I Am No Man: A Study of Warrior Women in the Archaeological Record

The study of gender in archaeology has become a prominent aspect of archaeological theory and the contributions of women in ancient societies are an every growing topic. This paper addresses one such category within this topic, warrior women of the archaeological record. Assumed standard divisions of labor between women and men across cultures that oversimplify the manifestations of gender and sex and ignore variation within these roles have been shown to be outdated androcentric approaches to archaeology. The importance of reexaminations of gender roles in ancient history is that they have helped to shed light upon the significant variation in the previously overlooked or distorted contributions of women to history. Research into the many representations of the warrior woman in different cultures and time periods offers new opportunities into a better understanding of manifestations of gender and power. An understanding of the concepts of gender and the warrior in archaeological contexts, along with the various female warrior manifestations, are the two key components needed to thoroughly examine archaeological evidence for the presence of warrior women. With these components in hand archaeologists can begin to more effectively identify not only warrior women, but also the presence of individual agency in action, and the amount of flexibility and variation within the social roles of a culture

The Toggle & Indigenous Iron Age Glass Production in Ireland

The study of beads in archaeological contexts is a significant part of the reconstruction of material culture, used for tracing trade contacts, and in the study of ornament as a visual language (Cohn 1959: 77). As portable pieces that can be sourced and serve as stylistic, temporal, and social markers, beads reflect larger patterns of interaction and communication during periods characterized by significant change and increasing mobility. In the Irish Iron Age, the systematic study of artifact types has begun to clarify dating and questions of cultural contact. Glass objects, most commonly in the form of beads, are one such marker. Beads appear in multiple archaeological contexts across the island throughout this time period and have only been summarily discussed (e.g. Guido 1978; Henderson 1988b; B. Raftery 1972). The information presented here is part of my master’s thesis in which I synthesized all evidence for Irish Iron Age glass to examine the characteristics, variability, and distribution of glass on the island. This article will discuss the archaeological evidence regarding indigenous glass production in Ireland during the Iron Age. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the glass toggle, a form that is likely unique to the island and indicative of glass production here

The dead rise the dead and walk among the living: An examination of the haunting South, queerness, and grotesqueries in Truman Capote\u27s Other Voices, Other Rooms and Local Color

This project is conceptualized through a multitude of intersecting and overlapping theories that work together to allow an examination of circulations and intersections of queerness, grotesqueries, and the haunting South. Throughout this reading of Truman Capote’s Other Voices, Other Rooms and Local Color I want to think through the ways in which images and moments in the text can be queer and grotesque while also lending themselves to the images and eruptions that make up the haunting South. My reading of grotesqueries and the haunting South purposefully moves away from the Southern Gothic, rooting itself instead in a space that is much less nostalgic for the Old South, and much less interested in the narrative surrounding the fall of the South/rehashing of the Civil War, but rather is informed by critical theory that deals with ideas of hauntings, eruptions, and ghosts. My work intends to delineate the ways in which the racial violence, inequality, and unrest surrounding the South’s past refuses to ever be fully a part of the past – rather images and ideas surrounding these horrors return at the least expected moment in unexpected guises to haunt and remind the living that they will never truly die – the past is a part of and is imprinted on the present and refuses vehemently to be buried. My work is trying to let these ghosts and hauntings guide us through the works of Capote

The graduate student experience in the neoliberal academy

This commentary discusses graduate student perspectives on the disjuncture between the neoliberal framing of value as pursuit of economic profit and the academic community’s pursuit of knowledge. Declining opportunities and the devaluing of different frames of knowledge and practice in the academy suppress graduate students’ ability to contribute to their chosen fields of study and to create value in novel ways. Our participation as graduate students in the academic community, including organizations such as American Association of University Professors, has been instrumental in articulating the interconnectedness of the systemic consequences that the neoliberal constitution of value has on the campus and community.This commentary discusses graduate student perspectives on the disjuncture between the neoliberal framing of value as pursuit of economic profit and the academic community’s pursuit of knowledge. Declining opportunities and the devaluing of different frames of knowledge and practice in the academy suppress graduate students’ ability to contribute to their chosen fields of study and to create value in novel ways. Our participation as graduate students in the academic community, including organizations such as American Association of University Professors, has been instrumental in articulating the interconnectedness of the systemic consequences that the neoliberal constitution of value has on the campus and community

Memory T cell responses in COVID-19 vaccinated children

OBJECTIVE: Despite patterns observed during previous respiratory virus outbreaks, pediatric populations have been more likely than their adult counterparts to display mild or no symptoms in response to infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The exact reasons for this have yet to be fully determined - although there are several theories undergoing current research. Our study, however, focuses on the development of immunological memory in children in response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, particularly in T cells. We hypothesize that - following the first, second, and booster dose of the Moderna mRNA vaccine - there will be a clear increase in T cell marker activation in pediatric PBMC samples. METHODS: PBMCs were acquired from blood samples drawn from 15 pediatric participants following the administration of the first, second, and booster dose of the Moderna mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. For the purposes of our study, pediatric will be defined as 5 to 11 years of age. A T cell activation assay was then performed using the PBMCs from all 15 participants, where samples were either stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or left unstimulated for control. Both the stimulated and unstimulated control samples were then stained utilizing antibodies that labeled T cell-specific AIMs. The antibody-stained samples were run through a flow cytometer for analysis. Finally, results were analyzed using either a two-way or one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Following the completed series of Moderna mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (first, second, and booster doses), there was an increase in CD4+ T cell AIM expression in children. CD8+ T cell AIM expression in children, however, remained unchanged following the completed vaccine series. Our results also demonstrated an increase in cytokine activity in CD4+ pediatric T cells after vaccination but a decrease in cytokine activity in CD8+ pediatric T cells after vaccination – although, neither of these findings were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a preference for the development and activation of CD4+ T cell AIMs over CD8+ T cell AIMs by the pediatric immune system in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and vaccine. These results suggest that the pediatric immune response to COVID-19 favors the establishment of tolerance as opposed to mounting a full, systemic inflammatory response. However, further research is needed to determine if this is a causal relationship or simply a correlation

