Elucidating musical structure through empirical measurement of performance parameters

The differences between a musical score and an instance of that music in a performance, communicates a performer’s view of the information contained in that score. The main hypothesis in this thesis is that by measuring quantifiable parameters such as tempo, dynamics and motion from live performance, the performer’s interpretation of musical structure can be detected. This will be tested for pieces for which the structure is explicit and obvious, and then used to discover musical structure from looking at patterns of aural and visual performance parameters in performances of more ambiguously structured pieces. This thesis is in two strands. The first part covers the acquisition of multi-modal parameters in piano performance. This will explore current technologies in acquiring MIDI information such as accurate onset timings and key velocities as well as motion tracking systems for measuring general body movements. A new cheap, portable and accurate system for tracking the intricacies of pianists’ finger movement is described as well as methods and tools available for analysis and visualisation of musical data. The second strand of this thesis will explore uses of these capture systems in empirically measuring performance parameters to elucidate musical structure. Two experiments follow which test the hypothesis of detecting musical structure from parameters such as tempo, dynamics and movement, before using these patterns as a basis for discovering structure in performances of the finale of Chopin’s B flat minor sonata. Body movement is discovered as an indicator of phrasing boundaries, which when combined with the measured aural parameters provides interpretations of the performed music. Phrasing boundaries are identified correctly for the control piece (Chopin’s Prelude in A major Op.28, No.7) and consequently for the first test piece (Chopin’s Prelude in B minor Op.28 No.6). The proceeding experiment identifies performers’ style of phrase endings through performances of the control piece and tests them against patterns found in the second test piece (Chopin’s B Flat minor Sonata Finale). Five out of the six performers confirm the musicological hypothesis that bar 5 is not the entry of a new theme but the continuation of the the theme beginning in bar 1

