This text is partial record and narrative of the process and productions of Orphans by Lyle Kessler that opened on March 29th 2007 for a four day run ending on April 1st, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh that opened October 28th 2007 for a three day run ending on October 30th, and Terra Nova by Ted Tally that opened on February 21st 2008 for a four day run ending on February 24th. The majority of the text follows the three shows from Spring 2007, Fall 2007, to Spring 2008, focusing on the process of direction of each production. Incorporated in the writing are the experiences, lessons, and complications that arose while directing the three shows. The text contains several notes on directing, acting, collaboration, choreography, casting, rehearsal and different perspectives on the creative process of the productions: all combined create an aesthetic inherent in the author's three years of study at the Virginia Commonwealth University Theatre Pedagogy Program with an emphasis in Acting and Directing.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T18:12:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DAYANE CABRAL DOS REIS.pdf: 929964 bytes, checksum: d7c0f32d028fb6244d11015fa29dad8b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-03-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / ABSTRACT Introduction: The accomplishment of this research appeared from the detention on the lack of research related to the subject in João Pessoa, Paraíba. We know that the auditory deficiency in the first years of life provokes delay in the development of the speech/language, that intervenes with the social development, psychic and educational of the child. From this form, we feel the necessity to carry through a explorety study that pointed the conditions of attendance of children with auditory deficiency in João Pessoa, describing some services of reference for population. Objective: To verify the passed time between the suspicion, the diagnosis of the auditory deficiency and the beginning of the fonoaudiológica intervention in children attended in institutions of João Pessoa, besides characterizing found fonoaudiológicos, etiológicos and educational of the studied population. Method: 54 parents of auditory deficient children of two institutions of João Pessoa had been interviewed Person - Foundation Center Integrated of Support to the Carrier of Deficiency (FUNAD) and Clinic-School of Fonoaudiology of the University Center of João Pessoa (UNIPÊ). Results: We observe that the interval of time between the suspicion and the diagnosis was of 12 months and enters the diagnosis until the beginning of the fonoaudiológico attendance was of 14 months. Conclusions: We evidence that, in João Pessoa, still a long interval of passed time exists enters the suspicion of the auditory deficiency for the parents and the beginning of (re) the fonoaudiológica qualification, harming the development of the children. With the implantation of vestibule de Auditory Health in 587, 589 and 2,073, we wait a bigger awareness of the managers and the proper population on the importance of the actions come back to the auditory health in its cities, so that a great number of children can be attended, what it will be able to lead to the reduction of the prevalence of the auditory deficiency in Brazil. / Introdução: A realização dessa pesquisa surgiu a partir da detecção sobre a carência de pesquisas relacionadas ao tema em João Pessoa, Paraíba. Sabemos que a deficiência auditiva nos primeiros anos de vida provoca atraso no desenvolvimento da fala/linguagem, que interfere no desenvolvimento social, psíquico e educacional da criança. Desta forma, sentimos a necessidade de realizar um estudo exploratório que apontasse as condições de atendimento de crianças com deficiência auditiva em João Pessoa, descrevendo alguns serviços de referência para população. Objetivo: Verificar o tempo decorrido entre a suspeita, o diagnóstico da deficiência auditiva e o início da intervenção fonoaudiológica em crianças assistidas em instituições de João Pessoa, além de caracterizar achados fonoaudiológicos, etiológicos e educacionais da população estudada. Método: Foram entrevistados 54 pais de crianças deficientes auditivas de duas instituições de João Pessoa - Fundação Centro Integrado de Apoio ao Portador de Deficiência (FUNAD) e Clínica-Escola de Fonoaudiologia do Centro Universitário de João Pessoa (UNIPÊ). Resultados: Observamos que o intervalo de tempo entre a suspeita e o diagnóstico foi de 12 meses e entre o diagnóstico até o início do atendimento fonoaudiológico foi de 14 meses. Conclusões: Constatamos que, em João Pessoa, ainda existe um longo intervalo de tempo decorrido entre a suspeita da deficiência auditiva pelos pais e o início da (re) habilitação fonoaudiológica, prejudicando o desenvolvimento das crianças. Com a implantação das Portarias de Saúde Auditiva Nº. 587, 589 e 2.073, esperamos uma maior conscientização dos gestores e da própria população sobre a importância das ações voltadas à saúde auditiva em seus municípios, a fim de que um grande número de crianças possa ser assistido, o que poderá levar à diminuição da prevalência da deficiência auditiva no Brasil.

