COUNTER INSIDER THREAT EDUCATION IN THE USAF COMMAND-LEVEL SCHOOLHOUSES

The purpose of this research is to assess the United States Air Force’s (USAF) educational response to insider threat incidents. The primary research question is: How does the USAF educate its command-level personnel with Counter Insider Threat (CInT) curriculum? A review of evolving policies indicates that commanders and supervisors are the primary audience for CInT education. In the USAF, two military educational institutions are likely candidates for hosting CInT education: the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) and the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (SNCOA). The second research question is: To what degree are the educational policies and procedures at these institutions adequate for educating emerging command-level personnel on a topic as complex as CInT? The authors compare benchmark standards for adult education derived from theoretical and empirical literature to the standards employed at ACSC and SNCOA. The authors thus answer the research questions and make recommendations related to integrating CInT education into the institutions. This study contributes to the current body of research in CInT education and directly responds to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s April 9th Memo “Immediate Actions to Counter Extremism in the Department and the Establishment of the Countering Extremism Working Group:” specifically to Line of Effort #4, “Education and Training,” which solicits recommendations for education plans for different leadership levels.Master Sergeant, United States Air ForceCaptain, United States Air ForceCaptain, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The Stellar Content of Obscured Galactic Giant H II Regions IV.: NGC3576

We present deep, high angular resolution near-infrared images of the obscured Galactic Giant H II region NGC3576. Our images reach objects to ~3M_sun. We collected high signal-to-noise K-band spectra of eight of the brightest objects, some of which are affected by excess emission and some which follow a normal interstellar reddening law. None of them displayed photospheric features typical of massive OB type stars. This indicates that they are still enshrouded in their natal cocoons. The K-band brightest source (NGC3576 #48) shows CO 2.3 micron bandhead emission, and three others have the same CO feature in absorption. Three sources display spatially unresolved H_2 emission, suggesting dense shocked regions close to the stars. We conclude that the remarkable object NGC3576 #48 is an early-B/late-O star surrounded by a thick circumstellar disk. A number of other relatively bright cluster members also display excess emission in the K-band, indicative of reprocessing disks around massive stars (YSOs). Such emission appears common in other Galactic Giant H II regions we have surveyed. The IMF slope of the cluster, Gamma = -1.51, is consistent with Salpeter's distribution and similar to what has been observed in the Magellanic Cloud clusters and in the periphery of our Galaxy.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A

The contribution of δ subunit-containing GABAA receptors to phasic and tonic conductance changes in cerebellum, thalamus and neocortex

We have made use of the delta subunit-selective allosteric modulator DS2 (4-chloro-N-[2-(2-thienyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3-yl benzamide) to assay the contribution of delta-GABAARs to tonic and phasic conductance changes in the cerebellum, thalamus and neocortex. In cerebellar granule cells, an enhancement of the tonic conductance was observed for DS2 and the orthosteric agonist THIP (4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol). As expected, DS2 did not alter the properties of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic synaptic currents (IPSCs) supporting a purely extrasynaptic role for delta-GABAARs in cerebellar granule cells. DS2 also enhanced the tonic conductance recorded from thalamic relay neurons of the visual thalamus with no alteration in IPSC properties. However, in addition to enhancing the tonic conductance DS2 also slowed the decay of IPSCs recorded from layer II/III neocortical neurons. A slowing of the IPSC decay also occurred in the presence of the voltage-gated sodium channel blocker TTX. Moreover, under conditions of reduced GABA release the ability of DS2 to enhance the tonic conductance was attenuated. These results indicate that delta-GABAARs can be activated following vesicular GABA release onto neocortical neurons and that the actions of DS2 on the tonic conductance may be influenced by the ambient GABA levels present in particular brain regions

The XXL Survey X: K-band luminosity - weak-lensing mass relation for groups and clusters of galaxies

