Strategic Planning, Naval Power, and a Framework for Regional Security in the Indo-Pacific

This research report represents the culmination of research commissioned by the Director of Warfighter Development in the Department of the Navy, or OPNAV N7, that resulted in a volume titled The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific: Strategy, Order and Regional Security (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2023). That volume has been provided in hard copy to the N7 as a deliverable on this research project. The N7 project enabled the Principal Investigator (PI) to assemble an international team of authors over several years to produce in-depth analysis facing the Navy as it finds itself immersed in a new era of great power competition on the high seas. The volume is focused upon the Indo-Pacific theater with a cross disciplinary set of authors that are designed to help the wider US Navy community unpack the many issues associated with applying naval power in concert with friends and allies across the Indo Pacific’s vast maritime domain – the largest in the world. This particular report represents the framework for analysis used in the volume and which can be applied by the N7 as it works on developing long-term strategy to guide fleet architecture as well as war-fighting and deterrence concepts over the next quarter century. As such, the volume also is intended for classroom and practitioner communities moving through planning and educational cycles to prepare the US Navy for an uncertain future of naval competition with the People’s Liberation Army-Navy.Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098)PNRP Project ID: NPS-23-N039-ANaval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program; OPNAV N

The role of camouflage in the management of skin damages in oncologic patients

Neoplastic disease and its therapeutic options have a huge impact on the patient's quality of life from both the emotional and the working point of view. Sociological research has revealed that gender also plays an important role in the emotional reaction to the disease. When faced with a neoplastic disease, men and women show significantly different reactions: women, as wives and mothers, are more subject and vulnerable to stress and they can have major psychological implications for the severe impact on body image. In 2002, at the Dermatological Clinic of the University of Naples "Federico II", Corrective Dermacosmetological Laboratory was activated to teach the most suitable techniques in order to disguise skin imperfections by means of an easily reproducible maquillage. Since 2010 the Laboratory is activating to help oncologic patients learn the best way of hiding temporary or permanent skin damages that cause serious discomfort because of the aesthetic modifications of their image. The corrective dermacosmetological camouflage is a technique aiming to learn to oncologic patients the best way of hiding temporary or permanent skin damages related to chemotherapy and radiotherapy: it is also important to contain any cicatricial results. At the laboratories of Naples 36 patients have been treated, 31 women and 5 men, aged between 19 and 72 years. The camouflage technique depends basically on the use of a number of opaque covering non irritant, hypoallergenic creams and powders of superior duration if compared to standard cosmetics. Results were supported by photos showing the excellent results achieved with this technique. Furthermore, an improvement in psychological problems caused by skin damages related to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery therapy was observed in all patients

Behavioural and neurogenomic responses of host workers to social parasite invasion in a social insect

The strong coevolutionary arms race between social parasites and their hosts has dramatically shaped the life-history traits of both parties. One of the main strategies exhibited by hosts in response to parasitism is reproduction by host workers. We lack a mechanistic understanding of how these defence strategies unfold and, specifically, whether hosts exhibit more subtle strategies to reduce the costs of parasitism from the outset. Here we test the hypothesis that there are both behavioural and neurogenomic signatures of worker responses to parasitism, prior to overt expression in the form of egg-laying; we test this using the social parasite—social host system of the paper wasps Polistes sulcifer-Polistes dominula. We characterized individual workers’ position within the social interaction network of queenright and host colonies immediately after parasite usurpation, weeks before the workers’ reproductive rebellion is evident. Parasitism influenced network centrality measures, with workers in parasitized colonies showing increased connectedness and centrality compared to those in unparasitized ones. Next, we quantified brain gene expression levels for five genes related to physiological and behavioural phenotypes in Polistes wasps. The gene Imaginal disc growth factor (Idgf4), thought to be responsive to changes in the social environment, was significantly down-regulated in workers from parasitized colonies; this may be an indication that parasitized workers are anticipating a shift toward a less worker-like phenotype in preparation for their reproductive rebellion. Our results provide the first evidence of early behavioural and neurogenomic responses of host workers toward the presence of an inquiline social parasite in a social insect

An innovative approach to designing digital health solutions addressing the unmet needs of obese patients in Europe