Research has suggested that representational and perceptual systems draw upon some of the same processing structures, and evidence also has accumulated to suggest that representational formats are malleable by instructions. Very little research, however, has considered how nonspeech sounds are internally represented, and the use of audio in systems will often proceed under the assumption that separation of information by modality is sufficient for eliminating information processing conflicts. Three studies examined the representation of nonspeech sounds in working memory. In Experiment 1, a mental scanning paradigm suggested that nonspeech sounds can be flexibly represented in working memory, but also that a universal per-item scanning cost persisted across encoding strategies. Experiment 2 modified the sentence-picture verification task to include nonspeech sounds (i.e., a sound-sentence-picture verification task) and found evidence generally supporting three distinct formats of representation as well as a lingering effect of auditory stimuli for verification times across representational formats. Experiment 3 manipulated three formats of internal representation (verbal, visuospatial imagery, and auditory imagery) for a point estimation sonification task in the presence of three types of interference tasks (verbal, visuospatial, and auditory) in an effort to induce selective processing code (i.e., domain-specific working memory) interference. Results showed no selective interference but instead suggested a general performance decline (i.e., a general representational resource) for the sonification task in the presence of an interference task, regardless of the sonification encoding strategy or the qualitative interference task demands. Results suggested a distinct role of internal representations for nonspeech sounds with respect to cognitive theory. The predictions of the processing codes dimension of the multiple resources construct were not confirmed; possible explanations are explored. The practical implications for the use of nonspeech sounds in applications include a possible response time advantage when an external stimulus and the format of internal representation match.

Stimuli caused by our own voluntary actions receive a special treatment in the brain. In auditory processing, the N1 and/or P2 components of the auditory event-related brain potential (ERP) to self-initiated sounds are attenuated compared to passive sound exposure, which has been interpreted as an indicator of a predictive internal forward mechanism. Such a predictive mechanism enables differentiating the sensory consequences of one´s own actions from other sensory input and allows the mind to attribute actions to agents and particularly to the self, usually called the “sense of agency”. However, the notion that N1 and/or P2 attenuation effects to self-initiated sounds reflect internal forward model predictions is still controversial. Furthermore, little is known about the relationship between N1 and/or P2 attenuation effects and the sense of agency. Thus, the aim of the present thesis was to further investigate the nature of the N1 and/or P2 attenuation effect to self-initiated sounds and to examine its specific relationship to the sense of agency. The present thesis provides evidence that N1 and/or P2 attenuation effects to self-initiated sounds are mainly determined by movement intention and predictive internal motor signals involved in movement planning and rules out non-predictive explanations of these effects. Importantly, it is shown that sensory attenuation effects in audition are directly related to the feeling of agency, but occur independent of agency judgments. Taken together, the present thesis supports the assumptions of internal forward model theories.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Parkinson´s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder of movement, which affects 1% of the population over 65 years and 4% to 5% of the population over 75 years. Currently, it is known that the disease is not only characterized by motor abnormalities, but also by a set of non-motor abnormalities that precede perhaps over several years, in preclinical phase of the disease. Studies in the premotor phase of PD are important for the understanding of when and where the disease begins to develop and how it evolves in the early stages. Although still incipient, some studies have pointed to the presence of sensory nociceptive and auditory disorders in PD. Using an animal model of PD that takes into account the progressive nature, allows a better understanding of the relationship between the pathophysiological aspects and non-motor abnormalities of the disease and enables the exploration of temporal manifestation of these changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nociceptive, motor and hearing functions of Wistar rats submitted to progressive model of parkinsonism induced by low and repeated doses of reserpine (RES). In the first stage, 19 Wistar rats were used, divided into two groups (n = 9/10 per group): G1: RES (0.1 mg / kg sc) and G2: CTR (RES vehicle). The animals were subjected daily to catalepsy test and the nociceptive von Frey electronic test and received injections every 48 hours for 20 days. The grip strength test was performed on days 9, 12, 14 and 17. In the second stage, the animals were divided into two groups (n = 10/11 per group) G1: RES (0, 1 mg / kg sc) and G2: CTR (RES vehicle). The catalepsy test was performed daily and the injections were made every 48 hours. On day 8, the