Para além da partitura: análise do timbre na música de vanguarda

The article examines perceptual aspects of timbre within the context of avant-garde XX century music. An excerpt from a work by Luciano Berio was taken into account. We recorded it on 8 separate channels each of them devoted to small groups of homogeneous sounds, in order to obtain a global result that we could modify by subtracting one or more of the recorded groups. We prepared four different excerpts: one with the original version and three with modified versions. 50 participants (25 experts, 25 non-experts) were invited to fill in a semantic differential bipolar scale made of 12 adjectives, 6 concerning emotional and 6 sensorial aspects of perception. We interpreted the subjects’ responses with the help of a spectrographic analysis and of studies on timbre verbalization. The main aim of our research was to explore the possibilities of timbre analysis, a field that so far has no solid scientific background. The research obtained promising responses from expert listeners, while non-experts manifested a sort of aesthetic refusal of this genre of music. Positive results were obtained also in the critical observations of possibilities and limits of spectrographic analysis and verbalizations of timbre. We hope that our initial data can be useful for future studies on timbre perception.Este artículo pretende examinar los aspectos perceptivos del timbre en el contexto de la música de vanguardia del siglo XX. En la investigación se ha utilizado un fragmento musical tomado de una composición de Luciano Berio. El fragmento ha sido grabado en ocho canales separados, cada uno contenía un pequeño grupo de sonidos homogéneos consiguiendo un resultado global que podía ser modificado eliminando uno o más de los grupos grabados. Se han elaborado cuatro grabaciones distintas, una con la versión original y las otras tres con una versión diferente. Han sido invitados 50 participantes (25 musicalmente expertos y 25 no expertos) y se los ha invitado a completar una escala bipolar de diferencial semántico constituida por 12 adjetivos, 6 pertenecientes a la percepción emocional y 6 a la percepción sensorial. La interpretación de las respuestas de los participantes se ha realizado con la ayuda del análisis espectrográfico y de los estudios sobre verbalización de las calidades tímbricas. El objetivo principal de nuestra investigación ha sido el de explorar cuáles podían ser las posibilidades del análisis del timbre, un campo que todavía no tiene a sus espaldas un solido bagaje científico. Las respuestas dadas por los oyentes expertos se han revelado prometedoras, al contrario los oyentes no expertos han manifestado una especie de rechazo de tipo estético frente a este tipo de música. Resultados positivos se han recogido también con respecto a las útiles observaciones críticas sobre las posibilidades y las limitaciones del análisis espectrográfico y de la verbalización. Tenemos la esperanza de que estos resultados iniciales puedan ser de utilidad para futuros estudios sobre la percepción del timbre.O presente artigo busca examinar os aspectos perceptíveis do timbre no contexto da música de vanguarda do século XX. A pesquisa utilizou um fragmento musical de uma composição de Luciano Berio. O trecho foi gravado em 8 canais separados, cada qual contendo um pequeno grupo de sons similares, a fim de se obter um resultado global que pudesse ser modificado eliminando um ou mais dos grupos gravados. Foram preparadas quatro gravações: uma com a versão original e três com uma versão diferente. Cinquenta participantes (25 especialistas em música e 25 não especialistas) foram convidados a preencher uma escala bipolar de diferencial semântico composta de 12 adjetivos: 6 relativos à percepção emocional e 6 relativos à percepção sensorial. A interpretação da resposta dos participantes foi realizada com a ajuda da análise espectrográfica, e dos estudos sobre a verbalização das qualidades do timbre. O objetivo principal da nossa pesquisa foi o de explorar as diversas possibilidades das análises de timbre; um campo que não possui ainda um sólido embasamento científico. As respostas obtidas através dos ouvintes especialistas mostraram ser promissoras, enquanto as respostas dos não especialistas demonstraram uma rejeição de cunho estético em relação a esse tipo de música. Foram igualmente obtidos resultados positivos em relação às úteis observações críticas sobre as possibilidades e os limites da análise espectrográfica e da verbalização sobre o timbre. Esperamos que os nossos resultados iniciais possam ser utilizados nos estudos futuros sobre a percepção do timbre

Dihydroquinidine versus disopyramide: Efficacy in patients with chronic stable ventricular ectopy

Dihydroquinidine (DQ) is contained in substantial amounts in quinidine salts, but its direct antiarrhythmic action has not been studied. The efficacy of oral DQ (300 mg t. i. d.) compared to disopyramide (D) (200 mg t.i.d.) was thus investigated using a double-blind crossover placebo-controlled protocol in 12 patients, aged 13 to 67 years, with chronic stable high frequency premature ventricular beats (PVB), defined as greater than 100 PVB/h during 48-72-h control Holter monitoring. The protocol included three 72-h treatment periods: DQ, D, and placebo at random. On days 2 and 3 of each period a 24-h Holter recording was carried out; drug blood levels were determined at peak (days 2 and 3) and trough time (day 3). No significant difference in the mean PVB/h was found between control (735 +/- 400) and placebo periods (564 +/- 388), or between the two Holter recordings of each period. Compared to placebo both DQ (106 +/- 113, p less than 0.005) and D (240 +/- 263, p less than 0.05) reduced the mean PVB/h, but the decrease was significantly higher with DQ (78 versus 53%, p less than 0.02). Nine patients (75%) on DQ and 5 (42%) on D had a greater than 70% decrease in mean PVB/h; complex PVBs were abolished in 3 of 6 patients on both treatments. On day 3, DQ plasma levels were 1.31 +/- 0.44 (peak) and 0.92 +/- 0.45 (trough) mg/l; D plasma levels were 2.88 +/- 0.64 (peak) and 2.02 +/- 0.31 (trough) mg/l; no significant difference was found between day 2 and day 3 samples.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Morphine metabolism, transport and brain disposition

