Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka olika övningsstrategier för attutveckla improvisationsförmågan inom jazzgenren. Jag har idag förmågan attimprovisera över låtar, men det jag eftersträvar är att utveckla den föratt få improvisationerna mer varierade. Avsikten med arbetet är attutveckla förmågan att improvisera i form av fler rytmiska och harmoniskaidéer.Jag har använt mig av ett flertal olika gehör- samt notläsningsövningar somjag tror kan påverka ens improvisationsförmåga positivt. Jag har spelat innär jag improviserar före, under samt efter övningsperioden. Jag har äventranskriberat och analyserat mina improvisationer för att undersöka meringående vad jag gör melodiskt och rytmiskt.Undersökningen har resulterat i att jag är mer medveten i minaimprovisationer och gör enligt mig mer intressanta och friaimprovisationer. Förmågan att improvisera har påverkats positivt med hjälpav dessa gehörs- och notläsningsövningar.

This study investigates the pedagogical applications of scat-singing within the jazz trombone studio. In addition to the obvious ear-training benefits that the student player can gain from this synthesis, the palette of articulation subtleties and overall musically expressive qualities for trombonists can also be greatly enhanced. These commonalities will encompass the pedagogical focus of this document, utilizing performance recordings and publications by prominent jazz artists and writers to document existing teaching strategies as well as develop new concepts. The first section of this document presents an introduction that includes a historical overview of scat-singing, prominent scat-singing instrumentalists, and concepts and current literature. The second section presents selected biographies on Wycliffe Gordon and Bill Watrous, both prominent jazz trombonists who sing as well as play the trombone. The third section investigates jazz articulation, scat-singing articulation, and doodle-tongue articulation and their relevance to this topic. The fourth section explores musically expressive qualities as analyzed in Bill Watrous’ solo transcription of “Body and Soul.” The final section draws conclusions about the pedagogical applications of scat-singing within the jazz trombone studio and summarizes current teaching strategies. Although this document is not a performance guide, an informed performance of the concepts and examples contained herein is required.

Harvest data are typically used to evaluate mesocarnivore population dynamics in many states, including Kentucky. While relatively easy to collect, these data are subject to reporting biases, and inferences about population trends can often only be made at coarse spatial scales. Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and coyote (Canis latrans) populations in Kentucky are managed primarily through harvest data used to establish future harvest quotas. Increasingly, noninvasive survey methods have been used to characterize a number of population parameters for a variety of species; however, successful use of these methods is often site-specific. We assessed the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two noninvasive survey methods, scat detection dogs and rub-pad hair snares, for surveying mesocarnivore species at two sites in the mixed-mesophytic forest of northeastern Kentucky. We sampled 100 hair snares covering approximately 100km2 and 27 transects covering approximately 27km2 from which 7 hair samples and 261 scat samples were collected respectively. Hair snares cost $397/sample at 6.4 hours/day, while scat detection dogs cost $47/sample at 4.9 hours/day. Genetic methods were used to identify biological samples to species and individual. Our findings should prove useful to state wildlife managers in comparatively evaluating methods for future mesocarnivore monitoring.

Background: Heading is an important part of soccer, yet recent research has indicated that cumulative effects of repetitive heading may cause sub-concussive injury (Koerte et al., 2015). Objective: The current study aimed to prospectively investigate the effects of repetitive, intentional heading in soccer practice on brain structure and cognitive function using a within-subjects design. Methods: Participants included 11 soccer players (M=20.09, SD=2.88) that were examined immediately pre and post heading practice. Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired on a 3T GE Scanner with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Behavioural measures were also completed pre and post soccer heading and included the Sideline Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT-3) and several short-computerized executive function tasks. An accelerometer was used to measure the force of the impact during soccer heading. Heart-rate data was collected on Polar Monitors. DTI analyses were completed using FSL’s Tract Based Spatial Statistics to examine changes in both fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) due to heading the soccer ball. The current study investigated microstructural changes and behavioural performance in young soccer players. Heart rate variability data were not available for analyses due to technical difficulties. Results: Heading impacts were not greater than 10g. At this level of impact, there were no significant pre-post heading differences in either FA or MD. There were no significant differences between pre and post heading in the three behavioural tasks. Additionally, there were no significant differences in SCAT-3 scores between groups. Some practice effects were demonstrated in one behavioural task and a section of the SCAT-3. Conclusion: The current work shows initial evidence that repetitive heading in soccer in a practice setting does not cause changes in brain structure or cognitive function. Future research should investigate heading in games and sex differences with a greater sample size. / Graduate

