The Effects of Career Broadening on Leadership Development

The goal of this research was to improve the Air Force’s knowledge of the effects of career broadening jobs on the leadership development of its officer corps. Specifically, the study sought to find significant relationships between incidents of career broadening in the officers’ background and their odds of being selected for promotion and in-residence professional military education (PME). Selection under these two areas is considered recognition of an officer’s ability to handle more responsibility and greater leadership challenges. Therefore, they are logical assessments of an officer’s leadership development. Duty histories of officers who met the Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel promotions boards in 2004 and 2005, as well as, those officers who competed for selection to in-residence PME programs at the intermediate and senior development levels in 2003 and 2004, were analyzed to determine the impact on the odds of selection provided by career broadening experiences. Results indicate that the Air Force needs to communicate the value of career broadening more effectively to its officers. Additionally, the developmental aspects of career broadening jobs should be explored in the future

Nitric oxide production by Biomphalaria glabrata haemocytes: effects of Schistosoma mansoni ESPs and regulation through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway

BACKGROUND: Schistosoma mansoni uses Biomphalaria glabrata as an intermediate host during its complex life cycle. In the snail, the parasite initially transforms from a miracidium into a mother sporocyst and during this process excretory-secretory products (ESPs) are released. Nitric oxide (NO) and its reactive intermediates play an important role in host defence responses against pathogens. This study therefore aimed to determine the effects of S. mansoni ESPs on NO production in defence cells (haemocytes) from schistosome-susceptible and schistosome-resistant B. glabrata strains. As S. mansoni ESPs have previously been shown to inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation (activation) in haemocytes from susceptible, but not resistant, B. glabrata the regulation of NO output by ERK in these cells was also investigated. RESULTS: Haemocytes from resistant snails challenged with S. mansoni ESPs (20 mug/ml) over 5 h displayed an increase in NO production that was 3.3 times greater than that observed for unchallenged haemocytes; lower concentrations of ESPs (0.1-10 mug/ml) did not significantly increase NO output. In contrast, haemocytes from susceptible snails showed no significant change in NO output following challenge with ESPs at any concentration used (0.1-20 mug/ml). Western blotting revealed that U0126 (1 muM or 10 muM) blocked the phosphorylation (activation) status of ERK in haemocytes from both snail strains. Inhibition of ERK signalling by U0126 attenuated considerably intracellular NO production in haemocytes from both susceptible and resistant B. glabrata strains, identifying ERK as a key regulator of NO output in these cells. CONCLUSION: S. mansoni ESPs differentially influence intracellular NO levels in susceptible and resistant B. glabrata haemocytes, possibly through modulation of the ERK signalling pathway. Such effects might facilitate survival of S. mansoni in its intermediate host

H, not O or pressure, causes eutectic T depression in the Fe-FeS System to 8 GPa

The Fe-FeS system maintains a eutectic temperature of 990 ± 10 °C to at least 8 GPa if starting materials and pressure media are rigorously dehydrated. Literature reports of pressure-induced freezing point depression of the eutectic for the Fe-FeS system are not confirmed. Modest addition of oxygen alone is confirmed to cause negligible freezing point depression at 6 GPa. Addition of H alone causes a progressive decrease in the eutectic temperature with P in the Fe-FeS-H system to below 965 °C at 6 GPa to below 950 °C at 8 GPa. It is our hypothesis that moisture contamination in unrigorously dried experiments may be an H source for freezing point depression. O released from H₂O disproportionation reacts with Fe and is sequestered as ferropericlase along the sample capsules walls, leaving the H to escape the system and/or enter the Fe-FeS mixture. The observed occurrence of ferropericlase on undried MgO capsule margins is otherwise difficult to explain, because an alternate source for the oxygen in the ferropericlase layer is difficult to identify. This study questions the use of pressure-depressed Fe-S eutectic temperatures and suggests that the lower eutectic temperatures sometimes reported are achieved by moving into the ternary Fe-S-H system. These results adjust slightly the constraints on eutectic temperatures allowed for partly solidified cores on small planets. H substantially diminishes the temperature extent of the melting interval in Fe-S by reducing the melting points of the crystalline phases more than it depresses the eutectic

Benthic Habitat Characterization for the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF)

