L'objectif de cette thèse est la recherche d'outils de détection et de reconnaissance de la structure rythmique d'un morceau de musique. Il existe de nombreuses applications nécessitant l'information rythmique, parmi lesquelles la transcription musicale par ordinateur, l'alignement rythmique de plusieurs instruments, tâches de "music information retrieval". L'axe principal du travail de recherche a consisté en le développement de techniques pour l'estimation des paramètres rythmiques (cadences et localisation de beats à plusieurs niveaux). Parmi les originalités de ce travail de recherche, nous avons proposé de effectuer l'analyse rythmique de façon séparée sur la partie déterministe du signal musical (contenant les sons harmoniques) et sur la partie stochastique (contenant le signal résiduel après extraire la partie harmonique du son original). Dans le domaine du traitement des signaux audio, la détection robuste et efficace des attaques (onsets) des signaux musicaux est considérée comme un sujet difficile. A ce propos, nous utilisons le concept du flux énergétique spectral comme le taux auquel l'énergie du contenu fréquentiel du signal audio change à un instant donné. Et nous nous sommes servis de ce principe pour développer un détecteur d'attaques très performant qui améliore de façon considérable la méthode de calcule traditionnelle. Une autre originalité de ce travail consiste en l'utilisation d'un algorithme de programmation dynamique modifiée pour suivre simultanément plusieurs trajectoires rythmiques à l'intérieur d'un signal musical. L'efficacité de cette approche a été validé sur une base de données comportant 1435 morceaux musicaux appartenant à une dizaine de genres. Les algorithmes développés ont été soumis à évaluation dans le cadre du concours international "Music Information Retrieval Evaluation eXchange" (MIREX) dans la catégorie de "tempo extraction" et dans la l'édition 2005 un des algorithmes obtenu la première place parmi plus d'une dizaine de participants.

Esta pesquisa investiga o desenvolvimento das formas silábicas CCV (Consoante1 + Consoante2 + Vogal) do Português Brasileiro na fala infantil. Presente em palavras como triste, blusa, madrinha, tigre, a sílaba CCV é a última a ser adquirida pela criança, após os 5;0 anos de idade (LAMPRECHT, 1993). No entanto, palavras contendo contextos CCV podem figurar na produção infantil mesmo antes dos 2;0 anos: ab(r)e aqui (Lz. 1;09 anos); (o)b(r)igado (Ar. 1;09 anos). O objetivo deste trabalho é observar como o ataque ramificado manifesta seu desenvolvimento na fonologia infantil, questionando se o molde CCV estaria presente na Fonologia da criança mesmo antes das primeiras realizações-alvo desta sílaba. Analisam-se dados experimentais de 49 crianças, que elicitaram estímulos familiares ou logatomas do tipo /CCV.CV/ e /CV.CV/, e produções longitudinais de três crianças. Os corpora foram categorizados em cinco grupos conforme o percentual de realizações-alvo CCV, de 0%-%5 (G1) a acima de 76% (G5). Para acessar o conhecimento fonológico infantil sobre a ramificação de ataque, três fontes de evidência foram tomadas: (i) observação de padrões fonotáticos e estratégias de reparo impostas à produção da sílaba CCV; (ii) interação entre o ataque ramificado e a regra de palatalização de oclusivas alveolares; e (iii) comparação da duração de sílabas CCV reduzidas a C1V e de sílabas CV. Os resultados em (i) apontam que antes de produtivamente realizar o ataque ramificado como na forma-alvo, parte dos informantes em G1 empregou estratégias de reparo visando modificar a qualidade do segmento em C2, como em entrar [etja] e Dlato [pwa.t]. Observou-se ausência de uma ordem específica de desenvolvimento dos filtros fonotáticos no molde CCV. Contudo, detectou-se tendência significativa por evitar sílabas oclusiva coronal + líquida e preferência por sílabas oclusiva labial + líquida, o que creditamos ao Princípio de Contorno Obrigatório (McCarthy, 1986) e ao desenvolvimento do controle articulatório infantil (Goldstein, 2003). Em (ii) verificou-se que a palatalização em contextos /ti, di, tli, dli/ reduzidos à C1V (como trilho [ti.], Dlibo [i.b] e triângulo [tiã.g.l]) foi bloqueada por uma parcela dos informantes em G1, e não foi bloqueada pelo