animals were sedated to perform the hearing test of otoacoustic emissions by distortion product (DPOAE). On day 10, the nociceptive formalin test was performed, and 60 minutes later, each animal was anesthetized, perfused and their brains removed for subsequent immunohistochemical analysis for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and c-FOS. Repeated treatment with RES induced progressive motor abnormalities evidenced by catalepsy test from the 16th day. Likewise, induced changes in the nociceptive response of rats evidenced in electronic von Frey test and the formalin test, which occurred on the 10th day, i.e, before the motor changes. Muscle strength as measured by grip strength test, did not change with treatment. Changes in the auditory function were observed on the 8th day of treatment. Neurochemically on the 10th day, repeated treatment with the RES induced a decrease in the number of TH+ cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and not changed TH levels in the striatum. Regarding the immunostaining for c-FOS, noxious stimulation caused an increase in the number of cells c- FOS+ in the dorsal raphe nucleus (NDR), periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostral ventromedial medulla (SVR) after repeated treatment with the RES, on the 10th day. We conclude that nociceptive changes precede motor changes, while the strength remains unchanged in the progressive model of parkinsonism induced by low and repeated doses of RES, reinforcing the idea that pain is one of the early signs of PD. In addition, animals with parkinsonism were more susceptible to hearing loss due to exposure to environmental noise, suggesting a possible link between the DP and the predisposition to hearing loss, including the premotor phase of the disease. / A doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma desordem neurodegenerativa comum do movimento, que afeta 1% da população acima de 65 anos e 4% a 5% da população acima de 75 anos. Atualmente, sabe-se que a doença não é caracterizada somente pelas alterações motoras, mas também por um conjunto de alterações não motoras, que talvez as precedam por vários anos, em fase pré-clínica da doença. Estudos na fase pré-motora da DP são importantes para o entendimento sobre quando e onde a doença começa a se desenvolver e como ela evolui nos estágios iniciais. Apesar de ainda incipientes, alguns estudos têm apontado para a presença de alterações sensoriais, nociceptivas e auditivas, na DP. O uso de um modelo animal da DP, que leve em conta a sua natureza progressiva, possibilita uma melhor compreensão das relações entre os aspectos fisiopatológicos e as alterações não motoras da doença e viabiliza a exploração temporal da manifestação dessas alterações. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar as funções nociceptiva, motora e auditiva de ratos Wistar submetidos ao modelo progressivo de parkinsonismo, induzido por doses baixas e repetidas de reserpina (RES). Na primeira etapa, foram utilizados 19 ratos Wistar, divididos em dois grupos (n=9/10 por grupo): G1: RES (0,1 mg/kg s.c.) e G2: CTR (veículo da RES). Os animais foram submetidos diariamente ao teste motor de catalepsia e ao teste nociceptivo do von Frey eletrônico, e receberam as injeções a cada 48h, durante 20 dias. O teste de força de preensão (grip strenght test) foi realizado nos dias 9, 12, 14 e 17. Na segunda etapa, os animais foram divididos em dois grupos (n=10/11 por grupo): G1: RES (0,1 mg/kg s.c.) e G2: CTR (veículo da RES). O teste de catalepsia foi realizado diariamente e as injeções foram feitas a cada 48h. No dia 8, os animais foram sedados para realização do teste auditivo de otoemissões acústicas por produto de distorção (OEAPD). No dia 10, foi realizado o teste nociceptivo da formalina e, 60 minutos depois, cada animal foi anestesiado, perfundido e seus cérebros extraídos para posterior análise imunohistoquímica para tirosina hidroxilase (TH) e c-FOS. O tratamento repetido com a RES induziu alterações motoras progressivas evidenciadas através do teste de catalepsia a partir do 16º dia. Da mesma forma, ocasionou alterações na resposta nociceptiva dos ratos evidenciadas no teste do von Frey eletrônico e no teste da formalina, as quais ocorreram a partir do 10º dia, ou seja, antes das alterações motoras. A força muscular, avaliada através do teste de força de preensão, não se alterou com o tratamento. Alterações na função auditiva foram observadas no 8º dia de tratamento. Neuroquimicamente, no 10º dia, o tratamento repetido com a RES induziu diminuição na quantidade de células TH+ na substância negra parte compacta (SNpc) e na área tegmental ventral (do inglês ventral tegmental área VTA) e não alterou os níveis de TH no estriado. Quanto à imunomarcação para c-FOS, o estímulo nocivo provocou aumento na quantidade de células c-FOS+ nas regiões do núcleo dorsal da rafe (NDR), substância cinzenta periaquedutal (do inglês, periaqueductal gray PAG) e no bulbo rostro ventromedial (do inglês, rostral ventromedial medulla RVM), após o tratamento repetido com a RES, no 10º dia. Concluímos que alterações nociceptivas precedem as alterações motoras, enquanto a força permanece inalterada no modelo progressivo de parkinsonismo induzido por repetidas e baixas doses de RES, reforçando a ideia de que a dor seja um dos sinais precoces da DP. Além disso, animais com parkinsonismo se mostraram mais suscetíveis às alterações auditivas por exposição aos ruídos ambientais, sugerindo uma possível relação entre a DP e a predisposição à perda de audição, inclusive em fase pré-motora da doença.

