Performance of adapting non-native speech in isolated speech recognizer

This paper presents the pronunciation performance between native and non-native speakers of Malay sounds in isolated speech recognizer (ISR). Speaker adaptation methods are combined to solve the performance decrease that recognizers are faced with native and non-native speech of speaker-independent (SI) models. Often, speech recognition performance degrades drastically if the recognizer which has been trained with native speech is exposed to non-native speech even though speech recognition systems have reached a certain level of maturity. Two experiments was performed to show the recognition accuracy of the baseline models trained with native dataset was drastically low for the non-native speakers from non-Malay group than for the native ones. Acoustic deviation has been discovered as one of important factors affecting the performance of the ISR. In this experiment, an acoustic technique has been implemented to compare the performance on native and non-native speech. We explore how acoustic models can be adapted to better recognize the non-native speech. The experiments show that there are many problems arise such as adaptation methods and the non-native pronunciation pattern that remains to be investigated. In future, it will be necessary to improve speaker adaptation methods by incorporating more extensive knowledge of speaker variation at both the acoustic and the pronunciation level

Characterization of a short microchannel device for surface cooling

The development of microchannel devices is expanded widely due to the demand for small scale electronic devices. In order to increase the capability of the electronic devices, high heat transfer performance with low energy consumption cooler is required. This study is focusing on the characterization of new short microchannel for surface cooling purposes with the channel dimension of 800 μm wide, 200 μm length, 100 μm depth and total area of one cm2. Deionized water is used as the transport medium. A map of microchannel characteristics is plotted in term of average thermal resistance, pumping power, power supplied and mass flow rate of the fluid. From this mapping, it is shown that the thermal resistance decreased as the pumping power decreased. The results also show that the heat flux has not affected the value of pumping power. The different for each heat flux value is ranged between 3 to 4 %. The mapping presented in this study provides potential characteristics information and conditions to apply this particular microchannel for surface cooling

Experimental investigation on self-similar heat sinks for liquid cooled electronics

This paper was presented at the 3rd Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2011), which was held at the Makedonia Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki in Greece. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Thessaly, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute.The high heat transfer coefficients in microchannels are attractive for direct cooling of electronic systems requiring high heat-flux removal. In this work we are presenting the results of a study on self-similar heat sinks for liquid cooled electronics, made from copper, designed for industrial application and for large scale production. The internal structures, where the most part of the active cooling takes place, have been designed in order to achieve high heat transfer coefficients. As it is almost impossible to validate the design and describe the flow characteristics inside the device via analytical solutions, a well known numerical code was employed to have an insight of the thermal-fluid distributions. It is clear from the simulation that even if copper is characterized by a high thermal conductivity, most of the heat is removed in the overflow-structure, on the side of the device adjacent to the source of heat. This paper attempts to critically analyse a comprehensive list of data as well as plots in order to illustrate the significant characteristics of this type of device

Oral Cancer Awareness and its Determinants among a Selected Malaysian Population

Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, its associated factors and related sources of information among a selected group of Malaysians. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on all Malaysian ethnic groups aged >= 15 years old at eight strategically chosen shopping malls within a two week time period. Data were analysed using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression. Significance level was set at alpha<0.05. Results: Most (84.2%) respondents had heard of oral cancer. Smoking was the most (92.4%) recognized high risk habit. Similar levels of awareness were seen for unhealed ulcers (57.3%) and red/white patches (58.0%) as signs of oral cancer. Age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation and income were significantly associated with oral cancer awareness (p<0.05). Conclusions: There was a general lack of awareness regarding the risk habits, early signs and symptoms, and the benefits of detecting this disease at an early stage. Mass media and health campaigns were the main sources of information about oral cancer. In our Malaysian population, gender and age were significantly associated with the awareness of early signs and symptoms and prevention of oral cancer, respectively.Article Link: http://koreascience.or.kr/article/ArticleFullRecord.jsp?cn=POCPA9_2013_v14n3_195

Sub-pixel technique of remotely sensed data for extracting bamboo areas in Temengor Forest Reserve, Perak, Malaysia

Various approaches can be used to map bamboo in forested areas, including the use of airborne and space-borne remote sensing data. In remote sensing, thematic maps are created from numerical data collected by sensors that measure the amount of reflected energy from different land cover types. These data are then translated into an image by assigning visible colours to the numerical value. Remote sensing technique has been proven to be effective for mapping timber resource but the use of this technology in the mapping of bamboo resources in Malaysia is still new and yet to be explored. The traditional method of classification in remote sensing is by using supervised classification of mixed pixel; however, the use of sub-pixel classifier is recently gaining momentum. This study applies the sub-pixel classification technique in processing SPOT 5 (path/row: 268/339) satellite data to identify and map bamboo areas in Compartment 26 of Temengor Forest Reserve in Perak. Ground verification was done to check the accuracy of classification from the sub-pixel technique. This study identified about 4.61 ha (15.4%) bamboo areas from the 60 ha of the total area in compartment 26 of Temengor Forest Reserve. The estimated bamboo culms were 4,062 and the accuracy of mapping was 86.6%. This paper demonstrates that remote sensing is capable of identifying bamboo areas through sub-pixel-based technique with acceptable results. In future studies, high resolution satellite remote sensing should be considered for better results