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide obesity rate has tripled since 1975. In Europe, more than half of the population is overweight and obese. Around 2.8 million people die each year worldwide as a result of conditions linked to being overweight or obese. This study aimed to analyze the policies, approaches, and solutions that address the social and health unmet needs of obese patients, at different levels, in order to simulate the definition of an integrated approach, and to provide and share examples of innovative solutions supporting health promotion, disease prevention, and integration of services to improve the collaboration between the different health and care stakeholders involved across the country and in the lives of obese patients. A collaborative approach involving various levels of government and regional experts from different European countries was applied to identify, explore, and evaluate different aspects of the topic, from the innovation perspective and focusing on a European and a regional vision. Currently, people prefer more foods rich in fats, sugars, and salt/sodium than fruits, vegetables, and fiber. This behavior leads to a significant negative impact on their health-related quality of life. Changes in healthcare systems, healthy policy, and approaches to patient care and better implementation of the different prevention strategies between all the stakeholders are needed, taking advantage of the digital transformation of health and care. Such changes can support obese patients in their fight against an unhealthy lifestyle and at the same time reduce healthcare costs

Microbotanical residues for the study of early hominin tools

More than 2 million years ago in East Africa, the earliest hominin stone tools evolved amidst changes in resource base, with pounding technology playing a key role in this adaptive process. Olduvai Gorge (now Oldupai) is a famed locality that remains paramount for the study of human evolution, also yielding some of the oldest battering tools in the world. However, direct evidence of the resources processed with these technologies is lacking entirely. One way to obtain this evidence is through the analysis of surviving residues. Yet, linking residues with past processing activities is not simple. In the case of plant exploitation, this link can only be established by assessing site-based reference collections inclusive of both anthropogenic and natural residues as a necessary first step and comparative starting point. In this paper, we assess microbotanical remains from rock clasts sourced at the same quarry utilized by Oldowan hominins at Oldupai Gorge. We mapped this signal and analysed it quantitatively to classify its spatial distribution objectively, extracting proxies for taxonomic identification and further comparison with freestanding soils. In addition, we used blanks to manufacture pounding tools for blind, controlled replication of plant processing. We discovered that stone blanks are in fact environmental reservoirs in which plant remains are trapped by lithobionts, preserved as hardened accretions. Tool use, on the other hand, creates residue clusters; however, their spatial distribution can be discriminated from purely natural assemblages by the georeferencing of residues and statistical analysis of resulting patterns. To conclude, we provide a protocol for best practice and a workflow that has the advantage of overcoming environmental noise, reducing the risk of false positive, delivering a firm understanding of residues as polygenic mixtures, a reliable use of controls, and most importantly, a stronger link between microbotanical remains and stone tool use. © 2022. The Author(s).Materials and methods Results - Blanks as environmental reservoirs - Utilization creates residue clusters - Anthropogenic residue distribution - Of lichen habitability, proxy palimpsests, and hardened accretions - A protocol to study plant residue from Oldowan pounding tool

Anxiety and self-esteem as mediators of the relation between family communication and indecisiveness in adolescence

