“Stravinsky. Thoughts and music” by A. Jarzebska: the new approach to study of creativity of the composer

У статті викладені основні положення праці доктора філософії, професора, директора Інституту музикології Ягеллонського університету Аліції Яжембської “Стравинський. Думки і музика”, виданої у Кракові у 2002 р. Написана із врахуванням найновіших досліджень в сфері когнітивістики, психології, лінгвістики, ця книга є вагомим словом у світовій стравінськіані. Розкриваючи особливості естетики та композиційного методу І.Стравинського, А.Яжембська інтерпретує думки композитора про мистецтво в світлі найновіших досягнень гуманітарного знання, а також пропонує концепцію аналізу музики композитора, рівно придатну як для ранніх, так і для зрілих та пізніх творів композитора, концепцію, яку вона називає технікою ієрархічного монтажу партонів. In sketch are stated the basic ideas and rules of work by A. Jarzebska, which is the doctor of philosophy, professor, director of Institute musicology of university Jagiellonski, work, which refers to as “Stravinsky. Thoughts and music” and was issued in Krakow in 2002. Written with the account of the newest researches in area of cognitive researches, psychology and linguistics, this book is essential by the contribution in world study of Stravinsky’s creativity. Opening features of an aesthetics and composite method of Stravinsky, the author interprets Stravinsky’s ideas with the account of the newest achievement of humanitarian knowledge. She also offers the new concept of the analysis of Stravinsky’s music, equally applied to early, mature, and also late compositions of the composer, the concept, which names a technique of hierarchical installation of partons

Histidine residue 252 of the Photosystem II D1 polypeptide is involved in a light-induced cross-linking of the polypeptide with the α subunit of cytochrome b-559: study of a site-directed mutant of Synechocystis PCC 6803

AbstractProperties of the Photosystem II (PSII) complex were examined in the wild-type (control) strain of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803 and its site-directed mutant D1-His252Leu in which the histidine residue 252 of the D1 polypeptide was replaced by leucine. This mutation caused a severe blockage of electron transfer between the PSII electron acceptors QA and QB and largely inhibited PSII oxygen evolving activity. Strong illumination induced formation of a D1–cytochrome b-559 adduct in isolated, detergent-solubilized thylakoid membranes from the control but not the mutant strain. The light-induced generation of the adduct was suppressed after prior modification of thylakoid proteins either with the histidine modifier platinum-terpyridine-chloride or with primary amino group modifiers. Anaerobic conditions and the presence of radical scavengers also inhibited the appearance of the adduct. The data suggest that the D1–cytochrome adduct is the product of a reaction between the oxidized residue His252 of the D1 polypeptide and the N-terminal amino group of the cytochrome α subunit. As the rate of the D1 degradation in the control and mutant strains is similar, formation of the adduct does not seem to represent a required intermediary step in the D1 degradation pathway

Ukrainian Pianist Oleksandr Kozarenko

The article is devoted to the creative personality of the modern Ukrainian pianist Oleksandr Kozarenko. It discloses the environment and conditions of shaping the musician, the priorities of his concert as well as contest activity, repertoire peculiarities, methodic and artistic principles of performing style. The article applies the scientific approaches, developed by the Kyiv School’s musicologists (Yuri Chekan, Olena Zin’kevych, Valentyna Redia and others), and connected with working out the issues of creative individual’s psychology, intonational nature of music art, genre-style analysis, music speech and interpretation. The suggested opinions are the results of continual observation of Oleksandr Kozarenko’s activity, a face-to-face communication with the pianist; they are based on the artistic-performing as well as interpretational analysis of his numerous solo and ensemble performances. Some statements are confirmed by the pianist’s utterances recorded during a face-to-face communication. Positioning O. Kozarenko as a representative of the Ukrainian piano school (he is a Kyiv Conservatoire graduate, Vsevolod Vorobyov’s class), his deep interest in the Ukrainian repertoire, particularly the works by Mykola Lysenko, the founder of the Ukrainian composer school, professing the principles of melodious pianism as the key idea of the national performing style form the background of the made conclusions

Lines of the harmonic style of M. Skoryk’s cantata ―springtime‖

Спираючись на методику дослідження гармонічного стилю І.Коханик, автори детально розглядають специфіку гармонічних структур кантати М. Скорика “Весна” (акорди з додатковими тонами, нестійкі каденційні акорди, органні пункти, лейтакорди), особливості діахронного співвіднесення цих структур (окрім класичної функціональності, зв’язки типу “стійкість – нестійкість”), а також дію гармонічного фактора твору в проекції на композиційну площину (роль терцієвого мислення). Приходячи до висновку про стилетворчу і стилерепрезентантивну функцію гармонічної мови “Весни”, вони стверджують, що в кантаті М. Скорика спостерігається властиве українській музиці 1960-х років в цілому розширення і оновлення національного музично-інтонаційного словника

Homogeneity estimation morphometric model for particle distribution on example of SiC deposited on multilayer structure Fe/NiP

