Adversarially Trained Autoencoders for Parallel-Data-Free Voice Conversion

We present a method for converting the voices between a set of speakers. Our method is based on training multiple autoencoder paths, where there is a single speaker-independent encoder and multiple speaker-dependent decoders. The autoencoders are trained with an addition of an adversarial loss which is provided by an auxiliary classifier in order to guide the output of the encoder to be speaker independent. The training of the model is unsupervised in the sense that it does not require collecting the same utterances from the speakers nor does it require time aligning over phonemes. Due to the use of a single encoder, our method can generalize to converting the voice of out-of-training speakers to speakers in the training dataset. We present subjective tests corroborating the performance of our method

Collaborative Randomized Beamforming for Phased Array Radio Interferometers

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will form the largest radio telescope ever built and such a huge instrument in the desert poses enormous engineering and logistic challenges. Algorithmic and architectural breakthroughs are needed. Data is collected and processed in groups of antennas before transport for central processing. This processing includes beamforming, primarily so as to reduce the amount of data sent. The principal existing technique points to a region of interest independently of the sky model and how the other stations beamform. We propose a new collaborative beamforming algorithm in order to maximize information captured at the stations (thus reducing the amount of data transported). The method increases the diversity in measurements through randomized beam- forming. We demonstrate through numerical simulation the effectiveness of the method. In particular, we show that randomized beamforming can achieve the same image quality while producing 40% less data when compared to the prevailing method matched beamforming.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Prostatectomía robótica: análisis anestesiológico de cirugías urológicas robóticas, un estudio prospectivo

ResumenJustificación y objetivosAunque muchas características de la prostatectomía robótica sean similares a las de las laparoscopias urológicas convencionales (como la prostatectomía laparoscópica), el procedimiento está asociado con algunos inconvenientes, incluyendo el acceso intravenoso limitado, tiempo quirúrgico relativamente largo, posición de Trendelenburg profunda y presión intraabdominal alta. El objetivo principal fue describir las alteraciones respiratorias y hemodinámicas y las complicaciones relacionadas con la presión intraabdominal elevada y con la posición de Trendelenburg profunda en pacientes sometidos a prostatectomía robótica. El objetivo secundario fue revelar criterios seguros de alta del quirófano.MétodosCincuenta y tres pacientes sometidos a prostatectomía robótica entre diciembre de 2009 y enero de 2011 fueron incluidos en un estudio prospectivo. Las principales medidas de resultado fueron: monitorización no invasiva, monitorización invasiva y gasometría realizada en decúbito dorsal (T0), Trendelenburg (T1), Trendelenburg+neumoperitoneo (T2), Trendelenburg predesinsuflación (T3), Trendelenburg posdesinsuflación (T4) y posiciones supinas (T5).ResultadosCincuenta y tres pacientes sometidos a prostatectomía robótica fueron incluidos en el estudio. El principal reto clínico en nuestro grupo de estudio fue la elección de la estrategia de ventilación para controlar la acidosis respiratoria, que es detectada por medio de la presión de dióxido de carbono espirado y la gasometría. Además, la presión arterial media permaneció inalterada, y la frecuencia cardíaca disminuyó significativamente y fue necesario intervenir. Los valores de la presión venosa central también estaban por encima de los límites normales.ConclusiónLa acidosis respiratoria y los síntomas clínicos «similares a la obstrucción de las vías aéreas» fueron los principales desafíos asociados con los procedimientos de prostatectomía robótica.AbstractBackground and objectivesAlthough many features of robotic prostatectomy are similar to those of conventional laparoscopic urological procedures (such as laparoscopic prostatectomy), the procedure is associated with some drawbacks, which include limited intravenous access, relatively long operating time, deep Trendelenburg position, and high intra-abdominal pressure. The primary aim was to describe respiratory and hemodynamic challenges and the complications related to high intra-abdominal pressure and the deep Trendelenburg position in robotic prostatectomy patients. The secondary aim was to reveal safe discharge criteria from the operating room.MethodsFifty-three patients who underwent robotic prostatectomy between December 2009 and January 2011 were prospectively enrolled. Main outcome measures were non-invasive monitoring, invasive monitoring and blood gas analysis performed at supine (T0), Trendelenburg (T1), Trendelenburg + pneumoperitoneum (T2), Trendelenburg-before desufflation (T3), Trendelenburg (after desufflation) (T4), and supine (T5) positions.ResultsFifty-three robotic prostatectomy patients were included in the study. The main clinical challenge in our study group was the choice of ventilation strategy to manage respiratory acidosis, which is detected through end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure and blood gas analysis. Furthermore, the mean arterial pressure remained unchanged, the heart rate decreased significantly and required intervention. The central venous pressure values were also above the normal limits.ConclusionRespiratory acidosis and “upper airway obstruction-like” clinical symptoms were the main challenges associated with robotic prostatectomy procedures during this study

Pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin in pregnant ewes (Ovis aries) challenged with Campylobacter jejuni

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin in the plasma and maternal and fetal tissues of pregnant ewes when administered within 24 hours of a single, IV Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) challenge. Twelve, pregnant ewes between 72–92 days of gestation were challenged IV with C. jejuni IA3902 and then treated with 1.1 ml/45.36 kg of tulathromycin subcutaneously 18 hours post-challenge. Ewes were bled at predetermined time points and euthanized either at a predetermined time point or following the observation of vaginal bleeding or abortion. Following euthanasia, tissues were collected for bacterial culture, pharmacokinetics and histologic examination. The maximum (geometric) mean tulathromycin plasma concentration was estimated at 0.302 μg/mL, with a peak level observed at around 1.2 hours. The apparent systemic clearance of tulathromycin was estimated at 16.6 L/h (or 0.28 L/kg/h) with an elimination half-life estimated at approximately 22 hours. The mean tissue concentrations were highest in the uterus (2.464 μg/g) and placentome (0.484 μg/g), and were lowest in fetal liver (0.11 μg/g) and fetal lung (0.03 μg/g). Compared to previous reports, results of this study demonstrate that prior IV administration of C. jejuni appeared to substantially alter the pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin, reducing both the peak plasma concentrations and elimination half-life. However, additional controlled trials are required to confirm those observations

The political socialization of children and adolescents

Thesis (B.S.) in Political Science -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991.Includes bibliographical references.Microfiche of typescript. [Urbana, Ill.]: Photographic Services, University of Illinois, U of I Library, [1991]. 2 microfiches (54 frames): negative.s 1991 ilu n

Sparse-Graph Codes for the Big Data Era: Exploiting Sparsity to Speed Up Computation

We are witnessing an unprecedented growth in the amount of data being sensed, collected and processed to drive modern applications across many domains. This growth has challenged classical algorithms to scale up to big-data regimes. Because time is critically important in settings such as control and decision-making, interventional medical imaging, and security, speeding up widely-used routines has the potential to open up the application space.In this thesis, we focus on six problems of fundamental importance, and develop fast algorithms for solving them whenever there is an underlying structure of sparsity, which typically holds in most natural settings. Our algorithms attain their speed by being sample and computationally efficient whenever there is sparsity. In particular, the problems we study and a summary of our results are as follows. (1) We propose a novel architecture for sampling continuous-time signals that have band-limited and sparse spectra at their minimum sampling rate, which can be much lower than the Nyquist rate. (2) We improve the noise robustness of divide-and-conquer-based sparse Discrete Fourier Transform algorithms by developing a novel method for fast and sample-efficient frequency identification. (3) We develop a fast algorithm for recovering sparse wavelet coefficients of a signal from its Fourier domain samples. This setting arises in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and our approach provides a theoretical framework for fast imaging. (4) We propose a sample and computationally efficient algorithm for recovering sparse pseudo-Boolean functions with application to learning a DNA repair outcomes for CRISPR-Cas9 experiments. (5) We propose a computationally efficient method for coded computation to reduce the effect of slow computational nodes in distributed matrix multiplication. (6) We propose a computationally efficient algorithm for large-scale matrix multiplication whenever the output is sparse with application to database search.Our approach in tackling these diverse problems is based on a unifying divide-and-conquer strategy, where by leveraging ideas from modern coding theory (in particular, Low Density Parity Check Codes) which have previously been studied in the context of communications, we create structures that enable simple and fast peeling-based recovery

