This dissertation examines the repertoire for solo trumpet and electronics through a study of the genre as a whole and discussions of four compositions that represent its main stylistic approaches. An obscure but fascinating genre, current research in this area is limited to discussions of a few of its compositions in other dissertations and lecture recitals. By investigating this music, this dissertation will contribute to an area that has so far seen little research while promoting new repertoire that greatly expands the musical possibilities of solo trumpet performance. Based on the List of Compositions for Solo Trumpet and Electronics compiled by the author, several aspects of this repertoire are described in Chapter Two, including its development from 1965 to 2009 and the relative popularity of its different compositional approaches. The primarily academic background of this repertoire’s composers is discussed as well as the diverse nationalities they represent. The relative obscurity of this repertoire is suggested by the number of compositions for solo trumpet and electronics that have been published and recorded. A discussion of the aesthetic, qualitative and practical aspects of the repertoire is presented in Chapter Three. Based on interviews with leading performers of this repertoire and the composers of the pieces examined in this dissertation, this music is discussed from the perspective of musicians who have significant experience in this field. Their interviews illuminate several important issues that may not be apparent to musicians who are unfamiliar with this repertoire. Chapters Four through Seven discuss four representative compositions from the List. An overview of each piece is given, along with biographical information about its composer, a description of its electronic components, discussion of relevant performance techniques, and formal analysis of the composition. Conclusions based on this investigation and suggestions for future research are suggested in Chapter Eight.

