Interactive performance for musicians with a hearing impairment

How can we perceive music if we cannot hear it properly? The achievements of deaf musicians suggest it is possible not only to perceive music, but to perform with other musicians. Yet very little research exists to explain how this is possible. This thesis addresses this problem and explores the premise that vibrations felt on the skin may facilitate interactive music making. An initial interview study found that, while vibrations are sometimes perceived, it is predominantly the use of visual and physical cues that are relied upon in group performance to help stay in time and in tune with other players. The findings informed the design of two observation studies exploring the effects of i) artificial attenuation of auditory information and ii) natural deafness on performance behaviours. It was shown that profound congenital deafness affected the players’ movements and their gazes/glances towards each other while mild or moderate levels of attenuation or deafness did not. Nonetheless, all players, regardless of hearing level, reciprocated the behaviours of co-performers suggesting the influence of social factors benefitting verbal and non-verbal communication between players. Finally, a series of three psychophysical experiments was designed to explore the perception of pitch on the skin using vibrations. The first study found that vibrotactile detection thresholds were not affected by hearing impairments. The second established that the relative pitches of intervals larger than a major 6th were easy to discriminate, but this was not possible for semitones. The third showed that tones an octave apart could be memorised and identified accurately, but were confused when less than a perfect 4th apart. The thesis concludes by evaluating the potential of vibrotactile technology to facilitate interactive performance for musicians with hearing impairments. By considering the psychophysical, behavioural and qualitative data together, it is suggested that signal processing strategies in vibrotactile technology should take social, cognitive and perceptual factors into account

Comparison of Water Quality Program Efforts for Non-Governmental Organizations Within Northern Gulf of Mexico Watersheds

Non-governmental organizations concerned with water quality issues within the Northern Gulf of Mexico were surveyed to compare their program differences. The objectives of the study were to determine the extent of water quality programs and priority program emphasis for non-governmental organizations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. The study utilized a methodology that identified the program elements of four different watersheds in four southeastern states. The results demonstrate that evaluating non-governmental program efforts in a region reveals targeted priorities that may help to define future program needs

Changes in women’s facial skin color over the ovulatory cycle are not detectable by the human visual system

Human ovulation is not advertised, as it is in several primate species, by conspicuous sexual swellings. However, there is increasing evidence that the attractiveness of women’s body odor, voice, and facial appearance peak during the fertile phase of their ovulatory cycle. Cycle effects on facial attractiveness may be underpinned by changes in facial skin color, but it is not clear if skin color varies cyclically in humans or if any changes are detectable. To test these questions we photographed women daily for at least one cycle. Changes in facial skin redness and luminance were then quantified by mapping the digital images to human long, medium, and shortwave visual receptors. We find cyclic variation in skin redness, but not luminance. Redness decreases rapidly after menstrual onset, increases in the days before ovulation, and remains high through the luteal phase. However, we also show that this variation is unlikely to be detectable by the human visual system. We conclude that changes in skin color are not responsible for the effects of the ovulatory cycle on women’s attractiveness

Differential pathways to adult metabolic dysfunction following poor nutrition at two critical developmental periods in sheep

Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest early nutrition has long-term effects on susceptibility to obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Small and large animal models confirm the influence of different windows of sensitivity, from fetal to early postnatal life, on offspring phenotype. We showed previously that undernutrition in sheep either during the first month of gestation or immediately after weaning induces differential, sex-specific changes in adult metabolic and cardiovascular systems. The current study aims to determine metabolic and molecular changes that underlie differences in lipid and glucose metabolism induced by undernutrition during specific developmental periods in male and female sheep. Ewes received 100% (C) or 50% nutritional requirements (U) from 1–31 days gestation, and 100% thereafter. From weaning (12 weeks) to 25 weeks, offspring were then fed either ad libitum (CC, UC) or were undernourished (CU, UU) to reduce body weight to 85% of their individual target. From 25 weeks, all offspring were fed ad libitum. A cohort of late gestation fetuses were studied after receiving either 40% nutritional requirements (1–31 days gestation) or 50% nutritional requirements (104–127 days gestation). Post-weaning undernutrition increased in vivo insulin sensitivity, insulin receptor and glucose transporter 4 expression in muscle, and lowered hepatic methylation at the delta-like homolog 1/maternally expressed gene 3 imprinted cluster in adult females, but not males. Early gestational undernutrition induced lower hepatic expression of gluconeogenic factors in fetuses and reduced in vivo adipose tissue insulin sensitivity in adulthood. In males, undernutrition in early gestation increased adipose tissue lipid handling mechanisms (lipoprotein lipase, glucocorticoid receptor expression) and hepatic methylation within the imprinted control region of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor in adulthood. Therefore, undernutrition during development induces changes in mechanisms of lipid and glucose metabolism which differ between tissues and sexes dependent on the period of nutritional restriction. Such changes may increase later life obesity and dyslipidaemia risk

