Musical combinatorics, tonnetz, and the CubeHarmonic

In this paper, we give an overview of some applications of combinatorics and permutations in music through the centuries. The concepts of permutation and tonnetz (spatial representation of voice leading and modulation) can be joined together in a physical device, the CubeHarmonic, a musical version of the Rubik’s cube. We finally describe a prototype of the CubeHarmonic that uses the magnetic tracking technology developed at the Tohoku University

Cubeharmonic: A New Interface From A Magnetic 3D Motion Tracking System To Music Performance

We developed a new musical interface, CubeHarmonic, with the magnetic 3D motion tracking system IM3D. This system precisely tracks positions of tiny, wireless, battery-less, and identifiable markers (LC coils) in real time. The CubeHarmonic is a musical application of the Rubik’s cube, with notes on each little piece. Scrambling the cube, we get different chords and chord sequences. Positions of the pieces which contain LC coils are detected through IM3D, and transmitted to the computer to recognize the status of the Rubik’s cube, that plays sounds. The central position of the cube is also measured by the LC coils located into the corners of Rubik’s cube, and, depending on the position, we can manipulate overall loudness and pitch changes, as in theremin playing. This new instrument, whose first idea comes from mathematical theory of music, can be used as a teaching tool both for math (group theory) and music (music theory, mathematical music theory), as well as a composition device, a new instrument for avant-garde performances, and a recreational tool

The effect of voluntary exercise training on LPS-induced TNF-alpha after exhaustive exercise

OBJECTIVES: Acute strenuous exercise attenuates inflammatory cytokine production. The attenuation after strenuous exercise is due to the effect of catecholamine. Voluntary exercise training has many beneficial effects, for example enhanced immune function at rest. However, little is known that the influence of voluntary exercise training on pro-inflammatory cytokine in response to pathogen. In this study, we investigated the effect of voluntary exercise training on production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) after strenuous exercise. METHODS: Female F344 rats were divided into two groups, voluntary training and sedentary. The voluntary trained rats engaged in wheel running for 10 weeks, while the sedentary rats remained in their cages. After 10 weeks, all rats were treated an exhaustive exercise or a rest for 2 h. The exhaustive exercise was a treadmill running exercise until exhaustion. To measure catecholamine and TNF-alpha concentrations, and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in tissue in response to LPS, the rats received an injection of LPS and were killed 1 h after the LPS injection. RESULTS: Running time until exhaustion in voluntary trained rats was significantly longer than that in sedentary rats (p\u3c0.01). Plasma adrenaline after exhaustive exercise was significantly higher than that in sedentary rats (p\u3c0.01). LPS-induced TNF-alpha concentration in plasma significantly differs by presence or absence of voluntary training and exhaustive exercise (p\u3c0.01, respectively). Although voluntary training significantly reduced the protein content of TNF-alpha in kidney at rest (p\u3c0.05), exhaustive exercise did not affect TNF-alpha in response to LPS in kidney. Also, neither the exhaustive exercise did affect in mRNA expression of TNF-alpha in kidney in trained rats. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that voluntary exercise training may have little effect on the improvement of TNF-alpha response after exhaustive exercise, although voluntary training has a role in reducing LPS-induced TNF-alpha contenet at rest in kidney

Musical combinatorics, tonnetz, and the CubeHarmonic

In this paper, we give an overview of some applications of combinatorics and permutations in music through the centuries. The concepts of permutation and tonnetz (spatial representation of voice leading and modulation) can be joined together in a physical device, the CubeHarmonic, a musical version of the Rubik's cube. We finally describe a prototype of the CubeHarmonic that uses the magnetic tracking technology developed at the Tohoku University

Safety and efficacy of pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in clinical practice

SummaryBackgroudPrevious pirfenidone trials have only involved patients with mild-to-moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of pirfenidone in patients with mild-to-severe IPF in clinical practice.MethodsThe clinical records of 76 patients who were diagnosed with IPF and received pirfenidone were reviewed.ResultsThe most frequent adverse event was anorexia, although the grade of anorexia in most patients was mild. Dose reduction of pirfenidone improved anorexia in 84% affected patients, which resulted in a high medication compliance rate. The mean forced vital capacity (FVC) at the initiation of pirfenidone therapy in this study was approximately 10% lower than that in previous clinical trials. The mean change in FVC during the 6-month period prior to the therapy initiation was −188 mL, which improved to −19 mL during the 6-month period after therapy. Significant attenuation in percentage predicted diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide decline was also achieved after pirfenidone therapy initiation. The efficacy of pirfenidone in attenuating the degree of FVC decline was higher in the group with FVC decline of ≥150 mL during the 6-month period prior to therapy initiation. The levels of serum markers, such as KL-6 and SP-D, were also lowered by the therapy.ConclusionsThese results showed that pirfenidone was well-tolerated and had beneficial effects in patients with mild-to-severe and/or progressive IPF. The degree of disease progression prior to the initiation of pirfenidone therapy had an impact on the response to the therapy

