AN EFFICIENT SPEECH GENERATIVE MODEL BASED ON DETERMINISTIC/STOCHASTIC SEPARATION OF SPECTRAL ENVELOPES

The paper presents a speech generative model that provides an efficient way of generating speech waveform from its amplitude spectral envelopes. The model is based on hybrid speech representation that includes deterministic (harmonic) and stochastic (noise) components. The main idea behind the approach originates from the fact that speech signal has a determined spectral structure that is statistically bound with deterministic/stochastic energy distribution in the spectrum. The performance of the model is evaluated using an experimental low-bitrate wide-band speech coder. The quality of reconstructed speech is evaluated using objective and subjective methods. Two objective quality characteristics were calculated: Modified Bark Spectral Distortion (MBSD) and Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ). Narrow-band and wide-band versions of the proposed solution were compared with MELP (Mixed Excitation Linear Prediction) speech coder and AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate) speech coder, respectively. The speech base of two female and two male speakers were used for testing. The performed tests show that overall performance of the proposed approach is speaker-dependent and it is better for male voices. Supposedly, this difference indicates the influence of pitch highness on separation accuracy. In that way, using the proposed approach in experimental speech compression system provides decent MBSD values and comparable PESQ values with AMR speech coder at 6,6 kbit/s. Additional subjective listening testsdemonstrate that the implemented coding system retains phonetic content and speaker’s identity. It proves consistency of the proposed approach.The paper presents a speech generative model that provides an efficient way of generating speech waveform from its amplitude spectral envelopes. The model is based on hybrid speech representation that includes deterministic (harmonic) and stochastic (noise) components. The main idea behind the approach originates from the fact that speech signal has a determined spectral structure that is statistically bound with deterministic/stochastic energy distribution in the spectrum. The performance of the model is evaluated using an experimental low-bitrate wide-band speech coder. The quality of reconstructed speech is evaluated using objective and subjective methods. Two objective quality characteristics were calculated: Modified Bark Spectral Distortion (MBSD) and Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ). Narrow-band and wide-band versions of the proposed solution were compared with MELP (Mixed Excitation Linear Prediction) speech coder and AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate) speech coder, respectively. The speech base of two female and two male speakers were used for testing. The performed tests show that overall performance of the proposed approach is speaker-dependent and it is better for male voices. Supposedly, this difference indicates the influence of pitch highness on separation accuracy. In that way, using the proposed approach in experimental speech compression system provides decent MBSD values and comparable PESQ values with AMR speech coder at 6,6 kbit/s. Additional subjective listening testsdemonstrate that the implemented coding system retains phonetic content and speaker’s identity. It proves consistency of the proposed approach

A note on the integrable discretization of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation

We revisit integrable discretizations for the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation due to Ablowitz and Ladik. We demonstrate how their main drawback, the non-locality, can be overcome. Namely, we factorize the non-local difference scheme into the product of local ones. This must improve the performance of the scheme in the numerical computations dramatically. Using the equivalence of the Ablowitz--Ladik and the relativistic Toda hierarchies, we find the interpolating Hamiltonians for the local schemes and show how to solve them in terms of matrix factorizations.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX, revised and extended versio

Pomegranate (Punica graantum) Peels as an Agricultural Waste for Removing of CD(II), CR(VI), CU(II), NI(II), PB(II) and ZN(II) from Their Aqueous Solutions

Pomegranate (Punica graantum) peels as an agricultural waste was used as an adsorbent for removal of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn ions from simulated aqueous solutions. The adsorption process was carried out using the batch method. Various effective parameters such as pH, initial metal ion concentration, and adsorbent dose, shaking time, particle size and temperature were investigated. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of Punica graantum peels were done. The efficiency of Punica graantum peels toward removal of metal ions was ordered as Pb2+ \u3c Cr6+ \u3c Cu2+ \u3c Cd2+ \u3c Zn2+ \u3c Ni2+, with the corresponding values of 92.8%, 84.6%, 52.8%, 38%, 25.4% and 22.8%, respectively

Condiciones óptimas para la degradación enzimática de proteínas de semillas oleaginosas

