The composer as bricoleur: Notions of contemporary opera in the genesis of a short film

This Masters of Arts by research examined contemporary notions of opera in the genesis and production of an original short film through the composer as bricoleur. This research into the area of film, music, and composition, was motivated by a desire to resolve the conflict between the conventions of opera and cinema in presenting contemporary opera as film. In realising the short film, this research examined both cinematic and operatic conventions, with particular focus on the operatic voice, verisimilitude, and the suspension of disbelief as fundamental challenges and conflicts related to unifying opera and film. The adaptations and ideas generated in resolving this conflict came from a practice-­‐led research methodology that encompassed the notion of the composer working as a bricoleur. Working as a composer-­‐bricoleur, my identity and role throughout the course of the research had to evolve and adapt to challenges as the project emerged. In this role, I was an author, scrap-­‐booker, composer, scriptwriter, director, musician, researcher, audience member and collaborator. Through bricolage, I was able to piece the research and project together, engaging in strategies that included literature and multimedia review; classes in scriptwriting, acting and producing; online blogging; practice trials; resonance meetings; and conscious and unconscious observation. The integration of these strategies and practices led to the creation of the short film Out of Sight | Out of Mind, a social and interpersonal story about a girl and her father, and an accompanying exegesis. Through this research, the conventions of opera and cinema were revealed to be disparate to and unaccommodating of each other. This was resolved by readapting the operatic voice for film and employing surrealism in the film’s construction. In this contemporary screen opera, the operatic voice included spoken dialogue, affected dialogue, singing and whispering. By working from pre-­‐production to post-­‐production, and applying contemporary notions of composition, I was led to consider the entire audio track of the short film as composition. In the construction of the film, Out of Sight | Out of Mind, notions of contemporary opera, composition and surrealism were applied. While this resolved a significant conflict between opera and film, it also indicated similarities between contemporary screen opera and screen musicals or other films with music. This raises questions for future study in this area. Principally, it questions whether cinema is merely an incarnation of opera in which the drama unfolds on a screen, rather than a stage.https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_ebooks/1002/thumbnail.jp

Investigating and Modeling Colors with Set theory: A Case of Color Mixing

The paper introduced Colors in general and how they affect us and the environment. This work used set theory to explain the concept of Color mixing.  The idea of set can be very useful to model colors; we here consider additive and Subtractive color mixing, for better understanding of the subject. Keyword: Additive color mixing, Colors, Set theory, Subtractive color mixing, Intersection        of set, Union of set, Universal set and Complement of set

Comparison between the Comfort and Hartwig sedation scales in pediatric patients undergoing mechanical lung ventilation

