A Hardware Optimised CMOS Adaptive Noise Canceller Implementation

Up until now, the main foci of development in mobile communication equipment have been to decrease its size and to extend its battery operation times. However, further reductions in the size of devices are physically limited by the user interface requirements and therefore, alternative aspects of these devices must be targeted for enhancement by designers. A feature of mobile communications equipment is the variety of environments within which they are used, so algorithms that can improve the quality of a transmission are highly desirable. In this paper, mobile telephony devices are being specifically considered and a CMOS implementation of the filter block of an adaptive noise canceller will be presented. Results will then be given to demonstrate how this circuit can significantly increase speech quality by suppressing interfering noise without requiring any prior assumptions on its properties

A Hardware Optimised CMOS Adaptive Noise Canceller Implementation

Up until now, the main foci of development in mobile communication equipment have been to decrease its size and to extend its battery operation times. However, further reductions in the size of devices are physically limited by the user interface requirements and therefore, alternative aspects of these devices must be targeted for enhancement by designers. A feature of mobile communications equipment is the variety of environments within which they are used, so algorithms that can improve the quality of a transmission are highly desirable. In this paper, mobile telephony devices are being specifically considered and a CMOS implementation of the filter block of an adaptive noise canceller will be presented. Results will then be given to demonstrate how this circuit can significantly increase speech quality by suppressing interfering noise without requiring any prior assumptions on its properties

VLSI implementation of the SIFT algorithm for pitch detection

Speech voicing classification and pitch detection are fundamental techniques in speech analysis. Voicing information provides valuable insights into the nature of the excitation source used in speech production, and the pitch information is useful to many speech processing applications. In 1972 John Markel developed a technique which combines the benefits of inverse linear predictive (LPC) analysis and simple short-time autocorrelation to extract essential speech parameters. The research resulted in the simplified inverse filter tracking (SIFT) algorithm to make voiced/unvoiced classification of speech signals and determine the pitch period. Up until now this algorithm was used in various software algorithms only. However, this paper describes a real-time CMOS hardware implementation of this algorithm small enough to be implemented into various mobile communications equipment

Genomic Characterization of the Taylorella Genus

The Taylorella genus comprises two species: Taylorella equigenitalis, which causes contagious equine metritis, and Taylorella asinigenitalis, a closely-related species mainly found in donkeys. We herein report on the first genome sequence of T. asinigenitalis, analyzing and comparing it with the recently-sequenced T. equigenitalis genome. The T. asinigenitalis genome contains a single circular chromosome of 1,638,559 bp with a 38.3% GC content and 1,534 coding sequences (CDS). While 212 CDSs were T. asinigenitalis-specific, 1,322 had orthologs in T. equigenitalis. Two hundred and thirty-four T. equigenitalis CDSs had no orthologs in T. asinigenitalis. Analysis of the basic nutrition metabolism of both Taylorella species showed that malate, glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate may be their main carbon and energy sources. For both species, we identified four different secretion systems and several proteins potentially involved in binding and colonization of host cells, suggesting a strong potential for interaction with their host. T. equigenitalis seems better-equipped than T. asinigenitalis in terms of virulence since we identified numerous proteins potentially involved in pathogenicity, including hemagluttinin-related proteins, a type IV secretion system, TonB-dependent lactoferrin and transferrin receptors, and YadA and Hep_Hag domains containing proteins. This is the first molecular characterization of Taylorella genus members, and the first molecular identification of factors potentially involved in T. asinigenitalis and T. equigenitalis pathogenicity and host colonization. This study facilitates a genetic understanding of growth phenotypes, animal host preference and pathogenic capacity, paving the way for future functional investigations into this largely unknown genus

Globetrotting strangles: the unbridled national and international transmission of Streptococcus equi between horses.

The equine disease strangles, which is characterized by the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, is one of the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses around the world. The causal agent, Streptococcus equi subspecies equi, establishes a persistent infection in approximately 10 % of animals that recover from the acute disease. Such 'carrier' animals appear healthy and are rarely identified during routine veterinary examinations pre-purchase or transit, but can transmit S. equi to naïve animals initiating new episodes of disease. Here, we report the analysis and visualization of phylogenomic and epidemiological data for 670 isolates of S. equi recovered from 19 different countries using a new core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) web bioresource. Genetic relationships among all 670 S. equi isolates were determined at high resolution, revealing national and international transmission events that drive this endemic disease in horse populations throughout the world. Our data argue for the recognition of the international importance of strangles by the Office International des Épizooties to highlight the health, welfare and economic cost of this disease. The Pathogenwatch cgMLST web bioresource described herein is available for tailored genomic analysis of populations of S. equi and its close relative S. equi subspecies zooepidemicus that are recovered from horses and other animals, including humans, throughout the world. This article contains data hosted by Microreact