This study examines the evolution of Ella Fitzgerald's scat syllable vocabulary during a key developmental period in her career when she was recording for Decca Records. Between 1943 and 1952, Fitzgerald established the syllabic vocabulary that would serve as a defining characteristic of her improvisational style for the rest of her career. Fitzgerald is commonly praised as the greatest vocal improviser in jazz history, but while much has been written about Fitzgerald's melodic and harmonic approach to jazz improvisation, little has been written about her syllabic approach. Timbre and articulation are considered to be vital elements of any jazz musician's style; the study examines the changes in Ella Fitzgerald's syllabic approach through transcription and analyses of thirteen scat solos recorded during this time period, using scat syllable choices to discuss timbre and articulation. This analysis provides a model for further research of its kind, as well as informing historically accurate performance practice by both teachers and students of jazz singing.

The term Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is generally interpreted as the knowledge held by Indigenous communities about their environment and the cultural frameworks in which such knowledge is transmitted. There is no universally accepted definition of TEK and interpretations can vary between Western and Indigenous lenses. TEK as an academic field has gained a vast literature base; however, there is a dearth of literature in the wildlife field that expresses TEK through an Indigenous lens. There has been growing attention on TEK in the wildlife profession, warranting further exploration of how Indigenous and Western scientific paradigms may be used together in natural resources conservation. Herein, I present my doctoral research, where I focused on a culturally sensitive approach in the pursuit of TEK studies. I conducted interdisciplinary research with the Yurok Tribe of northwestern California in two parts: (1) a human dimensions study where I interviewed Yurok people regarding TEK and their relationship with wildlife and (2) a wildlife survey on Yurok ancestral lands where I used genetic analyses of scats as a noninvasive method for determining species presence and diet. In addition, I developed a synthesis document regarding historical aspects of Indian Country in the United States and philosophical contexts of TEK as science to facilitate dialogue regarding cultural sensitivity in wildlife research with a TEK component. During an internship with the National Park Service (NPS), I developed a guidance document to provide resources regarding TEK in wildlife conservation and a case study detailing how I navigated my doctoral research. My dissertation consists of five manuscripts, each formatted for a specific journal or the NPS.

I sampled the eastern portion of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation from June 19 to August 8 in 2008 and from May 6 to June 19 in 2009. I used scat detection dogs to find wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) scat on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation during 2008 and 2009. My population size estimate of the wolf population was 19 individuals (95% CI = 14 - 58; SE = 8.30) during 2008 and 2009. My study also used DNA analyses to obtain an accurate assessment of Mexican wolf diet and, compare prey remains in Mexican gray wolf scat with prey remains in two other sympatric carnivore species (coyote, C. latrans, and puma, Puma concolor). Percent biomass of prey items consumed by Mexican wolves included 89% for elk, 8% for mule deer, and 3% for coyote. Percent biomass of prey items consumed by pumas was 80% for elk, 12% for mule deer, 4% for turkey, and 4% for fox. I included an ethnographic feature to my research. My study showed evidence of shared knowledge about the wolf within Western Apache culture. My data fit the consensus model based upon the large ratio between the first and second eigenvalues. I provided a literature review of how traditional ecological knowledge has enhanced the field of conservation biology but also the challenges of collecting and incorporating it with western science. Lastly, I provide an historical perspective of wolves throughout Arizona, an assessment of their historical abundance, and document a possible mesocarnivore release. Between 1917 and 1964, 506 wolves, 117,601 coyotes, 2,608 mountain lions, 1,327 bears, 19,797 bobcats, and 21 jaguars were killed by PARC agents, bounty hunters, and ranchers as reported in U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey Annual Reports in Arizona. The relationship between the numbers of coyotes and wolves destroyed was investigated using Pearson correlation coefficient. There was a negative correlation between the numbers of wolves and coyotes destroyed in Arizona between 1917 and 1964 (r = -0.40; N = 46; p = 0.01) suggesting a possible mesopredator release of coyotes with the extirpation of the wolf in Arizona.

