Bilateral Waveform Similarity Overlap-and-Add Based Packet Loss Concealment for Voice over IP

This paper invested a bilateral waveform similarity overlap-and-add algorithm for voice packet lost. Since Packet lost will cause the semantic misunderstanding, it has become one of the most essential problems in speech communication. This investment is based on waveform similarity measure using overlap-and-Add algorithm and provides the bilateral information to enhance the speech signal reconstruction. Traditionally, it has been improved that waveform similarity overlap-and-add (WSOLA) technique is an effective algorithm to deal with packet loss concealment (PLC) for real-time time communication. WSOLA algorithm is widely applied to deal with the length adaptation and packet loss concealment of speech signal. Time scale modification of audio signal is one of the most essential research topics in data communication, especially in voice of IP (VoIP). Herein, the proposed the bilateral WSOLA (BWSOLA) that is derived from WSOLA. Instead of only exploitation one direction speech data, the proposed method will reconstruct the lost voice data according to the preceding and cascading data. The related algorithms have been developed to achieve the optimal reconstructing estimation. The experimental results show that the quality of the reconstructed speech signal of the bilateral WSOLA is much better compared to the standard WSOLA and GWSOLA on different packet loss rate and length using the metrics PESQ and MOS. The significant improvement is obtained by bilateral information and proposed method. The proposed bilateral waveform similarity overlap-and-add (BWSOLA) outperforms the traditional approaches especially in the long duration data loss

Black holes from high-energy beam--beam collisions

Using a recent technique, proposed by Eardley and Giddings, we extend their results to the high-energy collision of two beams of massless particles, i.e. of two finite-front shock waves. Closed (marginally) trapped surfaces can be determined analytically in several cases even for collisions at non-vanishing impact parameter in D\ge 4 space-time dimensions. We are able to confirm and extend earlier conjectures by Yurtsever, and to deal with arbitrary axisymmetric profiles, including an amusing case of ``fractal'' beams. We finally discuss some implications of our results in high-energy experiments and in cosmology.Comment: 17 pages Revtex, 1 figure, references adde

A Four-Gene Signature from NCI-60 Cell Line for Survival Prediction in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: Metastasis is the main cause of mortality in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Genes that can discriminate the invasion ability of cancer cells may become useful candidates for clinical outcome prediction. We identify invasion-associated genes through computational and laboratorial approach that supported this idea in NSCLC. Experimental Design: We first conducted invasion assay to characterize the invasion abilities of NCI-60 lung cancer cell lines. We then systematically exploited NCI-60 microarray databases to identify invasion-associated genes that showed differential expression between the high and the low invasion cell line groups. Furthermore, using the microarray data of Duke lung cancer cohort (GSE 3141), invasion-associated genes with good survival prediction potentials were obtained. Finally, we validated the findings by conducting quantitative PCR assay on an in-house collected patient group (n = 69) and by using microarray data from two public western cohorts (n = 257 and 186). Results: The invasion-associated four-gene signature (ANKRD49, LPHN1, RABAC1, and EGLN2) had significant prediction in three validation cohorts (P = 0.0184, 0.002, and 0.017, log-rank test). Moreover, we showed that four-gene signature was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 2.354, 1.480, and 1.670; P = 0.028, 0.014, and 0.033), independent of other clinical covariates, such as age, gender, and stage. Conclusion: The invasion-associated four-gene signature derived from NCI-60 lung cancer cell lines had good survival prediction power for NSCLC patients. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(23):7309-15

Flow-FISH analysis and isolation of clostridial strains in an anaerobic semi-solid bio-hydrogen producing system by hydrogenase gene target

By using hydrogenase gene-targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), the predominant clostridial hydrogenase that may have contributed to biohydrogen production in an anaerobic semi-solid fermentation system has been monitored. The results revealed that a Clostridium pasteurianum-like hydrogenase gene sequence can be detected by both PCR and RT-PCR and suggested that the bacterial strain possessing this specific hydrogenase gene was dominant in hydrogenase activity and population. Whereas another Clostridium saccharobutylicum-like hydrogenase gene can be detected only by RT-PCR and suggest that the bacterial strain possessing this specific hydrogenase gene may be less dominant in population. In this study, hydrogenase gene-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and flow cytometry analysis confirmed that only 6.6% of the total eubacterial cells in a hydrogen-producing culture were detected to express the C. saccharobutylicum-like hydrogenase, whereas the eubacteria that expressed the C. pasteurianum-like hydrogenase was 25.6%. A clostridial strain M1 possessing the identical nucleotide sequences of the C. saccharobutylicum-like hydrogenase gene was then isolated and identified as Clostridium butyricum based on 16S rRNA sequence. Comparing to the original inoculum with mixed microflora, either using C. butyricum M1 as the only inoculum or co-culturing with a Bacillus thermoamylovorans isolate will guarantee an effective and even better production of hydrogen from brewery yeast waste

