Localization and Rendering of Sound Sources in Acoustic Fields

Disertační práce se zabývá lokalizací zdrojů zvuku a akustickým zoomem. Hlavním cílem této práce je navrhnout systém s akustickým zoomem, který přiblíží zvuk jednoho mluvčího mezi skupinou mluvčích, a to i když mluví současně. Tento systém je kompatibilní s technikou prostorového zvuku. Hlavní přínosy disertační práce jsou následující: 1. Návrh metody pro odhad více směrů přicházejícího zvuku. 2. Návrh metody pro akustické zoomování pomocí DirAC. 3. Návrh kombinovaného systému pomocí předchozích kroků, který může být použit v telekonferencích.This doctoral thesis deals with sound source localization and acoustic zooming. The primary goal of this dissertation is to design an acoustic zooming system, which can zoom the sound of one speaker among multiple speakers even when they speak simultaneously. The system is compatible with surround sound techniques. In particular, the main contributions of the doctoral thesis are as follows: 1. Design of a method for multiple sound directions estimations. 2. Proposing a method for acoustic zooming using DirAC. 3. Design a combined system using the previous mentioned steps, which can be used in teleconferencing.

A Novel Combined System of Direction Estimation and Sound Zooming of Multiple Speakers

This article presents a new system for estimation the direction of multiple speakers and zooming the sound of one of them at a time. The proposed system is a combination of two levels; namely, sound source direction estimation, and acoustic zooming. The sound source direction estimation uses so-called the energetic analysis method for estimation the direction of multiple speakers, whereas the acoustic zooming is based on modifying the parameters of the directional audio coding (DirAC) in order to zoom the sound of a selected speaker among the others. Both listening tests and objective assessments are performed to evaluate this system using different time-frequency transforms

Potvrđeni nalaz Cheilodipterus novemstriatus (Osteichthyes: Apogonidae) u Levantinskom moru:prvi nalaz na Sirijskoj obali

The authors present the first record of Indian Ocean twospot Cardinalfish Cheilodipterus novemstriatus from the Syrian coast (eastern Mediterranean).The species is described including morphometric measurements and meristic counts. This new finding confirms the establishment of a viable population of C. novemstriatus occurs at present in the Levant BasinU ovom radu autori potvrđuje se nalaz Cheilodipterus novemstriatus na sirijskoj obali (istočni Mediteran). Opisana je jedinka vrste, uključujući morfometrijska obilježja i merističke vrijednosti. Ovaj nalaz potvrđuje uspostavu populacije ove vrste u istočnom Sredozemlju

Clinical outcomes and longitudinal circulating tumor DNA changes after treatment with nivolumab and olaparib in immunotherapy relapsed melanoma with detected homologous recombination deficiency

The treatment of immunotherapy relapsed cutaneous melanoma constitutes a challenge in both research and clinical practice fields given the lack of effective therapeutic options. Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) has been identified in several solid cancers including cutaneous melanoma. However, the utility of medications targeting HRD cancer cells is an uncharted territory in melanoma. Moreover, preclinical evidence suggests a synergistic role of combining immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) with drugs targeting HRD cancer cells such as PARP inhibitors. Here, we present a case study of a patient with immunotherapy relapsed melanoma who was found to have detected HRD and was treated with nivolumab (ICB) and olaparib (PARP inhibitors)

Estimate of Some Hormones in Patient Suffeer from Impotence in Samarra City

Impotence is one of the commonness sexual healthy issues which influenced on more than one hundred fifty millions of males in worldwide in years of 1995 in addition to will be reported more than three hundred millions in years of 2025. Objective: The current study aimed to-measurement of some hormones from serum of patients that suffered from impotence and compared these results with a healthy control group to find out how these hormones affect the sexual state. Methods: The study presented was included ninety respondents (250 cases with Impotence and 50 control), from the period of starting of October 2022 to end of December 2022, attended to Samarra General Hospital and some of outpatients-clinics. Results: The-presented study appear the Testosterone hormone level was higher in the serum for control group (6.2515± 1.88953 ng/ml) in comparison with the patients-group with Impotence (2.5861± 0.84982 ng/ml). While there is height in Prolactin-hormone-concentration-level in the serum of patient suffered from impotence, and was (21.1883±7.89562ng/ml) but the concentration level of this hormone in control-group was (4.5590±1.35849ng/ml). on the other side, there is little difference between study groups in the serum concentration level of Estradiol hormone, in control group-the Mean ± SD was (97.6870± 31.38880 ng/ml) while in Impotence group was (93.6653± 30.86834 ng/ml). Conclusions: Level of Testosterone hormone was higher in the-serum of control group other than the group of patients with impotence. While there is height in Prolactin-hormone-concentration-level in the serum of patient suffered from impotence. there is little difference between study groups in the serum concentration level of Estradiol hormone

The landscape of novel therapeutics and challenges in glioblastoma multiforme: Contemporary state and future directions