Los incendios forestales tienen efectos significativamente negativos sobre la ecologiíta, economía y sociedad. La simulación de propagación del fuego es todo un reto, debido a la complejidad de los modelos físicos implicados, de la necesidad de una gran cantidad de cómputo y de las dificultades en proporcionar los parámetros de la entrada exactos. Hay ciertos parámetros que no se pueden medir directamente, pero que pueden ser estimados a partir de las medidas indirectas (por ejemplo, los contenidos de agua en la vegetación). Otros parámetros se pueden medir en algunos puntos particulares, pero el valor de tales parámetros se debe, entonces, interpolar al terreno entero (por ejemplo, la velocidad del viento y la dirección). En ambos casos es extremadamente difícil saber el valor exacto de cada parámetro en tiempo de ejecución. Todos estos factores implican que, en la mayoría de los casos, los resultados proporcionados por los simuladores no concuerdan con la propagación del fuego real. Así, los simuladores no son enteramente útiles, puesto que las predicciones no son confiables. Los parámetros de entrada son una de las principales fuentes de desviación entre los resultados del simulador y la propagación del fuego real. Una manera de superar este problema consiste en la optimización de los parámetros de entrada con el objetivo de encontrar un conjunto de valores de entrada de modo que la propagación predicha del fuego concuerde con la propagación del fuego real. Algoritmos evolutivos para optimizar los parámetros de la entrada se han utilizado. Sin embargo, tales técnicas de optimización se deben realizar en tiempo real, y por lo tanto, se deben aplicar algunos métodos para acelerar el proceso de optimización. En este trabajo, hemos aplicado un análisis de sensibilidad a los parámetros de entrada del simulador, con el objetivo de determinar cuales de ellos afectan más el resultado de la simulación, una vez identificados los parámetros más sensibles, se concentra el esfuerzo de optimización sobre ellos aprovechamos así, el cómputo ofrecido por los sistemas distribuidos.A continuación se describe la organización de la tesis:En el capítulo uno introducimos la ciencia computacional y la predicción de propagación de incendios forestales. Después introducimos la metodología para mejorar la predicción (capítulo 2). En el capitulo 3, discutimos las maneras posibles de paralelizar la metodología y la implementación de la misma. Los resultados experimentales de comparación de algoritmos de optimización se incluyen en el capitulo 4. En capítulo 5 se describen diferentes estrategias para acelerar la optimización. Y, por último la aplicación de la metodología sobre casos reales se presenta en el capítulo 6. / Wild land fire is an important problem from the ecological, economical and social point of view. Fire propagation simulation is seen as a challenging problem in the area of simulation, due to the complexity of the physical models involved, the need for a great amount of computation and the difficulties of providing accurate input parameters. There are certain parameters that cannot be measured directly, but that must be estimated from indirect measures (for example, the moisture contents in vegetation). Other parameters can be measured in some particular points, but the value of such parameters must then be interpolated to the whole terrain (for example, the wind speed and direction). In both cases it is extremely difficult to know the exact value of each parameter at run-time. All these factors imply that, in most cases, the results provided by simulation tools do not match real propagation. Thus, that simulation tools are not wholly useful, since the predictions are not reliable. Input parameters appear as one of the major sources of deviation between predicted results and real-fire propagation. A way to overcome this problem, consist of optimizing the input parameters with the aim of finding an input set so that predicted fire propagation matches real fire propagation. Evolutionary algorithms have been used to optimise the input parameters. However, such optimization techniques must be carried out during real time operation and, therefore, some methods must be applied to accelerate the optimization process. For this purpose, we propose to apply a sensitivity analysis to the input parameters in order to asses their output impact degree and, consequently, determine the parameters that are worthy to spend time in tuning and the parameters that is better not to spent too much effort on them and keep them in an estimated value. These methods take advantage of the computational power offered by distributed systems.The thesis is organized as followsFirst we introduce computational science and some issues of forest fire propagation prediction. Then we introduce a theoretical description of the enhanced prediction method (Chapter 2). Then, we discuss the possible ways of parallelizing the method and a description of the implementation is stated in chapter 3. After that an illustration of experimental comparison of the implemented optimization techniques is reported in chapter 4. We discuss, in chapter 5, the theory and experiments of possible ways to accelerate the optimization methods. Finally, in chapter 6, an application of the complete methodology on real cases is included. In the following we describe in more details each chapter.In chapter 2, we describe a pragmatic approach that intended to improve the prediction quality of forest-fire simulators with the existence of all imperfections in real life (described in the introduction). As mentioned, enhanced prediction method is based on searching for values of input parameters that enhance the prediction of the simulators. Therefore, search methods occupy an important part of the Thesis. Thus, a theoretical discussion of search methods is introduced in chapter [cha:A-methodology-to].Chapter 3 discusses the way we have parallelized the method to reduce the time of execution and make it possible to execute the method in reasonable time. In addition, a full description of the implementation of the method is reported.In chapter 4, we illustrate our experimental study to tune and compare several optimization techniques that could be used in the proposed methodology. Chapter 5 describes the ways to accelerate the optimization method so that we can reach the optimal solution in less iteration and, therefore in less time. In the same chapter we illustrate the experimental study performed.In chapter 6, we apply this methodology on real fire lines extracted from laboratory experiment, which were specifically designed to test our methodology.Finally, in chapter 7, we address the main conclusions and propose future directions that can extend and enhance this research.

This thesis experimentally investigates the effects of buffer regulation on the delivery of randomly spaced objects through a multi-conveyor system according to a demanded throughput and spacing. A regulator is developed and tested in conjunction with on ongoing research project at Georgia Tech investigating the automated transfer of live birds. In this thesis, an algorithm is proposed to identify and compensate for the spacing deviations of objects entering a system comprised of three serially connected conveyors. The regulator acts to delay the time each object spends on the middle conveyor, eliminating spacing variations by the time objects exit the system. The system is experimentally tested to determine how effectively the algorithm can locate and deliver objects onto specific moving points. The limits of the regulator and the considerations for practical implementation are investigated. The proposed buffering regulator has immediate applications in the poultry processing industry, wherein live birds must be sorted and hung on a uniform shackle line moving at a constant speed.

