Binding femininity: an examination of the effects on tightlacing on the female pelvis

The corset in eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe was not merely an article of clothing. The corset was a complex and often contradictory social and cultural symbol. It symbolized both the sensual female body and the chaste virgin; the female control over male desires, and the male’s control over the female body. The ubiquity of the corset in the eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe is an important commentary on historical European society. Reports of women (and men) who have died as a result of the tightness of their corsets abound in the literature. Case studies from medical professionals provide information on the changes corsets wrought in the soft tissues of the women who wore them. However, to date, no systematic studies have been conducted which detail the changes in the bony pelvis. This study examines the effect of corseting upon the female and male pelvis of the Spitalfields skeletal collection, with consideration of consequential reduced fecundity and difficulties in parturition. Corseting status was determined through the presence or absence of compression on the ribs. Results show arcurate line length was significantly shorter in females with deformed ribs than in females with normal ribs, and the females with deformed ribs were significantly younger than the normal rib females. In addition, transverse diameter of the inlet and maximum femoral length approached significance, with females having deformed ribs being smaller. There was no significant relationship between pelvic contraction and deformed ribs, and deformed rib females retained a significantly larger pelvis than normal rib males. These data indicate that corseting did change the average size of the female pelvis, but not sufficiently to change the obstetrical sufficiency of the corseted pelvis

Threshold crack growth in a36 steel

Objectives of this investigation were to investigate regions of high cycle and threshold fatigue crack propagation and to correlate the findings with observed results from tests of welded structural details

Using Remotely Accessible Microscopy in the Elementary Classroom

Elementary children are at an age of investigation and exploration. In today’s society, this exploration often occurs using technology. Whether learning to type with Typing Club, using Google to search for information on Yellowstone National Park or designing and creating a city in Minecraft, technology has become a part of every child’s existence. Early access to technology could be the impetus to a students’ pursuit of a degree in STEM disciplines. Presented here is a conglomerate of University, Community College and High School sites that provide free access to advanced scientific technologies remotely for students to view and manipulate for themselves. The Remotely Accessible Instruments in Nanotechnology (RAIN) Network provides Scanning Electron (SEM), Atomic Force (AFM) and Confocal Microscopes to educators and allows an opportunity to connect with higher education scientist across the globe, with the goal of using technology to enhance the teaching of science to our children