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From Top to Bottom Evaluating the Usefulness of Flute Etudes for the Tuba
Get PDFThe tuba etude repertoire is not as vast as the amount written for other instruments. A tubist can surely benefit by playing traditional etudes originally written for the tuba. However, expanding the types of etudes that the tubist has access to would be extremely beneficial for many. The flute is one of numerous instruments to have a plethora of repertoire available, much more than that of the tuba. This can be a result of multiple factors. The flute has existed for centuries longer than the tuba and the rest of the valved-brass family. Not only this, but the tuba is naturally more limited in certain musical areas; it is simply much more difficult to achieve the same quality of musicality and agility on the tuba as the flute. This is likely due to multiple factors such as the size difference between the resonating chambers (playing agile with good musicality is more difficult when playing low frequencies), the difference in distance for which the fingers need to travel to change notes, and difference in embouchure shift from note to note. Still in this case, the tubist is commonly asked to play nimbly, emulating the technique of a flutist. With the following transcriptions of flute etudes, the tubist will be exposed to common flute repertoire and will be challenged to emulate the technique of the flutist
Four Jazz Standards for Trumpet Ensemble
Get PDFThe goal of this project was to arrange four jazz charts for trumpet ensembles. The four charts are “All Blues” by Miles Davis; “Take the ‘A’ Train” by Billy Strayhorn; Maynard Ferguson’s version of “Birdland” (arranged by Nick Lane) by Joe Zawinul; and “I Remember Clifford” by Benny Golson. These arrangements provide opportunities for trumpet ensembles to perform jazz standards and big band charts without the need for an entire big band. Each arrangement stays true to the style and chord progressions of the charts
Transforming Metadata Workflows with AI: A Case Study at UCF Libraries
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) has recently significantly transformed metadata workflows in libraries. While chatbots and related services have made AI more accessible, fully integrating AI into workflows remains challenging. This presentation highlights the use of AI at the University of Central Florida (UCF) Libraries to assist in assigning subject headings, including Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) terms and keywords, to both digital and traditional collections.UCF Libraries adopted the OpenAI API to generate subject headings, conducted evaluations and comparative studies of AI-generated terms and contributor-supplied terms, revealing the potential benefits of AI in metadata creation. This approach is particularly valuable for libraries with limited staff resources, enabling efficient metadata creation for diverse collections, including unique local materials. Furthermore, AI-generated subjects provide meaningful references for cataloging specialized collections.While the project’s outcomes are promising, the extent to which AI can be integrated into workflows varies depending on local circumstances. Incorporating AI into workflows introduces new challenges and opportunities for librarians, and collaborating with external</p
TRANSLATIONAL EXAMINATION OF CANNABIS-RELATED CHANGES IN DIURNAL STRESS RHYTHMS
Get PDFCannabis is the most commonly used federally illicit drug in the United States and cannabis users frequently report stress relief as their primary reason for use. The endocannabinoid system is heavily involved in the neuroendocrine stress response, and recent research suggests that diurnal cortisol rhythms may be disrupted in chronic cannabis users. The purpose of Study 1 was to determine whether human cannabis users demonstrate disruptions in diurnal stress rhythms in their natural environments. The purpose of Study 2 was to examine the effects of chronic cannabis vapor self-administration on diurnal corticosterone (CORT) in a rodent model to determine whether cannabis causes these putative dysregulations, or whether pre-existing dysregulations predict cannabis self-administration. For Study 1, 82 human participants (39 cannabis users, 43 non-users) collected saliva samples to quantify cortisol concentrations and gave subjective stress ratings at 8 time points throughout the day and wore a medical-grade sensor device for 24 hours to record physiological indicators of stress (heart rate variability, electrodermal activity). Cannabis users were asked to collect additional samples before and after cannabis use to examine the acute effects of cannabis use. Cannabis users exhibited significant dysregulations in diurnal cortisol rhythms, including a flattened cortisol awakening response and flattened diurnal cortisol slope, as well as elevated cortisol in the afternoon. There were no differences in diurnal heart rate variability or diurnal electrodermal activity between cannabis users and non-users except for elevated heart rate in the evening in cannabis users. Finally, there were significant decreases in cortisol, subjective stress, and features of electrodermal activity following acute cannabis use in cannabis users. For Study 2, 64 Long Evans rats (32 male, 32 female) were randomly assigned to self-administer cannabis or vehicle vapor for 28 days. Prior to self-administration, blood samples were collected to quantify CORT and calculate the diurnal CORT slope at baseline. Following self-administration, blood samples were again collected to examine changes in CORT slopes from baseline. Female rats had elevated CORT both before and after self-administration compared to males, regardless of time or treatment condition. After self-administration, males’ diurnal CORT slopes were steeper compared to baseline and compared to female slopes. However, this effect was not specific to cannabis and was also found in the vehicle control group. The results of these studies provide evidence for the presence of dysregulated diurnal cortisol rhythms in human cannabis users as well as for the acute stress-relieving properties of cannabis in a naturalistic environment. Results from the rodent study provide evidence that vapor alone may be sufficient to induce changes in diurnal CORT. Collectively, these findings indicate that the relationship between cannabis use and diurnal cortisol rhythms is complex and associations between cannabis use and flattened diurnal cortisol slopes may be driven by outside variables unique to humans (e.g. burnout, fatigue, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A VERMIFILTRATION SYSTEM USED TO TREAT LIQUID DAIRY CATTLE MANURE
Get PDFImproper handling and disposal of manure can result in environmental problems, such as water contamination, soil degradation, and release of greenhouse gases (GHG) and ammonia (NH3), posing challenges to the dairy industry. Technologies such as vermifiltration have been proposed as an effective solution. Vermifiltration treats wastewater aerobically through gravity filtration and microbial metabolism in a layered biofilter system inoculated with worms. The system used in this study treated 946,000 L of liquid cattle manure daily from 9580 head of dairy cattle. The objective was to characterize the environmental and economic characteristics of a commercial vermifiltration system. Methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and NH3 emissions were quantified. Additionally, the chemical and physical nutrient composition (potassium-K, phosphorus-P, nitrogen-N, other mineral, carbon, solids, and pH) of dairy wastewater and vermibed materials were examined. These data were also used to determine the economic feasibility of the system compared to other dairy manure systems. Methane, N2O, and NH3 surface fluxes were measured at several locations in the 2.98 ha system and four ambient temperatures (0˚C, 10˚C, 20˚C, and 25˚C) using surface flux isolation chambers. Bed location and temperature affected the fluxes of each gas. Methane and N2O emissions were lowest at 0˚C and increased by 90% and 74%, respectively as temperature increased. Ammonia emissions were nonexistent at 0˚C and increased 99% as temperature increased to 25˚C. Reductions of 68% in total N, 72% in phosphates, 54% in total carbon, 75% in total suspended solids, and a 6% increase in K were observed in influent compared to effluent. Copper, magnesium, zinc, iron, and manganese were reduced in concentration in influent compared to effluent water. Flux calculations and extrapolation of emission rates to the entire system indicate that vermifiltration reduces CH4 and N2O emissions but not NH3 emissions compared to other reported literature of traditional dairy manure handling systems. Implementation of vermifiltration can benefit whole farm economics via sales of carbon credits and nutrient rich bed material, and through the creation of uniform effluent water for crop growth. Revenue generated from carbon credits can be up to 4,548,155 biannually. This study highlights the potential for vermifiltration to transform dairy manure handling by altering nutrient cycling and impacting whole farm economics