desenvolvimento do molde CCV na fala de informantes específicos dos grupos G2-G4. Observou-se, em (iii), que a duração é uma propriedade de aquisição ainda em curso: mesmo quando a ramificação de ataque foi produzida, constatou-se duração variável (mais longa, similar ou mais curta) entre C(C)V e CV. Os resultados em (i) e (ii) apontam manifestações da ramificação de ataque na produção de uma parcela de nossos informantes mesmo antes de suas primeiras realizações-alvo do CCV. Já a ausência de tais manifestações nos dados de parte das crianças em G1 sugere que a ramificação de ataque ainda deve emergir na Fonologia infantil. Atribuímos esta emergência à marcação do Parâmetro de Ataque Máximo, propondo que a variabilidade e a gradualidade pós-marcação paramétrica observada no percurso de aquisição pode ser devida à aquisição segmental, ao domínio articulatório-motor das sequências consonantais e ao design do experimento, causas também reportadas na literatura. / This research investigates the development of the syllabic forms CCV (Consonant1 + Consonant2 + Vowel) within Brazilian Portugueses child speech. Being present in words such as triste, blusa, madrinha, tigre, the CCV syllable is the last one to be acquired by the child, after 5;0 years old (LAMPRECHT, 1993). However, words containing CCV contexts may figure in child production even before 2;0 years old: ab(r)e aqui (Lz.1;09y.o.); (o)b(r)igado (Ar.1;09y.o). The main goal of this work is to observe how the branched onset presents its development in child phonology, questioning whether the CCV pattern would be available to the childs Phonology prior to the first target realizations of that syllable. There were analyzed experimental data from 49 children, who elicited habitual stimuli or logathomes of the type /CCV.CV/ and /CV.CV/, as well as longitudinal productions from three children. The corpora were categorized into five groups based on the percentage of CCV target realizations, from 0%-%5 (G1) to above 76% (G5). In order to access the child phonological knowledge of onset branching, three evidence sources were selected: (i) observation of phonotactic patterns and repair strategies imposed to the production of the CCV syllable; (ii) interaction between the branched onset and the rule for palatalization of alveolar implosives; and (iii) comparing the duration of CCV syllables reduced to C1V and CV syllables. The results in (i) point out that, before effectively realizing the branched onset as in the target form, part of the informants in G1 employed repair strategies aiming to modify the segments quality in C2, as in entrar [etja] and Dlato [pwa.t]. An absence of a specific order of development of phonotactic filters for the CCV pattern could be observed. However, there was detected a significant tendency to avoid coronal implosive+liquid syllables and a preference for labial implosive+liquid, which we credit to the Obligatory Contour Principle (McCarthy, 1986) and the development of child articulatory control (Goldstein, 2003). In (ii) it was verified that the palatalization within contexts /ti, di, tli, dli/ reduced to C1V (as trilho [ti.], Dlibo [i.b] and triângulo [tiã.g.l]) was blocked by a parcel of the informants in G1, yet it was not blocked by the development of the pattern CCV at the speech of specific informants from the groups G2-G4. It was observed in (iii) that duration is a property of acquisition still under development: even when onset branching was produced, it was found variable duration (longer, similar or shorter) between C(C)V and CV. The results in (i) and (ii) point towards expression of onset branching on the production of a parcel of the informants even before their first target realizations of CCV. On the other hand, the absence of such manifestation in the data of part of the children from G1 suggests that onset branching is yet to emerge at those childrens Phonology. It is claimed that this emergency is attributed to the setting of the Maximum Onset Parameter, and the post-parameter setting variability and gradualness observed in the course of acquisition can be due to the segment acquisition, to the motor-articulatory of the consonant sequences and to experiments design, as already reported by the literature.