Cold-induced metabolic conversion of haptophyte di- to tri-unsaturated C37 alkenones used as palaeothermometer molecules

The cosmopolitan marine haptophyte alga Emiliania huxleyi accumulates very long-chain (C37-C40) alkyl ketones with two to four trans-type carbon-carbon double bonds (alkenones). These compounds are used as biomarkers of haptophytes and as palaeothermometers for estimating sea-surface temperatures in biogeochemistry. However, the biosynthetic pathway of alkenones in algal cells remains enigmatic, although it is well known that the C37 tri-unsaturated alkenone (K37:3) becomes dominant at low temperatures, either by desaturation of K37:2 or by a separate pathway involving the elongation of tri-unsaturated alkenone precursors. Here, we present experimental evidence regarding K37:3 synthesis. Using the well-known cosmopolitan alkenone producer E. huxleyi, we labelled K37:2 with 13C by incubating cells with 13C-bicarbonate in the light at 25 °C under conditions of little if any K37:3 production. After stabilisation of the 13C-K37:2 level by depleting 13C-bicarbonate from the medium, the temperature was suddenly reduced to 15 °C. The 13C-K37:2 level rapidly decreased, and the 13C-K37:3 level increased, whereas the total 13C-K37 level—namely [K37:2 + K37:3]—remained constant. These 13C-pulse-chase-like experimental results indicate that 13C-K37:2 is converted directly to 13C-K37:3 by a desaturation reaction that is promoted by a cold signal. This clear-cut experimental evidence is indicative of the existence of a cold-signal-triggered desaturation reaction in alkenone biosynthesis

Synthesis of yellow and red fluorescent 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes and the theoretical investigation of their optical properties

To expand the originally developed fluorescent 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes as fluorescent labelling reagents, the fluorescence wavelength of the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes was extended to the red color region. Based on the noteworthy correlation of the fluorescence wavelength with the inductive effect of the 2-substituent, electron-deficient 2-(2-cyano-4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-1,3a,6a-triazapentalene and 2-(2,6-dicyano-4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-1,3a,6a-triazapentalene were synthesized. The former exhibited yellow fluorescence and the latter exhibited red fluorescence, and both compounds exhibited large Stokes shifts, and the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene system enabled the same fluorescent chromophore to cover the entire region of visible wavelengths. The potential applications of the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes as fluorescent probes in the fields of the life sciences were investigated, and the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene system was clearly proven to be useful as a fluorescent reagent for live cell imaging. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to investigate the optical properties of the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes. These calculations revealed that the excitation involves a significant charge-transfer from the 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene skeleton to the 2-substituent. The calculated absorption and fluorescence wavelengths showed a good correlation with the experimental ones, and thus the system could enable the theoretical design of substituents with the desired optical properties

The actin family member Arp6 and the histone variant H2A.Z are required for spatial positioning of chromatin in chicken cell nuclei

The spatial organization of chromatin in the nucleus contributes to genome function and is altered during the differentiation of normal and tumorigenic cells. Although nuclear actin-related proteins (Arps) have roles in the local alteration of chromatin structure, it is unclear whether they are involved in the spatial positioning of chromatin. In the interphase nucleus of vertebrate cells, gene-dense and gene-poor chromosome territories (CTs) are located in the center and periphery, respectively. We analyzed chicken DT40 cells in which Arp6 had been knocked out conditionally, and showed that the radial distribution of CTs was impaired in these knockout cells. Arp6 is an essential component of the SRCAP chromatin remodeling complex, which deposits the histone variant H2A.Z into chromatin. The redistribution of CTs was also observed in H2A.Z-deficient cells for gene-rich microchromosomes, but to lesser extent for gene-poor macrochromosomes. These results indicate that Arp6 and H2A.Z contribute to the radial distribution of CTs through different mechanisms. Microarray analysis suggested that the localization of chromatin to the nuclear periphery per se is insufficient for the repression of most genes

The actin family member Arp6 and the histone variant H2A.Z are required for spatial positioning of chromatin in chicken cell nuclei

The spatial organization of chromatin in the nucleus contributes to genome function and is altered during the differentiation of normal and tumorigenic cells. Although nuclear actin-related proteins (Arps) have roles in the local alteration of chromatin structure, it is unclear whether they are involved in the spatial positioning of chromatin. In the interphase nucleus of vertebrate cells, gene-dense and gene-poor chromosome territories (CTs) are located in the center and periphery, respectively. We analyzed chicken DT40 cells in which Arp6 had been knocked out conditionally, and showed that the radial distribution of CTs was impaired in these knockout cells. Arp6 is an essential component of the SRCAP chromatin remodeling complex, which deposits the histone variant H2A.Z into chromatin. The redistribution of CTs was also observed in H2A.Z-deficient cells for gene-rich microchromosomes, but to lesser extent for gene-poor macrochromosomes. These results indicate that Arp6 and H2A.Z contribute to the radial distribution of CTs through different mechanisms. Microarray analysis suggested that the localization of chromatin to the nuclear periphery per se is insufficient for the repression of most genes