BIAS IN THE AIR FORCE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS PROGRAM

The purpose of this study is to analyze the level of implicit bias against women and minority active-duty members within the Air Force awards and decorations program. Data provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center is utilized in performing a statistical analysis of awards and decorations proffered to individuals by the Air Force from September 2006 to September 2020. The data includes twenty-three different awards for heroism and performance. The analysis compares active-duty Air Force members by rank and cross-references those individuals based on gender and race to analyze the disparity in number of awards proffered to females and non-Caucasian males compared to their male Caucasian counterparts. The analysis shows that Black officers and enlisted members received far fewer awards than expected, as did female and Asian officers. This study results in initial insights into implicit bias taking place specifically in the Air Force and recommendations for prevention and correction in the active-duty environment.Captain, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Efficacy of a certified modular ultrasound curriculum

Background In recent years, ultrasound (US) has become more incorporated into anesthesia and intensive care medicine. The German Anesthesia Society established a modular curriculum to teach US skills. Until now, the efficacy of this modular curriculum has not been validated. Objective The main objective of this study was to determine whether there is an increase of knowledge and of psychomotor skills for the trainees in this curriculum. Material and methods After ethical committee approval, 41 anesthesia physicians were enrolled. To determine the increase of knowledge and of practical skills theoretical and practical tests performed were evaluated before and after two different US courses. Results Comparing before and after course tests, the participants showed significant improvement in theoretical multiple choice tests (p = 0.008). Regarding psychomotor skills following course 1, the trainees improved significantly in the time needed to perform the two practical tests (p = 0.03), but not in the performance of the test. Better needle visualization during simulated US-guided vessel puncture (p = 0.52) and better identification of the anatomical structures in the axillary region (p = 0.56) could not be achieved. Conclusion This study shows that although this US course curriculum has positively enhanced the trainees’ theoretical knowledge of US practice, it does not enhance the practical application of that theoretical knowledge. To improve this curriculum, a supervised clinically practical training should follow the course.Hintergrund Ultraschall (US) hat in den letzten Jahren zunehmend Einzug in die Anästhesie und Intensivmedizin erhalten. Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie & Intensivmedizin hat ein modulares Kurssystem zur Vermittlung von US-Kompetenzen entwickelt. Die Wirksamkeit dieses modularen Curriculums wurde bisher nicht validiert. Ziel Ziel dieser Studie war zu ermitteln, ob es bei den Teilnehmern durch den Besuch von Modulen dieses Kurssystems zu einer Verbesserung theoretischer Kenntnisse und praktischer Fertigkeiten kommt. Material und Methode Nach Zustimmung durch die Ethikkommission wurden 41 Anästhesisten in die Studie eingeschlossen. Um den Zugewinn an Wissen und praktischen Fertigkeiten zu ermitteln, wurden theoretische und praktische Tests vor und nach zwei verschiedenen US-Kursen ausgewertet. Ergebnisse Nach den Kursen zeigten die Teilnehmer eine signifikante Verbesserung in den Ergebnissen der Multiple-Choice-Tests (p = 0,008). Hinsichtlich der psychomotorischen Fähigkeiten nach Kurs 1 verbesserten sich die Teilnehmer in der zur Durchführung der beiden praktischen Tests benötigten Zeit signifikant (p = 0,03), nicht aber in der Durchführung der Tests. Die praktischen Aufgaben konnten nach dem Kurs 1 zwar signifikant schneller durchgeführt werden (p = 0,03), die Qualität der Nadelführung (p = 0,52) und die korrekte Benennung anatomischer Strukturen in der Achselregion konnten aber nicht verbessert werden. Schlussfolgerung Diese Studie zeigt, dass obwohl dieses Kurssystem die theoretischen Kenntnisse über die US-Praxis verbessert hat, die praktische Anwendung dieses theoretischen Wissens aber nicht verbessert werden konnten. Um dieses Curriculum zu verbessern, sollte es von einem praktischen Training unter Anleitung ergänzt werden

2D modeling of tidal wave propagation through a large vegetated marsh

Water Qualit

Hot Subdwarf Stars Among the Objects Rejected from the PG Catalog: a First Assessment Using GALEX Photometry