Esta pesquisa investiga o desenvolvimento das formas silábicas CCV (Consoante1 + Consoante2 + Vogal) do Português Brasileiro na fala infantil. Presente em palavras como triste, blusa, madrinha, tigre, a sílaba CCV é a última a ser adquirida pela criança, após os 5;0 anos de idade (LAMPRECHT, 1993). No entanto, palavras contendo contextos CCV podem figurar na produção infantil mesmo antes dos 2;0 anos: ab(r)e aqui (Lz. 1;09 anos); (o)b(r)igado (Ar. 1;09 anos). O objetivo deste trabalho é observar como o ataque ramificado manifesta seu desenvolvimento na fonologia infantil, questionando se o molde CCV estaria presente na Fonologia da criança mesmo antes das primeiras realizações-alvo desta sílaba. Analisam-se dados experimentais de 49 crianças, que elicitaram estímulos familiares ou logatomas do tipo /CCV.CV/ e /CV.CV/, e produções longitudinais de três crianças. Os corpora foram categorizados em cinco grupos conforme o percentual de realizações-alvo CCV, de 0%-%5 (G1) a acima de 76% (G5). Para acessar o conhecimento fonológico infantil sobre a ramificação de ataque, três fontes de evidência foram tomadas: (i) observação de padrões fonotáticos e estratégias de reparo impostas à produção da sílaba CCV; (ii) interação entre o ataque ramificado e a regra de palatalização de oclusivas alveolares; e (iii) comparação da duração de sílabas CCV reduzidas a C1V e de sílabas CV. Os resultados em (i) apontam que antes de produtivamente realizar o ataque ramificado como na forma-alvo, parte dos informantes em G1 empregou estratégias de reparo visando modificar a qualidade do segmento em C2, como em entrar [etja] e Dlato [pwa.t]. Observou-se ausência de uma ordem específica de desenvolvimento dos filtros fonotáticos no molde CCV. Contudo, detectou-se tendência significativa por evitar sílabas oclusiva coronal + líquida e preferência por sílabas oclusiva labial + líquida, o que creditamos ao Princípio de Contorno Obrigatório (McCarthy, 1986) e ao desenvolvimento do controle articulatório infantil (Goldstein, 2003). Em (ii) verificou-se que a palatalização em contextos /ti, di, tli, dli/ reduzidos à C1V (como trilho [ti.], Dlibo [i.b] e triângulo [tiã.g.l]) foi bloqueada por uma parcela dos informantes em G1, e não foi bloqueada pelo desenvolvimento do molde CCV na fala de informantes específicos dos grupos G2-G4. Observou-se, em (iii), que a duração é uma propriedade de aquisição ainda em curso: mesmo quando a ramificação de ataque foi produzida, constatou-se duração variável (mais longa, similar ou mais curta) entre C(C)V e CV. Os resultados em (i) e (ii) apontam manifestações da ramificação de ataque na produção de uma parcela de nossos informantes mesmo antes de suas primeiras realizações-alvo do CCV. Já a ausência de tais manifestações nos dados de parte das crianças em G1 sugere que a ramificação de ataque ainda deve emergir na Fonologia infantil. Atribuímos esta emergência à marcação do Parâmetro de Ataque Máximo, propondo que a variabilidade e a gradualidade pós-marcação paramétrica observada no percurso de aquisição pode ser devida à aquisição segmental, ao domínio articulatório-motor das sequências consonantais e ao design do experimento, causas também reportadas na literatura. / This research investigates the development of the syllabic forms CCV (Consonant1 + Consonant2 + Vowel) within Brazilian Portugueses child speech. Being present in words such as triste, blusa, madrinha, tigre, the CCV syllable is the last one to be acquired by the child, after 5;0 years old (LAMPRECHT, 