Reciprocal auditory attenuation affects looking behaviour and playing level but not ensemble synchrony: A psychoacoustical study of violin duos

Evidence suggests that musicians may be more susceptible to developing a hearing impairment due to increased exposure to loud sounds over the lifespan. Hearing impairments can affect musical performance behaviours, yet research suggests they do not significantly affect ensemble synchrony unless the hearing loss is severe or profound. This study investigated the effect of reduced auditory feedback on ensemble synchrony, looking behaviour and playing level. Four violinists, with self-reported normal hearing, formed two duos in acoustically-isolated rooms separated by a glass window. Each player received feedback from their own and their co-performer’s playing attenuated by 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 dB. Video recordings of their looking behaviours were coded and signed asynchronies were identified in the audio files. The strongest effects found were bi-directional changes to playing levels as a result of auditory feedback levels, which increased when a player’s own feedback was reduced and reduced when co-performer feedback was attenuated. Violinists’ looking behaviour was found to increase when co-performer feedback was attenuated by 20 dB or more relative to their own, such that they glanced more frequently and looked for longer towards their partners. There were no effects of auditory attenuation on ensemble synchrony, even with 40 dB attenuation. The results indicate that “self-to-other” sound level ratios are more likely to prompt compensatory musical performance behaviours than an individual’s hearing ability

Reviews

The following publications have been reviewed by the mentioned authors;Design and technology education exhibition  - reviewed by John EgglestonProject 2045 - The Design CouncilBeginning Teaching: Beginning Learning - reviewed by Bridget A. EganThe World of Chocolate - reviewed by Richard AgerSteel & Motorways Curriculum Pack - reviewed by Robert BowenDesign and Technology in Action Teacher's pack - reviewed by Robert Bowenthings: thinking things through with 7-11 year olds - reviewed by Marion RutlandD&T Challenges - reviewed by Tim FulfordSTEP Key Stage 3 Teacher's Handbook 2nd Ed. - reviewed by John HansonDesign and Technology Projects for Secondary Schools - reviewed by George Asquith

Human IgE responses to Schistosoma mansoni and resistance to reinfection

Schistosoma mansoni infected Kenyan patients were treated and the intensities of their reinfections were followed over the next two years. In addition, their pre- and six month post-treatment serum levels of IgG1-4, IgM, and IgE, specific for schistosomula, egg and adult worm, were measured in ELISA. No reinfection took place before six months post-treatment. Reinfection intensities varied with age; the younger children becoming reinfected at significantly higher intensities than older individuals. When antibody and reinfection levels were compared, only the six month post-treatment IgE response against adult worm correlated negatively with intensities of reinfection and, therefore, was predictive of resistance or immunity to reinfection. IgE and IgG specific Western Blots were carried out. The adult worm antigens recognized by IgE were restricted compared with the IgG responses of the same patients, although no individual antigen was uniquely recognized by the IgE isotype. A dominant 22 kDa antigen was recognized by most but not all high IgE responders. Patients with IgE responses against this antigen suffered significantly lower subsequent levels of reinfection, compared with non-responders. A monospecific rabbit antiserum against the 22 kDa adult worm antigen showed that this antigen is specifically located in the tegument of the adult worm and of 'lung' and 'liver' stage schistosomula, but is absent from the early 'skin' schistosomula. It is possible that this antigen is a target for human IgE mediated immune effector mechanisms active against the post skin stage schistosomula and that this is boosted by the death of adult worms

Interindividual variation in DNA methylation at a putative POMC metastable epiallele Is associated with obesity

The estimated heritability of human BMI is close to 75%, but identified genetic variants explain only a small fraction of interindividual body-weight variation. Inherited epigenetic variants identified in mouse models named “metastable epialleles” could in principle explain this “missing heritability.” We provide evidence that methylation in a variably methylated region (VMR) in the pro-opiomelanocortin gene (POMC), particularly in postmortem human laser-microdissected melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)-positive neurons, is strongly associated with individual BMI. Using cohorts from different ethnic backgrounds, including a Gambian cohort, we found evidence suggesting that methylation of the POMC VMR is established in the early embryo and that offspring methylation correlates with the paternal somatic methylation pattern. Furthermore, it is associated with levels of maternal one-carbon metabolites at conception and stable during postnatal life. Together, these data suggest that the POMC VMR may be a human metastable epiallele that influences body-weight regulation

Meta-Analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Relative to ER Status Reveal Elevated Activity of MYC and E2F in the “Basal” Breast Cancer Subgroup

10.1371/journal.pone.0004710PLoS ONE43