585 research outputs found
Applying DNN Adaptation to Reduce the Session Dependency of Ultrasound Tongue Imaging-based Silent Speech Interfaces
Speech Synthesis from Text and Ultrasound Tongue Image-based Articulatory Input
Articulatory information has been shown to be effective in improving the
performance of HMM-based and DNN-based text-to-speech synthesis. Speech
synthesis research focuses traditionally on text-to-speech conversion, when the
input is text or an estimated linguistic representation, and the target is
synthesized speech. However, a research field that has risen in the last decade
is articulation-to-speech synthesis (with a target application of a Silent
Speech Interface, SSI), when the goal is to synthesize speech from some
representation of the movement of the articulatory organs. In this paper, we
extend traditional (vocoder-based) DNN-TTS with articulatory input, estimated
from ultrasound tongue images. We compare text-only, ultrasound-only, and
combined inputs. Using data from eight speakers, we show that that the combined
text and articulatory input can have advantages in limited-data scenarios,
namely, it may increase the naturalness of synthesized speech compared to
single text input. Besides, we analyze the ultrasound tongue recordings of
several speakers, and show that misalignments in the ultrasound transducer
positioning can have a negative effect on the final synthesis performance.Comment: accepted at SSW11 (11th Speech Synthesis Workshop
Forecasting Failure Rates of Electronic Goods by Using Decomposition and Fuzzy Clustering of Empirical Failure Rate Curves
In this paper a novel methodology founded on the joint application of analytic decomposition of empirical failure rate time series and soft computational techniques is introduced in order to predict bathtub-shaped failure rate curves of consumer electronic goods. Empirical failure rate time series are modeled by a flexible function the parameters of which have geometric interpretations, and so the model parameters grab the characteristics of bathtub-shaped failure rate curves. The so-called typical standardized failure rate curve models, which are derived from the model functions through standardization and fuzzy clustering processes, are applied to predict failure rate curves of consumer electronics in a method that combines analytic curve fitting and soft computing techniques. The forecasting capability of the introduced method was tested on real-life data. Based on the empirical results from practical applications, the introduced method can be considered as a new, alternative reliability prediction technique the application of which can support the electronic repair service providers to plan their resources in the long run
Gene up-regulation by DNA demethylation in 35S-gshI-transgenic poplars (Populus x canescens)
Gene expression levels of transgene 35S-gshI (γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase) cloned
from E. coli, and the endogenous gene gsh1 of poplar (Populus x canescens) were upregulated
by the DNA demethylating agent DHAC (5,6-dihydro-5'-azacytidine
hydrochloride) (10-4 M for 7 days) in aseptic leaf discs cultures. Two 35S-gshI-transgenic
(6lgl and 11ggs) and wild type (WT) poplar clones were used. The efficiency of gene
upregulation was also analyzed under herbicide paraquat stress (4 x 10-7 M). Levels of
gshI-mRNA and gsh1-mRNA were determined by RT-qPCR (reverse transcriptase
quantitative PCR) after cDNA synthesis. For internal control, the constitutively expressed
housekeeping poplar genes α-tubulin and actin were used, and the 2−HHCt method was
applied for data analysis. In long term DHAC treatment (21 days), a morphogenetic
response of de novo root development was observed on leaf discs in a wide concentration
range of DHAC (10-8 to 10-6 M). Adventitious shoots (11ggs clone) also emerged from
leaf discs after a combined treatment with DHAC (10-4 M) and paraquat (10-7 M). Shoots
were dissected, rooted and transplanted in glass houses for further analyses for
phytoremediation capacity. Since DNA methylation patterns are inherited (epigenetic
memory), these poplar plants with increased gene expression levels of both transgene
35S-gshI and endogenous gene gsh1 provide novel plant sources for in situ application
Examination of a geothermal system from a porous geothermal reservoir in the Pannonian Basin in Hungary
SIMULATION OF BIOEQUIVALENCE STUDY ON THE BASE OF DISSOLUTION CURVES
A computer method and software based on the in vitro dissolution ofdrug preparations has been elaborated for the estimation of bioequivalenceusing Microsoft Excel 2007, Visual Basic programming language. Themethod generates a „dissolution surface‖ from the parameters of time (Xaxis),from pH (Y-axis) and from the dissolved amount (A) in % of the drug.This dissolution surface allows the determination of the general dissolutioncurve of the test and reference preparations. By supposing that the absorptionrate constant is known from the literature, the change of the amount ofdissolved drug as the function of time can be determined. On the base of thisfunction the maximum amount of the dissolved drug in the gastrointestinaltract and the AUC can be calculated and the test/reference ratio can bedetermined. In the case of linear pharmacokinetics these ratios are identicalto the ratios of parameters that can be calculated in the circulation. Bygenerating parameters between the allowed biological limits the dissolveddrug – time curves of „volunteers‖ in the necessary number are created withthe randomly generated „residence times‖ and their confidence intervals can be determined, i.e. on the base of dissolution curves bioequivalence can beestimated
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