1993). However, words containing CCV contexts may figure in child production even before 2;0 years old: ab(r)e aqui (Lz.1;09y.o.); (o)b(r)igado (Ar.1;09y.o). The main goal of this work is to observe how the branched onset presents its development in child phonology, questioning whether the CCV pattern would be available to the childs Phonology prior to the first target realizations of that syllable. There were analyzed experimental data from 49 children, who elicited habitual stimuli or logathomes of the type /CCV.CV/ and /CV.CV/, as well as longitudinal productions from three children. The corpora were categorized into five groups based on the percentage of CCV target realizations, from 0%-%5 (G1) to above 76% (G5). In order to access the child phonological knowledge of onset branching, three evidence sources were selected: (i) observation of phonotactic patterns and repair strategies imposed to the production of the CCV syllable; (ii) interaction between the branched onset and the rule for palatalization of alveolar implosives; and (iii) comparing the duration of CCV syllables reduced to C1V and CV syllables. The results in (i) point out that, before effectively realizing the branched onset as in the target form, part of the informants in G1 employed repair strategies aiming to modify the segments quality in C2, as in entrar [etja] and Dlato [pwa.t]. An absence of a specific order of development of phonotactic filters for the CCV pattern could be observed. However, there was detected a significant tendency to avoid coronal implosive+liquid syllables and a preference for labial implosive+liquid, which we credit to the Obligatory Contour Principle (McCarthy, 1986) and the development of child articulatory control (Goldstein, 2003). In (ii) it was verified that the palatalization within contexts /ti, di, tli, dli/ reduced to C1V (as trilho [ti.], Dlibo [i.b] and triângulo [tiã.g.l]) was blocked by a parcel of the informants in G1, yet it was not blocked by the development of the pattern CCV at the speech of specific informants from the groups G2-G4. It was observed in (iii) that duration is a property of acquisition still under development: even when onset branching was produced, it was found variable duration (longer, similar or shorter) between C(C)V and CV. The results in (i) and (ii) point towards expression of onset branching on the production of a parcel of the informants even before their first target realizations of CCV. On the other hand, the absence of such manifestation in the data of part of the children from G1 suggests that onset branching is yet to emerge at those childrens Phonology. It is claimed that this emergency is attributed to the setting of the Maximum Onset Parameter, and the post-parameter setting variability and gradualness observed in the course of acquisition can be due to the segment acquisition, to the motor-articulatory of the consonant sequences and to experiments design, as already reported by the literature.

Even the best readers encounter words not instantaneously recognised. Consequently, competence in using effective and efficient word identification strategies is essential for fluent reading. We focus on an important word identification competency: application of knowledge of onsets and rimes for identifying words not known instantaneously. The authors propose that direct instruction in applying knowledge of onsets and rimes, as part of a balanced contextualised literacy program, can play a key role in fostering substantial growth in reading achievement.