Mary Sibande's Long Live the Dead Queen series is an on-going installation in the Johannesburg art gallery, MOMO. The subject of this series, Sophie, is a life-sized corporeal presence; she is Sibande's alter-ego cast from Sibande's own body. A central formal element of Sophie is her costume: a voluminous dress that hybridizes the South African domestic servant's uniform and a Victorian madam's dress. A dress denoting both servitude and dominance, it immediately recalls the colonizer/colonized dialectic between the early British Victorian colonizer and many Black African peoples whom the Victorians consigned to subordination, particularly in South Africa. Sophie is seemingly fixed within this binary power system: her visible identity oscillates between maid and Victorian. Furthermore, her eyes are always downcast so that she initially appears to embrace her subservience. However, I argue that her refusal, or even inability, to acknowledge her surroundings might alternatively demarcate her into a subjective, fantasy space, and one that she necessarily controls. She conflates historical identities that persist in present South African circumstances, so she also denies our ability to locate her within logical time or space, underscoring the notion of fantasy. Within this, Sophie can reclaim agency despite her servitude, performing in various positions of power to resituate dialectical power relationships between dominant/subordinate, master/slave. In other words, the postmodern play of Sophie becomes a postcolonial opposition to subjugation. Throughout each chapter I will apply the psychoanalytic treatment of sublimation in which a socially unacceptable desire, that of a collective or individual, is displaced onto something socially appropriate within the context of that society. I can thus look more closely at the methods by which Sophie draws attention to surreptitious and manipulated power relationships, and the ways she then dislodges these relationships from the power dialectic. / text

Triptych is a thirty-minute work in three movements for flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone, percussion and live electronics. Rhythmically intricate musical “tessellations” are juxtaposed with long, evolving drones amidst an electronic backdrop of environmental found sound, granular clouds, procedurally generated rhythmic sequences, and simple oscillators. The piece examines conceptions of pattern, pitch and period in the environment, highlighting the musical elements and structures of creatures and machines – the “almost-human” musical beings all around us. Each “panel” of the triptych is designed to work effectively as either a part of the larger work, or as its own, autonomous piece of music. The electronics are designed to maximize performability and improvisatory flexibility in the ensemble. All processing and cueing is coded in Max/MSP. Triptych was commissioned by the Fountain City Ensemble, and will be premiered in March, 2014. / text

The purpose of the paper is to clarify and elaborate on the theories and presentation of the performance of the General Prologue of the Canterbury Tales I gave on April 9th, 2015. Live performance is a valuable method of conveying Chaucer’s work to an audience as it allows an actor to present the many voices of Chaucer in a more liberated manner. I present my case in four sections. First, I discuss the theoretical concepts behind the performance, which includes the value of live performance over silent reading and oral recitation and how the performance should be viewed in an experimental context. I conclude that while oral recitation and silent reading are valuable, neither allows for the freedom to explore Chaucer’s many voices the way live performance does. At the same time, performance cannot replace research and thus performances like ours should be seen as experiments. Second, I discuss the historical context of the performance and how it was forged into a structural foundation. As well, I examine the manner in which the audience was involved. By using the date June 6th, 1389, we were able to create an interactive, visual means for the audience to engage with the voices. Third, I look at Chaucer’s meter, his spelling and the Middle English language in general and how these factors impacted both my rehearsal and final delivery. Ultimately, by committing to the language and Chaucer’s meter as faithfully as possible, I was able to provide a respectful and communicative relationship with the audience. Fourth, I look at three characters (Chaucer the Performer, Knight and Summoner) and how they were performed. I reveal how our performance demonstrates that each character uses many voices, not just one. Finally, I conclude by elaborating on the future of this project and how our performance has been valuable as a teaching tool as well as a means of presenting the work. Chaucer has many voices in the prologue, not just one, and true conveyance of them is most successfully achieved through live performance.

The carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is a human receptor that facilitates adhesion with neighbouring cells, as well as with certain pathogens. CEACAM1 at the cell surface exists as a mixture of monomers and dimers in a heterogeneous distribution that is thought to regulate the balance of its functions, including those associated with pathogen binding. We used live cell fluorescence and homogeneous Förster resonance energy transfer (homo-FRET) microscopy on a combined total internal reflection fluorescence polarization (TIRFPM) confocal microscopy platform to investigate the distribution, dynamics, and monomer-dimer equilibrium of CEACAM1-4L-EYFP on live cells that were parachuted onto surfaces coated with CEACAM1-binding Neisseria gonorrhoea. Both CEACAM1-4L-EYFP and a monomeric mutant form of the receptor are rapidly recruited to bacteria and lead to downstream effector recruitment. Homo-FRET data indicate that wild-type CEACAM1-4L-EYFP was predominantly monomeric at bacterial contact sites. Preferential monomeric binding during bacterial adhesion controls the infection process.

The carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is a human receptor that facilitates adhesion with neighbouring cells, as well as with certain pathogens. CEACAM1 at the cell surface exists as a mixture of monomers and dimers in a heterogeneous distribution that is thought to regulate the balance of its functions, including those associated with pathogen binding. We used live cell fluorescence and homogeneous Förster resonance energy transfer (homo-FRET) microscopy on a combined total internal reflection fluorescence polarization (TIRFPM) confocal microscopy platform to investigate the distribution, dynamics, and monomer-dimer equilibrium of CEACAM1-4L-EYFP on live cells that were parachuted onto surfaces coated with CEACAM1-binding Neisseria gonorrhoea. Both CEACAM1-4L-EYFP and a monomeric mutant form of the receptor are rapidly recruited to bacteria and lead to downstream effector recruitment. Homo-FRET data indicate that wild-type CEACAM1-4L-EYFP was predominantly monomeric at bacterial contact sites. Preferential monomeric binding during bacterial adhesion controls the infection process.

The live export and feedlotting industries are the major intensive sheep industries in Australia. During live shipment, sheep are exposed to prolonged periods of high heat and humidity, with little relief for several days, while environmental conditions in a Western Australian sheep feedlot have not yet been assessed. The research described in this thesis was conducted to determine the physiological responses of sheep to conditions within the live export and feedlotting industries, with particular focus on that of heat stress. Merino wethers and Awassi rams developed significant change in physiological variables when exposed to prolonged periods of high heat and humidity, such as during long haul, live export voyages to the Northern Hemisphere. Physiological changes such as increased core temperature, respiratory rate, panting score and associated changes in blood gas variables were apparent in Merino wethers. However, Awassi rams showed exceptional ability to maintain homeostasis under the same environmental conditions, with no significant changes in core temperature and only slight alteration in blood gas variables. Results from this study indicated that electrolyte supplementation of sheep during live export would not be warranted because plasma electrolytes did not drastically change and blood gas variables quickly returned to normal following the heat. Further studies developed methods to determine the critical wet bulb temperature, otherwise known as the heat stress threshold (HST) of Merino rams, ram lambs and wethers exposed to live export conditions. These studies found that ram lambs had a lower HST than both adult rams and wethers. However, both adult rams and wethers had a similar HST. Heat stress thresholds determined from these studies have been used in a model to predict high risk shipments for particular classes of sheep (Stacey 2003). This thesis also details the environmental conditions within a Western Australian summer feedlot and the physiological responses of cross bred ewes and wethers to these conditions when fed feedlot rations. This study found that temperatures in a typical Western Australian feedlot in summer increased above 40¢ªC with low humidity; however, temperatures generally decreased to be within the sheep¡¯s thermoneutral zone at night. Both ewes and wethers had significantly increased core temperatures in response to these conditions, with sheep spending significantly more time in the shade than in the sun during the day. Both ewes and wethers had increased respiratory rates and panting scores during an intensive climate room experiment with similar environmental conditions. However, feed intake did not decrease even when climate room temperatures increased at night and humidity levels were higher than that found in typical feedlot conditions in Western Australia. Work completed within this thesis has led to a greater understanding of the physiological responses of sheep to prolonged and continuous high heat such as during live export and to conditions of a typical Western Australian summer feedlot. This research has set a foundation for further study of management of sheep during live export and feedlotting.

Zugl.: Karlsruhe, Univ., Diss., 2006