711 research outputs found
Rhythm-Flexible Voice Conversion without Parallel Data Using Cycle-GAN over Phoneme Posteriorgram Sequences
Speaking rate refers to the average number of phonemes within some unit time,
while the rhythmic patterns refer to duration distributions for realizations of
different phonemes within different phonetic structures. Both are key
components of prosody in speech, which is different for different speakers.
Models like cycle-consistent adversarial network (Cycle-GAN) and variational
auto-encoder (VAE) have been successfully applied to voice conversion tasks
without parallel data. However, due to the neural network architectures and
feature vectors chosen for these approaches, the length of the predicted
utterance has to be fixed to that of the input utterance, which limits the
flexibility in mimicking the speaking rates and rhythmic patterns for the
target speaker. On the other hand, sequence-to-sequence learning model was used
to remove the above length constraint, but parallel training data are needed.
In this paper, we propose an approach utilizing sequence-to-sequence model
trained with unsupervised Cycle-GAN to perform the transformation between the
phoneme posteriorgram sequences for different speakers. In this way, the length
constraint mentioned above is removed to offer rhythm-flexible voice conversion
without requiring parallel data. Preliminary evaluation on two datasets showed
very encouraging results.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, Submitted to SLT 201
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Small-Molecule Suppressors of Cytokine-Induced Beta-Cell Apoptosis
Type-1 diabetes is caused by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Beta-cell apoptosis involves a complex set of signaling cascades initiated by , , and . and induce expression, while induces STAT1 activation. These cytokines lead to a decrease of beta-cell function. The goal of this thesis is to identify small-molecule suppressors of cytokine-induced beta-cell apoptosis using high-throughput screening approach. Using the rat INS-1E beta-cell line, I developed an assay to measure cellular viability after 48 hours of cytokine treatment. I screened 29,760 compounds for their ability to suppress the negative effects of the cytokines. I identified several compounds to be suppressors of beta-cell apoptosis. These efforts led to the discovery of and HDAC3 as novel targets for suppressing beta-cell apoptosis. I also followed up on BRD0608, a novel suppressor that increased ATP levels and decreased caspase activity in the presence of cytokines. To follow up this compound, 35 analogs related to BRD0476 were synthesized using solid-phase synthesis and tested for their protective effects in the presence of cytokines. A structurally related analog, BRD0476, was found to be more potent and active in human islets, decreasing caspase activation and increasing insulin secretion after a 6-day treatment. I performed gene-expression profiling of INS-1E cells treated with the cytokine cocktail in the absence or presence of BRD0476. Gene-set enrichment analysis revealed that the gene sets most significantly changed by BRD0476 involved cellular responses to . I therefore assessed the effects of BRD0476 on STAT1 transcriptional activity. Cytokine treatment increased the reporter-gene luciferase activity, while co-treatment with BRD0476 reduced this activity significantly. To identify the intracellular target(s) of BRD0476, I collaborated with the Proteomics Platform in Broad Institute using SILAC (stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture). SILAC is a mass spectrometry-based method to identify proteins that bind a small molecule attached to a bead. Deubiquitinase USP9X was pulled down by BRD0476. Knock-down of USP9X by siRNA phenocopied the protective effects of BRD0476. Binding assays were performed to identify interactions between BRD0476 and USP9X.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog
Understanding Mobile Apps Continuance Usage Behavior and Habit: An Expectance-Confirmation Theory
With the growing development of information technology and the wireless telecommunication network nowadays, mobile devices have been expanding rapidly and have been emerging as important tools for consumers. Using m-services and applications (apps) on mobile devices becomes custom in people’s daily lives. This study proposes a theoretical model to explore the continued usage behavior for smartphone. The objective of this study is to explore how perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and confirmation influencing satisfaction and habit of consumers, and in turn influencing continued usage behavior, as well as the moderating effect of three characteristics of m-commerce. The proposed model will empirically be tested using survey method and collecting data from smartphone users in longitudinal setting. The structural equation modeling technique will be used to evaluate the causal model and confirmatory factor analysis will be performed to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. The findings of this study are expected to illustrate how factors influence individuals to use m-services and mobile apps and become a habit, as well as how these habits influence continued smartphone usage
Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits Design for Thousand-Core Processors: From Aspect of Thermal Management
UNDERSTANDING MOBILE APPS CONTINUANCE USAGE BEHAVIOR AND HABIT: AN EXPECTANCE-CONFIRMATION THEORY
Interplay between the magnetic and electric degrees-of-freedom in multiferroic Co3TeO6
Neutron diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and dielectric
constant measurements of single crystal Co3TeO6 have been measured to study the
interplay between the ferroelectricity and magnetic order. Long range
incommensurate magnetic order develops below TM1=26 K, which is followed by
three additional zero-field phase transitions at TM2=19.5 K, TM3=18 K, and
TM4=16 K where the incommensurate order changes and commensurate order
develops. In magnetic fields up to 14 T we find that the magnetic intensities
and incommensurate wave vector are dramatically altered as ferroelectricity
develops, with a fifth abrupt transition around 10 T. The overall behavior
characterizes Co3TeO6 as a type-II multiferroic.Comment: Phys. Rev. B (in press
Retroperitoneoscopic laparo-endoscopic single-site radical nephrectomy (RLESS-RN): initial experience with a homemade port
We successfully performed 6 LESS radical nephrectomy via the retroperitoneal approach (RLESS) using the Alexis wound retractor as a single access with conventional laparoscopic instruments. The results demonstrated that our RLESS technique of radical nephrectomy is a safe and feasible procedure for management of localized renal cancer
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