HMM-based speech synthesiser using the LF-model of the glottal source

A major factor which causes a deterioration in speech quality in HMM-based speech synthesis is the use of a simple delta pulse signal to generate the excitation of voiced speech. This paper sets out a new approach to using an acoustic glottal source model in HMM-based synthesisers instead of the traditional pulse signal. The goal is to improve speech quality and to better model and transform voice characteristics. We have found the new method decreases buzziness and also improves prosodic modelling. A perceptual evaluation has supported this finding by showing a 55.6 % preference for the new system, as against the baseline. This improvement, while not being as significant as we had initially expected, does encourage us to work on developing the proposed speech synthesiser further

Exploring dynamic lighting, colour and form with smart textiles

This paper addresses an ongoing research, aiming at the development of smart textiles that transform the incident light that passes through them – light transmittance – to design dynamic light without acting upon the light source. A colour and shape change prototype was developed with the objective of studying textile changes in time; to explore temperature as a dynamic variable through electrical activation of the smart materials and conductive threads integrated in the textile substrate; and to analyse the relation between textile chromic and morphologic behaviour in interaction with light. Based on the experiments conducted, results have highlighted some considerations of the dynamic parameters involved in the behaviour of thermo-responsive textiles and demonstrated design possibilities to create interactive lighting scenarios.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors – COMPETE and National Funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the projects SFRH/BD/87196/2012, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136 and UID/CTM/00264. The authors also like to acknowledge Smart Textiles Design Lab for the support on the prototype development.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Building young children’s emotional competence and self- regulation from birth : the begin to... ECSEL approach

Neuroscientific advances and child development studies show 0-6 years represents a sensitive period for the development of emotional competence—the ability to identify, understand, express and regulate emotion, all foundational to self-regulation. Research suggests optimum teaching of emotional competence and self-regulation skills from birth is through interventions emphasizing co-regulation. This study aimed to examine begin to...ECSEL, an emotional cognitive and social early learning approach that promotes emotional competence and self-regulation by teaching emotion knowledge and emotion regulation through causal talk and causal talk in the emotional experience. The study collected data over three years from 100 students, aged 2-6, receiving begin to...ECSEL. Study goals were to: (1) examine growth over one academic year among students receiving begin to...ECSEL on measures of attachment/relationship, initiative, self- regulation, emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, and related constructs involving empathy, prosocial skills, positive reactions to frustration, negative emotions and aggressive behaviours; (2) examine differences between these students and national normative samples on measures of attachment/relationship, initiative, and self- regulation; and (3) explore differences between these students and normative samples on all the aforementioned constructs. Results demonstrated students significantly improved over time in these constructs and outperformed normative samples on emotionally regulated/prosocial skills, empathy, self-regulation, attachment and initiative.peer-reviewe

Neutrinos and Nucleosynthesis in Supernova

The type II supernova is considered as a candidate site for the production of heavy elements. The nucleosynthesis occurs in an intense neutrino flux, we calculate the electron fraction in this environment.Comment: RevTex4 style, 3 pages including 1 figure. Presented at Mexican School of Astrophysics 2002, Guanajuato, Mexico, 31 Jul - 7 Aug 2002. Final version to appear in the Proceedings of IX Mexican Workshop on Particles and Fields Physics Beyond the Standard Model, Colima Col. Mexico, November 17-22, 200

Global mangrove deforestation and its interacting social-ecological drivers: a systematic review and synthesis

Globally, mangrove forests are substantially declining, and a globally synthesized database containing the drivers of deforestation and drivers’ interactions is scarce. Here, we synthesized the key social-ecological drivers of global mangrove deforestation by reviewing about two hundred published scientific studies over the last four decades (from 1980 to 2021). Our focus was on both natural and anthropogenic drivers with their gradual and abrupt impacts and on their geographic coverage of effects, and how these drivers interact. We also summarized the patterns of global mangrove coverage decline between 1990 and 2020 and identified the threatened mangrove species. Our consolidated studies reported an 8600 km2 decline in the global mangrove coverage between 1990 and 2020, with the highest decline occurring in South and Southeast Asia (3870 km2). We could identify 11 threatened mangrove species, two of which are critically endangered (Sonneratia griffithii and Bruguiera hainseii). Our reviewed studies pointed to aquaculture and agriculture as the predominant driver of global mangrove deforestation though their impacts varied across global regions. Gradual climate variations, i.e., sea-level rise, long-term precipitation, and temperature changes and driven coastline erosion, salinity intrusion and acidity at coasts, constitute the second major group of drivers. Our findings underline a strong interaction across natural and anthropogenic drivers, with the strongest interaction between the driver groups aquaculture and agriculture and industrialization and pollution. Our results suggest prioritizing globally coordinated empirical studies linking drivers and mangrove deforestation and global development of policies for mangrove conservation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Flexible entity search on surfaces