Modifying factors in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating disease of small pulmonary resistance arteries with vasoconstriction and vascular remodelling contributing to the disease pathology. A genetic basis for the disease was linked to heterozygous loss of function mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) gene. The mutation is found in the majority of familial PAH cases and a significant number of apparently sporadic cases. The low penetrance of the disease in families carrying BMPR2 mutations and the absence of mutations in the majority of idiopathic patients indicates that BMPR2 deficiency alone is insufficient to induce PAH. It is generally accepted PAH has a multi-factorial pathology with endogenous and environmental factors acting in concert with genetic pre-disposition to create the disease phenotype. Enhancement of the serotonin (5-HT) system has been implicated in PAH with the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) receiving the most attention as a modifying gene in the development of PAH and there is compelling animal and human data implicating a role for increased expression of the 5-HTT as a modulating factor. The aim of this study was to investigate if genetic pre-disposition interacts with other additional modifying factors to create the symptoms of PAH. Transgenic mice overexpressing the 5-HTT (5-HTT+), deficient in BMPR2 (BMPR2+/-) or a double transgenic (5-HTT+/BMPR2+/-) were employed in addition to mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph1), the rate limiting enzyme for the synthesis of 5-HT, and therefore lacking peripheral 5-HT (Tph1-/-). Additional known or suspected modifying factors assessed in these genetic models were hypoxia, dexfenfluramine (Dfen) and its major metabolite nordexfenfluramine (NDfen), 5-HT, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), KCNQ channels and the role of gender. Mice were examined in vivo for evidence of a pulmonary hypertensive phenotype following exposure to hypoxia and Dfen. Female 5-HTT+ mice were the only group tohave a rise in two indices of PAH - namely right ventricular pressure (RVP) and vascular remodelling - in room air. Female 5-HTT+ mice also had an exaggerated pulmonary hypertensive phenotype in hypoxia. BMPR2+/- mice, were, unexpectedly least susceptible to hypoxic induced increases in RVP although female mice deficient in BMPR2 (both BMPR2+/- and 5-HTT+/BMPR2+/-) had more extensive vascular remodelling under hypoxia compared with WT and 5-HTT+ mice. Male mice did not express the phenotypic changes just outlined. No synergistic effect was observed between 5-HTT+ and BMPR2+/- that resulted in a more pronounced pulmonary hypertensive phenotype. WT and BMPR2+/- mice were chronically oral-dosed with Dfen. Female mice from both genotypes developed similar degrees of PAH. Male mice did not develop elevated RVP but BMPR2+/- males did have evidence of vascular remodelling, although at a lower level than the females. Female Tph1-/- mice did not develop PAH following Dfen indicating Dfen associated PAH is dependent on peripheral 5-HT synthesis. The presence of intact 5-HT synthesis was also associated with an increased vasoconstrictor response to 5-HT in isolated intralobar pulmonary arteries (IPAs), a situation not paralleled with the other serotonergic vasoconstrictors, Dfen and NDfen, indicating differing mechanisms of action underlying the respective vasoconstrictor responses. The vasoconstrictor action of 5-HT, Dfen, NDfen and the KCNQ potassium channel blocker linopirdine were all assessed in IPAs. Pulmonary arteries from BMPR2+/- mice showed enhanced vasoconstriction to 5-HT and NDfen. 5-HTT+ and 5-HTT+/BMPR2+/- mice showed enhanced vasoconstriction to NDfen but decreased vasoconstriction to 5-HT. Female 5-HTT+/BMPR2+/- mice were the only group tested to show significantly greater vasoconstriction to Dfen compared with WT. The vasoconstrictor response to linopirdine was significantly reduced in BMPR2+/- mice but neither linopirdine nor BMP-2 affected 5- HT induced vasoconstriction. Female gender is an established risk factor for PAH. To investigate possible events that may underlie this risk, male (testosterone) and female (estradiol and 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME)) sex hormones were assessed for their vasoactive properties in IPAs. All three hormones relaxed pre-constricted vessels but only at supraphysiological (>0.1 µM) concentrations. Each hormone also reduced the vasoconstriction exerted by 5-HT at 10-5 M in male mice but not in females. No such effect, however, was observed in either gender at a physiological (10-9 M) concentration. NDfen induced vasoconstriction was also unaffected by 10-9 M estradiol. Finally, male and female mouse lungs were assessed for protein expression of 5-HT and BMPR2 signalling compounds (p-Smad1/5/8, p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK). Female mouse lungs displayed higher expression of the mitogenic mediator p-ERK1/2 than male mouse lungs with the other proteins unchanged. In conclusion, this study confirms overexpression of the 5-HTT as a trigger for elevated RVP and vascular remodelling in mice and a cause of more severe hypoxic PAH. BMPR2+/- mice are phenotypically normal in room air and show divergent pulmonary effects following hypoxia with loss of BMPR2 seemingly attenuating hypoxic induced increases in RVP but causing a simultaneous worsening of vascular remodelling, this latter effect consistent with the important role BMPR2 has in maintaining vascular integrity. Dfen induced PAH in mice was found to be dependent on peripheral 5-HT synthesis with BMPR2 mutation not acting as a risk factor. Loss of BMPR2 can enhance vasoconstriction to serotonergic agonists and when combined with overexpression of the 5-HTT, leads to a dramatic increase in sensitivity to Dfen induced vasoconstriction. Evidence was also found for altered KCNQ channel function in transgenic animals. Unexpectedly, female gender emerged as the most crucial risk factor for PAH in this thesis

