Advice to a college music student

Some helpful advice that the author has for students of music, especially at the undergraduate level

Male mate preference in the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

As a live-bearing fish, Gambusia holbrooki offers unique opportunities to study sexual selection. While males of this species invest little time or energy per offspring, sexual selection theory should predict that if a male is presented with two females of differing size, a preference should be shown for the larger of the two females. Evolution should favor the choice of a larger female because of increased brood size, better health, and ability to survive the environment. Only two studies to date have looked at male mate preferences in Gambusia holbrooki, and the results were mixed. In this study, to measure male preference a dichotomous choice test was used with female fish of varying sizes placed in clear containers at opposite ends of an aquarium. The elapsed time a free swimming male spent in “side time” (on same side of aquarium as either female) and “proximity time” (within one male length) was recorded. Experiment 1 looked at male preference for females differing in size by at least 5mm and found that males (n=12) spent significantly more time in close proximity to larger (compared to smaller) females in the first 10 minutes of a 20-minute preference test. The males, however, did not show a significant preference in side time. Experiment 2 sought to increase the size discrepancy between the two females tested and included very large females, as they might provide a supernormal stimulus for the male (n=9). However, the results of Experiment 2 showed no such preference in side time or proximity time. Experiment 3 increased the number of subjects to 27 to provide a more representative sample of female fish a male might encounter in the wild and added a social interaction portion to the testing. Female size differential groupings were broken in to three categories: Small (2-6mm), Medium (8-11mm), and Large (13-17mm). The results of this experiment showed a significant preference for the larger females that was dependent upon the size differential grouping, with proximity time in the medium grouping being most pronounced. In the social interaction portion of the testing, a significant preference was found for larger versus smaller females, but there was not a significant preference found between the size groupings. As predicted by the sexual selection theory, the results of the aforementioned experiments seem to indicate that a male mate preference for larger females does exist, but only within certain parameters

The effects of fluoxetine and environmental enrichment on recovery of function following focal dentate gyrus lesions

New neurons are formed in the dentate gyrus of the mammalian hippocampus throughout adulthood. Rates of adult neurogenesis can be manipulated by pharmacological and environmental factors. Specifically, two factors that lead to increased neurogenesis are the antidepressant fluoxetine which increases the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and environmental enrichment which increases neuronal survival. Although the putative function of adult neurogenesis is unknown, there is accumulating evidence that it plays a role in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and as a self-repair response following brain insult. The aim of the present study was investigate whether increasing neurogenesis in rats could promote a recovery of spatial function following dentate gyrus damage. Intradentate infusions of colchcine selectively ablated the majority of dorsal dentate gyrus granule cells. Rats where then tested on the Morris water maze and matched to treatment groups. In the treatment paradigm aimed at increasing rates of neurogenesis, rats were given daily saline or fluoxetine injections and either lived in standard housing or a novel enriched environment for 5 weeks with BrdU injections occurring in the middle. Ki67-staining revealed a decrease in cell proliferation associated with the enriched environment. Doublecortin-staining revealed that fluoxetine increased cell survival in the standard housing. BrdU/NeuN-colabeling qualitatively revealed that neurogenesis did occur in the damaged dentate gyrus, but at a low rate. Overall, dentate gyrus lesions significantly decreased the proliferation and survival of new neurons following treatment. We concluded that the colchicine dose used profoundly disrupted the neurogenic niche and that the enriched environment was inhibiting proliferation because it was more stressful than the standard housing. In the post-treatment behavioral testing, lesion rats had significant spatial memory deficits but did improve and enriched rats improved more than standard housed rats. On the probe test, lesion rats outperformed sham rats and lesion rats in the enriched environment outperformed all other rats on target search but not target crossings which may be interpreted as an increased resistance to extinction

The study of models for zinc(II) metalloenzymes in aqueous solution

Model compounds have been of great importance in elucidating the mechanism of action of many metalloenzymes, particulary those containing the Zn(II) ion. Of particular importance has been the acidity of water molecules coordinated to Zn(II) in metalloenzymes. The coordination number (C.N.) of the zinc is lowered from the C.N. of 6 found for the aquo ion to, usually, 4 in these situations, which leads to greater acidity of the coordinated water molecule. This is essential for such metalloenzymes to function at biological pH. Of particular interest has been the pKa of the complexes of N2S type ligands, which resemble the coordination environment of peptide deformylase (PD). A major question is whether the presence of the strongly binding negative sulfur of the cysteine group would greatly lower the acidity of the coordinated water in the active site as compared with other metalloenzymes where, for example, three neutral nitrogen donors are coordinated. The model complex for PD, a N2S ligand (PATH) first studied by Goldberg, is studied to answer this question. Glass electrode potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry are used to show that the acidity of the coordinated water is quite high, showing that the mercapto group of PATH, and also in PD, does not cause a decrease in acidity. The Zn complex of cyclen, as well as other nitrogen donor macrocycles, are studied by glass electrode potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry to determine the acidity of coordinated water molecules, as well as the formation constants of small ligands with the Zn(II) complex. It is shown that the cyclen complex of Zn(II) has strong binding with ligands such as chloride, bromide, iodide and thiourea, indicating that the Zn center has become ‘softer’ in the HSAB classification of Pearson than is the case for the Zn(II) aquo ion. The acidity of a variety of Zn(II) complexes with nitrogen donor ligands is discussed in relation to factors that control such acidity

