Cranial Variations and Skull Suture Obliterations as Related to Age in the Coyote (Canis latrans)

Three criteria, skull size, development of the postorbital process, and cranial suture obliteration were examined to evaluate their effectiveness as possible age indicators in the coyote (Canis latrans). Two collections of coyote skulls were evaluated. The first was 130 skulls of known age, from Utah, which were used to compare the above characteristics to the age of the animal. The second was 151 Illinois Department of Conservation (DOC) skulls of unknown age, which were used in conjunction with the known age skulls to evaluate differences in skull size and observer and inter-observer subjectivity in the classification of suture obliterations. Cranial measurements revealed male skulls where significantly larger (P \u3c 0.05), than females. Skull sizes differed significantly between the two populations, with Illinois male skulls being larger (P \u3c 0.05), than Utah males in all measurements, and Illinois females being larger (P \u3c 0.05), than Utah females only in mastoid width. Known age females did not differ significantly with age, but three measurements were found significantly different (P \u3c 0.05), in known age males with respect to age. The postorbital process in the known age coyote skulls revealed some change in shape from rounded to pointed. The rounded condition was only observed in some animals under 6 years of age. Therefore, no specific age estimations could be made from this criterion. Examination of 19 cranial sutures in the known age skulls revealed only six with age related patterns of closure. Due to the varying degree of closure found in these six sutures, the skulls could only be placed in very broad age classes, rendering the value of suture obliteration unsatisfactory in determining the age of coyotes. The subjectivity encountered in this study was found higher among different workers than between multiple observations by one worker

Female hysteria across cultures and periods in American literature

Modernity would like us to believe we are in control: you can be whatever you want if you work hard enough; you are in charge of your own destiny; practice makes perfect; if you don’t like something, change it; you are what you eat. These popular aphorisms reflect our society’s addiction to self-determinism. We are completely set on the idea that we create and direct our own lives. However, there are larger influences in the world which are sometimes out of our control. The government, the media, society as a collective, and other such establishments have power over the individual. The roles and stereotypes a culture propagates do make an impact on the paths people perceive as being possibilities and the identity they ultimately construct. Genetic predispositions as well as sociocultural norms and expectations affect our fate. An excellent example of this relationship is the notorious neurosis that gripped nineteenth century femininity. The condition was coined “hysteria” after a Greek word meaning “uterus” or “wandering uterus” (Fowler 782). It described a condition where women experienced varying forms of madness supposedly due to having a misplaced or unhealthy uterus. In the modern version, females were observed exhibiting a superabundance of symptoms, often episodic, ranging from epileptic-like seizures, to anxiety attacks and paraplegia. They complained of depression, nervousness, unexplainable pain, and over-emotionality (Fowler 782). The epidemic both flustered and frustrated the perplexed physicians. At that time the medical field was largely male-dominated; nurses tended to be women and doctors were typically men. Thusly, physicians sometimes felt their masculinity and intelligence threatened due to their inability to cure (Smith- Rosenberg 209). In stepping into the household to treat a hysteric, they could not win. They were judged for believing the woman was actually ill in a world that saw her as being lazy, deceptive, or childish. In attempting to cure her, they were enabling her to disobediently avoid her role as wife and mother so that she might stay bedridden, spend time in a hospital, or participate in a variety of other treatments. If they questioned the authenticity of her illness, they were seen as being unable to heal her or heartlessly skeptical (Smith-Rosenberg 209). There was also quite a bit of scrutiny over their specific efforts to cure, which sometimes included horrific shock treatments or scandalous sexual therapies. The spectrum of speculation as to hysteria’s cause was as massively broad as the list of possible symptoms. Some respected medical authorities felt it was a grand scheme or malicious method utilized by spoiled, lazy, or immature housewives. Other doctors and psychologists hypothesized it was a result of repressed emotions or suppressed sexual desires. The theories extended on from there. Hysteria was often viewed through a skeptical and pejorative lens (Smith-Rosenberg 197)

