Automatic Music Composition using Answer Set Programming

Music composition used to be a pen and paper activity. These these days music is often composed with the aid of computer software, even to the point where the computer compose parts of the score autonomously. The composition of most styles of music is governed by rules. We show that by approaching the automation, analysis and verification of composition as a knowledge representation task and formalising these rules in a suitable logical language, powerful and expressive intelligent composition tools can be easily built. This application paper describes the use of answer set programming to construct an automated system, named ANTON, that can compose melodic, harmonic and rhythmic music, diagnose errors in human compositions and serve as a computer-aided composition tool. The combination of harmonic, rhythmic and melodic composition in a single framework makes ANTON unique in the growing area of algorithmic composition. With near real-time composition, ANTON reaches the point where it can not only be used as a component in an interactive composition tool but also has the potential for live performances and concerts or automatically generated background music in a variety of applications. With the use of a fully declarative language and an "off-the-shelf" reasoning engine, ANTON provides the human composer a tool which is significantly simpler, more compact and more versatile than other existing systems. This paper has been accepted for publication in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming (TPLP).Comment: 31 pages, 10 figures. Extended version of our ICLP2008 paper. Formatted following TPLP guideline

Big Data in Parkinson’s Disease: Using Smartphones to Remotely Detect Longitudinal Disease Phenotypes

Objective: To better understand the longitudinal characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD) through the analysis of finger tapping and memory tests collected remotely using smartphones. Approach: Using a large cohort (312 PD subjects and 236 controls) of participants in the mPower study, we extract clinically validated features from a finger tapping and memory test to monitor the longitudinal behaviour of study participants. We investigate any discrepancy in learning rates associated with motor and non-motor tasks between PD subjects and healthy controls. The ability of these features to predict self-assigned severity measures is assessed whilst simultaneously inspecting the severity scoring system for floor-ceiling effects. Finally, we study the relationship between motor and non-motor longitudinal behaviour to determine if separate aspects of the disease are dependent on one another. Main results: We find that the test performances of the most severe subjects show significant correlations with self-assigned severity measures. Interestingly, less severe subjects do not show significant correlations, which is shown to be a consequence of floor-ceiling effects within the mPower self-reporting severity system. We find that motor performance after practise is a better predictor of severity than baseline performance suggesting that starting performance at a new motor task is less representative of disease severity than the performance after the test has been learnt. We find PD subjects show significant impairments in motor ability as assessed through the alternating finger tapping (AFT) test in both the short- and long-term analyses. In the AFT and memory tests we demonstrate that PD subjects show a larger degree of longitudinal performance variability in addition to requiring more instances of a test to reach a steady state performance than healthy subjects. Significance: Our findings pave the way forward for objective assessment and quantification of longitudinal learning rates in PD. This can be particularly useful for symptom monitoring and assessing medication response. This study tries to tackle some of the major challenges associated with self-assessed severity labels by designing and validating features extracted from big datasets in PD, which could help identify digital biomarkers capable of providing measures of disease severity outside of a clinical environment

Dental tissue proportions in fossil orangutans from mainland Asia and Indonesia

Orangutans (Pongo) are the only great ape genus with a substantial Pleistocene and Holocene fossil record, demonstrating a much larger geographic range than extant populations. In addition to having an extensive fossil record, Pongo shows several convergent morphological similarities with Homo, including a trend of dental reduction during the past million years. While studies have documented variation in dental tissue proportions among species of Homo, little is known about variation in enamel thickness within fossil orangutans. Here we assess dental tissue proportions, including conventional enamel thickness indices, in a large sample of fossil orangutan postcanine teeth from mainland Asia and Indonesia. We find few differences between regions, except for significantly lower average enamel thickness (AET) values in Indonesian mandibular first molars. Differences between fossil and extant orangutans are more marked, with fossil Pongo showing higher AET in most postcanine teeth. These differences are significant for maxillary and mandibular first molars. Fossil orangutans show higher AET than extant Pongo due to greater enamel cap areas, which exceed increases in enamel-dentine junction length (due to geometric scaling of areas and lengths for the AET index calculation). We also find greater dentine areas in fossil orangutans, but relative enamel thickness indices do not differ between fossil and extant taxa. When changes in dental tissue proportions between fossil and extant orangutans are compared with fossil and recent Homo sapiens, Pongo appears to show isometric reduction in enamel and dentine, while crown reduction in H. sapiens appears to be due to preferential loss of dentine. Disparate selective pressures or developmental constraints may underlie these patterns. Finally, the finding of moderately thick molar enamel in fossil orangutans may represent an additional convergent dental similarity with Homo erectus, complicating attempts to distinguish these taxa in mixed Asian faunas