We present the K-band luminosity-halo mass relation, $L_{K,500}-M_{500,WL}$, for a subsample of 20 of the 100 brightest clusters in the XXL Survey observed with WIRCam at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). For the first time, we have measured this relation via weak-lensing analysis down to $M_{500,WL} =3.5 \times 10^{13}\,M_\odot$. This allows us to investigate whether the slope of the $L_K-M$ relation is different for groups and clusters, as seen in other works. The clusters in our sample span a wide range in mass, $M_{500,WL} =0.35-12.10 \times 10^{14}\,M_\odot$, at $0<z<0.6$. The K-band luminosity scales as $\log_{10}(L_{K,500}/10^{12}L_\odot) \propto \beta log_{10}(M_{500,WL}/10^{14}M_\odot)$ with $\beta = 0.85^{+0.35}_{-0.27}$ and an intrinsic scatter of $\sigma_{lnL_K|M} =0.37^{+0.19}_{-0.17}$. Combining our sample with some clusters in the Local Cluster Substructure Survey (LoCuSS) present in the literature, we obtain a slope of $1.05^{+0.16}_{-0.14}$ and an intrinsic scatter of $0.14^{+0.09}_{-0.07}$. The flattening in the $L_K-M$ seen in previous works is not seen here and might be a result of a bias in the mass measurement due to assumptions on the dynamical state of the systems. We also study the richness-mass relation and find that group-sized halos have more galaxies per unit halo mass than massive clusters. However, the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in low-mass systems contributes a greater fraction to the total cluster light than BCGs do in massive clusters; the luminosity gap between the two brightest galaxies is more prominent for group-sized halos. This result is a natural outcome of the hierarchical growth of structures, where massive galaxies form and gain mass within low-mass groups and are ultimately accreted into more massive clusters to become either part of the BCG or one of the brighter galaxies. [Abridged]Comment: A&A, in pres

Effects of fertiliser nitrogen rate to spring grass on apparent digestibility, nitrogen balance, ruminal fermentation and microbial nitrogen production in beef cattle and in vitro rumen fermentation and methane output

peer-reviewedThe effects of two fertiliser nitrogen (N) application rates - 15 (LN) or 80 (HN) kg N/ha - to Lolium perenne dominant swards in spring, on grass dry matter (DM) intake, digestion, rumen fermentation, microbial N production and N-balance in beef cattle, and in vitro fermentation and methane production were studied. Sixteen Charolais steers with a mean live weight (s.d.) of 475 (18.4) kg, were used in a completely randomised block design experiment and offered zero-grazed grass harvested 21-d post N application. The same grass was incubated in an eight-vessel RUSITEC in a completely randomised block design experiment. The HN treatment had a 540 kg/ha higher grass DM yield, and a 20 g/kg DM higher crude protein (CP) concentration compared to LN. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in DM intake, or in vivo DM, organic matter (OM) and N digestibility between treatments. Rumen fermentation variables pH, lactic acid, ammonia (NH3) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration were similar (P > 0.05) for both treatments. Nitrogen intake was 19 g/d higher (P  0.05) between treatments. The quantity of N retained and N-use efficiency did not differ (P > 0.05) between LN and HN. Plasma urea concentration was 1 mmol/L greater (P  0.05) between HN and LN. In vitro methane and total gas output were not different (P > 0.05) between treatments. Reducing fertiliser N application rate to grass in spring reduced total and urinary N excretion, which has environmental benefits, with no effects on in vitro methane output.The author (Alan O’Connor) was in receipt of a Teagasc Walsh Fellowship, and financial support was provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Research Stimulus Programme (Excess N, 11/S/105)

Deriving global structure of the Galactic Magnetic Field from Faraday Rotation Measures of extragalactic sources