The chemical structures of morphine and its metabolites are closely related to the clinical effects of drugs (analgesia and side-effects) and to their capability to cross the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). Morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) and Morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) are both highly hydrophilic, but only M6G can penetrate the BBB; accordingly, M6G is considered a more attractive analgesic than the parent drug and the M3G. Several hypotheses have been made to explain these differences. In this review we will discuss recent advances in the field, considering brain disposition of M6G, UDP-glucoronosyltransferases (UGT) involved in morphine metabolism, UGT interindividual variability and transport proteins

Lower dose rituximab is active in adults patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Rituximab 375 mg/m2weekly for four weeks has significant activity in patients with immune thrombocytopenia. We evaluated the activity of lower dose rituximab (100 mg iv weekly for 4 weeks) in 28 adults with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Overall (platelet count > 50×109/L) and complete responses (platelet count > 100×109/L) were achieved in 21/28 (75%) and 12/28 (43%) patients respectively. The median time to response and time to complete response were 31 and 44 days respectively. After a median follow-up of 11 months (range 3-18), 7/21 (33%) patients relapsed and 3 needed further treatments. In patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lower dose rituximab seems to show similar activity to standard dose. ©2008 Ferrata Storti Foundation

Para além da partitura: análise do timbre na música de vanguarda

The article examines perceptual aspects of timbre within the context of avant-garde XX century music. An excerpt from a work by Luciano Berio was taken into account. We recorded it on 8 separate channels each of them devoted to small groups of homogeneous sounds, in order to obtain a global result that we could modify by subtracting one or more of the recorded groups. We prepared four different excerpts: one with the original version and three with modified versions. 50 participants (25 experts, 25 non-experts) were invited to fill in a semantic differential bipolar scale made of 12 adjectives, 6 concerning emotional and 6 sensorial aspects of perception. We interpreted the subjects’ responses with the help of a spectrographic analysis and of studies on timbre verbalization. The main aim of our research was to explore the possibilities of timbre analysis, a field that so far has no solid scientific background. The research obtained promising responses from expert listeners, while non-experts manifested a sort of aesthetic refusal of this genre of music. Positive results were obtained also in the critical observations of possibilities and limits of spectrographic analysis and verbalizations of timbre. We hope that our initial data can be useful for future studies on timbre perception.O presente artigo busca examinar os aspectos perceptíveis do timbre no contexto da música de vanguarda do século XX. A pesquisa utilizou um fragmento musical de uma composição deLuciano Berio. O trecho foi gravado em 8 canais separados, cada qual contendo um pequeno grupo de sons similares, a fim de se obter um resultado global que pudesse ser modificado eliminando um ou mais dos grupos gravados. Foram preparadas quatro gravações: uma com a versão original e três com uma versão diferente. Cinquenta participantes (25 especialistas em música e 25 não especialistas) foram convidados a preencher uma escala bipolar de diferencial semântico composta de 12 adjetivos: 6 relativos à percepção emocional e 6 relativos à percepção sensorial. A interpretação da resposta dos participantes foi realizada com a ajuda da análise espectrográfica, e dos estudos sobre a verbalização das qualidades do timbre. O objetivo principal da nossa pesquisa foi o de explorar as diversas possibilidades das análises de timbre; um campo que não possui ainda um sólido embasamento científico. As respostas obtidas através dos ouvintes especialistas mostraram ser promissoras, enquanto as respostas dos não especialistas demonstraram uma rejeição de cunho estético em relação a esse tipo de música. Foram igualmente obtidos resultados positivos em relação às úteis observações críticas sobre as possibilidades e os limites da análise espectrográfica e da verbalização sobre o timbre.Esperamos que os nossos resultados iniciais possam ser utilizados nos estudos futuros sobre a percepção do timbre.Este artículo pretende examinar los aspectos perceptivos del timbre en el contexto de la música de vanguardia del siglo XX. En la investigación se ha utilizado un fragmento musical tomado de una composición de Luciano Berio. El fragmento ha sido grabado en ocho canales separados, cada uno contenía un pequeño grupo de sonidos homogéneos consiguiendo un resultado global que podía ser modificado eliminando uno o más de los grupos grabados. Se han elaborado cuatro grabaciones distintas, una con la versión original y las otras tres con una versión diferente. Han sido invitados 50 participantes (25 musicalmente expertos y 25 no expertos) y se los ha invitado a completar una escala bipolar de diferencial semántico constituida por 12 adjetivos, 6 pertenecientes a la percepción emocional y 6 a la percepción sensorial. La interpretación de las respuestas de los participantes se ha realizado con la ayuda del análisis espectrográfico y de los estudios sobre verbalización de las calidades tímbricas. El objetivo principal de nuestra investigación ha sido el de explorar cuáles podían ser las posibilidades del análisis del timbre, un campo que todavía no tiene a sus espaldas un sólido bagaje científico. Las respuestas dadas por los oyentes expertos se han revelado prometedoras, al contrario los oyentes no expertos han manifestado una especie de rechazo de tipo estético frente a este tipo de música. Resultados positivos se han recogido también con respecto a las útiles observaciones críticas sobre las posibilidades y las limitaciones del análisis espectrográfico y de la verbalización. Tenemos la esperanza de que estos resultados iniciales puedan ser de utilidad para futuros estudios sobre la percepción del timbre

