Noncitizens in the U.S. Military: Navigating National Security Concerns and Recruitment Needs

Foreign nationals have served in the U.S. military throughout American history. Indeed, in many chapters in U.S. history, they have been encouraged to serve with the promise of expedited avenues for naturalization. However, in recent years, noncitizens have faced increasing hurdles to serving their new country. Citing national security concerns, Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) have introduced a series of policies that significantly increase the vetting requirements for noncitizen military recruits and modify the processes by which they are trained and given a chance to naturalize. These new policies have limited the enlistment of noncitizen soldiers, delayed their training and naturalization, and inhibited them from fully contributing in-demand skills to the U.S. military

Noncitizens in the U.S. Military: Navigating National Security Concerns and Recruitment Needs

Foreign nationals have served in the U.S. military throughout American history. Indeed, in many chapters in U.S. history, they have been encouraged to serve with the promise of expedited avenues for naturalization. However, in recent years, noncitizens have faced increasing hurdles to serving their new country. Citing national security concerns, Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) have introduced a series of policies that significantly increase the vetting requirements for noncitizen military recruits and modify the processes by which they are trained and given a chance to naturalize. These new policies have limited the enlistment of noncitizen soldiers, delayed their training and naturalization, and inhibited them from fully contributing in-demand skills to the U.S. military

National security, Islamophobia, and religious freedom in the U.S.

A central argument in Hurd’s (2015) Beyond Religious Freedom is that the religious freedom policy framework pursued by the United States not only entrenches lines of division between religious faiths, but also is constructive of those very divisions. Where foreign and domestic policies purport to promote tolerance and respectful pluralism in the name of religious freedom, Hurd (2015, 41) contends they instead create ‘new forms of social friction defined by religious difference.’ Utilizing Hurd’s (2015) categories of Official, Governed, and Lived religion I examine Islamophobia and the racialization of Muslims in the United States and demonstrate how over-identification with religious groups can exacerbate social tensions; how the ‘agenda of surveillance’ (Hurd 2015) disproportionately targets Muslims in the United States; and argue that recourse to law and policy alone in response to anti-Muslim discrimination is unlikely to transform social attitudes towards Muslims. Finally, I utilize a contemporary reworking of Adam Smith’s sympathetic imagination and radical democratic theory to propose an alternative pathway towards dissolving the pejorative ascription of difference to religiously othered individuals

Vitamin and mineral supplementation for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid and late life

Vitamins and minerals play multiple functions within the central nervous system which may help to maintain brain health and optimal cognitive functioning. Supplementation of the diet with various vitamins and minerals has been suggested as a means of maintaining cognitive function, or even of preventing dementia, in later life

Vitamin and mineral supplementation for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in late life

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in late life

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

Spatio-Temporal Magnitude and Direction of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) Outbreaks in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: The number of outbreaks of HPAI-H5N1 reported by Bangladesh from 2007 through 2011 placed the country among the highest reported numbers worldwide. However, so far, the understanding of the epidemic progression, direction, intensity, persistence and risk variation of HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks over space and time in Bangladesh remains limited. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To determine the magnitude and spatial pattern of the highly pathogenic avian influenza A subtype H5N1 virus outbreaks over space and time in poultry from 2007 to 2009 in Bangladesh, we applied descriptive and analytical spatial statistics. Temporal distribution of the outbreaks revealed three independent waves of outbreaks that were clustered during winter and spring. The descriptive analyses revealed that the magnitude of the second wave was the highest as compared to the first and third waves. Exploratory mapping of the infected flocks revealed that the highest intensity and magnitude of the outbreaks was systematic and persistent in an oblique line that connects south-east to north-west through the central part of the country. The line follows the Brahmaputra-Meghna river system, the junction between Central Asian and East Asian flyways, and the major poultry trading route in Bangladesh. Moreover, several important migratory bird areas were identified along the line. Geostatistical analysis revealed significant latitudinal directions of outbreak progressions that have similarity to the detected line of intensity and magnitude. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The line of magnitude and direction indicate the necessity of mobilizing maximum resources on this line to strengthen the existing surveillance

Performance and Operation of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented

Effects of Aspirin on Endothelial Function and Hypertension

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Endothelial dysfunction is intimately related to the development of various cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, and is often used as a target for pharmacological treatment. The scope of this review is to assess effects of aspirin on endothelial function and their clinical implication in arterial hypertension. RECENT FINDINGS: Emerging data indicate the role of platelets in the development of vascular inflammation due to the release of proinflammatory mediators, for example, triggered largely by thromboxane. Vascular inflammation further promotes oxidative stress, diminished synthesis of vasodilators, proaggregatory and procoagulant state. These changes translate into vasoconstriction, impaired circulation and thrombotic complications. Aspirin inhibits thromboxane synthesis, abolishes platelets activation and acetylates enzymes switching them to the synthesis of anti-inflammatory substances. SUMMARY: Aspirin pleiotropic effects have not been fully elucidated yet. In secondary prevention studies, the decrease in cardiovascular events with aspirin outweighs bleeding risks, but this is not the case in primary prevention settings. Ongoing trials will provide more evidence on whether to expand the use of aspirin or stay within current recommendations