Ecology of Tridacna in Palau

Species composition, distribution, standing crop biomass, spawning, and growth rate of Tridacnidae clams were studied in Palau, Western Caroline Islands. The population was composed of six species: Tridama gigas, T. derasa, T. squamosa, T. maxima, T. crocea, and Hippopus hippopus. In random transects, T. crocea was the most frequent and abundant, while T. derasa and T. gigas made up the largest proportion of the standing crop biomass. Spawning was induced artificially in T. squamosa by addition of macerated gonad from one individual to an aquarium containing other individuals, but larval development was not observed. The growth rate of tagged Tridacnidae was slow and further study will be required before an estimate of biomass production can be derived

The devil in the deep: Expanding the known habitat of a rare and protected fish

The accepted geographic range of a species is related to both opportunity and effort in sampling that range. In deepwater ecosystems where human access is limited, the geographic ranges of many marine species are likely to be underestimated. A chance recording from baited cameras deployed on deep uncharted reef revealed an eastern blue devil fish (Paraplesiops bleekeri) at a depth of 51 m and more than 2 km further down the continental shelf slope than previously observed. This is the first verifiable observation of eastern blue devil fish, a protected and endemic southeastern Australian temperate reef species, at depths greater than the typically accepted depth range of 30 m. Knowledge on the ecology of this and many other reef species is indeed often limited to shallow coastal reefs, which are easily accessible by divers and researchers. Suitable habitat for many reef species appears to exist on deeper offshore reefs but is likely being overlooked due to the logistics of conducting research on these often uncharted habitats. On the basis of our observation at a depth of 51 m and observations by recreational fishers catching eastern blue devil fishes on deep offshore reefs, we suggest that the current depth range of eastern blue devil fish is being underestimated at 30 m. We also observed several common reef species well outside of their accepted depth range. Notably, immaculate damsel (Mecaenichthys immaculatus), red morwong (Cheilodactylus fuscus), mado (Atypichthys strigatus), white-ear (Parma microlepis) and silver sweep (Scorpis lineolata) were abundant and recorded in a number of locations at up to a depth of at least 55 m. This underestimation of depth potentially represents a large area of deep offshore reefs and micro habitats out on the continental shelf that could contribute to the resilience of eastern blue devil fish to extinction risk and contribute to the resilience of many reef species to climate change

Kerstetter et al. Supplemental Materials

This document provides additional photographs to the Kerstetter et al. main text from baited game camera placements in West Lake Park, Broward County, Florida (USA) from January 2019 through January 2020

Analyses of risks associated with radiation exposure from past major solar particle events

Radiation exposures and cancer induction/mortality risks were investigated for several major solar particle events (SPE's). The SPE's included are: February 1956, November 1960, August 1972, October 1989, and the September, August, and October 1989 events combined. The three 1989 events were treated as one since all three could affect a single lunar or Mars mission. A baryon transport code was used to propagate particles through aluminum and tissue shield materials. A free space environment was utilized for all calculations. Results show the 30-day blood forming organs (BFO) limit of 25 rem was surpassed by all five events using 10 g/sq cm of shielding. The BFO limit is based on a depth dose of 5 cm of tissue, while a more detailed shield distribution of the BFO's was utilized. A comparison between the 5 cm depth dose and the dose found using the BFO shield distribution shows that the 5 cm depth value slightly higher than the BFO dose. The annual limit of 50 rem was exceeded by the August 1972, October 1989, and the three combined 1989 events with 5 g/sq cm of shielding. Cancer mortality risks ranged from 1.5 to 17 percent at 1 g/sq cm and 0.5 to 1.1 percent behind 10 g/sq cm of shielding for five events. These ranges correspond to those for a 45 year old male. It is shown that secondary particles comprise about 1/3 of the total risk at 10 g/sq cm of shielding. Utilizing a computerized Space Shuttle shielding model to represent a typical spacecraft configuration in free space at the August 1972 SPE, average crew doses exceeded the BFO dose limit