A search for volatile ices on the surfaces of cold classical Kuiper Belt Objects

The surprisingly complex dynamical distribution of small bodies among and beyond the orbits of the planets has changed our understanding of Solar System evolution and planetary migration. Compositional information about the small bodies in the Solar System provides constraints for models of Solar System formation. According to most models, the Kuiper Belt population known as the cold classicals formed at distances far enough from the Sun for these objects to be composed of an appreciable fraction of volatile ices of diverse composition (H2O, CO2, CH4, light hydrocarbons, e.g. CH3OH) and their orbits have remained stable. Cold classical objects should still be volatile rich. Broadband data from the Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) can detect and distinguish between absorptions of relevant ices in the 3-5 um [micron] infrared region. Of the 46 cold classical Kuiper Belt Objects in this study, 78% of their surfaces exhibit absorptions from ices or organics in IRAC channel 1 (3.6 um [micron]). The combination of data from IRAC channels 1 and 2 (4.5 um [micron]) provides gross surface composition for the six objects with secure observations in both channels. These six objects are observed to have ices or organics on their surfaces; this is the first detection of ices on four of these objects. The surface of 20000 Varuna contains organic material. The surface of 50000 Quaoar is confirmed to be rich in water ice. The surface composition of 19521 Chaos is mixed ice and organics. Mixed ices, with a high fraction of water ice, and other components are on the surface of 119951 2002 KX14. The surface of 66652 Borasisi is methane rich. Methanol or light hydrocarbons are on the surface of 138537 2000 OK67. Cold classical objects are found to be volatile rich and of diverse surface composition. The presence of ices and organics indicate these objects formed far from the Sun

How Religious Influence has Developed Sports into a Faith of its Own

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College

Heterosexuality at the movies : an auto-ethnographic study of young heterosexual women and their viewing experiences

This thesis takes a qualitative, auto-ethnographic approach to interrogating heterosexuality via a series of in-depth interviews with young women about their experiences of watching films. I have adopted a feminist approach to the research, locating myself within the project via a series of extracts from research diaries I have kept during the project, reflecting my own position as 'researched' as well as 'researcher'. This auto-ethnographic approach draws on the work of previous theorists researching women's lives from a feminist perspective (e.g. Skeggs: 1995, 1997; Stanley and Wise: 1990, 1993; Maynard and Purvis: 1994)

The place and purpose of mathematics within post-16 vocational pathways

Recent policy changes continue to raise the profile of mathematics in post-16 education but the integration of this seemingly academic subject within the context of vocational education remains challenging. In this paper evidence from a multi-method study of vocational students in Further Education will be used to examine the impact of both isolated and integrated practices regarding the provision of a functional mathematics curriculum. Historically the relationship between mathematics and vocational education has been uneasy. Successive curricula have favoured either an embedded approach, which prioritises vocational relevance, or a view which has focussed on the acquisition of a common core of basic mathematical processes. This research shows the positive impact on students when a curriculum which emphasised the usefulness of mathematics for life and work was used in conjunction with internal policies that promoted an integrated, rather than an isolated, organisational approach. Mathematics that students perceived as relevant to their current values and vocational destinations led to more positive attitudes and greater engagement. Comparisons of case studies of student groups in three large Further Education colleges will be used to show how functional mathematics was positioned with respect to different vocational programmes and how opportunities for vocational relevance were maximised in some departments. Many of these students had low levels of attainment and enthusiasm for mathematics but grasping the purpose of mathematics and the place it may have in their future lives were key factors that contributed to significant change

Undergraduate International Students in Virtual Learning Communities: Exploring the Development of the "I-Me" Identity

This qualitative study explored the experiences of twelve international students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds in virtual learning communities in university and college courses. Specifically, this study explored how the students’ identity in virtual learning communities was influenced by interaction within the virtual community. The research questions for this study were: (1) What are international students’ experiences participating in virtual learning communities; and (2) How do international students’ experiences in a virtual learning community influence their development of identity? The findings revealed four themes concerning the “I” and the “Me” within the students’ experiences with the virtual learning community. The first theme pertained to the ethnic “I” identity concerning how students viewed themselves. The second theme included the ethnic “Me” identity as it includes students’ perception of how others view them. Theme three dealt with the virtual ethnic “Me” identity that consisted of the student’s perception of how virtual peers view them. The fourth theme related to the virtual ethnic “I” identity that depicted how students see themselves online in the virtual learning community. Three subthemes emerged from the findings. Together these subthemes influenced the virtual ethnic identity for international students. The identity sub-themes included the structure of the virtual learning community, challenges encountered in the virtual learning community, and change. Ultimately, the virtual ethnic” I” identity and virtual ethnic “Me” identity form the international students’ virtual ethnic identity. Through the interpretive framework of symbolic interactions, the research data was analyzed through the lenses of social presence, identity development, and acculturation. The analysis focused on four virtual barriers to identity development in the virtual learning communities. These virtual barriers included 1) virtual social barriers, 2) virtual cultural barriers 3) virtual learning tools barriers, and 4) virtual dialogue barriers. Further analysis of students’ experiences revealed virtual acculturation stressors when social and dialogue barriers were present. The stressors involved virtual dialogue stressors and virtual safety stressors. With meaningful interactions virtual stressors for international students were reduced. In summary, through the use of multiple theories, insight was gained into how students’ identity development and acculturation experiences were impacted by community members as well as barriers and stressors experienced in virtual learning communities