Management information systems for the smaller business: staff study; Management advisory Services technical study, no. 8

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_guides/1173/thumbnail.jp

Diversity, population structure and palaeoecology of the Pleistocene large cervids from the Padang Highlands, Sumatra

This chapter deals with the dentognathic remains of the Late Pleistocene large cervids from the Padang Highlands caves in Sumatra. We used linear and geometric morphometric techniques to investigate variation, taxonomic position and body size trends in a dataset of upper and lower molars. Dental mesowear was used to assess dietary preference in a subsample. The results suggest the Padang Highlands cervids belonged to multiple populations of an early stock of Rusa deer the size of sambar (Rusa unicolor), but morphologically reminiscent of Javan rusa (Rusa timorensis). The Rusa sp. of Sumatra was reconstructed as a mixed feeder with an increase in the grazing component with age

Management information systems for the smaller business: staff study; Management Services technical study, no. 8

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_guides/1172/thumbnail.jp

The mounting of a skeleton of the fossil species Candiaceruus sp. II from Liko Cave, Crete, Greece

S'ha muntat un esquelet del cérvol pleistocènic endèmic de Creta per a la nova exhibició del Museu de Geologia de la Universitat d'Atenes. Aquest cérvol difereix de tots els cérvols continentals vivents i extingits, principalment en les seves proporcions. Les mesures i comparacions confirmen aquesta observació, però això no és prou com per a que el públic general se n'adoni del seu impacte. Per contra, un esquelet muntat deixa clar que aquest cérvol tertia uns membres considerablement escurçats, especialment els metàpodes, mentre que la llargària del cos, a la llargària de la columna vertebral, eren més aviat normals. La impressió global és més propera a la d'un bòvid nan insular, com ara Myotragus, que a la d'un cérvol petit, tal com Axis axis. El primer problema a resoldre fou la selecció de material. Ja que mai s'ha trobat un esquelet articulat complet, se n'ha de fer un de compost. Amb aquest motiu, només es varen seleccionar ossos de la classe de talla II (de Vos, 1979 ; Dermitzakis & de Vos, 1987) provinents d'un nivell d'una cova (cova de Liko, estrat B). D'aquesta manera es garanteix un interval geològic estret. Tot seguit, es varen mesurar tots els espècimens disponibles, i es va calcular el promig per a tots els elements. D'acord amb això, es va triar l'exemplar de cada element que més s'apropava a la mitjana calculada. Les peces dretes i esquerres havien de ser de la mateixa mida i robustesa, i els elements contigus havien de casar anatòmicament. Només en alguns casos s'ha hagut de recórrer a triar algun element que faltava a partir d'un llivell diferent, però mai a partir d'una cova diferent i mai a partir d'una classe de talla diferent. S'ha prioritzat la mida, la robustesa i l'ajustament anatòmic, i després que els ossos fossin complets i el color. Hi havia alguns peus articulats disponibles, encara que de mida i robustesa diferents, que s'han emprat per determinar les proporcions correctes i la posició correcta entre les falanges individuals, i els ossos carpians i tarsians. La mateixa cosa fou vàlida per a la columna vertebral. Per a l'establiment de la postura es van fer servir cérvols vivents com a comparació; per a l'extrapolació dels teixits tous (discos intervertebrals, cartílags de les articulacions) també es va recórrer al model dels cérvols vivents. De cara a amagar els bastiments de suport, es va inserir dins els ossos una armadura metàl-lica interna fent forats i fitxant-la amb goma de poliuretà. S'ha fabricat l'esquelet complet en parts modulars bones d'ajuntar pel seu transport fàcil a la mostra. Parts absents petites (principalment processos vertebrals, parts costals i les ales pèlviques) s'han reconstruït amb apoxy, en base a altres elements disponibles de Candiacervus de la cova de Liko a per interpolació del millor ajustament entre dues parts absents. Les traces de la matriu original han estat estretes, per a una impressió millor del material fòssil. Per completar l'esquelet s'ha fet una rèplica del crani de l'espècimen tipus de la classe de talla II de de Vos (1979) i una rèplica de l'espècimen tipus del banyam tipus I de de Vos (1984).For the new exhibition in the Museum of Palaeontology and Geology of the University of Athens a skeleton of the endemic Pleistocene Cretan deer was mounted. This deer differs from all known recent and extinct mainland deer, mainly in its proportions. Measurements and comparisons confirm this observation, but are not enough to make the public realize its impact. A mounted skeleton on the contrary makes it at once clear that this deer had considerably shortened limbs, especially the metapodals, whereas the body length and the vertebral column length are rather normal. The overall impression is closer to that of an insular dwarf bovid like Myotragus than to that of a small deer such as the spotted deer (Axis axis). The first problem to be tackled was the selection of the material. Since a complete articulated skeleton has never been found, a composite had to be made. For this purpose, only bones of size class II (de Vas, 1979; Dermitzakis & de Vas, 1987) coming from one layer of one cave (Liko Cave, layer El were selected. In this way a narrow geological range was assured. Subsequently, tile available specimens were measured, and of all elements the average size was calculated. Accordingly, of each element tile specimen that came tile most close to tile calculated average was selected. Left and right had to be of exactly the same size and robustness, and adjoining elements had to fit anatornically. Only in some cases a missing element had to be chosen from a different layer (layers C and Dl. but never from a different cave, and never from a different size class. Priority was first given to size, robustness and anatomical fitting, and next to completeness and colour. Several articulated feet were available, although of tile wrong size or robustness, which were used in determining the right proportions and right stance between individual phalanges, tarsal and carpal bones. The same was valid for tile vertebral column. For postural aspects, living deer were used as comparison; for extrapolation of soft tissue (intervertebral disks, articulation cartilage) also living deer stood model. In order to keep the supporting fabrication as hidden as possible, an internal metal armature was inserted in tile bones through drilled holes and fixed with polyurethane glue. The complete skeleton is fabricated in ready-to-assemble modular parts for easy transportation and reassembly on the spot. Minor missing parts (mainly vertebral processes, costal parts and tile pelvic wings) have been reconst: ructed in epoxy putty, based on other Candiaceruus elements from Liko or by interpolating the best fit between two existing parts. For a better impression of the fossil material, traces of tile original matrix were left on the bones. A cast of the skull of the type specimen of size II of de Vas (1979) and a cast of tile type specimen of antler type 1 of de Vas (1984) were made to complete the skeleton

