Cinq rechants, composed in December of 1948, represents the culmination of Olivier Messiaen's rhythmic exploration. These rhythmic influences, including Greek versification, talas from ancient India, and medieval and Western associations with plainsong, canon, ostinato, and polymeter, drew Messiaen's attention to ways in which to alter rhythms. The techniques which Messiaen discovered enabled him to alter rhythmic patterns through added values, the addition or subtraction of a note, dot, or rest, and augmentation or diminution. An analysis of form, texture, text associations, and meter adaptation within Cinq rechants provides the framework for a study in the application of Messiaen's rhythmic discoveries and inventions.

This project focuses on the relationship between plainchant notation and the conducting gesture in the Quatre Motets Sur Des Themes Gregoriens, Op. 10 of Maurice Durufle. Durufle's intimate knowledge of the chant practices of the Solesmes school of chant interpretation is a major influence in the compositional style of the four motets. This project explores the relevance of the Solesmes interpretational practices and their influence on Durufle's compositional technique. The conducting gesture employed in the realization of the motets must demonstrate an active knowledge of the compositional techniques employed and the Solesmes interpretational practices. As such the incorporation of traditional Gregorian Chironomy into a working gesture for use in the rehearsal and performance of the motets is the essence of this project.

This thesis studies rhythm from an evolutionary computation perspective. Rhythm is the most fundamental dimension of music and can be used as a ground to describe the evolution of music. More specifically, the main goal of the thesis is to investigate how complex rhythmic structures evolve, subject to the cultural transmission between individuals in a society. The study is developed by means of computer modelling and simulations informed by evolutionary computation and artificial life (A-Life). In this process, self-organisation plays a fundamental role. The evolutionary process is steered by the evaluation of rhythmic complexity and by the exposure to rhythmic material. In this thesis, composers and musicologists will find the description of a system named A-Rhythm, which explores the emerged behaviours in a community of artificial autonomous agents that interact in a virtual environment. The interaction between the agents takes the form of imitation games. A set of necessary criteria was established for the construction of a compositional system in which cultural transmission is observed. These criteria allowed the comparison with related work in the field of evolutionary computation and music. In the development of the system, rhythmic representation is discussed. The proposed representation enabled the development of complexity and similarity based measures, and the recombination of rhythms in a creative manner. A-Rhythm produced results in the form of simulation data which were evaluated in terms of the coherence of repertoires of the agents. The data shows how rhythmic sequences are changed and sustained in the population, displaying synchronic and diachronic diversity. Finally, this tool was used as a generative mechanism for composition and several examples are presented.

En premier lieu, l'horloge circadienne des mammifères joue un rôle fondamental dans le foie en régulant le métabolisme des acides gras, du glucose et des xénobiotiques. L'altération de ce rythme a été montrée comme menant à diverses pathologies incluant le syndrome métabolique. Il est supposé que l'horloge circadienne régule principalement le métabolisme en régulant l'expression des enzymes hépatiques au niveau transcriptionnel. Nous montrons que l'horloge circadienne contrôle au ssi le métabolisme hépatique en synchronisant un rythme secondaire d'une période de 12 heures caractérisé par l'activation rythmique de la voie IRE1a dans le RE. L'absence d'horloge circadienne perturbe cette horloge secondaire et provoque une dérégulation des enzymes localisées dans le RE. Cela mène à une altération du métabolisme lipidique, résultant en une activation aberrante du facteur de transcription SREBP. Cette altération dans le métabolisme lipidique circadien chez les souris sans horloge pourrait être impliquée dans l'apparition du syndrome métabolique. D'autre part, la croissance cellulaire animale est principalement régulée par la détection des nutriments et est principalement médiée par la voie TOR. Chez la souris, un gène est identifié pour la kinase TOR et son association en complexe avec d'autres protéines permet de discriminer TORC1 et TORC2. TORC1 est la forme majeure sensible à la rapamycine et est le premier médiateur de la détection d'énergie et d'acides aminés pour le contrôle de la croissance. Ce contrôle consiste en la régulation de la traduction par la phosphorylation de S6 Kinase et 4E-BP et le contrôle de la biogenèse des ribosomes. Nous sommes intéressés de montrer si l'horloge circadienne régule la traduction régulée par TOR dans le foie de souris. / In one hand, The mammalian circadian clock plays a fundamental role in the liver by regulating fatty acid, glucose, and xenobiotic metabolism. Impairment of this rhythm has been shown to lead to diverse pathologies, including metabolic syndrome. Currently, it is supposed that the circadian clock regulates metabolism mostly by regulating expression of liver enzymes at the transcriptional level. We show that the circadian clock also controls hepatic metabolism by synchronizing a secondary 12 hr period rhythm characterized by rhythmic activation of the IRE1a pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum. The absence of circadian clock perturbs this secondary clock and provokes deregulation of endoplasmic reticulum localized enzymes. This leads to impaired lipid metabolism, resulting in aberrant activation of the sterol-regulated SREBP transcription factors. The resulting aberrant circadian lipid metabolism in mice devoid of the circadian clock could be inv olved in the appearance of the associated metabolic syndrome.In a second hand, the tissue growth in animals is principally regulated by nutrient sensing and principally by the protein kinase TOR. In mice one gene is identified as TOR kinase and the association of Tor protein associated with 2 different complex of protein (TORC1 and TORC2). TORC1 is the major rapamycin sensitive form and is the primary mediator of energy and amino acid sensing for growth control. This control consists in the regulation of translation through the phosphorylation of S6 Kinase (ribosomal S6 kinase) and 4E-BP (Eif4E binding protein) and the control of ribosome biogenesis. We are interested to show if the circadian clock regulate TOR translation regulation in mice liver.