Approach to Acoustic Emission Signal Analysis - Theory and Experiment

Acoustic Emission (AE) signals are notorious for their complexity and irreproducibility. Because AE source characteristics are virtually unknown and because the detected AE signals are colored by the propagation media, the sensor response and the instrumentation set tings, interpretations of test results such as spectral analysis or correlation studies are mostly qualitative and sometimes controversial; theories either are empirically derived or cannot be verified by experiments . In this paper, we sketch an approach to the AE signal analysis problem. We first report the development of a theory which allows the computation of the displacement as a function of time at an arbitrary ·point on an infinite plate due to an arbitrary point source force function . The theory is based on a new Fourier inversion technique which yields exact formulas similar to those developed for seismological ray theories. We then report experimental results obtained on a 2. 52 em thick aluminum plate using a reproducible step function stress release pulse as a simulated AE signal and a wide band displacement capacitive transducer as a sensor. The measurements are in quantitative agreement with the predictions of theory. We also discuss applications wherein the simulated signal, capacitive transducer and plate theory are used for AE source signature analysis, and sensor calibration problems

Radiation risk predictions for Space Station Freedom orbits

Risk assessment calculations are presented for the preliminary proposed solar minimum and solar maximum orbits for Space Station Freedom (SSF). Integral linear energy transfer (LET) fluence spectra are calculated for the trapped proton and GCR environments. Organ dose calculations are discussed using the computerized anatomical man model. The cellular track model of Katz is applied to calculate cell survival, transformation, and mutation rates for various aluminum shields. Comparisons between relative biological effectiveness (RBE) and quality factor (QF) values for SSF orbits are made

Utility of the new Movement Disorder Society clinical diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease applied retrospectively in a large cohort study of recent onset cases

Objective: To examine the utility of the new Movement Disorder Society (MDS) diagnostic criteria in a large cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Methods: Recently diagnosed (<3.5 years) PD cases fulfilling United Kingdom (UK) brain bank criteria in Tracking Parkinson's, a UK multicenter prospective natural history study were assessed by retrospective application of the MDS criteria. Results: In 2000 cases, 1835 (91.7%) met MDS criteria for PD, either clinically established (n = 1261, 63.1%) or clinically probable (n = 574, 28.7%), leaving 165 (8.3%) not fulfilling criteria. Clinically established cases were significantly more likely to have limb rest tremor (89.3%), a good l-dopa response (79.5%), and olfactory loss (71.1%), than clinically probable cases (60.6%, 44.4%, and 34.5% respectively), but differences between probable PD and ‘not PD’ cases were less evident. In cases not fulfilling criteria, the mean MDS UPDRS3 score (25.1, SD 13.2) was significantly higher than in probable PD (22.3, SD 12.7, p = 0.016) but not established PD (22.9, SD 12.0, p = 0.066). The l-dopa equivalent daily dose of 341 mg (SD 261) in non-PD cases was significantly higher than in probable PD (250 mg, SD 214, p < 0.001) and established PD (308 mg, SD 199, p = 0.025). After 30 months' follow-up, 89.5% of clinically established cases at baseline remained as PD (established/probable), and 86.9% of those categorized as clinically probable at baseline remained as PD (established/probable). Cases not fulfilling PD criteria had more severe parkinsonism, in particular relating to postural instability, gait problems, and cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Over 90% of cases clinically diagnosed as early PD fulfilled the MDS criteria for PD. Those not fulfilling criteria may have an atypical parkinsonian disorder or secondary parkinsonism that is not correctly identified by the UK Brain Bank criteria, but possibly by the new criteria

Vascular disease and vascular risk factors in relation to motor features and cognition in early Parkinson's disease

Funded by Parkinson's UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) DeNDRoN network NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Unit Newcastle University NIHR funded Biomedical Research Centre in CambridgePeer reviewedPublisher PD

Psychiatric Disorder Criteria and their Application to Research in Different Racial Groups

BACKGROUND: The advent of standardized classification and assessment of psychiatric disorders, and considerable joint efforts among many countries has led to the reporting of international rates of psychiatric disorders, and inevitably, their comparison between different racial groups. RESULTS: In neurologic diseases with defined genetic etiologies, the same genetic cause has different phenotypes in different racial groups. CONCLUSION: We suggest that genetic differences between races mean that diagnostic criteria refined in one racial group, may not be directly and simply applicable to other racial groups and thus more effort needs to be expended on defining diseases in other groups. Cross-racial confounds (in addition to cultural confounds) make the interpretation of rates in different groups even more hazardous than seems to have been appreciated