Soybean, sesame seed, and rice bran meal proteins were hydrolyzed with two enzymes, namely, papain and bromelain. Experiments were carried out to elucidate the optimum condition for each enzyme when acting on each substrate seperately. Results revealed that the highest relative activities for papain were achieved with E/S 0.06 , 0.29, 0.19 and pH 7.2, 7.0, 7.0 for soybean, sesame,and rice bran meal proteins, respectively. Optimum temperature for papain while hydrolysing the three substrates was 50 ºC. When using bromelain optimum E/S resulting in highest relative activities were 0.067, 0.058 and 0.21 for soybean, sesame,and rice bran meal protein, respectively. Optimum pH was 6.0 and optimum temperature was 45 ºC for bromelain when hydrolysing the protein of the three substrates. A numerical correlation of enzymatic behaviour for the different substrates was calculated.Proteínas de haba de soja, semilla de sésamo y harina de germen de arroz se hidrolizaron con dos enzimas, denominadas, papaina y bromelaina. Se han llevado a cabo experimentos para determinar las condiciones óptimas de cada enzima cuando actúan separadamente sobre cada sustrato. Los resultados mostraron que las mayores actividades relativas para la papaina se consiguieron con una E/S 0,06, 0,29, 0,19 y un pH 7.2, 7.0, 7.0 para las proteínas de haba de soja, sésamo y harina de germen de arroz, respectivamente. La temperatura óptima para la papaina durante la hidrólisis de los tres sustratos fue de 50 ºC. Cuando se usa bromelaina las relaciones E/S óptimas que proporcionaron mayor actividad relativa fueron 0.067, 0.058 y 0.21 para las proteínas de habas de soja, sésamo y harina de germen de arroz respectivamente. El pH óptimo fue 6.0 y la temperatura óptima 45 ºC para la bromelaina cuando se hidroliza la proteína de los tres sustratos. Con estos datos se hizo una correlación numérica del comportamiento enzimático para los diferentes sustratos

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal as a promising feed ingredient for poultry: A comprehensive review

Insects could be a potential replacement of protein‐rich ingredients in poultry diets. Among these insects, black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has a high content of protein and fat, which reinforces the potential of using it in poultry feed formulation and makes it one of the most promising insect species for commercial production. Protein content as well as amino acid profile in H. illucens larvae is comparable to those in many protein‐rich feedstuffs such as fish meal and soybean meal. BSF can convert organic wastes into a precious source of nutrients, such as proteins, lipids, and chitin, which contribute to reducing the environmental burden and pollution potential arising from organic waste accumulation. This review emphasizes the significance of this insect as a “green” technology in the extremely variable recycling of organic waste and generates a sustainable protein source as well as the importance of its use as a substitute of protein‐rich feedstuff in poultry feed manufacturing

Case Report: Heterozygous Germline Variant in EIF6 Additional to Biallelic SBDS Pathogenic Variants in a Patient With Ribosomopathy Shwachman–Diamond Syndrome

Background: Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) is a rare autosomal recessive ribosomopathy mainly characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, skeletal alterations, neutropenia, and a relevant risk of hematological transformation. At least 90% of SDS patients have pathogenic variants in SBDS, the first gene associated with the disease with very low allelic heterogeneity; three variants, derived from events of genetic conversion between SBDS and its pseudogene, SBDSP1, provided the alleles observed in about 62% of SDS patients.Methods: We performed a reanalysis of the available WES files of a group of SDS patients with biallelic SBDS pathogenic variants, studying the results by next bioinformatic and protein structural analysis. Parallelly, careful clinical attention was given to the patient focused in this study.Results: We found and confirmed in one SDS patient a germline heterozygous missense variant (c.100T>C; p.Phe34Leu) in the EIF6 gene. This variant, inherited from his mother, has a very low frequency, and it is predicted as pathogenic, according to several in silico prediction tools. The protein structural analysis also envisages the variant could reduce the binding to the nascent 60S ribosomal.Conclusion: This study focused on the hypothesis that the EIF6 germline variant mimics the effect of somatic deletions of chromosome 20, always including the locus of this gene, and similarly may rescue the ribosomal stress and ribosomal dysfunction due to SBDS mutations. It is likely that this rescue may contribute to the stable and not severe hematological status of the proband, but a definite answer on the role of this EIF6 variant can be obtained only by adding a functional layer of evidence. In the future, these results are likely to be useful for selected cases in personalized medicine and therapy

An Item Response Curves Analysis of the Force Concept Inventory

Several years ago, we introduced the idea of item response curves (IRC), a simplistic form of item response theory (IRT), to the physics education research community as a way to examine item performance on diagnostic instruments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). We noted that a full-blown analysis using IRT would be a next logical step, which several authors have since taken. In this paper, we show that our simple approach not only yields similar conclusions in the analysis of the performance of items on the FCI to the more sophisticated and complex IRT analyses but also permits additional insights by characterizing both the correct and incorrect answer choices. Our IRC approach can be applied to a variety of multiple-choice assessments but, as applied to a carefully designed instrument such as the FCI, allows us to probe student understanding as a function of ability level through an examination of each answer choice. We imagine that physics teachers could use IRC analysis to identify prominent misconceptions and tailor their instruction to combat those misconceptions, fulfilling the FCI authors\u27 original intentions for its use. Furthermore, the IRC analysis can assist test designers to improve their assessments by identifying nonfunctioning distractors that can be replaced with distractors attractive to students at various ability levels