We made use of the two latest sets of Rotational Measures (RMs) of extra-galactic radio sources, namely the NRAO VLA Sky Survey otation Measures Catalogue, and a compilation by Kronberg&Newton-McGee(2011), to infer the global structure of the Galactic Magnetic Field (GMF). We have checked that these two data sets are consistent with each other. Motivated by clear patterns in the observed distribution of RMs over the sky, we considered GMF models consisting of the two components: disk (spiral or ring) and halo. The parameters of these components were determined by fitting different model field geometries to the observed RMs. We found that the model consisting of a symmetric (with respect to the Galactic plane) spiral disk and anti-symmetric halo fits the data best, and reproduces the observed distribution of RMs over the sky very well. We confirm that ring disk models are disfavored. Our results favor small pitch angles around -5 degrees and an increased vertical scale of electron distribution, in agreement with some previous studies. Based on our fits, we identify two benchmark models suitable for studies of cosmic ray propagation, including the ultra-high energies.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables misprints corrected, presentation improved generally matches the published versio

LoCuSS : exploring the connection between local environment, star formation, and dust mass in Abell 1758

We explore the connection between dust and star formation, in the context of environmental effects on galaxy evolution. In particular, we exploit the susceptibility of dust to external processes to assess the influence of dense environment on star-forming galaxies. We have selected cluster Abell 1758 from the Local Cluster Substructure Survey (LoCuSS). Its complex dynamical state is an ideal test-bench to track dust removal and destruction in galaxies due to merger and accretion shocks. We present a systematic panchromatic study (from 0.15 mu m with GALEX to 500 mu m with Herschel) of spectroscopically confirmed star-forming cluster galaxies at intermediate redshift. We observe that the main subclusters (A1758N and A1758S) belong to two separate large-scale structures, with no overlapping galaxy members. Star forming cluster members are found preferentially outside cluster central regions, and are not isotropically distributed. Rather, these galaxies appear being funneled towards the main subclusters along separate accretion paths. Additionally, we present the first study of dust-to-stellar (DTS) mass ratio used as an indicator for local environmental influence on galaxy evolution. Star-forming cluster members show lower mean values (32 per cent at 2.4 sigma) of DTS mass ratio and lower levels of infrared emission from birth clouds with respect to coeval star-forming field galaxies. This picture is consistent with the majority of star-forming cluster members infalling in isolation. Upon accretion, star formation is observed to decrease and warm dust is destroyed due to heating from the intracluster medium radiation, ram-pressure stripping, and merger shocks.Peer reviewe

From meadows to milk to mucosa – adaptation of Streptococcus and Lactococcus species to their nutritional environments

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are indigenous to food-related habitats as well as associated with the mucosal surfaces of animals. The LAB family Streptococcaceae consists of the genera Lactococcus and Streptococcus. Members of the family include the industrially important species Lactococcus lactis, which has a long history safe use in the fermentative food industry, and the disease-causing streptococci Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. The central metabolic pathways of the Streptococcaceae family have been extensively studied because of their relevance in the industrial use of some species, as well as their influence on virulence of others. Recent developments in high-throughput proteomic and DNA-microarray techniques, in in vivo NMR studies, and importantly in whole-genome sequencing have resulted in new insights into the metabolism of the Streptococcaceae family. The development of cost-effective high-throughput sequencing has resulted in the publication of numerous whole-genome sequences of lactococcal and streptococcal species. Comparative genomic analysis of these closely related but environmentally diverse species provides insight into the evolution of this family of LAB and shows that the relatively small genomes of members of the Streptococcaceae family have been largely shaped by the nutritionally rich environments they inhabit.

The Effectiveness of a Geriatrics Curriculum

With support from the AAMC/John A. Hartford Foundation the University of Massachusetts Medical School developed a Geriatrics curriculum and faculty development that would be integrated across all four years. Beginning in Fall 2001, these were implemented over the next two academic years in both preclinical and clinical areas and are highlighted on the timeline above. Would implementation of this new Geriatrics curriculum and faculty development impact students’ ratings of instruction time in Geriatrics? Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2005