On your mark, get set, action! A look into viewer perceptions of sports-themed branded videos

With the proliferation of media, particularly digital media, consumers have become more powerful. They now make decisions about when, where and how they consume media (Young, 2014). Such decisions often include the elimination of traditional advertisements. Consumers have found a straight path to entertainment, which thwarts advertisers’ attempts to distract them. The solution? Advertisers have encouraged brands to become the entertainment. With branded integration, advertisers are able to slip into the imaginations of consumers (Chen, 2014). Their stories champion themes and values that are related to their brand identities Athletic apparel brands such as Nike and Adidas have increased their development of branded integration with strong sports themes. In addition, brands that are not connected with sports are beginning to create branded integration centered on major sporting events (Nudd, 2014). This study explored how audiences perceived videos created by advertisers. In addition, it applied two theories, narrative transportation and identification, in order to get a better understanding of how viewers form connections with brands. Seven college undergraduates, who described themselves as sports fans, took part in this study that involved both focus groups and questionnaires. The findings suggest that viewers seek validation and affirmation from advertisers. They prefer brands that use video to affirm their beliefs and practicesBachelor of Art

Landing Styles Influence Reactive Strength Index without Increasing Risk for Injury

Purpose: Current knee injury prevention and rehabilitation interventions focus on “soft landings” to prevent lower extremity landing misalignments that could predispose the knee to injury when landing “stiff”. However, from a performance perspective, a “soft” landing is not the self-selected (SS) technique chosen during sports performance. The goal of sports performance is often repeated jumps for maximal height while minimizing ground contact time. The purpose of this study was to determine which of three different landing styles; stiff (ST), self-selected (SS), or soft (SF), exhibit safer landing mechanics and greater jumping performance. Subjects: 30 participants (men: 16; women: 14; BMI: 23.75 ± 2.35kg/m2) Methods: Subjects performed five trials of three randomized drop jump landing styles including SF (approx. 60° knee flexion), ST (knees as straight as possible), and SS. Upon landing, subjects were asked to perform a countermovement jump; jumping as high and fast as possible trying to touch the laboratory ceiling. Knee flexion and valgus were measured using a ten-camera, three-dimensional motion capture system (120 Hz). Kinetics were measured by four force plates (960 Hz) and an FScan In-shoe system (100 Hz) synchronized to the motion system. A wireless electromyography (EMG) system was used to measure muscle activity of the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius. Reactive strength index (RSI) was estimated by dividing the height of the vertical jump (as measured by the displacement of the sacrum) during each trial divided by the contact time with the force plates previous to performing the countermovement jump. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) with post-hoc if appropriate, were used to compare landing mechanics, kinetics, EMG, and reactive strength among landing styles. Results: All landing styles differed in flexion (p \u3c 0.001) but not in valgus. For flexion, SF (116°) \u3e SS (89°) \u3e ST (60°). MANOVAs for RSI showed significant differences for all jumps (p \u3c 0.001) with SS (0.96) showing the highest value, followed by ST (0.93), and SF (0.64). Kinetics showed significant differences between jumps (p \u3c 0.001) with SF (1.34/bw) showing lower forces followed by SS (1.50/bw), and ST (1.81/bw). No differences between jumps were observed for EMG variables. Conclusions: The difference in flexion between landing styles showed all jumps were performed with different landing depths. No particular landing style demonstrated dangerous valgus landing mechanics. SS landing styles seemed to be the appropriate landing style to enhance jumping/landing performance as they exhibited the highest RSI. Clinical Relevance: Sports physical therapists should allow and reinforce each athlete’s landing style and ensure it is performed with no valgus as this would allow the athletes to maximize their reactive forces and subsequent performance

Checking Some Wellesley Index Attributions by Empirical ‘Internal Evidence’: The Case of Blackie and Burton

Since its inception, the Wellesley Index has been a great resource for scholars wanting to know the identity of the numerous anonymous contributors to the nineteenth-century periodicals. However, when all the available external evidence was exhausted Wellesley attributors began to rely on internal evidence, and some of these attributions are now being queried as unduly speculative. This is the case with the attribution of certain articles in Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine to John Stuart Blackie and John Hill Burton, two Scottish contributors in the 1830s and 40s, where the evidence is, as Eileen Curran noted in The Curran Index, often ‘tenuous.’  Developments in computational stylistics over the last thirty years now offer statistical techniques for testing such doubtful attributions. Use of the Burrows Method, based on an author’s relative usage or non-usage of common function words, allows the researcher to isolate an author’s distinctive stylistic traits and to use these to compare his known articles with others of more doubtful provenance and to make informed judgments about the likelihood of his authorship of these. These methods were used to test the authorship of eight articles attributed to Blackie and eight attributed to Burton. The use of function words in the doubtful articles was compared to that in six articles reliably attributed to Blackie and ten reliably attributed to Burton and then to that by contemporaries also writing for other major periodicals. It was found that only four of the Blackie articles tested and two of those by Burton appear to have been correctly attributed in the Wellesley Index