The following writings contain different segments about the concept of time. To best describe certain feelings and thoughts concerning my ideas and work I have used poetry and short stories in a prosaic manner. I also felt it necessary to include some historic facts about the history of time and its measuring devices.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science / Fred Hasler / Over 26.6 million people suffer from Alzheimer's Disease in the United States, and while no cure exists, how their built environment is illuminated - lamp type, color selection, wavelengths emitted, luminaire specifications, and luminaire layout - may enhance the lives of Alzheimer's patients (APs), their relatives, and caretakers. Research has found mixed results when it comes to selecting the correct lamp, but most researchers agree illumination levels benefit APs quality of life. Achieving higher illumination levels can be achieved by adding more luminaires to the ambient lighting layout, placing additional task lighting in specific locations, or using light therapy. Exposing APs to higher illumination levels can have positive behavioral benefits and help shift the circadian rhythm. Common problems such as aggression, sleepiness, and agitation can be reduced if proper lighting layouts or light therapy is used on a consistent basis. Adding to research, several Alzheimer’s facilities in Kansas and Colorado were contacted to complete questionnaires about their lighting and resident’s behaviors. Upon analysis, these facilities concurred with research about lamp types, daylight, and luminaire layouts showing higher levels of illumination were preferred by APs and also where they displayed their best behaviors. Ninety percent of facilities agreed that APs enjoyed sitting by the windows, and over half agreed APs exhibited better behavior while seated here. Homes with CLFs documented APs were typically more calm and happy than those with tubular fluorescents, but the conclusions made need additional research to support the findings.

