Catholic Nuns in the Civil War

In an era where women were denied any real careers in life except marriage and motherhood, "A prime attraction of convents was a way of life which gave women, who would otherwise have had no such possibilities, access to effect change, a prominent and active role-in short, a vocation in the world. Sisterhood was seen as a great undertaking in the service of an active and enthusiastic faith."1 These Catholic sisterhoods gave American girls an "alternative to marriage and motherhood, an opportunity for lifelong meaningful work, and a way to live out their spiritual ideals with an all female community that shared similar goals and values."2 Through their travels, their administrative skills, their nursing skills, and their adaptability to any situation, they might have been "sheltered from the world," but these women were definitely in the public sphere.

A Comparison of Post-Concussion Neurocognitive Test Results of Recently Concussed High School Athletes to their Neurocognitive Baseline Test Results Prior to Returning to Play

PURPOSE: In 2017, an estimated 2.5 million U.S. high school students reported having suffered at least one concussion while participating in sports or physical activity during the previous year. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of concussion among high school athletes and compare the athletes’ post-injury neurocognitive function to their baseline test results prior to returning to play. METHODS: A retrospective records review of neurocognitive test scores of high school athletes during the June 2017 – June 2018 sport season was conducted. The records of 696 high school athletes were reviewed, including 30 post-injury test scores. Data were analyzed to determine the incidence of concussion during the sport season and evaluate differences in neurocognitive test scores between students who experienced concussion and those who did not. RESULTS: No differences were found between gender or age of high school athletes for incidence of concussion. Thirty students experienced concussion during the 2017-2018 sport season. The sports where concussions occurred included archery (2.1%), basketball (4.4%), bowling (3.7%), cheerleading (4.1%), football (13%), golf (16.7%), soccer (3.9%), swimming (8%), tennis (2.9%), volleyball (4.5%), and cross country (10%). There was no difference found between baseline and post-injury neurocognitive scores in athletes who suffered a concussion during the sport season. CONCLUSION: Concussion among high school athletes is a growing problem in the U.S. Risk of concussion is present in most high school sports. It is important to ensure athletes are not returning too soon following concussion. The fact that no differences were found between baseline and post-injury neurocognitive scores is encouraging. Although concussion injuries occur, this study verifies that current treatment protocols for concussion injuries instituted by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association are effectively ensuring cognitive healing prior to returning to play as evidenced by results found in this study

Race in Kansas

There is no excuse for denying any American citizen his rights. This is not a project to defend discrimination in Kansas. I will try and show that "the values of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century's material wealth and successful competition caused Kansas blacks to determine their process by standards in force for society at large."

Evidence of Emotional Intelligence in College Presidents’ Public Writing: Does Their Emotional Intelligence Change Over Time?

Higher education (HIED) presidents face a wide variety of competing demands and pressures. High emotional intelligence (EI) has been found to be effective in good leadership, but few studies exist which examine HIED presidents’ EI. This quantitative growth model study attempted to expand the understanding of EI and its source of change among HIED presidents. Several conceptualizations link together in this study to better understand HIED presidents’ EI. First, higher EI has been linked to strong leadership and strong communication. Studies show EI can change over time and EI is associated with certain demographic factors. Further, language, particularly written language, has been found to reveal characteristics of a persons’ personality. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a person’s personality through their writing can be effectively identified. LIWC has also identified writers’ Big Five personality traits more frequently than their EI. Finally, because most EI assessments are widely criticized, this study used a categorical-dynamic index derived from the Big Five as an EI proxy. This study examined the public writings of HIED presidents created every six months over 2.5-years to better understand EI, its change, and its moderators in HIED presidents. The study found that while EI was significantly different among HIED presidents, it did not significantly change over the 2.5 years. Further, while six moderators were examined, only institutional size was significant. Potential reasons for the lack of significance among these findings are that without targeted EI training, 2.5 years is not enough time to find a significant change in EI. In addition, the sample sizes within each moderator were too small to find significance. The hope is that this study will inspire other researchers to look further into HIED presidents’ EI, presidents who feel like they can improve will seek EI training, and institutions of HIED will consider candidates’ EI levels when selecting their next executive leader

Evidence of Emotional Intelligence in College Presidents’ Public Writing: Does Their Emotional Intelligence Change Over Time?

Higher education (HIED) presidents face a wide variety of competing demands and pressures. High emotional intelligence (EI) has been found to be effective in good leadership, but few studies exist which examine HIED presidents’ EI. This quantitative growth model study attempted to expand the understanding of EI and its source of change among HIED presidents. Several conceptualizations link together in this study to better understand HIED presidents’ EI. First, higher EI has been linked to strong leadership and strong communication. Studies show EI can change over time and EI is associated with certain demographic factors. Further, language, particularly written language, has been found to reveal characteristics of a persons’ personality. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a person’s personality through their writing can be effectively identified. LIWC has also identified writers’ Big Five personality traits more frequently than their EI. Finally, because most EI assessments are widely criticized, this study used a categorical-dynamic index derived from the Big Five as an EI proxy. This study examined the public writings of HIED presidents created every six months over 2.5-years to better understand EI, its change, and its moderators in HIED presidents. The study found that while EI was significantly different among HIED presidents, it did not significantly change over the 2.5 years. Further, while six moderators were examined, only institutional size was significant. Potential reasons for the lack of significance among these findings are that without targeted EI training, 2.5 years is not enough time to find a significant change in EI. In addition, the sample sizes within each moderator were too small to find significance. The hope is that this study will inspire other researchers to look further into HIED presidents’ EI, presidents who feel like they can improve will seek EI training, and institutions of HIED will consider candidates’ EI levels when selecting their next executive leader

