Pitch-matching Scanning: comparison of musicians and non-musicians' performance

PURPOSE: To develop a simple and quick-to-apply procedure for pitch-matching scanning that contains vocal imitation tasks of musical sounds of different tones and the temporal ordination of three different tones; to verify its applicability, by comparing the performance of musicians and non-musicians. METHODS: Participants were 32 adults of both genders without vocal, hearing and/or auditory processing complaints. They were equally divided into two groups: musicians group - MG and non-musicians group - NMG. All participants underwent the Pitch-matching Scanning that included musical stimuli compatible with men and women singing vocal range gathered into two types of tasks: isolate tones and three-tone sequences. Participants were instructed to listen to them and to reproduce them vocally. Voice samples were recorded, analyzed acoustically, and right and wrong matches for the two tasks were characterized. The variables regarding the comparison between groups and types of tasks were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A difference was found between groups, and the MG presented greater number of right matches in both tasks. CONCLUSION: The Pitch-matching Scanning was developed and was sensitive to evaluate and compare the performance between groups. Thus, it can be used as a tool for pitch-matching tracking. Musicians presented better performance than non-musicians in the Pitch-matching Scanning.OBJETIVOS: Elaborar um procedimento simples e de rápida aplicação contendo tarefas de imitação vocal de sons musicais de diferentes tons e de ordenação temporal de três tons; verificar sua aplicabilidade, comparando o desempenho de musicistas e não musicistas. MÉTODOS: Participaram 32 indivíduos adultos, de ambos os gêneros, sem queixas vocais, auditivas e/ou de processamento auditivo, que foram divididos igualmente em dois grupos: grupo musicistas - GM e grupo não musicistas - GNM. Todos passaram pela Triagem da Afinação Vocal, que incluiu estímulos musicais compatíveis com a tessitura vocal de homens e mulheres, agrupados em dois tipos de tarefas: tons isolados e sequências de três tons. Os participantes foram instruídos a ouvir os tons apresentados e reproduzí-los vocalmente. As emissões vocais foram gravadas, analisadas acusticamente e os acertos e erros cometidos nos dois tipos de tarefas foram caracterizados. As variáveis referentes à comparação entre os grupos e os tipos de tarefas foram analisadas estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença na comparação entre os dois tipos de tarefas para o GNM, o que não ocorreu com o GM. Foram observadas diferenças na comparação entre os grupos, sendo que o GM apresentou um maior número de acertos nos dois tipos de tarefas. CONCLUSÃO: A Triagem da Afinação Vocal foi criada e mostrou-se sensível para avaliação e comparação do desempenho entre grupos, podendo ser utilizada como instrumento de rastreamento de afinação vocal. Musicistas apresentaram melhor desempenho que não musicistas na Triagem da Afinação Vocal.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de FonoaudiologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de FonoaudiologiaSciEL

Ultramontanism And Catholic Modernism: An Analysis of Political-Ecclesiastic Controversy in Germany of the 19th Century

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the roots of Catholic modernism in Germany from previous intellectual and theological movements such as Catholic Enlightenment Therfore this paper analyzes the internal and external conflicts of the Catholic Church in Germany during the process of consolidation of modernity in the 19th century until culminating in the modernist movement and its consequences in the beginning of the 20th centur

Parameters to reduce waste in the paper curl process in a PIM company

In a highly competitive environment among companies, standardization of processes has been one of the means to reduce errors, defects, and costs. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate what is the best standard with parameters to be applied to the manufacture of corrugated cardboard in a company in the Industrial Pole of Manaus (PIM), aiming to reduce the number of wastes from this process. The data were collected from the production management system of company X and analyzed through brainstorming with the employees of the studied process. At the end of the research it was concluded that the parameters that most influence the generation of approximately 9 types of scrap are: (a) Temperature of the cover and core; b) Press pressure; c) Corrugate pressure; d) Glue crack; e) Pressure of the coil door brakes. To reduce factory waste, a standardized list was proposed containing the parameters for each composition, observing the peculiarities of this production process

Stability-indicating RP-HPLC method for determination of beclomethasone dipropionate in nanocapsule suspensions