Cette thèse a pour objectif de montrer l’importance du rythme comme socle thérapeutique dans la prise en charge de la psychose infantile. Le rythme sera abordé selon deux points de vue :D’une part, comme élément communicationnel originaire entre l’enfant et la mère, il permet les premières associations de sens et par là, des mises en forme initiales (représentation de chose) du contact avec l’altérité. Les continuités et discontinuités dans le contact avec l’extérieur peuvent devenir, grâce à la régularité et la répétition qui constituent le rythme, des présences et des absences.D’autre part, l’articulation interne du rythme nous révèle une structure ternaire codifiée par les chiffres (1-0-1). Le chiffre Un est entendu comme une présence et le chiffre Zéro comme une presentia in absentia. Cette structure permettrait la négativation de la présentation pulsionnelle et l’introduction de l’enfant dans les préambules de la figuration moïque et la triangulation oedipienne. / The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of rhythm in the treatment of infantile psychosis. This rhythm is studied from two perspectives.First, as the first means of communication between mother and child, rhythm enables children to experience their first sensory associations and thus to structure their first representations of contact with otherness. Continuity and discontinuity with otherness could become presences and absences, thanks to the regularity and repetition inherent in the rhythm.Secondly, the inner speech of this rhythm reveals a ternary structure codified by the digital sequence (1-0-1). 1 is understood as a presence, 0 as a presentia in absentia.This structure would allow the negativation of the inner drive representation and would introduce the child to the preambles of Ego and Oedipus triangulation.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo acerca da fala cantada com o português brasileiro inserido no contexto da canção popular. Utilizando como base o processo de sincronização entre os pares de quatro duplas de cantores, elaboramos um experimento fatorial com dois fatores, denominados Ritmo da Canção e Ponto de Observação de Sincronização. Com o fator Ritmo da Canção, buscamos observar se a fala cantada inserida no contexto sincopado, no caso o da bossa-nova, é mais difícil de ser realizada quando comparada a mesma inserida no contexto não sincopado, aqui o do rock. Com o fator Ponto de Observação de Sincronização buscamos observar se os sujeitos têm a mesma capacidade de sincronização em inícios e em finais de frases. Ambos os cálculos foram realizados através das medidas das lags, diferença temporal entre os Pontos de Observação de Sincronização dos cantores de uma mesma dupla, ou seja, ora separamos as lags por canções (fator Ritmo da Canção), ora separamos por ponto (fator Ponto de Observação de Sincronização). Em paralelo, e de forma a complementar o estudo fonético-acústico, observamos o desenvolvimento métrico-acentual das canções, comparando os acentos lingüísticos e os musicais das canções utilizadas. O conjunto de resultados obtidos por meio de cálculos estatísticos e as observações métricoacentuais indicam que os cantores apresentam maior facilidade em realizar a tarefa pedida cantar o mais sincrônico possível no contexto no qual o ritmo de acompanhamento das canções não era sincopado, assim como indica maior facilidade em sincronizar nos finais de sentenças. / This paper presents a study about the Brazilian Portuguese placed in the context of the song. Using as a base the entrainment process between pairs of four pairs of singers, we designed a factorial experiment with two factors, called Rhythm of the Song and Entrainment Observation Point. With the factor Rhythm of the Song, we observe whether the speech into the context of singing bossa-nova is more difficult to achieve when compared to the same inserted in the context of rock. With the factor Entrainment Observation Point we seek to observe whether individuals have the same ability to sync at the beginning and end of sentences. Both calculations were performed by measuring the lag, time difference between entrainment observation points of the singers of the same pair, i.e., separated the lag by songs (factor Rhythm of the Song), and separated by Entrainment Observation Point (factor Entrainment Observation Point). In parallel, and to complement the acousticphonetic study, we observed the development of accentual metric-songs comparing the linguistic and musical accents of the songs used. The set of results obtained by statistical calculation and accentual-metric observations indicates that the singers have it easier to perform the requested task - to sing as synchronous as possible - in the context in which the rhythm accompaniment of songs was not syncopated, so ease as indicated to sync at the end of sentences.

Este trabalho consiste em um estudo métrico e rítmico das Odes Píticas de Píndaro, bem como uma tradução desses mesmos poemas com o objetivo de reproduzir os aspectos métricos e rítmicos identificados durante o estudo. Trata-se, portanto, de uma abordagem que privilegia não o sentido, como se faz de costume no âmbito acadêmico, mas, sim, alguns elementos formais bem específicos (o metro e o ritmo), os quais são caros ao tema central da tese que defendemos: a da unidade rítmica nos epinícios aqui estudados. / This work is comprised of a metrical and rhythmical study of Pindar\'s Pythian Odes, as well as a translation of said poems with a view to reproduce the metrical and rhythmical aspects that were identified during the study. Hence, this approach focuses not on the meaning of the poems, as it is usually done in the academy, but on specific formal elements (meter and rhythm) that are dear to this thesis\' central theme: the rhythmic unity of these victory odes.