CONTEXT: A high number of hospitalized children do not receive adequate sedation due to inadequate evaluation and use of such agents. With the increase in knowledge of sedation and analgesia in recent years, concern has also risen, such that it is now not acceptable that incorrect evaluations of the state of children's pain and anxiety are made. OBJECTIVE: A comparison between the Comfort and Hartwig sedation scales in pediatric patients undergoing mechanical lung ventilation.DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A pediatric intensive care unit with three beds at an urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty simultaneous and independent observations were conducted by specialists on 18 patients studied. DIAGNOSTIC TEST: Comfort and Hartwig scales were applied, after 3 minutes of observation. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Agreement rate (kappa). RESULTS: On the Comfort scale, the averages for adequately sedated, insufficiently sedated, and over-sedated were 20.28 (SD 2.78), 27.5 (SD 0.70), and 15.1 (SD 1.10), respectively, whereas on the Hartwig scale, the averages for adequately sedated, insufficiently sedated, and over-sedated were 16.35 (SD 0.77), 20.85 (SD 1.57), and 13.0 (SD 0.89), respectively. The observed agreement rate was 63% (p = 0.006) and the expected agreement rate was 44% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.345238 (z = 2.49). CONCLUSIONS: In our study there was no statistically significant difference whether the more complex Comfort scale was applied (8 physiological and behavioral parameters) or the less complex Hartwig scale (5 behavioral parameters) was applied to assess the sedation of mechanically ventilated pediatric patients.CONTEXTO: É elevado o número de crianças hospitalizadas que não recebem uma sedação adequada, devido a avaliação e ao uso inadequado desses agentes. Nos últimos anos aumentou a preocupação e os conhecimentos a respeito da sedação e analgesia, de tal modo que é inaceitável hoje em dia termos uma criança sem correta avaliação de seu estado de dor e ansiedade. OBJETIVO: Comparar o uso de duas escalas de sedação (COMFORT e HARTWIG) em pacientes pediátricos em ventilação pulmonar mecânica. TIPO DE ESTUDO: Estudo prospectivo. LOCAL: Unidade de cuidados intensivos pediátricos de hospital terciário. PARTICIPANTES: Realizadas 30 observações, simultâneas e independentes, em 18 pacientes, por médicos especializados. TESTE DIAGNÓSTICO: Após observação de três minutos, aplicou-se critérios objetivos (escalas de COMFORT e HARTWIG) para avaliar a sedação. VARIÁVEL ESTUDADA: Taxa de concordância (Coeficiente Kappa) onde p < 0,01 foi considerado significante. RESULTADOS: Escala COMFORT (média e desvio padrão) para adequadamente sedado, inadequadamente sedado e muito sedado foi 20,28 ± 2,78, 27,5 ± 0,70 e 15,1 ± 1,10 respectivamente. Para a escala de HARTWIG: 16,35 ± 0,77, 20,85 ± 1,57 e 13,0 ± 0,89. Taxa de concordância observada 63% (p = 0,006), esperada de 44% com o coeficiente kappa = 0,345238 (z = 2,49). CONCLUSÕES: Em nosso estudo, não houve diferença significativa na aplicabilidade entre as escalas de COMFORT e HARTWIG em assegurar o nível de sedação em crianças submetidas a ventilação pulmonar mecânica.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Escola Paulista de MedicinaHospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São PauloUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Mathematical modelling of terrorists re-cycle induced with backward bifurcation

In this work, we formulate a deterministic mathematical model that aims at controlling and preventing terrorism in a population. The model incorporates the prevention of the spread of terrorists in the population by imprisoning individuals caught in the act and allows for natural repentance from terrorism. The main aim of the study is to assess the effect of re-cycling terrorists on the bifurcation phenomena of the model. The model exhibits a backward bifurcation phenomenon. These may have serious implications for the design of intervention programs aiming at eradicating the menace of terrorism. When the values of the scaling factor of the re-cycling rate change from 0 to 1, the bifurcation changes from backward to forward. One or more stable endemic equilibria coexist alongside the stable terrorists-free equilibrium (TFE). It is further demonstrated that the recycling of terrorists who have repented from the terrorism act is what triggers the backward bifurcation cycle. This conclusion is important because it shows that eliminating terrorists from the population is no longer dependent on the old precondition of the basic reproduction number being less than one. The parameter of recycling is deleted, and the model is examined, to determine the reason why this model exhibits a backward bifurcation phenomenon. By taking into account the importance of the original model, this was made achievable. When the terrorists aren’t recycled, the second model will demonstrate a forward bifurcation, according to an analysis of the second model’s coefficient of bifurcation, which is negative

A Comparative Study of Student’s Performance in S.S.C.E Mathematics and Pre-National Diploma (PRE-ND) Programmes Mathematics: A Case Study of Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia

Pre-National Diploma (Pre-ND) programmes serves as a preparatory stage for students to gain admission, into National Diploma programmes in all Polytechnics in Nigeria.  But one may wonder why some student pass Senior School Certificate of Education (S.S.C.E) Mathematics at credit level but still fails Pre-ND mathematics.  This work used correlation coefficient to compare performances of students between their S.S.C.E entry grades with their Pre-ND grades in mathematics. The result shows that S.S.C.E, W.A.E.C (West Africa Examination Council) grades in mathematics is better predictor of student’s performance at Pre-ND examination in mathematics than S.S.C.E, N.E.C.O (National Examination Council) grades in mathematics. Keywords: Better predictor, Comparative study, Mathematics, Pre-National Diploma, Student’s performance, S.S.C.E. NECO, S.S.C.E. WAEC

An experimental study of wall-plate U-bracket connection

Abstract not available