A simple stability-indicating RP-HPLC/UV method was validated for determination of beclomethasone dipropionate (BD) in nanocapsule suspensions. Chromatographic conditions consisted of a RP C18column (250 mm x 4.60 mm, 5 µm, 110 Å), using methanol and water (85:15 v/v) as mobile phase at 1.0 mL/min with UV detection at 254 nm. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range of 5.0-25.0 µg/mL with a correlation coefficient >; 0.999. Precision was demonstrated by a relative standard deviation lower than 2.0%. Accuracy was assessed by the recovery test of BD from nanocapsules (98.03% to 100.35%). Specificity showed no interference from the components of nanocapsules or from the degradation products derived from acid, basic and photolytic conditions. In conclusion, the method is suitable to be applied to assay BD in bulk drug and in nanocapsules, and it can be employed to study stability and degradation kinetics.Um método simples de CLAE-FR/UV indicativo de estabilidade foi validado para a determinação do dipropionato de beclometasona (BD) em suspensões de nanocápsulas. As condições cromatográficas foram: coluna C18 fase reversa (250 mm x 4,60 mm, 5 µm, 110 Å), usando como fase móvel metanol e água (85:15 v/v) a 1,0 mL/min, com detecção UV a 254 nm. A curva de calibração foi linear no intervalo de 5,0-25,0 µg/mL com coeficiente de correlação >;0,999. A precisão foi demonstrada por um desvio padrão relativo menor que 2,0%. A exatidão foi avaliada pelo teste de recuperação do BD a partir das nanocápsulas (98,03% a 100,35%). O teste de especificidade não mostrou interferência dos componentes das nanocápsulas e nem dos produtos de degradação derivados de condições ácidas, básicas e fotolíticas. Em conclusão, o método é adequado para ser aplicado na avaliação do BD puro e em nanocápsulas e pode ser empregado para o estudo de estabilidade e degradação cinética

Sodium risedronate-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles: Development, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro drug release study

Objective: Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by bone mass loss. Sodium risedronate (Na-Ris) is one of the most used drugs to its treatment. However, it has low oral bioavailability and exhibits many side effects. In order to overcome these limitations, the search for new dosage forms is necessary. One of these alternatives is the development of nanoparticles, which are able to transport the drug to its target directly, promoting maximization of the therapeutic efficiency and minimization of the toxicity. Due to its great versatility, these systems can be applied to an assorted administration routes, such as oral, pulmonary, intravenous, among others. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop Na-Ris-loaded nanoparticles and determine the drug release profile. Methods: Nanoparticles were prepared by solvent emulsification/evaporation method and characterized by mean size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, granulometric distribution, drug content and encapsulation efficiency. Afterwards, in vitro drug release was performed using the dialysis bag technique as well as the release kinetics were also studied. Results: The developed system has shown mean size of 193 ± 14 nm and polydispersity index around 0.2. Zeta potential was -9.76 ± 0,52 mV and slightly acid values for pH. The granulometric distribution demonstrated nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution and the absence of particles in the micrometer range. Regarding the in vitro release, the drug was released completely from the system in 240 minutes and the release kinetics has follow the zero-order equation. Final considerations: Thus, the Na-Ris-loaded nanoparticles were successfully developed and are a promising formulation for osteoporosis management.Population in all over the world is affected by bone diseases, such as osteoporosis and loss bone tissue. Sodium risedronate (Na-Ris) is one of the most used drugs to its treatment. However, it has low oral bioavailability and exhibits many side effects. In order to overcome these limitations, the search for new dosage forms is necessary. One of these alternatives is the development of nanoparticles, which are able to transport the drug to its target directly, promoting maximization of the therapeutic efficiency and minimization of the toxicity. Due to its great versatility, these systems can be applied to an assorted administration routes, such as oral, pulmonary, intravenous, among others. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and characterize Na-Ris-loaded nanoparticles, as well as determine the drug release profile. Methods: Nanoparticles were prepared by solvent emulsification/evaporation method and characterized by mean size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, granulometric distribution, drug content and encapsulation efficiency. Afterwards, in vitro drug release was performed using the dialysis bag technique as well as the release kinetics were also studied. Results: The developed system has shown mean size of 193 ± 14 nm and polydispersity index around 0.2. Zeta potential was -9.76 ± 0,52 mV and slightly acid values for pH. The granulometric distribution demonstrated nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution and the absence of particles in the micrometer range. Regarding the in vitro release, the drug was released completely from the system in 240 minutes and the release kinetics has follow the zero-order equation. Final considerations: Thus, a nanocarrier containing a water-soluble drug was successfully developed, presenting adequate physicochemical characteristics, which can be promising for biological evaluations

Processo de Meixner: teoria e aplicações no mercado financeiro brasileiro

Modelos consagrados e amplamente utilizados no mercado, como o modelo de Black-Scholes, assumem que os retornos diários dos ativos têm distribuição Normal. Na prática, porém, evidencia-se que esses retornos são frequentemente assimétricos e com caudas mais pesadas. Sendo assim, este trabalho busca avaliar se a distribuição de Meixner seria mais apropriada para a modelagem dos retornos. Adicionalmente, será analisado se o processo de Lévy que surge a partir dessa distribuição, o processo de Meixner, é eficiente na precificação de derivativos financeiros. Para tanto, propõe-se a substituição do movimento Browniano pelo processo de Meixner em Black-Scholes.Well-known models that are extensively used by market traders, such as the Black-Scholes model, assume that the daily log-returns of assets follow a Normal distribution. Empirical evidences, however, show that return rates are frequently asymmetric and have fatter tails. Hence, this work aims to investigate if the Meixner distribution would be more appropriate to fit daily log-return. Additionally, it will be explored if the Lévy process risen from this distribution, the Meixner process, is efficient to price financial derivatives. Therefore, this study proposes the replacement of the Brownian motion by the Meixner process in Black-Scholes