Resolvin E1 for reducing vascular calcification

No abstract available

Music technologies: ppportunities for social connection

Strategies to support psychosocial well-being in older adults are desperately needed. A developing body of research points to the relationship between continued engagement with the arts and maintaining mental health and quality of life (Wang, et al., 2020). Music is an effective, non-pharmacological tool with many social and emotional benefits particularly for older adults (Creech, et al., 2014),and technology is posited to play a role in making music interventions more accessible and cost-effective (Garrido, et al., 2018). In addition to a brief overview of how musical engagement can support older Australians' psychosocial well-being, this presentation will discuss technologies for both consuming and making music. This will focus on recent empirical research findings comparing the impact and benefit of technology-driven music opportunities designed to promote social connection. Because technologies continue to develop, it is important to consider the underpinning principles corresponding to use and engagement. These principles can guide the purchase and implementation of these technologies in aged care. We will focus on fostering musical engagement through technologies for social connection and well-being. Through this lens, we will explore: 1. Technology Types – what equipment is needed, considering price, availability, and levels of user interaction? 2. Skills & Education – how to make use of existing staff and resident knowledge, and sourcing relevant education & training. 3. Flexibility & Accessibility – how easy is it to mould or modify music technology activities to residents’ personal choices as well as their physical/ cognitive abilities? 4. Sustainability – what is reproducible and sustainable in the face of staff/resident changes? I.e. how to make sure the newly purchased technology doesn’t end up in the cupboard?! Addressing aspects of implementation relevant to practitioners creates the link between increasing awareness of the benefits of music consumption and creation and being able to translate these empirical research findings into everyday use

"Blow my mind(in)" - Mindin neutralization for the prevention of atherosclerosis?

The hallmark features of atherosclerosis include accumulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carrying cholesterol in the vessel wall, formation of lipid laden foam cells and the creation of a pro-inflammatory microenvironment. To date, no effective treatments are clinically available for increasing cholesterol efflux from vascular macrophages and inducing reverse cholesterol transport. In a recent article in Clinical Science, Zhang and colleagues identify the extracellular matrix protein mindin/spondin 2 as a positive regulator of atherosclerosis. Genetic knockout of mindin in apolipoprotein-E (apoE)-/- mice attenuated atherosclerosis, foam cell formation and inflammation within the vessel wall. Conversely, selective overexpression of mindin in macrophages in apoE-/- mice was sufficient to promote a greater severity of atherosclerosis. Interestingly, foam cell formation was closely associated with expression of cholesterol transporters (ABCA1 and ACBG1) that facilitate cholesterol efflux. Liver X receptor-β (LXR-β) is a key modulator of cholesterol transporter expression and formed direct interactions with mindin. Furthermore, the protective effects of mindin deficiency on foam cell formation were blocked by inhibition of LXR-β. This article highlights a novel role for mindin in modulating foam cell formation and atherosclerosis development in mice through direct regulation of LXR-β. Thus far, direct targeting of LXR-β via pharmacological agonists has proven problematic due to the lack of subtype selective inhibitors and associated adverse effects. Indirect targeting of LXR-β, therefore, via mindin inhibition offers a new therapeutic strategy for increasing LXR-β induced cholesterol efflux, reducing foam cell formation and preventing or treating atherosclerosis

Ozonation as an alternative to chlorination for soft wheat flours

High ratio cakes made from ozonated flour attained volumes and other quality characteristics comparable to those from chlorinated flours at 36 min ozonation time. Ozone thus appears to be a viable and more environmentally acceptable alternative to chlorine. Extraction of lipids from flour caused deterioration of cake quality which was not restored by ozonation indicating that lipids were involved in the improving effects of ozonation. Oxidation by ozone led to higher molecular weights of polymeric proteins

Revitalisation of Mangarrayi: Supporting community use of archival audio exemplars for creation of language learning resources

Mangarrayi is a critically endangered language from the western Roper River re- gion in the Northern Territory of Australia. Today the greatest concentration of Mangarrayi people live at Jilkminggan, 135 kilometres south-east of Katherine. Although several older Mangarrayi speakers remain, the language is no longer used in day-to-day communication. However, there is a desire amongst a number of young adult community members to learn some of their heritage language. In this paper we discuss the process undertaken to support these aspirations, focus- ing on the use of exemplar Mangarrayi utterances sourced from archival docu- ments as a key to developing a basic level of communicative competence in con- texts identified as important to learners. This requires a clear understanding of how and when to use the utterances. We propose using a combination of language functions, topics, and sub-topics to clarify usage and support non-specialist com- munity members in using these for learning and teaching Mangarrayi.National Foreign Language Resource Cente