Black Hole Production in Particle Collisions and Higher Curvature Gravity

The problem of black hole production in transplanckian particle collisions is revisited, in the context of large extra dimensions scenarios of TeV-scale gravity. The validity of the standard description of this process (two colliding Aichelburg-Sexl shock waves in classical Einstein gravity) is questioned. It is observed that the classical spacetime has large curvature along the transverse collision plane, as signaled by the curvature invariant (R_ijkl)^2. Thus quantum gravity effects, and in particular higher curvature corrections to the Einstein gravity, cannot be ignored. To give a specific example of what may happen, the collision is re-analyzed in the Einstein-Lanczos-Lovelock gravity theory, which modifies the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian by adding a particular `Gauss-Bonnet' combination of curvature squared terms. The analysis uses a series of approximations, which reduce the field equations to a tractable second order nonlinear PDE of the Monge-Ampere type. It is found that the resulting spacetime is significantly different from the pure Einstein case in the future of the transverse collision plane. These considerations cast serious doubts on the geometric cross section estimate, which is based on the classical Einstein gravity description of the black hole production process.Comment: 36 pp, v2: quantum wavelength limit on particle size and shock width included; curvature estimate lowered but still well above Planck value; small modifications throughout; conclusions unchange

Hidden Order in the Cuprates

We propose that the enigmatic pseudogap phase of cuprate superconductors is characterized by a hidden broken symmetry of d(x^2-y^2)-type. The transition to this state is rounded by disorder, but in the limit that the disorder is made sufficiently small, the pseudogap crossover should reveal itself to be such a transition. The ordered state breaks time-reversal, translational, and rotational symmetries, but it is invariant under the combination of any two. We discuss these ideas in the context of ten specific experimental properties of the cuprates, and make several predictions, including the existence of an as-yet undetected metal-metal transition under the superconducting dome.Comment: 12 pages of RevTeX, 9 eps figure

Quasinormal modes of Schwarzschild black holes in four and higher dimensions

We make a thorough investigation of the asymptotic quasinormal modes of the four and five-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole for scalar, electromagnetic and gravitational perturbations. Our numerical results give full support to all the analytical predictions by Motl and Neitzke, for the leading term. We also compute the first order corrections analytically, by extending to higher dimensions, previous work of Musiri and Siopsis, and find excellent agreement with the numerical results. For generic spacetime dimension number D the first-order corrections go as $\frac{1}{n^{(D-3)/(D-2)}}$. This means that there is a more rapid convergence to the asymptotic value for the five dimensional case than for the four dimensional case, as we also show numerically.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, RevTeX4. v2. Typos corrected, references adde

Global impacts of the 1980s regime shift

Despite evidence from a number of Earth systems that abrupt temporal changes known as regime shifts are important, their nature, scale and mechanisms remain poorly documented and understood. Applying principal component analysis, change-point analysis and a sequential t-test analysis of regime shifts to 72 time series, we confirm that the 1980s regime shift represented a major change in the Earth's biophysical systems from the upper atmosphere to the depths of the ocean and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and occurred at slightly different times around the world. Using historical climate model simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and statistical modelling of historical temperatures, we then demonstrate that this event was triggered by rapid global warming from anthropogenic plus natural forcing, the latter associated with the recovery from the El Chichón volcanic eruption. The shift in temperature that occurred at this time is hypothesized as the main forcing for a cascade of abrupt environmental changes. Within the context of the last century or more, the 1980s event was unique in terms of its global scope and scale; our observed consequences imply that if unavoidable natural events such as major volcanic eruptions interact with anthropogenic warming unforeseen multiplier effects may occur

EGFR L858R Mutation and Polymorphisms of Genes Related to Estrogen Biosynthesis and Metabolism in Never-Smoking Female Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients

Purpose: To assess whether polymorphisms of genes related to estrogen biosynthesis and metabolism are associated with EGFR mutations. Experimental Design: We studied 617 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, including 302 never-smoking women. On the basis of multiple candidate genes approach, the effects of polymorphisms of CYP17, CYP19A1, ER alpha, and COMT in association with the occurrence of EGFR mutations were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: In female never-smokers, significant associations with EGFR L858R mutation were found for the tetranucleotide (TTTA)(n) repeats in CYP19A1 (odds ratio, 2.6; 95%CI, 1.2-5.7 for 1 or 2 alleles with (TTTA)(n) repeats > 7 compared with both alleles with (TTTA) n repeats <= 7), and the rs2234693 in ERa (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.0 for C/T and C/C genotypes compared with T/T genotype). The C/C genotype (vs. T/T genotype) of ERa was significantly associated with EGFR L858R mutation (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.1), in-frame deletion (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.6) and other mutations (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.3-14.0). The genotype of COMT rs4680 was significantly associated with EGFR L858R mutation in female and male never-smokers showing OR's (95% CI) of 1.8 (1.0-3.2) and 3.6 (1.1-11.3), respectively, for genotypes G/A and G/G compared with genotype A/A. The number of risk alleles of CYP17, CYP19A1, ERa, and COMT was associated with an increasing OR of EGFR L858R mutation in female never-smokers (P = 0.0002 for trend). Conclusions: The L858R mutation of EGFR is associated with polymorphisms of genes related to estrogen biosynthesis and metabolism in never-smoking female lung adenocarcinoma patients. Clin Cancer Res; 17(8); 2149-58. (C) 2011 AACR