Musica transalpina : Text- und Musiktransfer am Beispiel des römischen Kantaten- und Serenatenrepertoires von Antonio Caldara

On November 16th, 1726, a Pastoral Opera by Antonio Caldara was performed in Dublin, which, according to the libretto, was written in Rome. At the time of the performance, Caldara has already served as vice-chapel master in the service of the imperial court in Vienna and during his Roman period (1709–1716), he never had composed a work with this title. Nevertheless, a glance at the libretto leads to the Eternal City: Musgrave Heighington, himself a composer, pretends to be the translator of the work, but in fact, he has to be regarded as its editor. As the analysis shows, Heighington combined several compositions to a pasticcio, of which the main part can be attributed to the cantata Grato bosco, composed by Caldara in 1714 for his Roman patron, Francesco Maria Ruspoli. This example is particularly noteworthy, as Caldara's Roman cantata repertoire, unlike that of Alessandro Scarlatti, had hardly any distribution outside Rome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the text and music transfer using the example of the cantata and serenata oeuvre by Caldara, exposing strategies of takeover and transformation practices

"Per l'allusione alle correnti cose d'Italia" : Antonio Caldaras römische Weihnachtskantaten für Papst und Fürst

The present study examines the three preserved Christmas cantatas (Vaticini di pace, Vo' piangendo e sospirando and Amarilli vezzosa), which Antonio Caldara composed during his time in Rome between 1709 and 1716. Two of them were written per request of his patron, Principe Francesco Maria Ruspoli and one was composed for the Christmas festivities at the Pontifical court of Pope Clement XI. The study discusses the performance context of both the Apostolic Palace and the Ruspoli court. It also brings into perspective the problems which arose around the dating of the musical sources mentioned in this study. A text analysis of the works highlights references to contemporary political situations as well as dramaturgical and content-related connections between the texts. The analysis has shown, that the politically desired image of the Pope as a facilitator for peace in the War of the Spanish Succession plays a central role in Caldara's cantata for the Apostolic Palace, Vo' piangendo e sospirando (1713), as well as in Vaticini di pace (1712). An analysis of the music shows a orrelation between Vo' piangendo e sospirando and Amarilli vezzosa (1713 and 1714 respectively), a cantata which has been preserved in two different versions. An intentional borrowing seems plausible, since the meaningful connection between the two cantatas shows Ruspoli's close relation and gratitude towards the Pontifical court, as well as his important social status as the patron of the Amarilli vezzosa

requirements for naive CD4+ T cell stimulation

Human primary dendritic cells (DCs) are heterogeneous by phenotype, function, and tissue localization and distinct from inflammatory monocyte-derived DCs. Current information regarding the susceptibility and functional role of primary human DC subsets to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is limited. Here, we dissect the response of different primary DC subsets to Mtb infection. Myeloid CD11c+ cells and pDCs (C-type lectin 4C+ cells) were located in human lymph nodes (LNs) of tuberculosis (TB) patients by histochemistry. Rare CD141hi DCs (C-type lectin 9A+ cells) were also identified. Infection with live Mtb revealed a higher responsiveness of myeloid CD1c+ DCs compared to CD141hi DCs and pDCs. CD1c+ DCs produced interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and IL-1β but not IL-12p70, a cytokine important for Th1 activation and host defenses against Mtb. Yet, CD1c+ DCs were able to activate autologous naïve CD4+ T cells. By combining cell purification with fluorescence-activated cell sorting and gene expression profiling on rare cell populations, we detected in responding CD4+ T cells, genes related to effector-cytolytic functions and transcription factors associated with Th1, Th17, and Treg polarization, suggesting multifunctional properties in our experimental conditions. Finally, immunohistologic analyses revealed contact between CD11c+ cells and pDCs in LNs of TB patients and in vitro data suggest that cooperation between Mtb-infected CD1c+ DCs and pDCs favors stimulation of CD4+ T cells

Extensive innate immune gene activation accompanies brain aging, increasing vulnerability to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: a microarray study