Considerações anestésicas para cistectomia robótica: estudo prospectivo

Experiência e objetivos: a cistectomia robótica vem rapidamente se tornando parte do repertório cirúrgico de rotina para o tratamento do câncer de próstata. Nosso objetivo foi descrever os desafios respiratórios e hemodinâmicos e as complicações observadas em pacientes de cistectomia robótica. Pacientes: foram prospectivamente recrutados 16 pacientes tratados com cistectomia robótica entre dezembro de 2009 e janeiro de 2011. As medidas de desfecho primário foram monitoração não invasiva, monitoração invasiva e análise de gases sangüíneos feita nas posições supina (T0), Trendelenburg (T1), Trendelenburg + pneumoperitônio (T2), Trendelenburg antes da dessuflação (T3), Trendelenburg depois da dessuflacão (T4) e supina (T5). Resultados: houve diferencas significativas entre T0 - T1 e T0 - T2 com frequências cardíacas mais baixas. O valor médio para a pressão arterial em T1 foi significativamente mais baixo do que em T0. O valor da pressão venosa central foi significativamente mais elevado em T1, T2, T3 e T4 versus T0. Não foi observada diferença significativa no valor de PET-CO2 em qualquer ponto temporal, em comparação com T0. Também não foram notadas diferenças significativas na frequência respiratória em qualquer ponto temporal, em comparação com T0. Os valores médios de ƒ em T3, T4 e T5 foram significativamente mais elevados versus T0. A ventilação minuto média em T4 e T5 foi significativamente mais elevada versus T0. As pressões de platô e de pico médias em T1, T2, T3, T4 e T5 foram significativamente mais elevadas versus T0. Conclusões: embora a maioria dos pacientes geralmente tolere satisfatoriamente a cistectomia robótica e perceba os benefícios, os anestesiologistas devem levar em consideração as mudanças no sistema cardiopulmonar ocorrentes quando os pacientes são colocados na posição de Trendelenburg e ao ser criado um pneumoperitônio

Anesthetic considerations for robotic cystectomy: a prospective study

AbstractBackground and objectivesRobotic cystectomy is rapidly becoming a part of the standard surgical repertoire for the treatment of prostate cancer. Our aim was to describe respiratory and hemodynamic challenges and the complications observed in robotic cystectomy patients.PatientsSixteen patients who underwent robotic surgery between December 2009 and January 2011 were prospectively enrolled. Main outcome measures were non-invasive monitoring, invasive monitoring and blood gas analysis performed at supine (T0), Trendelenburg (T1), Trendelenburg+pneumoperitoneum (T2), Trendelenburg-before desufflation (T3), Trendelenburg (after desufflation) (T4), and supine (T5) positions.ResultsThere were significant differences between T0−T1 and T0−T2 with lower heart rates. The mean arterial pressure value at T1 was significantly lower than T0. The central venous pressure value was significantly higher at T1, T2, T3, and T4 than at T0. There was no significant difference in the PET-CO2 value at any time point compared with T0. There were no significant differences in respiratory rate at any time point compared with T0. The mean f values at T3, T4, and T5 were significantly higher than T0. The mean minute ventilation at T4 and T5 were significantly higher than at T0. The mean plateau pressures and peak pressures at T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 were significantly higher than the mean value at T0.ConclusionsAlthough the majority of patients generally tolerate robotic cystectomy well and appreciate the benefits, anesthesiologists must consider the changes in the cardiopulmonary system that occur when patients are placed in Trendelenburg position, and when pneumoperitoneum is created