From Matron to Maven: A New Role and New Professional Identity for Deans of Women, 1892 to 1916

Presidents of mid-nineteenth century coeducational colleges hired dormitory matrons as chaperones or disciplinarians. This arrangement was replaced by a new type of woman administrator-dean of women. The deans were highly trained, ambitious women not content with such a limited role. The careers and strategies of four women who were instrumental in transforming the position of dean of women into a profession are examined. This small cadre of women, working in midwestern institutions, developed an expansive vision for their position: Marion Talbot, University of Chicago, 1892 to 1925; Mary Bidwell Breed, Indiana University, 1901 to 1906; Ada Louise Comstock, University of Minnesota, 1906 to 1912; and Lois Kimball Mathews, University of Wisconsin, 1911 to 1918

Efficacy of a Ternary Blend in Improving Bridge Deck Concrete Durability in Tennessee

A study related to the durability of bridge deck concrete in the state of Tennessee has been ongoing at the University of Tennessee (UT) for the past decade. The most recent phase of this research was begun in the fall of 2009 with a focus on developing assessment criteria and methodology to assess the durability of bridge deck concrete in the state of Tennessee. The methodology that was used to assess the durability of Tennessee bridge deck concrete was to determine the concrete’s resistance to chloride ion penetration by way of two test methods, the Surface Resistivity (SR) test and the Rapid Chloride Ion Penetration (RCP) test. Current guidelines set forth by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) require that the “Class D” concrete mixture be placed on all bridge deck applications in the state of Tennessee. SR and RCP tests have been performed on “Class D” concrete cylinders from various bridge deck placements across the state for the past two and a half years. Results from the tests indicate that the current “Class D” concrete mixture is not adequate in resisting chloride ion penetration at satisfactory levels. Thus, it was decided to propose a ternary blended concrete mixture for use on Tennessee bridge decks in order to better resist chloride ion penetration and, as a result, improve the durability of bridge deck concrete in Tennessee. Ternary concrete mixtures have been found to offer many benefits to both the strength and durability properties of concrete. A concrete mixture is classified as “ternary” when it contains three different types of cementitious materials. While TDOT’s current specifications do not specifically prohibit the use of a ternary “Class D” mixture, the “Class D” concrete mixtures currently being placed on bridge decks are typically 100% portland cement mixtures or are binary mixtures containing mostly vii portland cement with a relatively small amount of fly ash. Ternary blended laboratory samples were created to compare SR and RCP values to the typical “Class D” mixtures. Results from the tests, as well as results reported in technical literature, indicate that ternary mixtures have significantly better resistance to chloride ion penetration as compared to the typical “Class D” mixtures

The Other Side of the Coin: The Role of Militia in Counterinsurgency

Can the success of the Sunni Awakening in Iraq be applied to other counter-insurgency conflicts, or is it an exemplary case? Using case studies including Iraq and Afghanistan, it will be examined whether or not militias can be can be used to fight counterinsurgency campaigns in Afghanistan and generally to other conflicts. It may not work in Afghanistan, and certainly presents a Catch-22 situation, but it may be applicable in certain situations in other conflicts under certain conditions

A project proposal for a client funds banking system

The goal of the proposed client funds banking system is to achieve substantial measurable benefits by converting the client funds banking practices of forty-six counties into one coherent simplified statewide system

Contracting Agile Developments for Mission Critical Systems in the Public Sector

Although Agile is a well established software development paradigm, major concerns arise when it comes to contracting issues between a software consumer and a software producer. How to contractualize the Agile production of software, especially for security & mission critical organizations, which typically outsource software projects, has been a major concern since the beginning of the \u201cAgile Era.\u201d In literature, little has been done, from a foundational point of view regarding the formalization of such contracts. Indeed, when the development is outsourced, the management of the contractual life is non\u2013trivial. This happens because the interests of the two parties are typically not aligned. In these situations, software houses strive for the minimization of the effort, while the customer commonly expects high quality artifacts. This structural asymmetry can hardly be overcome with traditional \u201cWaterfall\u201d contracts. In this work, we propose a foundational approach to the Law & Economics of Agile contracts. Moreover, we explore the key elements of the Italian procurement law and outline a suitable solution to merge some basic legal constraints with Agile requirements. Finally, a case study is presented, describing how Agile contracting has been concretely implemented in the Italian Defense Acquisition Process. This work is intended to be a framework for Agile contracts for the Italian public sector of critical systems, according to the new contractual law (Codice degli Appalti)