Surface computing allows flexible search interaction where users can manipulate the representation of entities recommended for them to create new queries or augment existing queries by taking advantage of increased screen estate and almost physical tactile interaction. We demonstrate a search system based on 1) Direct Manipulation of Entity Representation on Surfaces and 2) Entity Recommendation and Document Retrieval. Entities are modeled as a knowledge-graph and the relevances of entities are computed using the graph structure. Users can manipulate the representation of entities via spatial grouping and assigning preferences on entities. Our contribution can help to design effective information exploration systems that take advantage of large surfaces

Attractiveness of Gel, Granular, Paste, and Solid Formulations of Ant Bait Insecticides to the Little Fire Ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), was first detected in plant nurseries in the Puna district of Hawaii island in 1999. W. auropunctata has since spread throughout Hawaii island, and is reported in homes, landscapes, plant nurseries and orchards, and forested areas. This study evaluated: 1) the attractiveness of several granular, liquid, gel, and paste insecticidal ant baits for homeowner and commercial use as compared with the standard granular baits containing hydramethylnon known to be attractive to and effective against W. auropunctata, and 2) the effects of weathering on granular bait attractiveness. Field attractiveness choice tests were conducted in an infested 37.2-m2 plot, and worker ant foraging and recruitment were recorded at 15-min intervals for 2 h. Granular and paste products that were as attractive as standard granular baits (Amdro Fire Ant Bait, Probait) included others formulated with hydramethylnon, abamectin, hydramethylnon and S-methoprene, indoxacarb, fipronil, and metaflumizone. None of the gel or liquid ant bait products evaluated (active ingredients hydramethylnon, sodium tetraborate pentahydrate, thiameth- oxam, fipronil or indoxacarb) were attractive to foraging workers. Attraction of these baits could possibly be improved with inclusion of preferred food sources, such as peanut butter or animal-based protein. Attractiveness of granular ant baits exposed to 7 and 14 days of weathering fell by 40 to 96% as compared to fresh deposits. Corn grit baits should be formulated to preserve attractiveness in tropical environments with high rainfall

Designing for Exploratory Search on Touch Devices

Exploratory search confront users with challenges in expressing search intents as the current search interfaces require investigating result listings to identify search directions, iterative typing, and reformulating queries. We present the design of Exploration Wall, a touch-based search user interface that allows incremental exploration and sense-making of large information spaces by combining entity search, flexible use of result entities as query parameters, and spatial configuration of search streams that are visualized for interaction. Entities can be flexibly reused to modify and create new search streams, and manipulated to inspect their relationships with other entities. Data comprising of task-based experiments comparing Exploration Wall with conventional search user interface indicate that Exploration Wall achieves significantly improved recall for exploratory search tasks while preserving precision. Subjective feedback supports our design choices and indicates improved user satisfaction and engagement. Our findings can help to design user interfaces that can effectively support exploratory search on touch devices

Anticancer properties of essential oils and other natural products

Essential oils are secondary metabolites with a key-role in plants protection, consisting primarily of terpenes with a volatile nature and a diverse array of chemical structures. Essential oils exhibit a wide range of bioactivities, especially antimicrobial activity, and have long been utilized for treating various human ailments and diseases. Cancer cell prevention and cytotoxicity are exhibited through a wide range of mechanisms of action, with more recent research focusing on synergistic and antagonistic activity between specific essential oils major and minor components. Essential oils have been shown to possess cancer cell targeting activity and are able to increase the efficacy of commonly used chemotherapy drugs including paclitaxel and docetaxel, having also shown proimmune functions when administered to the cancer patient. The present review represents a state-of-the-art review of the research behind the application of EOs as anticancer agents both in vitro and in vivo. Cancer cell target specificity and the use of EOs in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic strategies are also explored