Nonparallel Emotional Speech Conversion

We propose a nonparallel data-driven emotional speech conversion method. It enables the transfer of emotion-related characteristics of a speech signal while preserving the speaker's identity and linguistic content. Most existing approaches require parallel data and time alignment, which is not available in most real applications. We achieve nonparallel training based on an unsupervised style transfer technique, which learns a translation model between two distributions instead of a deterministic one-to-one mapping between paired examples. The conversion model consists of an encoder and a decoder for each emotion domain. We assume that the speech signal can be decomposed into an emotion-invariant content code and an emotion-related style code in latent space. Emotion conversion is performed by extracting and recombining the content code of the source speech and the style code of the target emotion. We tested our method on a nonparallel corpora with four emotions. Both subjective and objective evaluations show the effectiveness of our approach.Comment: Published in INTERSPEECH 2019, 5 pages, 6 figures. Simulation available at http://www.jian-gao.org/emoga

Automation in colouration technology to predict dyeing parameters for desired shade and fastness

450-458In this study, dyeing parameters, such as dye conc., sodium sulphide conc., salt conc., and time, have been statistically framed through full-factorial design software to generate sets of experimental variables. Cotton has been dyed using all these sets of variables separately, and then evaluated for respective surface colour strength (K/S), and colour fastness properties, such as fastness to light, washing and rubbing. The outputs thus generated are then analyzed using ANN to generate a big data, by which dyer can predict any shade. This will help in eliminating the rigorous laboratory trials and forecasting colour strength & quality of dyeing well before the dyeing process is materialized. The whole data sets are then uploaded in cloud computing to enable to acquire the data. It is observed that by assigning diffent values of K/S on cloud, the dyeing parameters can be obtained to achieve desired output in further application

Automation in colouration technology to predict dyeing parameters for desired shade and fastness

In this study, dyeing parameters, such as dye conc., sodium sulphide conc., salt conc., and time, have been statisticallyframed through full-factorial design software to generate sets of experimental variables. Cotton has been dyed using all thesesets of variables separately, and then evaluated for respective surface colour strength (K/S), and colour fastness properties,such as fastness to light, washing and rubbing. The outputs thus generated are then analyzed using ANN to generate a bigdata, by which dyer can predict any shade. This will help in eliminating the rigorous laboratory trials and forecasting colourstrength & quality of dyeing well before the dyeing process is materialized. The whole data sets are then uploaded in cloudcomputing to enable to acquire the data. It is observed that by assigning diffent values of K/S on cloud, the dyeingparameters can be obtained to achieve desired output in further applicatio

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE OF GENERIC DRUGS AMONG DOCTORS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objectives: Generic medicines constitute an important aspect of affordable health care. “JAN AUSHADHI” campaign was started by the Government of India in 2008 to support generic prescriptions. Recently, medical council of India had requested all clinicians for generic prescriptions. With this background, this study was undertaken to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of generic medicines among doctors. Methods: It was a cross-sectional, prospective, questionnaire-based study. After obtaining institute permission, validated questionnaires were distributed to different clinical departments at Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru. With gentle reminders in between, filled forms were collected after 7 days. Results: Mean age of the participants was 29.05±17.81 years. Out of 250 questionnaires distributed, 156 were returned back without responding. The response rate was 62.4%. Out of 156, 35 (22.43%) were intern medical officers, 89 (57.05%) were post-graduates, and 32 (20.51%) were faculty members. Regarding knowledge, the mean score was 6.24±0.17. 52 (33.33%) participants had good knowledge, 73 (46.79%) had average knowledge, and 31 (19.87%) had poor knowledge about generic medicines. Generics were prescribed by 90 (57.69%) participants. Most of the clinicians (66.02%) felt that prescribing in generics is not a burden on them provided government ensured the quality control of drugs. 121 (77.56%) stated that the socioeconomic status of the patient is an important factor while prescribing generics. 136 (87.17%) felt that generics bring down the treatment costs. Conclusion: This study shows that participants were well aware about generic drugs. As opined by the clinicians, a national level online reference must be made available

BURROW ARCHITECTURE OF RED GHOST CRAB OCYPODE MACROCERA (H. MILNE-EDWARDS, 1852) : A CASE STUDY IN INDIAN SUNDARBANS

A study on burrow architecture and burrow morphology of the red ghost crab (Ocypode macrocera) was carried out at the southern proximity of the Sagar island (21°37.973' N, to E 88° 04.195'), western sector of Indian Sundarbans that faces the regular tidal influences of Bay of Bengal. Ocypode macrocera constructs burrows that are highly species specific and used by single individual. Four types of burrow patterns were observed like ‘I’, ‘J’ ‘U’ and ‘semi-U’ type with different sizes as revealed by POP casting. Important physic-chemical parameters like air temperature, temperature and salinity of the water were significantly varied (P < 0.05) throughout seasons in the Ocypode zone. Burrow sand column temperature were also significantly varied from ambient air temperature thus exhibiting preference for cooler subterranean residential compartment. The digging behaviour of Ocypodes enhances oxygenation in the ground soil and facilitates decomposition of organic materials, nutrient recycling, entrapping the sediments and mangrove seedlings and helps the process of bioturbation. As per the preliminary observations it was suggested that burrow shape is directly related to tidal action and metabolic activities of the crab are strongly correlated with burrow microenvironment. They are adapted to the different sediment conditions, tidal fluctuations, varying salinity gradients, air and water temperatures and other environmental fluctuations

Indoor pollution from solid biomass fuel and rural health damage: A micro-environmental study in rural area of Burdwan, West Bengal

AbstractEmissions from biomass combustion are a major source of indoor and outdoor air pollution, and are estimated to cause millions of premature deaths worldwide annually. In this study, we assessed the effect of exposure to biomass smoke on various health status including blood pressure, gaseous component and ventilation pattern of kitchen and living room. For this investigation, a number of measurements were done to obtain indoor air quality (IAQ) data (indoor humidity, temperature, CO, CO2 and O3 concentration). Blood pressure was measured at baseline and one hour post-exposure. Results highlighted that a higher concentration of CO2 was released during burning of dry leaf, straw, cow dung compared to that from straw and LPG gas. Moreover, correlation study showed a strong negative relationship between CO and humidity (r=−0.609, p<0.000). Symptoms like eye irritation, shortness of breath, cough and dizziness were highly prevalent among biomass users. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a strong positive (p<0.05) relationship with age of biomass users. However, wood users suffer from high systolic pressure (p<0.037). On the other hand, a very poor ventilation pattern was recorded in the studied population

Effects of ultraviolet radiation on pigmentation and malondialdehyde content of three aquatic macrophytes

A study has been done in order to evaluate the ill effects of UV-A,UV-B and UV-C on pigmentation and malondialdehyde content of floating macrophytes (Lemna sp., Pistia sp. and Eichhornia sp.) in one, three, and five days interval. Study results revealed that all types of ultraviolet light (UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C) did not produce same extent of ill effects on the studied macrophytes. Pistia sp. and Eichhornia sp. showed similar reduction pattern of chl a/chl b ratio with respect to control. Results also suggest that among the three types of radiation only UV-B showed higher level of changes in both the pigment and malondialdehyde content. Moreover, among the three tested macrophytes only Lemna sp. showed some protective role against UV radiation compared to other to macrophytes