The theoretical justification of the distribution for particles/defects homogeneity estimation criterion was done. The mathematical model was created on this basis and its object-oriented implementation was realized. It is shown that the use of object-oriented programming allows getting a sufficient clearness and simplicity of an object’s general mathematical model, displaying in it as the object properties so and methods by which the model can operate. Adequacy of the proposed model and research method was verified experimentally on samples of silicon carbide SiC deposited on the multilayer structure of Fe/NiP.Здійснено теоретичне обґрунтування критерію для оцінки гомогенності розподілу часток/дефектів. На його основі створена математична модель і побудована її об’єктно-орієнтована реалізація. Показано, що використання об’єктно-орієнтованого програмування дозволяє з достатньою наочністю і простотою створити загальну математичну модель об’єкта, відобразивши в ній як властивості самого об’єкта, так і методи, якими він може оперувати. Адекватність запропонованої моделі та методу дослідження була перевірена експериментально на зразках карбіду кремнію SiC депонованого на багатошарову структуру Fe/NiP.Осуществлено теоретическое обоснование критерия для оценки гомогенности распределения частиц/дефектов. На его основе создана математическая модель и построена ее объектно-ориентированная реализация. Показано, что использование объектно-ориентированного программирования разрешает с достаточной наглядностью и простотой создать общую математическую модель объекта, отобразив в ней как свойства самого объекта, так и методы, которыми он может оперировать. Адекватность предложенной модели и метода исследования была проверена экспериментально на образцах карбида кремния SiC депонированного на многослойную структуру Fe/NiP

Structure of Psb29/Thf1 and its association with the FtsH protease complex involved in photosystem II repair in cyanobacteria

One strategy for enhancing photosynthesis in crop plants is to improve the ability to repair photosystem II (PSII) in response to irreversible damage by light. D espite the pivotal role of thylakoid embedded FtsH protease complexes in the selective degradation of PSII subunits during repair, little is known about the factors involved in regulating FtsH exp ression. Here we show using the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 that the Psb29 subunit, originally identified as a minor component of His tagged PSII preparations, physically interacts with FtsH complexes in vivo and is required for normal accumulation of the FtsH2/FtsH3 hetero oligo meric complex involved in PSII repair. We show using X ray crystallography that Psb29 from Thermosynechococcus elongatus has a unique fold consisting of a helical bundle and an extended C terminal heli x and contains a highly conserved region that might be involved in binding to FtsH. A similar interaction is likely to occur in Arabidopsis chloroplasts between the Psb29 homologue, termed THF1, and the FTSH2/FTSH5 complex. The direct involvement of Psb29/THF1 in Ft sH accumulation helps explain why THF1 is a target during the hypersensitive response in plants induced by pathogen i nfection. Downregulating FtsH function and the PSII repair cycle via THF1 would cont ribute to the productio

CAMP-BDI: A Pre-emptive Approach for Plan Execution Robustness in Multiagent Systems

Abstract. Belief-Desire-Intention agents in realistic environments may face un-predictable exogenous changes threatening intended plans and debilitative failure effects that threaten reactive recovery. In this paper we present the CAMP-BDI (Capability Aware, Maintaining Plans) approach, where BDI agents utilize intro-spective reasoning to modify intended plans in avoidance of anticipated failure. We also describe an extension of this approach to the distributed case, using a de-centralized process driven by structured messaging. Our results show significant improvements in goal achievement over a reactive failure recovery mechanism in a stochastic environment with debilitative failure effects, and suggest CAMP-BDI offers a valuable complementary approach towards agent robustness.

Redesigning the photosynthetic light reactions to enhance photosynthesis – the PhotoRedesign consortium

In this Perspective article, we describe the visions of the PhotoRedesign consortium funded by the European Research Council of how to enhance photosynthesis. The light reactions of photosynthesis in individual phototrophic species use only a fraction of the solar spectrum, and high light intensities can impair and even damage the process. In consequence, expanding the solar spectrum and enhancing the overall energy capacity of the process, while developing resilience to stresses imposed by high light intensities, could have a strong positive impact on food and energy production. So far, the complexity of the photosynthetic machinery has largely prevented improvements by conventional approaches. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop concepts to redesign the light-harvesting and photochemical capacity of photosynthesis, as well as to establish new model systems and toolkits for the next generation of photosynthesis researchers. The overall objective of PhotoRedesign is to reconfigure the photosynthetic light reactions so they can harvest and safely convert energy from an expanded solar spectrum. To this end, a variety of synthetic biology approaches, including de novo design, will combine the attributes of photosystems from different photoautotrophic model organisms, namely the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In parallel, adaptive laboratory evolution will be applied to improve the capacity of reimagined organisms to cope with enhanced input of solar energy, particularly in high and fluctuating light

Unexpected random urinary protein:creatinine ratio results-limitations of the pyrocatechol violet-dye method.

BACKGROUND: For clinicians, it is important to rely on accurate laboratory results for patient care and optimal use of health care resources. We sought to explore our observations that urine protein:creatinine ratios (PrCr) ≥30 mg/mmol are seen not infrequently associated with normal pregnancy outcome. METHODS: Urine samples were collected prospectively from 160 pregnant women attending high-risk maternity clinics at a tertiary care facility. Urinary protein was measured using a pyrocatechol violet assay and urinary creatinine by an enzymatic method on Vitros analysers. Maternal/perinatal outcomes were abstracted from hospital records. RESULTS: 91/233 (39.1%) samples had a PrCr ≥30 mg/mmol, especially when urinary creatinine concentration was <3 mM (94.1%) vs. ≥3 mM (16.4%) (p < 0.001). When using the last sample before delivery, 47/160 (29.4%) had a PrCr ≥30 mg/mmol in diluted urine vs. only 17/160 (15.4%) in more concentrated urine (p < 0.001); PrCr positive results were also more frequent among the 32 (20.0%) women with known normal pregnancy outcome (90.9% vs. 0) (p < 0.001). Using the same analyser, 0.12 g/L urinary protein was 'detected' in deionised water. Re-analysis of data from two cohorts revealed substantially less inflation of PrCr in dilute urine using a pyrogallol red assay. CONCLUSIONS: Random urinary PrCr was overestimated in dilute urine when tested using a common pyrocatechol violet dye-based method. This effect was reduced in cohorts when pyrogallol red assays were used. False positive results can impact on diagnosis and patient care. This highlights the need for both clinical and laboratory quality improvement projects and standardization of laboratory protein measurement