Predicting music enjoyment in cochlear implant users

Most cochlear implant (CI) users perceive music poorly. Little is known, however, about the musical enjoyment received by CI users. The author examined possible relationships between musical enjoyment and music perception tasks through the use of 1) multiple musical tests, and 2) two groups of listeners: normal-hearing (NH) listeners with a CI-simulation and actual CI users. The two groups’ performances are compared to determine whether NH participants listening to music via CI-simulation software are a good model for actual CI users for perceiving music.

Noise exposure levels of high school music teachers

This paper examines the effects of noise on high school music teachers.

History and uses of music education for children who are hearing impaired

This paper discusses hearing impaired children and their ability to learn and enjoy music.

The use of music education in oral schools for children who are deaf and hard of hearing

This paper is a survey and discussion of the teaching methods, objectives, and benefits associated with music programs in oral schools for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Influencia de la combinación de marketing digital y marketing tradicional en el comportamiento de las ventas empresariales. Caso: música digital Universal Music Ecuador

Las ventas del formato físico de música se han reducido en Ecuador por falta de control de la piratería y elevados precios de venta al público, provocando la reducción de tiendas discos y el fortalecimiento de la ilegalidad. El lanzamiento de tiendas digitales legales de música en el país representa una oportunidad para las compañías discográficas de impulsar el consumo de música digital, destacando iTunes como la plataforma de mayor difusión y penetración, frente a la cual ninguna compañía ha desarrollado una estrategia. Universal Music es la compañía discográfica número uno en el mundo, y en Ecuador la única con operaciones propias, para la que se propone una estrategia mixta de marketing tradicional y digital, siguiendo una estrategia genérica de enfoque, actual en la empresa, orientada al segmento joven y joven – adulto y estrategias específicas de: penetración de mercado a través del diseño de un plan de comunicación de medios online y offline que promueva la venta del producto digital de la empresa en iTunes e incremente su participación en el mercado musical digital del país, y una estrategia específica de diversificación concéntrica proponiendo la música digital como nuevo formato de calidad, variedad y bajo costo para un mercado que opta por la piratería ante la falta de opciones. El plan de acción considera estrategias y herramientas obtenidas el análisis de las 4 P tradicionales y las 4 nuevas P, desde un enfoque online y offline de product e- marketing, e-promotion, e- communication, e-advertising, ecommerce. La implementación de la estrategia contempla la aplicación del plan mixto de medios propuesto para el nuevo disco del cantante Juanes “Loco de Amor”, con énfasis en la campaña de medios online.

Effects of Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) Outbreaks on Boreal Mixed-Wood Bird Communities

This study examined the influence of a spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) outbreak on a boreal mixed-wood bird community in forest stands ranging in age from 0 to 223 yr. We asked if (1) patterns of species response were consistent with the existence of spruce budworm specialists, i.e., species that respond in a stronger quantitative or qualitative way than other species; (2) the superabundance of food made it possible for species to expand their habitat use in age classes that were normally less used; and (3) the response to budworm was limited to specialists or was it more widespread. Results here indicated that three species, specifically the Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea), Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina), and Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina), had a larger numerical response to the budworm outbreak. They responded with increases in density of up to tenfold over 4 or 5 yr. No other species responded with more than a twofold increase in the same time period. These species also showed a functional response by breeding more frequently in young stands aged 1–21 yr and intermediate stands aged 22–36 yr as budworm numbers increased. Our data also suggested that many species profited to a lesser extent from budworm outbreaks, but that this effect may be too subtle to detect in most studies. We found evidence of a positive numerical effect in at least 18 additional species in one or two stand-age categories but never in all three for any one species. Given the numerical response in many species and the potential influence of budworm on bird populations because of the vast extent of outbreaks, we believe that the population cycle of spruce budworm should be considered in any evaluation of population trends in eastern boreal birds.

Vesper Sparrows and Western Meadowlarks Show a Mixed Response to Cattle Grazing in the Intermountain Region of British Columbia

Livestock grazing in the shortgrass steppe of the Intermountain region of British Columbia is predicted to have significant effects on grassland habitats and their associated ground-nesting bird communities. We tested whether grazed and ungrazed sites could be discriminated on the basis of their vegetation communities, whether the abundance of two ground-nesting bird species, Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), differed between grazed and ungrazed sites, and whether vegetation variables found to differ between grazed and ungrazed plots could be used to predict the abundance of the two bird species at a fine scale. Grazed sites were easily distinguishable from a site that had been ungrazed for >30 years based on the structure and composition of their vegetation communities. However, more detailed grazing categories could not be distinguished on the basis of vegetation characteristics. Despite the existence of grazing effects on vegetation structure and composition, we found no consistent differences in abundance of Vesper Sparrows and Western Meadowlarks between the grazed and ungrazed sites. However, there was weak evidence that the abundance of both species was higher at fine-scale plots (100 m radius point count station) with less bare ground and taller vegetation. Bare ground cover was lower on grazed plots, but vegetation was taller on ungrazed plots. Combined, our results suggest that low intensity grazing leads to grassland habitat change with both negative and positive effects on Vesper Sparrows and Western Meadowlarks, resulting in no net change in their broad-scale abundance.