O sistema circadiano das aves é composto pela retina, a região homóloga aos núcleos supraquiasmáticos de mamíferos (NSQ) e a glândula pineal. A retina apresenta muitos eventos fisiológicos rítmicos, como por exemplo os movimentos das células fotorreceptoras em vertebrados não mamíferos, a expressão de opsinas, regeneração do cromóforo visual e produção e liberação de melatonina e dopamina. Todos estes eventos rítmicos são coordenados para prever alterações nas condições luminosas que ocorrem durante o dia, otimizando a função retiniana. Neste trabalho foi investigada a expressão de componentes chave de um sistema circadiano, incluindo os dois genes de melanopsina, Opn4x e Opn4m, os genes de relógio Clock e Per2, e os genes das enzimas chave da síntese de melatonina, N-Acetiltransferase, e de dopamina, Tirosina Hidroxilase, em células da retina de embriões de galinha. Culturas primárias de retina de embriões de galinha com 8 dias foram preparadas no ZT0 (quando as luz é acesa) e semeadas na densidade de 107 células por frasco de 25 cm2 . As células foram mantidas em ambiente úmido, com 5% CO2, a 40o C, em escuro constante, fotoperíodo 12C:12E, fotoperíodo 12C:12E seguido de escuro constante, ou em escuro constante na presença e na ausência de glutamato 100 μM por 12 h. A extração de RNA total foi feita ao longo de 24 horas com intervalo de três horas tendo início no ZT0 do sexto dia. As amostras foram submetidas a RT-PCR seguido de PCR quantitativo para a quantificação de RNAm. Para confirmar a expressão da proteína OPN4x foi realizado ensaio imunohistoquímico com anticorpos anti-melanopsina de galinha desenvolvidos em coelho. Também foi feita a quantificação da concentração das proteínas OPN4x, CLOCK e TIROSINA HIDROXILASE através da técnica de Western Blot. A quantificação do RNAm em escuro constante não apresentou ritmos de transcrição para nenhum gene. Já as células mantidas em fotoperíodo 12C:12E apresentaram padrões rítmicos de transcrição para Clock, Per2, Opn4m, N-Acetiltransferase e Tirosina Hidroxilase. Glutamato 100 μM foi eficaz em induzir ritmo em Clock, e inibiu drasticamente a expressão de Tirosina Hidroxilase e, apenas mais pontualmente, de Opn4x e Opn4m. Ensaios de viabilidade celular e fragmentação de DNA por citometria de fluxo demonstraram que essa inibição não foi resultante de ação tóxica ou apoptótica do glutamato. O neurotransmissor não teve qualquer efeito sobre a transcrição de Per2 e de N-Acetiltransferase. A quantificação protéica não indicou a presença de ritmo para CLOCK, OPN4x ou TIROSINA HIDROXILASE. A grande variabilidade inter-ensaios nos resultados de quantificação protéica sugere uma menor sensibilidade e precisão para esse método, quando comparado a PCR quantitativo. Nossos resultados indicam que as células de retina de embrião de 8 dias de galinha em cultura já contêm um relógio funcional, porém, este necessita do ciclo claro-escuro ou glutamato para sua sincronização. / The avian circadian system is composed by the retina, the mammalian homolog region of the supra-chiasmatic nucleus (SNC) and the pineal gland. The retina itself shows many rhythmic physiological events, such as movements of photoreceptor cells, opsin expression, retinaldehyde re-isomerization, melatonin and dopamine production and release. Altogether these rhythmic events are coordinated to predict environmental changes in light conditions during the day, optimizing retina function. In this work we investigated the expression of key components of a circadian system, including the two melanopsin genes, Opn4x, Opn4m, as well as the Clock, Per2, N-Acetyltransferase and Tyrosine Hidroxylase genes in chick embryo retinal cells. Primary cultures of chicken retina from 8-day-old embryos were prepared at ZT0 (lights on) and seeded at the density of 107 cells per 25 cm2 culture flask. The cells were kept in a humidified incubator in a 5% CO2 atmosphere at 40o C in constant dark, in 12L:12D, in 12L:12D followed by constant dark, or in constant dark in the absence or presence of 100 μM glutamate for 12 h starting at ZT0 of the fifth day in vitro. Total RNA extraction was performed along 24 hours every three hours starting at ZT0 of the sixth day. The samples were submitted to RT-PCR followed by quantitative PCR for mRNA quantification. To analyze the Opn4x expression in these cells we performed an immunocytochemistry analysis with antibodies anti-chicken melanopsin developed in rabbit. We also quantified the protein levels of OPN4x, CLOCK AND TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE by Western Blot. The mRNA quantification showed no rhythm of transcription for any gene in cells kept in constant dark. However under a light-dark cycle, Clock, Per2, Opn4m, N-Acetyltransferase and Tyrosine Hydroxylase presented rhythm patterns of transcription. 100 μM glutamate was able to induce rhythmic expression of Clock, and strongly inhibited the expression of Tyrosine Hydroxylase and, just punctually, of Opn4x and Opn4m. Assays of cell viability and DNA fragmentation using flow cytometry demonstrated that the inhibition did not result of glutamate toxic or apoptotic actions. The neurotransmitter had no effect on Per2 and N-Acetyltransferase transcription. Protein quantification by Western Blot showed no rhythmic oscillation of CLOCK, OPN4x or TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE. The great variability inter-assays seen in the results of protein quantification suggests that this method is less precise and sensitive than quantitative PCR. The present data show evidences that chicken embryonic retinal cells contain a functional circadian Clock. However light-dark cycle or glutamate stimuli are needed to its synchronization.