Acoustic Properties of Consonant Sequences in Conversational French Speech

International audienceThe current paper analyses spectrographic data of two-consonant sequences with one or both consonants identified, omitted or changed into another consonant, with one or two features identified or with no feature identified, when compared to an earlier perception analysis. Perceptual and acoustic data mostly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in coda position and in non-final phrase syllables, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication

Acoustic analysis of occlusive weakening in Parkinsonian French speech

International audienceThe current study investigated selected acoustic characteristics of the weakening of occlusives (O's) in French Parkinsonian Speech (PS). The results confirm an increase in the reduction of O's in PS compared to control speech (CS). In PS, O's have a significantly decreased intervocalic energy level, slightly shorter realisations and a higher number of visible formants and noise; the number of burstless and omitted O's is also higher. However, weakening patterns vary between different consonants and are strongly dependent on voicing and place. Occlusive weakening, a consequence of Parksinson's disease production deficits, appears to be influenced by the inherent-articulatory characteristics of consonants

MAGMA: a 3D, Lagrangian magnetohydrodynamics code for merger applications

We present a new, completely Lagrangian magnetohydrodynamics code that is based on the SPH method. The equations of self-gravitating hydrodynamics are derived self-consistently from a Lagrangian and account for variable smoothing length (``grad-h''-) terms in both the hydrodynamic and the gravitational acceleration equations. The evolution of the magnetic field is formulated in terms of so-called Euler potentials which are advected with the fluid and thus guarantee the MHD flux-freezing condition. This formulation is equivalent to a vector potential approach and therefore fulfills the $\vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{B}=0$-constraint by construction. Extensive tests in one, two and three dimensions are presented. The tests demonstrate the excellent conservation properties of the code and show the clear superiority of the Euler potentials over earlier magnetic SPH formulations.Comment: 18 pages, 17 Figures, a high resolution copy of the paper can be found at http://www.faculty.iu-bremen.de/srosswog/MAGMA.pd

Effets de la maladie de Parkinson sur la réalisation acoustique des occlusives du français lu

Cette étude examine un certain nombre de caractéristiques acoustiques de l'affaiblissement des occlusives en français dans la parole de personnes atteintes de la maladie de Parkinson. Les résultats confirment un accroissement des processus de réduction dans la parole parkinsonienne comparée à la parole dite normale. Dans la parole parkinsonienne, les occlusives ont un niveau d'énergie plus faible et des réalisations légèrement plus brèves ; elles sont caractérisées par l'absence d'explosion, la présence de bruit et un nombre élevé de formants ; elles sont aussi plus souvent omises. L'affaiblissement des occlusives, qui est une conséquence des déficits de production de la parole dus à la maladie de Parkinson, est influencé par les caractéristiques articulatoires inhérentes des consonnes

Modelling Aspects of Reduction and Assimilation of consonant sequences in Spontaneous French Speech

International audienceThe following paper presents spectrographic data of consonant sequences containing one or two consonants omitted and/or changed into another consonant when compared to an existing perception analysis. In most cases, perceptual and acoustic data are shown to strongly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in a weak position, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication. Tentative rules summarise the tendencies observed in reduction and assimilation patterns

A first family of stable configurations to model magnetic fields in stellar radiation zones

We conduct 3D magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations in order to test the stability of the magnetic equilibrium configuration described by Duez & Mathis (2010). This analytically-derived configuration describes the lowest energy state for a given helicity in a stellar radiation zone. The necessity of taking into account the non force-free property of the large-scale, global field is here emphasized. We then show that this configuration is stable. It therefore provides a useful model to initialize the magnetic topology in upcoming MHD simulations and stellar evolution codes taking into account magneto-rotational transport processes.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, to be published in the proceedings of IAU 272 "Active OB stars: structure, evolution, mass loss and critical limit", Paris 19-23 July 201

Considerations regarding the Formulation of the Organisational Strategy through Simulation Techniques

The complexity, dimension and the scope of the economic problems specific to the correct development of organisational strategie require, on the one hand, the structuring and systematisation of their entire simulation activity in view of solving them. On the other hand, they require the adequacy of a relative independence resulted from the very nature of thinking, personality and professional education of those who wants to promote a certain type of organisational strategy. In other words, we can consider that the stages of creating a strategy simulation, although they are not compulsory, they cannot be entirely neglected, because there is minimum number of stages and sub-stages for which the optional character is not permitted. The entire decisional simulation cycle of a strategy obeys the three research levels: analysis, designing and management of the simulation activity.simulation; strategy; status of strategy; status of entropy; process.

Modelling Aspects of Reduction and Assimilation of consonant sequences in Spontaneous French Speech

International audienceThe following paper presents spectrographic data of consonant sequences containing one or two consonants omitted and/or changed into another consonant when compared to an existing perception analysis. In most cases, perceptual and acoustic data are shown to strongly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in a weak position, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication. Tentative rules summarise the tendencies observed in reduction and assimilation patterns

Consonant and Vowel Duration in Parkinsonian French Speech

International audienceThe current study compared vowel and consonant duration in speech read by 10 French Parkinsonian speakers and 10 control speakers. The results show a different impact of Parkinson's disease (PD) on speech segments. Consonants were shortened in PD speech while vowels were significantly longer. This results from the concomitance of articulatory movements of reduced amplitude and orofacil bradykinesia. As a consequence syllabic productions are of the overall duration in PD speech as in normal speech. The durational contrast of consonants was maintained, although for vowels there was less agreement with the normal pattern of intrinsic durations, especially for high vowels