Miserable business of war afloat : the August 1864 cruise of the CSS Tallahassee

The focus of this thesis is the August 1864 cruise of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Tallahassee. Commanded by John Taylor Wood, the cruise up and down the coasts of New York and New England lasted only twenty days but resulted in the destruction or bonding of thirty-one merchant vessels. Naval historians have addressed this cruise as an isolated example of Confederate commerce raiding and failed to place the cruise in the larger context of the war. This study is an attempt to investigate the cruise in greater depth and breadth. The mission was specifically designed to alleviate the pressure of the Federal blockade off Wilmington and harass the Union merchant marine, but other motivations have not been adequately examined. This thesis ties the cruise of the Tallahassee into the grand strategy of the Confederacy in the summer of 1864, including plan to secure independence by influencing the United States presidential election of November 1864. The reaction of the Northern populace to the cruise is considered, as well as effect the cruise had on Anglo-Confederate relations. Finally, in addition to providing a glimpse of the cruise itself, the long-term implications of the cruise are considered. Ironically, the cruise contributed to the downfall of the Confederate States of America. Northern officials and the press viewed the Tallahassee as a pirate, strengthening the call to close the port from whence the raider embarked, Wilmington, North Carolina. The disagreements among Confederate leaders over the cruise highlighted other problems that plagued the Confederacy. The object of this study is to bring the motivations and ramifications of this cruise to light. Historians have only recounted the events of the cruise without carefully considering why the cruise was designed or the overarching results of the mission. Careful primary and secondary research was undertaken for this thesis. While this study fits into the realm of naval and military history, the writer uses the fields of political history, diplomatic history, and social history to better tell the story of the CSS Tallahassee

Geophysical investigation of the tectonic and volcanic history of the Nauru Basin, Western Pacific

In the western Pacific, oceanic crust is Jurassic in age based on magnetic anomaly lineations. However, drilling expeditions have instead recovered mid-Cretaceous age basalts in deep, supposedly Jurassic age basins such as the Nauru, East Mariana, and Pigafetta. In the southern Nauru Basin, mulitchannel seismic reflection and sonobuoy refraction data support an off-ridge tectonic setting for the emplacement of mid-Cretaceous flood basalts over original Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous oceanic crust. Forward modeling of refraction data provide velocity structure for coincident seismic reflection data to determine the types and thickness of materials overlying oceanic crust in the southern Nauru Basin. From these models the detection of thin, high velocity sills/flows within a thick, lower velocity layer are evident over a rough reflection surface interpreted as oceanic crust, with an age given by Mesozoic magnetic anomaly lineations. Oceanic crust clearly exists in the southernmost Nauru Basin without the overburden of high velocity sills/flows. Observations of thin sills/flows and oceanic crust beneath reflections from the mid-Cretaceous material cored at Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 462 indicate the presence of previously unsampled lithologic units in the Nauru Basin, notably oceanic crust

Transmitting a revolution : mass communications and the 1956 Hungarian uprising

The 1956 Hungarian Revolution was a remarkable event in a tumultuous year. Utilizing American archival sources, this paper explores the role of mass communications before and during the uprising. The theories developed in historian Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (1983) are drawn upon to create an interpretive framework that furthers understanding of the reasons behind, and nature of, the revolution. The paper analyzes two types of mass communications: print media and radio broadcasting. Both means of communicating fostered the establishment of independenceminded communities in local, national, and international realms. The intellectual leadership of the revolution recovered the spirit of Hungary’s war for independence in 1848-49, which they then disseminated through mass-print media. Foreign broadcasting stations operating in Hungary created the perception of a powerful ally in the minds of listeners. These listeners then promoted this knowledge through interpersonal communication, constructing communities bound by the possibility of Western-assisted independence. On 23 October, print media and radio dictated collective action, which constructed a framework for the ignition of an armed uprising in Budapest. Radio transmissions inspired Hungarians throughout the nation to join what became a war for independence