Software tools for project management: focus on collaborative management

Today, projects involve members from different geographical areas more than any other time in history. Thus, adequate Collaborative Project Management Software (CollabPMS) solutions are needed to enable individuals and organizations to manage, communicate and work together across time and space barriers. This article describes a set of managerial and collaborative functionalities that a CollabPMS should provide to support the complexities of a distributed project effectively. Out of hundreds software packages available in the market, four were selected, ProjectLibre, Redmine, Microsoft Project 2013 and Clarizen, to assess if they have the described functionalities. Clarizen can be considered the best software for managing distributed projects, because it provides, by default, all the managerial functions and the collaborative features that support the coordinated collaboration level. ProjectLibre was the software that less stood out in this evaluation, although it provides the majority of the outlined managerial functionalities it doesn't support any level of collaboration.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Perceptions of voluntary consent among jail diverted veterans with co-occurring disorders

This study assessed perceptions of voluntary consent among 69 veterans who enrolled in a jail diversion program for co-occurring disorders. Perceptions were measured using modified items from the MacArthur Perceived Coercion and Negative Pressure Scales. A majority reported that they chose to (88.4%) or felt free to (85.5%) enroll. Most reported having control over (69.6%) and more influence than anyone else regarding (60.9%) their participation. About half reported that enrollment was their idea (49.3%). Fewer reported perceptions of negative pressure, including the feeling that someone talked them into enrolling (24.6%), threatened them with the maximum criminal punishment (13.0%), offered or promised them something (5.8%), or forced them to enroll (5.8%). Nobody felt tricked, lied to, or fooled into participating. Total negative pressure scores were higher in those with combat experience, U = 406.50, p = .016. Although potentially inappropriate pressures were reported, these data suggest that the majority perceived enrollment as voluntary

Development of Sensory, Motor and Behavioral Deficits in the Murine Model of Sanfilippo Syndrome Type B

BACKGROUND: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIB (Sanfilippo Syndrome type B) is caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (Naglu). Children with MPS IIIB develop disturbances of sleep, activity levels, coordination, vision, hearing, and mental functioning culminating in early death. The murine model of MPS IIIB demonstrates lysosomal distention in multiple tissues, a shortened life span, and behavioral changes. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To more thoroughly assess MPS IIIB in mice, alterations in circadian rhythm, activity level, motor function, vision, and hearing were tested. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) developed pathologic changes and locomotor analysis showed that MPS IIIB mice start their daily activity later and have a lower proportion of activity during the night than wild-type controls. Rotarod assessment of motor function revealed a progressive inability to coordinate movement in a rocking paradigm. Purkinje cell counts were significantly reduced in the MPS IIIB animals compared to age matched controls. By electroretinography (ERG), MPS IIIB mice had a progressive decrease in the amplitude of the dark-adapted b-wave response. Corresponding pathology revealed shortening of the outer segments, thinning of the outer nuclear layer, and inclusions in the retinal pigmented epithelium. Auditory-evoked brainstem responses (ABR) demonstrated progressive hearing deficits consistent with the observed loss of hair cells in the inner ear and histologic abnormalities in the middle ear. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The mouse model of MPS IIIB has several quantifiable phenotypic alterations and is similar to the human disease. These physiologic and histologic changes provide insights into the progression of this disease and will serve as important parameters when evaluating various therapies