Le temps est une dimension universelle traitée par les systèmes sensoriels, qui est essentielle pour attribuer un sens à des stimuli comme la parole ou la musique pour l'audition. Cependant, les mécanismes requis pour le traitement temporel restent en grande part méconnus. Dans cette thèse, nous avons examiné un type de mécanisme faisant sans doute partie intégrante de tout traitement temporel : la formation de nouvelles traces mnésiques pour l’information temporelle. Nous avons étudié principalement la modalité auditive, mais aussi d'autres modalités sensorielles, comme le toucher, la vision, et la stimulation électrique directe du système auditif périphérique avec un implant cochléaire. Toutes les expériences ont utilisé un nouveau paradigme expérimental, adapté de précédentes études conçues pour étudier la mémoire auditive (Agus, Thorpe, & Pressnitzer, 2010). Au lieu d'utiliser du bruit comme stimulus, nous avons utilisé des séquences d’intervalles de temps irréguliers délimités par de brèves impulsions d'énergie, adaptées à la modalité étudiée. Dans une première série d'expériences, nous avons étudié la modalité auditive chez des auditeurs normo-entendants, en utilisant des trains de clics audio comme stimuli. Nous avons démontré, pour la première fois, un apprentissage rapide de sons contenant uniquement des informations temporelles. Dans une seconde série d'expériences, nous avons appliqué le même paradigme à trois modalités sensorielles (audition, toucher et vision), en utilisant des clics audio, des impulsions de mouvement au bout des doigts, et des flashs de lumière pour délimiter les intervalles de temps dans les différences modalités. Nous avons observé des formes qualitativement similaires d'apprentissage perceptif pour les trois modalités, avec un apprentissage rapide dans tous les cas, ainsi qu'un transfert d'apprentissage au toucher ou à la vision pour des séquences initialement apprises de façon auditive. Dans une troisième série d'expériences, nous avons testé des malentendants stimulés électriquement par leur implant cochléaire avec des séquences d'impulsions irrégulières. Nous avons trouvé des indications d’une plasticité préservée pour l'apprentissage rapide des informations temporelles chez ces auditeurs. Enfin, nous présentons des résultats préliminaires en utilisant une nouvelle technique susceptible de révéler certains des mécanismes neuronaux sous-jacents à l'apprentissage perceptuel rapide. Nous avons mesuré la dilatation pupillaire pendant que les auditeurs effectuaient la tâche de mémoire auditive et observé des changements systématiques de la taille de la pupille avec l'apprentissage. En conclusion, la thèse montre une capacité remarquable des systèmes perceptifs à apprendre des séquences temporelles complexes lorsqu'elles apparaissent plusieurs fois dans l'environnement, et suggère de nouvelles méthodes expérimentales pour étudier plus avant les mécanismes neuronaux sous-jacents. / Time is a universal feature of all information processed by sensory systems, and temporal patterning is often essential for attributing meaning to external stimuli such as speech or music in audition. However, many of the mechanisms needed for temporal processing are still unclear. In this thesis, we investigated one type of mechanism arguably integral to any kind of temporal processing: the formation of novel memories for temporal patterns. We studied mainly the auditory modality, but also other sensory modalities such touch, vision, and electric hearing with a cochlear implant. All experiments used a novel experimental paradigm, adapted from a previous study designed to explore auditory memory of random noise (Agus, Thorpe, & Pressnitzer, 2010). Instead of using noise as the complex stimulus to learn, we used irregular time patterns made of random time intervals delineated by modality-adapted brief energy pulses. In a first series of experiments, we investigated the auditory modality in normal hearing listeners, using click trains as stimuli. We demonstrated for the first time a rapid learning of stimuli containing solely temporal cues. In a second series of experiments, we applied the same paradigm to multiple sensory modalities (audition, touch, and vision), using audio clicks, motion pulses to the fingertips, and light to delineate time intervals. We found a qualitatively similar forms of perceptual learning for all three modalities, with rapid learning in all cases, as well as a transfer of learning to touch or vision for patterns learnt initially learnt in audition. In a third series of experiments, we tested hearing impaired listeners stimulated through their cochlear implant with sequences of electrical pulses. We found evidence for preserved plasticity for the rapid learning of time patterns in those listeners. Finally, we present preliminary data using a novel technique for studying the underlying neural mechanisms of rapid perceptual learning. We measured pupil dilation while listeners performed the memory task and observed systematic changes in pupil size with perceptual learning. In conclusion, the thesis shows a remarkable ability of perceptual systems to learn complex time patterns as they re-occur in the environment, and suggests new experimental methods to further study the underlying neural mechanisms.