wife and son after being injured during WWII, April 20, 1945. From MSS P:31 Richard Holtman papershttps://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonexhibits_wwii/1004/thumbnail.jp
Sr. Miriam: Community and Habits
Get PDFThis paper includes part of an interview on January 11, 2019, with “Sr. Miriam Drake” – a sister who has served her congregation for almost 60 years – and her views on evolution of habits after Vatican II as well as the role of community in faith
Sr. Anne Jones: Prayer in Action
Get PDFThis paper includes part of an interview with Sr. Anne Jones, a woman religious belonging an order with a history in education. This interview includes a key moment in her discernment process and her opinions on the misunderstanding that only cloistered nuns are contemplatives
Sr. Kelly: Climate Change
Get PDFThis paper includes an excerpt from an interview with Sr. Kelly, a woman religious who has worked in education for multiple decades and has been an important activist in the fight against climate change within her community
Instagram: Sense of Self
No full textWe created this project to showcase pieces of art from various people to raise awareness and help end the invisible visible
Clinical Implications of Evolutionary Modeling of Cancer Progression
Get PDFEvolutionary theory of cancer was developed in 1976 by cancer research Peter Nowell and has illuminated the path toward increasing safety and efficacy of clinical treatment strategies. Major foundations that makeup the complexity in Darwinian framework of cancer includes clonal evolution, clonal expansion, and competition. Due to these characteristics, virtually all types of cancer have evolutionary capabilities to reject or adapt and become resistant to pharmaceutical therapies. Despite compelling evidence of these process, evolutionary modeling of cancer continues to be underutilized in clinical settings. Contributions to this include the complex adaptive mechanisms that tools fail to detect or are unable to be targeted effectively, lack of studies regarding quantity and relevance, and the perception of evolutionary theory. As a result, failure to clinically adopt evolutionary modeling has delayed development of new cancer therapy strategies, particularly for cancer recurrence. Drug resistance and relapse are devastating and compelling pieces of evidence that should compel researchers and clinicians to integrate evolutionary modeling into cancer treatment. Evolutionary modeling provides key insight into developing treatments that are as dynamic as cancer biology, including personalized medicine, Adaptive Therapy (AT), and to make systemic cancer treatments obsolete