Gregorian chant and musica ficta : new observations from Spanish theory of the Early Renaissance

El contenido del presente trabajo tiene su punto de partida en el tratado de Fernand Estevan de Sevilla y en el ms. C. III de El Escorial, terminado en 1480; este ultimo manuscrit0 ya había llamado la atención de M. Bukofzer en 1936, puesto que abría nuevas perspectivas estilísticas. En ambos manuscritos se trata del canto llano, así como del contrapunto y canto de Órgano (i.e., polifonía); los dos tratados, que poseen elementos comunes en la transcripción e información sobre la "músicas ficta", representan el paso mas importante para el estudio de esta practica en España, y se distinguen de los tratados anteriores del siglo XIV, superando su limitación sobre este tema. Asimismo, se destaca el examen de las conjuntas, en relación con los hexacordos irregulares que forman parte del sistema de solmisación. Es posible que el uso hispánico de la conjunta proviniera del tratado de Goscaldus (a. 1375); tanto éste, como el de Estevan, como la cartula del Ms. M. 883 de la Biblioteca de Catalunya de Barcelona, poseen elementos comunes, así en la transmisión de los contenidos como en el comentario del repertorio básico de 10s ejemplos musicales. El origen de la musica ficta debe buscarse, según los dos primeros manuscritos citados, en el entorno del contrapunto, si bien las conjuntas fueron empleadas en el canto gregoriano. Curiosamente, este fenómeno musical rehusado en otros siglos, sólo encuentra su justificación académica durante el siglo XV. La musica ficta se emplea para la "buena consonancia", concepto entresacado del contrapunto :y aplicado al canto gregoriano; una segunda acepción del termino conjunta consiste en la unión de dos voces con hexacordos de diferentes tipos. Asimismo, la conjunta se usa, según los dos manuscritos citados, para realzar las voces, consiguiendo así una sonoridad mejor. Los dos manuscritos representan un nuevo tipo de tratado que enfatiza la practica del canto hispánico del siglo XV. Por otra parte, hay otras dos razones que justifican el uso de los accidentales en el canto gregoriano: a) para evitar el intervalo directo o indirecto de la cuarta aumentada (tritono) y quinta disminuida; b) para poder crear el subsemitono y en algún caso especial, el supersemitono. Finalmente, se puede concluir que los accidentales son usados estrictamente por criterios estéticos. Terminado el cuerpo doctrinal del ensayo, el Prof. Gümpel aduce diversos ejemplos de conjuntas y nos ofrece, en un apéndice, la edición de la cartula del Ms. M. 883 de la Biblioteca de Catalunya. La minuciosidad y precisión de este articulo, aparte del interés intrínsec0 de 10s nuevos datos sobre el primer Renacimiento hispánico, 10 convierten asimismo en un remarcable modelo metodológico

Efficiency and profitability of European banks: how important is operational efficiency?

Most previous research on efficiency in banking takes a regulatory perspective. In contrast, this paper investigates the empirical relation between efficiency and profitability in five large economies of the European Union during the period 1998-2005 and discusses the results from the perspective of corporate bank strategy. Methodologically the existing literature is expanded by the use of DEA super-efficiency values to regress profitability, the incorporation of risk by calculative costs of capital, and a model specification built on the modern understanding of banks as centers of value creation. The results of the conducted static and dynamic regression analyses show that profitable banks operate with higher technical efficiency than their competitors. Furthermore, the strategic environment and in this regard the structure and concentration of the national financial sector have a considerable impact on a bank's financial performance. Both issues proved to be statistically and economically significant. Thus, the results support the appropriateness of the generic strategy of cost leadership for the European banking market. Banks following this strategic position were able to achieve higher excess returns during the analyzed period. --Banks,corporate strategy,efficiency,operational efficiency,profitability

Die «Nova Expositio» der Hanschrift Ripoll 42 : Text und Kommentar

El present article s'ocupa d'una versió revisada del text denominat Nova expositio, del que l'original aparegué a l'anònim Alia musica (segles IX/X), data dels volts de 1030, i formà part del ms. Barcelona, ACA, Ripoll 42. És un tractat tonal probablement destinat a un monestir francès. La segona part de l'article presenta l'edició sinòptica de les dues versions de la Nova expositio, l'original i la revisada, mentre que a la tercera es discuteixen els exemples de cant esmentats al tractat.The present article deals with a revised version of the so-called Nova expositio, whose original text appeared in the anonymous Alia musica (9th/10th cent.). Written around 1030 as part of Ms. Barcelona, Arxiu de la Corona dAragó, Ripoll 42, it represents a tonary treatise which was probably intended for a French monastery. In Part II of the article a synoptic edition of both the revised and the original version of the Nova expositio is offered, while Part III serves to discuss the chant examples cited in the treatise

El canto melódico de Toledo : algunas reflexiones sobre su origen y estilo

El autor de este artìculo, especialista en la teoria musical hispanica de la Edad Media y del Renacimiento, nos presenta el tema del canto melódico o melodia, que tuvo especial resonancia en la catedral de Toledo. Relacionada posiblemente con el canto mozárabe, la melodia, cuya sistematización no aparece hasta los tratados del siglo XVI, consiste en una ornamentaci6n del canto llano; diversos ejemplos son puestos de manifiesto en este estudio (quiebro, onda, tremolacio, dos ondas), que termina con la edición del texto del ms. 1325 de la Biblioteca de Catalunya de Barcelona, titulado Arte de melodia sobre canto lano y canto d'organo, obra datable a principios del siglo XVI y que, según el profesor Gümpel, es la fuente mas valiosa acerca del Canto melódico de Toledo)

