Characterizing the variability of benthic foraminifera in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon event (2010-2012).

Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event in 2010 subsurface hydrocarbon intrusions (1000-1300 m) and an order of magnitude increase in flocculent hydrocarbon deposition caused increased concentrations of hydrocarbons in continental slope sediments. This study sought to characterize the variability [density, Fisher's alpha (S), equitability (E), Shannon (H)] of benthic foraminifera following the DWH event. A series of sediment cores were collected at two sites in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from 2010 to 2012. At each site, three cores were utilized for benthic faunal analysis, organic geochemistry, and redox metal chemistry, respectively. The surface intervals (∼0-10 mm) of the sedimentary records collected in December 2010 at DSH08 and February 2011 at PCB06 were characterized by significant decreases in foraminiferal density, S, E, and H, relative to the down-core intervals as well as previous surveys. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis suggested that a 3-fold increase in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration in the surface interval, relative to the down-core interval, was the environmental driver of benthic foraminiferal variability. These records suggested that the benthic foraminiferal recovery time, following an event such as the DWH, was on the order of 1-2 years.

Convergence in rural-urban patterns of nuptiality and mortality: a life table update.

"Based on 1979-1981 and 1989-1991 [U.S.] vital registration and 1980 and 1990 census data, we construct increment-decrement life tables for rural and urban males and females. The analysis is centered on 1980 and 1990 and describes urban-rural differences in patterns of mortality and nuptiality by age and sex. Our research updates an earlier study that described urban-rural mortality and marital transition patterns for Tennessee, 1970. The 1980 and 1990 findings parallel the 1970 results. Rural women and men have shorter life expectancies; higher infant mortality rates; younger median ages of entry into first marriage, divorce, and widowhood; a greater proportion of their cohorts ever marrying; lower probabilities of divorce; and higher probabilities of widowhood than urban women and men. However, there was a decline in urban-rural differences from 1970-1990. These changes suggest that urbanization, technological advances in communication and transportation, and the diffusion of urban lifestyles and values may have blurred the urban-rural distinction."

The epidemiologic transition in a frontier town--Manti, Utah: 1849-1977.

Census reports and information in burial records of Manti, Utah from 1849 to July 1977 are examined in order to (1) document mortality trends and differentials by age, sex, cause-of-death, and seasonality as Manti passed from a frontier settlement to a rural agricultural community; and (2) ascertain whether the shifts in the cause-of-death structure follow those patterns outlined by Omran (1971, 1974, 1977) in his theory of the epidemiologic transition. Findings parallel patterns suggested by Omran. Major factors accounting for mortality reductions are (1) elimination of the population's dependence upon a contaminated water supply, and (2) adoption of medical advances as they became available.

Open and closed birth intervals for once-married spouse-present white women.

Using the 1970 1/1,000 Public Use Sample of the U.S. population, the relationships of the closed and open birth intervals with parity and mother's age, with parity and marital duration, and with children ever born/marital duration and mother's age are analyzed. These findings both replicate and expand on Srinivasan's earlier research on the open interval. The open interval is more sensitive as an index of marital fertility when marital duration and parity are controlled than when mother's age and parity are controlled.

The bogue-palmore technique for estimating direct fertility measures from indirect indicators as applied to Tennessee counties, 1960 and 1970.

Bogue and Palmore's technique for estimating direct fertility measures from indirect indicators IS applied to the 95 counties of Tennessee 1960 and 1970. Findings based on these data tentatively suggest that this technique may be better suited for cross-national research than for analysis of small population units. It is recommended that the "own child" method is more appropriate for estimating fertility when utilizing data on counties.

Child-spacing differentials for white and non-white couples according to educational level of attainment for the 1/1000 sample of the United States population in 1960.

Abstract Despite previous research on the relationship between husband's or wife's level of educational attainment and childbearing and child spacing, relatively few data exist on couples' combined educational attainment which compares whites and non-whites. Further, to date a systematic exploration of available information contained on the 1/1,000 sample of the United States population in 1960 has not been undertaken. This paper utilizes these data and investigates the time intervals between marriage and first birth and between subsequent events to determine what relationships exist between parity and child spacing for white and non-white couples by level of educational attainment.