Navy Nexus

Shortly after the article that follows was drafted, I was notified that I had been nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. This unexpected set of orders will cause me to depart the Naval War College after only one year as its President. Still, and although much remains to be done to keep the college at the top of its game, the organizational and administrative changes its faculty and staff have accomplished over the past twelve months have refined its educational and research programs in significant ways. The article (which collects and elaborates on material that, in some cases, has already appeared in print, including the “President’s Forums” of the Spring and Summer 2014 issues of the Review) serves as evidence of what dedicated professionals can do when motivated by an unrelenting commitment to excellence. If it’s important to the Navy, it is on the agenda at the Naval War College! This is a bold statement, but it is one that can be rather quickly substantiated by even a casual review of what is happening on the busiest educational and research complex in the Navy—the Newport, Rhode Island, campus of the U.S. Naval War College (NWC). Since 1884, the Naval War College has existed as a place to study conflict and to produce leaders who are critical thinkers. As it celebrates its 130th anniversary, the college continues to refine its educational and research programs to meet the demands of the Navy and the national security community. While some of our more traditional offerings, such as our highly regarded Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) programs, are fairly well-known, other programs and initiatives are regaining their intended direct linkage to and support to the fleet. The primary purpose of this article is to highlight the ways in which the Naval War College is helping to prepare and shape the Navy of Tomorrow and how it is significantly supporting the Navy of Today without forgetting the lessons of history

Review of Documenting America, 1935-1943

The work of the photographic section of the Farm Security Administration has not suffered for want of attention. Countless books and articles have proliferated in both the popular and scholarly press. Documenting America, 1935-1943 is an important contribution to that body of work. Where other efforts have focused on the powerful content of the pictures, this book deals with the context of their creation as well

Review of Documenting America, 1935-1943

The work of the photographic section of the Farm Security Administration has not suffered for want of attention. Countless books and articles have proliferated in both the popular and scholarly press. Documenting America, 1935-1943 is an important contribution to that body of work. Where other efforts have focused on the powerful content of the pictures, this book deals with the context of their creation as well

Two New Western Atlantic Species of the Gobiid Fish Genus Gobionellus, with Remarks on Characteristics of the Genus

Two new western Atlantic species of Gobionellus (family Gobiidae) are described and figured. G. comma, which is presently known only from the southern Caribbean Sea, off Venezuela, is characterized primarily by a dark, comma-shaped bar in the suborbital area. G. atripinnis, which has been found only in the western Gulf of Mexico, from southern Texas to Veracruz, Mexico, is most readily distinguished by an elongate black blotch in the male\u27s spinous dorsal fin and in having 16 pectoral fin rays. G. comma is closely related to the eastern Pacific G. manglicola. The relationships of G. atripinnis are more obscure. Important diagnostic characters of Gobionellus are presented, together with preliminary conclusions concerning the interrelationships of the genera Evorthodus and Oxyurichthys, which closely resemble Gobionellus in several important ways. Although groundwork is laid for possible synonymization of these genera (including discussion of nomenclatural problems), such action is deferred until more comprehensive studies are completed. A total of 14 coarse-scaled species of Gobionellus are recognized. These are included in a taxonomic key, which also includes a geographic range statement for each species. Also included in the key are the two species of Evorthodus, which are frequently confused with the coarse-scaled Gobionellus. This key does not include the recently-described G. munizi Vergara 1978, specimens of which we have not had the opportunity to examine. Comments are included, however, regarding this species\u27 validity and probable relationships, based on text of the original description and accompanying figures

Limnological, Ichthyological, and Parasitological Investigations on Arkansas Reservoris in Relation to Water Quality

Lake Fort Smith, a 525 acre (212 ha) reservoir, was impounded in 1936 as a water supply for the city of Fort Smith. The reservoir is located on Clear Creek (Frog Bayou), a tributary of the Arkansas River, in the Boston Mountains 28 miles (45 km) northeast of the city of Fort Smith in Crawford County, Arkansas. A map and morphometric characteristics of Lake Fort Smith are given in Fig. 1 and Table I (Hoffman, 1951; Nelson, 1952). In 1956 Lake Shepherd Springs, a 750 acre (304 ha) impoundment, was created one mile upstream of Lake Fort Smith (Rorie, 1961). Both lakes have a shale substrate and are subject to periods of high turbidity. The 2 two lakes have a water shed of 65 square mile area (168 km ) of mountainous oak-hickory forest. Lake Shepherd Springs has not acted as a settling basin for sediments; thus, the upper portion of Lake Fort Smith has numerous shallow areas with a mud bottom supporting various submergent and emergent aquatic plants. The lower portion of the lake has a rocky, shale substrate with only limited emergent vegetation

Comparison of outcomes following minimally invasive and open posterior cervical foraminotomy: description of minimally invasive technique and review of literature.

Although minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MIS-PCF) is frequently employed in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy, there are very few studies directly comparing outcomes between MIS-PCF and open posterior cervical foraminotomy and between MIS-PCF and percutaneous endoscopic (full-endoscopic) posterior cervical foraminotomy (FE-PCF). This study includes a description of technique and systematic review of literature and analysis of clinical studies comparing outcomes between MIS-PCF and open posterior cervical foraminotomy and between MIS-PCF and FE-PCF. Six comparative studies, including one randomized controlled trial were included in analysis. Average operative time ranged from 60.5 to 171 minutes in the open group and 77.65 to 115 minutes in the MIS group. Mean intraoperative blood loss ranged from 43.5 to 246 cc in the open group and 42 to 138 cc in the MIS group. Average postoperative length of stay ranged from 58.6 to 304.8 hours in the open group and 20 to 273.6 hours in the MIS group. Two studies reported significantly increased VAS-N (Neck) scores postoperatively in patients undergoing open cervical foraminotomies, however both studies reported that the differences lost statistical significance with longer follow-up. There were no significant differences in complications or reoperations between open and MIS groups. One retrospective cohort study was included in analysis that compared MIS-PCF and FE-PCF. Postoperatively at 24 months, mean NDI and VAS-N were significantly lower after FE-PCF than MIS-PCF. There was no significant change in VAS-A (Arm) between the two groups. Direct comparative studies between MIS-PCF and open cervical foraminotomy are limited in number. Although, there is a significant heterogeneity in studies comparing open and MIS-PCF there appears to be a trend of decreased hospital length of stay and postoperative analgesic usage in the minimally invasive cohort