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This thesis is concerned with discussing music education as an aspect of aesthetic education, with special reference to the general music (Class music) curriculum at the secondary schools. Class music, or general music education, is being neglected at secondary schools in South Africa. A strong need for reform is necessary to revitalize the neglected state of class music in schools. Chapter One explains and discusses what is meant by the concept of aesthetic education and its relationship with the arts and especially music education. Chapter Two critically analyses and discusses music as aesthetic education as laid down by Charles Leonhard and Robert House. The soundness of their view comes under severe scrutiny, by the highlighting of contrasting viewpoints. Present criteria operant in music education are critically viewed and the soundness of these criteria as theory are evaluated. Chapter Three discusses Popular music and Classical music in aesthetic education. While the merits of these types of music are of importance, they culminate in a view which propagates the peaceful coexistence of both Popular and Classical music as an aim in aesthetic education. Chapter Four is a critical discussion of the general music education curricula in South Africa. This discussion is based mainly on the C LAS P - model, that is , Composition, Literature, Audition, Skills, and Performance. Chapter Five makes some recommendations towards a music curriculum for the general school music curriculum, based on the C.L.A.S.P - model, and aesthetic principles.

No description available.

The human brain is highly responsive to (deviant) sounds violating an auditory regularity. Respective brain responses are usually investigated in situations when the sounds were produced by the experimenter. Acknowledging that humans also actively produce sounds, the present event-related potential study tested for differences in the brain responses to deviants that were produced by the listeners by pressing one of two buttons. In one condition, deviants were unpredictable with respect to the button-sound association. In another condition, deviants were predictable with high validity yielding correctly predicted deviants and incorrectly predicted (mispredicted) deviants. Temporal principal component analysis revealed deviant-specific N1 enhancement, mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a. N1 enhancements were highly similar for each deviant type, indicating that the underlying neural mechanism is not affected by intention-based expectation about the self-produced forthcoming sound. The MMN was abolished for predictable deviants, suggesting that the intention-based prediction for a deviant can overwrite the prediction derived from the auditory regularity (predicting a standard). The P3a was present for each deviant type but was largest for mispredicted deviants. It is argued that the processes underlying P3a not only evaluate the deviant with respect to the fact that it violates an auditory regularity but also with respect to the intended sensorial effect of an action. Overall, our results specify current theories of auditory predictive processing, as they reveal that intention-based predictions exert different effects on different deviance-specific brain responses.

When presented with two identical sounds from different locations separated by a short onset asynchrony, listeners report hearing a single source at the location of the lead sound, a phenomenon called the precedence effect (Wallach et al., 1949; Haas, 1951). When the onset asynchrony is above echo threshold, listeners report hearing the lead and lag sounds as separate sources with distinct locations. Event-related potential (ERP) studies have shown that perception of separate sound sources is accompanied by an object-related negativity (ORN) 100-250 ms after onset and a late posterior positivity (LP) 300-500 ms after onset (Sanders et al., 2008; Sanders et al., 2011). The current study tested whether these ERP effects are modulated by attention. Clicks were presented in lead/lag pairs at and around listeners’ echo thresholds while in separate blocks they 1) attended to the sounds and reported if they heard the lag sound as a separate source, and 2) performed a difficult 2-back visual task. Replicating previous results, when attention was directed to the sounds, an ORN and LP were observed for click pairs 1 ms above compared to 1 ms below echo threshold. In contrast, when attention was directed away from the sounds to the visual task, neither the ORN nor the LP was evident. Instead, click pairs 1 ms above echo threshold elicited an anterior positivity 250-450 ms after onset. In addition, an effect resembling an ORN was found in comparing ERPs elicited by unattended click pairs with SOAs below attended echo threshold. These results indicate that attention modulates early perceptual processes in the precedence effect and may be critical for auditory object formation under these conditions.