The hot subdwarf (sd) stars in the Palomar Green (PG) catalog of ultraviolet excess (UVX) objects play a key role in investigations of the frequency and types of binary companions and the distribution of orbital periods. These are important for establishing whether and by which channels the sd stars arise from interactions in close binary systems. It has been suggested that the list of PG sd stars is biased by the exclusion of many stars in binaries, whose spectra show the Ca II K line in absorption. A total of 1125 objects that were photometrically selected as candidates were ultimately rejected from the final PG catalog using this K-line criterion. We study 88 of these "PG-Rejects" (PGRs), to assess whether there are significant numbers of unrecognized sd stars in binaries among the PGR objects. The presence of a sd should cause a large UVX. We assemble GALEX, Johnson V, and 2MASS photometry and compare the colors of these PGR objects with those of known sd stars, cool single stars, and hot+cool binaries. Sixteen PGRs were detected in both the far- and near- ultraviolet GALEX passbands. Eleven of these, plus the 72 cases with only an upper limit in the far-ultraviolet band, are interpreted as single cool stars. Of the remaining five stars, three are consistent with being sd stars paired with a cool main sequence companion, while two may be single stars or composite systems of another type. We discuss the implications of these findings for the 1125 PGR objects as a whole. (slightly abridged)Comment: 32 pages with 3 figures and 4 tables. Uses AASTEX style files. To be published in The Astronomical Journal (August 2009 issue

The Effect of an Intersectionality Elective on the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Medical Students in Addressing Health Inequity

Background: Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that contextualizes an individual’s experience as more than the sum of their cultural identifiers. Aims: The current study investigates the effect of a 10-week intersectionality curriculum supplemented with student-led discussions on medical students’ self-efficacy in addressing bias and health inequity. Methods: First- and second-year medical students volunteered to participate in a ten-week pilot elective entitled “Intersectionality in Medicine.” Participants enrolled in the course were required to complete a ten-minute online pre-elective and post-elective survey. Results: Results showed that after completing the elective, medical students were significantly more confident in identifying their personal biases, assessing the needs of low socioeconomic status populations, increased ability to find relevant resources for different ethnic/cultural groups, and identifying microaggressions that occur in the healthcare setting. Conclusions: This research highlights how using intersectionality as a framework for understanding and addressing health inequity can create greater awareness and self-perceived efficacy in medical students. Collectively, this research has implications for medical school curricula and training students for a diverse patient population

On the apparent absence of broad iron lines in Seyfert galaxies

We present an analysis of XMM-Newton observations of eleven Seyfert galaxies that appear to be missing a broad iron K alpha line. These objects represent a challenge to the established paradigm for active galactic nuclei, where a relatively cold accretion disc feeds the central black hole. In that paradigm, X-ray illumination of the accretion disc should lead to continuum and fluorescence emission from iron which is broadened and shifted by relativistic effects close the hole. We extend the work of Nandra et al. (2007), who found no evidence for such a component in an earlier analysis of these objects, by testing a variety of more complex relativistic reflection models. Specifically, we consider the possibility that the disc is highly ionised, and/or that the the reflection is heavily blurred by strong relativistic effects in a Kerr geometry. We find that in 8/11 of the observations with no apparent broad iron line, the fit is significantly improved when an ionised or strongly blurred reflector is included, and that all 11 observations allow for such a component. The disc inclinations are found generally to be around 60 degrees, which when combined with a steep emissivity profile results in strong relativistic blurring of the reflection, rendering the K alpha line difficult to distinguish from the underlying continuum. Nevertheless, relativistic reflection does appear to be present, and the strength of the smeared reflection is similar to that expected from a flat disc illuminated by a point source. Such blurred reflection and the associated steep radial emissivity profiles are consistent with the gravitational light bending of the continuum photons close to the black hole.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Transformational leadership practice in the world’s leading academic libraries

This article analyzes 12 semi-structured interviews within the framework of transformational leadership, using a set of open-ended questions addressed to 12 directors (six men and six women) of academic libraries in high-ranking universities in four different countries (Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America). It also investigates the interviewees’ approach to managing and leading their library organizations within the context of the opportunities and challenges facing their organizations as well as their parent institutions. The interpretation of the participants’ responses is based on the four ‘I’s, the four dimensions of the concept of transformational leadership: (1) Idealized influence, (2) Inspirational motivation, (3) Intellectual stimulation, and (4) Individualized consideration. The findings indicated that academic library directors who chose to implement transformational leadership noted its significance as a major contributing factor to the enhancement of inner communication and building mutual trust, and respect within the library organization. This, in turn, has fostered a motivated and creative work environment that has ensured personal and collective success and institutional advancement. Transformational leadership contributes to promoting sustained organizational performance based on adaptability to the rapidly changing environment of academic libraries worldwide