The hydrogen-ion concentration of the vaginal secretion of merino sheep during oestrus, dioestrus, and pregnancy, with some remarks on its influence on sex-determination, and the influence of the vaginal temperature at the time of mating on conception

(1) The pH of the vaginal secretion of mature merino ewes, measured during oestrus, gave a mean value of 6·648, with a range of 5·85 to 7·40. During mid-dioestrus the mean value was 6·694, with a range of 6·00 to 7·60. During pregnancy the mean value was 6·272, with a range of 6·00 to 7·00. There are indications that there is a tendency to slightly increased acidity during oestrus and pregnancy. (2) There are indications that there is a slight tendency for male offspring to be associated with a pH approaching neutral or alkaline measurements. (3) The percentage fertility was higher with pH measurements below 7 (82·51 per cent.) than with those above 7 (73·18 per cent.). There are indications that an alkaline medium may be detrimental to the vitality of the spermatozoa in the vagina when pregnancy is used as an indicator. (4) Forced exercise increased the vaginal temperature of ewes when they are compared with ewes, kept under similar environmental conditions, which were allowed voluntary exercise. (5) The temperature of the vagina (within a range of 100·2°F. to 106·2°F.), at the time of mating or artificial insemination did not influence the sex of the lamb. (6) The temperature of the vagina, within a range of 100·2°F. to 106·2°F., did not make a significant difference in the resulting pregnancies in three groups of sheep with mean temperatures, at 1st and 2nd matings or artificial inseminations, of: (1) 103·286, 103·264, (2) 103 ·244, 103·096, and (3) 104·017, 104·108 (temperatures are recorded in °F.). (7) The gestation period, for 79 normal pregnancies in merino sheep, showed a range of 146 to 156 days, with an average of 151·4 days.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format