Ongoing and planned activities to improve the management of patients with Type 1 diabetes across Africa : implications for the future

BACKGROUND: Currently about 19 million people in Africa are known to be living with diabetes, mainly Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (95%), estimated to grow to 47 million people by 2045. However, there are concerns with early diagnosis of patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) as often patients present late with complications. There are also challenges with access and affordability of insulin, monitoring equipment and test strips with typically high patient co-payments, which can be catastrophic for families. These challenges negatively impact on the quality of care of patients with T1DM increasing morbidity and mortality. There are also issues of patient education and psychosocial support adversely affecting patients' quality of life. These challenges need to be debated and potential future activities discussed to improve the future care of patients with T1DM across Africa. METHODOLOGY: Documentation of the current situation across Africa for patients with T1DM including the epidemiology, economics, and available treatments within public healthcare systems as well as ongoing activities to improve their future care. Subsequently, provide guidance to all key stakeholder groups going forward utilizing input from senior-level government, academic and other professionals from across Africa. RESULTS: Whilst prevalence rates for T1DM are considerably lower than T2DM, there are concerns with late diagnosis as well as the routine provision of insulin and monitoring equipment across Africa. High patient co-payments exacerbate the situation. However, there are ongoing developments to address the multiple challenges including the instigation of universal health care and partnerships with non-governmental organizations, patient organizations, and pharmaceutical companies. Their impact though remains to be seen. In the meantime, a range of activities has been documented for all key stakeholder groups to improve future care. CONCLUSION: There are concerns with the management of patients with T1DM across Africa. A number of activities has been suggested to address this and will be monitored

A Hardware Optimised CMOS Adaptive Noise Canceller Implementation

Up until now, the main foci of development in mobile communication equipment have been to decrease its size and to extend its battery operation times. However, further reductions in the size of devices are physically limited by the user interface requirements and therefore, alternative aspects of these devices must be targeted for enhancement by designers. A feature of mobile communications equipment is the variety of environments within which they are used, so algorithms that can improve the quality of a transmission are highly desirable. In this paper, mobile telephony devices are being specifically considered and a CMOS implementation of the filter block of an adaptive noise canceller will be presented. Results will then be given to demonstrate how this circuit can significantly increase speech quality by suppressing interfering noise without requiring any prior assumptions on its properties

A Hardware Optimised CMOS Adaptive Noise Canceller Implementation

Up until now, the main foci of development in mobile communication equipment have been to decrease its size and to extend its battery operation times. However, further reductions in the size of devices are physically limited by the user interface requirements and therefore, alternative aspects of these devices must be targeted for enhancement by designers. A feature of mobile communications equipment is the variety of environments within which they are used, so algorithms that can improve the quality of a transmission are highly desirable. In this paper, mobile telephony devices are being specifically considered and a CMOS implementation of the filter block of an adaptive noise canceller will be presented. Results will then be given to demonstrate how this circuit can significantly increase speech quality by suppressing interfering noise without requiring any prior assumptions on its properties

VLSI implementation of the SIFT algorithm for pitch detection

Speech voicing classification and pitch detection are fundamental techniques in speech analysis. Voicing information provides valuable insights into the nature of the excitation source used in speech production, and the pitch information is useful to many speech processing applications. In 1972 John Markel developed a technique which combines the benefits of inverse linear predictive (LPC) analysis and simple short-time autocorrelation to extract essential speech parameters. The research resulted in the simplified inverse filter tracking (SIFT) algorithm to make voiced/unvoiced classification of speech signals and determine the pitch period. Up until now this algorithm was used in various software algorithms only. However, this paper describes a real-time CMOS hardware implementation of this algorithm small enough to be implemented into various mobile communications equipment

VLSI implementation of the SIFT algorithm for pitch detection

Speech voicing classification and pitch detection are fundamental techniques in speech analysis. Voicing information provides valuable insights into the nature of the excitation source used in speech production, and the pitch information is useful to many speech processing applications. In 1972 John Markel developed a technique which combines the benefits of inverse linear predictive (LPC) analysis and simple short-time autocorrelation to extract essential speech parameters. The research resulted in the simplified inverse filter tracking (SIFT) algorithm to make voiced/unvoiced classification of speech signals and determine the pitch period. Up until now this algorithm was used in various software algorithms only. However, this paper describes a real-time CMOS hardware implementation of this algorithm small enough to be implemented into various mobile communications equipment