The Naval Postgraduate School is currently developing their first CubeSat, the Solar Cell Array Tester CubeSat, or NPS-SCAT. Launching a CubeSat, such as NPS-SCAT, requires environmental testing to ensure not only the success of the mission, but also the safety of other CubeSats housed in the same deployer. This thesis will address the development of CubeSat vibration testing methodology at NPS, including subsystem testing, engineering unit qualification, and flight unit testing. In addition, the new Cal Poly CubeSat Test POD Mk III will be introduced and evaluated based upon comparison with the Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD). Using examples from the development of NPS-SCAT and test data from Cal Poly’s Test POD Mk III and P-POD, the current CubeSat testing methodology will be verified and an improved method for NPS CubeSat subsystem testing will be presented.

No description available.

Methods used to estimate the prey consumption by large carnivores include direct continuous observation, stomach content analysis, carcass observations and scat analysis. Continual observations are widely considered the best approach to estimate large carnivore diets, with lions (Panthera leo) being no exception. Continual observation allows the recording of all prey encounters and biases inherent in the other approaches are minimised. However, continuous observations are not always feasible, and in situations where animals cannot be observed at all times, diets are often estimated from observed carcasses. This often leads to an over-estimation of large kills in the estimated diet. Alternative methods that are free of the constraints placed on continuous observations are needed to provide data of a similar quality to that obtained using these continuous observation bouts. I employed a cluster follow up technique to locate lion kills from remotely accessed Global Positioning System (GPS) data from lions in the Kruger National Park (KNP). I develop Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) that increase the probability of locating kills at GPS cluster events. By increasing the predictive ability of detecting kills I show that this technique can be used to locate kills in a more efficient manner than random searching of GPS clusters, with further advantages in that multiple groups of lions can be monitored simultaneously. By incorporating this technique into an adaptive research framework, the diet of lions (and that of other large carnivores) can be estimated. In addition, I show that the spatial association between lions at kill sites, while feeding on carcasses, provides a further increase in the predictive ability of kill site models. Lionesses were found to be considerably closer together at the start of clusters associated with kills in comparison to clusters where no kill was found. This pattern remained consistent for both small and large kills. This proximity approach could therefore be incorporated into the GLMs that are developed to predict kill sites of large social carnivores. To further reduce the bias (where small kills are often missed) inherent in carcass observations, I combined scats and carcasses collected from known times, locations and lion groups to construct a temporal kill record for each group of lions. By combining scats and carcasses I estimate that at least 50% of the small prey items, namely impala (Aepyceros melampus) and warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) were missed when GPS clusters were investigated for carcasses. Ultimately, I show that a combination of GPS cluster investigations based on models developed using GPS movement data in combination with lion proximity data, augmented with scats collected at GPS clusters, could provide estimates of large carnivore diets that begin to approach estimated diets obtained through continuous monitoring. The resulting diet, estimated from the GPS cluster approach in combination with scat collection, indicated that the dominant prey item in the region was zebra (Equus quagga) followed by wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), impala and buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Selection indices for the eight dominant prey items were calculated using prey availability measures obtained from the aerial census data and ground counts of groups. It has been suggested that group level selection is a better approach to calculating predator-prey interactions, and that stability in predator-prey systems is improved if group metrics of prey are used as apposed to individual measures of availability. I show that there is a considerable shift in selection indices, as well as in the order that prey is selected, when using different measures of prey availability. In selection studies, more effort needs to be paid to the assessment and definition of prey availability to ensure results accurately reflect selection patterns in the field, especially when data are used for the development of management practices. Combining buffalo predation data collected from GPS cluster investigations with buffalo mortality data collected over five years prior to the commencement of the GPS cluster investigations, allowed an investigation into patterns of lion predation on buffalo between 2000 and 2007. Buffalo of both sexes were more vulnerable to predation in habitats that gave lions an ambush advantage (i.e. increased grass height and tree density). Despite this similarity in landscape risk, different processes lead to similar fates in dangerous habitats for buffalo of both sexes. Predation pressure by lions on buffalo increased following periods of reduced rainfall; with more buffalo predated on following drier six month periods. Predation on males constituted a significant proportion of all predation and was focused predominantly into the late dry season. The resulting method of locating kills by using GPS clusters and correcting carcass data with scats collected along the movement path represents a robust technique to estimate large carnivore diets. In the concluding chapter I present avenues where future research can build on the current thesis and present a framework that can be employed when attempting to estimate large carnivore diets. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted