Please unmute your microphone: Comparing the effectiveness of remote versus in-person percussion training.

Although remote music training has its limitations, the use of technology can lower barriers to its accessibility. This exploratory study compared the effects of remote and in-person percussion training on motor performance, performance quality, and students' enjoyment. The training involved the motor aspects of playing legato on percussion instruments. Twenty percussionists received the training either remotely from an instructor using videoconferencing technology or in person from the same instructor who was in the training room. Motor behavior, legato expressivity, performance quality, and participants' self-rated enjoyment were compared to determine potential advantages and disadvantages of training in the two formats. Furthermore, participants rated their interest in continuing to receive training in the same way they had experienced it, remote or in person. Regardless of whether the instructor was remote or in person, participants lifted their mallets to a greater height above the drums post-training, perhaps because there was more spatial and velocity variability in the movements of their elbows and wrists. Changes in their patterns of post-training movements were paralleled by higher ratings for expressivity of legato and performance quality. Critically, participants who received training from the remote instructor expressed greater interest in continuing training than those who received training from the instructor who was physically present, in both the short and long term. These findings may suggest that remote and in-person instruction yielded comparable changes on motor behavior, as demonstrated by the altered speed at which movements of the elbow and wrist were executed, which in turn may influence the perception of expressivity in legato playing. The results may support the use of remote training as an adjunct to physical practice to lower some barriers to music education.

Novel Umami Peptides from Hypsizygus marmoreus and Interaction with Umami Receptor T1R1/T1R3.

Umami peptides are important taste components of foods. In this study, umami peptides from Hypsizygus marmoreus hydrolysate were purified through ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, and RP-HPLC, and then identified using LC-MS/MS. The binding mechanism of umami peptides with the receptor, T1R1/T1R3, was investigated using computational simulations. Five novel umami peptides were obtained: VYPFPGPL, YIHGGS, SGSLGGGSG, SGLAEGSG, and VEAGP. Molecular docking results demonstrated that all five umami peptides could enter the active pocket in T1R1; Arg277, Tyr220, and Glu301 were key binding sites; and hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction were critical interaction forces. VL-8 had the highest affinity for T1R3. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that VYPFPGPL (VL-8) could be steadily packed inside the binding pocket of T1R1 and the electrostatic interaction was the dominant driving force of the complex (VL-8-T1R1/T1R3) formation. Arg residues (151, 277, 307, and 365) were important contributors to binding affinities. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of umami peptides in edible mushrooms.

The Impact of Limb Velocity Variability on Mallet Accuracy in Marimba Performance.

The present study examined spatial accuracy of mallet endpoints in a marimba performance context. Trained percussionists performed two- (i.e., Experiment 1) and four-mallet (i.e., Experiment 2) excerpts in three tempo conditions including slow, intermediate, and fast. Motion capture was utilized to gather data of upper-limb and mallet movements, as well as to compute velocities of the upper-limb joints. Mallet spatial accuracy was assessed by comparing mallet endpoints to a visual target positioned on the marimba. It was hypothesized that mallet spatial accuracy would be reduced as tempo condition increased, with effects on joint kinematics potentially revealing sensorimotor mechanisms underlying optimal sound production in marimba. Across both experiments, mallet accuracy was reduced as tempo condition increased. Interestingly, velocity variability in the elbows, wrists, and hands increased as mallet accuracy decreased. Such a pattern of effects suggested that sound production in marimba is suboptimal at fast relative to slow tempi. In addition, the velocity variability effects highlight the impact of motor planning mechanisms on sound production. Overall, the results shed new light on sensorimotor control in percussion which can be leveraged to enhance the training of percussionists.

Temporospatial Alterations in Upper-Limb and Mallet Control Underlie Motor Learning in Marimba Performance.

Sound-producing movements in percussion performance require a high degree of fine motor control. However, there remains a relatively limited empirical understanding of how performance level abilities develop in percussion performance in general, and marimba performance specifically. To address this issue, nine percussionists performed individualised excerpts on marimba within three testing sessions spaced 29 days apart to assess early, intermediate, and late stages of motor learning. Motor learning was quantified via analyses of both the temporal control of mallet movements, and the spatial variability of upper-limb movements. The results showed that temporal control of mallet movements was greater in the intermediate compared to the early learning session, with no significant additional improvements revealed in the late learning session. In addition, spatial variability in the left and right elbows decreased within the intermediate compared to the early learning session. The results suggest that temporal control of mallet movements may be driven by reductions in spatial variability of elbow movements specifically. As a result, this study provides novel evidence for kinematic mechanisms underlying motor learning in percussion which can be applied towards enhancing musical training.

Development of gum arabic-based nanocomposite films reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals for strawberry preservation.

The present study aimed to develop a new bio-nanocomposite film based on gum arabic (GA) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). CNC was successfully fabricated and its microstructure was characterized. Subsequently, the effects of CNC on the rheological, physicochemical and functional properties of GA-based films were systematically evaluated. Results showed that the tensile strength (2.21 MPa) and elongation at break (62.79%) of film incorporated with 4% (w/w) CNC were effectively increased compared with the GA film (1.08 MPa and 42.50%). Additionally, 4% CNC reduced the water vapor and oxygen permeability by 10.61% and 25.30% respectively, while improved the ultraviolet light barrier and thermal stability of film. The well dispersion and filling effect of nanofiller contributed to form a compact and homogeneous film structure. Furthermore, the film containing 4% CNC decreased the weight loss of strawberries by 23.80% compared with the control group, thus delaying the deterioration of strawberry quality during storage.

Computational Approaches to Music Motor Performance: Clustering of Percussion Kinematics Underlying Performance Style.

The present study investigated motor kinematics underlying performance-related movements in marimba performance. Participants played a marimba while motion capture equipment tracked movements of the torso, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands. Principal components analysis was applied to assess the movements during the performance related to sound production and sound preparation. Subsequent cluster analyses sought to identify coupling of limb segment movements that may best characterize performance styles present in the performance. The analysis revealed four clusters that were thought to reflect performance styles of expressive performance, postural sway, energy efficiency, and a blend of the former styles. More specifically, the expressive cluster was best characterized by limb movements occurring along the vertical z-axis, whereas the postural sway cluster was characterized by forwards and backwards motions of the torso and upper limbs. The energy efficient cluster was characterized by movements of the body moving left to right along the marimba, whereas the blended style demonstrated limited delineation from the alternate styles. Such findings were interpreted as evidence that performance styles occur within a framework of biomechanical constraints and hierarchical stylistic factors. Overall, the results provided a more holistic understanding of motor execution in percussion performance.

Prediction, docking study and molecular simulation of 3D DNA aptamers to their targets of endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Typical endocrine disrupting chemicals, including BPA (Bisphenol A), E2 (17-ß-Estradiol) and PCB 72 (polychlorinated biphenyl 72), are commonly and widely present in the environment with good chemical stability that are difficult to decompose in vitro and in vivo. Most of the high-qualified antibodies are required as the key biomaterials to fabricate the immunosensor for capturing and detecting. As an ideal alternative, the short-chain oligonucleotides (aptamer) are essentially and effectively employed with the advantages of small size, chemical stability and high effectiveness for monitoring these environmental contaminants. However, the molecular interaction, acting site and mode are still not well understood. In this work, we explored the binding features of the aptamers with their targeting ligands. The molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the aptamer-ligand complex systems. The stability of each simulation system was evaluated based on its root-mean-square deviation. The affinities of these proposed ligands and the predicted binding sites are analyzed. According to the binding energy analysis, the affinities between ligands and aptamers and the stability of the systems are BPA > PCB 72 >E2. Trajectory analysis for these three complexes indicated that these three ligands were able to steadily bind with aptamers at docking site from 0 to 50 ns and contributed to alteration of conformation of aptamers.