It's a big old goofy world view : John Prine as a modern-day Mark Twain

This thesis, entitled “It’s a Big Old Goofy World View: John Prine As a Modern-Day Mark Twain,” makes the connection between Mark Twain, the nineteenth-century writer and lecturer, and John Prine, a contemporary songwriter and performer. Like Twain, Prine views the world with joy and pity: with humor and disdain. While Twain utilizes literary techniques to advance his impressions, Prine’s musical compositions demonstrate his unique outlook. In my discussion of Prine’s songs, I will analyze not only lyrics but also musical characteristics. Lyrically, the songs demonstrate poetic characteristics and narrative devices. For this reason, I will closely examine the lyrics as one would examine poetry or prose. While musically the songs are simple, Prine’s choices of accompaniment, instrumentation, dynamics, and musical genre greatly affect how the lyrics are perceived and are no less important. Born in 1946 and recording and performing music for more than thirty-four years, Prine’s observations of the world around him reflect the attitudes and practices of modern American culture. His views on love, social issues, politics, and religion are presented in a vernacular language that is made accessible by melodies that are both poignant and memorable. Because Prine’s song, “It’s a Big Old Goofy World” is a microcosm of his world view, I have employed the lyrics to this song as a frame for each chapter. The characters which inhabit this song, and indeed many Prine songs, are described with a unique blend of wit and pathos: they can make you smile and they can break your heart

Imperial soldiers and the experience of guerrilla war in Spain, 1808-1814

The Peninsular War of 1808 to 1814 remains unique in Napoleonic History. On canvas, Francisco Goya painted its brutality. Napoleon blamed it for his defeat. Historians assent to both assessments with passing references to the guerrilla conflict’s terrible nature and its negative effect upon the French. Commonly, these brief references turn on such points as the harassing effect of guerrillas upon strung out forces in Spain, the difficulty of foraging for the French, the allied intelligence advantage and finally the notoriously low morale of the French army of occupation. These brief comments on the guerrilla war are, however, buried in the traditional histories of campaigns and generals, of Bailens and Salamancas, of Wellingtons and Soults. Peninsular historiography is almost totally devoid of any information about how French soldiers themselves regarded the guerrilla conflict. By and large, this human element is ignored. This oversight leaves important questions unanswered: How did the French and imperial troops experience the guerrilla war? What exactly did poor morale mean for a soldier who suffered from its effects? Many memoirs of imperial veterans specifically center on the Spanish conflict and provide excellent material with which to illustrate the experience of guerrilla war. By looking into the accounts left by soldiers of all ranks, this work will show how for the troops charged with the conquest and occupation of Spain and Portugal, poor morale created a complex weave of isolation, frustration, and exhaustion that affected their ability to perform their duties

Manganese concentration and speciation in coastal rainwater, southeastern North Carolina

Manganese exists in mainly two oxidation states in the atmosphere, Mn(II) and Mn(IV). Divalent manganese, Mn(II), is a soluble oxidation state whereas tetravalent manganese, Mn(IV), is found as a particulate. Mn(II) is therefore found in higher concentrations in rainwater. Manganese is released into the atmosphere by natural and anthropogenic sources. Rainwater is thought to be a main removal mechanism for atmospheric manganese. The concentration and speciation of manganese were determined in rainwater from Wilmington, NC, from April 2, 2005 to March 24, 2006. Volume weighted averages for Mntotal, Mn(II), and Mn(IV) were 11 ± 3 nM, 11 ± 3 nM, and 1.2 ± 0.4 nM respectively. All manganese species were present in all seasons with higher concentrations of Mntotal and Mn(II) in winter relative to summer season with no significant difference in Mn(IV) between seasons. All manganese species were considerably lower during the fall. Concentrations of Mntotal and Mn(II) were higher in terrestrial storms relative to marine storms with no significant difference in Mn(IV) between storm types. Diurnal variation was seen where Mntotal and Mn(II) concentrations were lowest during the afternoon hours when Mn(IV) was at a maximum. Mn(II) and Mn(IV) concentrations were not correlated with one another. Mn(IV) showed a positive correlation with Fepart whereas Mn(II) correlated with Fediss and Fepart. A positive correlation was observed between Mn(II) and the pollutant indicators H+, NO3 -, and NSS. No correlation was observed for Mn(IV) and the pollutant indicators. Highest concentrations of manganese species occurred in small volume rains and lowest concentrations in high volume. Atmospheric global inputs by natural and anthropogenic sources, 3.28 x 1011 g per year or 6.0 x 109 moles per year, as compared to calculated total global flux of manganese removed via wet deposition, 2.47 x 1011 g per year or 4.5 x 109 moles per year, suggests that approximately 75% of atmospheric Mn is removed by wet deposition with the remaining 25% removed by dry deposition