Increased Levels of NOTCH1, NF-kappa B, and Other Interconnected Transcription Factors Characterize Primitive Sets of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reproductive biology in the primitive relic Angiosperm Drimys brasiliensis (Winteraceae)

From field observations on Drimys brasiliensis, principally in the Botucatu region of São Paulo State, Brazil, new data on the reproductive biology, the rhythm of growth, and the development of lateral cymose inflorescences, flowers and fruits are presented. Pollination accelerates the rate of flower-development for about 4-6 days. Pollination experiments show that D. brasiliensis is not self-sterile; because of mechanical devices the sticky pollen grains do not normally come into contact with the stigmata unless an animal pollen vector is involved. The pollinators are diurnal Coleoptera, Diptera and Thysanoptera which eat from the pollen, lick from the stigmatic exudates and (in case of the flies) probably also from the staminal glands. Fruit- and seedeaters are birds which seem to be the main dispersal agents. Establishment of new individuals normally is through seedlings, but also by vegetative propagation through plagiotropous branches which may root and separate from the mother plant. The morphological, developmental and reproductive aspects in D. brasiliensis are discussed in a wider context, compared with data from other Magnoliidae, and related to aspects of early Angiosperm evolution. © 1980 Springer-Verlag.

Histochemical characterization and secretory activity of the hypopharyngeal glands in the primitive social wasp Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Using histochemical techniques, the present work describes the basic histochemical characteristics of the secretion in hypopharyngeal glands of Polistes versicolor (Olivier) and estimates the secretory activity in specimens of different ages. The secretory activity was determined by glandular cell diameter and by the amount of secretion present in the glands. The results did not reveal a relationship between these parameters and the age of the wasps, not allowing us to determine the development cycle of these glands throughout the wasps' life. Also, a relationship between glandular cell diameter and amount of secretion present in the glands was not observed.

FTMOntology: An ontology to fill the semantic gap between music, mood, personality, and human physiology

This paper presents a domain ontology, the FeelingTheMusic Ontology - FTMOntology. FTMOntology is designed to represent the complex domain of music and how it relates to other domains like mood, personality and physiology. This includes representing the main concepts and relations of music domain with each of the above-mentioned domains. The concepts and relations between music, mood, personality and physiology. The main contribution of this work is to model and relate these different domains in a consistent ontology. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

The effects of auditory stimulation with music on heart rate variability in healthy women

OBJECTIVES: There are no data in the literature with regard to the acute effects of different styles of music on the geometric indices of heart rate variability. In this study, we evaluated the acute effects of relaxant baroque and excitatory heavy metal music on the geometric indices of heart rate variability in women. METHODS: We conducted this study in 21 healthy women ranging in age from 18 to 35 years. We excluded persons with previous experience with musical instruments and persons who had an affinity for the song styles. We evaluated two groups: Group 1 (n = 21), who were exposed to relaxant classical baroque musical and excitatory heavy metal auditory stimulation; and Group 2 (n = 19), who were exposed to both styles of music and white noise auditory stimulation. Using earphones, the volunteers were exposed to baroque or heavy metal music for five minutes. After the first music exposure to baroque or heavy metal music, they remained at rest for five minutes; subsequently, they were re-exposed to the opposite music (70-80 dB). A different group of women were exposed to the same music styles plus white noise auditory stimulation (90 dB). The sequence of the songs was randomized for each individual. We analyzed the following indices: triangular index, triangular interpolation of RR intervals and Poincaré plot (standard deviation of instantaneous beat-by-beat variability, standard deviation of the long-term RR interval, standard deviation of instantaneous beat-by-beat variability and standard deviation of the long-term RR interval ratio), low frequency, high frequency, low frequency/high frequency ratio, standard deviation of all the normal RR intervals, root-mean square of differences between the adjacent normal RR intervals and the percentage of adjacent RR intervals with a difference of duration greater than 50 ms. Heart rate variability was recorded at rest for 10 minutes. RESULTS: The triangular index and the standard deviation of the long-term RR interval indices were reduced during exposure to both music styles in the first group and tended to decrease in the second group whereas the white noise exposure decreased the high frequency index. We observed no changes regarding the triangular interpolation of RR intervals, standard deviation of instantaneous beat-by-beat variability and standard deviation of instantaneous beat-by-beat variability/standard deviation in the long-term RR interval ratio. CONCLUSION: We suggest that relaxant baroque and excitatory heavy metal music slightly decrease global heart rate variability because of the equivalent sound level.

Auditory stimulation with music influences the geometric indices of heart rate variability in response to the postural change maneuver

It is poor in the literature the behavior of the geometric indices of heart rate variability (HRV) during the musical auditory stimulation. The objective is to investigate the acute effects of classic musical auditory stimulation on the geometric indexes of HRV in women in response to the postural change maneuver (PCM). We evaluated 11 healthy women between 18 and 25 years old. We analyzed the following indices: Triangular index, Triangular interpolation of RR intervals and Poincar plot (standard deviation of the instantaneous variability of the beat-to beat heart rate [SD1], standard deviation of long-term continuous RR interval variability and Ratio between the short - and long-term variations of RR intervals [SD1/SD2] ratio). HRV was recorded at seated rest for 10 min. The women quickly stood up from a seated position in up to 3 s and remained standing still for 15 min. HRV was recorded at the following periods: Rest, 0-5 min, 5-10 min and 10-15 min during standing. In the second protocol, the subject was exposed to auditory musical stimulation (Pachelbel-Canon in D) for 10 min at seated position before standing position. Shapiro-Wilk to verify normality of data and ANOVA for repeated measures followed by the Bonferroni test for parametric variables and Friedmans followed by the Dunns posttest for non-parametric distributions. In the first protocol, all indices were reduced at 10-15 min after the volunteers stood up. In the protocol musical auditory stimulation, the SD1 index was reduced at 5-10 min after the volunteers stood up compared with the music period. The SD1/SD2 ratio was decreased at control and music period compared with 5-10 min after the volunteers stood up. Musical auditory stimulation attenuates the cardiac autonomic responses to the PCM.

