A NEW SPEECH ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUE USING PERCEPTUAL CONSTRAINED SPECTRAL WEIGHTING FACTORS

This paper deals with musical noise result from perceptual speech enhancement type algorithms and especially wiener filtering. Although perceptual speech enhancement methods perform better than the non perceptual methods, most of them still return annoying residual musical noise. This is due to the fact that if only noise above the noise masking threshold is filtered then noise below the noise masking threshold can become audible if its maskers are filtered. It can affect the performance of perceptual speech enhancement method that process audible noise only. In order to overcome this drawback here proposed a new speech enhancement technique. It aims to improve the quality of the enhanced speech signal provided by perceptual wiener filtering by controlling the latter via a second filter regarded as a psychoacoustically motivated weighting factor. The simulation results shows that the performance is improved compared to other perceptual speech enhancement method

A case series of sarcomatoid transitional cell carcinoma of renal pelvis and collecting duct carcinoma of kidney

Sarcomatoid transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis and collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) of the kidney are rare types of malignant renal tumors with aggressive behavior. Here, we report a case series of these tumors, in males of age 65 years and 72 years, respectively. In both the cases, the left kidney was affected and they underwent the left-sided radical nephroureterectomy. Histologically, sarcomatoid TCC showed two components with invasive TCC and areas with spindle cells and osteoclastic type of giant cells. The immunohistochemistry showed diffuse positivity for CK7 and negativity for CK20 and p63 in both the components. CDC showed tubule-papillary patterns with marked desmoplasia. The patients were disease free after a follow-up of 12 months and 2½ years, respectively, without any adjuvant therapy

Assessing unrealized yield potential of maize producing districts in India

The projected demand of maize production in India in 2050 is 4–5 times of current production. With the scope for area expansion being limited, there is need for enhancement of yield. This calls for identifying areas where huge unrealized yield potential exists. With a view to address the issue, the present study delineates homogeneous agro-climatic zones for maize production system in India taking district as a unit and using the factors production, viz. climate, soil, season and irrigated area under the crop. There are 146 districts in India that grow maize as a major crop. They were divided into 26 zones using multivariate cluster analysis. Study of variation in yield between districts within a zone vis-à-vis crop management practices adopted in those districts was found useful in targeting the yield gaps. These findings can have direct relevance to the maize farmers and district level administrators

Localization of uPAR and MMP-9 in lipid rafts is critical for migration, invasion and angiogenesis in human breast cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>uPAR and MMP-9, which play critical roles in tumor cell invasion, migration and angiogenesis, have been shown to be associated with lipid rafts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To investigate whether cholesterol could regulate uPAR and MMP-9 in breast carcinoma, we used MβCD (methyl beta cyclodextrin, which extracts cholesterol from lipid rafts) to disrupt lipid rafts and studied its effect on breast cancer cell migration, invasion, angiogenesis and signaling.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Morphological evidence showed the association of uPAR with lipid rafts in breast carcinoma cells. MβCD treatment significantly reduced the colocalization of uPAR and MMP-9 with lipid raft markers and also significantly reduced uPAR and MMP-9 at both the protein and mRNA levels. Spheroid migration and invasion assays showed inhibition of breast carcinoma cell migration and invasion after MβCD treatment. <it>In vitro </it>angiogenesis studies showed a significant decrease in the angiogenic potential of cells pretreated with MβCD. MβCD treatment significantly reduced the levels of MMP-9 and uPAR in raft fractions of MDA-MB-231 and ZR 751 cells. Phosphorylated forms of Src, FAK, Cav, Akt and ERK were significantly inhibited upon MβCD treatment. Increased levels of soluble uPAR were observed upon MβCD treatment. Cholesterol supplementation restored uPAR expression to basal levels in breast carcinoma cell lines. Increased colocalization of uPAR with the lysosomal marker LAMP1 was observed in MβCD-treated cells when compared with untreated cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, our results suggest that cholesterol levels in lipid rafts are critical for the migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of breast carcinoma cells and could be a critical regulatory factor in these cancer cell processes mediated by uPAR and MMP-9.</p

Hydrogen Bonding in Excited States of Pyridine & Pyrazine

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Model chemistries of hydrazides. III: SEMO computations of isonicotinic acid hydrazide, its valence isomers and their isopropyl derivatives

571-579The computational quantum chemistry of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH), an antitubercular drug, is studied at SEMO level of theory. AMPAC 6.7 package is employed to invoke six hamiltonians, viz., MNDO, MNDO3, MNDO/C, AM1, PM3 and SAM1, to arrive at the optimized geometries in the gaseous phase. Picolinic acid hydrazide (PAH), a valence isomer of INH, and benzoic acid hydrazide (BAH) without a hetero atom in the aromatic ring and their isopropyl derivatives are also investigated. PAH and INH are found to be more stable as compared to BAH, based on electronic and total energies. However, heat of formation is positive (endothermic) and increases in the order: BAH &lt; INH &lt; PAH. The HOMO concentrates on the hydrazide fragment, while LUMO extends over the ring. The orbital-based interactions are more probable with isopropyl derivatives as FMOs spread on either side. Isopropyl derivatives have higher. (ELUMO - EHOMO) and electron affinity values, while ionization potential and hardness have lower values compared to parent compounds. The static dipole moment of INH (1.13 Debye) is substantially increased to 1.87 Debye in&nbsp; isop-INH and to 4.46 Debye in PAH. For INH, the second order hyperpolarizability is higher than that of PAH. The electrophilic centers are the terminal nitrogens of hydrazide fragment and the pyridine nitrogen in INH and PAH. The isopropyl analogues have higher electrophilic character. The 3D-surface and 2-D contours of total electron density (TED) on TED, electrostatic potential (ESP) on TED and ESP on ESP along with Mullikan and ESP charges are analysed. The quantum chemical computed bond characteristics of INH are in agreement with the X-ray crystallographic data

A convenient diastereoselective total synthesis of andrimid

A convenient diastereoselective synthesis of andrimid was accomplished in a straightforward approach and also several β-substituted cyclic imides were prepared in a facile manner