Characterization of the Upper Slope Sand Dunes in the South China Sea

LONG-TERM GOALS: Understand, parameterize and predict the impact of physical mechanisms on acoustic propagation in the ocean environment.Award Number: N0001412WX2050

Universal subspaces for compact Lie groups

For a representation of a connected compact Lie group G in a finite dimensional real vector space U and a subspace V of U, invariant under a maximal torus of G, we obtain a sufficient condition for V to meet all G-orbits in U, which is also necessary in certain cases. The proof makes use of the cohomology of flag manifolds and the invariant theory of Weyl groups. Then we apply our condition to the conjugation representations of U(n), Sp(n), and SO(n) in the space of $n\times n$ matrices over C, H, and R, respectively. In particular, we obtain an interesting generalization of Schur's triangularization theorem.Comment: 20 page

A Population of Taphromysis louisianae (Banner); (Crustacea: Mysidae) in a Clermont County Ohio River Wetland

Author Institution: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Morehead State UniversityA reproducing population of Taphromysis louisianae was found in a shallow freshwater tributary of the Ohio River in Clermont County, OH throughout 1990-91. The nearest distribution record is in Louisiana. Therefore, this is the first record of this normally brackish water species in the Ohio River Basin. Analysis of habitat reveals that the population prefers shallow water (< 1 m) with leafy, high organic matter (about 8% of the soil dry weight) substrate. At the Ohio discovery site salinity was below limits of detection; the average pH was 6.5, and the mean dissolved oxygen concentration was 10 mg I1. This is in contrast to the higher salinity habitat of this species in bays and ditches of tidal areas. Because of distance and physiochemical disparities between the Gulf Coast and Ohio habitats, it is suggested that the isolated inland population exhibits characteristics of the early stages of speciation

The Role of Athletic Identity in the Etiology of Stress Fractures in Collegiate Runners

Background: The efficacy of the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) as a screening tool for identifying runners who are at high-risk for incurring a stress fracture. A screening tool that incorporates both physical and psychological risk factors may be key in preventing stress fracture incidence in collegiate runners. Methods: A descriptive survey was designed and filled out by collegiate runners to collect information about various well-known risk factors as well as age, gender, anthropometric measures, injury history, competitive training years, weekly training mileage, and history of disordered eating. The AIMS and CET were included in the survey. Results were collected and analyzed for correlations. Results: AIMS score and LESF incidence had a moderate positive correlation (r=0.44). AIMS score and LESF incidence within the past year had a weak positive correlation (r=0.38). CET score and shin splints incidence had a weak positive correlation (r=0.322). Conclusion: A correlation was seen between stress fracture incidence and AIMS scores. However, this correlation is not strong enough to predict stress fracture incidence by itself

Engineering tyrosine-based electron flow pathways in proteins: The case of aplysia myoglobin

Tyrosine residues can act as redox cofactors that provide an electron transfer ("hole-hopping") route that enhances the rate of ferryl heme iron reduction by externally added reductants, for example, ascorbate. Aplysia fasciata myoglobin, having no naturally occurring tyrosines but 15 phenylalanines that can be selectively mutated to tyrosine residues, provides an ideal protein with which to study such through-protein electron transfer pathways and ways to manipulate them. Two surface exposed phenylalanines that are close to the heme have been mutated to tyrosines (F42Y, F98Y). In both of these, the rate of ferryl heme reduction increased by up to 3 orders of magnitude. This result cannot be explained in terms of distance or redox potential change between donor and acceptor but indicates that tyrosines, by virtue of their ability to form radicals, act as redox cofactors in a new pathway. The mechanism is discussed in terms of the Marcus theory and the specific protonation/deprotonation states of the oxoferryl iron and tyrosine. Tyrosine radicals have been observed and quantified by EPR spectroscopy in both mutants, consistent with the proposed mechanism. The location of each radical is unambiguous and allows us to validate theoretical methods that assign radical location on the basis of EPR hyperfine structure. Mutation to tyrosine decreases the lipid peroxidase activity of this myoglobin in the presence of low concentrations of reductant, and the possibility of decreasing the intrinsic toxicity of hemoglobin by introduction of these pathways is discussed. © 2012 American Chemical Society

A new genus for a rare African vespertilionid bat: insights from South Sudan

A new genus is proposed for the strikingly patterned African vespertilionid "Glauconycteris" superba Hayman, 1939 on the basis of cranial and external morphological comparisons. A review of the attributes of a newly collected specimen from South Sudan (a new country record) and other museum specimens of "Glauconycteris" superba suggests that "Glauconycteris" superba is markedly distinct ecomorphologically from other species classified in Glauconycteris and is likely the sister taxon to Glauconycteris sensu stricto. The recent capture of this rarely collected but widespread bat highlights the need for continued research in tropical sub-Saharan Africa and in particular, for more work in western South Sudan, which has received very little scientific attention. New country records for Glauconycteris cf. poensis (South Sudan) and Glauconycteris curryae (Gabon) are also reported.DeeAnn M. Reeder, Kristofer M. Helgen, Megan E. Vodzak, Darrin P. Lunde, Imran Ejotr

Acoustic scattering by axisymmetric finite-length bodies with application to fish : measurement and modeling

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution June 2002This thesis investigates the complexities of acoustic scattering by finite bodies in general and by fish in particular through the development of an advanced acoustic scattering model and detailed laboratory acoustic measurements. A general acoustic scattering model is developed that is accurate and numerically effcient for a wide range of frequencies, angles of orientation, irregular axisymmetric shapes and boundary conditions. The model presented is an extension of a two-dimensional conformal mapping approach to scattering by irregular, finite-length bodies of revolution. An extensive series of broadband acoustic backscattering measurements has been conducted involving alewife fish (Alosa pseudoharengus), which are morphologically similar to the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus). A greater-than-octave bandwidth (40-95 kHz), shaped, linearly swept, frequency modulated signal was used to insonify live, adult alewife that were tethered while being rotated in 1-degree increments over all angles of orientation in two planes of rotation (lateral and dorsal/ventral). Spectral analysis correlates frequency dependencies to morphology and orientation. Pulse compression processing temporally resolves multiple returns from each individual which show good correlation with size and orientation, and demonstrate that there exists more than one significant scattering feature in the animaL. Imaging technologies used to exactly measure the morphology of the scattering features of fish include very highresolution Phase Contrast X-rays (PCX) and Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, which are used for morphological evaluation and incorporation into the scattering modeL. Studies such as this one, which combine scattering models with high-resolution morphological information and high-quality laboratory data, are crucial to the quantitative use of acoustics in the ocean

Acoustical characterization of the riverine environment

N0001412WX2151