BACKGROUND: This study undertakes a systematic and comprehensive analysis of brain gene expression profiles of immune/inflammation-related genes in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). METHODS: In a well-powered microarray study of young (20 to 59 years), aged (60 to 99 years), and AD (74 to 95 years) cases, gene responses were assessed in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, and post-central gyrus. RESULTS: Several novel concepts emerge. First, immune/inflammation-related genes showed major changes in gene expression over the course of cognitively normal aging, with the extent of gene response far greater in aging than in AD. Of the 759 immune-related probesets interrogated on the microarray, approximately 40% were significantly altered in the SFG, PCG and HC with increasing age, with the majority upregulated (64 to 86%). In contrast, far fewer immune/inflammation genes were significantly changed in the transition to AD (approximately 6% of immune-related probesets), with gene responses primarily restricted to the SFG and HC. Second, relatively few significant changes in immune/inflammation genes were detected in the EC either in aging or AD, although many genes in the EC showed similar trends in responses as in the other brain regions. Third, immune/inflammation genes undergo gender-specific patterns of response in aging and AD, with the most pronounced differences emerging in aging. Finally, there was widespread upregulation of genes reflecting activation of microglia and perivascular macrophages in the aging brain, coupled with a downregulation of select factors (TOLLIP, fractalkine) that when present curtail microglial/macrophage activation. Notably, essentially all pathways of the innate immune system were upregulated in aging, including numerous complement components, genes involved in toll-like receptor signaling and inflammasome signaling, as well as genes coding for immunoglobulin (Fc) receptors and human leukocyte antigens I and II. CONCLUSIONS: Unexpectedly, the extent of innate immune gene upregulation in AD was modest relative to the robust response apparent in the aged brain, consistent with the emerging idea of a critical involvement of inflammation in the earliest stages, perhaps even in the preclinical stage, of AD. Ultimately, our data suggest that an important strategy to maintain cognitive health and resilience involves reducing chronic innate immune activation that should be initiated in late midlife

Musica transaplina : text and music transfer in Antonio Caldara's Cantata and Serenata repertoire

On November 16th, 1726, a Pastoral Opera by Antonio Caldara was performed in Dublin, which, according to the libretto, was written in Rome. At the time of the performance, Caldara has already served as vice-chapel master in the service of the imperial court in Vienna and during his Roman period (1709–1716), he never had composed a work with this title. Nevertheless, a glance at the libretto leads to the Eternal City: Musgrave Heighington, himself a composer, pretends to be the translator of the work, but in fact, he has to be regarded as its editor. As the analysis shows, Heighington combined several compositions to a pasticcio, of which the main part can be attributed to the cantata Grato bosco, composed by Caldara in 1714 for his Roman patron, Francesco Maria Ruspoli. This example is particularly noteworthy, as Caldara's Roman cantata repertoire, unlike that of Alessandro Scarlatti, had hardly any distribution outside Rome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the text and music transfer using the example of the cantata and serenata oeuvre by Caldara, exposing strategies of takeover and transformation practices.On November 16th, 1726, a Pastoral Opera by Antonio Caldara was performed in Dublin, which, according to the libretto, was written in Rome. At the time of the performance, Caldara has already served as vice-chapel master in the service of the imperial court in Vienna and during his Roman period (1709–1716), he never had composed a work with this title. Nevertheless, a glance at the libretto leads to the Eternal City: Musgrave Heighington, himself a composer, pretends to be the translator of the work, but in fact, he has to be regarded as its editor. As the analysis shows, Heighington combined several compositions to a pasticcio, of which the main part can be attributed to the cantata Grato bosco, composed by Caldara in 1714 for his Roman patron, Francesco Maria Ruspoli. This example is particularly noteworthy, as Caldara's Roman cantata repertoire, unlike that of Alessandro Scarlatti, had hardly any distribution outside Rome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the text and music transfer using the example of the cantata and serenata oeuvre by Caldara, exposing strategies of takeover and transformation practices