Plant host selectivity for multiplication of Glomus mosseae spore

The study aimed to select plant host for multiplication of Glomus mosseae spores. Five plant species were used [(corn, (Zea mays) sorghum, (Sorghum bicolor) lentil, (Lens culinaris), barley, (Hordeum vulgare) and green bean, (Phaseolus vulgaris)]. Plants were inoculated with Glomus mosseae and grown for 75 days under glasshouse conditions. Mycorrhizal sporulation and colonization of all plant hosts were assessed at different sampling periods. At 75 days of growth the highest number of Glomus mosseae spores was found in mycorrhizosphere of corn plant (167 spore/10 g soil), while the lowest in the mycorrhizosphere of barley (35 spore/10 g soil). The highest percentage of root colonization was in corn (76%), while the lowest colonization was found in green bean (24%). Corn was the most suitable host for spore production of Glomus mosseae and to extensive root colonization. It was recorded that plants having more colonization percentage were able to produce more Glomus mosseae spores. The study indicated that different plant species significantly influenced the root spore production and root colonization percentage of Glomus mosseae

Response of Lycopersicum esculentum Mill to different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi species

The ability of endomycorrhizal fungi to colonize tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum. Mill) roots, was studied under glasshouse conditions. Two indigenous species; Glomus mosseae and Scutellospora sp. and non-indigenous species Gigaspora margarita were used in the study. Pot culture technique was used for re-culturing G. mosseae and Scutellospora sp., sorghum was used as a trap host. Gigaspora margarita was re-cultured by test tube technique. All species had the ability to colonize tomato root with different colonization levels. Significantly higher root were colonized by G. mosseae (80%) compared to G. margarita (20%). A G. mosseae significantly increased shoot dry weight (2.82 g) and flowers number (32.75 g) and root growth. Tomato plants treated by G. mosseae were higher significantly after seven week of plant growth. The colonization of tomato root by G. mosseae lead to bigger root size and more branching which increase positively the number of root tips, length, surface area and root volume. Higher spores (455/100 g) were counted in Glomus mosseae inoculated plant compared to Scutellospora sp. (250/100 g) and G. margarita plant (132/100 g)

The effect of salts on the viscosity and wilt-inducing capacity of the capsular polysaccharide of Erwinia amylovora

Water solutions of the capsular polysaccharide (EPS) of Erwinia amylovora exhibit long flow times (t) in a kinematic viscometer. Addition of salts to the solutions greatly decreases the flow times. The salt-induced decrease in flow time is directly related to the ionic strength of the solution and independent of the ionic species present. The salt effect does not result from a change in the molecular weight of the EPS. Addition of NaCl, at concentrations sufficient to reduce the flow time, decreases or eliminates the capacity of EPS solution to cause wilt in the cut shoot assay. Treatment of EPS with either of two depolymerase phages decreases both t and the molecular weight of the EPS (from 100 × 106 D to less than 4 × 104 D). Such phage-produced fragments (ψdp) retain their capacity to cause wilt in the cut shoot assay but, like EPS, lose this ability in the presence of salts. Radiolabeled EPS and ψdp is retained at the end of the cut shoot when wilt occurs but is distributed throughout the shoot when wilt is inhibited by salt

Pre-treatment of laundry greywater by steel slag for safe disposal

Direct discharge of laundry greywater without any water pre-treatment in the drainage system has become a common practice in Malaysia. The study aimed to utilise steel slag as an adsorbent material for commercial laundry shop runoff (CLSR) to reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP). Optimisation of the pollutants removal efficiency in CSLR by steel slag used Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using independent variables; different percentages of CLSR with tap water and contact time. The highest removal efficiency obtained for COD was 54.49% at 100% CLSR with tap water and 60 minutes of contact time. TP removal efficiency was 45.45% at 10% CLSR with tap water and 90 minutes of contact time. Thus, steel slag can increase the pH value, reducing the COD and TP values from CLSR in a short period. Hence, steel slag has the potential to be included in the “pre-treatment” system for CLSR based on its performance at COD and TP removal efficiency. From RSM, the model F�value and P-value for COD and TP were 5.89 and 10.62, 0.0166 and 0.0036, respectively. These values validated that the model was significant. Therefore, the study can contribute to the safe disposal of untreated laundry greywater to minimise environmental degradation