Speech Recognition by Composition of Weighted Finite Automata

We present a general framework based on weighted finite automata and weighted finite-state transducers for describing and implementing speech recognizers. The framework allows us to represent uniformly the information sources and data structures used in recognition, including context-dependent units, pronunciation dictionaries, language models and lattices. Furthermore, general but efficient algorithms can used for combining information sources in actual recognizers and for optimizing their application. In particular, a single composition algorithm is used both to combine in advance information sources such as language models and dictionaries, and to combine acoustic observations and information sources dynamically during recognition.Comment: 24 pages, uses psfig.st

Quasinormal Modes of Charged Scalars around Dilaton Black Holes in 2+1 Dimensions: Exact Frequencies

We have studied the charged scalar perturbation around a dilaton black hole in 2 +1 dimensions. The wave equations of a massless charged scalar field is shown to be exactly solvable in terms of hypergeometric functions. The quasinormal frequencies are computed exactly. The relation between the quasinormal frequencies and the charge of the black hole, charge of the scalar and the temperature of the black hole are analyzed. The asymptotic form of the real part of the quasinormal frequencies are evaluated exactly.Comment: 20 pages and 7 figures, some references are added and some removed. There are some changes to the text. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:hep-th/040716

Inequality of opportunity in educational achievement in Latin America: evidence from PISA 2006-2009

We assess inequality of opportunity in educational achievement in six Latin American countries, employing two waves of PISA data (2006 and 2009). By means of a non-parametric approach using a decomposable inequality index, GE(0), we rank countries according to their degree of inequality of opportunity. We work with alternative characterizations of types: school type (public or private), gender, parental education, and combinations of those variables. We calculate "incremental contributions" of each set of circumstances to inequality. We provide rankings of countries based on unconditional inequalities (using conventional indices) and on conditional inequalities (EOp indices), and the two sets of rankings do not always coincide. Inequality of opportunities range from less than 1% to up to 27%, with substantial heterogeneity according to the year, the country, the subject and the specificication of circumstances. Robustness checks based on bootstrap and the use of an alternative index confirm most of the initial results.Inequality of Opportunity, economics of education, Latin America