Forensic attribution challenges during forensic examinations of databases

An aspect of database forensics that has not yet received much attention in the academic research community is the attribution of actions performed in a database. When forensic attribution is performed for actions executed in computer systems, it is necessary to avoid incorrectly attributing actions to processes or actors. This is because the outcome of forensic attribution may be used to determine civil or criminal liability. Therefore, correctness is extremely important when attributing actions in computer systems, also when performing forensic attribution in databases. Any circumstances that can compromise the correctness of the attribution results need to be identified and addressed. This dissertation explores possible challenges when performing forensic attribution in databases. What can prevent the correct attribution of actions performed in a database? Thirst identified challenge is the database trigger, which has not yet been studied in the context of forensic examinations. Therefore, the dissertation investigates the impact of database triggers on forensic examinations by examining two sub questions. Firstly, could triggers due to their nature, combined with the way databases are forensically acquired and analysed, lead to the contamination of the data that is being analysed? Secondly, can the current attribution process correctly identify which party is responsible for which changes in a database where triggers are used to create and maintain data? The second identified challenge is the lack of access and audit information in NoSQL databases. The dissertation thus investigates how the availability of access control and logging features in databases impacts forensic attribution. The database triggers, as dened in the SQL standard, are studied together with a number of database trigger implementations. This is done in order to establish, which aspects of a database trigger may have an impact on digital forensic acquisition, analysis and interpretation. Forensic examinations of relational and NoSQL databases are evaluated to determine what challenges the presence of database triggers pose. A number of NoSQL databases are then studied to determine the availability of access control and logging features. This is done because these features leave valuable traces for the forensic attribution process. An algorithm is devised, which provides a simple test to determine if database triggers played any part in the generation or manipulation of data in a specific database object. If the test result is positive, the actions performed by the implicated triggers will have to be considered in a forensic examination. This dissertation identified a group of database triggers, classified as non-data triggers, which have the potential to contaminate the data in popular relational databases by inconspicuous operations, such as connection or shutdown. It also established that database triggers can influence the normal ow of data operations. This means what the original operation intended to do, and what actually happened, are not necessarily the same. Therefore, the attribution of these operations becomes problematic and incorrect deductions can be made. Accordingly, forensic processes need to be extended to include the handling and analysis of all database triggers. This enables safer acquisition and analysis of databases and more accurate attribution of actions performed in databases. This dissertation also established that popular NoSQL databases either lack sufficient access control and logging capabilities or do not enable them by default to support attribution to the same level as in relational databases.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2018.Computer ScienceMScUnrestricte

The catalytic conversion of low chain length hydrocarbons to liquid fuels using ion exchange resin

Includes bibliographical references.The use of ion exchange resins in the polymerization of a c 4 -mixture to liquid fuels has shown that the catalyst is highly active, deactivates at a slow rate and selectively produces mainly dimers. Macropore diffusion resistance strongly influences the overall rate of the reaction. An increase in liquid production rate is obtained with increasing macroporosity, increasing degree of functionalization and decreasing catalyst bead size. A minimum acid strength of pKA = -2.4 is required. The liquid production rate is increased by increasing the reaction temperature and weight hourly space velocity. Moreover, longer chain length product are obtained with increasing reaction temperature and at reaction conditions, which result in the complete conversion of monomers. Recycling liquid product reduces the liquid production and increases the production of trimer at the expense of dimer. At moderate reaction temperatures ion exchange resins are regenerable but the activity of the catalyst is destroyed at reaction temperatures greater than approximately 130°C. Deactivation occurs parallel to the main reaction and is due to cationic fouling. The liquid product obtained is highly branched. The R.O.N. of the -180°C fraction is approximately 97 and the cetane number of the +180°C fraction approximately 35

Iod in Fischen und Fischerzeugnissen

Germany is one of the iodine deficiency countries in Europe. Marine fish and its products can considerably contribute to the iodine supply via food. The short review gives an overview on the iodine content in fish and other marine species and discusses the influence of house hold cooking and other kitchen preparations. The iodine content in marine fish depends on the species and varies considerably at high level. Lean fish species have an average iodine content of more than 100 μg I / 100 g edible part. The recommended allowance for adults of dietary iodine of 180-200 μg can be covered by the consumption of one marine fish portion per day

Ostseehering (Clupea harengus) - eine Rohwarenressource für die deutsche Fischwirtschaft?

Baltic Sea herring is a traditional raw material for the German fish processing industry and the fresh fish market. This applies also for the spring herring of the spawning population of the waters around the island of Rügen. Reduction of the fat content to about 5 % during the spawning cycle limits the processing possibilities of mature herring from this area. Failures in taste and odour (tainting), a common problem of the past have not been detected in the last 3 years. Infestation by nematodes are comparable to other herring stocks and contamination levels of organic and inorganic contaminants are well below allowable limits. The annual German fishing quota of about 85000 t of Baltic Sea herring is now utilised only to 10 %. For a stronger utilization of this stock as in the 70th and 80th , there are scarcely prerequisites. The project of a central processing plant on the island Rügen for about 50000 t of herring as raw material is not realistic. The answer to the question asked at the beginning of this article, whether Baltic Sea herring represents a raw material for the German fish processing industry, is YES, dispite some restrictions