How to Analyse Opera and its Inherent Emotions, with Examples Taken fom Handel\u2019s Giulio Cesare

Although dramaturgy has been the focus of study in historical musicology, analysis of opera has received scarce attention, with music analysis mostly devoted to instrumental music. Moreover, recent studies have highlighted the role of performance in opposition to that of the score. Te main aim of the present article is to propose a specifc analytical method for opera, based on the convergence of three analytical parameters: analysis of the score, of the singers\u2019 voices and of their gestures. We considered as an example Giulio Cesare by Handel, and particularly three emotional aspects of its arias: love, fury and sorrow. We initially analysed structural features in the score (metre, rhythm, tonal, harmonic and melodic aspects) which proved to be diferent in love, fury and sorrow contexts. The second analysis concerned elements of vocal performance (tempo, legato, accents, vibrato) and their statistical presence. The third analysis focused on the body of the interpreters: energy and frequency of gestures, and facial expressions. The study revealed a considerable degree of coherence between the various aspects, with particular attention to the empathic link between singers and audience

Beyond the Score: Timbre Analysis in Avant-garde Music

The article examines perceptual aspects of timbre within the context of avant-garde XX century music. An excerpt from a work by Luciano Berio was taken into account. We recorded it on 8 separate channels each of them devoted to small groups of homogeneous sounds, in order to obtain a global result that we could modify by subtracting one or more of the recorded groups. We prepared four different excerpts: one with the original version and three with modified versions. 50 participants (25 experts, 25 non-experts) were invited to fill in a semantic differential bipolar scale made of 12 adjectives, 6 concerning emotional and 6 sensorial aspects of perception. We interpreted the subjects’ responses with the help of a spectrographic analysis and of studies on timbre verbalization. The main aim of our research was to explore the possibilities of timbre analysis, a field that so far has no solid scientific background. The research obtained promising responses from expert listeners, while non-experts manifested a sort of aesthetic refusal of this genre of music. Positive results were obtained also in the critical observations of possibilities and limits of spectrographic analysis and verbalizations of timbre. We hope that our initial data can be useful for future studies on timbre perception

Intraventricular or intrathecal colistin for the treatment of central nervous system infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria

Central nervous system infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria susceptible only to colistin are rare but life-threatening and increasing in prevalence. Given the current antibiotic development pipeline it is likely that the paucity of therapeutic options will continue for the next years. Colistin is an amphipathic bactericidal antibiotic which is administered systemically as colistin methanesulfonate (also known as colistimethate sodium). Colistin methanesulfonate is the inactive prodrug, and in cerebrospinal fluid undergoes spontaneous hydrolysis to colistin (the active form with antimicrobial activity). In this review, we describe and evaluate the clinical and experimental data supporting the use of intraventricular (IVT) or intrathecal (IT) colistin against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections of the central nervous system, describe the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to colistin, the pharmacokinetics of colistin after IVT administration of colistin methanesulfonate, its anti-endotoxin activity, discuss the opportunity to administer colistin intraventricularly or intrathecally and the dose regimen, and provide recommendations based on the available evidence

SOUND GESTURES AND BODY GESTURES IN 18TH CENTURY OPERA

Composers such as Handel and Vivaldi used both opera style and concerto style: according to Ratner (1980), there was an interaction and an exchange between the two styles. The aim of our research was to collect evidence that the use of \u201cgestures\u201d was openly perceptible in the opera realm while it was implicit in the context of concertos, where musical passages similar to opera might be used. We examined Handel\u2019s opera Giulio Cesare and we analyzed some arias belonging to three different emotional and dramatic categories: fury, love and pain. We also considered three fragments taken from Vivaldi\u2019s concertos where structural and performative features correspond to the three categories described. As a general hypothesis we could say that composers and performers aspired to create clearcut expressive types with regards to these three categories. A clearcut definition was however possible only within the opera dramatic text, context and plot. Without characters, words and narrative elements a listener could certainly recognize the emotional aspects of musical passages, but could not precisely establish a semantic description