Widespread FUS mislocalization is a molecular hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Mutations causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clearly implicate ubiquitously expressed and predominantly nuclear RNA binding proteins, which form pathological cytoplasmic inclusions in this context. However, the possibility that wild-type RNA binding proteins mislocalize without necessarily becoming constituents of cytoplasmic inclusions themselves remains relatively unexplored. We hypothesized that nuclear-to-cytoplasmic mislocalization of the RNA binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS), in an unaggregated state, may occur more widely in ALS than previously recognized. To address this hypothesis, we analysed motor neurons from a human ALS induced-pluripotent stem cell model caused by the VCP mutation. Additionally, we examined mouse transgenic models and post-mortem tissue from human sporadic ALS cases. We report nuclear-to-cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS in both VCP-mutation related ALS and, crucially, in sporadic ALS spinal cord tissue from multiple cases. Furthermore, we provide evidence that FUS protein binds to an aberrantly retained intron within the SFPQ transcript, which is exported from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. Collectively, these data support a model for ALS pathogenesis whereby aberrant intron retention in SFPQ transcripts contributes to FUS mislocalization through their direct interaction and nuclear export. In summary, we report widespread mislocalization of the FUS protein in ALS and propose a putative underlying mechanism for this process

Comparative Analysis of Rankine Cycle Linear Fresnel Reflector and Solar Tower Plant Technologies: Techno-Economic Analysis for Ethiopia

The need to meet the world’s growing demand for energy in an environmentally sustainable manner has led to the exploration of various renewable energy (RE) resources for power gen-eration. The objective of this study is to examine the techno-economic potential of concentrated solar power plants (i.e., linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) and central receiver system (CRS) for electricity generation in Eastern African countries with a case study on Ethiopia. The study was conducted using the System Advisor Model (SAM). In order to estimate the economics of the two power plants, the Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and the net present value (NPV) metrics were used. According to results obtained from the simulations, the LFR produced annual energy of 528 TWh at a capacity factor (CF) of 60.3%. The CRS also produced a total of 540 TWh at a CF of 61.9%. The LCOE (real) for the CRS is found to be 9.44 cent/kWh against 10.35 cent/kWh for the LFR. The NPV for both technologies is found to be positive for inflation rates of 2% and below. An inflation rate above 2% renders the two power plants financially impracticable. A real discount rate above 9% also renders both projects economically unviable. Based on the obtained results, the CRS system is identified as the best technology for electricity generation under the Jijiga climatic condition in Ethiopia. © 2022 by the authors. Li-censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Taif University Researchers Supporting Project Number (TURSP-2020/61), Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

The occurrence of heavy radioactive minerals in construction supplies such as granite has drawn attention to the extraction of heavy radioactive minerals. Granitic rocks were identified to serve an essential economic role in the study area’s surrounding locations. As a result, the current study attempted to detect the activity concentrations of238 U,232 Th, and40 K in the granitic rock samples tested and estimate the radiological dangers associated with these rocks. The obtained data on activity concentrations for238 U (610 ± 1730 Bq kg−1 ),232 Th (110 ± 69 Bq kg−1 ) and40 K (1157 ± 467 Bq kg−1 ) in the granitic samples (GR) were higher than the recommended worldwide average. The radioactive levels found in the samples were caused by radioactive materials being altered and trapped inside granite faults. The exposure to gamma radiation from the granitic rocks were assessed via various radiological parameters, such as radium equivalent content (856 Bq kg−1 ), absorbed dose rate (Dair) in the air (396 nGy/h), and annual effective dose for either outdoor (0.48 mSv y−1 ) or indoor (1.9 mSv y−1 ). Statistical analysis was performed to detect the correlations between radioactive concentrations and radiological parameters. The radioactive effects contributed by the uranium minerals were associated with the granitic rocks. Based on the analysis, the radioactive levels in the examined granitic surpassed the acceptable limits; therefore, they are not safe to use in building and infrastructure applications and may cause adverse health effects. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.This research project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University (KKU) (no. RGP.1/213/42)