Submitted by Mariana Dornelles Vargas (marianadv) on 2015-05-13T11:54:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 aquisicao_onsets.pdf: 652262 bytes, checksum: 861016c9e4c45527818887574b6b636b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-13T11:54:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 aquisicao_onsets.pdf: 652262 bytes, checksum: 861016c9e4c45527818887574b6b636b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Nenhuma / Este trabalho tem por objetivo refletir sobre a aquisição de onsets complexos por crianças com desenvolvimento fonológico normal, entre as idades de 2 e 5 anos, aproximadamente, embasando-se na Teoria da Otimidade. Por ser a última estrutura estabilizada no sistema lingüístico da criança, a seqüência CCV merece discussão sobre as peculiaridades de sua aquisição, visto que estruturas mais simples, como V e CV já fazem parte do sistema fonológico de crianças entre as idades de 1:0 e 1:4. A pesquisa conta com a descrição do percurso de aquisição da sílaba complexa por oito informantes, cujos dados fazem parte de investigações desenvolvidas na UNISINOS. Diante desses dados, tecem-se considerações sobre as produções que não evidenciaram a forma alvo (CCV) e sobre os contextos favoráveis à sua realização. São feitas, ainda, comparações com estudos já realizados, como os de Magalhães (2000), Ávila (2000), Ribas (2002) e Redmer (2007), entre outros. Destaca-se que, de acordo com os dados analisados, os sujeitos evidenciam duas etapas durante a aquisição da estrutura CCV: produção C1V >> produção C1C2V. A análise deste percurso como base na Teoria da Otimidade mostra seu grande poder explicativo. Este estudo, então, pretende contribuir com reflexões sobre a aquisição da fonologia por crianças de 2 a 5 anos, valendo-se da Teoria da Otimidade, além de trazer informações sobre fenômenos normalmente observados na linguagem infantil. / This paper proposes reflections about language acquisition from children with normal phonologic development, between the ages of 2 and 5, based on Optimality Theory. For being the last structure stabilized in the child linguistic system, the sequence CCV leads to a reflection on the peculiarities of its acquisition, since simpler structures, as V and CV, already are part of the children phonologic system between the age of 1:0 and 1:4. The research describes the complex syllable acquisition by eight informers that are part of researches realized at UNISINOS. It made considerations about outputs that had not evidenced the right form and about the favorable contexts to the correct speech of complex onset. There are also comparisons with studies already done, like Magalhães (2000), Avila (2000), Ribas (2002) and Redmer (2007), among others. According to the analyzed data, the children show two steps during the structure CCV acquisition: production C1V >> production C1C2V. These reflections based on Optimality Theory showed its great explaining power. Then, this study wants to contribute with reflections about the language acquisition for children by 2 to 5, based on Optimality Theory, beyond brings information about phenomena observed on children language.

No description available.

The dissertation Litteracitet genom interaktion [‘Literacy through Interaction’] spotlights how literacy interaction can work in the primary school’s multilinguistic environments. It investigates conversations that occur in and around teaching about writing. The study material was collected from three different schools from year zero to year three, and special focus is given to what I call literacy chains. These chains are connected by the fact that they all concern a writing assignment that every pupil must complete, which in my material involves the text types narrative, factual text and poem. During the teaching sequences that unfold, there is an interplay of literary events in connection with speech, writing and various artefacts. My main object of inquiry is the interaction that occurs in these literacy chains. The dissertation demonstrates that the teachers’ lessons with the class as a whole lead to fixed conversational patterns, with pupils asked questions that require specific responses. The conversations tend to form either a so-called IRE pattern, where the reader’s initiative for a question demands a given answer in response which is then evaluated by the teacher, or a list pattern, with the pupils