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant intracranial neoplasm that constitutes a therapeutic challenge because of the associated high morbidity and mortality given the lack of effective approved medication and aggressive nature of the tumor. However, there has been extensive research recently to address the reasons implicated in the resistant nature of the tumor to pharmaceutical compounds, which have resulted in several clinical trials investigating promising treatment approaches. METHODS: We reviewed literature published since 2010 from PUBMED and several annual meeting abstracts through 15 September 2020. Selected articles included those relevant to topics of glioblastoma tumor biology, original basic research, clinical trials, seminal reviews, and meta-analyses. We provide a discussion based on the collected evidence regarding the challenging factors encountered during treatment, and we highlighted the relevant trials of novel therapies including immunotherapy and targeted medication. RESULTS: Selected literature revealed four main factors implicated in the low efficacy encountered with investigational treatments which included: (1) blood-brain barrier; (2) immunosuppressive microenvironment; (3) genetic heterogeneity; (4) external factors related to previous systemic treatment that can modulate tumor microenvironment. Investigational therapies discussed in this review were classified as immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Immunotherapy included: (1) immune checkpoint inhibitors; (2) adoptive cell transfer therapy; (3) therapeutic vaccines; (4) oncolytic virus therapy. Targeted therapy included tyrosine kinase inhibitors and other receptor inhibitors. Finally, we provide our perspective on future directions in treatment of glioblastoma. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited success in development of effective therapeutics in glioblastoma, many treatment approaches hold potential promise including immunotherapy and novel combinational drugs. Addressing the molecular landscape and resistant immunosuppressive nature of glioblastoma are imperative in further development of effective treatments

Synthesis of functionalized naphthalenes, coumarines, quinolines, and isoflavones by chemo- and site-selective palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions

I studied the site-selectivity of Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of the bis(triflate) of naphthoates, coumarines, and isoflavones. In addition, the chemo-selectivity of Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of naphthoates and quinolones containing bromide and triflate leaving groups were studied. In this context, were prepared various arylated pharmacologically relevant heterocycles which are not readily available by other synthetic methods.Ich habe die Untersuchung der Regioselektivität von Suzuki-Miyaura-Kreuzkupplungsreaktionen von Naphthalinen, Coumarinen und Isoflavonen untersucht. Weiterhin wurde die Chemoselektivität von Suzuki-Reaktionen von Naphthalinen und Chinolinen, die Bromid- und Triflatfluchtgruppen enthalten, untersucht. In diesem Zusammenhang gelang die Synthese arylierter Heterocyclen, die durch andere syntetische Methoden nicht hergestellt werden konnten

BRAF-MEK inhibitors as steroid-sparing bridge prior to checkpoint blockade therapy in symptomatic intracranial melanoma

The introduction of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and BRAF-MEK inhibitors has substantially improved outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma. However, several challenging factors may hinder the efficacy of ICB in patients with symptomatic intracranial metastatic melanoma who are immunosuppressed due to the use of steroids prior to the administration of ICB. This has resulted in the exclusion of patients treated with high dose steroid at baseline from the majority of ICB clinical trials. In addition, despite the high efficacy of BRAF-MEK inhibitors i

Evaluating Sustainability Threats in Mega-scale Residential Projects (Damascus Construction Companies Perspective) [In Arabic]

Syria is witnessing an increase number of mega-scale, more sustainable housing projects. This is due to these projects role in: meeting the increased demand for housing, creating new jobs, encouraging investments and moving the wheel of the post-war economy. Sustainable projects contribute to better level of buildings standards and to improved performance of the construction companies, due to the strict sustainable project management procedures throughout the project life cycle phases. In contrast, the implementation of sustainable projects appears to be riskier than traditional projects due to the high technical requirements and to the innovative construction processes. For Syria mega-scale residential projects, achieving sustainability is characterized by the need for high design knowledge, sufficient technical skills, management capabilities, and high investments. These enablers are limited in light of reconstruction local efforts. As a result, the weak performance of reconstruction companies has led to widening the quantitative and qualitative gap in meeting the increased demand for housing. The traditional performance of construction companies is new to the sustainability concept challenges with an urgent need to improve in order to cooperate with international future investments on the announced mega-scale residential projects.The research aims to identify and assess sustainability risks and mitigation measures in Damascus mega-scale residential projects. The study survey targeted local construction companies (from the public, private and Public Privet Partnership PPP sectors) involved in Damascus mega-scale residential projects. Data are analyzed and weighted using PMI method. The findings present the most severe risks: increased expenditures than expected, lack of green materials and equipment, lack of social and alternative housing insurance, unclear distribution of responsibilities, and shortage of qualified professionals. Besides, the most effective responses found are: "good preparation of contract specifications 4.27" and "commitment to timely decision-making and implementation 4.07". These findings are significant as this is the first-hand experience gathered from Damascus reconstruction projects. Identifying and assessing sustainability risks is the key step in managing sustainability risks. This research adds novel insights into residential projects sustainability drivers on SRM which will positively affect post-war construction companies as a turning point from traditional to sustainable housing