This report summarizes the distribution and relative abundance of two stony coral species (Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata) currently listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) (Federal Register/Vol. 71, No. 129/Thursday, July 6, 2006 / Rules and Regulations, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2006-07-06/pdf/06-6017.pdf) and seven additional stony coral species which have been petitioned for listing as endangered or threatened under the ESA (Agaricia lamarcki, Dendrogyra cylindrus, Dichocoenia stokesii, Montastraea annularis, Montastraea faveolata, Montastraea franksi, and Mycetophyllia ferox) (Federal Register/Vol. 75, No. 27/Wednesday, February 10, 2010/Proposed Rules, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/fr/fr75-6616.pdf). This report also summarizes the abundance and distribution of small recreational vessel anchors observed within the study area for this survey effort. This effort was guided by the NOAA Fisheries Service’s recommended survey protocol (http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdf/RecommendedSurveyProtocolforAcropora.pdf). This protocol was designed for surveying the distribution and abundance of Acropora spp. utilizing a 2-tiered survey approach. The protocol recommends data collection at 1 sampling site per every 10,000 m² within the project area. The first tier is a rapid assessment of the site to locate any occurrences of Acropora spp. The second tier is a more comprehensive effort designed to provide greater detail on colony abundance, size, and condition. If five or more Acropora colonies are identified during the tier 1 effort, a tier 2 effort is conducted. The seven candidate species were also included in the tier 1 sampling effort. No tier 2 effort was conducted for the seven candidate species. The number of small recreational vessel anchors seen during the tier 1 effort was also included. The project area included eight coral reef habitats found in depths less than 30m (Walker et al. 2008). These habitats included, from nearshore to offshore: colonized pavement-shallow, ridge shallow, inner linear reef, middle linear reef, colonized pavement-deep, outer linear reef, spur and groove, and aggregated patch reefs. Within these habitats in the project area, 376 sites were sampled (tier 1 sites). No Acropora palmata colonies were identified during this effort. Acropora cervicorniswas identified within 45 of the 376 tier 1 sites. A majority of these sites were within the nearshore habitats (colonized pavement-shallow, ridge-shallow, and inner linear reef) in depths less than 10m. Of these 45 sites, 29 had more than five colonies identified and were included in the tier 2 effort. All seven candidate species were identified at the tier 1 sites within the project area during the effort: Dichocoenia stokesii (344 sites), Montastraea faveolata (291 sites), Agaricia lamarcki (155 sites), Montastraea annularis (85 sites); Montastraea franksi (74 sites), Mycetophyllia ferox (24 sites), and Dendrogyra cylindrus (4 sites). D. stokesii was abundant in all habitats with more than five colonies identified in 228 sites. The middle reef supported the highest abundance of M. faveolata. More than five colonies of M. faveolatawere identified in 188 sites, and 11 sites had more than 50 colonies identified. A. lamarkicolonies were identified at nearly all of the colonized pavement-deep, outer reef, spur and groove, and aggregated patch reef; no colonies were identified in the nearshore colonized pavement-shallow and ridge-shallow habitats. Fifty sites had more than five colonies identified, and 29 sites had more than 10 colonies identified. Fourteen sites supported more than five colonies of M. annularis, and four sites in the middle linear reef habitat had more than 10 colonies identified. M. franksi colonies were identified in all habitats except the ridge shallow habitat; more than five colonies of M. franksi were identified in 15 sites, and the middle linear reef supported the highest abundance of colonies. More than five colonies of D. cylindricus and M. feroxwere not identified in any of the 376 tier one sites during the survey. Anchors were counted at 149 of the 376 tier 1 sites. Anchors were observed in all eight habitats. The maximum number of anchors seen at one site was eight, and 65 sites had two or more anchors

Using Rural Household Income Survey Data to Inform Poverty Analysis: An Example from Mozambique

This paper demonstrates that income survey data can be very informative in explaining the variation across households in the incidence and severity of absolute poverty using a rural household income data set for Mozambique. Results from regression analysis of the sources of variation are used to simulate the impact of alternative agricultural interventions or strategies on rural poverty. Complementarities in the insights gained from consumption expenditure and income surveys may justify the collection and analysis of both types of information, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, the one region of the world where the incidence of poverty is increasing.Poverty analysis, household income surveys, agricultural development, Millenium Development Goals, Mozambique, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Security and Poverty, C21, I3, O13, O2, Q18,

Spin dynamics of coupled spin ladders near quantum criticality in Ba2CuTeO6

We report inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the magnetic excitations in Ba2CuTeO6, proposed by ab initio calculations to magnetically realize weakly coupled antiferromagnetic two-leg spin-1/2 ladders. Isolated ladders are expected to have a singlet ground state protected by a spin gap. Ba2CuTeO6 orders magnetically, but with a small Neel temperature relative to the exchange strength, suggesting that the interladder couplings are relatively small and only just able to stabilize magnetic order, placing Ba2CuTeO6 close in parameter space to the critical point separating the gapped phase and Neel order. Through comparison of the observed spin dynamics with linear spin wave theory and quantum Monte Carlo calculations, we propose values for all relevant intra- and interladder exchange parameters, which place the system on the ordered side of the phase diagram in proximity to the critical point. We also compare high field magnetization data with quantum Monte Carlo predictions for the proposed model of coupled ladders.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure

Determining the Extent and Characterizing Coral Reef Habitats of the Northern Latitudes of the Florida Reef Tract (Martin County)

Climate change has recently been implicated in poleward shifts of many tropical species including corals; thus attention focused on higher-latitude coral communities is warranted to investigate possible range expansions and ecosystem shifts due to global warming. As the northern extension of the Florida Reef Tract (FRT), the third-largest barrier reef ecosystem in the world, southeast Florida (25–27° N latitude) is a prime region to study such effects. Most of the shallow-water FRT benthic habitats have been mapped, however minimal data and limited knowledge exist about the coral reef communities of its northernmost reaches off Martin County. First benthic habitat mapping was conducted using newly acquired high resolution LIDAR bathymetry and aerial photography where possible to map the spatial extent of coral reef habitats. Quantitative data were collected to characterize benthic cover and stony coral demographics and a comprehensive accuracy assessment was performed. The data were then analyzed in a habitat biogeography context to determine if a new coral reef ecosystem region designation was warranted. Of the 374 km2 seafloor mapped, 95.2% was Sand, 4.1% was Coral Reef and Colonized Pavement, and 0.7% was Other Delineations. Map accuracy assessment yielded an overall accuracy of 94.9% once adjusted for known map marginal proportions. Cluster analysis of cross-shelf habitat type and widths indicated that the benthic habitats were different than those further south and warranted designation of a new coral reef ecosystem region. Unlike the FRT further south, coral communities were dominated by cold-water tolerant species and LIDAR morphology indicated no evidence of historic reef growth during warmer climates. Present-day hydrographic conditions may be inhibiting poleward expansion of coral communities along Florida. This study provides new information on the benthic community composition of the northern FRT, serving as a baseline for future community shift and range expansion investigations

Deidamia Inscriptum (lettered Sphinx Moth) Caterpillars Feeding on Oxydendrum Arboreum (sourwood) and Their Predation by Black Bears in Northeast Tennessee

An outbreak of Deidamia inscriptum (Lettered Sphinx Moth) caterpillars was noted in northeast Tennessee where Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood) trees were defoliated. Nearly all published literature and online resources list only plants in the grape family (Vitaceae) as larval food plants. Food-plant preference trials using fresh leaves of 3 woody plant species showed that Deidamiacaterpillars from this region had a preference for Sourwood over Parthenocissus quinquefolia(Virginia Creeper), and rejected Acer rubrum (Red Maple), a non-host species. Ursus americanus(Black Bear) were feeding on the caterpillars as evidenced by bent and broken Sourwood saplings bearing claw marks and by abundant sphingid remains in bear scat

Calcitonin receptors (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

This receptor family comprises a group of receptors for the calcitonin/CGRP family of peptides. The calcitonin (CT), amylin (AMY), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and adrenomedullin (AM) receptors (nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on CGRP, AM, AMY, and CT receptors [122, 67]) are generated by the genes CALCR (which codes for the CT receptor) and CALCRL (which codes for the calcitonin receptor-like receptor, CLR, previously known as CRLR). Their function and pharmacology are altered in the presence of RAMPs (receptor activity-modifying proteins), which are single TM domain proteins of ca. 130 amino acids, identified as a family of three members; RAMP1, RAMP2 and RAMP3. There are splice variants of the CT receptor; these in turn produce variants of the AMY receptor [122], some of which can be potently activated by CGRP. The endogenous agonists are the peptides calcitonin, α-CGRP (formerly known as CGRP-I), β-CGRP (formerly known as CGRP-II), amylin (occasionally called islet-amyloid polypeptide, diabetes-associated polypeptide), adrenomedullin and adrenomedullin 2/intermedin. There are species differences in peptide sequences, particularly for the CTs. CTR-stimulating peptide (CRSP) is another member of the family with selectivity for the CT receptor but it is not expressed in humans [87]. olcegepant (also known as BIBN4096BS, pKi~10.5) and telcagepant (also known as MK0974, pKi~9) are the most selective antagonists available, showing selectivity for CGRP receptors, with a particular preference for those of primate origin. CLR (calcitonin receptor-like receptor) by itself binds no known endogenous ligand, but in the presence of RAMPs it gives receptors for CGRP, adrenomedullin and adrenomedullin 2/intermedin