¿Trasplantes incaicos o etnogénesis poscolonial? El origen de los salasacas de la Sierra ecuatoriana (Estudios)

The salasacas are an indigenous group with a controversial history of origen. Many manuscripts state that they descend from an uprooted Inca population that traveled north from present Bolivia to their new settlement that is now Ecuador. The article presents an alternative narrative that identifies three separate migrations to Salasaca, by different indigenas groups, in the Sixteenth Century. It shows that the modern Salasacan nationality emerged during colonial and postcolonial transformations. It contends that the ethnic distinction of the salasacas is due to the fact that they opted to collectively unite as one solid ethnic group in order to remain as an Indigenas enclave in a region that was experiencing whitening or widespread emergence of half castes.Los salasacas son un grupo indígena con una historia de origen controversial. Muchos escritos declaran que descienden de una población trasplantada por los incas desde la actual Bolivia hasta su ubicación en lo que hoy es Ecuador. El artículo presenta una narrativa alternativa que identifica tres migraciones a Salasaca, de diferentes grupos indígenas, en el siglo XVI. Se demuestra que la nacionalidad moderna de Salasaca surgió a través de transformaciones coloniales y poscoloniales. Se argumenta que la distinción étnica de los salasacas se debe a que optaron por unificarse como un solo grupo étnico para permanecer como enclave indígena en una región que experimentó el blanqueamiento cultural o mestizaje

Opportunities in Health Care: Evaluation of Career Connections Program at Norwalk Community College

The Career Connections program was a career pathways program at Norwalk Community College (NCC) aimed at connecting opportunity youth in Fairfield County, Connecticut to high-demand allied health care jobs in the local labor force. The term "opportunity youth" in this program refers to youth, aged 18 to 25, who have graduated from high school or the equivalent, are not pursuing postsecondary education, and are not making a living above minimum wage. The program design was conceived of by Fairfield County's Community Foundation ("The Community Foundation"), as part of its Thrive by 25 initiative. The Community Foundation also funded Career Connections. The Community Foundation, NCC and the NCC Foundation jointly selected Philliber Research & Evaluation as the third-party evaluation consultant for the program.Because of the many challenges these youth face, the program was designed to provide full coverage of the cost of NCC's allied health care certificate programs, as well as offer additional supports, such as workforce readiness training, internships, academic advising, job development, and subsidized transportation. An NCC Job Developer worked with employers to help place students in Fairfield County allied health care jobs. Career Connections, housed in NCC's Continuing Education and Workforce Development Division, launched in winter 2017 and concluded in fall 2018.

Survey of the Ectoparasites of the Invasive Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus [Carnivora: Herpestidae]) on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

In March 2012, live trapping surveys were conducted for invasive small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Forty mongoose were sampled (31%, 9&) for ectoparasites, and cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) were discovered on 17 individuals. There was no difference in the number of ectoparasites per mongoose across age classifications (r = 0.109, P = 0.579). However, males had more cat fleas than females, even when mass was taken into account (males are generally heavier). Future behavioral studies may explain these sex differences. Although management suggestions from this research are limited, these data contribute to an understanding of ectoparasite distributions on these invasive mongoose in the Caribbean

Predation on Artificial Turkey Nests at Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Western Virginia

Because ground-nesting wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) may sustain high incidences of nest predation in western Virginia, determining their predators is essential to understanding risk and managing the birds. Our study investigated potential predators of wild turkey nests at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, New River Unit (RFAAP; Pulaski Co., in western Virginia). Here, we established 8 artificial nests during the breeding season for wild turkey (March-April, 2017), and documented predators via game cameras. Thirty-one species of mammals and birds visited the nests over the 31-day study. Nest predation was verified 56 times across 6 species, including coyotes (Canis latrans), a relatively new addition to the RFAAP. Most egg loss was attributed to mesocarnivores—raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana)—but eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) were predators, too. Because these nests were artificial and unguarded, further studies will elucidate predation risks to wild turkeys at the RFAAP. The RFAAP offers the unique opportunity to further study this predator-prey relationship, as hunting for wild turkey and the predators recognized in this study is not permitted on the property

A Comparative Evaluation of Antimicrobial Coated versus Non-antimicrobial Coated Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters on Associated Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a common life-threatening risk factor associated with central venous catheters (CVCs). Research has demonstrated benefit in reducing CLABSIs when CVCs coated with antimicrobials are inserted. The impact of chlorhexidine (CHG)-impregnated versus non-CHG peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) on risk of CLABSI is unknown. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is also a complication associated with CVCs. This study compares the impact of both PICC lines on these outcomes. Methods Patients in 3 high-risk units were randomly assigned to receive either a CHG-impregnated or non-CHG PICC line. Laboratory data were collected and reviewed daily on all study patients. The PICC dressing site was assessed daily. Medical record documentation was reviewed to determine presence of CLABSI or VTE. Results There were 167 patients who completed the study. Three patients developed CLABSI (2 in the CHG group, and 1 in the non-CHG group), and 3 patients developed VTE (2 in the non-CHG group, and 1 in the CHG group). No significant relationship was noted between the type of PICC line on development of a CLABSI (P = .61) or VTE (P > .99). A significant difference was noted in moderate bleeding (P ≤ .001) requiring thrombogenic dressing in the patients who had the CHG PICC line. Conclusions No differences were noted in the development of CLABSI and VTE between the CHG and non-CHG groups