filling in answers. In situations involving the whole class, persistent, determined pupils are needed to break into the teacher’s monologue. When persistence wins out, from the pupil’s perspective, pupils can contribute new aspects to these conversations. In small groups and in one-on-one conversations, there are more pupil initiatives, since conversational patterns are not as fixed or predetermined. One key finding is that multilinguistic resources are sometimes made use of even though the schoolwork is usually based on a single-language conversational norm. Yet it is clear that multilingualism is a useful resource regardless of the teacher’s language background. On several occasions, we encounter participants who together construct a multilinguistic environment where languages are interwoven. All three literacy chains provide pupils with clear templates for writing, which determine what the pupils are supposed to do. The writing template in the poem chain serves as support for their writing but is not a straitjacket. This can be compared to the template for the factual text, which includes a copy of the model text. The written language norm of writing properly is communicated in great detail by the teachers to the pupils. Writing properly is not just having good, legible handwriting, but in school the writing norms to be applied in writing assignments are made relevant. On a more general level, the study illustrates that material resources vary in the schools, from green chalkboards to classroom resources that include laptops. However, schoolwork is predicated on paper-based writing. There is built-in stress, since schoolwork is governed by time, with a schedule that determines learning activities down to the minute, with them ending at a precise time. There is a race against time. / Avhandlingen belyser hur litteracitetsinteraktion kan gå till i grundskolans flerspråkiga miljöer. Det handlar om samtal som uppstår i och kring skrivundervisning. Undersökningsmaterialet är insamlat från tre olika skolor inom skolår F-3, och i det materialet är det särskilt det som jag kallar litteracitetskedjor som uppmärksammas. Kedjorna hålls samman av att de berör en gemensam skrivuppgift, som i mitt material handlar om texttyperna berättelse, faktatext och dikt. I de undervisningsförlopp som uppstår samsas litteracitetshändelser knutna till tal, skrift och olika artefakter. Mitt huvudsakliga analysobjekt är interaktionen som uppstår inom litteracitetskedjorna. Avhandlingen visar att lärarnas genomgångar i helklass leder till fasta samtalsmönster genom att de ställer frågor till eleverna som kräver bestämda svar. Samtalen tenderar att bygga antingen på s.k. IRE-mönster, där läsarens frågeinitiativ pockar på ett givet svar som respons, vilket sedan evalueras av läraren, eller på ett listmönster, där elever fyller i svar. I helklassituationer krävs det envisa och målmedvetna elever för att bryta igenom lärarmonologen. Genom att trägen vinner, ur elevperspektiv, kan eleverna bidra med nya aspekter till samtalen. I smågrupper och samtal en mot en förekommer fler elevinitiativ, eftersom samtalsmönstren inte är så fasta och förutbestämda. Ett viktigt resultat är att flerspråkiga resurser ibland tas i bruk, även om skolarbetet oftast bygger på en enspråkig samtalsnorm. Men det är tydligt att flerspråkighet är en användbar resurs oavsett lärarens språkbakgrund. Vi möter vid några tillfällen deltagare som tillsammans konstruerar en flerspråkig miljö där språken flätas ihop. Alla tre litteracitetskedjorna erbjuder elever tydliga skrivmallar, vilket reglerar vad eleverna ska göra. Skrivmallen i diktkedjan fungerar som ett stöd för skrivandet, men ingen tvångströja. Att jämföra med faktatexten där det sker en avskrift av modelltexten. Skriftspråksnormen att skriva fint förmedlas nogsamt av lärarna till eleverna. Skriva fint är inte bara att ha en fin och läsduglig handstil, utan i skolan relevantgörs de normer för skrift som ska tillämpas i skrivuppgifter. På ett mer allmänt plan illustrerar undersökningen att materiella resurser varierar i skolorna från den gröna krittavlan till klassuppsättningar med laptoppar. Skolan stöder sig dock på en pappersbaserad skriftlighet. Det finns en inbyggd stress, för skolarbete är reglerat av tid. Skolan regleras av ett minutbundet tidsschema och de lärande aktiviteterna klipps av utifrån exakta klockslag. Det pågår en kapplöpning med tiden.

