A scale value for the balance inside a historical opera house

In the framework of opera house acoustics, the term "balance" refers to the acoustical competition between the singer on the stage and the orchestra in the pit. The mechanism allowing the operatic singers to be heard over the orchestra has to do with their skill in enhancing the vocal emission by a peculiar use of the formant frequencies. This vital factor is sensed by the listeners and, apart from the obvious sound power ratio of the stage and the pit sources, is the main cue that helps to formulate a subjective impression of the balance. To achieve its objective qualification, two calibrated sound sources can be placed on the stage and in the pit, respectively, and their sound level difference is measured at the listeners' seats. The scope of this work is to investigate the relationship between the subjective impression and the objective indicator of the balance and to develop a scale value for the parameter in the case of a historical opera house. For this scope a set of acoustical data from the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara will be used to create synthetic sound fields with controlled conditions of the balance between the stage and the pit. This methodology employs an anechoic piece for soprano (with piano accompaniment) and is implemented in a dead room equipped with an acoustical rendering system. The sound fields are used to investigate the appropriate balance values by means of listening tests. The results of the scaling exercise show that a suitable range of values can be extracted and that the sound from the stage and the pit is perceived as balanced when the loudness difference between the two is comprised within -2.0 dBA and +2.3 dBA.     

Synthesis and mass spectrum of 3,3′-thiobispyridine and polarographic reduction of 1,1′-dimethyl-3,3′-thiobispyridinediium diiodide

3,3′-Thiobispyridine is prepared by reaction of pyridine-3-thiol with 3-bromopyridine. The base peak in the mass spectrum of 3,3′-thiobispyridine is due to the molecular ion which fragments by loss of H, HCN and CS as well as by central bond rupture. The 1,1′-dimethyl diquaternary salt of 3,3′-thiobispyridine is reduced polarographically by a one electron transfer not involving hydrogen to an unstable radical cation at a potential (E_o) of −0.72 V in the pH range 7.4–11.2.     

A sensitive fluorimetric assay for cationic surfactants

Summary A new fluorimetric assay for cationic surfactants is based on their capability of quenching the fluorescence of 8-octadecyloxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (PTS-18). It is specific for cationic surfactants which can be determined in the 40–400 g concentration range. The method is considered to be advantageous over former methods in that it only requires addition of the sample solution to the fluorophore solution, followed by measurement of fluorescence intensity of the probe. This is in contrast to existing methods where the detergent/dye ion pair has to be extracted before measurement.     

Structural change of the heme pocket due to disulfide bridge formation is significantly larger for neuroglobin than for cytoglobin

Human neuroglobin (hNgb) and human cytoglobin (hCygb), two recently discovered members of the vertebrate globin family, are known to be able to form an intramolecular disulfide bridge. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we show that formation of a disulfide bridge in ferric hNgb causes a considerable change in the heme pocket structure, whereas this is not so clear for ferric hCygb. The structural results can be related nicely to earlier histidine and dioxygen affinity studies of the ferrous proteins.     

The effect of a concurrent cognitive task on cortical potentials evoked by unpredictable balance perturbations

Background  

Although previous studies suggest that postural control requires attention and other cognitive resources, the central mechanisms responsible for this relationship remain unclear. To address this issue, we examined the effects of altered attention on cortical activity and postural responses following mechanical perturbations to upright stance. We hypothesized that cortical activity would be attenuated but not delayed when mechanical perturbations were applied during a concurrent performance of a cognitive task (i.e. when attention was directed away from the perturbation). We also hypothesized that these cortical changes would be accompanied by alterations in the postural response, as evidenced by increases in the magnitude of anteroposterior (AP) centre of pressure (COP) peak displacements and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activity. Healthy young adults (n = 7) were instructed to continuously track (cognitive task) or not track (control task) a randomly moving visual target using a hand-held joystick. During each of these conditions, unpredictable translations of a moving floor evoked cortical and postural responses. Scalp-recorded cortical activity, COP, and TA electromyographic (EMG) measures were collected.     

Generalized Sasaki Projections and Riesz Ideals in Pseudoeffect Algebras

A noncommutative version of generalized Sasaki projections in pseudoeffect algebras is introduced. It is proved that an ideal in a pseudoeffect algebra is Riesz if and only if it is closed under the right and left Sasaki projections. In lattice ordered pseudoeffect algebras, it is shown that generalized Sasaki projections are one-element sets, and their explicit form is found. It is shown that if a supremum of a normal Riesz ideal in a lattice ordered pseudoeffect algebra exists, it is a central element. These results extend those obtained recently by Avallone and Vitolo for effect algebras.     

Orthocomplete effect algebras

We prove that for every orthocomplete effect algebra the center of forms a complete Boolean algebra. As a consequence, every orthocomplete atomic effect algebra is a direct product of irreducible ones.