Abstract In this study, we explored the unique and common contributions of anxiety, self-esteem, and family communication on indecisiveness among adolescents. Three hundred and fifty pupils from 13 to 16 years of age completed selfreport measures on indecisiveness, quality of family communication, trait anxiety, and self-esteem. The findings in this study showed that students\u2019 indecisiveness is predicted by family communication mediated by anxiety and self-esteem. These results have important implications for practice as it stresses the importance of anxiety and self-esteem. Nevertheless, the counselors could also focus on enhancing relationship-building skills by introducing the adolescents\u2019 career formation as an adolescent\u2013parent joint project.L\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi comme me\ub4diateurs de la relation entre communication au sein de la famille et indecision chronique a` l\u2019adolescence. Dans cette e\ub4tude, nous avons explore\ub4 les contributions uniques et communes de l\u2019anxiete\ub4, de l\u2019estime de soi et de la communication au sein de la famille sur l\u2019indecision chronique aupres d\u2019adolescents. Trois cent cinquante e\ub4le`ves a\u2c6ge\ub4s de 13 a` 16 ans ont rempli des mesures d\u2019auto-e\ub4valuation de l\u2019inde\ub4cision chronique, de la qualite\ub4 de la communication familiale, de l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4-trait et de l\u2019estime de soi. Les re\ub4sultats de cette e\ub4tude ont montre\ub4 que l\u2019inde\ub4cision des e\ub4tudiants est explique\ub4e par la communication au sein de la famille et que ce lien est me\ub4diatise\ub4 par l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi. Ces re\ub4sultats ont des implications importantes pour la pratique car ils soulignent l\u2019importance de l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi. Ne\ub4anmoins, les conseillers pourraient e\ub4galement se concentrer sur l\u2019ame\ub4lioration des compe\ub4tences de construction relationnelle en introduisant la formation professionnelle des adolescents comme un projet conjoint adolescent-parent.Resumen. Ansiedad y Autoestima como Mediadores de la Relacio\ub4n entre Comunicacio\ub4n Familiar e Indecisio\ub4n en la Adolescencia. En este estudio, exploramos las contribuciones u\ub4nicas y comunes de la ansiedad, la autoestima y la comunicacio\ub4n de familia en la indecisio\ub4n de los adolescentes. Tres y cientos cincuenta alumnos entre los 13 y 16 an\u2dcos completaron auto-evaluaciones sobre la indecisio\ub4n, la calidad de comunicacio\ub4n familiar, los rasgos de ansiedad y la autoestima. Los resultados en este estudio muestran que la indecisio\ub4n en los estudiantes es prevista por la comunicacio\ub4n familiar mediada por la ansiedad y la autoestima. Estos resultados tiene importantes implicaciones para la practica ya que destacan la importancia de la ansiedad y la autoestima. Sin embargo, los consejeros podr\u131\ub4an tambie\ub4n focalizarse en el aumento de sus habilidades para construir relaciones mediante la introduccio\ub4n de la formacio\ub4n profesional para adolescentes como un proyecto conjunto del adolescente-padre.Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8 hl als Mediatoren der Beziehung zwischen Kommunikation in der Familie und Unentschlossenheit in der Adoleszenz. In dieser Studie untersuchten wir die spezifischen und gemeinsamen Beitra\ua8ge von Angst, Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl und Kommunikation in der Familie auf Unentschlossenheit unter Jugendlichen. Dreihundertfu\ua8nfzig Schu\ua8ler, zwischen 13 bis 16 Jahre alt, fu\ua8llten Skalen zur Unentschlossenheit, Qualita\ua8t der Kommunikation in der Familie, A\ua8 ngstlichkeit und Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl aus. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie zeigten, dass Unentschlossenheit der Schu\ua8ler von Kommunikation in der Familie vorhergesagt wird, vermittelt durch Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8 hl. Diese Ergebnisse haben wichtige Implikationen fu\ua8r die Praxis, da sie die Bedeutung von Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl hervorheben. Dennoch ko\ua8nnten sich die Beratungspersonen durch die Einfu\ua8hrung der beruflichen Bildung der Jugendlichen als ein gemeinsames Projekt von Jugendliche-Elternteil auch auf die Verbesserung der Fa\ua8higkeiten zum Aufbau von Beziehungen konzentrieren

Ecological stability of Late Pleistocene-to-Holocene Lesotho, southern Africa, facilitated human upland habitation

Investigation of Homo sapiens’ palaeogeographic expansion into African mountain environments are changing the understanding of our species’ adaptions to various extreme Pleistocene climates and habitats. Here, we present a vegetation and precipitation record from the Ha Makotoko rockshelter in western Lesotho, which extends from ~60,000 to 1,000 years ago. Stable carbon isotope ratios from plant wax biomarkers indicate a constant C3-dominated ecosystem up to about 5,000 years ago, followed by C4 grassland expansion due to increasing Holocene temperatures. Hydrogen isotope ratios indicate a drier, yet stable, Pleistocene and Early Holocene compared to a relatively wet Late Holocene. Although relatively cool and dry, the Pleistocene was ecologically reliable due to generally uniform precipitation amounts, which incentivized persistent habitation because of dependable freshwater reserves that supported rich terrestrial foods and provided prime locations for catching fish

"I have got something positive out of this situation": psychological benefits of caregiving in relatives of young people with muscular dystrophy.

This paper focuses on the psychological benefits of caregiving in key relatives of patients with muscular dystrophies (MD), a group of rare diseases characterized by progressive weakness and restriction of the patient's functional abilities. We describe whether relatives perceived caregiving to be a positive experience and test whether relatives' perceptions vary in relation to their view of the patient as a valued person, the degree of involvement in care, and the level of support provided by social network and professionals. The study sample included 502 key relatives of patients aged 4-25 years, suffering from Duchenne, Becker, or limb-girdle MD, in treatment for at least 6 months to one of the eight participating centers, living with at least one relative aged 18-80 years. Of key relatives, 88 % stated that they had gotten something positive out of the situation, 96 % considered their patients to be sensitive, and 94 % viewed their patients as talented. Positive aspects of caregiving were more recognized by key relatives who were more convinced that the patient was sensitive and who perceived that they received higher level of professional help and psychological social support. These results suggest that most key relatives consider that their caregiving experience has had a positive impact on their lives, despite the practical difficulties of caring for patients with MD. Professionals should help relatives to identify the benefits of caregiving without denying its difficulties. Clinicians themselves should develop positive attitudes towards family involvement in the care of patients with long-term diseases

Earliest Olduvai hominins exploited unstable environments ~ 2 million years ago

Rapid environmental change is a catalyst for human evolution, driving dietary innovations, habitat diversification, and dispersal. However, there is a dearth of information to assess hominin adaptions to changing physiography during key evolutionary stages such as the early Pleistocene. Here we report a multiproxy dataset from Ewass Oldupa, in the Western Plio-Pleistocene rift basin of Olduvai Gorge (now Oldupai), Tanzania, to address this lacuna and offer an ecological perspective on human adaptability two million years ago. Oldupai’s earliest hominins sequentially inhabited the floodplains of sinuous channels, then river-influenced contexts, which now comprises the oldest palaeolake setting documented regionally. Early Oldowan tools reveal a homogenous technology to utilise diverse, rapidly changing environments that ranged from fern meadows to woodland mosaics, naturally burned landscapes, to lakeside woodland/palm groves as well as hyper-xeric steppes. Hominins periodically used emerging landscapes and disturbance biomes multiple times over 235,000 years, thus predating by more than 180,000 years the earliest known hominins and Oldowan industries from the Eastern side of the basin.Introduction Results - Stratigraphy and archaeology - Early Oldowan ecology at ~ 2 Ma Discussion Methods - Biomarkers - Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence - Excavation - Fauna - Mineral geochemistry - Phytolith analysis - Pollen and microcharcoal - Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of faunal dental enamel - Stone tool

Widespread Occurrence of Dosage Compensation in Candida albicans

The important human pathogen Candida albicans possesses an unusual form of gene regulation, in which the copy number of an entire specific chromosome or a large portion of a specific chromosome changes in response to a specific adverse environment, thus, insuring survival. In the absence of the adverse environment, the altered portion of the genome can be restored to its normal condition. One major question is how C. albicans copes with gene imbalance arising by transitory aneuploid states. Here, we compared transcriptomes from cells with either two copies or one copy of chromosome 5 (Ch5) in, respectively, a diploid strain 3153A and its representative derivative Sor55. Statistical analyses revealed that at least 40% of transcripts from the monosomic Ch5 are fully compensated to a disomic level, thus, indicating the existence of a genome-wide mechanism maintaining cellular homeostasis. Only approximately 15% of transcripts were diminished twofold in accordance with what would be expected for Ch5 monosomy. Another minor portion of approximately 6% of transcripts, unexpectedly, increased up to twofold and higher than the disomic level, demonstrating indirect control by monosomy. Array comparative genome hybridization revealed that only few out of approximately 500 genes on the monosomic Ch5b were duplicated, thus, not causing a global up regulation. Dosage compensation was confirmed with several representative genes from another monosomic Ch5a in the mutant Sor60. We suggest that C. albicans's unusual regulation of gene expression by the loss and gain of entire chromosomes is coupled with widespread compensation of gene dosage at the transcriptional level