Le but de ce travail est de fournir des informations qui peuvent aider à clarifier le mécanisme par lequel se produit la précipitation d’asphaltènes afin d'optimiser les modèles qui prédisent ce phénomène. Premièrement, la composition chimique des fractions aromatiques et saturées est analysée au regard à la stabilité des asphaltènes dans le brut. Plus précisément, la composition SARA de différents bruts vénézuéliens est corrélée au seuil de floculation des asphaltènes. Nos résultats mettent en évidence que les saturées, semblables aux résines, ont un effet significatif sur la stabilité des asphaltènes dans le brut. Deuxièmement, la teneur en Ni et V dans les asphaltènes et leurs sous fractions A1 et A2 a été déterminé par spectroscopie d'émission atomique avec plasma inductif. Les données expérimentales établissent que A1 a une concentration en V et en Ni supérieure à celle de A2, quelque soit la stabilité des bruts. Nous interprétons ces données comme l’illustration d’interactions fortes, telles que des liaisons covalentes entre pétroporphyrines et les molécules d’asphaltènes. Finalement, un dispositif haut pression est utilisé pour détecter visuellement la pression seuil de floculation d'un système modèle correspondant à une solution d’asphaltènes dans un mélange toluène/heptane/CO2. Les résultats confirment, pour ces systèmes gazés, que les augmentations de pression conduisent à une augmentation de la solubilité des asphaltènes et que pour la température il y a deux régimes opposés. Le premier correspond à une diminution de la stabilité du fluide avec l’augmentation de la température et le second, passé une valeur seuil proche de 80°C, conduit au phénomène inverse. / The purpose of this work is to provide information that can help in clarifying the mechanism by which asphaltene precipitation occurs in order to optimize the models that predict the phenomenon. The study is divided into three chapters. In the first one, the constituents of aromatic and saturate fractions of some Venezuelan crude oils were associated with the asphaltenes stability. SARA composition was correlated with asphaltene flocculation onsets and the results showed that saturates, similar to resins, have a significant effect on the flocculation process of the asphaltenes. In the second chapter, the concentration of Ni and V was determined in asphaltenes and their fractions A1 and A2. The samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and elemental combustion analysis. Results show that A1 presents higher Ni and V concentrations than A2, in both stable and unstable crude oils. These results can be explained by strong interactions, such as covalent bonds between the petroporphyrins and the asphaltene molecules. In the final section, the asphaltenes phase envelopes were obteined for a system consisting of asphaltene in a mixture toluene/heptane/CO2. The temperature ranges 10-150 °C with varying concentrations of CO2 between 10 and 20 wt%. The experimental results confirm that increase of pressure leads to increase of solubility of the asphaltenes in the medium. Also, there are two temperature regimes having opposite trends. First, the solubility of the asphaltenes increases with the temperature, then after a threshold value of 80 °C, the stability is getting worse with the temperature

Over the last decade advances in multineuron simultaneous recording techniques have produced huge amounts of data. This has led to the investigation of probable temporal relationships between spike times of neurons as manifestations of the underlying network structure. But the huge dimensionality of data makes the search for patterns difficult. Although this difficulty may be surpassed by employing massive computing resources, understanding the significance and relation of these temporal patterns to the underlying network structure and the causative activity is still difficult. To find such relationships in networks of excitatory neurons, a simplified network structure of feedforward chains called "Synfire chains" has been frequently employed. But in a recurrently connected network where activity from feedback connections is comparable to the feedforward chain, the basic assumptions underlying synfire chains are violated. In the first part of this thesis we propose the first-spike-latency based analysis as a low complexity method of studying the temporal relationships between neurons. Firstly, spike latencies being temporal delays measured at a particular epoch of time (onset of activity after a quiescent period) are a small subset of all the temporal information available in spike trains, thereby hugely reducing the amount of data that needs to be analyzed. We also define for the first time, "Synconset waves and chains" as a sequence of first-spike-times and the causative neuron chain. Using simulations, we show the efficacy of the synconset paradigm in unraveling feedforward chains of excitatory neurons even in a recurrent network. We further create a framework for going back and forth between network structure and the observed first-spike-latency patterns. To quantify these associations between network structure and dynamics we propose a likelihood measure based on Bayesian reasoning. This quantification is agnostic to the methods of association used and as such can be used with any of the existing approaches. We also show the benefits of such an analysis when the recorded data is subsampled, as is the case with most physiological recordings. In the subsequent part of our thesis we show two sample applications of first-spike-latency analysis on data acquired from multielectrode arrays. Our first application dwells on the intricacies of extracting first-spike-latency patterns from multineuron recordings using recordings of glutamate injured cultures. We study the significance of these patterns extracted vis-a-vis patterns that may be obtained from exponential spike latency distributions and show the differences between patterns obtained in injured and control cultures. In a subsequent application, we study the evolution of latency patterns over several days during the lifetime of a dissociated hippocampal culture.