Cardiac autonomic responses induced by auditory stimulation with music is influenced by affinity

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the effects of musical auditory stimulation on cardiac autonomic regulation in subjects who enjoy and who do not enjoy the music. METHOD: The study was performed in young women (18-27 years old) divided in two groups (1) volunteers who enjoyed the music and (2) volunteers who did not enjoy the music. Linear indices of heart rate variability were analyzed in the time domain. The subjects were exposed to a musical piece (Pachelbel: Canon in D Major) during 10 minutes. Heart rate variability was analyzed at rest with no music and during musical auditory stimulation. RESULTS: In the group that enjoyed the music the standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN) was significantly reduced during exposure to musical auditory stimulation. We found no significant changes for the other linear indices. The group composed of women who did not enjoy the music did not present significant cardiac autonomic responses during exposure to musical auditory stimulation. CONCLUSION: Women who enjoyed the music presented a significant cardiac autonomic response consisting of a reduction in heart rate variability induced by the musical auditory stimulation. Those who did not enjoy the musical piece presented no such response.

Cardiac autonomic regulation during exposure to auditory stimulation with classical baroque or heavy metal music of different intensities

Objectives: The effects of chronic music auditory stimulation on the cardiovascular system have been investigated in the literature. However, data regarding the acute effects of different styles of music on cardiac autonomic regulation are lacking. The literature has indicated that auditory stimulation with white noise above 50 dB induces cardiac responses. We aimed to evaluate the acute effects of classical baroque and heavy metal music of different intensities on cardiac autonomic regulation. Study design: The study was performed in 16 healthy men aged 18-25 years. All procedures were performed in the same soundproof room. We analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) in time (standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals [SDNN], root-mean square of differences [RMSSD] and percentage of adjacent NN intervals with a difference of duration greater than 50 ms [pNN50]) and frequency (low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF] and LF/HF ratio) domains. HRV was recorded at rest for 10 minutes. Subsequently, the volunteers were exposed to one of the two musical styles (classical baroque or heavy metal music) for five minutes through an earphone, followed by a five-minute period of rest, and then they were exposed to the other style for another five minutes. The subjects were exposed to three equivalent sound levels (60- 70dB, 70-80dB and 80-90dB). The sequence of songs was randomized for each individual. Results: Auditory stimulation with heavy metal music did not influence HRV indices in the time and frequency domains in the three equivalent sound level ranges. The same was observed with classical baroque musical auditory stimulation with the three equivalent sound level ranges. Conclusion: Musical auditory stimulation of different intensities did not influence cardiac autonomic regulation in men.

Auditory stimulation with music influences the geometric indices of heart rate variability in men

Background: Chronic classical music was reported to increase parasympathetic activitywhen evaluating heart rate variability (HRV). It is poor in the literature investigation of the acute effects of baroque and heavy metal styles of musical auditory stimulation on HRV. In this study we evaluated the acute effects of relaxant baroque and excitatory heavy metal music on the geometric indices of HRV in healthy men. Method: The study was performed in 12 healthy men between 18 and 30 years old. We excluded persons with previous experience with music instrument and those who had affinity with the song styles. We analyzed the following indices: RRtri, TINN and Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio). HRV was recorded at rest for ten minutes. Subsequently they were exposed to relaxant baroque or excitatory heavy metal music for five minutes through an earphone. After the first music exposure they remained at rest for more five minutes and them they were exposed again to Baroque or Heavy Metal music (65–80 dB). The sequence of songs was randomized for each individual. Results: The RRTri and SD2 indices were reduced during the heavy metal musical auditory stimulation (p < 0.05). No changes were observed regarding TINN, SD1 and SD1/SD2 ratio (p > 0.05).The qualitative Poincaré plot analysis indicated that during relaxant classical baroque music there was observed a higher beat-to-beat dispersion of RR intervals compared with no music exposure and during excitatory heavy metal musical auditory stimulation, showing higher HRV. Conclusion: We suggest that excitatory heavy metal music acutely decreases global HRV.

An exploration of heart rate response to differing music rhythm and tempos

The aim of this study was to investigate acute cardiac response and heart rate variability (HRV) when listening to differing forms of music. Eleven healthy men aged between 18 and 25 years old were included in the study. HRV was recorded at rest for ten minutes with no music, then were asked to listen to classical baroque or heavy metal music for a period of 20 min. It was noted that heart rate variability did not affect HRV indices for time and frequency. In conclusion, music with different tempos does not influence cardiac autonomic regulation in men. However more studies are suggested to explore this topic in greater detail.

Acute auditory stimulation with different styles of music influences cardiac autonomic regulation in men

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The triple near-Earth asteroid (153591) 2001 SN263: an ultra-blue, primitive target for the Aster space mission

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Exploring different approaches for music genre classification

In this letter, we present different approaches for music genre classification. The proposed techniques, which are composed of a feature extraction stage followed by a classification procedure, explore both the variations of parameters used as input and the classifier architecture. Tests were carried out with three styles of music, namely blues, classical, and lounge, which are considered informally by some musicians as being “big dividers” among music genres, showing the efficacy of the proposed algorithms and establishing a relationship between the relevance of each set of parameters for each music style and each classifier. In contrast to other works, entropies and fractal dimensions are the features adopted for the classifications.